4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第92部分

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　　〃No；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　voice　full　of　a　bitterness　Harry　had　never　heard　there　before。
　　〃They　are　insane。　They　are　both　in　St。　Mungo's　Hospital　for　Magical　Maladies　and　Injuries。　I　believe　Neville　visits　them；　with　his　grandmother；　during　the　holidays。
　　They　do　not　recognize　him。〃
　　Harry　sat　there；　horror…struck。　He　had　never　known　。　。　。　never；　in　four　years；　bothered　to　find　out。　。　。
　　〃The　Longbottoms　were　very　popular；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃The　attacks　on　them　came　after　Voldemort's　fall　from　power；　just　when　everyone　thought　they　were　safe。　Those　attacks　caused　a　wave　of　fury　such　as　I　have　never　known。　The　Ministry　was　under　great　pressure　to　catch　those　who　had　done　it。　Unfortunately；　the　Longbottoms'　evidence　was　…　given　their　condition　…　none　too　reliable。〃
　　〃Then　Mr。　Crouch's　son　might　not　have　been　involved？〃　said　Harry　slowly。
　　Dumbledore　shook　his　head。
　　〃As　to　that；　I　have　no　idea。〃
　　Harry　sat　in　silence　once　more；　watching　the　contents　of　the　Pensieve　swirl。　There　were　two　more　questions　he　was　burning　to　ask　。　。　。　but　they　concerned　the　guilt　of　living　people。　。　。　。
　　〃Er；〃　he　said；　〃Mr。　Bagman　。　。。〃
　　〃。。。　has　never　been　accused　of　any　Dark　activity　since；〃　said　Dumbledore　calmly。
　　〃Right；〃　said　Harry　hastily；　staring　at　the　contents　of　the　Pensieve　again；　which　were　swirling　more　slowly　now　that　Dumbledore　had　stopped　adding　thoughts。　〃And　。。。　er　。。。〃
　　But　the　Pensieve　seemed　to　be　asking　his　question　for　him。
　　Snape's　face　was　swimming　on　the　surface　again。　Dumbledore　glanced　down　into　it；　and　then　up　at　Harry。
　　〃No　more　has　Professor　Snape；〃　he　said。
　　Harry　looked　into　Dumbledore's　light　blue　eyes；　and　the　thing　he　really　wanted　to　know　spilled　out　of　his　mouth　before　he　could　stop　it。
　　〃What　made　you　think　he'd　really　stopped　supporting　Voldemort；　Professor？〃
　　Dumbledore　held　Harrys　gaze　for　a　few　seconds；　and　then　said；　〃That；　Harry；　is　a　matter　between　Professor　Snape　and　myself。〃
　　Harry　knew　that　the　interview　was　over；　Dumbledore　did　not　look　angry；　yet　there　was　a　finality　in　his　tone　that　told　Harry　it　was　time　to　go。　He　stood　up；　and　so　did　Dumbledore。
　　〃Harry；〃　he　said　as　Harry　reached　the　door。　〃Please　do　not　speak　about　Neville's　parents　to　anybody　else。　He　has　the　right　to　let　people　know；　when　he　is　ready。〃
　　〃Yes；　Professor；〃　said　Harry；　turning　to　go。
　　〃And…〃
　　Harry　looked　back。　Dumbledore　was　standing　over　the　Pensieve；　his　face　lit　from　beneath　by　its　silvery　spots　of　light；　looking　older　than　ever。　He　stared　at　Harry　for　a　moment；　and　then　said；　〃Good　luck　with　the　third　task。〃
　　CHAPTER　THIRTY…ONE　…　THE　THIRD　TASK
　　Dumbledore　reckons　You…Know…Who's　getting　stronger　again　as　well？〃　Ron　whispered。
　　Everything　Harry　had　seen　in　the　Pensieve；　nearly　everything　Dumbledore　had　told　and　shown　him　afterward；　he　had　now　shared　with　Ron　and　Hermione　…　and；　of　course；　with　Sirius；　to　whom　Harry　had　sent　an　owl　the　moment　he　had　left　Dumbledore's　office。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　sat　up　late　in　the　mon　room　once　again　that　night；　talking　it　all　over　until　Harry's　mind　was　reeling；　until　he　understood　what　Dumbledore　had　meant　about　a　head　being　so　full　of　thoughts　that　it　would　have　been　a　relief　to　siphon　them　off。
　　Ron　stared　into　the　mon　room　fire。　Harry　thought　he　saw　Ron　shiver　slightly；　even　though　the　evening　was　warm。
