哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第92部分

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looked　haughty　and　proud。　Close　in；　he　recognized　her　as　a　ghost　he　had　passed　several　times　in　the　corridor；　but　to　whom　he　had　never　spoken。
〃You're　the　Gray　Lady？〃
She　nodded　but　did　not　speak。
〃The　ghost　of　Ravenclaw　Tower？〃
〃That　is　correct。〃
Her　tone　was　not　encouraging。
〃Please；　I　need　some　help。　I　need　to　know　anything　you　can　tell　me　about　the　lost　diadem。〃
A　cold　smile　curved　her　lips。
〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　turning　to　leave；　〃that　I　cannot　help　you。〃
〃WAIT！〃
He　had　not　meant　to　shout；　but　anger　and　panic　were　threatening　to　overwhelm　him。　He　glanced　at　his　watch　as　she　hovered　in　front　of　him。　It　was　a　quarter　to　midnight。
〃This　is　urgent。〃　he　said　fiercely。　〃If　that　diadem's　at　Hogwarts；　I've　got　to　find　it；　fast。〃
〃You　are　hardly　the　first　student　to　covet　the　diadem。〃　she　said　disdainfully。　〃Generations　of　students　have　badgered　me　…〃
〃This　isn't　about　trying　to　get　better　marks！〃　Harry　shouted　at　her；　〃It's　about　Voldemort　…　defeating　Voldemort　…　or　aren't　you　interested　in　that？〃
She　could　not　blush；　but　her　transparent　cheeks　became　more　opaque；　and　her　voice　was　heated　as　she　replied；　〃Of　course　I　…　how　dare　you　suggest　…？〃
〃Well；　help　me　then！〃
Her　composure　was　slipping。
〃It　…　it　is　not　a　question　of　…〃　she　stammered。　My　mother's　diadem　…〃
〃Your　mother's？〃
She　looked　angry　with　herself。
〃When　I　lived；〃　she　said　stiffly；　〃I　was　Helena　Ravenclaw。〃
〃You're　her　daughter？　But　then；　you　must　know　what　happed　to　it。〃
〃While　the　diadem　bestows　wisdom；〃　she　said　with　an　obvious　effort　to　pull　herself　together；　〃I　doubt　that　it　would　greatly　increase　you　chances　of　defeating　the　wizard　who　calls　himself　Lord　…〃
Haven't　I　told　you；　I'm　not　interested　in　wearing　it！〃　Harry　said　fiercely。　〃There's　no　time　to　explain　…　but　if　you　care　about　Hogwarts；　if　you　want　to　see　Voldemort　finished；　you've　got　to　tell　me　anything　you　know　about　the　diadem！〃
She　remained　quite　still；　floating　in　midair；　staring　down　at　him；　and　a　sense　of　hopelessness　engulfed　Harry。　Of　course；　if　she　had　known　anything；　she　would　have　told　Flitwick　of　Dumbledore；　who　had　surely　asked　her　the　same　question。　He　had　shaken　his　head　and　made　to　turn　away　when　she　spoke　in　a　low　voice。
〃I　stole　the　diadem　from　my　mother。〃
〃You　…　you　did　what？〃
〃I　stole　the　diadem。〃　repeated　Helena　Ravenclaw　in　a　whisper。　〃I　sought　to　make　myself　cleverer；　more　important　than　my　mother。　I　ran　away　with　it。〃
He　did　not　know　how　he　had　managed　to　gain　her　confidence　and　did　not　ask；　he　simply　listened；　hard；　as　she　went　on。
〃My　mother；　they　say；　never　admitted　that　the　diadem　was　gone；　but　pretended　that　she　had　it　still。　She　concealed　her　loss；　my　dreadful　betrayal；　even　from　the　other　founders　of　Hogwarts。
〃Then　my　mother　fell　ill　…　fatally　ill。　In　spite　of　my　perfidy；　she　was　desperate　to　see　me　one　more　time。　She　sent　a　man　who　had　long　loved　me；　though　I　spurned　his　advances；　to　find　me。　She　knew　that　he　would　not　rest　until　he　had　done　so。〃
Harry　waited。　She　drew　a　deep　breath　and　threw　back　her　head。
〃He　tracked　me　to　the　forest　where　I　was　hiding。　When　I　refused　to　return　with　him；　he　became　violent。　The　baron　was　always　a　hot…tempered　man。　Furious　at　my　refusal；　jealous　of　my　freedom；　he　stabbed　me。〃
〃The　Baron？　You　mean　…？〃
