3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第27部分

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　　〃I　don't　pretend　to　be　an　expert　at　fighting　dementors；　Harry；　quite　the　contrary。。。〃
　　〃But　if　the　dementors　e　to　another　Quidditch　match；　I　need　to　be　able　to　fight　them　〃
　　Lupin　looked　into　Harry's　determined　face；　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Well。。。　all　right。　I'll　try　and　help。　But　it'll　have　to　wait　until　next　term；　I'm　afraid。　I　have　a　lot　to　do　before　the　holidays。　I　chose　a　very　inconvenient　time　to　fall　ill。〃
　　What　with　the　promise　of　anti…dementor　lessons　from　Lupin；　the　thought　that　he　might　never　have　to　hear　his　mother's　death　again；　and　the　fact　that　Ravenclaw　flattened　Hufflepuff　in　their　Quidditch　match　at　the　end　of　November；　Harry's　mood　took　a　definite　upturn。　Gryffindor　were　not　out　of　the　running　after　all；　although　they　could　not　afford　to　lose　another　match。　Wood　became　repossessed　of　his　manic　energy；　and　worked　his　team　as　hard　as　ever　in　the　chilly　haze　of　rain　that　persisted　into　December。　Harry　saw　no　hint　of　a　dementor　within　the　grounds。　Dumbledore's　anger　seemed　to　be　keeping　them　at　their　stations　at　the　entrances。
　　Two　weeks　before　the　end　of　the　term；　the　sky　lightened　suddenly　to　a　dazzling；　opaline　white　and　the　muddy　grounds　were　revealed　one　morning　covered　in　glittering　frost。　Inside　the　castle；　there　was　a　buzz　of　Christmas　in　the　air。　Professor　Flitwick；　the　Charms　teacher；　had　already　decorated　his　classroom　with　shimmering　lights　that　turned　out　to　be　real；　fluttering　fairies。　The　students　were　all　happily　discussing　their　plans　for　the　holidays。　Both　Ron　and　Hermione　had　decided　to　remain　at　Hogwarts；　and　though　Ron　said　it　was　because　he　couldn't　stand　two　weeks　with　Percy；　and　Hermione　insisted　she　needed　to　use　the　library；　Harry　wasn't　fooled；　they　were　doing　it　to　keep　him　pany；　and　he　was　very　grateful。
　　To　everyone's　delight　except　Harry's；　there　was　to　be　another　Hogsmeade　trip　on　the　very　last　weekend　of　the　term。
　　〃We　can　do　all　our　Christmas　shopping　there！〃　said　Hermione。　〃Mum　and　Dad　would　really　love　those　Toothflossing　Stringmints　from　Honeydukes！〃
　　Resigned　to　the　fact　that　he　would　be　the　only　third　year　staying　behind　again；　Harry　borrowed　a　copy　of　Which　Broomstick　from　Wood；　and　decided　to　spend　the　day　reading　up　on　the　different　makes。　He　had　been　riding　one　of　the　school　brooms　at　team　practice；　an　ancient　Shooting　Star；　which　was　very　slow　and　jerky；　he　definitely　needed　a　new　broom　of　his　own。
　　On　the　Saturday　morning　of　the　Hogsmeade　trip；　Harry　bid　good…bye　to　Ron　and　Hermione；　who　were　wrapped　in　cloaks　and　scarves；　then　turned　up　the　marble　staircase　alone；　and　headed　back　toward　Gryffindor　Tower。　Snow　had　started　to　fall　outside　the　windows；　and　the　castle　was　very　still　and　quiet。
　　〃Psst　　Harry！〃
　　He　turned；　halfway　along　the　third…floor　corridor；　to　see　Fred　and　George　peering　out　at　him　from　behind　a　statue　of　a　humpbacked；　one…eyed　witch。
　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　said　Harry　curiously。　〃How　e　you're　not　going　to　Hogsmeade？〃
　　〃We've　e　to　give　you　a　bit　of　festive　cheer　before　we　go；〃　said　Fred；　with　a　mysterious　wink。　〃e　in　here。。。。〃
　　He　nodded　toward　an　empty　classroom　to　the　left　of　the　one…eyed　statue。　Harry　followed　Fred　and　George　inside。　George　closed　the　door　quietly　and　then　turned；　beaming；　to　look　at　Harry。
　　〃Early　Christmas　present　for　you；　Harry；〃　he　said。
