3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第38部分

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　of　sight。
　　〃Can't　you　give　her　a　break？〃　Harry　asked　Ron　quietly。
　　〃No；〃　said　Ron　flatly。　〃If　she　just　acted　like　she　was　sorry　　but　she'll　never　admit　she's　wrong；　Hermione。　She's　still　acting　like　Scabbers　has　gone　on　vacation　or　something。〃
　　The　Gryffindor　party　ended　only　when　Professor　McGonagall　turned　up　in　her　tartan　dressing　gown　and　hair　net　at　one　in　the　morning；　to　insist　that　they　all　go　to　bed。　Harry　and　Ron　climbed　the　stairs　to　their　dormitory；　still　discussing　the　match。　At　last；　exhausted；　Harry　climbed　into　bed；　twitched　the　hangings　of　his　four…poster　shut　to　block　out　a　ray　of　moonlight；　lay　back；　and　felt　himself　almost　instantly　drifting　off　to　sleep。。。。
　　He　had　a　very　strange　dream。　He　was　walking　through　a　forest；　his　Firebolt　over　his　shoulder；　following　something　silvery…white。　It　was　winding　its　way　through　the　trees　ahead；　and　he　could　only　catch　glimpses　of　it　between　the　leaves。　Anxious　to　catch　up　with　it；　he　sped　up；　but　as　he　moved　faster；　so　did　his　quarry。　Harry　broke　into　a　run；　and　ahead　he　heard　hooves　gathering　speed。　Now　he　was　running　flat　out；　and　ahead　he　could　hear　galloping。　Then　he　turned　a　corner　into　a　clearing　and　…
　　〃AAARRGGHH！　NOOO！〃
　　Harry　woke　as　suddenly　as　though　he'd　been　hit　in　the　face。　Disoriented　in　the　total　darkness；　he　fumbled　with　his　hangings；　he　could　hear　movements　around　him；　and　Seamus　Finnigan's　voice　from　the　other　side　of　the　room：　〃What's　going　on？〃
　　Harry　thought　he　heard　the　dormitory　door　slam。　At　last　finding　the　divide　in　his　curtains；　he　ripped　them　back；　and　at　the　same　moment；　Dean　Thomas　lit　his　lamp。
　　Ron　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　the　hangings　torn　from　one　side；　a　look　of　utmost　terror　on　his　face。
　　〃Black！　Sirius　Black！　With　a　knife！〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Here！　Just　now！　Slashed　the　curtains！　Woke　me　up！〃
　　〃You　sure　you　weren't　dreaming；　Ron？〃　said　Dean。
　　〃Look　at　the　curtains！　I　tell　you；　he　was　here！〃
　　They　all　scrambled　out　of　bed；　Harry　reached　the　dormitory　door　first；　and　they　sprinted　back　down　the　staircase。　Doors　opened　behind　them；　and　sleepy　voices　called　after　them。
　　〃Who　shouted？〃
　　〃What're　you　doing？〃
　　The　mon　room　was　lit　with　the　glow　of　the　dying　fire；　still　littered　with　the　debris　from　the　party。　It　was　deserted。
　　〃Are　you　sure　you　weren't　dreaming；　Ron？〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you；　I　saw　him！〃
　　〃What's　all　the　noise？〃
　　〃Professor　McGonagall　told　us　to　go　to　bed！〃
　　A　few　of　the　girls　had　e　down　their　staircase；　pulling　or；　dressing　gowns　and　yawning。　Boys；　too；　were　reappearing。
　　〃Excellent；　are　we　carrying　on？〃　said　Fred　Weasley　brightly。
　　〃Everyone　back　upstairs！〃　said　Percy；　hurrying　into　the　mon　room　and　pinning　his　Head　Boy　badge　to　his　pajamas　as　he　spoke。
　　〃Perce　　Sirius　Black！〃　said　Ron　faintly。　〃In　our　dormitory！　With　a　knife！　Woke　me　up！〃
　　The　mon　room　went　very　still。
　　〃Nonsense！〃　said　Percy；　looking　startled。　〃You　had　too　much　to　eat；　Ron　　had　a　nightmare　〃
　　〃I'm　telling　you　〃
　　〃Now；　really；　enough's　enough！〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　was　back。　She　slammed　the　portrait　behind　her　as　she　entered　the　mon　room　and　stared　furiously　around。
　　〃I　am　delighted　that　Gryffindor　won　the　match；　but　this　is　getting　ridiculous！　Percy；　I　expected　better　of　you！〃
