jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第34部分

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　　　〃Not　spew；〃　said　Hermione　impatiently。　〃It's　S…P…E…W。　Stands　for　the　Society　for　the　Promotion　of　Elfish　Welfare。〃
　　　〃Never　heard　of　it；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Well；　of　course　you　haven't；〃　said　Hermione　briskly；　〃I've　only　just　started　it。〃
　　　〃Yeah？〃　said　Ron　in　mild　surprise。　〃How　many　members　have　you　got？〃
　　　〃Well…if　you　two　join…three；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃And　you　think　we　want　to　walk　around　wearing　badges　saying　'spew；'　do　you？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃S…P…E…W！〃　said　Hermione　hotly。　〃I　was　going　to　put　Stop　the　Outrageous　Abuse　of　Our　Fellow　Magical　Creatures　and　Campaign　for　a　Change　in　Their　Legal　Status…but　it　wouldn't　fit。　So　that's　the　heading　of　our　manifesto。〃
　　　She　brandished　the　sheaf　of　parchment　at　them。
　　　〃I've　been　researching　it　thoroughly　in　the　library。　Elf　enslavement　goes　back　centuries。　I　can't　believe　no　one's　done　anything　about　it　before　now。〃
　　　〃Hermione…open　your　ears；〃　said　Ron　loudly。　〃They。　Like。　It。　They　like　being　enslaved！〃
　　　〃Our　short…term　aims；〃　said　Hermione；　speaking　even　more　loudly　than　Ron；　and　acting　as　though　she　hadn't　heard　a　word；　〃are　to　secure　house…elves　fair　wages　and　working　conditions。　Our　long…term　aims　include　changing　the　law　about　non…wand　use；　and　trying　to　get　an　elf　into　the　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control　of　Magical　Creatures；　because　they're　shockingly　underrepresented。〃
　　　〃And　how　do　we　do　all　this？〃　Harry　asked。
　　　〃We　start　by　recruiting　members；〃　said　Hermione　happily。　〃I　thought　two　Sickles　to　join…that　buys　a　badge…and　the　proceeds　can　fund　our　leaflet　campaign。　You're　treasurer；　Ron…I've　got　you　a　collecting　tin　upstairs…and　Harry；　you're　secretary；　so　you　might　want　to　write　down　everything　I'm　saying　now；　as　a　record　of　our　first　meeting。〃
　　　There　was　a　pause　in　which　Hermione　beamed　at　the　pair　of　them；　and　Harry　sat；　torn　between　exasperation　at　Hermione　and　amusement　at　the　look　on　Ron's　face。　The　silence　was　broken；　not　by　Ron；　who　in　any　case　looked　as　though　he　was　temporarily　dumbstruck；　but　by　a　soft　tap；　tap　on　the　window。　Harry　looked　across　the　now　empty　mon　room　and　saw；　illuminated　by　the　moonlight；　a　snowy　owl　perched　on　the　windowsill。
　　　〃Hedwig！〃　he　shouted；　and　he　launched　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　across　the　room　to　pull　open　the　window。
　　　Hedwig　flew　inside；　soared　across　the　room；　and　landed　on　the　table　on　top　of　Harry's　predictions。
　　　〃About　time！〃　said　Harry；　hurrying　after　her。
　　　〃She's　got　an　answer！〃　said　Ron　excitedly；　pointing　at　the　grubby　piece　of　parchment　tied　to　Hedwig's　leg。
　　　Harry　hastily　untied　it　and　sat　down　to　read；　whereupon　Hedwig　fluttered　onto　his　knee；　hooting　softly。
　　　〃What　does　it　say？〃　Hermione　asked　breathlessly。
　　　The　letter　was　very　short；　and　looked　as　though　it　had　been　scrawled　in　a　great　hurry。　Harry　read　it　aloud：
　　　
　　　Harry…
　　　I'm　flying　north　immediately。　This　news　about　your　scar　is　the　latest　in　a　series　of　strange　rumors　that　have　reached　me　here。　If　it　hurts　again；　go　straight　to　Dumbledore…they're　saying　he's　got　Mad…Eye　out　of　retirement；　which　means　he's　reading　the　signs；　even　if　no　one　else　is。
　　　I'll　be　in　touch　soon。　My　best　to　Ron　and　Hermione。　Keep　your　eyes　open；　Harry。
　　　Sirius
　　　
　　　Harry　looked　up　at　Ron　and　Hermione；　who　stared　back　at　him。
