哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第2部分

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〃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　and　scurried　from　the　room；　leaving　nothing　behind　him　but　a　curious　gleam　of　silver。
〃As　I　was　saying；〃　continued　Voldemort；　looking　again　at　the　tense　faces　of　his　followers；　〃I　understand　better　now。　I　shall　need；　for　instance；　to　borrow　a　wand　from　one　of　you　before　I　go　to　kill　Potter。〃
The　faces　around　him　displayed　nothing　but　shock；　he　might　have　announced　that　he　wanted　to　borrow　one　of　their　arms。
〃No　volunteers？〃　said　Voldemort。　〃Let's　see　a133　Lucius；　I　see　no　reason　for　you　to　have　a　wand　anymore。〃
Lucius　Malfoy　looked　up。　His　skin　appeared　yellowish　and　waxy　in　the　firelight；　and　his　eyes　were　sunken　and　shadowed。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　hoarse。
〃My　Lord？〃
〃Your　wand；　Lucius。　I　require　your　wand。〃
〃I　a133〃
Malfoy　glanced　sideways　at　his　wife。　She　was　staring　straight　ahead；　quite　as　pale　as　he　was；　her　long　blonde　hair　hanging　down　her　back；　but　beneath　the　table　her　slim　fingers　closed　briefly　on　his　wrist。　At　her　touch；　Malfoy　put　his　hand　into　his　robes；　withdrew　a　wand；　and　passed　it　along　to　Voldemort；　who　held　it　up　in　front　of　his　red　eyes；　examining　it　closely。
〃What　is　it？〃
〃Elm；　my　Lord；〃　whispered　Malfoy。
〃And　the　core？〃
〃Dragon　…　dragon　heartstring。〃
〃Good；〃　said　Voldemort。　He　drew　out　his　wand　and　compared　the　lengths。　Lucius　Malfoy　made　an　involuntary　movement；　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　it　seemed　he　expected　to　receive　Voldemort's　wand　in　exchange　for　his　own。　The　gesture　was　not　missed　by　Voldemort；　whose　eyes　widened　maliciously。
〃Give　you　my　wand；　Lucius？　iMyi　wand？〃
Some　of　the　throng　sniggered。
〃I　have　given　you　your　liberty；　Lucius；　is　that　not　enough　for　you？　But　I　have　noticed　that　you　and　your　family　seem　less　than　happy　of　late　a133　What　is　it　about　my　presence　in　your　home　that　displaces　you；　Lucius？〃
〃Nothing　…　nothing；　my　Lord！〃
〃Such　iliesi　Lucius　a133　〃
The　soft　voice　seemed　to　hiss　on　even　after　the　cruel　mouth　had　stopped　moving。　One　or　two　of　the　wizards　barely　repressed　a　shudder　as　the　hissing　grew　louder；　something　heavy　could　be　heard　sliding　across　the　floor　beneath　the　table。
The　huge　snake　emerged　to　climb　slowly　up　Voldemort's　chair。　It　rose；　seemingly　endlessly；　and　came　to　rest　across　Voldemort's　shoulders：　its　neck　the　thickness　of　a　man's　thigh；　its　eyes；　with　their　vertical　slits　for　pupils；　unblinking。　Voldemort　stroked　the　creature　absently　with　long　thin　fingers；　still　looking　at　Lucius　Malfoy。
〃Why　do　the　Malfoys　look　so　unhappy　with　their　lot？　Is　my　return；　my　rise　to　power；　not　the　very　thing　they　professed　to　desire　for　so　many　years？〃
〃Of　course；　my　Lord；〃　said　Lucius　Malfoy。　His　hand　shook　as　he　wiped　sweat　from　his　upper　lip。　〃We　did　desire　it　…　we　do。〃
To　Malfoy's　left；　his　wife　made　an　odd；　stiff　nod；　her　eyes　averted　from　Voldemort　and　the　snake。　To　his　right；　his　son；　Draco；　who　had　been　gazing　up　at　the　inert　body　overhead；　glanced　quickly　at　Voldemort　and　away　again；　terrified　to　make　eye　contact。
〃My　Lord；〃　said　a　dark　woman　halfway　down　the　table；　her　voice　constricted　with　emotion；　〃it　is　an　honor　to　have　you　here；　in　our　family's　house。　There　can　be　no　higher　pleasure。〃
She　sat　beside　her　sister；　as　unlike　her　in　looks；　with　her　dark　hair　and　heavily　lidded　eyes；　as　she　was　in　bearing　and　demeanor；　where　Narcissa　sat　rigid　and　impassive；　Bellatrix　leaned　toward　Voldemort；　for　mere　words　could　not　demonstrate　her　longing　for　closeness。