　　〃And　he　trusts　Snape？〃　Ron　said。　〃He　really　trusts　Snape；　even　though　he　knows　he　was　a　Death　Eater？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry。
　　Hermione　had　not　spoken　for　ten　minutes。　She　was　sitting　with　her　forehead　in　her　hands；　staring　at　her　knees。　Harry　thought　she　too　looked　as　though　she　could　have　done　with　a　Pensieve。
　　〃Rita　Skeeter；〃　she　muttered　finally。
　　〃How　can　you　be　worrying　about　her　now？〃　said　Ron；　in　utter　disbelief。
　　〃I'm　not　worrying　about　her；〃　Hermione　said　to　her　knees。　〃I'm　just　thinking。　。　。
　　remember　what　she　said　to　me　in　the　Three　Broomsticks？　'I　know　things　about　Ludo　Bagman　that　would　make　your　hair　curl。　'　This　is　what　she　meant；　isn't　it？　She　reported　his　trial；　she　knew　he'd　passed　information　to　the　Death　Eaters。　And　Winky　too；　remember　。　。
　　。'Ludo　Bagman's　a　bad　wizard。'　Mr。　Crouch　would　have　been　furious　he　got　off；　he　would　have　talked　about　it　at　home。〃
　　〃Yeah；　but　Bagman　didn't　pass　information　on　purpose；　did　he？〃
　　Hermione　shrugged。
　　〃And　Fudge　reckons　Madame　Maxime　attacked　Crouch？〃　Ron　said；　turning　back　to　Harry。
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Harry；　〃but　he's　only　saying　that　because　Crouch　disappeared　near　the　Beauxbatons　carriage。〃
　　〃We　never　thought　of　her；　did　we？〃　said　Ron　slowly。　〃Mind　you；　she's　definitely　got　giant　blood；　and　she　doesn't　want　to　admit　it…〃
　　〃Of　course　she　doesn't；〃　said　Hermione　sharply；　looking　up。　〃Look　what　happened　to　Hagrid　when　Rita　found　out　about　his　mother。　Look　at　Fudge；　jumping　to　conclusions　about　her；　just　because　she's　part　giant。　Who　needs　that　sort　of　prejudice？　I'd　probably　say　I　had　big　bones　if　I　knew　that's　what　I'd　get　for　telling　the　truth。〃
　　Hermione　looked　at　her　watch。　〃We　haven't　done　any　practicing！〃　she　said；　looking　shocked。　〃We　were　going　to　do　the　Impediment　Curse！　We'll　have　to　really　get　down　to　it　tomorrow！　e　on。　Harry；　you　need　to　get　some　sleep。〃
　　Harry　and　Ron　went　slowly　upstairs　to　their　dormitory。　As　Harry　pulled　on　his　pajamas；　he　looked　over　at　Nevilles　bed。　True　to　his　word　to　Dumbledore；　he　had　not　told　Ron　and　Hermione　about　Neville　s　parents。　As　Harry　took　off　his　glasses　and　climbed　into　his　four…poster；　he　imagined　how　it　must　feel　to　have　parents　still　living　but　unable　to　recognize　you。　He　often　got　sympathy　from　strangers　for　being　an　orphan；　but　as　he　listened　to　Nevilles　snores；　he　thought　that　Neville　deserved　it　more　than　he　did。　Lying　in　the　darkness；　Harry　felt　a　rush　of　anger　and　hate　toward　the　people　who　had　tortured　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Longbottom。　。。。　He　remembered　the　jeers　of　the　crowd　as　Crouch's　son　and　his　panions　had　been　dragged　from　the　court　by　the　dementors。　。。。　He　understood　how　they　had　felt。　。　。　。　Then　he　remembered　the　milk…white　face　of　the　screaming　boy　and　realized　with　a　jolt　that　he　had　died　a　year　later。　。　。　。
　　It　was　Voldemort；　Harry　thought；　staring　up　at　the　canopy　of　his　bed　in　the　darkness；　it　all　came　back　to　Voldemort。　。。。　He　was　the　one　who　had　torn　these　families　apart；　who　had　ruined　all　these　lives。　。　。　。
　　Ron　and　Hermione　were　supposed　to　be　studying　for　their　exams；　which　would　finish　on　the　day　of　the　third　task；　but　they　were　putting　most　of　their　efforts　into　helping　Harry　prepare。
　　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Hermione　said　shortly　when　Harry　pointed　this　out　to　them　and
