3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第34部分

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　　〃Yes；〃　Harry　said；　gripping　his　wand　very　tightly；　and　moving　into　the　middle　of　the　deserted　classroom。　He　tried　to　keep　his　mind　on　flying；　but　something　else　kept　intruding。。。。　Any　second　now；　he　might　hear　his　mother　again。。。　but　he　shouldn't　think　that；　or　he　would　hear　her　again；　and　he　didn't　want　to。。。　or　did　he？
　　Lupin　grasped　the　lid　of　the　packing　case　and　pulled。
　　A　dementor　rose　slowly　from　the　box；　its　hooded　face　turned　toward　Harry；　one　glistening；　scabbed　hand　gripping　its　cloak。　The　lamps　around　the　classroom　flickered　and　went　out。　The　dementor　stepped　from　the　box　and　started　to　sweep　silently　toward　Harry；　drawing　a　deep；　rattling　breath。　A　wave　of　piercing　cold　broke　over　him　
　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　〃
　　But　the　classroom　and　the　dementor　were　dissolving。。。。　Harry　was　failing　again　through　thick　white　fog；　and　his　mother's　voice　was　louder　than　ever；　echoing　inside　his　head　　〃Not　Harry！　Not　Harry！　please　　I'll　do　anything！〃
　　〃Stand　aside。　Stand　aside；　girl！〃
　　〃Harry！〃
　　Harry　jerked　back　to　life。　He　was　lying　flat　on　his　back　on　the　floor。　The　classroom　lamps　were　alight　again。　He　didn't　have　to　ask　what　had　happened。
　　〃Sorry；〃　he　muttered；　sitting　up　and　feeling　cold　sweat　trickling　down　behind　his　glasses。
　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　said　Lupin。
　　〃Yes。。。〃　Harry　pulled　himself　up　on　one　of　the　desks　and　leaned　against　it。
　　〃Here　〃　Lupin　handed　him　a　Chocolate　Frog。　〃Eat　this　before　we　try　again。　I　didn't　expect　you　to　do　it　your　first　time；　in　fact；　I　would　have　been　astounded　if　you　had。〃
　　〃It's　getting　worse；〃　Harry　muttered；　biting　off　the　Frog's　head。　〃I　could　hear　her　louder　that　time　　and　him　　Voldemort
　　Lupin　looked　paler　than　usual。　；
　　〃Harry；　if　you　don't　want　to　continue；　I　will　more　than　understand　〃
　　〃I　do！〃　said　Harry　fiercely；　stuffing　the　rest　of　the　Chocolate　Frog　into　his　mouth。　〃I've　got　to！　What　if　the　dementors　turn　up　at　our　match　against　Ravenclaw？　I　can't　afford　to　fall　off　again。　If　we　lose　this　game　we've　lost　the　Quidditch　Cup！〃
　　〃All　right　then。。。　〃　said　Lupin。　〃You　might　want　to　select　'other　memory；　a　happy　memory；　I　mean；　to　concentrate　on。。。。　That　one　doesn't　seem　to　have　been　strong　enough。。。。〃
　　Harry　thought　hard　and　decided　his　feelings　when　Gryffindor　had　won　the　House　Championship　last　year　had　definitely　qualified　as　very　happy。　He　gripped　his　wand　tightly　again　and　took　up　his　position　in　the　middle　of　the　classroom。
　　〃Ready？〃　said　Lupin；　gripping　the　box　lid。
　　〃Ready；〃　said　Harry；　trying　hard　to　fill　his　head　with　happy　thoughts　about　Gryffindor　winning；　and　not　dark　thoughts　about　what　was　going　to　happen　when　the　box　opened。
　　〃Go！〃　said　Lupin；　pulling　off　the　lid。　The　room　went　icily　cold　and　dark　once　more。　The　dementor　glided　forward；　drawing　its　breath；　one　rotting　hand　was　extending　toward　Harry　…
　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　Pat　〃
　　White　fog　obscured　his　senses。。。　big；　blurred　shapes　were　moving　around　him。。。　then　came　a　new　voice；　a　man's　voice；　shouting；　panicking　
　　〃Lily；　take　Harry　and　go！　It's　him！　Go！　Run！　I'll　hold　him　off　〃
　　The　sounds　of　someone　stumbling　ftom　a　room　　a　door　bursting　open　　a　cackle　of　high…　pitched　laughter　
　　〃Harry！　Harry。。。　wake　up。。。。〃