〃No　higher　pleasure；〃　repeated　Voldemort；　his　head　tilted　a　little　to　one　side　as　he　considered　Bellatrix。　〃That　means　a　great　deal；　Bellatrix；　from　you。〃
Her　face　flooded　with　color；　her　eyes　welled　with　tears　of　delight。
〃My　Lord　knows　I　speak　nothing　but　the　truth！〃
〃No　higher　pleasure　a133　even　compared　with　the　happy　event　that；　I　hear；　has　taken　place　in　your　family　this　week？〃
She　stared　at　him；　her　lips　parted；　evidently　confused。
〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　my　Lord。〃
〃I'm　talking　about　your　niece；　Bellatrix。　And　yours；　Lucius　and　Narcissa。　She　has　just　married　the　werewolf；　Remus　Lupin。　You　must　be　so　proud。〃
There　was　an　eruption　of　jeering　laughter　from　around　the　table。　Many　leaned　forward　to　exchange　gleeful　looks；　a　few　thumped　the　table　with　their　fists。　The　giant　snake；　disliking　the　disturbance；　opened　its　mouth　wide　and　hissed　angrily；　but　the　Death　Eaters　did　not　hear　it；　so　jubilant　were　they　at　Bellatrix　and　the　Malfoys'　humiliation。　Bellatrix's　face；　so　recently　flushed　wit　happiness；　had　turned　an　ugly；　blotchy　red。
〃She　is　no　niece　of　ours；　my　Lord；〃　she　cried　over　the　outpouring　of　mirth。　〃We　…　Narcissa　and　I　…　have　never　set　eyes　on　our　sister　since　she　married　the　Mudblood。　This　brat　has　nothing　to　do　with　either　of　us；　nor　any　beast　she　marries。〃
〃What　say　you；　Draco？〃　asked　Voldemort；　and　though　his　voice　was　quiet；　it　carried　clearly　through　the　catcalls　and　jeers。　〃Will　you　babysit　the　cubs？〃
The　hilarity　mounted；　Draco　Malfoy　looked　in　terror　at　his　father；　who　was　staring　down　into　his　own　lap；　then　caught　his　mother's　eye。　She　shook　her　head　almost　imperceptibly；　then　resumed　her　own　deadpan　stare　at　the　opposite　wall。
〃Enough；〃　said　Voldemort；　stroking　the　angry　snake。　〃Enough。〃
And　the　laughter　died　at　once。
〃Many　of　our　oldest　family　trees　become　a　little　diseased　over　time；〃　he　said　as　Bellatrix　gazed　at　him；　breathless　and　imploring；　〃You　must　prune　yours；　must　you　not；　to　keep　it　healthy？　Cut　away　those　parts　that　threaten　the　health　of　the　rest。〃
〃Yes；　my　Lord；〃　whispered　Bellatrix；　and　her　eyes　swam　with　tears　of　gratitude　again。　〃At　the　first　chance！〃
〃You　shall　have　it；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃And　in　your　family；　so　in　the　world　a133　we　shall　cut　away　the　canker　that　infects　us　until　only　those　of　the　true　blood　remain　a133〃
Voldemort　raised　Lucius　Malfoy's　wand；　pointed　it　directly　at　the　slowly　revolving　figure　suspended　over　the　table；　and　gave　it　a　tiny　flick。　The　figure　came　to　life　with　a　groan　and　began　to　struggle　against　invisible　bonds。
〃Do　you　recognize　our　guest；　Severus？〃　asked　Voldemort。
Snape　raised　his　eyes　to　the　upside　down　face。　All　of　the　Death　Eaters　were　looking　up　at　the　captive　now；　as　though　they　had　been　given　permission　to　show　curiosity。　As　she　revolved　to　face　the　firelight；　the　woman　said　in　a　cracked　and　terrified　voice；　〃Severus！　Help　me！〃
〃Ah；　yes；〃　said　Snape　as　the　prisoner　turned　slowly　away　again。
〃And　you；　Draco？〃　asked　Voldemort；　stroking　the　snake's　snout　with　his　wand…free　hand。　Draco　shook　his　head　jerkily。　Now　that　the　woman　had　woken；　he　seemed　unable　to　look　at　her　anymore。
〃But　you　would　not　have　taken　her　classes；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃For　those　of　you　who　do　not　know；　we　are　joined　here　tonight　by　Charity　Burbage　who；　until　recently；　taught　at　Hogwarts　School　of　Witchcraft　and　Wizardry。〃