　　Fred　pulled　something　from　inside　his　cloak　with　a　flourish　and　laid　it　on　one　of　the　desks。　It　was　a　large；　square；　very　worn　piece　of　parchment　with　nothing　written　on　it。　Harry；　suspecting　one　of　Fred　and　George's　jokes；　stared　at　it。
　　〃What's　that　supposed　to　be？〃
　　〃This；　Harry；　is　the　secret　of　our　success；〃　said　George；　patting　the　parchment　fondly。
　　〃It's　a　wrench；　giving　it　to　you；〃　said　Fred；　〃but　we　decided　last　night；　your　need's　greater　than　ours。〃
　　〃Anyway；　we　know　it　by　heart；〃　said　George。　〃We　bequeath　it　to　you。　We　don't　really　need　it　anymore。〃
　　〃And　what　do　I　need　with　a　bit　of　old　parchment？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃A　bit　of　old　parchment！〃　said　Fred；　closing　his　eyes　with　a　grimace　as　though　Harry　had　mortally　offended　him。　〃Explain；　George。〃
　　〃Well。。。　when　we　were　in　our　first　year；　Harry　　young；　carefree；　and　innocent　〃
　　Harry　snorted。　He　doubted　whether　Fred　and　George　had　ever　been　innocent。
　　〃Well；　more　innocent　than　we　are　now　　we　got　into　a　spot　of　bother　with　Filch。〃
　　〃We　let　off　a　Dungbomb　in　the　corridor　and　it　upset　him　for　some　reason　〃
　　〃So　he　hauled　us　off　to　his　office　and　started　threatening　us　with　the　usual　〃　detention　disembowelment　and　we　couldn't　help　noticing　a　drawer　in　one　of　his　filing　cabinets　marked　Confiscated　and　Highly　Dangerous。
　　〃Don't　tell　me　〃　said　Harry；　starting　to　grin。
　　〃Well；　what　would　you've　done？〃　said　Fred。　〃George　caused　a　diversion　by　dropping　another　Dungbomb；　I　whipped　the　drawer　open；　and　grabbed　　this。〃
　　〃It's　not　as　bad　as　it　sounds；　you　know；〃　said　George。　〃We　don't　reckon　Filch　ever　found　out　how　to　work　it。　He　probably　suspected　what　it　was；　though；　or　he　wouldn't　have　confiscated　it。〃
　　〃And　you　know　how　to　work　it？〃
　　〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Fred；　smirking。　〃This　little　beauty's　taught　us　more　than　all　the　teachers　in　this　school。〃
　　〃You're　winding　me　up；〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　the　ragged　old　bit　of　parchment。
　　〃Oh；　are　we？〃　said　George。
　　He　took　out　his　wand；　touched　the　parchment　lightly；　and　said；　〃I　solemnly　swear　that　I　am　up　to　no　good。〃
　　And　at　once；　thin　ink　lines　began　to　spread　like　a　spider's　web　from　the　point　that　George's　wand　had　touched。　They　joined　each　other；　they　crisscrossed；　they　fanned　into　every　corner　of　the　parchment；　then　words　began　to　blossom　across　the　top；　great；　curly　green　words；　that　proclaimed：
　　Messrs。　Moony；　Wormtail；　Padfoot；　and　Prongs
　　Purveyors　of　Aids　to　Magical　Mischief…Makers　are　proud　to　present　THE　MARAUDER'S　MAP
　　It　was　a　map　showing　every　detail　of　the　Hogwarts　castle　and　grounds。　But　the　truly　remarkable　thing　were　the　tiny　ink　dots　moving　around　it；　each　labeled　with　a　name　in　minuscule　writing。　Astounded；　Harry　bent　over　it。　A　labeled　dot　in　the　top　left　corner　showed　that　Professor　Dumbledore　was　pacing　his　study；　the　caretaker's　cat；　Mrs。　Norris；　was　prowling　the　second　floor；　and　Peeves　the　Poltergeist　was　currently　bouncing　around　the　trophy　room。　And　as　Harry's　eyes　traveled　up　and　down　the　familiar　corridors；　he　noticed　something　else。
　　This　map　showed　a　set　of　passages　he　had　never　entered。　And　many　of　them　seemed　to　lead　…
