哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第102部分

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pect　Draco　to　succeed。　This　is　merely
punishment　for　Lucius's　recent　failures。　Slow　torture　for　Draco's　parents；　while　they　watch　him　fail　and　pay　the　price。〃
〃In　short；　the　boy　has　had　a　death　sentence　pronounced　upon　him　as　surely　as　I　have；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Now；　I　should　have　thought　the　natural　successor　to　the　job；　once　Draco　fails；　is　yourself？〃
There　was　a　short　pause。
〃That；　I　think；　is　the　Dark　Lord's　plan。〃
〃Lord　Voldemort　foresees　a　moment　in　the　near　future　when　he　will　not　need　a　spy　at　Hogwarts？〃
〃He　believes　the　school　will　soon　be　in　his　grasp；　yes。〃
〃And　if　it　does　fall　into　his　grasp；〃　said　Dumbledore；　almost；　it　seemed；　as　an　aside；　〃I　have　your　word　that　you　will　do　all　in　your　power　to　protect　the　students　at　Hogwarts？〃
Snape　gave　a　stiff　nod。
〃Good。　Now　then。　Your　first　priority　will　be　to　discover　what　Draco　is　up　to。　A　frightened　teenage　boy　is　a　danger　to　others　as　well　as　to　himself。　Offer　him　help　and　guidance；　he　ought　to　accept；　he　likes　you　…　〃
〃　…　much　less　since　his　father　has　lost　favor。　Draco　blames　me；　he　thinks　I　have　usurped　Lucius's　position。〃
〃All　the　same；　try。　I　am　concerned　less　for　myself　than　for　accidental　victims　of　whatever　schemes　might　occur　to　the　boy。　Ultimately；　of　course；　there　is　only　one　thing　to　be　done　if　we　are　to　save　him　from　Lord　Voldemort's　wrath。〃
Snape　raised　his　eyebrows　and　his　tone　was　sardonic　as　he　asked；　〃Are　you　intending　to　let　him　kill　you？〃
〃Certainly　not。　iYoui　must　kill　me。〃
There　was　a　long　silence；　broken　only　by　an　odd　clicking　noise。　Fawkes　the　phoenix　was　gnawing　a　bit　of　cuttlebone。
〃Would　you　like　me　to　do　it　now？〃　asked　Snape；　his　voice　heavy　with　irony。　〃Or　would　you　like　a　few　moments　to　compose　an　epitaph？〃
〃Oh；　not　quite　yet；〃　said　Dumbledore；　smiling。　〃I　daresay　the　moment　will　present　itself　in　due　course。　Given　what　has　happened　tonight；〃　he　indicated　his　withered　hand；　〃we　can　be　sure　that　it　will　happen　within　a　year。〃
〃If　you　don't　mind　dying；〃　said　Snape　roughly；　〃why　not　let　Draco　do　it？〃
〃That　boy's　soul　is　not　yet　so　damaged；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃I　would　not　have　it　ripped　apart　on　my　account。〃
〃And　my　soul；　Dumbledore？　Mine？〃
〃You　alone　know　whether　it　will　harm　your　soul　to　help　an　old　man　avoid　pain　and　humiliation；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃I　ask　this　one　great　favor　of　you；　Severus；　because　death　is　coming　for　me　as　surely　as　the　Chudley　Cannons　will　finish　bottom　of　this　year's　league。　I　confess　I　should　prefer　a　quick；　painless　exit　to　the　protracted　and　messy　affair　it　will　be　if；　for　instance；　Greyback　is　involved　…　I　hear　Voldemort　has　recruited　him？　Or　dear　Bellatrix；　who　likes　to　play　with　her　food　before　she　eats　it。〃
His　tone　was　light；　but　his　blue　eyes　pierced　Snape　as　they　had　frequently　pierced　Harry；　as　though　the　soul　they　discussed　was　visible　to　him。　At　last　Snape　gave　another　curt　nod。
Dumbledore　seemed　satisfied。
〃Thank　you；　Severusa133〃
The　office　disappeared；　and　now　Snape　and　Dumbledore　were　strolling　together　in　the　deserted　castle　grounds　by　twilight。
〃What　are　you　doing　with　Potter；　all　these　evenings　you　are　closeted　together？〃　Snape　asked　abruptly。
Dumbledore　looked　weary。
〃Why？　You　aren't　trying　to　give　him　imorei　detentions；　Severus？　The　boy　will　soon　have　spent　more　time　in　detention　than　out。〃
〃He　is　his　father　over　again　…　〃