　　〃I　certainly　didn't　authorize　this；　Professor！〃　said　Percy；　puffing　himself　up　indignantly。　〃I　was　just　telling　them　all　to　get　back　to　bed！　My　brother　Ron　here　had　a　nightmare　〃
　　〃IT　WASN'T　A　NIGHTMARE！〃　Ron　yelled。　〃PROFESSOR；　I　WOKE　UP；　AND　SIRIUS　BLACK　WAS　STANDING　OVER　ME；　HOLDING　A　KNIFE！〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　stared　at　him。
　　〃Don't　be　ridiculous；　Weasley；　how　could　he　possibly　have　gotten　through　the　portrait　hole？〃
　　〃Ask　him！〃　said　Ron；　pointing　a　shaking　finger　at　the　back　of　Sir　Cadogan's　picture。　〃Ask　him　if　he　saw　〃
　　Glaring　suspiciously　at　Ron；　Professor　McGonagall　pushed　the　Portrait　back　open　and　went　outside。　The　whole　mon　room　listened　with　bated　breath。　〃Sir　Cadogan；　did　you　just　let　a　man　enter　Gryffindor　Tower？〃　〃Certainly；　good　lady！〃　cried　Sir　Cadogan。
　　There　was　a　stunned　silence；　both　inside　and　outside　the　mon　room。
　　〃You　　you　did？〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃But　　but　the　password！〃
　　〃He　had　'em！〃　said　Sir　Cadogan　proudly。　〃Had　the　whole　week's；　my　lady！　Read　'em　off　a　little　piece　of　paper！〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　pulled　herself　back　through　the　portrait　hole　to　face　the　stunned　crowd。　She　was　white　as　chalk。
　　〃Which　person；〃　she　said；　her　voice　shaking；　〃which　abysmally　foolish　person　wrote　down　this　week's　passwords　and　left　them　lying　around？〃
　　There　was　utter　silence；　broken　by　the　smallest　of　terrified　squeaks。　Neville　Longbottom；　trembling　from　head　to　fluffy　slippered　toes；　raised　his　hand　slowly　into　the　air。
　　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　　SNAPE'S　GRUDGE
　　No　one　in　Gryffindor　Tower　slept　that　night。　They　knew　that　the　castle　was　being　searched　again；　and　the　whole　House　stayed　awake　in　the　mon　room；　waiting　to　hear　whether　Black　had　been　caught。　Professor　McGonagall　came　back　at　dawn；　to　tell　them　that　he　had　again　escaped。
　　Throughout　the　day；　everywhere　they　went　they　saw　signs　of　tighter　security；　Professor　Flitwick　could　be　seen　teaching　the　front　doors　to　recognize　a　large　picture　of　Sirius　Black；　Filch　was　suddenly　bustling　up　and　down　the　corridors；　boarding　up　everything　from　tiny　cracks　in　the　walls　to　mouse　holes。　Sir　Cadogan　had　been　fired。　His　portrait　had　been　taken　back　to　its　lonely　landing　on　the　seventh　floor；　and　the　Fat　Lady　was　back。　She　had　been　expertly　restored；　but　was　still　extremely　nervous；　and　had　agreed　to　return　to　her　job　only　on　condition　that　she　was　given　extra　protection。　A　bunch　of　surly　security　trolls　had　been　hired　to　guard　her。　They　paced　the　corridor　in　a　menacing　group；　talking　in　grunts　and　paring　the　size　of　their　clubs。
　　Harry　couldn't　help　noticing　that　the　statue　of　the　one…eyed　witch　on　the　third　floor　remained　unguarded　and　unblocked。　It　seemed　that　Fred　and　George　had　been　right　in　thinking　that　they　　and　now　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　　were　the　only　ones　who　knew　about　the　hidden　passageway　within　it。
　　〃D'you　reckon　we　should　tell　someone？〃　Harry　asked　Ron。
　　〃We　know　he's　not　ing　in　through　Honeyduke's；〃　said　Ron　dismissively。　〃We'd've　heard　if　the　shop　had　been　broken　into。〃
　　Harry　was　glad　Ron　took　this　view。　If　the　one…eyed　witch　was　boarded　up　too；　he　would　never　be　able　to　go　into　Hogsmeade　again。
　　Ron　had　bee　an　instant　celebrity。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　people　were　paying　more　attention　to　him　than　to　Harry；　and　it　was　clear　that　Ron　was　rather　enjoying　the　experience。　Though　still　severely　shaken　by　the　night's　events；　he　was　happy　to　tell　anyone　who　asked　what　had　happened；　with　a　wealth　of　detail。
