哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第45部分

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take　the　sword　was　Bill's　younger　sister。〃
Harry　glanced　toward　Hermione　and　Ron；　both　of　whom　were　clutching　the　Extendable　Ears　as　tightly　as　lifelines。
〃She　and　a　couple　of　friends　got　into　Snape's　office　and　smashed　open　the　glass　case　where　he　was　apparently　keeping　the　sword。　Snape　caught　them　as　they　were　trying　to　smuggle　it　down　the　staircase。
〃Ah；　God　bless　'em；〃　said　Ted。　〃What　did　they　think；　that　they'd　be　able　to　use　the　sword　on　You…Know…Who？　Or　on　Snape　himself？
〃Well；　whatever　they　thought　they　were　going　to　do　with　it；　Snape　decided　the　sword　wasn't　safe　where　it　was；〃　said　Dirk。　〃Couple　of　days　later；　once　he'd　got　the　say…so　from　You…Know…Who；　I　imagine；　he　sent　it　down　to　London　to　be　kept　in　Gringotts　instead。〃
The　goblins　started　to　laugh　again。
〃I'm　still　not　seeing　the　joke；〃　said　Ted。
〃It's　a　fake；〃　rasped　Griphook。
〃The　sword　of　Gryffindor！〃
〃Oh　yes。　It　is　a　copya151en　excellent　copy；　it　is　truea151but　it　was　Wizard…made。　The　original　was　forged　centuries　ago　by　goblins　and　had　certain　properties　only　goblin…made　armor　possesses。　Wherever　the　genuine　sword　of　Gryffindor　is；　it　is　not　in　a　vault　at　Gringotts　bank。〃
〃I　see；〃　said　Ted。　〃And　I　take　it　you　didn't　bother　telling　the　Death　Eaters　this/'
〃I　saw　no　reason　to　trouble　them　with　the　information；〃　said　Griphook　smugly；　and　now　Ted　and　Dean　joined　in　Gornuk　and　Dirk's　laughter。
Inside　the　tent；　Harry　closed　his　eyes；　willing　someone　to　ask　the　question　he　needed　answered；　and　after　a　minute　that　seemed　ten；　Dean　obliged：　he　was　（Harry　remembered　with　a　jolt）　an　ex…boyfriend　of　Ginny's　too。
〃What　happened　to　Ginny　and　all　the　others？　The　ones　who　tried　to　steal　it？〃
〃Oh；　they　were　punished；　and　cruelly；〃　said　Griphook　indifferently。
〃They're　okay；　though？〃　asked　Ted　quickly；　〃I　mean；　the　Weasleys　don't　need　any　more　of　their　kids　injured；　do　they？〃
〃They　suffered　no　serious　injury；　as　far　as　I　am　aware；〃　said　Griphook。
〃Lucky　for　them；〃　said　Ted。　〃With　Snape's　track　record　I　suppose　we　should　just　be　glad　they're　still　alive。〃
〃You　believe　that　story；　then；　do　you；　Ted？〃　asked　Dirk。〃　You　believe　Snape　killed　Dumbledore？
〃Course　I　do；〃　said　Ted。　〃You're　not　going　to　sit　there　and　tell　me　you　think　Potter　had　anything　to　do　with　it？〃
〃Hard　to　know　what　to　believe　these　days；〃　muttered　Dirk。
〃I　know　Harry　Potter；〃　said　Dean。　〃And　I　reckon　he's　the　real　thinga151the　Chosen　One；　or　whatever　you　want　to　call　it。〃
〃Yeah；　there's　a　lot　would　like　to　believe　he's　that；　son；〃　said　Dirk；　〃me　included。　But　where　is　he？　Run　for　it；　by　the　looks　of　things。　You'd　think　if　he　knew　anything　we　don't；　or　had　anything　special　going　for　him；　he'd　be　out　there　now　fighting；　rallying　resistance；　instead　of　hiding。　And　you　know；　the　Prophet　made　a　pretty　good　case　against　hima151〃
〃The　Prophet？〃　scoffed　Ted。　〃You　deserve　to　be　lied　to　if　you're　still　reading　that　much；　Dirk。　You　want　the　facts；　try　the　Quibbler。〃
There　was　a　sudden　explosion　of　choking　and　retching；　plus　a　good　deal　of　thumping；　by　the　sound　of　it。　Dirk　had　swallowed　a　fish　bone。　At　last　he　sputtered；　〃The　Quibbler？　That　lunatic　rag　of　Xeno　Lovegood's？〃
〃It's　not　so　lunatic　these　days；〃　said　Ted。　〃You　want　to　give　it　a　look；　Xeno　is　printing　all　the　stuff　the　Prophet's　ignoring；　not　a　single　mention　of　Crumple…Horned　Snorkacks　in　the　last　issue。　How　long　they'll　let　him　get　with　it；　mind；　I　don't　know。　But　Xeno　says；　front　page　of　every　issue；　that　any　wizard　who's　against　You…Know…Who　ought　to　make　helping　Harry　Potter　their　number…one　priority。〃
