jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第98部分

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hat　might　have　helped　me　required　the　use　of　a　wand。。。
　　　〃I　remember　only　forcing　myself；　sleeplessly；　endlessly；　second　by　second；　to　exist。。。　I　settled　in　a　faraway　place；　in　a　forest；　and　I　waited。。。　Surely；　one　of　my　faithful　Death　Eaters　would　try　and　find　me。。。　one　of　them　would　e　and　perform　the　magic　I　could　not；　to　restore　me　to　a　body　。。；　but　I　waited　in　vain。。。〃
　　　The　shiver　ran　once　more　around　the　circle　of　listening　Death　Eaters。　Voldemort　let　the　silence　spiral　horribly　before　continuing。
　　　〃Only　one　power　remained　to　me。　I　could　possess　the　bodies　of　others。　But　I　dared　not　go　where　other　humans　were　plentiful；　for　I　knew　that　the　Aurors　were　still　abroad　and　searching　for　me。
　　　I　sometimes　inhabited　animals…snakes；　of　course；　being　my　preference…but　I　was　little　better　off　inside　them　than　as　pure　spirit；　for　their　bodies　were　ill　adapted　to　perform　magic。。。　and　my　possession　of　them　shortened　their　lives；　none　of　them　lasted　long。。。
　　　〃Then。。。　four　years　ago。。。　the　means　for　my　return　seemed　assured。　A　wizard…young；　foolish；　and　gullible…wandered　across　my　path　in　the　forest　I　had　made　my　home。　Oh；　he　seemed　the　very　chance　I　had　been　dreaming　of。。。　for　he　was　a　teacher　at　Dumbledore's　school。。。　he　was　easy　to　bend　to　my　will。。。　he　brought　me　back　to　this　country；　and　after　a　while；　I　took　possession　of　his　body；　to　supervise　him　closely　as　he　carried　out　my　orders。　But　my　plan　failed。　I　did　not　manage　to　steal　the　Sorcerer's　Stone。　I　was　not　to　be　assured　immortal　life。　I　was　thwarted。。。　thwarted；　once　again；　by　Harry　Potter。。。〃
　　　Silence　once　more；　nothing　was　stirring；　not　even　the　leaves　on　the　yew　tree。　The　Death　Eaters　were　quite　motionless；　the　glittering　eyes　in　their　masks　fixed　upon　Voldemort；　and　upon　Harry。
　　　〃The　servant　died　when　I　left　his　body；　and　I　was　left　as　weak　as　ever　I　had　been；〃　Voldemort　continued。　〃I　returned　to　my　hiding　place　far　away；　and　I　will　not　pretend　to　you　that　I　didn't　then　fear　that　I　might　never　regain　my　powers。。。　Yes；　that　was　perhaps　my　darkest　hour。。。　I　could　not　hope　that　I　would　be　sent　another　wizard　to　possess。。。　and　I　had　given　up　hope；　now；　that　any　of　my　Death　Eaters　cared　what　had　bee　of　me。。。〃
　　　One　or　two　of　the　masked　wizards　in　the　circle　moved　unfortably；　but　Voldemort　took　no　notice。
　　　〃And　then；　not　even　a　year　ago；　when　I　had　almost　abandoned　hope；　it　happened　at　last。。。　a　servant　returned　to　me。　Wormtail　here；　who　had　faked　his　own　death　to　escape　justice；　was　driven　out　of　hiding　by　those　he　had　once　counted　friends；　and　decided　to　return　to　his　master。　He　sought　me　in　the　country　where　it　had　long　been　rumored　I　was　hiding。。。　helped；　of　course；　by　the　rats　he　met　along　the　way。　Wormtail　has　a　curious　affinity　with　rats；　do　you　not；　Wormtail？　His　filthy　little　friends　told　him　there　was　a　place；　deep　in　an　Albanian　forest；　that　they　avoided；　where　small　animals　like　themselves　had　met　their　deaths　by　a　dark　shadow　that　possessed　them。。。
　　　〃But　his　journey　back　to　me　was　not　smooth；　was　it；　Wormtail？　For；　hungry　one　night；　on　the　edge　of　the　very　forest　where　he　had　hoped　to　find　me；　he　foolishly　stopped　at　an　inn　for　some　food。。。　and　who　should　he　meet　there；　but　one　Bertha　Jorkins；　a　witch　from　the　Ministry　of　Magic。
