3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第28部分

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ed　it　inside　his　robes；　then；　heart　beating　fast；　both　excited　and　apprehensive；　he　set　off。
　　The　passage　twisted　and　turned；　more　like　the　burrow　of　a　giant　rabbit　than　anything　else。　Harry　hurried　along　it；　stumbling　now　and　then　on　the　uneven　floor；　holding　his　wand　out　in　front　of　him。
　　It　took　ages；　but　Harry　had　the　thought　of　Honeydukes　to　sustain　him。　After　what　felt　like　an　hour；　the　passage　began　to　rise。　Panting；　Harry　sped　up；　his　face　hot；　his　feet　very　cold。
　　Ten　minutes　later；　he　came　to　the　foot　of　some　worn　stone　steps；　which　rose　out　of　sight　above　him。　Careful　not　to　make　any　noise；　Harry　began　to　climb。　A　hundred　steps；　two　hundred　steps；　he　lost　count　as　he　climbed；　watching　his　feet。。。。　Then；　without　warning；　his　head　hit　something　hard。
　　It　seemed　to　be　a　trapdoor。　Harry　stood　there；　massaging　the　top　of　his　head；　listening。　He　couldn't　hear　any　sounds　above　him。　Very　slowly；　he　pushed　the　trapdoor　open　and　peered　over　the　edge。
　　He　was　in　a　cellar；　which　was　full　of　wooden　crates　and　boxes。　Harry　climbed　out　of　the　trapdoor　and　replaced　it　　it　blended　so　perfectly　with　the　dusty　floor　that　it　was　impossible　to　tell　it　was　there。　Harry　crept　slowly　toward　the　wooden　staircase　that　led　upstairs。　Now　he　could　definitely　hear　voices；　not　to　mention　the　tinkle　of　a　bell　and　the　opening　and　shutting　of　a　door。
　　Wondering　what　he　ought　to　do；　he　suddenly　heard　a　door　open　much　closer　at　hand；　somebody　was　about　to　e　downstairs。
　　〃And　get　another　box　of　Jelly　Slugs；　dear；　they've　nearly　cleaned　us　out　〃　said　a　woman's　voice。
　　A　pair　of　feet　was　ing　down　the　staircase。　Harry　leapt　behind　an　enormous　crate　and　waited　for　the　footsteps　to　pass。　He　heard　the　man　shifting　boxes　against　the　opposite　wall。　He　might　not　get　another　chance　
　　Quickly　and　silently；　Harry　dodged　out　from　his　hiding　place　and　climbed　the　stairs；　looking　back；　he　saw　an　enormous　backside　and　shiny　bald　head；　buried　in　a　box。　Harry　reached　the　door　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　slipped　through　it；　and　found　himself　behind　the　counter　of　Honeydukes　　he　ducked；　crept　sideways；　and　then　straightened　up。
　　Honeydukes　was　so　crowded　with　Hogwarts　students　that　no　one　looked　twice　at　Harry。　He　edged　among　them；　looking　around；　and　suppressed　a　laugh　as　he　imagined　the　look　that　would　spread　over　Dudley's　piggy　face　if　he　could　see　where　Harry　was　now。
　　There　were　shelves　upon　shelves　of　the　most　succulent…looking　sweets　imaginable。　Creamy　chunks　of　nougat；　shimmering　pink　squares　of　coconut　ice；　fat；　honey…colored　toffees；　hundreds　of　different　kinds　of　chocolate　in　neat　rows；　there　was　a　large　barrel　of　Every　Flavor　Beans；　and　another　of　Fizzing　Whizbees；　the　levitating　sherbert　balls　that　Ron　had　mentioned；　along　yet　another　wall　were　〃Special　Effects〃　　sweets：　Droobles　Best　Blowing　Gum　（which　filled　a　room　with　bluebell…colored　bubbles　that　refused　to　pop　for　days）；　the　strange；　splintery　Toothflossing　Stringmints；　tiny　black　Pepper　Imps　（〃breathe　fire　for　your　friends！〃）；　Ice　Mice　（〃hear　your　teeth　chatter　and　squeak！〃）；　peppermint　creams　shaped　like　toads　（〃hop　realistically　in　the　stomach！〃）；　fragile　sugar…spun　quills；　and　exploding　bonbons。
　　Harry　squeezed　himself　through　a　crowd　of　sixth　years　and　saw　a　sign　hanging　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the　shop　（UNUSUAL　TASTES）。　Ron　and　Hermione　were　standing　underneath　it；　examining　a　tray　of　blood…flavored　lollipops。　Harry　sneaked　up　behind　them。