〃Hard　to　help　a　boy　who's　vanished　off　the　face　of　the　earth；〃　said　Dirk。
〃Listen；　the　fact　that　they　haven't　caught　him　yet's　one　hell　of　an　achievement；〃　said　Ted。　〃I'd　take　tips　from　him　gladly；　it's　what　we're　trying　to　do；　stay　free；　isn't　it？〃
〃Yeah；　well；　you've　got　a　point　there；〃　said　Dirk　heavily。　〃With　the　whole　of　the　Ministry　and　all　their　informers　looking　for　him；　I'd　have　expected　him　to　be　caught　by　now。　Mind；　who's　to　say　they　haven't　already　caught　and　killed　him　without　publicizing　it？〃
〃Ah；　don't　say　that；　Dirk；〃　murmured　Ted。
There　was　a　long　pause　filled　with　more　clattering　of　knives　and　forks。　When　they　spoke　again　it　was　to　discuss　whether　they　ought　to　sleep　on　the　back　or　retreat　back　up
the　wooded　slope。　Deciding　the　trees　would　give　better　cover；　they　extinguished　their　fire；　then　clambered　back　up　the　incline；　their　voices　fading　away。
Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　reeled　in　the　Extendable　Ears。　Harry；　who　had　found　the　need　to　remain　silent　increasingly　difficult　the　longer　they　eavesdropped；　now　found　himself　unable　to　say　more　then；　〃Ginnya151the　sworda151〃
〃I　know！〃　said　Hermione。
She　lunged　for　the　tiny　beaded　bag；　this　time　sinking　her　arm　in　it　right　up　to　the　armpit。
〃Here　。　。　。　we　。　。　。　are　。　。　。〃　she　said　between　gritted　teeth；　and　she　pulled　at　something　that　was　evidently　in　the　depths　of　the　bag。　Slowly　the　edge　of　an　ornate　picture　frame　came　into　sight。　Harry　hurried　to　help　her。　As　they　lifted　the　empty　portrait　of　Phineas　Nigellus　free　of　Hermione's　bag；　she　kept　her　wand　pointing　at　it；　ready　to　cast　a　spell　at　any　moment。
〃If　somebody　swapped　the　real　sword　for　the　face　while　it　was　in　Dumbledore's　office；〃　she　panted；　as　they　propped　the　painting　against　the　side　of　the　tent；　〃Phineas　Nigellus　would　have　seen　it　happen；　he　hangs　right　beside　the　case！〃
〃Unless　he　was　asleep；〃　said　Harry；　but　he　still　held　his　breath　as　Hermione　knelt　down　in　front　of　the　empty　canvas；　her　wand　directed　at　its　center；　cleared　her　throat；　then　said：
〃Era151Phineas？　Phineas　Nigellus？〃
Nothing　happened。
〃Phineas　Nigellus？〃　said　Hermione　again。　〃Professor　Black？　Please　could　we　talk　to　you？　Please？〃
〃'Please'　always　helps；〃　said　a　cold；　snide　voice；　and　Phineas　Nigellus　slid　into　his　portrait。　At　one；　Hermione　cried：
〃Obscura！〃
A　black　blindfold　appeared　over　Phineas　Nigellus's　clever；　dark　eyes；　causing　him　to　bump　into　the　frame　and　shriek　with　pain。
〃Whata151how　darea151what　are　youa151？〃
〃I'm　very　sorry；　Professor　Black；〃　said　Hermione；　〃but　it's　a　necessary　precaution！〃
〃remove　this　foul　addition　at　once！　Remove　it；　I　say！　You　are　ruining　a　great　work　of　art！　Where　am　I？　What　is　going　on？〃
〃Never　mind　where　we　are；〃　said　Harry；　and　Phineas　Nigellus　froze；　abandoning　his　attempts　to　peel　off　the　painted　blindfold。
〃Can　that　possible　be　the　voice　of　the　elusive　Mr。　Potter？〃
〃Maybe；〃　said　Harry；　knowing　that　this　would　keep　Phineas　Nigellus's　interest。　〃We've　got　a　couple　of　questions　to　ask　youa151about　the　sword　of　Gryffindor。〃
〃Ah；〃　said　Phineas　Nigellus；　now　turning　his　head　this　way　and　that　in　an　effort　to　catch　sight　of　Harry；　〃yes。　That　silly　girl　acted　most　unwisely　therea151〃
〃Shut　up　about　my　sister；〃　said　Ron　roughly；　Phineas　Nigellus　raised　supercilious　eyebrows。