　　　〃Now　see　the　way　that　fate　favors　Lord　Voldemort。　This　might　have　been　the　end　of　Wormtail；　and　of　my　last　hope　for　regeneration。　But　Wormtail…displaying　a　presence　of　mind　I　would　never　have　expected　from　him…convinced　Bertha　Jorkins　to　acpany　him　on　a　nighttime　stroll。　He　overpowered　her　。。。he　brought　her　to　me。　And　Bertha　Jorkins；　who　might　have　ruined　all；　proved　instead　to　be　a　gift　beyond　my　wildest　dreams　。。。for…with　a　little　persuasion…she　became　a　veritable　mine　of　information。
　　　〃She　told　me　that　the　Triwizard　Tournament　would　be　played　at　Hogwarts　this　year。　She　told　me　that　she　knew　of　a　faithful　Death　Eater　who　would　be　only　too　willing　to　help　me；　if　I　could　only　contact　him。　She　told　me　many　things。。。　but　the　means　I　used　to　break　the　Memory　Charm　upon　her　were　powerful；　and　when　I　had　extracted　all　useful　information　from　her；　her　mind　and　body　were　both　damaged　beyond　repair。　She　had　now　served　her　purpose。　I　could　not　possess　her。　I　disposed　of　her。〃
　　　Voldemort　smiled　his　terrible　smile；　his　red　eyes　blank　and　pitiless。
　　　〃Wormtail's　body；　of　course；　was　ill　adapted　for　possession；　as　all　assumed　him　dead；　and　would　attract　far　too　much　attention　if　noticed。　However；　he　was　the　able…bodied　servant　I　needed；　and；　poor　wizard　though　he　is；　Wormtail　was　able　to　follow　the　instructions　I　gave　him；　which　would　return　me　to　a　rudimentary；　weak　body　of　my　own；　a　body　I　would　be　able　to　inhabit　while　awaiting　the　essential　ingredients　for　true　rebirth　。。。a　spell　or　two　of　my　own　invention　。。。a　little　help　from　my　dear　Nagini；〃　Voldemorts　red　eyes　fell　upon　the　continually　circling　snake；　〃a　potion　concocted　from　unicorn　blood；　and　the　snake　venom　Nagini　provided　。。。I　was　soon　returned　to　an　almost　human　form；　and　strong　enough　to　travel。
　　　〃There　was　no　hope　of　stealing　the　Sorcerer's　Stone　anymore；　for　I　knew　that　Dumbledore　would　have　seen　to　it　that　it　was　destroyed。　But　I　was　willing　to　embrace　mortal　life　again；　before　chasing　immortality。　I　set　my　sights　lower　。。。I　would　settle　for　my　old　body　back　again；　and　my　old　strength。
　　　〃I　knew　that　to　achieve　this…it　is　an　old　piece　of　Dark　Magic；　the　potion　that　revived　me　tonight…I　would　need　three　powerful　ingredients。　Well；　one　of　them　was　already　at　hand；　was　it　not；　Wormtail？　Flesh　given　by　a　servant。。。
　　　〃My　father's　bone；　naturally；　meant　that　we　would　have　to　e　here；　where　he　was　buried。　But　the　blood　of　a　foe　。。。Wormtail　would　have　had　me　use　any　wizard；　would　you　not；　Wormtail？　Any　wizard　who　had　hated　me　。。。as　so　many　of　them　still　do。　But　I　knew　the　one　I　must　use；　if　I　was　to　rise　again；　more　powerful　than　I　had　been　when　I　had　fallen。　I　wanted　Harry　Potters　blood。　I　wanted　the　blood　of　the　one　who　had　stripped　me　of　power　thirteen　years　ago。。。　for　the　lingering　protection　his　mother　once　gave　him　would　then　reside　in　my　veins　too。。。
　　　〃But　how　to　get　at　Harry　Potter？　For　he　has　been　better　protected　than　I　think　even　he　knows；　protected　in　ways　devised　by　Dumbledore　long　ago；　when　it　fell　to　him　to　arrange　the　boy's　future。　Dumbledore　invoked　an　ancient　magic；　to　ensure　the　boy's　protection　as　long　as　he　is　in　his　relations'　care。　Not　even　I　can　touch　him　there。。。　Then；　of　course；　there　was　the　Quidditch　World　Cup。。。　I　thought　his　protection　might　be　weaker　there；　away　from　his　relations　and　Dumbledore；　but　I　was　not　yet　strong　enough　to　attempt　kidnap　in　the　midst　of　a　horde　of　Ministry　wizards。　And　then；　the　boy　would　return　to　Hogwarts；　where　he　is　under　the　crooked　nose　of　that　Muggle…loving　fool　from　morning　until　night。　So　how　could　I　take　him？