　　〃Ugh；　no；　Harry　won't　want　one　of　those；　they're　for　vampires；　I　expect；〃　Hermione　was　saying。
　　〃How　about　these？〃　said　Ron；　shoving　a　jar　of　Cockroach　Clusters　under　Hermione's　nose。
　　〃Definitely　not；〃　said　Harry。
　　Ron　nearly　dropped　the　jar。
　　〃Harry！〃　squealed　Hermione。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　How　　how　did　you　？〃
　　〃Wow！〃　said　Ron；　looking　very　impressed；　〃you've　learned　to　Apparate！〃
　　〃'Course　I　haven't；〃　said　Harry。　He　dropped　his　voice　so　that　none　of　the　sixth　years　could　hear　him　and　told　them　all　about　the　Marauder's　Map。
　　〃How　e　Fred　and　George　never　gave　it　to　me！〃　said　Ron；　outraged。　〃I'm　their　brother！〃
　　〃But　Harry　isn't　going　to　keep　it！〃　said　Hermione；　as　though　the　idea　were　ludicrous。　〃He's　going　to　hand　it　in　to　Professor　McGonagall；　aren't　you；　Harry？〃
　　〃No；　I'm　not！〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Are　you　mad？〃　said　Ron；　goggling　at　Hermione。　〃Hand　in　something　that　good？〃
　　〃If　I　hand　it　in；　I'll　have　to　say　where　I　got　it！　Filch　would　know　Fred　and　George　had　nicked　it！〃
　　〃But　what　about　Sirius　Black？〃　Hermione　hissed。　〃He　could　be　using　one　of　the　passages　on　that　map　to　get　into　the　castle！　The　teachers　have　got　to　know！〃
　　〃He　can't　be　getting　in　through　a　passage；〃　said　Harry　quickly。　〃There　are　seven　secret　tunnels　on　the　map；　right？　Fred　and　George　reckon　Filch　already　knows　about　four　of　them。　And　of　the　other　three　　one　of　them's　caved　in；　so　no　one　can　get　through　it。　one　of　them's　got　the　Whomping　Willow　planted　over　the　entrance；　so　you　can't　get　out　of　it。　And　the　one　I　just　came　through　…well　…　…　it's　really　hard　to　see　the　entrance　to　it　down　in　the　cellar；　so　unless　he　knew　it　was　there。。。〃
　　Harry　hesistated。　What　if　Black　did　know　the　passage　was　there？
　　Ron；　however；　cleared　his　throat　significantly；　and　pointed　to　a　notice　pasted　on　the　inside　of　the　sweetshop　door。
　　BY　ORDER　OF　　THE　MINISTRY　OF　MAGIC
　　Customers　are　reminded　that　until　further　notice；　dementors　will　be　patrolling　the　streets　of　Hogsmeade　every　night　after　sundown。　This　measure　has　been　put　in　place　for　the　safety　of　Hogsmeade　residents　and　will　be　lifted　upon　the　recapture　of　Sirius　Black。　It　is　therefore　advisable　that　you　plete　your　shopping　well　before　nightfall。
　　Merry　Christmas！
　　〃See？〃　said　Ron　quietly。　〃I'd　like　to　see　Black　try　and　break　into　Honeydukes　with　dementors　swarming　all　over　the　village。　Anyway；　Hermione；　the　Honeydukes　owners　would　hear　a　break…in；　wouldn't　they？　They　live　over　the　shop！〃
　　〃Yes；　but　but　〃　Hermoine　seemed　to　be　struggling　to　find　another　problem。　〃Look；　Harry　still　shouldn't　be　ing　into　Hogsmeade。　He　hasn't　got　a　signed　form！　If　anyone　finds　out；　he'll　be　in　so　much　trouble！　And　it's　not　nightfall　yet　　what　if　Sirius　Black　turns　up　today？　Now？〃
　　〃He'd　have　a　job　spotting　Harry　in　this；〃　said　Ron；　nodding　through　the　mullioned　windows　at　the　thick；　swirling　snow。　〃e　on；　Hermione；　it's　Christmas。　Harry　deserves　a　break。〃
　　Hermione　bit　her　lip；　looking　extremely　worried。
　　〃Are　you　going　to　report　me？〃　Harry　asked　her；　grinning。
　　〃Oh　　of　course　not　　but　honestly；　Harry　〃
　　〃Seen　the　Fizzing　Whizbees；　Harry？〃　said　Ron；　grabbing　him　and　leading　him　over　to　their　barrel。　〃And　the　Jelly　Slugs？　And　the　Acid　Pops？　Fred　gave　me　one　of　those　when　I　was　seven　　it　burnt　a　hole　right　through　my　tongue。　I　remember　Mum　walloping　him　with　her　broomstick。〃　Ron　stared　broodingly　into　the　Acid　Pop　box。　〃Reckon　Fred'd　take　a　bit　of　Cockroach　Cluster　if　I　told　him　they　were　peanuts？〃
