哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第34部分

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　and　slouching　off　to　hang　it　on　a　hook　on　the　wall；　beside　a　number　of　old…fashioned　robes　that　had　been　freshly　laundered。
〃What's　happened？〃　Ron　asked　apprehensively。　He　are　Hermione　had　been　pouring　over　a　sheaf　of　scribbled　notes　and　hand　drawn　maps　that　littered　the　end　of　the　long　kitchen　table；　but　now　they　watched　Harry　as　he　strode　toward　them　and　threw　down　the　newspaper　on　top　of　their　scattered　parchment。
A　large　picture　of　a　familiar；　hook…nosed；　black…haired　man　stared　up　at　them　all；　beneath　a　headline　that　read：
bSEVERUS　SNAPE　CONFIRMED　AS　HOGWARTS　HEADMASTERb
〃No！〃　said　Ron　and　Hermione　loudly。
Hermione　was　quickest；　she　snatched　up　the　newspaper　and　began　to　read　the　accompanying　story　out　loud。
〃iSeverus　Snape；　long…standing　Potions　master　at　Hogwarts　School　of　Witchcraft　and　wizardry；　was　today　appointed　headmaster　in　the　most　important　of　several　staffing　changes　at　the　ancient　school。　Following　the　resignation　of　the　previous　Muggle　Studies　teacher；　Alecto　Carrow　will　take　over　the　post　while　her　brother；　Amycus；　fills　the　position　of　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　professor。〃
〃　'I　welcome　the　opportunity　to　uphold　our　finest　Wizarding　traditions　and　values　…'i　Like　committing　murder　and　cutting　off　people's　ears；　I　suppose！　Snape；　headmaster！　Snape　in　Dumbledore's　study　…　Merlin's　pants！〃　she　shrieked；　making　both　Harry　and　Ron　jump。　She　leapt　up　from　the　table　and　hurtled　from　the　room；　shouting　as　she　went；　〃I'll　be　back　in　a　minute！〃
〃'Merlin's　pants'？〃　repeated　Ron；　looking　amused。　〃She　must　be　upset。〃　He　pulled　the　newspaper　toward　him　and　perused　the　article　about　Snape。
〃The　other　teachers　won't　stand　for　this；　McGonagall　and　Flitwick　and　Sprout　all　know　the　truth；　they　know　how　Dumbledore　died。　They　won't　accept　Snape　as　headmaster。　And　who　are　these　Carrows？〃
〃Death　Eaters；〃　said　Harry。　〃There　are　pictures　of　them　inside。　They　were　at　the　top　of　the　tower　when　Snape　killed　Dumbledore；　so　it's　all　friends　together。　And；〃　Harry　went　on　bitterly；　drawing　up　a　chair；　〃I　can't　see　that　the　other　teachers　have　got　any　choice　but　to　stay。　If　the　Ministry　and　Voldemort　are　behind　Snape　it'll　be　a　choice　between　staying　and　teaching；　or　a　nice　few　years　in　Azkaban　…　and　that's　if　they're　lucky。　I　reckon　they'll　stay　to　try　and　protect　the　students。〃
Kreacher　came　bustling　to　the　table　with　a　large　curcen　in　his　hands；　and　ladled　out　soup　into　pristine　bowls；　whistling　between　his　teeth　as　he　did　so。
〃Thanks；　Kreacher；〃　said　Harry；　flipping　over　the　iPropheti　so　as　not　to　have　to　look　at　Snape's　face。　〃Well；　at　least　we　know　exactly　where　Snape　is　now。〃
He　began　to　spoon　soup　into　his　mouth。　The　quality　of　Kreacher's　cooking　had　improved　dramatically　ever　since　he　had　been　given　Regulus's　locket：　Today's　French　onion　was　as　good　as　Harry　had　ever　tasted。
〃There　are　still　a　load　of　Death　Eaters　watching　this　house；〃　he　told　Ron　as　he　ate；　〃more　than　usual。　It's　like　they're　hoping　we'll　march　out　carrying　our　school　trunks　and　head　off　for　the　Hogwarts　Express。〃
Ron　glanced　at　his　watch。
〃I've　been　thinking　about　that　all　day。　It　left　nearly　six　hours　ago。　Weird；　not　being　on　it；　isn't　it？〃
In　his　mind's　eye　Harry　seemed　to　see　the　scarlet　steam　engine　as　he　and　Ron　had　once　followed　it　by　air；　shimmering　between　fields　and　hills；　a　rippling　scarlet　caterpillar。　He　was　sure　Ginny；　Neville；　and　Luna　were　sitting　together　at　this　moment；　perhaps　wondering　where　he；　Ron；　and　Hermione　were；　or　debating　how　best　to　undermine　Snape's　new　regime。
