哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第59部分

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ld；　but　now　it's　just　something　to　laugh　about　for　people　who　didn't　like　Dumbledore；　and　a　bit　of　a　slap　in　the　face　for　everyone　who　thought　he　was　such　a　good　bloke。　I　don't　know　that　it's　such　a　big　deal；　though。　He　was　really　young　when　they　a150a150〃　〃Our　age；〃　said　Harry；　just　as　he　had　retorted　to　Hermione；　and　something　in　his　face　seemed　to　decide　Ron　against　pursuing　the　subject。　A　large　spider　sat　in　the　middle　of　a　frosted　web　in　the　brambles。　Harry　took　aim　at　it　with　the　wand　Ron　had　given　him　the　previous　night；　which
Hermione　had　since　condescended　to　examine；　and　had　decided　was　made　of　blackthorn。　〃*Engorgio*〃　〃The　spider　gave　a　little　shiver；　bouncing　slightly　in　the　web。　Harry　tried　again。　This　time　the　spider　grew　slightly　larger。　〃Stop　that；〃　said　Ron　sharply；　〃　I'm　sorry　I　said　Dumbledore　was　young；　okay？〃　Harry　had　forgotten　Ron's　hatred　of　spiders。　〃Sorry　a150a150　*Reducio*〃　The　spider　did　not　shrink。　Harry　looked　down　at　the　blackthorn　wand。　Every　minor　spell　he　had　cast　with　it　so　far　that　day　had　seemed　less　powerful　than　those　he　had　produced　with　his　phoenix　wand。　The　new　one　felt　intrusively　unfamiliar；　like　having　somebody　else's　hand　sewn　to　the　end　of　his　arm。　〃You　just　need　to　practice；〃　said　Hermione；　who　had　approached　them　noiselessly　from　behind　and　had　stood　watching　anxiously　as　Harry　tried　to　enlarge　and　reduce　the　spider。　〃It's　all　a　matter　of　confidence　Harry。〃　He　knew　why　she　wanted　it　to　be　all　right；　She　still　felt　guilty　about　breaking　his　wand。　He　bit　back　the　retort　that　sprung　to　his　lips；　that　she　could　take　the　blackthorn　wand　if　she　thought　it　made　no　difference；　and　he　would　have　hers　instead。　Keen　for　them　all　to　be　friends　again；　however；　he　agreed；　but　when　Ron　gave　Hermione　a　tentative　smile；　she　stalked　off　and　vanished　behind　her　book　once　more。　All　three　of　them　returned　to　the　tent　when　darkness　fell；　and　Harry　took　first　watch。　Sitting　in　the　entrance；　he　tried　to　make　the　blackthorn　wand　levitate　small　stones　at　his　feet；　but　his　magic　still　seemed　clumsier　and　less　powerful　than　it　had　done　before。　Hermione　was　lying　on　her　bunk　reading；　while　Ron；　after　many　nervous　glances　up　at　her；　had　taken　a　small　wooden　wireless　out　of　his　rucksack　and　started　to　try　to　tune　it。　〃There's　this　one　program；〃　he　told　Harry　in　a　low　voice；　〃that　tells　the　news　like　it　really　is。　All　the　others　are　on　You…Know…Who's　side　and　are　following　the　Ministry　line；　but　this　one　。。。　you　wait　till　you　hear　it；　it's　great。　Only　they　can't　do　it　every　night；　they　have　to　keep　changing　locations　in　case　they're　raided　and　you　need　a　password　to　tune　in　。。。　Trouble　is；　I　missed　the　last　one。。。〃
He　drummed　lightly　on　the　top　of　the　radio　with　his　wand　muttering　random　words　under　his　breath。　He　threw　Hermione　many　covert　glances；　plainly　fearing　an　angry　outburst；　but　for　all　the　notice　she　took　of　him　he　might　not　have　been　there。　For　ten　minutes　or　so　Ron　tapped　and　muttered；　Hermione　turned　the　pages　of　her　book；　and　Harry　continued　to　practice　with　the　blackthorn　wand。　Finally　Hermione　climbed　down　from　her　bunk。　Ron　ceased　his　tapping　at　once。　〃If　it's　annoying　you；　I'll　stop！〃　he　told　Hermione　nervously。　Hermione　did　not　deign　to　respond；　but　approached　Harry。　〃We　need　to　talk；〃　she　said。　He　looked　at　the　book　still　clutched　in　her　hand。　It　was　*　The　Life　and　Lies　of　Albus　Dumbledore。*　〃What？〃　he　said　apprehensively。　It　flew　through　his　mind　that　there　was　a　chapter　on　him　in　there；　he　was　not　sure　he　felt　up　to　hearing　Rita's　version　of　his　relationship　with　Dumbledore。　Hermione's　answer　however；　was　completely　unexpected。　〃I　want　to　go　and　see　Xenophilius　Lovegood。〃　He　stared　at　her。　〃Sorry？〃
