3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第18部分

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　　Neville　was　pink　and　trembling。　He　looked　as　though　he　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。
　　〃Please；　sir；〃　said　Hermione；　〃please；　I　could　help　Neville　put　it　right　〃
　　〃I　don't　remember　asking　you　to　show　off；　Miss　Granger；〃　said　Snape　coldly；　and　Hermione　went　as　pink　as　Neville。　〃Longbottom；　at　the　end　of　this　lesson　we　will　feed　a　few　drops　of　this　potion　to　your　toad　and　see　what　happens。　Perhaps　that　will　encourage　you　to　do　it　properly。〃
　　Snape　moved　away；　leaving　Neville　breathless　with　fear。
　　〃Help　me！〃　he　moaned　to　Hermione。
　　〃Hey；　Harry；〃　said　Seamus　Finnigan；　leaning　over　to　borrow　Harry's　brass　scales；　〃have　you　heard？　Daily　Prophet　this　morning　　they　reckon　Sirius　Black's　been　sighted。〃
　　〃Where？〃　said　Harry　and　Ron　quickly。　On　the　other　side　of　the　table；　Malfoy　looked　up；　listening　closely。
　　〃Not　too　far　from　here；〃　said　Seamus；　who　looked　excited。　〃It　was　a　Muggle　who　saw　him。　'Course；　she　didn't　really　understand。　The　Muggles　think　he's　just　an　ordinary　criminal；　don't　they？　So　she　phoned　the　telephone　hot　line。　By　the　time　the　Ministry　of　Magic　got　there；　he　was　gone。〃
　　〃Not　too　far　from　here。。。　〃　Ron　repeated；　looking　significantly　at　Harry。　He　turned　around　and　saw　Malfoy　watching　closely。　〃What；　Malfoy？　Need　something　else　skinned？〃
　　But　Malfoy's　eyes　were　shining　malevolently；　and　they　were　fixed　Harry。　He　leaned　across　the　table。
　　Black　single…handed；　Potter？〃
　　〃Thinking　Of　trying　to　catch
　　〃Yeah；　that's　right；〃　said　Harry　offhandedly。
　　Malfoys　thin　mouth　was　curving　in　a　mean　smile。
　　〃Of　course；　if　it　was　me；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃I'd　have　done　something　before　now。　I　wouldn't　be　staying　in　school　like　a　good　boy；　I'd　be　out　there　looking　for　him。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Malfoy？〃　said　Ron　roughly。
　　〃Don't　you　know；　Potter？〃　breathed　Malfoy；　his　pate　eyes　narrowed。
　　〃Know　what？〃
　　Malfoy　let　out　a　low；　sneering　laugh。
　　〃Maybe　you'd　rather　not　risk　your　neck；〃　he　said。　〃Want　to　leave　it　to　the　dementors；　do　you？　But　if　it　was　me；　I'd　want　revenge。　I'd　hunt　him　down　myself。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Harry　angrily；　but　at　that　moment　Snape　called；　〃You　should　have　finished　adding　your　ingredients　by　now；　this　potion　needs　to　stew　before　it　can　be　drunk；　so　clear　away　while　it　simmers　and　then　we'll　test　Longbottom's。。。　〃
　　Crabbe　and　Goyle　laughed　openly；　watching　Neville　sweat　as　he　stirred　his　potion　feverishly。　Hermione　was　muttering　instructions　to　him　out　of　the　corner　of　her　mouth；　so　that　Snape　wouldn't　see。　Harry　and　Ron　packed　away　their　unused　ingredients　and　went　to　wash　their　hands　and　ladles　in　the　stone　basin　in　the　corner。
　　〃What　did　Malfoy　mean？〃　Harry　muttered　to　Ron　as　he　stuck　his　hands　under　the　icy　jet　that　poured　from　the　gargoyle's　mouth　〃Why　would　I　want　revenge　on　Black？　He　hasn't　done　anything　to　me　　yet。
　　〃He's　making　it　up；〃　said　Ron　savagely。　〃He's　trying　to　make　you　do　something　stupid。。。。〃
　　The　end　of　the　lesson　in　sight；　Snape　strode　over　to　Neville；　who　was　cowering　by　his　cauldron。
　　〃Everyone　gather　'round；〃　said　Snape；　his　black　eyes　glittering；　and　watch　what　happens　to　Longbottom's　toad。　If　he　has　managed　to　produce　a　Shrinking　Solution；　it　will　shrink　to　a　tadpole。　If；　as　I　don't　doubt；　he　has　done　it　wrong；　his　toad　is　likely　to　be　poisoned。〃