〃he　Bloody　Baron；　yes；〃　said　the　Gray　Lady；　and　she　lifted　aside　the　cloak　she　wore　to　reveal　a　single　dark　wound　in　her　white　chest。　When　he　saw　what　he　had　done；　he　was　overcome　with　remorse。　He　took　the　weapon　that　had　claimed　my　life；　and　used　it　to　kill　himself。　All　these　centuries　later；　he　wears　his　chains　as　an　act　of　penitence　。。。　as　he　should。〃　she　added　bitterly。
〃And　…　and　the　diadem？〃
〃It　remained　where　I　had　hidden　it　when　I　heard　the　Baron　blundering　through　the　forest　toward　me。　Concealed　inside　a　hollow　tree。〃
〃A　hollow　tree？〃　repeated　Harry。　〃What　tree？　Where　was　this？〃
〃A　forest　in　Albania。　A　lonely　place　I　thought　was　far　beyond　my　mother's　reach。〃
〃Albania；〃　repeated　Harry。　Sense　was　emerging　miraculously　from　confusion；　and　now　he　understood　why　she　was　telling　him　what　she　had　denied　Dumbledore　and　Flitwick。　〃You've　already　told　someone　this　story；　haven't　you？　Another　student？〃
She　closed　her　eyes　and　nodded。
〃I　had。。。　no　idea。。。　He　was　flattering。　He　seemed　to。。。　understand。。。　to　sympathize。。。〃
Yes；　Harry　thought。　Tom　Riddle　would　certainly　have　understood　Helena　Ravenclaw's　desire　to　possess　fabulous　objects　to　which　she　had　little　right。
〃Well；　you　weren't　the　first　person　Riddle　wormed　things　out　of。〃　Harry　muttered。　〃He　could　be　charming　when　he　wanted。。。〃
So；　Voldemort　had　managed　to　wheedle　the　location　of　the　lost　diadem　out　of　the　Gray　Lady。　He　had　traveled　to　that　far…flung　forest　and　retrieved　the　diadem　from　its　hiding　place；　perhaps　as　soon　as　he　left　Hogwarts；　before　he　even　started　work　at　Borgin　and　Burkes。
And　wouldn't　those　secluded　Albanian　woods　have　seemed　an　excellent　refuge　when；　so　much　later；　Voldemort　and　needed　a　place　to　lie　low；　undisturbed；　for　ten　long　years？
But　the　diadem；　once　it　became　his　precious　Horcrux；　had　not　been　left　in　that　lowly　tree。　。　。　。　No；　the　diadem　had　been　returned　secretly　to　its　true　home；　and　Voldemort　must　have　put　it　there　…
〃a151the　night　he　asked　for　a　job！〃　said　Harry；　finishing　his　thought。
〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
〃He　hid　the　diadem　in　the　castle；　the　night　he　asked　Dumbledore　to　let　him　teach！〃　said　Harry。　Saying　it　out　loud　enabled　him　to　make　sense　of　it　all。　〃He　must've　hidden　the　diadem　on　his　way　up　to；　or　down　from；　Dumbledore's　office！　But　it　was　well　worth　trying　to　get　the　job　…　then　he　might've　got　the　chance　to　nick　Gryffindor's　sword　as　well　…　thank　you；　thanks！〃
Harry　left　her　floating　there；　looking　utterly　bewildered。　As　he　rounded　the　corner　back　into　the　entrance　hall；　he　checked　his　watch。　It　was　five　minutes　until　midnight；　and　though　he　now　knew　iwhati　the　last　Horcrux　was；　he　was　no　closer　to　discovering　iwherei　it　was。　。　。
Generations　of　students　had　failed　to　find　the　diadem；　that　suggested　that　it　was　not　in　Ravenclaw　Tower　…　but　if　not　there；　where？　What　hiding　place　had　Tom　Riddle　discovered　inside　Hogwarts　Castle；　that　he　believed　would　remain　secret　forever？
Lost　in　desperate　speculation；　Harry　turned　a　corner；　but　he　had　taken　only　a　few　steps　down　the　new　corridor　when　the　window　to　his　left　broke　open　with　a　deafening；　shattering　crash。　As　he　leapt　aside；　a　gigantic　body　flew　in　through　the　window　and　hit　the　opposite　wall。
Something　large　and　furry　detached　itself；　whimpering；　from　the　new　arrival　and　flung　itself　at　Harry。
〃Hagrid！〃　Harry　bellowed；　fighting　off　Fang　the　boarhound's　attentions　as　the　enormous　bearded　figure　clambered　to　his　feet　〃What　the　a150a150？〃
〃Harry；　yer　here！　iYer　here！i〃
