哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第36部分

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〃Oh；　hello；　Mafalda。〃
〃Hello！〃　said　Hermione　in　a　quavery　voice；　〃How　are　you　today？〃
〃Not　so　good；　actually；〃　replied　the　little　wizard；　who　looked　thoroughly　downcast。
As　Hermione　and　the　wizard　headed　for　the　main　road；　Harry　and　Ron　crept　along　behind　them。
〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　you're　under　the　weather；〃　said　Hermione；　talking　firmly　over　the　little　wizard　and　he　tried　to　expound　upon　his　problems；　it　was　essential　to　stop　him　from　reaching　the　street。　〃Here；　have　a　sweet。〃
〃Eh？　Oh；　no　thanks　…〃
〃I　insist！〃　said　Hermione　aggressively；　shaking　the　bag　of　pastilles　in　his　face。　Looking　rather　alarmed；　the　little　wizard　took　one。
The　effect　was　instantaneous。　The　moment　the　pastille　touched　his　tongue；　the　little　wizard　started　vomiting　so　hard　that　he　did　not　even　notice　as　Hermione　yanked　a　handful　of　hairs　from　the　top　of　his　head。
〃Oh　dear！〃　she　said；　as　he　splattered　the　alley　with　sick。　〃Perhaps　you'd　better　take　the　day　off！〃
〃No　…　no！〃　He　choked　and　retched；　trying　to　continue　on　his　way　despite　being　unable　to　walk　straight。　〃I　must　…　today　…　must　go　…　〃
〃But　that's　just　silly！〃　said　Hermione；　alarmed。　〃You　can't　go　to　work　in　this　state　…　I　think　you　ought　to　go　to　St。　Mungo's　and　get　them　to　sort　you　out。〃
The　wizard　had　collapsed；　heaving；　onto　all　fours；　still　trying　to　crawl　toward　the　main　street。
〃You　simply　can't　go　to　work　like　this！〃　cried　Hermione。
At　last　he　seemed　to　accept　the　truth　of　her　words。　Using　a　reposed　Hermione　to　claw　his　way　back　into　a　standing　position；　he　turned　on　the　spot　and　vanished；　leaving　nothing　behind　but　the　bag　Ron　had　snatched　from　his　hand　as　he　went　and　some　flying　chunks　of　vomit。
〃Urgh；〃　said　Hermione；　holding　up　the　skirt　of　her　robe　to　avoid　the　puddles　of　sick。　〃It　would　have　made　much　less　mess　to　Stun　him　too。〃
〃Yeah；〃　said　Ron；　emerging　from　under　the　cloak　holding　the　wizard's　bag；　〃but　I　still　think　a　whole　pile　of　unconscious　bodies　would　have　drawn　more　attention。　Keen　on　his　job；　though；　isn't　he？　Chuck　us　the　hair　and　the　potion；　then。〃
Within　two　minutes；　Ron　stood　before　them；　as　small　and　ferrety　as　the　sick　wizard；　and　wearing　the　navy　blue　robes　that　had　been　folded　in　his　bag。
〃Weird　he　wasn't　wearing　them　today；　wasn't　it；　seeing　how　much　he　wanted　to　go？　Anyway；　I'm　Reg　Cattermole；　according　to　the　label　in　the　back。〃
〃Now　wait　here；〃　Hermione　told　Harry；　who　was　still　under　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　〃and　we'll　be　back　with　some　hairs　for　you。〃
He　had　to　wait　ten　minutes；　but　it　seemed　much　longer　to　Harry；　skulking　alone　in　the　sick…splattered　alleyway　beside　the　door　concealing　the　Stunned　Mafalda。　Finally　Ron　and　Hermione　reappeared。
〃We　don't　know　who　he　is；〃　Hermione　said；　passing　Harry　several　curly　black　hairs；　〃but　he's　gone　home　with　a　dreadful　nosebleed！　Here；　he's　pretty　tall；　you'll　need　bigger　robes　a133〃
She　pulled　out　a　set　of　the　old　robes　Kreacher　had　laundered　for　them；　and　Harry　retired　to　take　the　potion　and　change。
Once　the　painful　transformation　was　complete　he　was　more　than　six　feet　tall　and；　from　what　he　could　tell　from　his　well…muscled　arms；　powerfully　built。　He　also　had　a　beard。　Stowing　the　Invisibility　Cloak　and　his　glasses　inside　his　new　robes；　he　rejoined　the　other　two。
〃Blimey；　that's　scary；〃　said　Ron；　looking　up　at　Harry；　who　now　towered　over　him。
〃Take　one　of　Mafalda's　tokens；〃　Hermione　told　Harry；　〃and　let's　go；　it's　nearly　nine。〃