　　〃Right　into　Hogsmeade；〃　said　Fred；　tracing　one　of　them　with　his　finger。　〃There　are　seven　in　all。　Now；　Filch　knows　about　these　four〃　　he　pointed　them　out　　〃but　we're　sure　we're　the　only　ones　who　know　about　these。　Don't　bother　with　the　one　behind　the　mirror　on　the　fourth　floor。　We　used　it　until　last　winter；　but　it's　caved　in　　pletely　blocked。　And　we　don't　reckon　anyone's　ever　used　this　one；　because　the　Whomping　Willow's　planted　right　over　the　entrance。　But　this　one　here；　this　one　leads　right　into　the　cellar　of　Honeydukes。　We've　used　it　loads　of　times。　And　as　you　might've　noticed；　the　entrance　is　right　outside　this　room；　through　that　one…eyed　old　crone's　hump。〃
　　〃Moony；　Wormtaill　Padfoot；　and　Prongs；〃　sighed　George；　patting　the　heading　of　the　map。　〃We　owe　them　so　much。〃
　　〃Noble　men；　working　tirelessly　to　help　a　new　generation　of　lawbreakers；〃　said　Fred　solemnly。
　　〃Right；〃　said　George　briskly。　〃Don't　forget　to　wipe　it　after　you've　used　it　or　anyone　can　read　it；〃　Fred　said　warningly。
　　〃Just　tap　it　again　and　say；　'Mischief　managed！'　And　it'll　go　blank。〃
　　〃So；　young　Harry；〃　said　Fred；　in　an　uncanny　impersonation　of　Percy；　〃mind　you　behave　yourself。〃
　　〃See　you　in　Honeydukes；〃　said　George；　winking。
　　They　left　the　room；　both　smirking　in　a　satisfied　sort　of　way。
　　Harry　stood　there；　gazing　at　the　miraculous　map。　He　watched　the　tiny　ink　Mrs。　Norris　turn　left　and　pause　to　sniff　at　something　on　the　floor。　If　Filch　really　didn't　know。。。　he　wouldn't　have　to　pass　the　dementors　at　all。。。。
　　But　even　as　he　stood　there；　flooded　with　excitement；　something　Harry　had　once　heard　Mr。　Weasley　say　came　floating　out　of　his　memory。
　　Never　trust　anything　that　can　think　for　itself；　if　you　can't　see　where　it　keeps　its　brain。
　　This　map　was　one　of　those　dangerous　magical　objects　Mr。　Weasley　had　been　warning　against。。。。　Aids　for　Magical　Mischief　Makers。。。　but　then；　Harry　reasoned；　he　only　wanted　to　use　it　to　get　into　Hogsmeade；　it　wasn't　as　though　he　wanted　to　steal　anything　or　attack　anyone。。。　and　Fred　and　George　had　been　using　it　for　years　without　anything　horrible　happening。。。。
　　Harry　traced　the　secret　passage　to　Honeydukes　with　his　finger。
　　Then；　quite　suddenly；　as　though　following　orders；　he　rolled　up　the　map；　stuffed　it　inside　his　robes；　and　hurried　to　the　door　of　the　classroom。　He　opened　it　a　couple　of　inches。　There　was　no　one　outside。　Very　carefully；　he　edged　out　of　the　room　and　behind　the　statue　of　the　one…eyed　witch。
　　What　did　he　have　to　do？　He　pulled　out　the　map　again　and　saw　to　his　astonishment；　that　a　new　ink　figure　had　appeared　upon　it；　labeled　Harry　Potter。　This　figure　was　standing　exactly　where　the　real　Harry　was　standing；　about　halfway　down　the　third…floor　corridor。
　　Harry　watched　carefully。　His　little　Ink　self　appeared　to　be　tapping　the　witch　with　his　minute　wand。　Harry　quickly　took　out　his　real　wand　and　tapped　the　statue。　Nothing　happened。　He　looked　back　at　the　map。　The　tiniest　speech　bubble　had　appeared　next　to　his　figure。　The　word　inside　said；　〃Dissendium。〃
　　〃Dissendium！〃　Harry　whispered；　tapping　the　stone　witch　again。
　　At　once；　the　statue's　hump　opened　wide　enough　to　admit　a　fairly　thin　person。　Harry　glanced　quickly　up　and　down　the　corridor；　then　tucked　the　map　away　again；　hoisted　himself　into　the　hole　headfirst；　and　pushed　himself　forward。
　　He　slid　a　considerable　way　down　what　felt　like　a　stone　slide；　then　landed　on　cold；　damp　earth。　He　stood　up；　looking　around。　It　was
　　pitch　dark。　He　held　up　his　wand；　muttered；　〃Lumos！　〃　and　saw　that　he　was　in　a　very　narrow；　low；　earthy　passageway。　He　raised　the　map；　tapped　it　with　the　tip　of　his　wand；　and　muttered；　〃Mischief　managed！〃　The　map　went　blank　at　once。　He　folded　it　carefully；　tucked　it　inside　his　robes；　then；　hea