　　The　Gryffindors　watched　fearfully。　The　Slytherins　looked　excited。　Snape　picked　up　Trevor　the　toad　in　his　left　hand　and　dipped　a　small　spoon　into　Neville's　potion；　which　was　now　green。　He　trickled　a　few　drops　down　Trevor's　throat。
　　There　was　a　moment　of　hushed　silence；　in　which　Trevor　gulped；　then　there　was　a　small　pop；　and　Trevor　the　tadpole　was　wriggling　in　Snape's　palm。
　　The　Gryffindors　burst　into　applause。　Snape；　looking　sour；　pulled　a　small　bottle　from　the　pocket　of　his　robe；　poured　a　few　drops　on　top　of　Trevor；　and　he　reappeared　suddenly；　fully　grown。
　　〃Five　points　from　Gryffindor；〃　said　Snape；　which　wiped　the　smiles　from　every　face。　〃I　told　you　not　to　help　him；　Miss　Granger。　Class　dismissed。〃
　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　climbed　the　steps　to　the　entrance　hall。　Harry　was　still　thinking　about　what　Malfoy　had　said；　while　Ron　was　seething　about　Snape。
　　〃Five　points　from　Gryffindor　because　the　potion　was　all　right！
　　Why　didn't　You　lie；　Hermione？　You　should've　said　Neville　did　it　all　by　himself！〃
　　Hermione　didn't　answer。　Ron　looked　around。
　　〃Where　is　she？〃
　　Harry　turned　too。　They　were　at　the　top　of　the　steps　now；　watching　the　rest　of　the　class　pass　them；　heading　for　the　Great　Hall　and　lunch。
　　〃She　was　right　behind　us；〃　said　Ron；　frowning。
　　Malfoy　passed　them；　walking　between　Crabbe　and　Goyle。　He　smirked　at　Harry　and　disappeared。
　　〃There　she　is；〃　said　Harry。
　　Hermione　was　panting　slightly；　hurrying　up　the　stairs；　one　hand　clutched　her　bag；　the　other　seemed　to　be　tucking　something　down　the　front　of　her　robes。
　　〃How　did　you　do　that？〃　said　Ron。
　　〃What？〃　said　Hermione；　joining　them。
　　〃One　minute　you　were　right　behind　us；　the　next　moment；　you　were　back　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　again。〃
　　〃What？〃　Hermione　looked　slightly　confused。　〃Oh　　I　had　to　go　back　for　something。　Oh　no　〃
　　A　seam　had　split　on　Hermione's　bag。　Harry　wasn't　surprised；　he　could　see　that　it　was　crammed　with　at　least　a　dozen　large　and　heavy　books。
　　〃Why　are　you　carrying　all　these　around　with　you？〃　Ron　asked　her。
　　〃You　know　how　many　subjects　I'm　taking；〃　said　Hermione　breathlessly。　〃Couldn't　hold　these　for　me；　could　you？〃
　　〃But　〃　Ron　was　turning　over　the　books　she　had　handed　him；　looking　at　the　covers。　〃You　havent　got　any　of　these　subjects　today。　It's　only　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　this　afternoon。〃
　　〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Hermione　vaguely；　but　she　packed　all　the　books　back　into　her　bag　just　the　same。　I　hope　there's　something　good　for　lunch；　I'm　starving；〃　she　added；　and　she　marched　off　toward　the　Great　Hall。
　　〃D'you　get　the　feeling　Hermione's　not　telling　us　something？Ron　asked　Harry。
　　Professor　Lupin　wasn't　there　when　they　arrived　at　his　first　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　lesson。　They　all　sat　down；　took　out　their　books；　quills；　and　parchment；　and　were　talking　when　he　finally　entered　the　room。　Lupin　smiled　vaguely　and　placed　his　tatty　old　briefcase　on　the　teacher's　desk。　He　was　as　shabby　as　ever　but　looked　healthier　than　he　had　on　the　train；　as　though　he　had　had　a　few　square　meals。
　　〃Good　afternoon；〃　he　said。　〃Would　you　please　put　all　your　books　back　in　your　bags。　Today's　will　be　a　practical　lesson。　You　will　need　only　your　wands。〃
　　A　few　curious　looks　were　exchanged　as　the　class　put　away　their　books。　They　had　never　had　a　practical　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　before；　unless　you　counted　the　memorable　class　last　year　when　their　old　teacher　had　brought　a　cageful　of　pixies　…to　class　and　set　them　loose。
