哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第1部分

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ng　PLC〃　COPYRIGHT=〃Copyright　a169　2007　by　J。　K。　Rowling〃v

m=〃cover。png〃

bHarry　Potter　and　the　Deathly　Hallowsb　
ciBy　J。　K。　Rowlingi
sThe　dedication　of　this　book　is　split　seven　ways。
To　Neil
To　Jessica
To　David
To　Kenzie
To　Di
To　Anne
And　to　You
If　you　have　stuck　with　Harry　until　the　very　end。isc

pC0=〃Chapter　One：　The　Dark　Lord　Ascending〃
bChapter　One　
iThe　Dark　Lord　Ascendingib
The　two　men　appeared　out　of　nowhere；　a　few　yards　apart　in　the　narrow；　moonlit　lane。　For　a　second　they　stood　quite　still；　wands　directed　at　each　other's　chests；　then；　recognizing　each　other；　they　stowed　their　wands　beneath　their　cloaks　and　started　walking　briskly　in　the　same　direction。　〃News？〃　asked　the　taller　of　the　two。　〃The　best；〃　replied　Severus　Snape。　The　lane　was　bordered　on　the　left　by　wild；　low…growing　brambles；　on　the　right　by　a　high；　neatly　manicured　hedge。　The　men's　long　cloaks　flapped　around　their　ankles　as　they　marched。　〃Thought　I　might　be　late；〃　said　Yaxley；　his　blunt　features　sliding　in　and　out　of　sight　as　the　branches　of　overhanging　trees　broke　the　moonlight。　〃It　was　a　little　trickier　than　I　expected。　But　I　hope　he　will　be　satisfied。　You　sound　confident　that　your　reception　will　be　good？〃　Snape　nodded；　but　did　not　elaborate。　They　turned　right；　into　a　wide　driveway　that　led　off　the　lane。　The　high　hedge　curved　into　them；　running　off　into　the　distance　beyond　the　pair　of　imposing　wrought…iron　gates　barring　the　men's　way。　Neither　of　them　broke　step：　In　silence　both　raised　their　left　arms　in　a　kind　of　salute　and　passed　straight　through；　as　though　the　dark　metal　was　smoke。
The　yew　hedges　muffled　the　sound　of　the　men's　footsteps。　There　was　a　rustle　somewhere　to　their　right：　Yaxley　drew　his　wand　again　pointing　it　over　his　companion's　head；　but　the　source　of　the　noise　proved　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　pure…white　peacock；　strutting　majestically　along　the　top　of　the　hedge。
〃He　always　did　himself　well；　Lucius。　iPeacocksi　a133〃　Yaxley　thrust　his　wand　back　under　his　cloak　with　a　snort。
A　handsome　manor　house　grew　out　of　the　darkness　at　the　end　of　the　straight　drive；　lights　glinting　in　the　diamond　paned　downstairs　windows。　Somewhere　in　the　dark　garden　beyond　the　hedge　a　fountain　was　playing。　Gravel　crackled　beneath　their　feet　as　Snape　and　Yaxley　sped　toward　the　front　door；　which　swung　inward　at　their　approach；　though　nobody　had　visibly　opened　it。
The　hallway　was　large；　dimly　lit；　and　sumptuously　decorated；　with　a　magnificent　carpet　covering　most　of　the　stone　floor。　The　eyes　of　the　pale…faced　portraits　on　the　wall　followed　Snape　and　Yaxley　as　they　strode　past。　The　two　men　halted　at　a　heavy　wooden　door　leading　into　the　next　room；　hesitated　for　the　space　of　a　heartbeat；　then　Snape　turned　the　bronze　handle。
The　drawing　room　was　full　of　silent　people；　sitting　at　a　long　and　ornate　table。　The　room's　usual　furniture　had　been　pushed　carelessly　up　against　the　walls。　Illumination　came　from　a　roaring　fire　beneath　a　handsome　marble　mantelpiece　surmounted　by　a　gilded　mirror。　Snape　and　Yaxley　lingered　for　a　moment　on　the　threshold。　As　their　eyes　grew　accustomed　to　the　lack　of　light；　they　were　drawn　upward　to　the　strangest　feature　of　the　scene：　an　apparently　unconscious　human　figure　hanging　upside　down　over　the　table；　revolving　slowly　as　if　suspended　by　an　invisible　rope；　and　reflected　in　the　mirror　and　in　the　bare；　polished　surface　of　the　table　below。　None　of　the　people　seated　underneath　this
