哈利波特7__哈利波特与死圣英文版-第97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！


　a　rorar。　The　stone　steps　tremebled　as　he　stomped　toward　his　smaller　kin；　and　Grawp's　lopsided　mouth　fell　open；　showing　yellow；　half　brick…sized　teeth；　and　then　they　launched　themselves　at　each　other　with　the　savagery　of　lions。　〃RUN！〃　Harry　roared；　the　ngiht　was　full　of　hideous　yells　and　blows　as　the　giants　wrestled；　and　he　seized　Hermione's　hand　and　tore　down　the　steps　into　the　grounds；　Ron　bringing　up　the　rear。　Harry　had　not　lost　hope　of　finding　and　saving　Hagrid；　he　ran　so　fast　that　they
were　halfway　toward　the　forest　before　they　were　brought　up　short　again。　The　air　around　them　had　frozen：　Harry's　breath　caught　and　solidified　in　his　chest。　Shapes　moved　out　in　the　darkness；　swirling　figures　of　concentrated　blackness；　moving　in　a　great　wave　towards　the　castles；　their　faces　hooded　and　their　breath　rattling。。。　ron　and　Hermione　closed　in　beside　him　as　the　sounds　of　fighting　behind　them　grew　suddenly　muted；　deadened；　because　a　silence　only　dementors　could　bring　was　falling　thickly　through　the　night；　and　Fred　was　gone；　and　Hagrid　was　suurely　dying　or　already　dead。。。　〃come　on；　Harry！〃　said　Hermione's　voice　from　a　very　long　way　away。　〃Patronuses；　Harry；　come　on！〃　he　raised　his　wand；　but　a　dull　hopelessness　was　spreading　throughout　him：　How　many　more　lay　dead　that　he　did　not　yet　know　about？　He　felt　as　though　his　soul　had　already　half　left　his　body。。。。　〃HARRY；　COME　ON！〃　screamed　Hermione。　A　hundred　dementors　were　advancing；　gliding　toward　them；　sucking　their　way　closer　to　Harry's　despair；　which　was　like　a　promise　of　a　feast。。。　He　saw　Ron's　silver　terrier　burst　into　the　air；　flicker　feebly；　and　expire；　he　saw　Hermione's　otter　twist　in　midair　and　fade；　and　his　own　wand　trembled　in　his　hand；　and　he　almost　welcomed　the　oncoming　oblivion；　the　promise　of　nothing；　of　no　feeling。。。　And　then　a　silver　hare；　a　boar；　and　fox　soared　past　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione's　heads：　the　dementors　fell　back　before　the　creatures'　approach。　Three　more　people　had　arrived　out　of　the　darkness　to　stand　beside　them；　their　wands　outstretched；　continuing　to　cast　Patronuses：　Luna；　Ernie；　and　Seamus。　〃That's　right；〃　said　Luna　encouragingly；　as　if　they　were　back　in　the　Room　of　Requirement　and　this　was　simply　spell　practice　for　the　D。A。；　〃That's　right；　Harry。。。come　on　think　of　something　happy。。。〃　'something　happy？〃　he　said；　his　voice　cracked。　〃We're　all　still　here；〃　she　whispered；　〃we；re　still　fighting。　Come　on；　now。。。。〃　There　was　a　silver　spark；　then　a　wavering　light；　and　then；　with　the　greatest　effort　it　had　ever　cost　him　the　stag　burst　from　the　end　of　Harry's　wand。　It　cantered　forward；　and　now　the　dementors　scattered　in　earnest；　and　immediately　the　night　was　mild　again；　but　the　sounds　of　the　surrounding　battle　were　loud　in　his　ears。　〃Can't　thank　you　enough；〃　said　ron　shakily；　turning　to　Luna；　Ernie；　and　Seamus　〃you　just　saveda150a150〃　With　a　roar　and　an　earth…quaking　tremor；　another　giant　came　lurching　out　of　the　darkness　from　the　direction　of　the　forest；　brandishing　a　club　taller　than　any　of　them。　〃RUN！〃　Harry　shouted　again；　but　the　others　needed　no　telling；　They　all　scattered；　and　not　a　second　too　soon；　for　the　next　moment　the
