哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第43部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


Once　they　had　pitched　the　tent　in　the　shelter　of　a　small　copse　of　trees　and　surrounded　it　with　freshly　cast　defensive　enchantments。　Harry　ventured　out　under　the　Invisibility　Cloak　to　find　sustenance。　This；　however；　did　not　go　as　planned。　He　had　barely　entered　the　town　when　an　unnatural　chill；　a　descending　mist；　and　a　sudden　darkening　of　the　skies　made　him　freeze　where　he　stood。
〃But　you　can　make　a　brilliant　Patronus！〃　protested　Ron；　when　Harry　arrived　back　at　the　tent　empty　handed；　out　of　breath；　and　mouthing　the　single　word；　dementors。
〃I　couldn't　。　。　。　make　one。〃　he　panted；　clutching　the　stitch　in　his　side。　〃Wouldn't　。　。　。　come。〃
Their　expressions　of　consternation　and　disappointment　made　Harry　feel　ashamed。　It　had　been　a　nightmarish　experience；　seeing　the　dementors　gliding　out　of　the　must　in　the　distance　and　realizing；　as　the　paralyzing　cold　choked　his　lungs　and　a　distant　screaming　filled　his　ears；　that　he　was　not　going　to　be　able　to　protect　himself。　It　had　taken　all　Harry's　willpower　to　uproot　himself　from　the　spot　and　run；　leaving　the　eyeless　dementors　to　glide　amongst　the　Muggles　who　might　not　be　able　to　see　them；　but　would　assuredly　feel　the　despair　they　cast　wherever　they　went。
〃So　we　still　haven't　got　any　food。〃
〃Shut　up；　Ron；〃　snapped　Hermione。　〃Harry；　what　happened？　Why　do　you　think　you　couldn't　make　your　Patronus？　You　managed　perfectly　yesterday！〃
〃I　don't　know。〃
He　sat　low　in　one　of　Perkins's　old　armchairs；　feeling　more　humiliated　by　the　moment。　He　was　afraid　that　something　had　gone　wrong　inside　him。　Yesterday　seemed　a　long　time　ago：　Today　me　might　have　been　thirteen　years　old　again；　the　only　one　who　collapsed　on　the　Hogwarts　Express。
Ron　kicked　a　chair　leg。
〃What？〃　he　snarled　at　Hermione。　〃I'm　starving！　All　I've　had　since　I　bled　half　to　death　is　a　couple　of　toadstools！〃
〃You　go　and　fight　your　way　through　the　dementors；　then；〃　said　Harry；　stung。
〃I　would；　but　my　arm's　in　a　sling；　in　case　you　hadn't　noticed！〃
〃That's　convenient。〃
〃And　what's　that　supposed　to　a151　？〃
〃Of　course！〃　cried　Hermione；　clapping　a　hand　to　her　forehead　and　startling　both　of　them　into　silence。　〃Harry；　give　me　the　locket！　Come　on；〃　she　said　impatiently；　clicking　her　fingers　at　him　when　he　did　not　react；〃　to　Horcrux；　Harry；　you're　still　wearing　it！〃
She　held　out　her　hands；　and　Harry　lifted　the　golden　chain　over　his　head。　The　moment　it　parted　contact　with　Harry's　skin　he　free　and　oddly　light。　He　had　not　even　realized　that　he　was　clammy　or　that　there　was　a　heavy　weight　pressing　on　his　stomach　until　both　sensations　lifted。
〃Better？〃　asked　Hermione。
〃Yeah；　loads　better！〃
〃Harry；〃　she　said；　crouching　down　in　front　of　him　and　using　the　kind　of　voice　he　associated　with　visiting　the　very　sick；　〃you　don't　think　you've　been　possessed；　do　you？〃
〃What？　No！〃　he　said　defensively；　〃I　remember　everything　we've　done　while　I've　bee　wearing　it。　I　wouldn't　know　what　I'd　done　if　I'd　been　possessed；　would　I？　Ginny　told　me　there　were　times　when　she　couldn't　remember　anything。〃
〃Hmm；〃　said　Hermione；　looking　down　at　the　heavy　locket。　〃Well；　maybe　we　ought　not　to　wear　it。　We　can　just　keep　it　in　the　tent。〃
〃We　are　not　leaving　that　Horcrux　lying　around；〃　Harry　stated　firmly。　〃If　we　lose　it；　if　it　gets　stolena151〃
〃Oh；　all　right；　all　right；〃　said　Hermione；　and　she　placed　it　around　her　own　neck　and　tucked　it　out　of　sight　down　the　front　of　her　shirt。　〃But　we'll　take　turns　wearing　it；　so　nobody　keeps　it　on　too　long。〃