　　　〃He's　flying　north？〃　Hermione　whispered。　〃He's　ing　back？〃
　　　〃Dumbledore's　reading　what　signs？〃　said　Ron；　looking　perplexed。　〃Harry…what's　up？〃
　　　For　Harry　had　just　hit　himself　in　the　forehead　with　his　fist；　jolting　Hedwig　out　of　his　lap。
　　　〃I　shouldn't've　told　him！〃　Harry　said　furiously。
　　　〃What　are　you　on　about？〃　said　Ron　in　surprise。
　　　〃It's　made　him　think　he's　got　to　e　back！〃　said　Harry；　now　slamming　his　fist　on　the　table　so　that　Hedwig　landed　on　the　back　of　Ron's　chair；　hooting　indignantly。　〃ing　back；　because　he　thinks　I'm　in　trouble！　And　there's　nothing　wrong　with　me！　And　I　haven't　got　anything　for　you；〃　Harry　snapped　at　Hedwig；　who　was　clicking　her　beak　expectantly；　〃you'll　have　to　go　up　to　the　Owlery　if　you　want　food。〃
　　　Hedwig　gave　him　an　extremely　offended　look　and　took　off　for　the　open　window；　cuffing　him　around　the　head　with　her　outstretched　wing　as　she　went。
　　　〃Harry；〃　Hermione　began；　in　a　pacifying　sort　of　voice。
　　　〃I'm　going　to　bed；〃　said　Harry　shortly。　〃See　you　in　the　morning。〃
　　　Upstairs　in　the　dormitory　he　pulled　on　his　pajamas　and　got　into　his　four…poster；　but　he　didn't　feel　remotely　tired。
　　　If　Sirius　came　back　and　got　caught；　it　would　be　his；　Harry's；　fault。　Why　hadn't　he　kept　his　mouth　shut？　A　few　seconds'　pain　and　he'd　had　to　blab。。。　If　he'd　just　had　the　sense　to　keep　it　to　himself。
　　　He　heard　Ron　e　up　into　the　dormitory　a　short　while　later；　but　did　not　speak　to　him。　For　a　long　time；　Harry　lay　staring　up　at　the　dark　canopy　of　his　bed。　The　dormitory　was　pletely　silent；　and；　had　he　been　less　preoccupied；　Harry　would　have　realized　that　the　absence　of　Neville's　usual　snores　meant　that　he　was　not　the　only　one　lying　awake。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　　　BEAUXBATONS　AND　DURMSTRANG
　　　
　　　Early　next　morning；　Harry　woke　with　a　plan　fully　formed　in　his　mind；　as　though　his　sleeping　brain　had　been　working　on　it　all　night。　He　got　up；　dressed　in　the　pale　dawn　light；　left　the　dormitory　without　waking　Ron；　and　went　back　down　to　the　deserted　mon　room。　Here　he　took　a　piece　of　parchment　from　the　table　upon　which　his　Divination　homework　still　lay　and　wrote　the　following　letter：
　　　
　　　Dear　Sirius；
　　　I　reckon　I　just　imagined　my　scar　hurting；　I　was　half　asleep　when　I　wrote　to　you　last　time。　There's　no　point　ing　back；　everything's　fine　here。　Don't　worry　about　me；　my　head　feels　pletely　normal。
　　　Harry
　　　
　　　He　then　climbed　out　of　the　portrait　hole；　up　through　the　silent　castle　（held　up　only　briefly　by　Peeves；　who　tried　to　overturn　a　large　vase　on　him　halfway　along　the　fourth…floor　corridor）；　finally　arriving　at　the　Owlery；　which　was　situated　at　the　top　of　West　Tower。
　　　The　Owlery　was　a　circular　stone　room；　rather　cold　and　drafty；　because　none　of　the　windows　had　glass　in　them。　The　floor　was　entirely　covered　in　straw；　owl　droppings；　and　the　regurgitated　skeletons　of　mice　and　voles。　Hundreds　upon　hundreds　of　owls　of　every　breed　imaginable　were　nestled　here　on　perches　that　rose　right　up　to　the　top　of　the　tower；　nearly　all　of　them　asleep；　though　here　and　there　a　round　amber　eye　glared　at　Harry。　He　spotted　Hedwig　nestled　between　a　barn　owl　and　a　tawny；　and　hurried　over　to　her；　sliding　a　little　on　the　dropping…strewn　floor。
　　　It　took　him　a　while　to　persuade　her　to　wake　up　and　then　to　look　at　him；　as　she　kept　shuffling　around　on　her　perch；　showing　him　her　tail。　She　was　evidently　still　furious　about　his　lack　of　gratitude　the　previous　night。　In　the　end；　it　was　Harry　suggesting　she　might　be　too　tired；　and　that　perhaps　he　would　ask　Ron　to　borrow　Pigwidgeon；　that　made　her　stick　out　her　leg　and　allow　him　to　tie　the　letter　to　it。