〃In　looks；　perhaps；　but　his　deepest　nature　is　much　more　like　his　mother's。　I　spend　time　with　Harry　because　I　have　things　to　discuss　with　him；　information　I　must　give　him　before　it　is　too　late。〃
〃Information；〃　repeated　Snape。　〃You　trust　hima133you　do　not　trust　me。〃
〃It　is　not　a　question　of　trust。　I　have；　as　we　both　know；　limited　time。　It　is　essential　that　I　give　the　boy　enough　information　for　him　to　do　what　he　needs　to　do。〃
〃And　why　may　I　not　have　the　same　information？〃
〃I　prefer　not　to　put　all　of　my　secrets　in　one　basket；　particularly　not　a　basket　that　spends　so　much　time　dangling　on　the　arm　of　Lord　Voldemort。〃
〃Which　I　do　on　your　orders！〃
〃And　you　do　it　extremely　well。　Do　not　think　that　I　underestimate　the　constant　danger　in　which　you　place　yourself；　Severus。　To　give　Voldemort　what　appears　to　be　valuable　information　while　withholding　the　essentials　is　a　job　I　would　entrust　to　nobody　but　you。〃
〃Yet　you　confide　much　more　in　a　boy　who　is　incapable　of　Occlumency；　whose　magic　is　mediocre；　and　who　has　a　direct　connection　into　the　Dark　Lord's　mind！〃
〃Voldemort　fears　that　connection；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Not　so　long　ago　he　had　one　small　taste　of　what　truly　sharing　Harry's　mind　means　to　him。　It　was　pain　such　as　he　has　never　experienced。　He　will　not　try　to　possess　Harry　again；　I　am　sure　of　it。　Not　in　that　way。〃
〃I　don't　understand。〃
〃Lord　Voldemort's　soul；　maimed　as　it　is；　cannot　bear　close　contact　with　a　soul　like　Harry's。　Like　a　tongue　on　frozen　steel；　like　flesh　in　flame　…　〃
〃Souls？　We　were　talking　of　minds！〃
〃In　the　case　of　Harry　and　Lord　Voldemort；　to　speak　of　one　is　to　speak　of　the　other。〃
Dumbledore　glanced　around　to　make　sure　that　they　were　alone。　They　were　close　by　the　Forbidden　Forest　now；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　anyone　near　them。
〃After　you　have　killed　me；　Severus　…　〃
〃You　refuse　to　tell　me　everything；　yet　you　expect　that　small　service　of　me！〃　snarled　Snape；　and　real　anger　flared　in　the　thin　face　now。　〃You　take　a　great　deal　for　granted；　Dumbledore！　Perhaps　I　have　changed　my　mind！〃
〃You　gave　me　your　word；　Severus。　And　while　we　are　talking　about　services　you　owe　me；　I　thought　you　agreed　to　keep　a　close　eye　on　our　young　Slytherin　friend？〃
Snape　looked　angry；　mutinous。　Dumbledore　sighed。
〃Come　to　my　office　tonight；　Severus；　at　eleven；　and　you　shall　not　complain　that　I　have　no　confidence　in　youa133〃
They　were　back　in　Dumbledore's　office；　the　windows　dark；　and　Fawkes　sat　silent　as　Snape　sat　quite　still；　as　Dumbledore　walked　around　him；　talking。
〃Harry　must　not　know；　not　until　the　last　moment；　not　until　it　is　necessary；　otherwise　how　could　he　have　the　strength　to　do　what　must　be　done？〃
〃But　what　must　he　do？〃
〃That　is　between　Harry　and　me。　Now　listen　closely；　Severus。　There　will　come　a　time　…　after　my　death　…　do　not　argue；　do　not　interrupt！　There　will　come　a　time　when　Lord　Voldemort　will　seem　to　fear　for　the　life　of　his　snake。〃
〃For　Nagini？〃　Snape　looked　astonished。
〃Precisely。　If　there　comes　a　time　when　Lord　Voldemort　stops　sending　that　snake　forth　to　do　his　bidding；　but　keeps　it　safe　beside　him　under　magical　protection；　then；　I　think；　it　will　be　safe　to　tell　Harry。〃
〃Tell　him　what？〃
Dumbledore　took　a　deep　breath　and　closed　his　eyes。