　　〃。。。　I　was　asleep；　and　I　heard　this　ripping　noise；　and　I　thought　it　was　in　my　dream；　you　know？　But　then　there　was　this　draft。。。　I　woke　up　and　one　side　of　the　hangings　on　my　bed　had　been　pulled　down。。。。　I　rolled　over。。。　and　I　saw　him　standing　over　me。。。　like　a　skeleton；　with　loads　of　filthy　hair　。。。　holding　this　great　long　knife；　must've　been　twelve　inches。。。　and　he　looked　at　me；　and　I　looked　at　him；　and　then　I　yelled；　and　he　scampered。
　　〃Why；　though？〃　Ron　added　to　Harry　as　the　group　of　secondyear　girls　who　had　been　listening　to　his　chilling　tale　departed。　〃Why　did　he　run？〃
　　Harry　had　been　wondering　the　same　thing。　Why　had　Black；　having　got　the　wrong　bed；　not　silenced　Ron　and　proceeded　to　Harry？　Black　had　proved　twelve　years　ago　that　he　didn't　mind　murdering　innocent　people；　and　this　time　he　had　been　facing　five　unarmed　boys；　four　of　whom　were　asleep。
　　〃He　must've　known　he'd　have　a　job　getting　back　out　of　the　castle　once　you'd　yelled　and　woken　people　up；〃　said　Harry　thoughtfully。　〃He'd've　had　to　kill　the　whole　House　to　get　back　through　the　portrait　hole。。。　then　he　would'　ve　met　the　teachers。。。。〃
　　Neville　was　in　total　disgrace。　Professor　McGonagall　was　so　furious　with　him　she　had　banned　him　from　all　future　Hogsmeade　visits；　given　him　a　detention；　and　forbidden　anyone　to　give　him　the　password　into　the　tower。　Poor　Neville　was　forced　to　wait。　outside　the　mon　room　every　night　for　somebody　to　let　him　in；　while　the　security　trolls　leered　unpleasantly　at　him。　None　of　these　punishments；　however；　came　close　to　matching　the　one　his　grandmother　had　in　store　for　him。　Two　days　after　Black's　break…in；　she　sent　Neville　the　very　worst　thing　a　Hogwarts　student　could　receive　over　breakfast　　a　Howler。
　　The　school　owls　swooped　into　the　Great　Hall　carrying　the　mail　as　usual；　and　Neville　choked　as　a　huge　barn　owl　landed　in　front　of　him；　a　scarlet　envelope　clutched　in　its　beak。　Harry　and　Ron；　who　were　sitting　opposite　him；　recognized　the　letter　as　a　Howler　at　once　　Ron　had　got　one　from　his　mother　the　year　before。
　　〃Run　for　it；　Neville；〃　Ron　advised。
　　Neville　didn't　need　telling　twice。　He　seized　the　envelope；　and　holding　it　before　him　like　a　bomb；　sprinted　out　of　the　hall；　while　the　Slytherin　table　exploded　with　laughter　at　the　sight　of　him。　They　heard　the　Howler　go　off　in　the　entrance　hall　　Neville's　grandmother's　voice；　magically　magnified　to　a　hundred　times　its　Usual　volume；　shrieking　about　how　he　had　brought　shame　on　the　whole　family。
　　Harry　was　too　busy　feeling　sorry　for　Neville　to　notice　immediately　that　he　had　a　letter　too。　Hedwig　got　his　attention　by　nipping　him　sharply　on　the　wrist。
　　〃Ouch！　Oh　　thanks；　Hedwig。〃
　　Harry　tore　open　the　envelope　while　Hedwig　helped　herself　to　some　of　Neville's　cornflakes。　The　note　inside　said：
　　Dear　Harry　and　Ron；　How　Abut　having　tea　with　me　this　afternoon　'round　six？　I'll　e　collect　you　from　the　castle。　WAIT　FOR　ME　IN　THE　ENTRANCE　HALL；　YOU'RE　NOT　ALLOWED　OUT　ON　YOUR　OWN。　Cheers；　Hagrid
　　〃He　probably　wants　to　hear　all　about　Black！〃　said　Ron。
　　So　at　six　o'clock　that　afternoon；　Harry　and　Ron　left　Gryffindor　Tower；　passed　the　security　trolls　at　a　run；　and　headed　down　to　the　entrance　hall。
　　Hagrid　was　already　waiting　for　them。
　　〃All　right；　Hagrid！〃　said　Ron。　〃S'pose　you　want　to　hear　about　Saturday　night；　do　you？〃
　　〃I've　already　heard　all　abou'　it；〃　said　Hagrid；　opening　the　front　doors　and　leading　them　outside。
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Ron；　looking　slightly