jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第87部分

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　repaired；　somebody　was　dead　。。。so　Wormtail　was　not　going　to　be　fed　to　the　snake。。。　he；　Harry；　was　going　to　be　fed　to　it　instead。。。
　　　Harry　had　walked　right　past　the　stone　gargoyle　guarding　the　entrance　to　Dumbledores　office　without　noticing。　He　blinked；　looked　around；　realized　what　he　had　done；　and　retraced　his　steps；　stopping　in　front　of　it。　Then　he　remembered　that　he　didn't　know　the　password。
　　　〃Sherbet　lemon？〃　he　tried　tentatively。
　　　The　gargoyle　did　not　move。
　　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry；　staring　at　it；　〃Pear　Drop。　Er…Licorice　Wand。　Fizzing　Whizbee。　Drooble's　Best　Blowing　Gum。　Bertie　Bott's　Every　Flavor　Beans　。。。oh　no；　he　doesn't　like　them；　does　he？。。。　oh　just　open；　can't　you？〃　he　said　angrily。　〃I　really　need　to　see　him；　its　urgent！〃
　　　The　gargoyle　remained　immovable。
　　　Harry　kicked　it；　achieving　nothing　but　an　excruciating　pain　in　his　big　toe。
　　　〃Chocolate　Frog！〃　he　yelled　angrily；　standing　on　one　leg。　〃Sugar　Quill！　Cockroach　Cluster！〃
　　　The　gargoyle　sprang　to　life　and　jumped　aside。　Harry　blinked。
　　　〃Cockroach　Cluster？〃　he　said；　amazed。　〃I　was　only　joking。。。〃
　　　He　hurried　through　the　gap　in　the　walls　and　stepped　onto　the　foot　of　a　spiral　stone　staircase；　which　moved　slowly　upward　as　the　doors　closed　behind　him；　taking　him　up　to　a　polished　oak　door　with　a　brass　door　knocker。
　　　He　could　hear　voices　from　inside　the　office。　He　stepped　off　the　moving　staircase　and　hesitated；　listening。
　　　〃Dumbledore；　I'm　afraid　I　don't　see　the　connection；　don't　see　it　at　all！〃　It　was　the　voice　of　the　Minister　of　Magic；　Cornelius　Fudge。　〃Ludo　says　Berthas　perfectly　capable　of　getting　herself　lost。　I　agree　we　would　have　expected　to　have　found　her　by　now；　but　all　the　same；　we've　no　evidence　of　foul　play；　Dumbledore；　none　at　all。　As　for　her　disappearance　being　linked　with　Barty　Crouch's！〃
　　　〃And　what　do　you　thinks　happened　to　Barty　Crouch；　Minister？〃　said　Moody's　growling　voice。
　　　〃I　see　two　possibilities；　Alastor；〃　said　Fudge。　〃Either　Crouch　has　finally　cracked…more　than　likely；　I'm　sure　you'll　agree；　given　his　personal　history…lost　his　mind；　and　gone　wandering　off　somewhere…〃
　　　〃He　wandered　extremely　quickly；　if　that　is　the　case；　Cornelius；〃　said　Dumbledore　calmly。
　　　〃Or　else…well。。。〃　Fudge　sounded　embarrassed。　〃Well；　I'll　reserve　judgment　until　after　I've　seen　the　place　where　he　was　found；　but　you　say　it　was　just　past　the　Beauxbatons　carriage？　Dumbledore；　you　know　what　that　woman　is？〃
　　　〃I　consider　her　to　be　a　very　able　headmistress…and　an　excellent　dancer；〃　said　Dumbledore　quietly。
　　　〃Dumbledore；　e！〃　said　Fudge　angrily。　〃Don't　you　think　you　might　be　prejudiced　in　her　favor　because　of　Hagrid？　They　don't　all　turn　out　harmless…if；　indeed；　you　can　call　Hagrid　harmless；　with　that　monster　fixation　he's　got…〃
　　　〃I　no　more　suspect　Madame　Maxime　than　Hagrid；〃　said　Dumbledore；　just　as　calmly。　〃I　think　it　possible　that　it　is　you　who　are　prejudiced；　Cornelius。〃
　　　〃Can　we　wrap　up　this　discussion？〃　growled　Moody。
　　　〃Yes；　yes；　let's　go　down　to　the　grounds；　then；〃　said　Fudge　impatiently。
　　　〃No；　it's　not　that；〃　said　Moody；　〃it's　just　that　Potter　wants　a　word　with　you；　Dumbledore。　He's　just　outside　the　door。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTY
　　　THE　PENSIEVE
　　　
　　　The　door　of　the　office　opened。
　　　〃Hello；　Potter；〃　said　Moody。　〃e　in；　then。〃
