哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第31部分

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　gave　the　illusion　of　coziness　to　the　stark　stone　walls　and　glistened　off　the　long　wooden　table。　Lupin　pulled　a　few　butterbeers　from　beneath　his　traveling　cloak　and　they　sat　down。
〃I'd　have　been　here　three　days　ago　but　I　needed　to　shake　off　the　Death　Eater　tailing　me；〃　said　Lupin。　〃So；　you　came　straight　here　after　the　wedding？〃
〃No；〃　said　Harry；　〃only　after　we　ran　into　a　couple　of　Death　Eaters　in　a　cafa233　on　Tottenham　Court　Road。〃
Lupin　slopped　most　of　his　butterbeer　down　his　front。
〃iWhat？i〃
They　explained　what　had　happened；　when　they　had　finished；　Lupin　looked　aghast。
〃But　how　did　they　find　you　so　quickly？　It's　impossible　to　track　anyone　who　Apparates；　unless　you　grab　hold　of　them　as　they　disappear。〃
〃And　it　doesn't　seem　likely　they　were　just　strolling　down　Tottenham　Court　Road　at　the　time；　does　it？〃　said　Harry。
〃We　wondered；〃　said　Hermione　tentatively；　〃whether　Harry　could　still　have　the　Trace　on　him？〃
〃Impossible；〃　said　Lupin。　Ron　looked　smug；　and　Harry　felt　hugely　relieved。　〃Apart　from　anything　else；　they'd　know　for　sure　Harry　was　here　if　he　still　had　the　Trace　on　him；　wouldn't　they？　But　I　can't　see　how　they　could　have　tracked　you　to　Tottenham　Court　Road；　that's　worrying；　really　worrying。〃
He　looked　disturbed；　but　as　far　as　Harry　was　concerned；　that　question　could　wait。
〃Tell　us　what　happened　after　we　left；　we　haven't　heard　a　thing　since　Ron's　dad　told　us　the　family　was　safe。〃
〃Well；　Kingsley　saved　us；〃　said　Lupin。　〃Thanks　to　his　warning　most　of　the　wedding　guests　were　able　to　Disapparate　before　they　arrived。〃
〃Were　they　Death　Eaters　or　Ministry　people？〃　interjected　Hermione。
〃A　mixture；　but　to　all　intents　and　purposes　they're　the　same　thing　now；〃　said　Lupin。　〃There　were　about　a　dozen　of　them；　but　they　didn't　know　you　were　there；　Harry。　Arthur　heard　a　rumor　that　they　tried　to　torture　your　whereabouts　out　of　Scrimgeour　before　they　killed　him；　if　it's　true；　he　didn't　give　you　away。〃
Harry　looked　at　Ron　and　Hermione；　their　expressions　reflected　the　mingled　shock　and　gratitude　he　felt。　He　had　never　liked　Scrimgeour　much；　but　if　what　Lupin　said　was　true；　the　man's　final　act　had　been　to　try　to　protect　Harry。
〃The　Death　Eaters　searched　the　Burrow　from　top　to　bottom；〃　Lupin　went　on。　〃They　found　the　ghoul；　but　didn't　want　to　get　too　close　…　and　then　they　interrogated　those　of　us　who　remained　for　hours。　They　were　trying　to　get　information　on　you；　Harry；　but　of　course　nobody　apart　from　the　Order　knew　that　you　had　been　there。
〃At　the　same　time　that　they　were　smashing　up　the　wedding；　more　Death　Eaters　were　forcing　their　way　into　every　Order…connected　house　in　the　country。　No　deaths；〃　he　added　quickly；　forestalling　the　question；　〃but　they　were　rough。　They　burned　down　Dedalus　Diggle's　house；　but　as　you　know　he　wasn't　there；　and　they　used　the　Cruciarus　Curse　on　Tonks's　family。　Again；　trying　to　find　out　where　you　went　after　you　visited　them。　They're　all　right　…　shaken；　obviously；　but　otherwise　okay。〃
〃The　Death　Eaters　got　through　all　those　protective　charms？〃
Harry　asked；　remembering　how　effective　these　had　been　on　the　night　he　had　crashed　in　Tonks's　parents'　garden。
〃What　you've　got　to　realize；　Harry；　is　that　the　Death　Eaters　have　got　the　full　might　of　the　Ministry　on　their　side　now；〃　said　Lupin。　〃They've　got　the　power　to　perform　brutal　spells　without　fear　of　identification　or　arrest。　They　managed　to　penetrate　every　defensive　spell　we'd　cast　against　them；　and　once　inside；　they　were　completely　open　about　why　they'd　come。〃
