哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第19部分

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〃No；　I'm　not；〃　retorted　Hermione。　〃I'm　hoping　to　do　some　good　in　the　world！〃
Ron　laughed。　Scrimgeour's　eyes　flickered　toward　him　and　away　again　as　Harry　spoke。
〃So　why　have　you　decided　to　let　us　have　our　things　now？　Can't　think　of　a　pretext　to　keep　them？〃
〃No；　it'll　be　because　thirty…one　days　are　up；〃　said　Hermione　at　once。　〃They　can't　keep　the　objects　longer　than　that　unless　they　can　prove　they're　dangerous。　Right？〃
〃Would　you　say　you　were　close　to　Dumbledore；　Ronald？〃　asked　Scrimgeour；　ignoring　Hermione。　Ron　looked　startled。
〃Me？　Not　a150a150　not　really。。。　It　was　always　Harry　who。。。〃
Ron　looked　around　at　Harry　and　Hermione；　to　see　Hermione　giving　him　a　stop…talking…now！　sort　of　look；　but　the　damage　was　done；　Scrimgeour　looked　as　though　he　had
heard　exactly　what　he　had　expected；　and　wanted；　to　hear。　He　swooped　like　a　bird　of　prey　upon　Ron's　answer。
〃If　you　were　not　very　close　to　Dumbledore；　how　do　you　account　for　the　fact　that　he　remembered　you　in　his　will？　He　made　exceptionally　few　personal　bequests。　The　vast　majority　of　his　possessions　a150a150　his　private　library；　his　magical　instruments；　and　other　personal　effects　a150a150　were　left　to　Hogwarts。　Why　do　you　think　you　were　singled　out？〃
〃I。。。dunno；〃　said　Ron。　〃I。。。when　I　say　we　weren't　close。。。I　mean；　I　think　he　liked　me。。。〃
〃You're　being　modest；　Ron；〃　said　Hermione。　〃Dumbledore　was　very　fond　of　you。〃
This　was　stretching　the　truth　to　breaking　point；　as　far　as　Harry　knew；　Ron　and　Dumbledore　had　never　been　alone　together；　and　direct　contact　between　them　had　been　negligible。　However；　Scrimgeour　did　not　seem　to　be　listening。　He　put　his　hand　inside　his　cloak　and　drew　out　a　drawstring　pouch　much　larger　than　the　one　Hagrid　had　given　Harry。　From　it；　he　removed　a　scroll　of　parchment　which　he　unrolled　and　read　aloud。
〃'The　Last　Will　and　Testament　of　Albus　Percival　Wulfric　Brian　Dumbledore'。。。　Yes；　here　we　are。。。　'To　Ronald　Bilius　Weasley；　I　leave　my　Deluminator；　in　the　hope　that　he　will　remember　me　when　he　uses　it。'〃
Scrimgeour　took　from　the　bag　an　object　that　Harry　had　seen　before：　It　looked　something　like　a　silver　cigarette　lighter；　but　it　had；　he　knew；　the　power　to　suck　all　light　from　a　place；　and　restore　it；　with　a　simple　click。　Scrimgeour　leaned　forward　and　passed　the　Deluminator　to　Ron；　who　took　it　and　turned　it　over　in　the　fingers　looking　stunned。
〃That　is　a　valuable　object；〃　said　Scrimgeour；　watching　Ron。　〃It　may　even　be　unique。　Certainly　it　is　of　Dumbledore's　own　design。　Why　would　he　have　left　you　and　item　so　rare？〃
Ron　shook　his　head；　looking　bewildered。
〃Dumbledore　must　have　taught　thousands　of　students；〃　Scrimgeour　persevered。　〃Yet　the　only　ones　he　remembered　in　his　will　are　you　three。　Why　is　that？　To　what　use　did　he　think　you　would　put　to　the　Deluminator；　Mr。　Weasley？〃
〃Put　out　lights；　I　s'pose；〃　mumbled　Ron。　〃What　else　could　I　do　with　it？〃
Evidently　Scrimgeour　had　no　suggestions。　After　squinting　at　Ron　for　a　moment　or　tow；　he　turned　back　to　Dumbledore's　will。
〃'To　Miss　Hermione　Jean　Granger；　I　leave　my　copy　of　The　Tales　of　Beedle　the　Bard；　in　the　hope　that　she　will　find　it　entertaining　and　instructive。'〃
Scrimgeour　now　pulled　out　of　the　bag　a　small　book　that　looked　as　ancient　as　the　copy　of　Secrets　of　the　Darkest　Art　upstairs。　Its　binding　was　stained　and　peeling　in　places。　Hermione　took　it　from　Scrimgeour　without　a　word。　She　held　the　book　in　her　lap　and　gazed　at　it。　Harry　saw　that　the　title　was　in　runes；　he　had　never　learned　to　read　them。　As　he　looked；　a　tear　splashed　onto　the　embossed　symbols。