〃Great；〃　said　Ron　irritably；　〃and　now　we've　sorted　that　out；　can　we　please　get　some　food？〃
〃Fine；　but　we'll　go　somewhere　else　to　find　it；〃　said　Hermione　with　half　a　glance　at　Harry。　〃There's　no　point　staying　where　we　know　dementors　are　swooping　around。〃
In　the　end　they　settled　down　for　the　night　in　a　far　flung　field　belonging　to　a　lonely　farm；　from　which　they　had　managed　to　obtain　eggs　and　bread。
〃It's　not　stealing；　is　it？〃　asked　Hermione　in　a　troubled　voice；　as　they　devoured　scrambled　eggs　on　toast。　〃Not　if　I　left　some　money　under　the　chicken　coo？〃
Ron　rolled　his　eyes　and　said；　with　his　cheeks　bulging；　〃Er…my…nee；　'oo　worry　'oo　much。　'Elax！〃
And；　indeed；　it　was　much　easier　to　relax　when　they　were　comfortably　well　fed。　The　argument　about　the　dementors　was　forgotten　in　laughter　that　night；　and　Harry　felt　cheerful；　even　hopeful；　as　he　took　the　first　of　the　three　night　watches。
This　was　their　first　encounter　with　the　fact　that　a　full　stomach　meant　good　spirits；　an　empty　one；　bickering　and　gloom。　Harry　was　least　surprised　by　this；　because　be　had　suffered　periods　of　near　starvation　at　the　Dursleys'。　Hermione　bore　up　reasonably　well　on　those　nights　when　they　managed　to　scavenge　nothing　but　berries　or　stale　biscuits；　her　temper　perhaps　a　little　shorter　than　usual　and　her　silences　dour。　Ron；　however；　had　always　been　used　to　three　delicious　meals　a　day；　courtesy　of　his　mother　or　of　the　Hogwarts　house…elves；　and　hunger　made　him　both　unreasonable　and　irascible。　Whenever　lack　of　food　coincided　with　Ron's　turn　to　wear　the　Horcrux；　he　became　downright　unpleasant。
〃So　where　next？〃　was　his　constant　refrain。　He　did　not　seem　to　have　any　ideas　himself；　but　expected　Harry　and　Hermione　to　come　up　with　plans　while　he　sat　and　brooded　over　the　low　food　supplies。　Accordingly　Harry　and　Hermione　spent　fruitless　hours　trying　to　decide　where　they　might　find　the　other　Horcruxes；　and　how　to　destroy　the　one　they　already　got；　their　conversations　becoming　increasingly　repetitive　as　they　got　no　new　information。
As　Dumbledore　had　told　Harry　that　be　believed　Voldemort　had　hidden　the　Horcruxes　in　places　important　to　him；　they　kept　reciting；　in　a　sort　of　dreary　litany；　those　locations　they　knew　that　Voldemort　had　lived　or　visited。　The　orphanage　where　he　had　been　born　and　raised：　Hogwarts；　where　he　had　been　educated；　Borgin　and　Burks；　where　he　had　worked　after　completing　school；　then　Albania；　where　he　had　spent　his　years　of　exile：　These　formed　the　basis　of　their　speculations。
〃Yeah；　let's　go　to　Albania。　Shouldn't　take　more　than　an　afternoon　to　search　an　entire　country；〃　said　Ron　sarcastically。
〃There　can't　be　anything　there。　He'd　already　made　five　of　his　Horcruxes　before　he　went　into　exile；　and　Dumbledore　was　certain　the　snake　is　the　sixth；〃　said　Hermione。　〃We　know　the　snake's　not　in　Albania；　it's　usually　with　Vola151〃
〃Didn't　I　ask　you　to　stop　say　that？〃
〃Fine！　The　snake　is　usually　with　You…Know…Whoa151happy？〃
〃Not　particularly。〃
〃I　can't　see　him　hiding　anything　at　Borgin　and　Burkes。〃　said　Harry；　who　had　made　this　point　many　times　before；　but　said　it　again　simply　to　break　the　nasty　silence。　〃Borgin　and　Burke　were　experts　at　Dark　objects；　they　would've　recognized　a　Horcrux　straightaway。〃
Ron　yawned　pointedly。　Repressing　a　strong　urge　to　throw　something　at　him；　Harry　plowed　on；　〃I　still　reckon　he　might　have　hidden　something　at　Hogwarts。〃
Hermione　sighed。
〃But　Dumbledore　would　have　found　it；　Harry！〃