　　Lupin　was　tapping　Harry　hard　on　the　face。　This　time　it　was　a　minute　before　Harry　understood　why　he　was　lying　on　a　dusty　classroom　floor。
　　〃I　heard　my　dad；〃　Harry　mumbled。　〃That's　the　first　time　I've　ever　heard　him　　he　tried　to　take　on　Voldemort　himself；　to　give　my　mum　time　to　run　for　it。。。。〃
　　Harry　suddenly　realized　that　there　were　tears　on　his　face　mingling　with　the　sweat。　He　bent　his　face　as　low　as　possible；　wiping　them　off　on　his　robes；　pretending　to　do　up　his　shoelace；　so　that　Lupin　wouldn't　see。
　　〃You　heard　James？〃　said　Lupin　in　a　strange　voice。
　　〃Yeah。。。〃　Face　dry；　Harry　looked　up。　〃Why　　you　didn't　know　my　dad；　did　you？〃
　　〃I　　I　did；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　said　Lupin。　〃We　were　friends　at　Hogwarts。　Listen；　Harry　　perhaps　we　should　leave　it　here　for　tonight。　This　charm　is　ridiculously　advanced。。。。　I　shouln't　have　suggested　putting　you　through　this。。。。〃
　　〃No！〃　said　Harry。　He　got　up　again。　〃I'll　have　one　more　go！　I'm　not　thinking　of　happy　enough　things；　that's　what　it　is。。。。　Hang　on。。。。〃
　　He　racked　his　brains。　A　really；　really　happy　memory。。。　one　that　he　could　turn　into　a　good；　strong　Patronus。。。
　　The　moment　when　he'd　first　found　out　he　was　a　wizard；　and　would　be　leaving　the　Dursleys　for　Hogwarts！　If　that　wasn't　a　happy　memory；　he　didn't　know　what　was。。。。　Concentrating　very　hard　on　how　he　had　felt　when　he'd　realized　he'd　be　leaving　Privet　Drive；　Harry　got　to　his　feet　and　faced　the　packing　case　once　more。
　　〃Ready？〃　said　Lupin；　who　looked　as　though　he　were　doing　this　against　his　better　judgment。　〃Concentrating　hard？　All　right　　go！〃
　　He　pulled　off　the　lid　of　the　case　for　the　third　time；　and　the　dementor　rose　out　of　it；　the　room　fell　cold　and　dark
　　'EXPECTO　PATRONUM！〃　Harry　bellowed。　〃EXPECTO　PATRONUM！　EXPECTO　PATRONUM！　〃
　　The　screaming　inside　Harry's　head　had　started　again　　except　this　time；　it　sounded　as　though　it　were　ing　from　a　badly　tuned　radio　　softer　and　louder　and　softer　again　　and　he　could　still　see　the　dementor　　it　had　halted　　and　then　a　huge；　silver　shadow　came　bursting　out　of　the　end　of　Harry's　wand；　to　hover　between　him　and　the　dementor；　and　though　Harry's　legs　felt　like　water；　he　was　still　on　his　feet　　though　for　how　much　longer；　he　wasn't　sure　
　　〃Riddikulus！〃　roared　Lupin；　springing　forward。
　　There　was　a　loud　crack；　and　Harry's　cloudy　Patronus　vanished　along　with　the　dementor；　he　sank　into　a　chair；　feeling　as　exhausted　as　if　he'd　just　run　a　mile；　and　felt　his　legs　shaking。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　Professor　Lupin　forcing　the　boggart　back　into　the　packing　case　with　his　wand；　it　had　turned　into　a　silvery　orb　again。
　　〃Excellent！〃　Lupin　said；　striding　over　to　where　Harry　sat。　〃Excellent；　Harry！　That　was　definitely　a　start！〃
　　〃Can　we　have　another　go？　Just　one　more　go？〃
　　〃Not　now；〃　said　Lupin　firmly。　〃You've　had　enough　for　one　night。　Here　〃
　　He　handed　Harry　a　large　bar　of　Honeydukes'　best　chocolate。
　　〃Eat　the　lot；　or　Madam　Pomfrey　will　be　after　my　blood。　Same　time　next　week？〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry。　He　took　a　bite　of　the　chocolate　and　watched　Lupin　extinguishing　the　lamps　that　had　rekindled　with　the　disappearance　of　the　dementor。　A　thought　had　just　occurred　to　him。
　　〃Professor　Lupin？〃　he　said。　〃If　you　knew　my　dad；　you　must've　known　Sirius　Black　as　well。〃
　　Lupin　turned　very　quickly。
　　〃What　gives　you　that　idea？〃　he　said　sharply。
　　〃Nothing　　I　mean；　I　just　knew　they　were　friends　at　Hogwarts　too。。。。〃
　　Lupin's　face　relaxed。
