jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第40章

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　　　But　before　Hermione　could　answer；　Crookshanks　sprang　from　Seamus's　bed；　right　at　Ron's　chest。
　　　〃GET…HIM…OUT…OF…HERE！〃　Ron　bellowed　as　Crookshanks's　claws　ripped　his　pajamas　and　Scabbers　attempted　a　wild　escape　over　his　shoulder。　Ron　seized　Scabbers　by　the　tail　and　aimed　a　misjudged　kick　at　Crookshanks　that　hit　the　trunk　at　the　end　of　Harry's　bed；　knocking　it　over　and　causing　Ron　to　hop　up　and　down；　howling　with　pain。
　　　Crookshanks's　fur　suddenly　stood　on　end。　A　shrill；　tint；；　whistling　was　filling　the　room。　The　Pocket　Sneakoscope　had　bee　dislodged　from　Uncle　Vernon's　old　socks　and　was　whirling　and　gleaming　on　the　floor。
　　　I　forgot　about　that！〃　Harry　said；　bending　down　and　picking　up　the　Sneakoscope。　I　never　wear　those　socks　if　I　can　help　it。。。
　　　The　Sneakoscope　whirled　and　whistled　in　his　palm。　Crookshanks　was　hissing　and　spitting　at　it。
　　　〃You'd　better　take　that　cat　out　of　here；　Hermione；〃　said　Ron　furiously；　sitting　on　Harry's　bed　nursing　his　toe。　〃Can't　you　shut　that　thing　up？〃　he　added　to　Harry　as　Hermione　strode　out　of　the　room；　Crookshanks's　yellow　eyes　still　fixed　maliciously　on　Ron。
　　　Harry　stuffed　the　Sneakoscope　back　inside　the　socks　and　threw　it　back　into　his　trunk。　All　that　could　be　heard　now　were　Ron's　stifled　moans　of　pain　and　rage。　Scabbers　was　huddled　in　Ron's　hands。　It　had　been　a　while　since　Harry　had　seen　him　out　of　Ron's　pocket；　and　he　was　unpleasantly　surprised　to　see　that　Scabbers；　once　so　fat；　was　now　very　skinny；　patches　of　fur　seemed　to　have　fallen　out　too
　　　〃He's　not　looking　too　good；　is　he？〃　Harry　said。
　　　〃It's　stress！〃　said　Ron。　〃He'd　be　fine　if　that　big　stupid　furball　left　him　alone！〃
　　　But　Harry；　remembering　what　the　woman　at　the　Magical　Menagerie　had　said　about　rats　living　only　three　years；　couldn't　help　feeling　that　unless　Scabbers　had　powers　he　had　never　revealed；　he　was　reaching　the　end　of　his　life。　And　despite　Ron's　frequent　conplaints　that　Scabbers　was　both　boring　and　useless；　he　was　sure　Ron　would　be　very　miserable　if　Scabbers　died。
　　　Christmas　spirit　was　definitely　thin　on　the　ground　in　the　Gryffindor　mon　room　that　morning。　Hermione　had　shut　Crookshanks　in　her　dormitory；　but　was　furious　with　Ron　for　trying　to　kick　him；　Ron　was　still　fuming　about　Crookshanks's　fresh　attempt　to　eat　Scabbers。　Harry　gave　up　trying　to　make　them　talk　to　each　other　and　devoted　himself　to　examining　the　Firebolt；　which　he　had　brought　down　to　the　mon　room　with　him。　For　some　reason　this　seemed　to　annoy　Hermione　as　well；　she　didn't　say　anything；　but　she　kept　looking　darkly　at　the　broom　as　though　it　too　had　been　criticizing　her　cat。
　　　At　lunchtime　they　went　down　to　the　Great　Hall；　to　find　that　the　House　tables　had　been　moved　against　the　walls　again；　and　that　a　single　table；　set　for　twelve；　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Professors　Dumbledore；　McGonagall；　Snape；　Sprout；　and　Flitwick　were　there；　along　with　Filch；　the　caretaker；　who　had　taken　off　his　usual　brown　coat　and　was　wearing　a　very　old　and　rather　moldylooking　tailcoat。　There　were　only　three　other　students；　two　extremely　nervous…looking　first　years　and　a　sullen…faced　Slytherin　fifth　year。
　　　〃Merry　Christmas！〃　said　Dumbledore　as　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　approached　the　table。　〃As　there　are　so　few　of　us；　it　seemed　foolish　to　use　the　House　tables。。。　Sit　down；　sit　down！〃
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　sat　down　side　by　side　at　the　end　of　the　table。
　　　〃Crackers！〃　said　Dumbledore　enthusiastically；　offering　the　end　of　a　large　silver　noisemaker　to　Snape；　who　took　it　reluctantly　and　tugged。　With　a　bang　like　a　gunshot；　the　cracker　flew　apart　to　reveal　a　large；　pointed　witchs　hat　topped　with　a　stuffed　vulture。
　　　Harry；　remembering　the　boggart；　caught　Ron's　eye　and　they　both　grinned；　Snape's　mouth　thinned　and　he　pushed　the　hat　toward　Dumbledore；　who　swapped　it　for　his　wizard's　hat　at　once。
　　　〃Dig　in！〃　he　advised　the　table；　beaming　around。
　　　As　Harry　was　helping　himself　to　roast　potatoes；　the　doors　of　the　Great　Hall　opened　again。　It　was　Professor　Trelawney；　gliding　toward　them　as　though　on　wheels。　She　had　put　on　a　green　sequined　dress　in　honor　of　the　occasion；　making　her　look　more　than　ever　like　a　glittering；　oversized　dragonfly。