　　When　Ron　and　Hermione　had　paid　for　all　their　sweets；　the　three　of　them　left　Honeydukes　for　the　blizzard　outside。
　　Hogsmeade　looked　like　a　Christmas　card；　the　little　thatched　cottages　and　shops　were　all　covered　in　a　layer　of　crisp　snow；　there　were　holly　wreaths　on　the　doors　and　strings　of　enchanted　candles　hanging　in　the　trees。
　　Harry　shivered；　unlike　the　other　two；　he　didn't　have　his　cloak。　They　headed　up　the　street；　heads　bowed　against　the　wind；　Ron　and　Hermione　shouting　through　their　scarves。
　　〃That's　the　post　office
　　〃Zonko's　is　up　there　〃
　　〃We　could　go　up　to　the　Shrieking　Shack
　　〃Tell　you　what；〃　said　Ron；　his　teeth　chattering；　〃shall　we　go　for　a　butterbeer　in　the　Three　Broomsticks？〃
　　Harry　was　more　than　willing；　the　wind　was　fierce　and　his　hands　were　freezing；　so　they　crossed　the　road；　and　in　a　few　minutes　were　entering　the　tiny　inn。
　　It　was　extremely　crowded；　noisy；　warm；　and　smoky。　A　curvy　sort　of　woman　with　a　pretty　face　was　serving　a　bunch　of　rowdy　warlock'　up　at　the　bar。
　　〃That's　Madam　Rosmerta；〃　said　Ron。　〃I'll　get　the　drinks；　shall　I？〃　he　added；　going　slightly　red。
　　Harry　and　Hermione　made　their　way　to　the　back　of　the　room；　；；her；　there　was　a　small；　vacant　table　between　the　window　and　a　handsome　Christmas　tree；　which　stood　next　to　the　fireplace。　Ron　came　back　five　minutes　later；　carrying　three　foaming　tankards　of　hot　butterbeer。
　　〃Merry　Christmas！〃　he　said　happily；　raising　his　tankard。
　　Harry　drank　deeply。　It　was　the　most　delicious　thing　he'd　ever　tasted　and　seemed　to　heat　every　bit　of　him　from　the　inside。
　　A　sudden　breeze　ruffled　his　hair。　The　door　of　the　Three　Broomsticks　had　opened　again。　Harry　looked　over　the　rim　of　his　tankard　and　choked。
　　Professors　McGonagall　and　Flitwick　had　just　entered　the　pub　with　a　flurry　of　snowflakes；　shortly　followed　by　Hagrid；　who　was　deep　in　conversation　with　a　portly　man　in　a　lime…green　bowler　hat　and　a　pinstriped　cloak　　Cornelius　Fudge；　Minister　of　Magic。
　　In　an　instant；　Ron　and　Hermione　had　both　placed　hands　on　the　top　of　Harry's　head　and　forced　him　off　his　stool　and　under　the　table。　Dripping　with　butterbeer　and　crouching　out　of　sight；　Harry　clutched　his　empty　tankard　and　watched　the　teachers'　and　Fudge's　feet　move　toward　the　bar；　pause；　then　turn　and　walk　right　toward　him。
　　Somewhere　above　him；　Hermione　whispered；　Mobiliarbus！〃
　　The　Christmas　tree　beside　their　table　rose　a　few　inches　off　the　ground；　drifted　sideways；　and　landed　with　a　soft　thump　right　in　front　of　their　table；　hiding　them　from　view。　Staring　through　the　dense　lower　branches；　Harry　saw　four　sets　of　chair　legs　move　back　from　the　table　right　beside　theirs；　then　heard　the　grunts　and　sighs　If　the　teachers　and　minister　as　they　sat　down。
　　Next　he　saw　another　pair　of　feet；　wearing　sparkly　turquoise　high　heels；　and　heard　a　woman's　voice。　〃A　small　gillywater　〃
　　〃Mine；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall's　voice。
　　〃Four　pints　of　mulled　mead　〃
　　〃Ta；　Rosmerta；〃　said　Hagrid。
　　〃A　cherry　syrup　and　soda　with　ice　and　umbrella　〃
　　〃Mmm！〃　said　Professor　Flitwick；　smacking　his　lips。
　　〃So　you'll　be　the　red　currant　rum；　Minister。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Rosmerta；　m'dear；〃　said　Fudge's　voice。　〃Lovely　to　see　you　again；　I　must　say。　Have　one　yourself；　won't　you？　e　and　join　us。。。。