3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第29部分

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　　〃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。。。。〃
　　〃Well；　thank　you　very　much；　Minister。〃
　　Harry　watched　the　glittering　heels　march　away　and　back　again。　His　heart　was　pounding　unfortably　in　his　throat。　Why　hadn't　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　was　the　last　weekend　of　term　for　the　teachers　to&　And　how　long　were　they　going　to　sit　there？　He　needed　time　to　sneak　back　into　Honeydukes　if　he　wanted　to　return　to　school　tonight。。。。　Hermione's　leg　gave　a　nervous　twitch　next　to　him。
　　〃So；　what　brings　you　to　this　neck　of　the　woods；　Minister？〃　came　Madam　Rosmerta's　voice。
　　Harry　saw　the　lower　part　of　Fudge's　thick　body　twist　in　his　chair　as　though　he　were　checking　for　eavesdroppers。　Then　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃What　else；　m'dear；　but　Sirius　Black？　I　daresay　you　heard　what　happened　up　at　the　school　at　Halloween？〃
　　I　did　hear　a　rumor；〃　admitted　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃Did　you　tell　the　whole　pub；　Hagrid？〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　exasperatedly。
　　〃Do　you　think　Blacks　still　in　the　area；　Minister？〃　whispered　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃I'm　sure　of　it；〃　said　Fudge　shortly。
　　〃You　know　that　the　dementors　have　searched　the　whole　village　twjce？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta；　a　slight　edge　to　her　voice。　〃Scared　all　my　customers　away。。。　It's　very　bad　for　business；　Minister。〃
　　〃Rosmerta；　dear；　I　don't　like　them　any　more　than　you　do；〃　said　Fudge　unfortably。　〃Necessary　precaution。。。　unfortunate；　but　there　YOU　are。。。。　I've　just　met　some　of　them。　They're　in　a　fury　against　Dumbledore　　he　won't　let　them　inside　the　castle　grounds。〃
　　〃I　should　think　not；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　sharply。　〃How　are　we　supposed　to　teach　with　those　horrors　floating　around？〃
　　〃Hear；　hear！〃　squeaked　tiny　Professor　Flitwick；　whose　feet　were　dangling　a　foot　from　the　ground。
　　〃All　the　same；〃　demurred　Fudge；　〃they　are　here　to　protect　you　all　from　something　much　worse。。。。　We　all　know　what　Black's　capable　of。。。〃
　　〃Do　you　know；　I　still　have　trouble　believing　it；〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta　thoughtfully。　〃Of　all　the　people　to　go　over　to　the　Dark　Side；　Sirius　Black　was　the　last　I'd　have　thought。。。　I　mean；　I　remember　him　when　he　was　a　boy　at　Hogwarts。　If　you'd　told　me　then　what　he　was　going　to　bee；　I'd　have　said　you'd　had　too　much　mead。〃
　　〃You　don't　know　the　half　of　it；　Rosmerta；〃　said　Fudge　gruffly。　〃The　worst　he　did　isn't　widely　known。〃
　　〃The　worst？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta；　her　voice　alive　with　curiosity；　〃Worse　than　murdering　all　those　poor　people；　you　mean？〃
　　〃I　certainly　do；〃　said　Fudge。
　　〃I　ca'A　believe　that。　What　could　possibly　be　worse？〃　〃You　say　you　remember　him　at　Hogwarts；　Rosmerta；〃　mur…　mured　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Do　you　remember　who　his…best　friend　was？〃
　　〃Naturally；〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta；　with　a　small　laugh。　〃Never　saw　one　without　the　other；　did　you？　The　number　of　times　I　had　them　in　here　　ooh；　they　used　to　make　me　laugh。　Quite　the　double　act；　Sirius　Black　and　James　Potter！〃
　　Harry　dropped　his　tankard　with　a　loud　clunk。　Ron　kicked　him。
　　〃Precisely；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Black　and　Potter。　Ringleaders　of　their　little　gang。　Both　very　bright；　of　course　　exceptionally　bright；　in　fact　　but　I　don't　think　we've　ever　had　such　a　pair　of　troublemakers　〃
