哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第33部分

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　something　she　had　probably　been　planning　for　years。　The　timing　was　significant。　Ariana　was　barely　seven　years　old　when　she　vanished　from　sight；　and　seven　is　the　age　by　which　most　experts　agree　that　magic　will　have　revealed　itself；　if　present。　Nobody　now　alive　remembers　Ariana　ever　demonstrating　even　the　slightest　sign　of　magical　ability。　It　seems　clear；　therefore；　that　Kendra　made　a　decision　to　hide　her　daughter's　existence　rather　than　suffer　the　shame　of　admitting　that　she　had　produced　a　Squib。　Moving　away　from　the　friends　and　neighbors　who　knew　Ariana　would；　of　course；　make　imprisoning　her　all　the　easier。　The　tiny　number　of　people　who　henceforth　knew　of　Ariana's　existence　could　be　counted　upon　to　keep　the　secret；　including　her　two　brothers；　who　had　deflected　awkward　questions　with　the　answer　their　mother　had　taught　them。　〃My　sister　is　too　frail　for　school。〃
iNext　week：　Albus　Dumbledore　at　Hogwarts　…　the　Prizes　and　the　Pretense。i
Harry　had　been　wrong：　What　he　had　read　had　indeed　made　him　feel　worse。　He　looked　back　at　the　photograph　of　the　apparently　happy　family。　Was　it　true？　How　could　he　find　out？　He　wanted　to　go　to　Godric's　Hollow；　even　if　Bathilda　was　in　no　fit　state　to　talk　to　him：　he　wanted　to　visit　the　place　where　he　and　Dumbledore　had　both　lost　loved　ones。　He　was　in　the　process　of　lowering　the　newspaper；　to　ask　Ron's　and　Hermione's　opinions；　when　a　deafening　icracki　echoed　around　the　kitchen。
For　the　first　time　in　three　days　Harry　had　forgotten　all　about　Kreacher。　His　immediate　thought　was　that　Lupin　had　burst　back　into　the　room；　and　for　a　split　second；　he　did　not　take　in　the　mass　of　struggling　limbs　that　had　appeared　out　of　thin　air　right　beside　his　chair。　He　hurried　to　his　feet　as　Kreacher　disentangled　himself　and；　bowing　low　to　Harry；　croaked；　〃Kreacher　has　returned　with　the　thief　Mundungus　Fletcher；　Master。〃
Mundungus　scrambled　up　and　pulled　out　his　wand；　Hermione；　however；　was　too　quick　for　him。
〃iExpelliarmus！i〃
Mundungus's　wand　soared　into　the　air；　and　Hermione　caught　it。　Wild…eyed；　Mundungus　dived　for　the　stairs。　Ron　rugby…tackled　him　and　Mundungus　hit　the　stone　floor　with　a　muffled　crunch。
〃What？〃　he　bellowed；　writhing　in　his　attempts　to　free　himself　from　Ron's　grip。　〃Wha've　I　done？　Setting　a　bleedin'　'house…elf　on　me；　what　are　you　playing　at；　wha've　I　done；　lemme　go；　lemme　go；　of　…　〃
〃You're　not　in　much　of　a　position　to　make　threats；〃　said　Harry。　He　threw　aside　the　newspaper；　crossed　the　kitchen　in　a　few　strides；　and　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　Mundungus；　who　stopped　struggling　and　looked　terrified。　Ron　got　up；　panting；　and　watched　as　Harry　pointed　his　wand　deliberately　at　Mundungus's　nose。　Mundungus　stank　of　stale　sweat　and　tobacco　smoke。　His　hair　was　matted　and　his　robes　stained。
〃Kreacher　apologizes　for　the　delay　in　bringing　the　thief；　Master；〃　croaked　the　elf。　〃Fletcher　knows　how　to　avoid　capture；　has　many　hidey…holes　and　accomplices。　Nevertheless；　Kreacher　cornered　the　thief　in　the　end。〃
〃You've　done　really　well；　Kreacher；〃　said　Harry；　and　the　elf　bowed　low。
〃Right；　we've　got　a　few　questions　for　you；〃　Harry　told　Mundungus；　who　shouted　at　once。
〃I　panicked；　okay？　I　never　wanted　to　come　along；　no　offense；　mate；　but　I　never　volunteered　to　die　for　you；　an'　that　was　bleedin'　You…Know…Who　come　flying　at　me；　anyone　woulda　got　outta　there。　I　said　all　along　I　didn't　wanna　do　it　…〃