They　stepped　out　of　the　alleyway　together。　Fifty　yards　along　the　crowded　pavement　there　were　spiked　black　railings　flanking　two　flights　of　stairs；　one　labeled　GENTLEMEN；　the　other　LADIES。
〃See　you　in　a　moment；　then；〃　said　Hermione　nervously；　and　she　tottered　off　down　the　steps　to　LADIES。　Harry　and　Ron　joined　a　number　of　oddly　dressed　men　descending　into　what　appeared　to　be　an　ordinary　underground　public　toilet；　tiled　in　grimy　black　and　white。
〃Morning；　Reg！〃　called　another　wizard　in　navy　blue　robes　as　he　let　himself　into　a　cubicle　by　inserting　his　golden　token　into　a　slot　in　the　door。　〃Blooming　pain　in　the　bum；　this；　eh？　Forcing　us　all　to　get　to　work　this　way！　Who　are　they　expecting　to　turn　up；　Harry　Potter？〃
The　wizard　roared　with　laughter　at　his　own　wit。　Ron　gave　a　forced　chuckle。
〃Yeah；〃　he　said；　〃stupid；　isn't　it？〃
And　he　and　Harry　let　themselves　into　adjoining　cubicles。
To　Harry's　left　and　right　came　the　sound　of　flushing。　He　crouched　down　and　peered　through　the　gap　at　the　bottom　of　the　cubicle；　just　in　time　to　see　a　pair　of　booted　feet　climbing　into　the　toilet　next　door。　He　looked　left　and　saw　Ron　blinking　at　him。
〃We　have　to　flush　ourselves　in？〃　he　whispered。
〃Looks　like　it；〃　Harry　whispered　back；　his　voice　came　out　deep　and　gravelly。
They　both　stood　up。　Feeling　exceptionally　foolish；　Harry　clambered　into　the　toilet。
He　knew　at　once　that　he　had　done　the　right　thing；　thought　he　appeared　to　be　standing　in　water；　his　shoes；　feet；　and　robes　remained　quite　dry。　He　reached　up；　pulled　the　chain；　and　next　moment　had　zoomed　down　a　short　chute；　emerging　out　of　a　fireplace　into　the　Ministry　of　Magic。
He　got　up　clumsily；　there　was　a　lot　more　of　his　body　than　he　was　accustomed　to。　The　great　Atrium　seemed　darker　than　Harry　remembered　it。　Previously　a　golden　fountain　had　filled　the　center　of　the　hall；　casting　shimmering　spots　of　light　over　the　polished　wooden　floor　and　walls。　Now　a　gigantic　statue　of　black　stone　dominated　the　scene。　It　was　rather　frightening；　this　vast　sculpture　of　a　witch　and　a　wizard　sitting　on　ornately　carved　thrones；　looking　down　at　the　Ministry　workers　toppling　out　of　fireplaces　below　them。　Engraved　in　foot…high　letters　at　the　base　of　the　statue　were　the　words　MAGIC　IS　MIGHT。
Harry　received　a　heavy　blow　on　the　back　of　the　legs。　Another　wizard　had　just　flown　out　of　the　fireplace　behind　him。
〃Out　of　the　way；　can't　y　…　oh；　sorry；　Runcorn。〃
Clearly　frightened；　the　balding　wizard　hurried　away。　Apparently　the　man　who　Harry　was　impersonating；　Runcorn；　was　intimidating。
〃Psst！〃　said　a　voice；　and　he　looked　around　to　see　a　whispy　little　witch　and　the　ferrety　wizard　from　Magical　Maintenance　gesturing　to　him　from　over　beside　the　statue。　Harry　hastened　to　join　them。
〃You　got　in　all　right；　then？〃　Hermione　whispered　to　Harry。
〃No；　he's　still　stuck　in　the　hog；〃　said　Ron。
〃Oh；　very　funny　a133　It's　horrible；　isn't　it？〃　she　said　to　Harry；　who　was　staring　up　at　the　statue。　〃Have　you　seen　what　they're　sitting　on？〃
Harry　looked　more　closely　and　realized　that　what　he　had　thought　were　decoratively　carved　thrones　were　actually　mounds　of　carved　humans：　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　naked　bodies；　men；　women；　and　children；　all　with　rather　stupid；　ugly　faces；　twisted　and　pressed　together　to　support　the　weight　of　the　handsomely　robed　wizards。
〃Muggles；〃　whispered　Hermione；　〃In　their　rightful　place。　Come　on；　let's　get　going。〃