　　〃I　dunno；〃　chuckled　Hagrid。　〃Fred　and　George　Weasley　could　give　'em　a　run　fer　their　money。〃
　　〃You'd　have　thought　Black　and　Potter　were　brothers！〃　chimed　in　Professor　Flitwick。　〃Inseparable！〃
　　〃Of　course　they　were；〃　said　Fudge。　〃Potter　trusted　Black　beyond　all　his　other　friends。　Nothing　changed　when　they　left　school。　Black　was　best　man　when　James　married　Lily。　Then　they　named　him　godfather　to　Harry。　Harry　has　no　idea；　of　course。　You　can　imagine　how　the　idea　would　torment　him。〃
　　〃Because　Black　turned　out　to　be　in　league　with　You…Know…Who？〃　whispered　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃Worse　even　than　that；　rn'dear。。。。〃　Fudge　dropped　his　voice　and　proceeded　in　a　sort　of　low　rumble。　〃Not　many　people　are　aware　that　the　Potters　knew　You…Know…Who　was　after　them。　Dumbledore；　who　was　of　course　working　tirelessly　against　You…Know…Who；　had　a　number　of　useful　spies。　One　of　them　tipped　him　off；　and　he　alerted　James　and　Lily　at　once。　He　advised　them　to　go　into　hiding。　Well；　of　course；　You…Know…Who　wasn't　an　easy　person　to　hide　from。　Dumbledore　told　them　that　their　best　chance　was　the　Fidelius　Charm。〃
　　〃How　does　that　work？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta；　breathless　with　interest。　Professor　Flitwick　cleared　his　throat。
　　〃An　immensely　plex　spell；〃　he　said　squeakily；　〃involving　the　magical　concealment　of　a　secret　inside　a　single；　living　soul。　The　information　is　hidden　inside　the　chosen　person；　or　Secret…Keeper；　and　is　henceforth　impossible　to　find　　unless；　of　course；　the　Secret…Keeper　chooses　to　divulge　it。　As　long　as　the　Secret…Keeper　refused　to　speak；　You…Know…Who　could　search　the　village　where　Lily　and　James　were　staying　for　years　and　never　find　them；　not　even　if　he　had　his　nose　pressed　against　their　sitting　room　window！〃
　　〃So　Black　was　the　Potters'　Secret…Keeper？〃　whispered　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃Naturally；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃James　Potter　told　Dumbledore　that　Black　would　die　rather　than　tell　where　they　were；　that　Black　was　planning　to　go　into　hiding　himself。。。　and　yet；　Dumbledore　remained　worried。　I　remember　him　offering　to　be　the　Potters'　Secret…Keeper　himself。〃
　　〃He　suspected　Black？〃　gasped　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃He　was　sure　that　somebody　close　to　the　Potters　had　been　keeping　You…Know…Who　informed　of　their　movements；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　darkly。　〃Indeed；　he　had　suspected　for　some　time　that　someone　on　our　side　had　turned　traitor　and　was　passing　a　lot　of　information　to　You…Know…Who。〃
　　〃But　James　Potter　insisted　on　using　Black？〃
　　〃He　did；〃　said　Fudge　heavily。　〃And　then；　barely　a　week　after　the　Fidelius　Charm　had　been　performed　〃　〃Black　betrayed　them？〃　breathed　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃He　did　indeed。　Black　was　tired　of　his　double…agent　role；　he　was　ready　to　declare　his　support　openly　for　You…Know…Who；　and　he　seems　to　have　planned　this　for　the　moment　of　the　Potters'　death。　But；　as　we　all　know；　You…Know…Who　met　his　downfall　in　little　Harry　Potter。　Powers　gone；　horribly　weakened；　he　fled。　And　this　left　Black　in　a　very　nasty　position　indeed。　His　master　had　fallen　at　the　very　moment　when　he；　Black；　had　shown　his　true　colors　as　a　traitor。　He　had　no　choice　but　to　run　for　it　〃
　　〃Filthy；　stinkin'　turncoat！〃　Hagrid　said；　so　loudly　that　half　the　bar　went　quiet。
　　〃Shh！〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。
