哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第4部分

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's　childhood　or　youth；　it　was　as　though　he　had　sprung　into　being　as　Harry　had　known　him；　venerable　and　silver…haired　and　old。　The　idea　of　a　teenage　Dumbledore　was　simply　odd；　like　trying　to　imagine　a　stupid　Hermione　or　a　friendly　Blast…Ended　Skrewt。
He　had　never　thought　to　ask　Dumbledore　about　his　past。　No　doubt　it　would　have　felt　strange；　impertinent　even；　but　after　all　it　had　been　common　knowledge　that　Dumbledore　had　taken　part　in　that　legendary　duel　with　Grindelwald；　and　Harry　had　not　thought　to　ask　Dumbledore　what　that　had　been　like；　nor　about　any　of　his　other　famous　achievements。　No；　they　had　always　discussed　Harry；　Harry's　past；　Harry's　future；　Harry's　plansa133　and　it　seemed　to　Harry　now；　despite　the　fact　that　his　future　was　so　dangerous　and　so　uncertain；　that　he　had　missed　irreplaceable　opportunities　when　he　had　failed　to　ask　Dumbledore　more　about　himself；　even　though　the　only　personal　question　he　had　ever　asked　his　headmaster　was　also　the　only　one　he　suspected　that　Dumbledore　had　not　answered　honestly：
i〃What　do　you　see　when　you　look　in　the　mirror？〃
〃I？　I　see　myself　holding　a　pair　of　thick；　woolen　socks。〃i
After　several　minutes'　thought；　Harry　tore　the　obituary　out　of　the　Prophet；　folded　it　carefully；　and　tucked　it　inside　the　first　volume　of　iPractical　Defensive　Magic　and　its　Use　against　the　Dark　Artsi。　Then　he　threw　the　rest　of　the　newspaper　onto　the　rubbish　pile　and　turned　to　face　the　room。　It　was　much　tidier。　The　only　things　left　out　of　place　were　today's　iDaily　Propheti；　still　lying　on　the　bed；　and　on　top　of　it；　the　piece　of　broken　mirror。
Harry　moved　across　the　room；　slid　the　mirror　fragment　off　today's　iPropheti；　and　unfolded　the　newspaper。　He　had　merely　glanced　at　the　headline　when　he　had　taken　the　rolled…up　paper　from　the　delivery　owl　early　that　morning　and　thrown　it　aside；　after　noting　that　it　said　nothing　about　Voldemort。　Harry　was　sure　that　the　Ministry　was　leaning　on　the　iPropheti　to　suppress　news　about　Voldemort。　It　was　only　now；　therefore；　that　he　saw　what　he　had　missed。
Across　the　bottom　half　of　the　front　page　a　smaller　headline　was　set　over　a　picture　of　Dumbledore　striding　along；　looking　harried：
bDUMBLEDORE　…　THE　TRUTH　AT　LAST？b
Coming　next　week；　the　shocking　story　of　the　flawed　genius　considered　by　many　to　be　the　greatest　wizard　of　his　generation。　Striping　away　the　popular　image　of　serene；　silver…bearded　wisdom；　Rita　Skeeter　reveals　the　disturbed　childhood；　the　lawless　youth；　the　life…long　feuds；　and　the　guilty　secrets　that　Dumbledore　carried　to　his　grave；　WHY　was　the　man　tipped　to　be　the　Minister　of　Magic　content　to　remain　a　mere　headmaster？　WHAT　was　the　real　purpose　of　the　secret　organization　known　as　the　Order　of　the　Phoenix？　HOW　did　Dumbledore　really　meet　his　end？
The　answers　to　these　and　many　more　questions　are　explored　in　the　explosive　new　biography；　iThe　Life　and　Lies　of　Albus　Dumbledorei；　by　Rita　Skeeter；　exclusively　interviewed　by　Berry　Braithwaite；　page　13；　inside。
Harry　ripped　open　the　paper　and　found　page　thirteen。　The　article　was　topped　with　a　picture　showing　another　familiar　face：　a　woman　wearing　jeweled　glasses　with　elaborately　curled　blonde　hair；　her　teeth　bared　in　what　was　clearly　supposed　to　be　a　winning　smile；　wiggling　her　fingers　up　at　him。　Doing　his　best　to　ignore　this　nauseating　image；　Harry　read　on。