singular　sight　were　looking　at　it　except　for　a　pale　young　man　sitting　almost　directly　below　it。　He　seemed　unable　to　prevent　himself　from　glancing　upward　every　minute　or　so。
〃Yaxley。　Snape；〃　said　a　high；　clear　voice　from　the　head　of　the　table。　〃You　are　very　nearly　late。〃
The　speaker　was　seated　directly　in　front　of　the　fireplace；　so　that　it　was　difficult；　at　first；　for　the　new　arrivals　to　make　out　more　than　his　silhouette。　As　they　drew　nearer；　however；　his　face　shone　through　the　gloom；　hairless；　snakelike；　with　slits　for　nostrils　and　gleaming　red　eyes　whose　pupils　were　vertical。　He　was　so　pale　that　he　seemed　to　emit　a　pearly　glow。
〃Severus；　here；〃　said　Voldemort；　indicating　the　seat　on　his　immediate　right。　〃Yaxley　…　beside　Dolohov。〃
The　two　men　took　their　allotted　places。　Most　of　the　eyes　around　the　table　followed　Snape；　and　it　was　to　him　that　Voldemort　spoke　first。
〃So？〃
〃My　Lord；　the　Order　of　the　Phoenix　intends　to　move　Harry　Potter　from　his　current　place　of　safety　on　Saturday　next；　at　nightfall。〃
The　interest　around　the　table　sharpened　palpably：　Some　stiffened；　others　fidgeted；　all　gazing　at　Snape　and　Voldemort。
〃Saturday　a133　at　nightfall；〃　repeated　Voldemort。　His　red　eyes　fastened　upon　Snape's　black　ones　with　such　intensity　that　some　of　the　watchers　looked　away；　apparently　fearful　that　they　themselves　would　be　scorched　by　the　ferocity　of　the　gaze。　Snape；　however；　looked　calmly　back　into　Voldemort's　face　and；　after　a　moment　or　two；　Voldemort's　lipless　mouth　curved　into　something　like　a　smile。
〃Good。　Very　good。　And　this　information　comes　a150a150〃
〃　…　from　the　source　we　discussed；〃　said　Snape。
〃My　Lord。〃
Yaxley　had　leaned　forward　to　look　down　the　long　table　at　Voldemort　and　Snape。　All　faces　turned　to　him。
〃My　Lord；　I　have　heard　differently。〃
Yaxley　waited；　but　Voldemort　did　not　speak；　so　he　went　on；　〃Dawlish；　the　Auror；　let　slip　that　Potter　will　not　be　moved　until　the　thirtieth；　the　night　before　the　boy　turns　seventeen。〃
Snape　was　smiling。
〃My　source　told　me　that　there　are　plans　to　lay　a　false　trail；　this　must　be　it。　No　doubt　a　Confundus　Charm　has　been　placed　upon　Dawlish。　It　would　not　be　the　first　time；　he　is　known　to　be　susceptible。〃
〃I　assure　you；　my　Lord；　Dawlish　seemed　quite　certain；〃　said　Yaxley。
〃If　he　has　been　Confunded；　naturally　he　is　certain；〃　said　Snape。　〃I　assure　iyoui；　Yaxley；　the　Auror　Office　will　play　no　further　part　in　the　protection　of　Harry　Potter。　The　Order　believes　that　we　have　infiltrated　the　Ministry。〃
〃The　Order's　got　one　thing　right；　then；　eh？〃　said　a　squat　man　sitting　a　short　distance　from　Yaxley；　he　gave　a　wheezy　giggle　that　was　echoed　here　and　there　along　the　table。
Voldemort　did　not　laugh。　His　gaze　had　wandered　upward　to　the　body　revolving　slowly　overhead；　and　he　seemed　to　be　lost　in　thought。
〃My　Lord；〃　Yaxley　went　on；　〃Dawlish　believes　an　entire　party　of　Aurors　will　be　used　to　transfer　the　boy　…〃
Voldemort　held　up　a　large　white　hand；　and　Yaxley　subsided　at　once；　watching　resentfully　as　Voldemort　turned　back　to　Snape。
〃Where　are　they　going　to　hide　the　boy　next？〃
〃At　the　home　of　one　of　the　Order；〃　said　Snape。　〃The　place；　according　to　the　source；　has　been　given　every　protection　that　the　Order　and　Ministry　together　could　provide。　I　think　that　there　is　little　chance　of　taking　him　once　he　is　there；　my　Lord；　unless；　of　course；　the　Ministry　has　fallen　before　next　Saturday；　which　might　give　us　the　opportunity　to　discover　and　undo　enough　of　the　enchantments　to　break　through　the　rest。〃