　　　Harry　walked　inside。　He　had　been　inside　Dumbledore's　office　once　before；　it　was　a　very　beautiful；　circular　room；　lined　with　pictures　of　previous　headmasters　and　headmistresses　of　Hogwarts；　all　of　whom　were　fast　asleep；　their　chests　rising　and　falling　gently。
　　　Cornelius　Fudge　was　standing　beside　Dumbledore's　desk；　wearing　his　usual　pinstriped　cloak　and　holding　his　lime…green　bowler　hat。
　　　〃Harry！〃　said　Fudge　jovially；　moving　forward。　〃How　are　you？〃
　　　〃Fine；〃　Harry　lied。
　　　〃We　were　just　talking　about　the　night　when　Mr。　Crouch　turned　up　on　the　grounds；〃　said　Fudge。　〃It　was　you　who　found　him；　was　it　not？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry。　Then；　feeling　it　was　pointless　to　pretend　that　he　hadn't　overheard　what　they　had　been　saying；　he　added；　〃I　didn't　see　Madame　Maxime　anywhere；　though；　and　she'd　have　a　job　hiding；　wouldn't　she？〃
　　　Dumbledore　smiled　at　Harry　behind　Fudge's　back；　his　eyes　twinkling。
　　　〃Yes；　well；〃　said　Fudge；　looking　embarrassed；　〃we're　about　to　go　for　a　short　walk　on　the　grounds；　Harry；　if　you'll　excuse　us　。。。perhaps　if　you　just　go　back　to　your　class…〃
　　　〃I　wanted　to　talk　to　you。　Professor；〃　Harry　said　quickly；　looking　at　Dumbledore；　who　gave　him　a　swift；　searching　look。
　　　〃Wait　here　for　me；　Harry；〃　he　said。　〃Our　examination　of　the　grounds　will　not　take　long。〃
　　　They　trooped　out　in　silence　past　him　and　closed　the　door。　After　a　minute　or　so；　Harry　heard　the　clunks　of　Moody's　wooden　leg　growing　fainter　in　the　corridor　below。　He　looked　around。
　　　〃Hello；　Fawkes；〃　he　said。
　　　Fawkes；　Professor　Dumbledore's　phoenix；　was　standing　on　his　golden　perch　beside　the　door。　The　size　of　a　swan；　with　magnificent　scarlet…and…gold　plumage；　he　swished　his　long　tail　and　blinked　benignly　at　Harry。
　　　Harry　sat　down　in　a　chair　in　front　of　Dumbledore's　desk。　For　several　minutes；　he　sat　and　watched　the　old　headmasters　and　headmistresses　snoozing　in　their　frames；　thinking　about　what　he　had　just　heard；　and　running　his　fingers　over　his　scar。　It　had　stopped　hurting　now。
　　　He　felt　much　calmer；　somehow；　now　that　he　was　in　Dumbledore's　office；　knowing　he　would　shortly　be　telling　him　about　the　dream。　Harry　looked　up　at　the　walls　behind　the　desk。　The　patched　and　ragged　Sorting　Hat　was　standing　on　a　shelf。　A　glass　case　next　to　it　held　a　magnificent　silver　sword　with　large　rubies　set　into　the　hilt；　which　Harry　recognized　as　the　one　he　himself　had　pulled　out　of　the　Sorting　Hat　in　his　second　year。　The　sword　had　once　belonged　to　Godric　Gryffindor；　founder　of　Harry's　House。　He　was　gazing　at　it；　remembering　how　it　had　e　to　his　aid　when　he　had　thought　all　hope　was　lost；　when　he　noticed　a　patch　of　silvery　light；　dancing　and　shimmering　on　the　glass　case。　He　looked　around　for　the　source　of　the　light　and　saw　a　sliver　of　silver…white　shining　brightly　from　within　a　black　cabinet　behind　him；　whose　door　had　not　been　closed　properly。　Harry　hesitated；　glanced　at　Fawkes；　then　got　up；　walked　across　the　office；　and　pulled　open　the　cabinet　door。
　　　A　shallow　stone　basin　lay　there；　with　odd　carvings　around　the　edge：　runes　and　symbols　that　Harry　did　not　recognize。　The　silvery　light　was　ing　from　the　basin's　contents；　which　were　like　nothing　Harry　had　ever　seen　before。　He　could　not　tell　whether　the　substance　was　liquid　or　gas。　It　was　a　bright；　whitish　silver；　and　it　was　moving　ceaselessly；　the　surface　of　it　became　ruffled　like　water　beneath　wind；　and　then；　like　clouds；　separated　and　swirled　smoothly。　It　looked　like　light　made　liquid…or　like　wind　made　solid…Harry　couldn't　make　up　his　mind。