creature's　vast　foot　had　fallen　exactly　where　they　had　been　standing。　Harry　looked　round：　ron　and　Hermione　were　following　him；　but　the　other　three　had　vanished　back　into　the　battle。　〃Let's　get　out　of　range！〃　yelled　Ron　as　the　giant　swung　its　club　again　and　its　bellows　echoed　through　the　night；　across　the　grounds　wehere　bursts　of　red　and　green　light　continued　to　illuminate　the　darkness。　〃The　Whomping　willow；〃　said　Harry；　〃go！〃　Somehow　he　walled　it　all　up　in　his　mind；　crammed　it　into　a　small　space　into　which　he　could　not　look　now：　thoughts　of　Fred　and　Hagrid；　and　his　terror　for　all　the　people　he　loved；　scattered　in　and　outside　the　castle；　must　all　wait；　because　they　had　to　run；　had　to　reach　the　snake　and　Voldemort；　because　that　was；　as　Hermione　said；　the　only　way　to　end　ita150a150　He　sprinted；　half…believing　he　could　outdistance　death　itself；　ignoring　the　jets　of　light　flying　in　the　darkness　all　around　him；　and　the　sound　of　hte　lake　crashing　like　the　sea；　and　the　creaking　of　the　Forbidden　Forest　though　the　night　was　windless；　through　grounds　that　seemed　themselves　to　have　risen　in　rebellion；　he　ran　faster　than　he　had　ever　moved　in　his　life；　and　it　was　he　who　saw　the　great　tree　first；　the　Willow　that　protected　the　secret　at　its　roots　with　whiplike；　slashing　branches。　Panting　and　gasping；　Harry　slowed　down；　skirting　the　willow's　swiping　branches；　peering　through　the　darkness　toward　its　tick　trunk；　trying　to　see　the　single　knot　in　the　bark　of　the　old　tree　that　would　paralyze　it。　Ron　and　Hermione　caught　up；　Hermione　so　out　of　breath　that　she　could　not　speak。　〃Howa150a150how're　we　going　to　get　in？〃　panted　ron。　〃I　cana150a150see　the　palce…　…if　we　jsut　hada150a150Crookshanks　againa150a150〃　〃Crookshanks？〃　wheezed　Hermione；　bent　double；　clutching　her　chest。　〃Are　you　a　wizard；　or　what？〃　〃Oha150a150righta150a150yeaha150a150〃　Ron　looked　around；　then　directed　his　wand　at　a　twig　on　the　ground　and　said　〃Winguardium　Leviosa！〃　The　twig　flew　up　from　the　gruond；　spun　through　the　air　as　if　caught　by　a　gust　of　wind；　then　zoomed　directly　at　the　trunk　through　the　Willow's　ominously　swaying　branches。　It　jabbed　at　a　place　near　the　roots；　and　at　once；　the　writhing　tree　became　still。　〃Perfect！〃　panted　Hermione。　〃Wait。〃　For　one　teetering　second；　while　the　crashes　and　booms　of　the　battle　filled　the　air；　Harry　hesitated。　Voldemort　wanted　him　to　do　this；　wanted　him　to　come。。。Was　he　leading　Ron　and　Hermione　into　a　trap？　But　the　reality　seemed　to　close　upon　him；　cruel　and　plain：　the　only　way　forward　was　to　kill　the　snake；　and　the　snake　was　where　Voldemort　was；　and　voldemort　was　at　the　end　of　this　tunnel。。。
〃Harry；　we're　coming；　just　get　in　there！〃　said　Ron；　pushing　him　forward。　Harry　wriggled　into　the　earthy　passage　hidden　in　the　tree's　roots。　It　was　a　much　tighter　squeeze　than　it　had　been　the　last　time　they　had　entered　it。　The　tunnel　was　low…ceilinged：　they　had　had　to　double　up　to　move　throuhgh　it　nearly　four　years　previously；　now　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　crawl。　Harry　went　first；　his　wand　illuminated；　expecting　at　any　moment　to　meet　barriers；　but　none　came。　They　moved　in　silence；　Harry's　gaze　fixed　upon　the　swinging　beam　of　the　wand　held　in　his　fist。　At　last；　the　tunnel　began　to　slope　upward　and　Harry　saw　a　sliver　of　light　ahead。　Hermione　tugged　at　his　ankle。　〃The　Cloak！〃　she　whispered。　〃Put　the　Cloak　on！〃　He　groped　behind　him　and　she　forced　the　bundle　of　slippery　cloth　into　his　free　hand。　With　difficulty　he　dragged　it　over　himself；　murmered；　〃Nox；〃　extinguishing　his　wandlight；　and　continued　on　his　hands　and　knees；　as　silently　as　possible；　all　his　senses　straining；　expecting　every　second　to　be　discovered；　to　hear　a　cold　clear　voice；　see　a　flash　of　green　light。　