〃Well；　Yaxley？〃　Voldemort　called　down　the　table；　the　firelight　glinting　strangely　in　his　red　eyes。　〃iWilli　the　Ministry　have　fallen　by　next　Saturday？〃
Once　again；　all　heads　turned。　Yaxley　squared　his　shoulders。
〃My　Lord；　I　have　good　news　on　that　score。　I　have　…　with　difficulty；　and　after　great　effort　…　succeeded　in　placing　an　Imperius　Curse　upon　Pius　Thicknesse。〃
Many　of　those　sitting　around　Yaxley　looked　impressed；　his　neighbor；　Dolohov；　a　man　with　a　long；　twisted　face；　clapped　him　on　the　back。
〃It　is　a　start；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃But　Thicknesse　is　only　one　man。　Scrimgeour　must　be　surrounded　by　our　people　before　I　act。　One　failed　attempt　on　the　Minister's　life　will　set　me　back　a　long　way。〃
〃Yes　…　my　Lord；　that　is　true　…　but　you　know；　as　Head　of　the　Department　of　Magical　Law　Enforcement；　Thicknesse　has　regular　contact　not　only　with　the　Minister　himself；　but　also　with　the　Heads　of　all　the　other　Ministry　departments。　It　will；　I　think；　be　easy　now　that　we　have　such　a　high…ranking　official　under　our　control；　to　subjugate　the　others；　and　then　they　can　all　work　together　to　bring　Scrimgeour　down。〃
〃As　long　as　our　friend　Thicknesse　is　not　discovered　before　he　has　converted　the　rest；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃At　any　rate；　it　remains　unlikely　that　the　Ministry　will　be　mine　before　next　Saturday。　If　we　cannot　touch　the　boy　at　his　destination；　then　it　must　be　done　while　he　travels。〃
〃We　are　at　an　advantage　there；　my　Lord；〃　said　Yaxley；　who　seemed　determined　to　receive　some　portion　of　approval。　〃We　now　have　several　people　planted　within　the　Department　of　Magical　Transport。　If　Potter　Apparates　or　uses　the　Floo　Network；　we　shall　know　immediately。〃
〃He　will　not　do　either；〃　said　Snape。　〃The　Order　is　eschewing　any　form　of　transport　that　is　controlled　or　regulated　by　the　Ministry；　they　mistrust　everything　to　do　with　the　place。〃
〃All　the　better；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃He　will　have　to　move　in　the　open。　Easier　to　take；　by　far。〃
Again；　Voldemort　looked　up　at　the　slowly　revolving　body　as　he　went　on；　〃I　shall　attend　to　the　boy　in　person。　There　have　been　too　many　mistakes　where　Harry　Potter　is　concerned。　Some　of　them　have　been　my　own。　That　Potter　lives　is　due　more　to　my　errors　than　to　his　triumphs。〃
The　company　around　the　table　watched　Voldemort　apprehensively；　each　of　them；　by　his　or　her　expression；　afraid　that　they　might　be　blamed　for　Harry　Potter's　continued　existence。　Voldemort；　however；　seemed　to　be　speaking　more　to　himself　than　to　any　of　them；　still　addressing　the　unconscious　body　above　him。
〃I　have　been　careless；　and　so　have　been　thwarted　by　luck　and　chance；　those　wreckers　of　all　but　the　best…laid　plans。　But　I　know　better　now。　I　understand　those　things　that　I　did　not　understand　before。　I　must　be　the　one　to　kill　Harry　Potter；　and　I　shall　be。〃
At　these　words；　seemingly　in　response　to　them；　a　sudden　wail　sounded；　a　terrible；　drawn…out　cry　of　misery　and　pain。　Many　of　those　at　the　table　looked　downward；　startled；　for　the　sound　had　seemed　to　issue　from　below　their　feet。
〃Wormtail；〃　said　Voldemort；　with　no　change　in　his　quiet；　thoughtful　tone；　and　without　removing　his　eyes　from　the　revolving　body　above；　〃have　I　not　spoken　to　you　about　keeping　our　prisoner　quiet？〃
〃Yes；　m…my　Lord；〃　gasped　a　small　man　halfway　down　the　table；　who　had　been　sitting　so　low　in　his　chair　that　it　appeared；　at　first　glance；　to　be　unoccupied。　Now　he　scrambled　from　his　seat