〃Why　do　you　think　Dumbledore　left　you　that　book；　Miss　Granger？〃　asked　Scrimgeour。
〃He。。。　he　knew　I　liked　books；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　thick　voice；　mopping　her　eyes　with　her　sleeve。
〃But　why　that　particular　book？〃
〃I　don't　know。　He　must　have　thought　I'd　enjoy　it。〃
〃Did　you　ever　discuss　codes；　or　any　means　of　passing　secret　messages；　with　Dumbledore？〃
〃No；　I　didn't；〃　said　Hermione；　still　wiping　her　eyes　on　her　sleeve。　〃And　if　the　Ministry　hasn't　found　any　hidden　codes　in　this　book　in　thirty…one　days；　I　doubt　that　I　will。〃
She　suppressed　a　sob。　They　were　wedged　together　so　tightly　that　Ron　had　difficulty　extracting　his　arm　to　put　it　around　Hermione's　shoulders。　Scrimgeour　turned　back　to　the　will。
〃'To　Harry　James　Potter；'〃　he　read；　and　Harry's　insides　contracted　with　a　sudden　excitement；　〃'I　leave　the　Snitch　he　caught　in　his　first　Quidditch　match　at　Hogwarts；　as　a　reminder　of　the　rewards　of　perseverance　and　skill。'〃
As　Scrimgeour　pulled　out　the　tiny；　walnut…sized　golden　ball；　its　silver　wings　fluttered　rather　feebly；　and　Harry　could　not　help　feeling　a　definite　sense　of　anticlimax。
〃Why　did　Dumbledore　leave　you　this　Snitch？〃　asked　Scrimgeour。
〃No　idea；〃　said　Harry。　〃For　the　reasons　you　just　read　out；　I　suppose。。。　to　remind　me　what　you　can　get　if　you。。。　persevere　and　whatever　it　was。〃
〃You　think　this　a　mere　symbolic　keepsake；　then？〃
〃I　suppose　so；〃　said　Harry。　〃What　else　could　it　be？〃
〃I'm　asking　the　questions；〃　said　Scrimgeour；　shifting　his　chair　a　little　closer　to　the　sofa。　Dusk　was　really　falling　outside　now；　the　marquee　beyond　the　windows　towered　ghostly　white　over　the　hedge。
〃I　notice　that　your　birthday　cake　is　in　the　shape　of　a　Snitch；〃　Scrimgeour　said　to　Harry。　〃Why　is　that？〃
Hermione　laughed　derisively。
〃Oh；　it　can't　be　a　reference　to　the　fact　Harry's　a　great　Seeker；　that's　way　too　obvious；〃　she　said。　〃There　must　be　a　secret　message　from　Dumbledore　hidden　in　the　icing！〃
〃I　don't　think　there's　anything　hidden　in　the　icing；〃　said　Scrimgeour；　〃but　a　Snitch　would　be　a　very　good　hiding　place　for　a　small　object。　You　know　why；　I'm　sure？〃
Harry　shrugged；　Hermione；　however；　answered：　Harry　thought　that　answering　questions　correctly　was　such　a　deeply　ingrained　habit　she　could　not　suppress　the　urge。
〃Because　Snitches　have　flesh　memories；〃　she　said。
〃What？〃　said　Harry　and　Ron　together；　both　considered　Hermione's　Quidditch　knowledge　negligible。
〃Correct；〃　said　Scrimgeour。　〃A　Snitch　is　not　touched　by　bare　skin　before　it　is　released；　not　even　by　the　maker；　who　wears　gloves。　It　carries　an　enchantment　by　which　it　can　identify　the　first　human　to　lay　hands　upon　it；　in　case　of　a　disputed　capture。　This　Snitch〃　a150a150　he　held　up　the　tiny　golden　ball　a150a150　〃will　remember　your　touch；　Potter。
It　occurs　to　me　that　Dumbledore；　who　had　prodigious　magical　skill；　whatever　his　other　faults；　might　have　enchanted　this　Snitch　so　that　it　will　open　only　for　you。〃
Harry's　heart　was　beating　rather　fast。　He　was　sure　that　Scrimgeour　was　right。　How　could　he　avoid　taking　the　Snitch　with　his　bare　hand　in　front　of　the　Minister？
〃You　don't　say　anything；〃　said　Scrimgeour。　〃Perhaps　you　already　know　what　the　Snitch　contains？〃
〃No；〃　said　Harry；　still　wondering　how　he　could　appear　to　touch　the　Snitch　without　really　doing　so。　If　only　he　knew　Legilimency；　really　knew　it；　and　could　read　Hermione's　mind；　he　could　practically　hear　her　brain　whizzing　beside　him。