　　　〃Just　find　him；　all　right？〃　Harry　said；　stroking　her　back　as　he　carried　her　on　his　arm　to　one　of　the　holes　in　the　wall。　〃Before　the　dementors　do。〃
　　　She　nipped　his　finger；　perhaps　rather　harder　than　she　would　ordinarily　have　done；　but　hooted　softly　in　a　reassuring　sort　of　way　all　the　same。　Then　she　spread　her　wings　and　took　off　into　the　sunrise。　Harry　watched　her　fly　out　of　sight　with　the　familiar　feeling　of　unease　back　in　his　stomach。　He　had　been　so　sure　that　Sirius's　reply　would　alleviate　his　worries　rather　than　increasing　them。
　　　〃That　was　a　lie；　Harry；〃　said　Hermione　sharply　over　breakfast；　when　he　told　her　and　Ron　what　he　had　done。　〃You　didn't　imagine　your　scar　hurting　and　you　know　it。〃
　　　〃So　what？〃　said　Harry。　〃He's　not　going　back　to　Azkaban　because　of　me。〃
　　　〃Drop　it；〃　said　Ron　sharply　to　Hermione　as　she　opened　her　mouth　to　argue　some　more；　and　for　once；　Hermione　heeded　him；　and　fell　silent。
　　　Harry　did　his　best　not　to　worry　about　Sirius　over　the　next　couple　of　weeks。　True；　he　could　not　stop　himself　from　looking　anxiously　around　every　morning　when　the　post　owls　arrived；　nor；　late　at　night　before　he　went　to　sleep；　prevent　himself　from　seeing　horrible　visions　of　Sirius；　cornered　by　dementors　down　some　dark　London　street；　but　betweentimes　he　tried　to　keep　his　mind　off　his　godfather。　He　wished　he　still　had　Quidditch　to　distract　him；　nothing　worked　so　well　on　a　troubled　mind　as　a　good；　hard　training　session。　On　the　other　hand；　their　lessons　were　being　more　difficult　and　demanding　than　ever　before；　particularly　Moody's　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts。
　　　To　their　surprise；　Professor　Moody　had　announced　that　he　would　be　putting　the　Imperius　Curse　on　each　of　them　in　turn；　to　demonstrate　its　power　and　to　see　whether　they　could　resist　its　effects。
　　　〃But…but　you　said　it's　illegal；　Professor；〃　said　Hermione　uncertainly　as　Moody　cleared　away　the　desks　with　a　sweep　of　his　wand；　leaving　a　large　clear　space　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　〃You　said…to　use　it　against　another　human　was…〃
　　　〃Dumbledore　wants　you　taught　what　it　feels　like；〃　said　Moody；　his　magical　eye　swiveling　onto　Hermione　and　fixing　her　with　an　eerie；　unblinking　stare。　〃If　you'd　rather　learn　the　hard　way…when　someone's　putting　it　on　you　so　they　can　control　you　pletely…fine　by　me。　You're　excused。　Off　you　go。〃
　　　He　pointed　one　gnarled　finger　toward　the　door。　Hermione　went　very　pink　and　muttered　something　about　not　meaning　that　she　wanted　to　leave。　Harry　and　Ron　grinned　at　each　other。　They　knew　Hermione　would　rather　eat　bubotuber　pus　than　miss　such　an　important　lesson。
　　　Moody　began　to　beckon　students　forward　in　turn　and　put　the　Imperius　Curse　upon　them。　Harry　watched　as；　one　by　one；　his　classmates　did　the　most　extraordinary　things　under　its　influence。　Dean　Thomas　hopped　three　times　around　the　room；　singing　the　national　anthem。　Lavender　Brown　imitated　a　squirrel。　Neville　performed　a　series　of　quite　astonishing　gymnastics　he　would　certainly　not　have　been　capable　of　in　his　normal　state。　Not　one　of　them　seemed　to　be　able　to　fight　off　the　curse；　and　each　of　them　recovered　only　when　Moody　had　removed　it。
　　　〃Potter；〃　Moody　growled；　〃you　next。〃
　　　Harry　moved　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　classroom；　into　the　space　that　Moody　had　cleared　of　desks。　Moody　raised　his　wand；　pointed　it　at　Harry；　and　said；　'1mperio！〃
　　　It　was　the　most　wonderful　feeling。　Harry　felt　a　floating　sensation　as　every　thou