Hagrid　stooped　down；　bestowed　upon　Harry　a　cursory　and　rib…cracking　hug；　then　ran　back　to　the　shattered　window。
〃Good　boy；　Grawpy！〃　he　bellowed　through　the　hole　in　the　window。　〃I'll　se　yer　in　a　moment；　there's　a　good　lad！〃
Beyond　Hagrid；　out　in　the　dark　night；　Harry　saw　bursts　of　light　in　the　distance　and　heard　a　weird；　keening　scream。　He　looked　down　at　his　watch：　It　was　midnight。　The　battle　had　begun。
〃Blimey；　Harry；〃　panted　Hagrid；　〃this　is　it；　eh？　Time　ter　fight？〃
〃Hagrid；　where　have　you　come　from？〃
〃Heard　You…Know…Who　from　up　in　our　cave；〃　said　Hagrid　grimly。　〃Voice　carried；　didn't　it？　'Yet　got　till　midnight　ter　gimme　Potter。'　Knew　yeh　mus'　be　here；　knew　that　mus'　be　happenin'。　Get　idowni；　Fang。　So　we　come　ter　join　in；　me　an'　Grawpy　an'　Fang。　Smashed　our　way　through　the　boundary　by　the　forest；　Grawpy　was　carryin'　us；　Fang　an'　me。　Told　him　ter　let　me　down　at　the　castle；　so　he　shoved　me　through　the　window；　bless　him。　Not　exactly　what　I　meant；　bu'　…　where's　Ron　an'　Hermione？〃
〃That；〃　said　Harry；　〃is　a　really　good　question。　Come　on。〃
They　hurried　together　along　the　corridor；　Fang　lolloping　beside　them。　Harry　could　hear　movement　through　the　corridors　all　around：　running　footsteps；　shouts；　through　the　windows；　he　could　see　more　flashes　of　light　in　the　dark　grounds。
〃Where're　we　goin'？〃　puffed　Hagrid；　pounding　along　at　Harry's　heels；　making　the　floorboards　quake。
〃I　dunno　exactly；〃　said　Harry；　making　another　random　turn；　〃but　Ron　and　Hermione　must　be　around　here　somewhere。　。　。　。〃
The　first　casualties　of　the　battle　were　already　strewn　across　the　passage　ahead：　The　two　stone　gargoyles　that　usually　guarded　the　entrance　to　the　staffroom　had　been
smashed　apart　by　a　jinx　that　had　sailed　through　another　broken　window。　Their　remains　stirred　feebly　on　the　floor；　and　as　Harry　leapt　over　one　of　their　disembodied　heads；　it　moaned　faintly。　〃Oh；　don't　mind　me　。　。　。　I'll　just　be　here　and　crumble。　。　。　。〃
Its　ugly　stone　face　made　Harry　think　suddenly　of　the　marble　bust　of　Rowena　Ravenclaw　at　Xenophilius's　house；　wearing　that　mad　headdress　…　and　then　of　the　statue　in　Ravenclaw　Tower；　with　the　stone　diadem　upon　her　white　curls。　。　。　。
And　as　he　reached　the　end　of　the　passage；　the　memory　of　a　third　stone　effigy　came　back　to　him：　that　of　an　ugly　old　warlock；　onto　whose　head　Harry　himself　had　placed　a　wig　and　a　battered　old　hat。　The　shock　shot　through　Harry　with　the　heat　of　firewhisky；　and　he　nearly　stumbled。
He　knew；　at　least；　where　the　Horcrux　sat　waiting　for　him。　。　。　。
Tom　Riddle；　who　confided　in　no　one　and　operated　alone；　might　have　been　arrogant　enough　to　assume　that　he；　and　only　he；　had　penetrated　the　deepest　mysteries　of　Hogwarts　Castle。　Of　course；　Dumbledore　and　Flitwick；　those　model　pupils；　had　never　set　foot　in　that　particular　place；　but　he；　Harry；　had　strayed　off　the　beaten　track　in　his　time　at　school　…　here　at　least　was　a　secret　area　he　and　Voldemort　knew；　that　Dumbledore　had　never　discovered　…
He　was　roused　by　Professor　Sprout；　who　was　thundering　past　followed　by　Neville　and　half　a　dozen　others；　all　of　them　wearing　earmuffs　and　carrying　what　appeared　to　be　large　potted　plants。
〃Mandrakes！〃　Neville　bellowed　at　Harry　over　his　shoulder　as　he　ran。　〃Going　to　lob　them　over　the　walls　…　they　won't　like　this！〃
Harry　knew　now　where　to　go。　He　sped　off；　with　Hagrid　and　Fang　galloping　behind　him。　They　passed　portrait　after　portrait；　and　the　painted　figures　raced　alongside　them；　wizards　and　witches　in　ruffs　and　breeches；　in　armor　and　cloaks；　cramming　themselves　into　each　others'　canvases；　screa