　　　〃Sibyll；　this　is　a　pleasant　surprise！〃　said　Dumbledore；　standing　up。
　　　〃I　have　been　crystal　gazing；　Headmaster；〃　said　Professor　Trelawney　in　her　mistiest；　most　faraway　voice；　〃and　to　my　astonishment；　I　saw　myself　abandoning　my　solitary　luncheon　and　ing　to　join　you。　Who　am　I　to　refuse　the　promptings　of　fate？　I　at　once　hastened　from　my　tower；　and　I　do　beg　you　to　forgive　my　lateness。。。〃
　　　〃Certainly；　certainly；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　eyes　twinkling。　〃Let　me　draw　you　up　a　chair　…〃
　　　And　he　did　indeed　draw　a　chair　in　midair　with　his　wand；　which　revolved　for　a　few　seconds　before　falling　with　a　thud　between　Professors　Snape　and　McGonagall。　Professor　Trelawney；　however；　did　not　sit　down；　her　enormous　eyes　had　been　roving　around　the　table；　and　she　suddenly　uttered　a　kind　of　soft　scream。
　　　I　dare　not；　Headmaster！　If　I　join　the　table；　we　shall　be　thirteen！　Nothing　could　be　more　unlucky！　Never　forget　that　when　thirteen　dine　together；　the　first　to　rise　will　be　the　first　to　die！〃
　　　〃We'll　risk　it；　Sibyll；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　inpatiendy。　〃Do　sit　down；　the　turkey's　getting　stone　cold。〃
　　　Professor　Trelawney　hesitated；　then　lowered　herself　into　the　empty　chair；　eyes　shut　and　mouth　clenched　tight；　as　though　expecting　a　thunderbolt　to　hit　the　table。　Professor　McGonagall　poked　a　large　spoon　into　the　nearest　tureen。
　　　〃Tripe；　Sibyll？〃
　　　Professor　Trelawney　ignored　her。　Eyes　open　again；　she　looked　around　once　more　and　said；　〃But　where　is　dear　Professor　Lupin？〃
　　　〃I'm　afraid　the　poor　fellow　is　ill　again；〃　said　Dumbledore；　indicating　that　everybody　should　start　serving　themselves。　〃Most　unfortunate　that　it　should　happen　on　Christmas　Day。〃
　　　〃But　surely　you　already　knew　that；　Sibyll？〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　her　eyebrows　raised。
　　　Professor　Trelawney　gave　Professor　McGonagall　a　very　cold　look。
　　　〃Certainly　I　knew；　Minerva；　11　she　said　quietly。　〃But　one　does　not　parade　the　fact　that　one　is　AllKnowing。　I　frequently　act　as　though　I　am　not　possessed　of　the　Inner　Eye；　so　as　not　to　make　others　nervous。
　　　〃That　explains　a　great　deal；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　tartly。
　　　Professor　Trelawney's　voice　suddenly　became　a　good　deal　less　misty。
　　　〃If　you　must　know；　Minerva；　I　have　seen　that　poor　Professor　Lupin　will　not　be　with　us　for　very　long。　He　seems　aware；　himself；　that　his　time　is　short。　He　positively　fled　when　I　offered　to　crystal　gaze　for　him　…〃
　　　〃Imagine　that；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　dryly。
　　　I　doubt；〃　said　Dumbledore；　in　a　cheerful　but　slightly　raised　voice；　which　put　an　end　to　Professor　McGonagall　and　Professor　Trelawney's　conversation；　〃that　Professor　Lupin　is　in　any　immediate　danger。　Severus；　you've　made　the　potion　for　him　again？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Headmaster；〃　said　Snape。　〃W…what？〃　said　Harry；　scrambling　to　his　feet。　〃Why？〃
　　　〃It　will　need　to　be　checked　for　jinxes；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Of　course；　I'm　no　expert；　but　I　daresay　Madam　Hooch　and　Professor　Flitwick　will　strip　it　down　…〃
　　　〃Strip　it　down？〃　repeated　Ron；　as　though　Professor　McGonagall　was　mad。
　　　〃It　shouldn't　take　more　than　a　few　weeks；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃You　will　have　it　back　if　we　are　sure　it　is　jinx…free。〃
　　　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　it！〃　said　Harry；　his　voice　shaking　slightly。　〃Honestly；　Professor　…〃
　　　〃You　can't　know　that；　Potter；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　quite　kindly；　〃not　until　you've　flown　it；　at　any　rate；　and　I'm　afraid　that　is　out　of　the　question　until　we　are　certain　that　it　has　not　been　tampered　with。　I　shall　keep　you　informed。〃
　　　Professor　McGonagall　turned　on　her　heel　and　carried　the　Firebolt　out　of　the　portrait　hole；　which　closed　behind　her。　Harry　stood　staring　after　her；　the　tin　of　High…Finish　Polish　still　clutched　in　his　hands。　Ron；　however；　rounded　on　Hermione。
　　　〃What　did　you　go　running　to　McGonagall　for？
　　　Hermione　threw　her　book　aside。　She　was　still　pink　in　the　face；　but　stood　up　and　faced　Ron　defiantly。
　　　〃Because　I　thought…and　Professor　McGonagall　agrees　with　me…that　that　broom　was　probably　sent　to　Harry　by　Sirius　Black！〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　　　THE　PATRONUS
　　　
　　　Harry　knew　tha