　　〃I　met　him！〃　growled　Hagrid。　〃I　musta　bin　the　last　ter　see　him　before　he　killed　all　them　people！　It　was　me　what　rescued　Harry　from　Lily　an'　James's　house　after　they　was　killed！　jus'　got　him　outta　the　ruins；　poor　little　thing；　with　a　great　slash　across　his　forehead；　an'　his　parents　dead。。。　an'　Sirius　Black　turns　up；　on　that　flyin'　motorbike　he　used　ter　ride。　Never　occurred　ter　me　what　he　was　doin'　there。　I　didn'　know　he'd　bin　Lily　an'　James's　Secret…Keeper。　Thought　he'd　jus'　heard　the　news　o'　You…Know…Who's　attack　an'　e　ter　see　what　he　could　do。　White　an'　shakin'；　he　was。　An'　yeh　know　what　I　did？　I　FORTED　THE　MURDERIN'　TRAITOR！〃　Hagrid　roared。
　　〃Hagrid；　please！〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Keep　your　voice　down！〃
　　〃How　was　I　ter　know　he　wasn'　upset　abou'　Lily　an'　James？　It　was　You…Know…Who　he　cared　abou'！　An'　then　he　says；　'Give　Harry　ter　me；　Hagrid；　I'm　his　godfather；　I'll　look　after　him　'　Ha！　But　I'd　had　me　orders　from　Dumbledore；　an'　I　told　Black　no；　Dumbledore　said　Harry　was　ter　go　ter　his　aunt　an'　uncle's。　Black　argued；　but　in　the　end　he　gave　in。　Told　me　ter　take　his　motorbike　ter　get　Harry　there。　'I　won't　need　it　anymore；'　he　says。
　　〃I　shoulda　known　there　was　somethin'　fishy　goin'　on　then。　He　loved　that　motorbike；　what　was　he　givin'　it　ter　me　for？　Why　wouldn'　he　need　it　anymore？　Fact　was；　it　was　too　easy　ter　trace。　Dumbledore　knew　he'd　bin　the　Potters'　Secret…Keeper。　Black　knew　he　was　goin'　ter　have　ter　run　fer　it　that　night；　knew　it　was　a　matter　o'　hours　before　the　Ministry　was　after　him。
　　〃But　what　if　I'd　given　Harry　to　him；　eh？　I　bet　he'd　've　pitched　him　off　the　bike　halfway　out　ter　sea。　His　bes'　friends'　son！　But　when　a　wizard　goes　over　ter　the　Dark　Side；　there's　nothin'　and　no　one　that　matters　to　em　anymore。。。。〃
　　A　long　silence　followed　Hagrid's　story。　Then　Madam　Rosmerta　said　with　some　satisfaction；　〃But　he　didn't　manage　to　disappear；　did　he？　The　Ministry　of　Magic　caught　up　with　him　next　day！〃
　　〃Alas；　if　only　we　had；〃　said　Fudge　bitterly。　〃It　was　not　we　who　found　him。　It　was　little　Peter　Pettigrew　　another　of　the　Potters'　friends。　Maddened　by　grief；　no　doubt；　and　knowing　that　Black　had　been　the　Potters'　Secret…Keeper；　he　went　after　Black　himself。〃
　　〃Pettigrew。。。　that　fat　little　boy　who　was　always　tagging　around　after　them　at　Hogwarts？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃Hero…worshipped　Black　and　Potter；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Never　quite　in　their　league；　talent…wise。　I　was　often　rather　；harp　with　him。　You　can　imagine　how　I　…how　I　regret　that　now。。。〃　She　sounded　as　though　she　had　a　sudden　head　cold。
　　〃There；　now；　Minerva；〃　said　Fudge　kindly；　〃Pettigrew　died　a　hero's　death。　Eyewitnesses　　Muggles；　of　course；　we　wiped　their；　memories　later　　told　us　how　Pettigrew　cornered　Black。　They　say　he　was　sobbing；　'Lily　and　James；　Sirius！　How　could　you？'　And　then　he　went　for　his　wand。　Well；　of　course；　Black　was　quicker。　Blew　Pettigrew　to　smithereens。。。。〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　blew　her　nose　and　said　thickly；　〃Stupid　boy　。。。　foolish　boy。。。　he　was　always　hopeless　at　dueling。。。　should　have　left　it　to　the　Ministry。。。。〃
　　〃I　tell　yeh；　if　I'd　got　ter　Black　before　little　Pettigrew　did；　I　wouldn't　've　messed　around　with　wands　　I'd　've　ripped　him　limb　　from　　limb；〃　Hagrid　growled。
　　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；　Hagrid；〃　said　Fudge　sharply。　〃Nobody　but　trained　Hit　Wizards　from　the　Magical　Law　Enforcement　Squad　would　have　stood　a　chance　against　Black　once　he　was　cornered。　I　was　Junior　Minister　in　the　Department　of　Magical　Catastrophes　at　the　time；　and　I　was　one　of　the　first　on　the　scene　after　Black　murdered　all　those　people。　I　　I　will　never　forget　it。　I　still　dream　about　it　sometimes。　A　crater　in　the　middle　of　the　st