〃For　your　information；　none　of　the　rest　of　us　Disapparated；〃　said　Hermione。
〃Well；　you're　a　bunch　of　bleedin'　'eroes　then；　aren't　you；　but　I　never　pretended　I　was　up　for　killing　meself　…〃
〃We're　not　interested　in　why　you　ran　out　on　Mad…Eye；〃　said　Harry；　moving　his　wand　a　little　closer　to　Mundungus's　baggy；　bloodshot　eyes。　〃We　already　knew　you　were　an　unreliable　bit　of　scum。〃
〃Well　then；　why　the　'ell　am　I　being　'unted　down　by　'ouse…elves？　Or　is　this　about　them　goblets　again？　I　ain't　got　none　of　'em　left；　or　you　could　'ave　'em　…〃
〃It's　not　about　the　goblets　either；　although　you're　getting　warmer；〃　said　Harry。　〃Shut　up　and　listen。〃
It　felt　wonderful　to　have　something　to　do；　someone　of　whom　he　could　demand　some　small　portion　of　truth。　Harry's　wand　was　now　so　close　to　the　bridge　of　Mundungus's　nose　that　Mundungus　had　gone　cross…eyed　trying　to　keep　it　in　view。
〃When　you　cleaned　out　this　house　of　anything　valuable；〃　Harry　began；　but　Mundungus　interrupted　him　again。
〃Sirius　never　cared　about　any　of　the　junk　…〃
There　was　the　sound　of　pattering　fee；　a　blaze　of　shining　copper；　an　echoing　clang；　and　a　shriek　of　agony；　Kreacher　had　taken　a　run　at　Mundungus　and　hit　him　over　the　head　with　a　saucepan。
〃Call　'im　off；　call　'im　off；　'e　should　be　locked　up！〃　screamed　Mundungus；　cowering　as　Kreacher　raised　the　heavy…bottomed　pan　again。
〃Kreacher；　no！〃　shouted　Harry。
Kreacher's　thin　arms　trembled　with　the　weight　of　the　pan；　still　held　aloft。
〃Perhaps　just　one　more；　Master　Harry；　for　luck？〃
Ron　laughed。
〃We　need　him　conscious；　Kreacher；　but　if　he　needs　persuading；　you　can　do　the　honors；〃　said　Harry。
〃Thank　you　very　much；　Master；〃　said　Kreacher　with　a　bow；　and　he　retreated　a　short　distance；　his　great　pale　eyes　still　fixed　upon　Mundungus　with　loathing。
〃When　you　stripped　this　house　of　all　the　valuables　you　could　find；〃　Harry　began　again；　〃you　took　a　bunch　of　stuff　from　the　kitchen　cupboard。　There　was　a　locket　there。〃　Harry's　mouth　was　suddenly　dry：　He　could　sense　Ron　and　Hermione's　tension　and　excitement　too。　〃What　did　you　do　with　it？〃
〃Why？〃　asked　Mundungus。　〃Is　it　valuable？〃
〃You've　still　got　it！〃　cried　Hermione。
〃No；　he　hasn't；〃　said　Ron　shrewdly。　〃He's　wondering　whether　he　should　have　asked　more　money　for　it。〃
〃More？〃　said　Mundungus。　〃That　wouldn't　have　been　effing　difficult　。　。　。bleedin'　gave　it　away；　di'n'　I？　No　choice。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
〃I　was　selling　in　Diagon　Alley　and　she　come　up　to　me　and　asks　if　I've　got　a　license　for　trading　in　magical　artifacts。　Bleedin'　snoop。　She　was　gonna　fine　me；　but　she　took　a　fancy　to　the　locket　an'　told　me　she'd　take　it　and　let　me　off　that　time；　and　to　fink　meself　lucky。〃
〃Who　was　this　woman？〃　asked　Harry。
〃I　dunno；　some　Ministry　hag。〃
Mundungus　considered　for　a　moment；　brow　wrinkled。
〃Little　woman。　Bow　on　top　of　'er　head。〃
He　frowned　and　then　added；　〃Looked　like　a　toad。〃
Harry　dropped　his　wand：　It　hit　Mundungus　on　the　nose　and　shot　red　sparks　into　his　eyebrows；　which　ignited。
〃iAquamenti！i〃　screamed　Hermione；　and　a　jet　of　water　streamed　from　her　wand；　engulfing　a　spluttering　and　choking　Mundungus。
Harry　looked　up　and　saw　his　own　shock　reflected　in　Ron's　and　Hermione's　faces。　The　scars　on　the　back　of　his　right　hand　seemed　to　be　tingling　again。

pC0=〃Chapter　Twelve：　Magic　is　Might〃
bChapter　Twelve
iMagic　is　Mightib