Harry　repeated　the　argument　he　kept　bringing　out　in　favor　of　this　theory。
〃Dumbledore　said　in　front　of　me　that　he　never　assumed　he　knew　all　of　Hogwart's　secrets。　I'm　telling　you；　if　there　was　one　place　Vola151〃
〃Oi！〃
〃YOU…KNOW…WHO；　then！〃　Harry　shouted；　goaded　past　endurance。　〃If　there　was　one　place　that　was　really　important　to　You…Know…Who；　it　was　Hogwarts！〃
〃Oh；　come　on；〃　scoffed　Ron。　〃His　school？〃
〃Yeah；　his　school！　It　was　his　first　real　home；　the　place　that　meant　he　was　special：　it　meant　everything　to　him；　and　even　after　he　lefta151〃
〃This　is　You…Know…Who　we're　talking　about；　right？　Not　you？〃　inquired　Ron。　He　was　tugging　at　the　chain　of　the　Horcrux　around　his　neck；　Harry　was　visited　by　a　desire　to　seize　it　and　throttle　him。
〃You　told　us　that　You…Know…Who　asked　Dumbledore　to　give　him　a　job　after　he　left；〃　said　Hermione。
〃That's　right；〃　said　Harry。
〃And　Dumbledore　thought　he　only　wanted　to　come　back　to　try　and　find　something；　probably　another　founder's　object；　to　make　into　another　Horcrux？〃
〃Yeah；〃　said　Harry。
〃But　he　didn't　get　the　job；　did　he？〃　said　Hermione。　〃So　he　never　got　the　chance　to　find　a　founder's　object　there　and　hide　it　in　the　school！〃
〃Okay；　then；〃　said　Harry；　defeated。　〃Forget　Hogwarts。〃
Without　any　other　leads；　they　traveled　into　London　and；　hidden　beneath　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　search　for　the　orphanage　in　which　Voldemort　had　been　raised。　Hermione　stole　into　a　library　and　discovered　from　their　records　that　the　place　had　been　demolished　many　years　before。　They　visited　its　site　and　found　a　tower　block　of　offices。
〃We　could　try　digging　in　to　foundations？〃　Hermione　suggested　halfheartedly。
〃He　wouldn't　have　hidden　a　Horcrux　here；〃　Harry　said。　He　had　known　it　all　along。　The　orphanage　had　been　the　place　Voldemort　had　been　determined　to　escape；　he　would　never　have　hidden　a　part　of　his　soul　there。　Dumbledore　had　shown　Harry　that　Voldemort　sought　grandeur　or　mystique　in　his　hiding　places；　this　dismal　gray　corner　of　London　was　as　far　removed　as　you　could　imagine　from　Hogwarts　of　the　Ministry　or　a　building　like　Gringotts；　the　Wizarding　banks；　with　its　gilded　doors　and　marble　floors。
Even　without　any　new　idea；　they　continued　to　move　through　the　countryside；　pitching　the　tent　in　a　different　place　each　night　for　security。　Every　morning　they　made　sure　that　they　had　removed　all　clues　to　their　presence；　then　set　off　to　find　another　lonely
and　secluded　spot；　traveling　by　Apparition　to　more　woods；　to　the　shadowy　crevices　of　cliffs；　to　purple　moors；　gorse…covered　mountainsides；　and　once　a　sheltered　and　pebbly　cove。　Every　twelve　hours　or　so　they　passed　the　Horcrux　between　them　as　though　they　were　playing　some　perverse；　slow…motion　game　of　pass…the…parcel；　where　they　dreaded　the　music　stopping　because　the　reward　was　twelve　hours　of　increased　fear　and　anxiety。
Harry's　scare　kept　prickling。　It　happened　most　often；　he　noticed；　when　he　was　wearing　the　Horcrux。　Sometimes　he　could　not　stop　himself　reacting　to　the　pain。
〃What？　What　did　you　see？〃　demanded　Ron；　whenever　he　noticed　Harry　wince。
〃A　face；〃　muttered　Harry；　every　time。　〃The　same　face。　The　thief　who　stole　from　Gregorovitch。〃
And　Ron　would　turn　away；　making　no　effort　to　hide　his　disappointment。　Harry　knew　that　Ron　was　hoping　to　bear　news　of　his　family　or　the　rest　of　the　Order　of　the　Phoenix；　but　after　all；　he；　Harry；　was　not　a　television　aerial；　he　could　only　see　what　Voldemort　was　thinking　at　the　time；　not　tun