〃They　nearly　saw　me　coming　back　in　just　now；〃　Harry　said；　〃I　landed　badly　on　the　top　step；　and　the　Cloak　slipped。〃
〃I　do　that　every　time。　Oh；　here　she　is；〃　Ron　added；　craning　around　in　his　seat　to　watch　Hermione　reentering　the　kitchen。　〃And　what　in　the　name　of　Merlin's　most　baggy　Y　Fronts　was　that　about？〃
〃I　remembered　this；〃　Hermione　panted。
She　was　carrying　a　large；　framed　picture；　which　she　now　lowered　to　the　floor　before　seizing　her　small；　beaded　bag　from　the　kitchen　sideboard。　Opening　it；　she　proceeded　to　force　the　painting　inside　and　despite　the　fact　that　it　was　patently　too　large　to　fit　inside　the　tiny　bag；　within　a　few　seconds　it　had　vanished；　like　so　much　ease；　into　the　bag's　capacious　depths。
〃Phineas　Nigellus；〃　Hermione　explained　as　she　threw　the　bag　onto　the　kitchen　table　with　the　usual　sonorous；　clanking　crash。
〃Sorry？〃　said　Ron；　but　Harry　understood。　The　painted　image　of　Phineas　Nigellus　Black　was　able　to　travel　between　his　portrait　in　Grimmauld　Place　and　the　one　that　hung　in　the　headmaster's　office　at　Hogwarts：　the　circular　cower…top　room　where　Snape　was　no　doubt　sitting　right　now；　in　triumphant　possession　of　Dumbledore's　collection　of　delicate；　silver　magical　instruments；　the　stone　Pensieve；　the　Sorting　Hat　and；　unless　it　ad　been　moved　elsewhere；　the　sword　of　Gryffindor。
〃Snape　could　send　Phineas　Nigellus　to　look　inside　this　house　for　him；〃　Hermione　explained　to　Ron　as　she　resumed　her　seat。　〃But　let　him　try　it　now；　all　Phineas　Nigellus　will　be　able　to　see　is　the　inside　of　my　handbag。〃
〃Good　thinking！〃　said　Ron；　looking　impressed。
〃Thank　you；〃　smiled　Hermione；　pulling　her　soup　toward　her。　〃So；　Harry；　what　else　happened　today？〃
〃Nothing；〃　said　Harry。　〃Watched　the　Ministry　entrance　for　seven　hours。　No　sign　of　her。　Saw　your　dad　though；　Ron。　He　looks　fine。〃
Ron　nodded　his　appreciation　of　this　news。　The　had　agreed　that　it　was　far　too　dangerous　to　try　and　communicate　with　Mr。　Weasley　while　he　walked　in　and　out　of　the　Ministry；　because　he　was　always　surrounded　by　other　Ministry　workers。　It　was；　however；　reassuring　to　catch　these　glimpses　of　him；　even　if　he　did　look　very　strained　and　anxious。
〃Dad　always　told　us　most　Ministry　people　use　the　Floo　Network　to　get　to　work；〃　Ron　said。　〃That's　why　we　haven't　seen　Umbridge；　she'd　never　walk；　she'd　think　she's　too　important。〃
〃And　what　about　that　funny　old　witch　and　that　little　wizard　in　the　navy　robes？〃　Hermione　asked。
〃Oh　yeah；　the　bloke　from　Magical　Maintenance；〃　said　Ron。
〃How　do　you　know　he　works　for　Magical　Maintenance？〃　Hermione　asked；　her　soupspoon　suspended　in　midair。
〃Dad　said　everyone　from　Magical　Maintenance　wears　navy　blue　robes。〃
〃But　you　never　told　us　that！〃
Hermione　dropped　her　spoon　and　pulled　toward　her　the　sheaf　of　notes　and　maps　that　she　and　Ron　had　been　examining　when　Harry　had　entered　the　kitchen。
〃There's　nothing　in　here　about　navy　blue　robes；　nothing！〃　she　said；　flipping　feverishly　through　the　pages。
〃Well；　dies　it　really　matter？〃
〃Ron；　it　ialli　matters！　If　we're　going　to　get　into　the　Ministry　and　not　give　ourselves　away　when　they're　iboundi　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　intruders；　every　little　detail　matters！　We've　been　over　and　over　this；　I　mean；　what's　the　point　of　all　these　reconnaissance　trips　if　you　aren't　even　bothering　to　tell　us　…〃