〃Tell　him　that　on　the　night　Lord　Voldemort　tried　to　kill　him；　when　Lily　cast　her　own　life　between　them　as　a　shield；　the　Killing　Curse　rebounded　upon　Lord　Voldemort；　and　a　fragment　of　Voldemort's　soul　was　blasted　apart　from　the　whole；　and　latched　itself　onto　the　only　living　soul　left　in　that　collapsed　building。　Part　of　Lord　Voldemort　lives　inside　Harry；　and　it　is　that　which　gives　him　the　power　of　speech　with　snakes；　and　a　connection　with　Lord　Voldemort's　mind　that　he　has　never　understood。　And　while　that　fragment　of　soul；　unmissed　by　Voldemort；　remains　attached　to　and　protected　by　Harry；　Lord　Voldemort　cannot　die。〃
Harry　seemed　to　be　watching　the　two　men　from　one　end　of　a　long　tunnel；　they　were　so　far　away　from　him；　their　voices　echoing　strangely　in　his　ears。
〃So　the　boya133the　boy　must　die？〃　asked　Snape　quite　calmly。
〃And　Voldemort　himself　must　do　it；　Severus。　That　is　essential。〃
Another　long　silence。　Then　Snape　said；　〃I　thoughta133all　those　yearsa133that　we　were　protecting　him　for　her。　For　Lily。〃
〃We　have　protected　him　because　it　has　been　essential　to　teach　him；　to　raise　him；　to　let　him　try　his　strength；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　eyes　still　tight　shut。　〃Meanwhile；　the　connection　between　them　grows　ever　stronger；　a　parasitic　growth。　Sometimes　I　have　thought　he　suspects　it　himself。　If　I　know　him；　he　will　have　arranged　matters　so　that　when　he　does　set　out　to　meet　his　death；　it　will　truly　mean　the　end　of　Voldemort。〃
Dumbledore　opened　his　eyes。　Snape　looked　horrified。
〃You　have　kept　him　alive　so　that　he　can　die　at　the　right　moment？〃
〃Don't　be　shocked；　Severus。　How　many　men　and　women　have　you　watched　die？〃
〃Lately；　only　those　whom　I　could　not　save；〃　said　Snape。　He　stood　up。　〃You　have　used　me。〃
〃Meaning？〃
〃I　have　spied　for　you　and　lied　for　you；　put　myself　in　mortal　danger　for　you。　Everything　was　supposed　to　be　to　keep　Lily　Potter's　son　safe。　Now　you　tell　me　you　have　been　raising　him　like　a　pig　for　slaughter　…　〃
〃But　this　is　touching；　Severus；〃　said　Dumbledore　seriously。　〃Have　you　grown　to　care　for　the　boy；　after　all？〃
〃For　ihimi？〃　shouted　Snape。　〃iExpecto　Patronum！i〃
From　the　tip　of　his　wand　burst　the　silver　doe。　She　landed　on　the　office　floor；　bounded　once　across　the　office；　and　soared　out　of　the　window。　Dumbledore　watched　her　fly　away；　and　as　her　silvery　glow　faded　he　turned　back　to　Snape；　and　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears。
〃After　all　this　time？〃
〃Always；〃　said　Snape。
And　the　scene　shifted。　Now；　Harry　saw　Snape　talking　to　the　portrait　of　Dumbledore　behind　his　desk。
〃You　will　have　to　give　Voldemort　the　correct　date　of　Harry's　departure　from　his　aunt　and　uncle's；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Not　to　do　so　will　raise　suspicion；　when　Voldemort　believes　you　so　well　informed。　However；　you　must　plant　the　idea　of　decoys；　that；　I　think；　ought　to　ensure　Harry's　safety。　Try　Confunding　Mundungus　Fletcher。　And　Severus；　if　you　are　forced　to　take　part　in　the　chase；　be　sure　to　act　your　part　convincinglya133I　am　counting　upon　you　to　remain　in　Lord　Voldemort's　good　books　as　long　as　possible；　or　Hogwarts　will　be　left　to　the　mercy　of　the　Carrowsa133〃
Now　Snape　was　head　to　head　with　Mundungus　in　an　unfamiliar　tavern；　Mundungus's　face　looking　curiously　blank；　Snape　frowning　in　concentration。
〃You　will　suggest　to　the　Order　of　the　Phoenix；〃　Snape　murmured；　〃that　they　use　decoys。　Polyjuice　Potion。　Identical　Potters。　It's　the　only　thing　that　might　work。　You　will　forget　that　I　have　suggested　this。　You　will　present　it　as　your　own　idea。　You　understand？〃
〃I　understand；〃　murmured　Mundungus；　his　eyes　unfocuseda133
Now　Harry　was　flying　alongside　Snape　on　a　broomstick　through　a　clear　dark　night：　He　was　accompanied　by　other　hodded　Death　Eaters；　and　ahead　were　Lupin　and　a　Harry　who　was　really　Georgea133　A　Death　Eater　moved　ahead　of　Sna