and　then　he　heard　voices　coming　from　the　room　directly　ahead　of　them；　only　slightly　muffled　by　the　fact　that　the　opening　at　the　endo　fht　etuunnel　had　been　blocked　up　by　what　looked　like　an　old　crate。　Hardly　daring　to　breathe；　Harry　edged　right　up　tot　he　opening　and　peered　through　a　tiny　gap　left　between　crate　and　wall。　The　room　beyond　was　dimly　lit；　but　he　could　see　Nagini；　swirlign　and　coiling　like　a　serpent　underwater；　safe　in　her　enchanted；　starry　sphere；　which　floated　unsupported　in　midair。　He　could　see　the　edge　of　a　table；　and　a　long…fingered　white　hand　toying　with　a　wand。　Then　Snape　spoke；　and　Harry's　heart　lurched：　Snape　was　inches　away　from　where　he　crouched；　hidden。　〃。。。my　Lord；　their　resistance　is　crumblinga150a150〃　〃a150a150and　it　is　doing　so　without　your　help；〃　said　Voldemort　in　his　high；　clear　voice。　〃Skilled　wizard　though　you　are；　Severus；　I　do　not　think　you　will　make　much　difference　now。　We　are　almost　there。。。almost。〃　〃Let　me　find　the　boy。　Let　me　bring　you　Potter。　I　know　I　can　find　him；　my　Lord。　Please。〃　Snape　strode　past　the　gap；　and　Harry　drew　back　a　little；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　upon　Nagini；　wondering　whether　there　was　any　spell　that　might　penetrate　the　protection　surrounding　her；　but　he　could　not　think　of　anything。　One　failed　attempt；　and　he　would　give　away　his　position。。。　Voldemort　stood　up。　Harry　could　see　him　now；　see　the　red　eyes；　the　flattened；　serpentine　face；　the　pallor　of　him　gleaming　slightly　in　the　semidarkness。
〃I　have　a　problem；　Severus；〃　said　Voldemort　softly。　〃My　Lord？〃　said　Snape。　Voldemort　raised　the　Elder　Wand；　holding　it　as　delicately　and　precisely　as　a　conductor's　baton。　〃Why　doesn't　it　work　for　me；　Severus？〃　In　the　silence　Harry　imagined　he　could　hear　the　snake　hissing　slightly　as　it　coiled　and　uncoileda150a150or　was　it　Voldemort's　sibilant　sigh　lingering　on　the　air？　〃Mya150a150my　lord？〃　said　Snape　blankly。　〃I　do　not　understand。　Youa150a150you　have　performed　extraordinary　magic　with　that　wand。〃　〃No；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃I　have　performed　my　usual　magic。　I　am　extraordinary；　but　this　wand。。。no。　It　has　not　revealed　the　wonders　it　has　promised。　I　feel　no　difference　between　this　wand　and　the　one　I　procured　from　Ollivander　all　those　years　ago。〃　Voldemort's　tone　was　musing；　calm；　but　Harry's　scar　had　begun　to　throb　and　pulse：　Pain　was　building　in　his　forehead；　and　he　could　feel　that　controlled　sense　of　fury　building　inside　Voldemort。　〃No　difference；〃　said　Voldemort　again。　Snape　did　not　speak。　Harry　could　not　see　his　face。　He　wondered　whether　Snape　sensed　danger；　was　trying　to　find　the　right　words　to　reassure　his　master。　Voldemort　started　to　move　around　the　room：　Harry　lost　sight　of　him　for　seconds　as　he　prowled；　speaking　in　that　same　measured　voice；　while　the　pain　and　fury　mounted　in　Harry。　〃I　have　thought　long　and　hard；　Severus。。。do　you　know　why　I　have　called　you　back　from　battle？〃　And　for　a　moment　Harry　saw　Snape's　profile。　His　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　coiling　snake　in　its　enchanted　cage。　〃No；　my　Lord；　but　I　beg　you　will　let　me　return。　Let　me　find　Potter。〃　〃You　sound　like　Lucius。　Neither　of　you　understands　Potter　as　I　do。　He　does　not　need　finding。　Potter　will　come　to　me。　I　knew　his　weakness　you　see；　his　one　great　flaw。　He　will　hate　watching　the　others　struck　down　around　him；　knwoing　that　it　is　for　him　that　it　happens。　He　will　want　to　stop　it　at　any　cost。　He　will　come。〃　〃But　my　Lord；　he　might　be　killed　accidentally　by　someone　other　than　yourselfa150a150〃　〃My　instruct