　　　He　wanted　to　touch　it；　to　find　out　what　it　felt　like；　but　nearly　four　years'　experience　of　the　magical　world　told　him　that　sticking　his　hand　into　a　bowl　full　of　some　unknown　substance　was　a　very　stupid　thing　to　do。　He　therefore　pulled　his　wand　out　of　the　inside　of　his　robes；　cast　a　nervous　look　around　the　office；　looked　back　at　the　contents　of　the　basin；　and　prodded　them。
　　　The　surface　of　the　silvery　stuff　inside　the　basin　began　to　swirl　very　fast。
　　　Harry　bent　closer；　his　head　right　inside　the　cabinet。　The　silvery　substance　had　bee　transparent；　it　looked　like　glass。　He　looked　down　into　it　expecting　to　see　the　stone　bottom　of　the　basin…and　saw　instead　an　enormous　room　below　the　surface　of　the　mysterious　substance；　a　room　into　which　he　seemed　to　be　looking　through　a　circular　window　in　the　ceiling。
　　　The　room　was　dimly　lit；　he　thought　it　might　even　be　underground；　for　there　were　no　windows；　merely　torches　in　brackets　such　as　the　ones　that　illuminated　the　walls　of　Hogwarts。　Lowering　his　face　so　that　his　nose　was　a　mere　inch　away　from　the　glassy　substance；　Harry　saw　that　rows　and　rows　of　witches　and　wizards　were　seated　around　every　wall　on　what　seemed　to　be　benches　rising　in　levels。　An　empty　chair　stood　in　the　very　center　of　the　room。　There　was　something　about　the　chair　that　gave　Harry　an　ominous　feeling。　Chains　encircled　the　arms　of　it；　as　though　its　occupants　were　usually　tied　to　it。
　　　Where　was　this　place？　It　surely　wasn't　Hogwarts；　he　had　never　seen　a　room　like　that　here　in　the　castle。　Moreover；　the　crowd　in　the　mysterious　room　at　the　bottom　of　the　basin　was　prised　of　adults；　and　Harry　knew　there　were　not　nearly　that　many　teachers　at　Hogwarts。　They　seemed；　he　thought；　to　be　waiting　for　something；　even　though　he　could　only　see　the　tops　of　their　hats；　all　of　their　faces　seemed　to　be　pointing　in　one　direction；　and　none　of　them　were　talking　to　one　another。
　　　The　basin　being　circular；　and　the　room　he　was　observing　square；　Harry　could　not　make　out　what　was　going　on　in　the　corners　of　it。　He　leaned　even　closer；　tilting　his　head；　trying　to　see。。。
　　　The　tip　of　his　nose　touched　the　strange　substance　into　which　he　was　staring。
　　　Dumbledore's　office　gave　an　almighty　lurch…Harry　was　thrown　forward　and　pitched　headfirst　into　the　substance　inside　the　basin…
　　　But　his　head　did　not　hit　the　stone　bottom。　He　was　falling　through　something　icy…cold　and　black；　it　was　like　being　sucked　into　a　dark　whirlpool…
　　　And　suddenly；　Harry　found　himself　sitting　on　a　bench　at　the　end　of　the　room　inside　the　basin；　a　bench　raised　high　above　the　others。　He　looked　up　at　the　high　stone　ceiling；　expecting　to　see　the　circular　window　through　which　he　had　just　been　staring；　but　there　was　nothing　there　but　dark；　solid　stone。
　　　Breathing　hard　and　fast。　Harry　looked　around　him。　Not　one　of　the　witches　and　wizards　in　the　room　（and　there　were　at　least　two　hundred　of　them）　was　looking　at　him。　Not　one　of　them　seemed　to　have　noticed　that　a　fourteen…year…old　boy　had　just　dropped　from　the　ceiling　into　their　midst。　Harry　turned　to　the　wizard　next　to　him　on　the　bench　and　uttered　a　loud　cry　of　surprise　that　reverberated　around　the　silent　room。
　　　He　was　sitting　right　next　to　Albus　Dumbledore。
　　　〃Professor！〃　Harry　said　in　a　kind　of　strangled　whisper。　〃I'm　sorry…I　didn't　mean　to…I　was　just　looking　at　that　basin　in　your　cabinet…I…where　are　we？〃
　　　But　Dumbledore　didn't　move　or　speak。　He　ignored　Harry　pletely。　Like　every　other　wizard　on　the　benches；　he　was　staring　into　the　far　corne