〃Blimey；　Hermione；　I　forget　one　little　thing　…　〃
〃You　do　realize；　don't　you；　that　there's　probably　no　more　dangerous　place　in　the　whole　world　for　us　to　be　right　now　than　the　Ministry　of　…〃
〃I　think　we　should　do　it　tomorrow；〃　said　Harry。
Hermione　stopped　dead；　her　jaw　hanging；　Ron　choked　a　little　over　his　soup。
〃Tomorrow？〃　repeated　Hermione。　〃You　aren't　serious；　Harry？〃
〃I　am；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　don't　think　we're　going　to　be　much　better　prepared　than　we　are　now　even　if　we　skulk　around　the　Ministry　entrance　for　another　month。　The　longer　we　put　it　off；　the　farther　away　that　locket　could　be。　There's　already　a　good　chance　Umbridge　has　chucked　it　away；　the　thing　doesn't　open。〃
〃Unless；〃　said　Ron；　〃she's　found　a　way　of　opening　it　and　she's　now　possessed。〃
〃Wouldn't　make　any　difference　to　her；　she　was　so　evil　in　the　first　place；〃　Harry　shrugged。
Hermione　was　biting　her　lip；　deep　in　thought。
〃We　know　everything　important；〃　Harry　went　on；　addressing　Hermione。　〃We　know　they've　stopped　Apparition　in　and　out　of　the　Ministry；　We　know　only　the　most　senior　Ministry　members　are　allowed　to　connect　their　homes　to　the　Floo　Network　now；　because　Ron　heard　those　two　Unspeakables　complaining　about　it。　And　we　know　roughly　where　Umbridge's　office　is；　because　of　what　you　heard　the　bearded　bloke　saying　to　his　mate　…〃
〃'iI'll　be　up　on　level　one；　Dolores　wants　to　see　mei；'〃　Hermione　recited　immediately。
〃Exactly；〃　said　Harry。　〃And　we　know　you　get　in　using　those　funny　coins；　or　tokens；　or　whatever　they　are；　because　I　saw　that　witch　borrowing　one　from　her　friend　…　〃
〃But　we　haven't　got　any！〃
〃If　the　plan　works；　we　will　have；〃　Harry　continued　calmly。
〃I　don't　know；　Harry；　I　don't　know　a133　There　are　an　awful　lot　of　things　that　could　go　wrong；　so　much　relies　on　chance　a133　〃
That'll　be　true　even　if　we　spend　another　three　months　preparing；〃　said　Harry。　〃It's　time　to　act。〃
He　could　tell　from　Ron's　and　Hermione's　faces　that　they　were　scared；　he　was　not　particularly　confident　himself；　and　yet　he　was　sure　the　time　had　come　to　put　their　plan　into　operation。
They　had　spent　the　previous　four　weeks　taking　it　in　turns　to　don　the　Invisibility　Cloak　and　spy　on　the　official　entrance　to　the　Ministry；　which　Ron；　thanks　to　Mr。　Weasley；　had　known　since　childhood。　They　had　tailed　Ministry　workers　on　their　way　in；　eavesdropped　on　their　conversations；　and　learned　by　careful　observation　which　of　them　could　be　relied　upon　to　appear；　alone；　at　the　same　time　every　day。　Occasionally　there　had　been　a　chance　to　sneak　a　iDaily　Propheti　out　of　somebody's　briefcase。　Slowly　they　had　built　up　the　sketchy　maps　and　notes　now　stacked　in　front　of　Hermione。
〃All　right；〃　said　Ron　slowly；　〃let's　say　we　go　for　it　tomorrow　a133　I　think　it　should　just　be　me　and　Harry。〃
〃Oh；　don't　start　that　again！〃　sighed　Hermione。　〃I　thought　we'd　settled　this。〃
〃It's　one　thing　hanging　around　the　entrances　under　the　Cloak；　but　this　is　different。　Hermione；〃　Ron　jabbed　a　finger　at　a　copy　of　the　iDaily　Propheti　dated　ten　days　previously。　〃You're　on　the　list　of　Muggle…borns　who　didn't　present　themselves　for　interrogation！〃
〃And　you're　supposed　to　be　dying　of　spattergroit　at　the　Burrow！　If　anyone　shouldn't　go；　it's　Harry；　he's　got　a　ten…thousand…Galleon　price　on　his　head　…　〃
〃Fine；　I'll　stay　here；〃　said　Harry。　〃Let　me　know　if　you　ever　defeat　Voldemort；　won't　you？〃
As　Ron　and　Hermione　laughed；　pain　shot　through　the　scar　on　Harry's　forehead。　His　hand　jumped　to　it。　He　saw　Hermione's　eyes　narrow；　and　he　tr