As　August　wore　on；　the　square　of　unkempt　grass　in　the　middle　of　Grimmauld　Place　shriveled　in　the　sun　until　it　was　brittle　and　brown。　The　inhabitants　of　number　twelve　were　never　seen　by　anyone　in　the　surrounding　houses；　and　nor　was　number　twelve　itself。　The　muggles　who　lived　in　Grimmauld　Place　had　long　since　accepted　the　amusing　mistake　in　the　numbering　that　had　caused　number　eleven　to　sit　beside　number　thirteen。
And　yet　the　square　was　now　attracting　a　trickle　of　visitors　who　seemed　to　find　the　anomaly　most　intriguing。　Barely　a　day　passed　without　one　or　two　people　arriving　in　Grimmauld　Place　with　no　other　purpose；　or　so　it　seemed；　than　to　lean　against　the　railings　facing　numbers　eleven　and　thirteen；　watching　the　join　between　the　two　houses。　The　lurkers　were　never　the　same　two　days　running；　although　they　all　seemed　to　share　a　dislike
for　normal　clothing。　Most　of　the　Londoners　who　passed　them　were　used　to　eccentric　dressers　and　took　little　notice；　though　occasionally　one　of　them　might　glance　back；　wondering　why　anyone　would　wear　cloaks　in　this　heat。
The　watchers　seemed　to　be　gleaning　little　satisfaction　from　their　vigil。　Occasionally　one　of　them　started　forward　excitedly；　as　if　they　had　seen　something　interesting　at　last；　only　to　fall　back　looking　disappointed。
On　the　first　day　of　September　there　were　more　people　lurking　in　the　square　than　ever　before。　Half　a　dozen　men　in　long　cloaks　stood　silent　and　watchful；　gazing　as　ever　at　houses　eleven　and　thirteen；　but　the　thing　for　which　they　were　waiting　still　appeared　elusive。　As　evening　drew　in；　bringing　with　it　an　unexpected　gust　of　chilly　rain　for　the　first　time　in　weeks；　there　occurred　one　of　those　inexplicable　moments　when　they　appeared　to　have　seen　something　interesting。　The　man　with　the　twisted　face　pointed　and　his　closest　companion；　a　podgy；　pallid　man；　started　forward；　but　a　moment　later　they　had　relaxed　into　their　previous　state　of　inactivity；　looking　frustrated　and　disappointed。
Meanwhile；　inside　number　twelve；　Harry　had　just　entered　the　hall。　He　had　nearly　lost　his　balance　as　he　Apparated　onto　the　top　step　just　outside　the　front　door；　and　thought　that　the　Death　Eaters　might　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　momentarily　exposed　elbow。　Shutting　the　front　door　carefully　behind　him；　he　pulled　off　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　draped　it　over　his　arm；　and　hurried　along　the　gloomy　hallway　toward　the　door　that　led　to　the　basement；　a　stolen　copy　of　the　iDaily　Propheti　clutched　in　his　hand。
The　usual　low　whisper　of　〃iSeverus　Snapei〃　greeted　him；　the　chill　wind　swept　him；　and　his　tongue　rolled　up　for　a　moment。
〃I　didn't　kill　you；〃　he　said；　once　it　had　unrolled；　then　held　his　breath　as　the　dusty　jinx…figure　exploded。　He　waited　until　he　was　halfway　down　the　stairs　to　the　kitchen；　out　of　earshot　of　Mrs。　Black　and　clear　of　the　dust　cloud；　before　calling；　〃I've　got　news；　and　you　won't　like　it。〃
The　kitchen　was　almost　unrecognizable。　Every　surface　now　shone；　Copper　pots　and　pans　had　been　burnished　to　a　rosy　glow；　the　wooden　tabletop　gleamed；　the　goblets　and　plates　already　laid　for　dinner　glinted　in　the　light　from　a　merrily　blazing　fire；　on　which　a　cauldron　was　simmering。　Nothing　in　the　room；　however；　was　more　dramatically　different　than　the　house…elf　who　now　came　hurrying　toward　Harry；　dressed　in　a　snowy…white　towel；　his　ear　hair　as　clean　and　fluffy　as　cotton　wool；　Regulus's　locket　bouncing　on　his　thin　chest。
〃Shoes　off；　if　you　please；　Master　Harry；　and　hands　washed　before　dinner；〃　croaked　Kreacher；　seizing　the　Invisibility　Cloak　and　slouching　off　to　hang　it　on　a　hook　on　the　wall；　beside　a　number　of　old…fashioned　robes　that　had