　　〃Yes；　I　knew　him；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Or　I　thought　I　did。　You'd　better　be　off；　Harry；　it's　getting　late。〃
　　Harry　left　the　classroom；　walking　along　the　corridor　and　around　a　corner；　then　took　a　detour　behind　a　suit　of　armor　and　sank　down　on　its　plinth　to　finish　his　chocolate；　wishing　he　hadn't　mentioned　Black；　as　Lupin　was　obviously　not　keen　on　the　subject。　Then　Harry's　thoughts　wandered　back　to　his　mother　and　father。。。
　　He　felt　drained　and　strangely　empty；　even　though　he　was　so　full　of　chocolate。　Terrible　though　it　was　to　hear　his　parents'　last　moments　replayed　inside　his　head；　these　were　the　only　times　Harry　had　heard　their　voices　since　he　was　a　very　small　child。　But　he'd　never　be　able　to　produce　a　proper　Patronus　if　he　half　wanted　to　hear　his　parents　again。。。。
　　〃They're　dead；〃　he　told　himself　sternly。　〃They're　dead　and　listening　to　echoes　of　them　won't　bring　them　back。　You'd　better　get　a　grip　on　yourself　if　you　want　that　Quidditch　Cup。〃
　　He　stood　up；　crammed　the　last　bit　of　chocolate　into　his　mouth；　and　headed　back　to　Gryffindor　Tower。
　　Ravenclaw　played　Slytherin　a　week　after　the　start　of　term。　Slytherin　won；　though　narrowly。　According　to　Wood；　this　was　good　news　for　Gryffindor；　who　would　take　second　place　if　they　beat　Ravenclaw　too。　He　therefore　increased　the　number　of　team　practices　to　five　a　leek。　This　meant　that　with　Lupin's　anti…dementor　classes；　which　in　themselves　were　more　draining　than　six　Quidditch　practices；　Harry　had　just　one　night　a　week　to　do　all　his　homework。　Even　so；　he　was　showing　the　strain　nearly　as　much　as　Hermione；　whose　immense　workload　finally　seemed　to　be　getting　to　her。　Every　night；　without　fail；　Hermione　was　to　be　seen　in　a　corner　of　the　mon　room；　several　tables　spread　with　books；　Arithmancy　charts；　rune　dictionaries；　diagrams　of　Muggles　lifting　heavy　objects；　and　file　upon　file　of　extensive　notes；　she　barely　spoke　to　anybody　and　snapped　when　she　was　interrupted。
　　〃How's　she　doing　it？〃　Ron　muttered　to　Harry　one　evening　as　Harry　sat　finishing　a　nasty　essay　on　Undetectable　Poisons　for　Snape。　Harry　looked　up。　Hermione　was　barely　visible　behind　a　tottering　pile　of　books。
　　〃Doing　what？〃
　　〃Getting　to　all　her　classes！〃　Ron　said。　〃I　heard　her　talking　to　Professor　Vector；　that　Arithmancy　witch；　this　morning。　They　were　going　on　about　yesterday's　lesson；　but　Hermione　can't　've　been　there；　because　she　was　with　us　in　Care　of　Magical　Creatures！　And　Ernie　McMillan　told　me　she's　never　missed　a　Muggle　Studies　class；　but　half　of　them　are　at　the　same　time　as　Divination；　and　she's　never　missed　one　of　them　either！〃
　　Harry　didn't　have　time　to　fathom　the　mystery　of　Hermione's　impossible　schedule　at　the　moment；　he　really　needed　to　get　on　with　Snape's　essay。　Two　seconds　later；　however；　he　was　interrupted　again；　this　time　by　Wood。
　　〃Bad　news；　Harry。　I've　just　been　to　see　Professor　McGonagall　about　the　Firebolt。　She　　er　　got　a　bit　shirty　with　me。　Told　m'　I'd　got　my　priorities　wrong。　Seemed　to　think　I　cared　more　about　winning　the　Cup　than　I　do　about　you　staying　alive。　Just　because　I　told　her　I　didn't　care　if　it　threw　you　off；　as　long　as　you　caught　the　Snitch　first。〃　Wood　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Honestly；　the　way　she　was　yelling　at　me。。。　you'd　think　I'd　said　something　terrible。。。　then　I　asked　her　how　much　longer　she　was　going　to　keep　it。　He　screwed　up　his　face　and　imitated　Professor　McGonagall's　severe　voice。　'As　long　as　necessary；　Wood'。。。　I　reckon　it's　time　you　ordered　a