〃And　are　they　bothering　to　give　an　excuse　for　torturing　Harry's　whereabouts　out　of　people？〃　asked　Hermione；　an　edge　to　her　voice。
〃Well；〃　Lupin　said。　He　hesitated；　then　pulled　out　a　folded　copy　of　the　iDaily　Propheti。
〃Here；〃　he　said；　pushing　it　across　the　table　to　Harry；　〃you'll　know　sooner　or　later　anyway。　That's　their　pretext　for　going　after　you。〃
Harry　smoothed　out　the　paper。　A　huge　photograph　of　his　own　face　filled　the　front　page。　He　read　the　headline　over　it：
bWANTED　FOR　QUESTIONING　ABOUT
THE　DEATH　OF　ALBUS　DUMBLEDOREb
Ron　and　Hermione　gave　roars　of　outrage；　but　Harry　said　nothing。　He　pushed　the　newspaper　away；　he　did　not　want　to　read　anymore：　He　knew　what　it　would　say。　Nobody　but　those　who　had　been　on　top　of　the　tower　when　Dumbledore　died　knew　who　had　really　killed　him　and；　as　Rita　Skeeter　had　already　told　the　Wizarding　world；　Harry　had　been　seen　running　from　the　place　moments　after　Dumbledore　had　fallen。
〃I'm　sorry；　Harry；〃　Lupin　said。
〃So　Death　Eaters　have　taken　over　the　iDaily　Propheti　too？〃　asked　Hermione　furiously。
Lupin　nodded。
〃But　surely　people　realize　what's　going　on？〃
〃The　coup　has　been　smooth　and　virtually　silent；〃　said　Lupin。
〃The　official　version　of　Scrimgeour's　murder　is　that　he　resigned；　he　has　been　replaced　by　Pius　Thicknesse；　who　is　under　the　Imperius　Curse。〃
〃Why　didn't　Voldemort　declare　himself　Minister　of　Magic？〃　asked　Ron。
Lupin　laughed。
〃He　doesn't　need　to；　Ron。　Effectively；　he　iisi　the　Minister；　but　why　should　he　sit　behind　a　desk　at　the　Ministry？　His　puppet；　Thicknesse；　is　taking　care　of　everyday　business；　leaving　Voldemort　free　to　extend　his　power　beyond　the　Ministry。
〃Naturally　many　people　have　deduced　what　has　happened：　There　has　been　such　a　dramatic　change　in　Ministry　policy　in　the　last　few　days；　and　many　are　whispering　that　Voldemort　must　be　behind　it。　However；　that　is　the　point：　They　whisper。　They　daren't　confide　in　each　other；　not　knowing　whom　to　trust；　they　are　scared　to　speak　out；　in　case　their　suspicions　are　true　and　their　families　are　targeted。　Yes；　Voldemort　is　playing　a　very　clever　game。　Declaring　himself　might　have　provoked　open　rebellion：　Remaining　masked　has　created　confusion；　uncertainty；　and　fear。〃
〃And　this　dramatic　change　in　Ministry　policy；〃　said　Harry；　〃involves　warning　the　Wizarding　world　against　me　instead　of　Voldemort？〃
〃That's　certainly　a　part　of　it；〃　said　Lupin；　〃and　it　is　a　masterstroke。　Now　that　Dumbledore　is　dead；　you　…　the　Boy　Who　Lived　…　were　sure　to　be　the　symbol　and　rallying　point　for　any　resistance　to　Voldemort。　But　by　suggesting　that　you　had　a　hand　in　the　old　hat's　death；　Voldemort　has　not　only　set　a　price　upon　your　head；　but　sown　doubt　and　fear　amongst　many　who　would　have　defended　you。
〃Meanwhile；　the　Ministry　has　started　moving　against　Muggle…borns。〃
Lupin　pointed　at　the　iDaily　Propheti。
〃Look　at　page　two。〃
Hermione　turned　the　pages　with　much　the　same　expression　of　distaste　she　had　when　handling　iSecrets　of　the　Darkest　Arti。
〃iMuggle…born　Register！i〃　she　read　aloud。　〃'iThe　Ministry　of　Magic　is　undertaking　a　survey　of　so…called　〃Muggle…borns〃　the　better　to　understand　how　they　came　to　possess　magical　secrets。i
〃'iRecent　research　undertaken　by　the　Department　of　Mysteries　reveals　that　magic　can　only　be　passed　from　person　to　person　when　Wizards　reproduce。　Where　no　proven　Wizarding　ancestry　exists；　therefore；　the　so…called　Muggle…born　is　likely　to　have　obtained　magical　power　by　theft　or　force。i