In　person；　Rita　Skeeter　is　much　warmer　and　softer　than　her　famously　ferocious　quill…portraits　might　suggest。　Greeting　me　in　the　hallway　of　her　cozy　home；　she　leads　me　straight　into　the　kitchen　for　a　cup　of　tea；　a　slice　of　pound　cake　and；　it　goes　without　saying；　a　steaming　vat　of　freshest　gossip。
〃Well；　of　course；　Dumbledore　is　a　biographer's　dream；〃　says　Skeeter。　〃Such　a　long；　full　life。　I'm　sure　my　book　will　be　the　first　of　very；　very　many。〃
Skeeter　was　certainly　quick　off　the　mark。　Her　nine…hundred…page　book　was　completed　in　a　mere　four　weeks　after　Dumbledore's　mysterious　death　in　June。　I　ask　her　how　she　managed　this　superfast　feat。
〃Oh；　when　you've　been　a　journalist　as　long　as　I　have；　working　to　a　deadline　is　second　nature。　I　knew　that　the　Wizarding　world　was　clamoring　for　the　full　story　and　I　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　meet　that　need。〃
I　mention　the　recent；　widely　publicized　remarks　of　Elphias　Doge；　Special　Advisor　to　the　Wizengamot　and　longstanding　friend　of　Albus　Dumbledore's；　that　〃Skeeter's　book　contains　less　fact　than　a　Chocolate　Frog　card。〃
Skeeter　throws　back　her　head　and　laughs。
〃Darling　Dodgy！　I　remember　interviewing　him　a　few　years　back　about　merpeople　rights；　bless　him。　Completely　gaga；　seemed　to　think　we　were　sitting　at　the　bottom　of　Lake　Windermere；　kept　telling　me　to　watch　out　for　trout。〃
And　yet　Elphias　Doge's　accusations　of　inaccuracy　have　been　echoed　in　many　places。　Does　Skeeter　really　feel　that　four　short　weeks　have　been　enough　to　gain　a　full　picture　of　Dumbledore's　long　and　extraordinary　life？
〃Oh；　my　dear；〃　beams　Skeeter；　rapping　me　affectionately　across　the　knuckles；　〃you　know　as　well　as　I　do　how　much　information　can　be　generated　by　a　fat　bag　of　Galleons；　a　refusal　to　hear　the　word　'no；'　and　a　nice　sharp　Quick…Quotes　Quill！　People　were　queuing　to　dish　the　dirt　on　Dumbledore　anyway。　Not　everyone　thought　he　was　so　wonderful；　you　know　…　he　trod　on　an　awful　lot　of　important　toes。　But　old　Dodgy　Doge　can　get　off　his　high　hippogriff；　because　I've　had　access　to　a　source　most　journalists　would　swap　their　wands　for；　one　who　has　never　spoken　in　public　before　and　who　was　close　to　Dumbledore　during　the　most　turbulent　and　disturbing　phase　of　his　youth。〃
The　advance　publicity　for　Skeeter's　biography　has　certainly　suggested　that　there　will　be　shocks　in　store　for　those　who　believe　Dumbledore　to　have　led　a　blameless　life。　What　were　the　biggest　surprises　she　uncovered；　I　ask？
〃Now；　come　off　it。　Betty；　I'm　not　giving　away　all　the　highlights　before　anybody's　bought　the　book！〃　laughs　Skeeter。　〃But　I　can　promise　that　anybody　who　still　thinks　Dumbledore　was　white　as　his　beard　is　in　for　a　rude　awakening！　Let's　just　say　that　nobody　hearing　him　rage　against　You…Know…Who　would　have　dreamed　that　he　dabbled　in　the　Dark　Arts　himself　in　his　youth！　And　for　a　wizard　who　spent　his　later　years　pleading　for　tolerance；　he　wasn't　exactly　broad…minded　when　he　was　younger！　Yes；　Albus　Dumbledore　had　an　extremely　murky　past；　not　to　mention　that　very　fishy　family；　which　he　worked　so　hard　to　keep　hushed　up。〃
I　ask　whether　Skeeter　is　referring　to　Dumbledore's　brother；　Aberforth；　whose　conviction　by　the　Wizengamot　for　misuse　of　magic　caused　a　minor　scandal　fifteen　years　ago。
〃Oh；　Aberforth　is　just　the　tip　of　the　dung　heap；〃　laughs　Skeeter。　〃No；　no；　I'm　talking　about　much　worse　than　a　brother　with　a　fondness　for　fiddling　about　with　goats；　worse　even　than　the　Muggle…maiming　father　…　Dumbledore　couldn't　keep　either　of　them　quiet　anyway；　they　were　both　charged　by　the　Wizengamot。　No；　it's　the　mother　and　the　sister　that　intrigued　me；　and　a　little　digging　uncovered　a