There　were　small　noises　of　comprehension　around　the　table。　A　broad；　hunched　woman　with　pointed　teeth　cackled。
〃Yes　a133　Professor　Burbage　taught　the　children　of　witches　and　wizards　all　about　Muggles　a133　how　they　are　not　so　different　from　us　a133　〃
One　of　the　Death　Eaters　spat　on　the　floor。　Charity　Burbage　revolved　to　face　Snape　again。
〃Severus　a133　please　a133　please　a133　〃
〃Silence；〃　said　Voldemort；　with　another　twitch　of　Malfoy's　wand；　and　Charity　fell　silent　as　if　gagged。　〃Not　content　with　corrupting　and　polluting　the　minds　of　Wizarding　children；　last　week　Professor　Burbage　wrote　an　impassioned　defense　of　Mudbloods　in　the　iDaily　Propheti。　Wizards；　she　says；　must　accept　these　thieves　of　their　knowledge　and　magic。　The　dwindling　of　the　purebloods　is；　says　Professor　Burbage；　a　most　desirable　circumstance　a133　She　would　have　us　all　mate　with　Muggles　a133　or；　no　doubt；　werewolves　a133　〃
Nobody　laughed　this　time。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　anger　and　contempt　in　Voldemort's　voice。　For　the　third　time；　Charity　Burbage　revolved　to　face　Snape。　Tears　were　pouring　from　her　eyes　into　her　hair。　Snape　looked　back　at　her；　quite　impassive；　as　she　turned　slowly　away　from　him　again。
〃iAvada　Kedavra〃i
The　flash　of　green　light　illuminated　every　corner　of　the　room。　Charity　fell；　with　a　resounding　crash；　onto　the　table　below；　which　trembled　and　creaked。　Several　of　the　Death　Eaters　leapt　back　in　their　chairs。　Draco　fell　out　of　his　onto　the　floor。
〃Dinner；　Nagini；〃　said　Voldemort　softly；　and　the　great　snake　swayed　and　slithered　from　his　shoulders　onto　the　polished　wood。

pC0=〃Chapter　Two：　In　Memorandum〃
bChapter　Two
iIn　Memorandumib
Harry　was　bleeding。　Clutching　his　right　hand　in　his　left　and　swearing　under　his　breath；　he　shouldered　open　his　bedroom　door。　There　was　a　crunch　of　breaking　china。　He　had　trodden　on　a　cup　of　cold　tea　that　had　been　sitting　on　the　floor　outside　his　bedroom　door。
〃What　the　a150a150？〃
He　looked　around；　the　landing　of　number　four；　Privet　Drive；　was　deserted。　Possibly　the　cup　of　tea　was　Dudley's　idea　of　a　clever　booby　trap。　Keeping　his　bleeding　hand　elevated；　Harry　scraped　the　fragments　of　cup　together　with　the　other　hand　and　threw　them　into　the　already　crammed　bin　just　visible　inside　his　bedroom　door。　Then　he　tramped　across　to　the　bathroom　to　run　his　finger　under　the　tap。
It　was　stupid；　pointless；　irritating　beyond　belief　that　he　still　had　four　days　left　of　being　unable　to　perform　magica133but　he　had　to　admit　to　himself　that　this　jagged　cut　in　his　finger　would　have　defeated　him。　He　had　never　learned　how　to　repair　wounds；　and　now　he　came　to　think　of　it　…　particularly　in　light　of　his　immediate　plans　…　this　seemed　a　serious　flaw　in　his　magical　education。　Making　a　mental　note　to　ask　Hermione　how　it　was　done；　he　used　a　large　wad　of　toilet　paper　to　mop　up　as　much　of　the　tea　as　he　could　before　returning　to　his　bedroom　and　slamming　the　door　behind　him。
Harry　had　spent　the　morning　completely　emptying　his　school　trunk　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　packed　it　six　years　ago。　At　the　start　of　the　intervening　school　years；　he　had　merely　skimmed　off　the　topmost　three　quarters　of　the　contents　and　replaced　or　updated　them；　leaving　a　layer　of　general　debris　at　the　bottom　…　old　quills；　desiccated　beetle　eyes；　single　socks　that　no　longer　fit。　Minutes　previously；　Harry　had　plunged　his　hand　into　this　mulch