〃Who　else　is　here？〃　he　asked；　turning　his　head　from　side　to　side。　〃Your　tone　displeases　me！　The　girl　and　her　friends　were　foolhardily　in　the　extreme。　Thieving　from　the　headmaster。〃
〃They　weren't　thieving；〃　said　Harry。　〃That　sword　isn't　Snape's。〃
〃It　belongs　to　Professor　Snape's　school；〃　said　Phineas　Nigellus。　〃Exactly　what　claim　did　the　Weasley　girl　have　upon　it？　She　deserved　her　punishment；　as　did　the　idiot　Longbottom　and　the　Lovegood　oddity！〃
〃Neville　is　not　an　idiot　and　Luna　is　not　an　oddity！〃　said　Hermione。
〃Where　am　I？〃　repeated　Phineas　Nigellus；　starting　to　wrestle　with　the　blindfold　again。　〃Where　have　you　brought　me？　Why　have　you　removed　me　from　the　house　of　my　forebears？〃
〃never　mind　that！　How　did　Snape　punish　Ginny；　Neville；　and　Luna？〃　asked　Harry　urgently。
〃Professor　Snape　sent　them　into　the　Forbidden　Forest；　to　do　some　work　for　the　oaf；　Hagrid。〃
〃Hagrid's　not　an　oaf！〃　said　Hermione　shrilly。
〃And　Snape　might've　though　that　was　a　punishment；〃　said　Harry；　〃buy　Ginny；　Neville；　and　Luna　probably　had　a　good　laugh　with　Hagrid。　The　Forbidden　Forest　。　。　。　they've　faced　plenty　worse　than　the　Forbidden　Forest；　big　deal！〃
He　felt　relieved；　he　had　been　imagining　horrors；　the　Cruciatus　Curse　at　the　very　least。
〃What　we　really　wanted　to　know；　Professor　Black；　is　whether　anyone　else　has；　um；　taken　out　the　sword　at　all？　Maybe　it's　been　taken　away　for　cleaninga151or　something！〃
Phineas　Nigellus　paused　again　in　his　struggles　to　free　his　eyes　and　sniggered。
〃Muggle…born；〃　he　said；　〃Goblin…made　armor　does　not　require　cleaning；　simple　girl。　Goblin's　silver　repels　mundane　dirt；　imbibing　only　that　which　strengthens　it。〃
〃Don't　call　Hermione　simple；〃　said　Harry。
〃I　grow　weary　of　contradiction；〃　said　Phineas　Nigellus。　〃perhaps　it　is　time　for　me　to　return　to　the　headmaster's　office。？〃
Still　blindfolded；　he　began　groping　the　side　of　his　frame；　trying　to　feel　his　way　out　of　his　picture　and　back　into　the　one　at　Hogwarts。　Harry　had　a　sudden　inspiration。
〃Dumbledore！　Can't　you　bring　us　Dumbledore？〃
〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　asked　Phineas　Nigellus。
〃Professor　Dumbledore's　portraita151couldn't　you　bring　him　along；　here；　into　yours？〃
Phineas　Nigellus　turned　his　face　in　the　direction　of　Harry's　voice。
〃Evidently　it　is　not　only　Muggle…borns　who　are　ignorant；　Potter。　The　portraits　of　Hogwarts　may　commune　with　each　other；　but　they　cannot　travel　outside　of　the　castle　except　to　visit　a　painting　of　themselves　elsewhere。　Dumbledore　cannot　come　here　with　me；　and　after　the　treatment　I　have　received　at　your　hands；　I　can　assure　you　that　I　will　not　be　making　a　return　visit！〃
Slightly　crestfallen；　Harry　watched　Phineas　redouble　his　attempts　to　leave　his　frame。
〃Professor　Black；〃　said　Hermione；　〃couldn't　you　just　tell　us；　please；　when　was　the　last　time　the　sword　was　taken　out　of　its　case？　Before　Ginny　took　it　out；　I　mean？〃
Phineas　snorted　impatiently。
〃I　believe　that　the　last　time　I　saw　the　sword　of　Gryffindor　leave　its　case　was　when　Professor　Dumbledore　used　it　to　break　open　a　ring。〃
Hermione　whipped　around　to　look　at　Harry。　Neither　of　them　dared　say　more　in　front　of　Phineas　Nigellus；　who　had　at　least　managed　to　locate　the　exit。
〃Well；　good　night　to　you；〃　he　said　a　little　waspishly；　and　he　began　to　move　out　of　sight　again。　Only　the　edge　of　his　hat　brim　remained　in　view　when　Harry　gave　a　sudden　shout。
〃Wait！　Have　you　told　Snape　you　saw　this？〃
Phineas　Nigellus　stuck　his　blindfolded　head　back　into　the　picture。
〃Professor　Snape　has