positive　nest　of　nastiness　…　but；　as　I　say；　you'll　have　to　wait　for　chapters　nine　to　twelve　for　full　details。　All　I　can　say　now　is；　it's　no　wonder　Dumbledore　never　talked　about　how　his　nose　got　broken。〃
Family　skeletons　notwithstanding；　does　Skeeter　deny　the　brilliance　that　led　to　Dumbledore's　many　magical　discoveries？
〃He　had　brains；〃　she　concedes；　〃although　many　now　question　whether　he　could　really　take　full　credit　for　all　of　his　supposed　achievements。　As　I　reveal　in　chapter　sixteen；　Ivor　Dillonsby　claims　he　had　already　discovered　eight　uses　of　dragon's　blood　when　Dumbledore　'borrowed'　his　papers。〃
But　the　importance　of　some　of　Dumbledore's　achievements　cannot；　I　venture；　be　denied。　What　of　his　famous　defeat　of　Grindelwald？
〃Oh；　now；　I'm　glad　you　mentioned　Grindelwald；〃　says　Skeeter　with　such　a　tantalizing　smile。　〃I'm　afraid　those　who　go　dewy…eyed　over　Dumbledore's　spectacular　victory　must　brace　themselves　for　a　bombshell　…　or　perhaps　a　Dungbomb。　Very　dirty　business　indeed。　All　I'll　say　is；　don't　be　so　sure　that　there　really　was　a　spectacular　duel　of　legend。　After　they've　read　my　book；　people　may　be　forced　to　conclude　that　Grindelwald　simply　conjured　a　white　handkerchief　from　the　end　of　his　wand　and　came　quietly！〃
Skeeter　refuses　to　give　any　more　away　on　this　intriguing　subject；　so　we　turn　instead　to　the　relationship　that　will　undoubtedly　fascinate　her　readers　more　than　any　other。
〃Oh　yes；〃　says　Skeeter；　nodding　briskly；　〃I　devote　an　entire　chapter　to　the　whole　Potter…Dumbledore　relationship。　It's　been　called　unhealthy；　even　sinister。　Again；　your　readers　will　have　to　buy　my　book　for　the　whole　story；　but　there　is　no　question　that　Dumbledore　took　an　unnatural　interest　in　Potter　from　the　word　go。　Whether　that　was　really　in　the　boy's　best　interests　…　well；　we'll　see。　It's　certainly　an　open　secret　that　Potter　has　had　a　most　troubled　adolescence。〃
I　ask　whether　Skeeter　is　still　in　touch　with　Harry　Potter；　whom　she　so　famously　interviewed　last　year：　a　breakthrough　piece　in　which　Potter　spoke　exclusively　of　his　conviction　that　You…Know…Who　had　returned。
〃Oh；　yes；　we've　developed　a　closer　bond；〃　says　Skeeter。　〃Poor　Potter　has　few　real　friends；　and　we　met　at　one　of　the　most　testing　moments　of　his　life　…　the　Triwizard　Tournament。　I　am　probably　one　of　the　only　people　alive　who　can　say　that　they　know　the　real　Harry　Potter。〃
Which　leads　us　neatly　to　the　many　rumors　still　circulating　about　Dumbledore's　final　hours。　Does　Skeeter　believe　that　Potter　was　there　when　Dumbledore　died？
〃Well；　I　don't　want　to　say　too　much　…　it's　all　in　the　book　…　but　eyewitnesses　inside　Hogwarts　castle　saw　Potter　running　away　from　the　scene　moments　after　Dumbledore　fell；　jumped；　or　was　pushed。　Potter　later　gave　evidence　against　Severus　Snape；　a　man　against　whom　he　has　a　notorious　grudge。　Is　everything　as　it　seems？　That　is　for　the　Wizarding　community　to　decide　…　once　they've　read　my　book。〃
On　that　intriguing　note；　I　take　my　leave。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　Skeeter　has　quilled　an　instant　bestseller。　Dumbledore's　legion　of　admirers；　meanwhile；　may　well　be　trembling　at　what　is　soon　to　emerge　about　their　hero。
Harry　reached　the　bottom　of　the　article；　but　continued　to　stare　blankly　at　the　page。　Revulsion　and　fury　rose　in　him　like　vomit；　he　balled　up　the　newspaper　and　threw　it；　with　all　his　force；　at　the　wall；　where　it　joined　the　rest　of　the　rubbish　heaped　a