　　said　he　didn't　mind　practicing　on　his　own　for　a　while；　〃at　least　we'll　get　top　marks　in　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts。　We'd　never　have　found　out　about　all　these　hexes　in　class。〃
　　〃Good　training　for　when　we're　all　Aurors；〃　said　Ron　excitedly；　attempting　the　Impediment　Curse　on　a　wasp　that　had　buzzed　into　the　room　and　making　it　stop　dead　in　midair。
　　The　mood　in　the　castle　as　they　entered　June　became　excited　and　tense　again。　Everyone　was　looking　forward　to　the　third　task；　which　would　take　place　a　week　before　the　end　of　term。
　　Harry　was　practicing　hexes　at　every　available　moment。　He　felt　more　confident　about　this　task　than　either　of　the　others。　Difficult　and　dangerous　though　it　would　undoubtedly　be；　Moody　was　right：　Harry　had　managed　to　find　his　way　past　monstrous　creatures　and　enchanted　barriers　before　now；　and　this　time　he　had　some　notice；　some　chance　to　prepare　himself　for　what　lay　ahead。
　　Tired　of　walking　in　on　Harry；　Hermione；　and　Ron　all　over　the　school。　Professor　McGonagall　had　given　them　permission　to　use　the　empty　Transfiguration　classroom　at　lunchtimes。　Harry　had　soon　mastered　the　Impediment　Curse；　a　spell　to　slow　down　and　obstruct　attackers；　the　Reductor　Curse；　which　would　enable　him　to　blast　solid　objects　out　of　his　way；　and　the　Four…Point　Spell；　a　useful　discovery　of　Hermiones　that　would　make　his　wand　point　due　north；　therefore　enabling　him　to　check　whether　he　was　going　in　the　right　direction　within　the　maze。　He　was　still　having　trouble　with　the　Shield　Charm；　though。
　　This　was　supposed　to　cast　a　temporary；　invisible　wall　around　himself　that　deflected　minor　curses；　Hermione　managed　to　shatter　it　with　a　well…placed　Jelly…Legs　Jinx；　and　Harry　wobbled　around　the　room　for　ten　minutes　afterward　before　she　had　looked　up　the　counter…jinx。
　　〃You're　still　doing　really　well；　though；〃　Hermione　said　encouragingly；　looking　down　her　list　and　crossing　off　those　spells　they　had　already　learned。　〃Some　of　these　are　bound　to　e　in　handy。〃
　　〃e　and　look　at　this；〃　said　Ron；　who　was　standing　by　the　window。　He　was　staring　down　onto　the　grounds。　〃What's　Malfoy　doing？〃
　　Harry　and　Hermione　went　to　see。　Malfoy；　Crabbe；　and　Goyle　were　standing　in　the　shadow　of　a　tree　below。　Crabbe　and　Goyle　seemed　to　be　keeping　a　lookout；　both　were　smirking。
　　Malfoy　was　holding　his　hand　up　to　his　mouth　and　speaking　into　it。
　　〃He　looks　like　he's　using　a　walkie…talkie；〃　said　Harry　curiously。
　　〃He　can't　be；〃　said　Hermione；　〃I've　told　you；　those　sorts　of　things　don't　work　around　Hogwarts。　e　on；　Harry；〃　she　added　briskly；　turning　away　from　the　window　and　moving　back　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　〃let's　try　that　Shield　Charm　again。〃
　　Sirius　was　sending　daily　owls　now。　Like　Hermione；　he　seemed　to　want　to　concentrate　on　getting　Harry　through　the　last　task　before　they　concerned　themselves　with　anything　else。
　　He　reminded　Harry　in　every　letter　that　whatever　might　be　going　on　outside　the　walls　of　Hogwarts　was　not　Harry's　responsibility；　nor　was　it　within　his　power　to　influence　it。
　　If　Voldemort　is　really　getting　stronger　again；　he　wrote；　my　priority　is　to　ensure　your　safety。　He　cannot　hope　to　lay　hands　on　you　while　you　are　under　Dumbledore's　protection；　but　all　the　same；　take　no　risks：　Concentrate　on　getting　through　that　maze　safely；　and　then　we　can　turn　our　attention　to　other　matters。
　　Harry's　nerves　mounted　as　June　the　twenty…fourth　drew　closer；　but　they　were　not　as　bad　as　those　he　had　felt　before　the　first　and　second　tasks。　For　one　thing；　he　was　confident　that；　this　time；　he　had　done　everything　in　his　power　to　prepare