　　〃Right　then；〃　said　Professor　Lupin；　when　everyone　was　ready。　〃If　you'd　follow　me。〃
　　Puzzled　but　interested；　the　class　got　to　its　feet　and　followed　Professor　Lupin　out　of　the　classroom。　He　led　them　along　the　deserted　corridor　and　around　a　corner；　where　the　first　thing　they　saw　was　Peeves　the　Poltergeist；　who　was　floating　upside　down　in　midair　and　stuffing　the　nearest　keyhole　with　chewing　gum。
　　Peeves　didn't　look　up　until　Professor　Lupin　was　two　feet　away；　；hen　he　wiggled　his　curly…toed　feet　and　broke　into　song。
　　〃Loony；　loopy　Lupin；〃　Peeves　sang。　〃Loony；　loopy　Lupin；　loony；　loopy　Lupin　〃
　　Rude　and　unmanageable　as　he　almost　always　was；　Peeves　usually　showed　some　respect　toward　the　teachers。　Everyone　looked　quickly　at　Professor　Lupin　to　see　how　he　would　take　this；　to　their　surprise；　he　was　still　smiling。
　　〃I'd　take　that　gum　out　of　the　keyhole　if　I　were　you；　Peeves；〃　he　said　pleasantly。　〃Mr。　Filch　won't　be　able　to　get　in　to　his　brooms。〃
　　Filch　was　the　Hogwarts　caretaker；　a　bad…tempered；　failed　wizard　who　waged　a　constant　war　against　the　students　and；　indeed；　Peeves。　However；　Peeves　paid　no　attention　to　Professor　Lupin's　words；　except　to　blow　a　loud　wet　raspberry。
　　Professor　Lupin　gave　a　small　sigh　and　took　out　his　wand。
　　〃This　is　a　useful　little　spell；　he　told　the　class　over　his　shoulder。　〃Please　watch　closely。〃
　　He　raised　the　wand　to　shoulder　height；　said；　〃Waddiwasi！　〃and　pointed　it　at　Peeves。
　　With　the　force　of　a　bullet；　the　wad　of　chewing　gum　shot　out　of　the　keyhole　and　straight　down　Peeves's　left　nostril；　he　whirled　upright　and　zoomed　away；　cursing。
　　〃Cool；　sit！〃　said　Dean　Thomas　in　amazement。
　　〃Thank　you；　Dean；〃　said　Professor　Lupin；　putting　his　wand　away　again。　〃Shall　we　proceed？〃
　　They　set　off　again；　the　class　looking　at　shabby　Professor　Lupin　with　increased　respect。　He　led　them　down　a　second　corridor　and　stopped；　right　outside　the　staffroom　door。
　　〃Inside；　please；〃　said　Professor　Lupin；　opening　it　and　standing　back。
　　The　staffroom；　a　long；　paneled　room　full　of　old；　mismatched　chairs；　was　empty　except　for　one　teacher。　Professor　Snape　was　sitting　in　a　low　armchair；　and　he　looked　around　as　the　class　filed　in。　His　eyes　were　glittering　and　there　was　a　nasty　sneer　playing　around　his　mouth。　As　Professor　Lupin　came　in　and　made　to　close　the　door　behind　him；　Snape　said；　〃Leave　it　open；　Lupin。　I'd　rather　not　witness　this。〃
　　He　got　to　his　feet　and　strode　past　the　class；　his　black　robes　billowing　behind　him。　At　the　doorway　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　said；　〃Possibly　no　one's　warned　you；　Lupin；　but　this　class　contains　Neville　Longbottom。　I　would　advise　you　not　to　entrust　him　with　anything　difficult。　Not　unless　Miss　Granger　is　hissing　instructions　in　his　ear。〃
　　Neville　went　scarlet。　Harry　glared　at　Snape；　it　was　bad　enough　that　he　bullied　Neville　in　his　own　classes；　let　alone　doing　it　in　front　of　other　teachers。
　　Professor　Lupin　had　raised　his　eyebrows。
　　〃I　was　hoping　that　Neville　would　assist　me　with　the　first　stage　of　the　operation；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　am　sure　he　will　perform　it　admirably。〃
　　Neville's　face　went；　if　possible；　even　redder。　Snape's　lip　curled；　but　he　left；　shutting　the　door　with　a　snap。
　　〃Now；　then；〃　said　Professor　Lupin；　beckoning　the　class　toward　the　end　of　the　room；　where　there　was　nothing　but　an　old　wardrobe　where　the　teachers　kept　their　spare　robes。　As　Professor　Lupin　went　to　stand　next　to　it；　th