〃Xenophilius　Lovegood；　Luna's　father。　I　want　to　go　and　talk　to　him！〃
〃er　…　why？〃
She　took　a　deep　breath；　as　though　bracing　herself；　and　said；　〃It's　that　mark；　the　mark　in　iBeedle　the　Bardi。　Look　at　this！〃
She　thrust　iThe　Life　and　Lies　of　Albus　Dumbledorei　under　Harry's　unwilling　eyes　and　saw　a　photograph　of　the　original　letter　that　Dumbledore　had　written　Grindelwald；　with　Dumbledore's　familiar　thin；　slanting　handwriting。　He　hated　seeing　absolute　proof　that　Dumbledore　really　had　written　those　words；　that　they　had　not　been　Rita's　invention。
〃The　signature；〃　said　Hermione。　〃Look　at　the　signature；　Harry！〃
He　obeyed。　For　a　moment　he　had　no　idea　what　she　was　talking　about；　but；　looking　more　closely　with　the　aid　of　his　lit　wand；　he　saw　that　Dumbledore　had　replaced　the　iAi　of　Albus　with　a　tiny　version　of　the　same　triangular　mark　inscribed　upon　iThe　Tales　of　Beedle　the　Bardi。
〃Er　…　what　are　you　a150a150　？〃　said　Ron　tentatively；　but　Hermione　quelled　him　with　a　look　and　turned　back　to　Harry。
〃It　keeps　cropping　up；　doesn't　it？〃　she　said。　〃I　know　Viktor　said　it　was　Grindelwald's　mark；　but　it　was　definitely　on　that　old　grave　in　Godric's　Hollow；　and　the
dates　on　the　headstone　were　long　before　Grindelwald　came　along！　And　now　this！　Well；　we　can't　ask　Dumbledore　or　Grindelwald　what　it　means　…　I　don't　even　know　whether　Grindelwald's　still　alive　…　but　we　can　ask　Mr。　Lovegood。　He　was　wearing　the　symbol　at　the　wedding。　I'm　sure　this　is　important；　Harry！〃
Harry　did　not　answer　immediately。　He　looked　into　her　intense；　eager　face　and　then　out　into　the　surrounding　darkness；　thinking。　After　a　long　pause　he　said；　〃Hermione；　we　don't　need　another　Godric's　Hollow。　We　talked　ourselves　into　going　there；　and　…〃
〃But　it　keeps　appearing；　Harry！　Dumbledore　left　me　iThe　Tales　of　Beedle　the　Bardi；　how　do　you　know　we're　not　supposed　to　find　out　about　the　sign？〃
〃Here　we　go　again！〃　Harry　felt　slightly　exasperated。　〃We　keep　trying　to　convince　ourselves　Dumbledore　left　us　secret　signs　and　clues　…〃
〃The　Deluminator　turned　out　to　be　pretty　useful；〃　piped　up　Ron。　〃I　think　Hermione's　right；　I　think　we　ought　to　go　and　see　Lovegood。〃
Harry　threw　him　a　dark　look。　He　was　quite　sure　that　Ron's　support　of　Hermione　had　little　to　do　with　a　desire　to　know　the　meaning　of　the　triangular　rune。
〃It　won't　be　like　Godric's　Hollow；〃　Ron　added；　〃Lovegood's　on　your　side；　Harry；　iThe　Quibbler'is　been　for　you　all　along；　it　keeps　telling　everyone　they've　got　to　help　you！〃
〃I'm　sure　this　is　important！〃　said　Hermione　earnestly。
〃But　don't　you　think　if　it　was；　Dumbledore　would　have　told　me　about　it　before　he　died？〃
〃Maybe　。　。　。　maybe　it's　something　you　need　to　find　out　for　yourself；〃　said　Hermione　with　a　faint　air　of　clutching　at　straws。
〃Yeah；〃　said　Ron　sycophantically；　〃that　makes　sense。〃
〃No；　it　doesn't；〃　snapped　Hermione；　〃but　I　still　think　we　ought　to　talk　to　Mr。　Lovegood。　A　symbol　that　links　Dumbledore；　Grindelwald；　and　Godric's　Hollow？　Harry；　I'm　sure　we　ought　to　know　about　this！〃
〃I　think　we　should　vote　on　it；〃　said　Ron。　〃Those　in　favor　of　going　to　see　Love　good　…〃