　　　〃Why　。。。by　using　Bertha　Jorkins's　information；　of　course。　Use　my　one　faithful　Death　Eater；　stationed　at　Hogwarts；　to　ensure　that　the　boy's　name　was　entered　into　the　Goblet　of　Fire。　Use　my　Death　Eater　to　ensure　that　the　boy　won　the　tournament…that　he　touched　the　Triwizard　Cup　first…the　cup　which　my　Death　Eater　had　turned　into　a　Portkey；　which　would　bring　him　here；　beyond　the　reach　of　Dumbledore's　help　and　protection；　and　into　my　waiting　arms。　And　here　he　is　。。。the　boy　you　all　believed　had　been　my　downfall。。。〃
　　　Voldemort　moved　slowly　forward　and　turned　to　face　Harry。　He　raised　his　wand。
　　　〃Crucio！〃
　　　It　was　pain　beyond　anything　Harry　had　ever　experienced；　his　very　bones　were　on　fire；　his　head　was　surely　splitting　along　his　scar；　his　eyes　were　rolling　madly　in　his　head；　he　wanted　it　to　end　。。。to　black　out。。。　to　die　。。。
　　　And　then　it　was　gone。　He　was　hanging　limply　in　the　ropes　binding　him　to　the　headstone　of　Voldemort's　father；　looking　up　into　those　bright　red　eyes　through　a　kind　of　mist。　The　night　was　ringing　with　the　sound　of　the　Death　Eaters'　laughter。
　　　〃You　see；　I　think；　how　foolish　it　was　to　suppose　that　this　boy　could　ever　have　been　stronger　than　me；〃　said　Voldemort。　〃But　I　want　there　to　be　no　mistake　in　anybody's　mind。　Harry　Potter　escaped　me　by　a　lucky　chance。　And　I　am　now　going　to　prove　my　power　by　killing　him；　here　and　now；　in　front　of　you　all；　when　there　is　no　Dumbledore　to　help　him；　and　no　mother　to　die　for　him。　I　will　give　him　his　chance。　He　will　be　allowed　to　fight；　and　you　will　be　left　in　no　doubt　which　of　us　is　the　stronger。　Just　a　little　longer；　Nagini；〃　he　whispered；　and　the　snake　glided　away　through　the　grass　to　where　the　Death　Eaters　stood　watching。
　　　〃Now　untie　him；　Wormtail；　and　give　him　back　his　wand。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTY…FOUR
　　　PRIORI　INCANTATEM
　　　
　　　Wormtail　approached　Harry；　who　scrambled　to　find　his　feet；　to　support　his　own　weight　before　the　ropes　were　untied。　Wormtail　raised　his　new　silver　hand；　pulled　out　the　wad　of　material　gagging　Harry；　and　then；　with　one　swipe；　cut　through　the　bonds　tying　Harry　to　the　gravestone。
　　　There　was　a　split　second；　perhaps；　when　Harry　might　have　considered　running　for　it；　but　his　injured　leg　shook　under　him　as　he　stood　on　the　overgrown　grave；　as　the　Death　Eaters　closed　ranks；　forming　a　tighter　circle　around　him　and　Voldemort；　so　that　the　gaps　where　the　missing　Death　Eaters　should　have　stood　were　filled。　Wormtail　walked　out　of　the　circle　to　the　place　where　Cedric's　body　lay　and　returned　with　Harry's　wand；　which　he　thrust　roughly　into　Harry's　hand　without　looking　at　him。　Then　Wormtail　resumed　his　place　in　the　circle　of　watching　Death　Eaters。
　　　〃You　have　been　taught　how　to　duel。　Harry　Potter？〃　said　Voldemort　softly；　his　red　eyes　glinting　through　the　darkness。
　　　At　these　words　Harry　remembered；　as　though　from　a　former　life；　the　dueling　club　at　Hogwarts　he　had　attended　briefly　two　years　ago。。。　All　he　had　learned　there　was　the　Disarming　Spell；　〃Expelliarmus〃。。。　and　what　use　would　it　be　to　deprive　Voldemort　of　his　wand；　even　if　he　could；　when　he　was　surrounded　by　Death　Eaters；　outnumbered　by　at　least　thirty　to　one？　He　had　never　learned　anything　that　could　possibly　fit　him　for　this。　He　knew　he　was　facing　the　thing　against　which　Moody　had　always　warned。。。　the　unblockable　Avada　Kedavra　curse…and　Voldemort　was　right…his　mother　was　not　here　to　die　for　him　this　time。。。　He　was　quite　unprotected。。。
　　　〃We　bow　to