〃Take　it；〃　said　Scrimgeour　quietly。
Harry　met　the　Minister's　yellow　eyes　and　knew　he　had　no　option　but　to　obey。　He　held　out　his　hand；　and　Scrimgeour　leaned　forward　again　and　place　the　Snitch；　slowly　and　deliberately；　into　Harry's　palm。
Nothing　happened。　As　Harry's　fingers　closed　around　the　Snitch；　its　tired　wings　fluttered　and　were　still。　Scrimgeour；　Ron；　and　Hermione　continued　to　gaze　avidly　at　the　now　partially　concealed　ball；　as　if　still　hoping　it　might　transform　in　some　way。
〃That　was　dramatic；〃　said　Harry　coolly。　Both　Ron　and　Hermione　laughed。
〃That's　all；　then；　is　it？〃　asked　Hermione；　making　to　raise　herself　off　the　sofa。
〃Not　quite；〃　said　Scrimgeour；　who　looked　bad　tempered　now。　〃Dumbledore　left　you　a　second　bequest；　Potter。〃
〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Harry；　excitement　rekindling。
Scrimgeour　did　not　bother　to　read　from　the　will　this　time。
〃The　sword　of　Godric　Gryffindor；〃　he　said。　Hermione　and　Ron　both　stiffened。　Harry　looked　around　for　a　sign　of　the　ruby…encrusted　hilt；　but　Scrimgeour　did　not　pull　the　sword　from　the　leather　pouch；　which　in　any　case　looked　much　too　small　to　contain　it。
〃So　where　is　it？〃　Harry　asked　suspiciously。
〃Unfortunately；〃　said　Scrimgeour；　〃that　sword　was　not　Dumbledore's　to　give　away。　The　sword　of　Godric　Gryffindor　is　an　important　historical　artifact；　and　as　such；　belongsa150a150〃
〃It　belongs　to　Harry！〃　said　Hermione　hotly。　〃It　chose　him；　he　was　the　one　who　found　it；　it　came　to　him　out　of　the　Sorting　Hata150a150〃
〃According　to　reliable　historical　sources；　the　sword　may　present　itself　to　any　worthy　Gryffindor；〃　said　Scrimgeour。　〃That　does　not　make　it　the　exclusive　property　of　Mr。　Potter；　whatever　Dumbledore　may　have　decided。〃　Scrimgeour　scratched　his　badly　shaven　cheek；　scrutinizing　Harry。　〃Why　do　you　thinka150a150？〃
〃a150a150Dumbledore　wanted　to　give　me　the　sword？〃　said　Harry；　struggling　to　keep　his　temper。　〃Maybe　he　thought　it　would　look　nice　on　my　wall。〃
〃This　is　not　a　joke；　Potter！〃　growled　Scrimgeour。　〃Was　it　because　Dumbledore　believed　that　only　the　sword　of　Godric　Gryffindor　could　defeat　the　Heir　of　Slytherin？　Did　he　wish　to　give　you　that　sword；　Potter；　because　he　believed；　as　do　many；　that　you　are　the　one　destined　to　destroy　He…Who…Must…Not…Be…Named？〃
〃Interesting　theory；〃　said　Harry。　〃Has　anyone　ever　tried　sticking　a　sword　in　Voldemort？　Maybe　the　Ministry　should　put　some　people　onto　that；　instead　of　wasting　their　time　stripping　down　Deluminators　or　covering　up　breakouts　from　Azkaban。　So　this　is　what　you've　been　doing；　Minister；　shut　up　in　your　office；　trying　to　break　open　a　Snitch？　People　are　dying　…　I　was　nearly　one　of　them　…　Voldemort　chased　me　across　three　countries；　he　killed　Mad…Eye　Moody；　but　there's　no　word　about　any　of　that　from　the　Ministry；　has　there？　And　you　still　expect　us　to　cooperate　with　you！〃
〃You　go　too　far！〃　shouted　Scrimgeour；　standing　up：　Harry　jumped　to　his　feet　too。　Scrimgeour　limped　toward　Harry　and　jabbed　him　hard　in　the　chest　with　the　point　of　his　wand；　It　singed　a　hole　in　Harry's　T…shirt　like　a　lit　cigarette。
〃Oi！〃　said　Ron；　jumping　up　and　raising　his　own　wand；　but　Harry　said；
〃No！　D'you　want　to　give　him　an　excuse　to　arrest　us？〃
〃Remembered　you're　not　at　school；　have　you？〃　said　Scrimgeour　breathing　hard　into　Harry's　face。　〃Remembered　that　I　am　not　Dumbledore；　who　forgave　your　insolence
and　insubordination？　You　may　wear　that　scar　like　a　crown；　Po