His　hand　flew　into　the　air　before　Hermione's。　Her　lips　quivered　suspiciously　as　she　raised　her　own。
〃Outvoted；　Harry；　sorry；〃　said　Ron；　clapping　him　on　the　back。
〃Fine；〃　said　Harry；　half　amused；　half　irritated。　〃Only；　once　we've　seen　Lovegood；　let's　try　and　look　for　some　more　Horcruxes；　shall　we？　Where　do　the　Lovegood's　live；　anyway？　Do　either　of　you　know？
〃Yeah；　they're　not　far　from　my　place；〃　said　Ron。　〃I　dunno　exactly　where；　but　Mum　and　Dad　always　point　toward　the　hills　whenever　they　mention　them。　Shouldn't　be　hard　to　find。〃
When　Hermione　had　returned　to　her　bunk；　Harry　lowered　his　voice。
〃You　only　agreed　to　try　and　get　back　in　her　good　books。〃
〃All's　fair　in　love　and　war；〃　said　Ron　brightly；　〃and　this　is　a　bit　of　both。　Cheer　up；　it's　the　Christmas　holidays；　Luna'll　be　home！〃
They　had　an　excellent　view　of　the　village　of　Ottery　St。　Catchopole　from　the　breezy　hillside　to　which　they　Disapparated　next　morning。　From　their　high　vantage　point　the　village　looked　like　a　collection　of　toy　houses　in　the　great　slanting　shafts　of　sunlight　stretching　to　earth　in　the　breaks　between　clouds。　They　stood　for　a　minute　or　two　looking　toward　the　Burrow；　their　hands　shadowing　their　eyes；　but　all　they　could　make　out　were
the　high　hedges　and　trees　of　the　orchard；　which　afforded　the　crooked　little　house　protection　from　Muggle　eyes。
〃It's　weird；　being　this　near；　but　not　going　to　visit；〃　said　Ron。
〃Well；　it's　not　like　you　haven't　just　seen　them。　You　were　there　for　Christmas；〃　said　Hermione　coldly。
〃I　wasn't　at　the　Burrow！〃　said　Ron　with　an　incredulous　laugh。　〃Do　you　think　I　was　going　to　go　back　there　and　tell　them　all　I'd　walked　out　on　you？　Yeah；　Fred　and　George　would've　been　great　about　it。　And　Ginny；　she'd　have　been　really　understanding。〃
〃But　where　have　you　been；　then？〃　asked　Hermione；　surprised。
〃Bill　and　Fleur's　new　place。　Shell　cottage。　Bill's　always　been　decent　to　me。　He　…　he　wasn't　impressed　when　he　heard　what　I'd　done；　but　he　didn't　go　on　about　it。　He　knew　I　was　really　sorry。　None　of　the　rest　of　the　family　know　I　was　there。　Bill　told　Mum　he　and　Fleur　weren't　going　home　for　Christmas　because　they　wanted　to　spend　it　alone。　You　know；　first　holiday　after　they　were　married。　I　don't　think　Fleur　minded。　You　know　how　much　she　hates　Celestina　Warbeck。〃
Ron　turned　his　back　on　the　Burrow。
〃Let's　try　up　here；〃　he　said；　leading　the　way　over　the　top　of　the　hill。
They　walked　for　a　few　hours；　Harry；　at　Hermione's　insistence；　hidden　beneath　the　Invisibility　Cloak。　The　cluster　of　low　hills　appeared　to　be　uninhabited　apart　from　one　small　cottage；　which　seemed　deserted。
〃Do　you　think　it's　theirs；　and　they've　gone　away　for　Christmas？〃　said　Hermione；　peering　through　the　window　at　a　neat　little　kitchen　with　geraniums　on　the　windowsill。　Ron　snorted。
〃Listen；　I've　got　a　feeling　you'd　be　able　to　tell　who　lived　there　if　you　looked　through　the　Lovegoods'　window。　Let's　try　the　next　lot　of　hills。〃
So　they　Disapparated　a　few　miles　farther　north。
〃Aha！〃　shouted　Ron；　as　the　wind　whipped　their　hair　and　clothes。　Ron　was　pointing　upward；　toward　the　top　of　the　hill　on　which　they　had　appeared；　where　a　most　strange…looking　house　rose　vertically　against　the　sky；　a　great　black　cylinder　with　a　ghostly　moon　hanging　behind　it　in　the　afternoon　sky。　〃That's　got　to　be　Luna's　house；　who　else　would　live　in　a　place　like　that？　It　looks　like　a　giant　rook！〃
〃It's　nothing　like　a　bird；〃　said　Hermione；　frowning　at　the　tower。
〃I　was　talking　about　a　chess　rook；〃　said　Ron。　〃A　castle　to　you。〃
Ron's　legs　were　the　longest　a