They　joined　the　stream　of　witches　and　wizards　moving　toward　the　golden　gates　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　looking　around　as　surreptitiously　as　possible；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　distinctive　figure　of　Dolores　Umbridge。　They　passed　through　the　gates　and　into　a　smaller　hall；　where　queues　were　forming　in　front　of　twenty　golden　grilles　housing　as　many　lifts。　They　had　barely　joined　the　nearest　one　when　a　voice　said；　〃Cattermole！〃
They　looked　around：　Harry's　stomach　turned　over。　One　of　the　Death　Eaters　who　had　witnessed　Dumbledore's　death　was　striding　toward　them。　The　Ministry　workers　beside　them　fell　silent；　their　eyes　downcast；　Harry　could　feel　fear　rippling　through　them。
The　man's　scowling；　slightly　brutish　face　was　somehow　at　odds　with　his　magnificent；　sweeping　robes；　which　were　embroidered　with　much　gold　thread。　Someone　in　the　crowd　around　the　lifts　called　sycophantically；　〃Morning；　Yaxley！〃　Yaxley　ignored　them。
〃I　requested　somebody　from　Magical　Maintenance　to　sort　out　my　office；　Cattermole。　It's　still　raining　in　there。〃
Ron　looked　around　as　though　hoping　somebody　else　would　intervene；　but　nobody　spoke。
〃Raining　a133　in　your　office？　That's　…　that's　not　good；　is　it？〃
Ron　gave　a　nervous　laugh。　Yaxley's　eyes　widened。
〃You　think　it's　funny；　Cattermole；　do　you？〃
A　pair　of　witches　broke　away　from　the　queue　for　the　lift　and　bustled　off。
〃No；〃　said　Ron；　〃no；　of　course　…〃
〃You　realize　that　I　am　on　my　way　downstairs　to　interrogate　your　wife；　Cattermole？　In　fact；　I'm　quite　surprised　you're　not　down　there　holding　her　hand　while　she　waits。　Already　given　her　up　as　a　bad　job；　have　you？　Probably　wise。　Be　sure　and　marry　a　pureblood　next　time。〃
Hermione　had　let　out　a　little　squeak　of　horror。　Yaxley　looked　at　her。　She　cough　feebly　and　turned　away。
〃I　…　I　…〃　stammered　Ron。
〃But　if　imyi　wife　were　accused　of　being　a　Mudblood；〃　said　Yaxley；　〃a151not　that　any　woman　I　married　would　ever　be　mistaken　for　such　filth　…　and　the　Head　of　Department　of　Magical　Law　Enforcement　needed　a　job　doing；　I　would　make　it　my　priority　to　do　this　job；　Cattermole。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
〃Yes；〃　whispered　Ron。
〃Then　attend　to　it；　Cattermole；　and　if　my　office　is　not　completely　dry　within　an　hour；　your　wife's　Blood　Status　will　be　in　even　greater　doubt　than　it　is　now。〃
The　golden　grille　before　them　clattered　open。　With　a　nod　and　unpleasant　smile　to　Harry；　who　was　evidently　expected　to　appreciate　this　treatment　of　Cattermole；　Yaxley　swept　away　toward　another　lift。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　entered　theirs；　but　nobody　followed　them：　It　was　as　if　they　were　infectious。　The　grilles　shut　with　a　clang　and　the　lift　began　to　move　upward。
〃What　am　I　going　to　do？〃　Ron　asked　the　other　two　at　once；　he　looked　stricken。　〃If　I　don't　turn　up；　my　wife　a133　I　mean；　Cattermole's　wife　…　〃
〃We'll　come　with　you；　we　should　stick　together　…〃　began　Harry；　but　Ron　shook　his　head　feverishly。
〃That's　mental；　we　haven't　got　much　time。　You　two　find　Umbridge；　I'll　go　and　sort　out　Yaxley's　office　…　but　how　do　I　stop　a　raining？〃
〃Try　Finite　Incantatem；〃　said　Hermione　at　once；　〃that　should　stop　the　rain　if　it's　a　hex　or　curse；　if　it　doesn't　something's　gone　wrong　with　an　Atmospheric　Charm；　which　will　be　more　difficult　to　fix；　so　as　an　interim　measure　try　Impervius　to　protect　his　belongings　…　〃
〃Say　it　again；　slowly　…　〃　said　Ron；　searching　his　pockets　desperately　for　a　quill；　but　at　that　moment　the　lift　juddered　to　a　halt。　A　disembodied　female　voice　said；　〃Level　four；　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control　of　Magical　Creatures；