〃'iThe　Ministry　is　determined　to　root　out　such　usurpers　of　magical　power；　and　to　this　end　has　issued　an　invitation　to　every　so…called　Muggle…born　to　present　themselves　for　interview　by　the　newly　appointed　Muggle…born　Registration　Commissioni。'〃
〃People　won't　let　this　happen；〃　said　Ron。
〃It　iisi　happening；　Ron；〃　said　Lupin。　〃Muggle…borns　are　being　rounded　up　as　we　speak。〃
〃But　how　are　they　supposed　to　have　'stolen'　magic？〃　said　Ron。　〃It's　mental；　if　you　could　steal　magic　there　wouldn't　be　any　Squibs；　would　there？〃
〃I　know；〃　said　Lupin。　〃Nevertheless；　unless　you　can　prove　that　you　have　at　least　one　close　Wizarding　relative；　you　are　now　deemed　to　have　obtained　your　magical　power　illegally　and　must　suffer　the　punishment。〃
Ron　glanced　at　Hermione；　then　said；　〃What　if　purebloods　and　halfbloods　swear　a　Muggle…born's　part　of　their　family？　I'll　tell　everyone　Hermione's　my　cousin　…〃
Hermione　covered　Ron's　hand　with　hers　and　squeezed　it。
〃Thank　you；　Ron；　but　I　couldn't　let　you　…〃
〃You　won't　have　a　choice；〃　said　Ron　fiercely；　gripping　her　hand　back。　〃I'll　teach　you　my　family　tree　so　you　can　answer　questions　on　it。〃
Hermione　gave　a　shaky　laugh。
〃Ron；　as　we're　on　the　run　with　Harry　Potter；　the　most　wanted　person　in　the　country；　I　don't　think　it　matters。　If　I　was　going　back　to　school　it　would　be　different。　What's　Voldemort　planning　for　Hogwarts？〃　she　asked　Lupin。
〃Attendance　is　now　compulsory　for　every　young　witch　and　wizard；〃　he　replied。　〃That　was　announced　yesterday。　It's　a　change；　because　it　was　never　obligatory　before。　Of　course；　nearly　every　witch　and　wizard　in　Britain　has　been　educated　at　Hogwarts；　but　their　parents　had　the　right　to　teach　them　at　home　or　send　them　abroad　if　they　preferred。　This　way；　Voldemort　will　have　the　whole　Wizarding　population　under　his　eye　from　a　young　age。　And　it's　also　another　way　of　weeding　out　Muggle…borns；　because　students　must　be　given　Blood　Status　…　meaning　that　they　have　proven　to　the　Ministry　that　they　are　of　Wizard　descent　…　before　they　are　allowed　to　attend。〃
Harry　felt　sickened　and　angry：　At　this　moment；　excited　eleven…year…olds　would　be　poring　over　stacks　of　newly　purchased　spell…books；　unaware　that　they　would　never　see　Hogwarts；　perhaps　never　see　their　families　again　either。
〃It's　。　。　。　it's　。　。　。〃　he　muttered；　struggling　to　find　words　that　did　justice　to　the　horror　of　his　thoughts；　but　Lupin　said　quietly；
〃I　know。〃
Lupin　hesitated。
I'll　understand　if　you　can't　confirm　this；　Harry；　but　the　Order　is　under　the　impression　that　Dumbledore　left　you　a　mission。〃
〃He　did；〃　Harry　replied；　〃and　Ron　and　Hermione　are　in　on　it　and　they're　coming　with　me。〃
〃Can　you　confide　in　me　what　the　mission　is？〃
Harry　looked　into　the　prematurely　lined　face；　framed　in　thick　but　graying　hair；　and　wished　that　he　could　return　a　different　answer。
〃I　can't；　Remus；　I'm　sorry。　If　Dumbledore　didn't　tell　you　I　don't　think　I　can。〃
〃I　thought　you'd　say　that；〃　said　Lupin；　looking　disappointed。　〃But　I　might　still　be　of　some　use　to　you。　You　know　what　I　am　and　what　I　can　do。　I　could　come　with　you　to　provide　protection。　There　would　be　no　need　to　tell　me　exactly　what　you　were　up　to。〃
Harry　hesitated。　It　was　a　very　tempting　offer；　though　how　they　would　be　able　to　keep　their　mission　secret　from　Lupin　if　he　were　with　them　all　the　time　he　could　not　imagine。
Hermione；　however；　looked　puzzled。
〃But　what　about　T