jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第43章

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es　spread　with　books；　Arithmancy　charts；　rune　dictionaries；　diagrams　of　Muggles　lifting　heavy　objects；　and　file　upon　file　of　extensive　notes；　she　barely　spoke　to　anybody　and　snapped　when　she　was　interrupted。
　　　〃How's　she　doing　it？〃　Ron　muttered　to　Harry　one　evening　as　Harry　sat　finishing　a　nasty　essay　on　Undetectable　Poisons　for　Snape。　Harry　looked　up。　Hermione　was　barely　visible　behind　a　tottering　pile　of　books。
　　　〃Doing　what？〃
　　　〃Getting　to　all　her　classes！〃　Ron　said。　〃I　heard　her　talking　to　Professor　Vector；　that　Arithmancy　witch；　this　morning。　They　were　going　on　about　yesterday's　lesson；　but　Hermione　can't　've　been　there；　because　she　was　with　us　in　Care　of　Magical　Creatures！　And　Ernie　McMillan　told　me　she's　never　missed　a　Muggle　Studies　class；　but　half　of　them　are　at　the　same　time　as　Divination；　and　she's　never　missed　one　of　them　either！〃
　　　Harry　didn't　have　time　to　fathom　the　mystery　of　Hermione's　impossible　schedule　at　the　moment；　he　really　needed　to　get　on　with　Snape's　essay。　Two　seconds　later；　however；　he　was　interrupted　again；　this　time　by　Wood。
　　　〃Bad　news；　Harry。　I've　just　been　to　see　Professor　McGonagall　about　the　Firebolt。　She…er…got　a　bit　shirty　with　me。　Told　m'　I'd　got　my　priorities　wrong。　Seemed　to　think　I　cared　more　about　winning　the　Cup　than　I　do　about　you　staying　alive。　Just　because　I　told　her　I　didn't　care　if　it　threw　you　off；　as　long　as　you　caught　the　Snitch　first。〃　Wood　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Honestly；　the　way　she　was　yelling　at　me。。。　you'd　think　I'd　said　something　terrible。。。　then　I　asked　her　how　much　longer　she　was　going　to　keep　it。　He　screwed　up　his　face　and　imitated　Professor　McGonagall's　severe　voice。　'As　long　as　necessary；　Wood'。。。　I　reckon　it's　time　you　ordered　a　new　broom；　Harry。　There's　an　order　form　at　the　back　of　Which　Broomstick。。。　you　could　get　a　Nimbus　Two　Thousand　and　One；　like　Malfoy's　got。〃
　　　〃I'm　not　buying　anything　Malfoy　thinks　is　good；〃　said　Harry　flatly。
　　　January　faded　imperceptibly　into　February；　with　no　change　in　the　bitterly　cold　weather。　The　match　against　Ravenclaw　was　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；　but　Harry　still　hadn't　ordered　a　new　broom。　He　was　now　asking　Professor　McGonagall　for　news　of　the　Firebolt　after　every　Transfiguration　lesson；　Ron　standing　hopefully　at　his　shoulder；　Hermione　rushing　past　with　her　face　averted。
　　　〃No；　Potter；　you　can't　have　it　back　yet；〃　Professor　McGonagall　told　him　the　twelfth　time　this　happened；　before　he'd　even　opened　his　mouth。　〃We've　checked　for　most　of　the　usual　curses；　but　Professor　Flitwick　believes　the　broom　might　be　carrying　a　Hurling　Hex。　I　shall　tell　you　once　we've　finished　checking　it。　Now；　please　stop　badgering　me。〃
　　　To　make　matters　even　worse；　Harry's　anti…dementor　lessons　were　not　going　nearly　as　well　as　he　had　hoped。　Several　sessions　on；　he　was　able　to　produce　an　indistinct；　silvery　shadow　every　time　the　boggart…dementor　approached　him；　but　his　Patronus　was　too　feeble　to　drive　the　dementor　away。　All　it　did　was　hover；　like　a　semitransparent　cloud；　draining　Harry　of　energy　as　he　fought　to　keep　it　there。　Harry　felt　angry　with　himself；　guilty　about　his　secret　desire　to　hear　his　parents'　voices　again。
　　　〃You're　expecting　too　much　of　yourself；〃　said　Professor　Lupin；　sternly　in　their　fourth　week　of　practice。　〃For　a　thirteen…year…old　wizard；　even　an　indistinct　Patronus　is　a　huge　achievement。　You　aren't　passing　out　anymore；　are　you？〃
　　　I　thought　a　Patronus　would…charge　the　dementors　down　or　something；〃　said　Harry　dispiritedly。　〃Make　them　disappear　…〃
　　　〃The　true　Patronus　does　do　that；〃　said　Lupin。　〃But　you've　achieved　a　great　deal　in　a　very　short　space　of　time。　If　the　dementors　put　in　an　appearance　at　your　next　Quidditch　match；　You　will　be　able　to　keep　them　at　bay　long　enough　to　get　back　to　the　ground。〃
　　　〃You　said　it's　harder　if　there　are　loads　of　them；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃I　have　plete　confidence　in　you；〃　said　Lupin；　smiling。　〃Here…you've　earned　a　drink…something　from　the　Three　Broomsticks。　You　won't　have　tried　it　before　…〃
　　　He　pulled　two　bottles　out　of　his　briefcase。
　　　〃Butterbeer！〃　said　Harry；　without　thinking。　〃Yeah；　I　like　that　stuff！〃
　　　Lupin　raised　an　eyebrow。
　　　〃Oh　…Ron　and　Hermione　brought　me　some　back　from　Hogsmeade；〃　Harry　lied　quickly。
　　　I　see；〃　said　Lupin；　though　he　still　looked　slightly　suspicious。　〃Well…let's　drink　to　a　Gryffindor　victory　against　Ravenclaw！　Not　that　I'm　supposed　to　take　sides；　as　a　teacher。。。　〃　he　added　hastily
　　　They　drank　the　butterbeer　in　silence；　until　Harry　voiced　something　he'd　been　wondering　for　a　while。
　　　〃What's　under　a　dementor's　hood？〃
　　　Professor　Lupin　lowered　his　bottle　thoughtfully。
　　　〃Hmmm。。。　well；　the　only　people　who　really　know　are　in　no　condition　to　tell　us。　You　see；　the　dementor　lowers　its　hood　only　to　use　its　last　and　worst　weapon。〃
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　〃They　call　it　the　Dementor's　Kiss；〃　said　Lupin；　with　a　slightly　twisted　smile。　〃It's　what　dementors　do　to　those　they　wish　to　destroy　utterly。　I　suppose　there　must　be　some　kind　of　mouth　under　there；　because　they　clamp　their　jaws　upon　the　mouth　of　the　victim　and…and　suck　out　his　soul。〃
　　　Harry　accidentally　spat　out　a　bit　of　butterbeer。
　　　〃What…they　kill　…？〃
　　　〃Oh　no；〃　said　Lupin。　〃Much　worse　than　that。　You　can　exist　without　your　soul；　you　know；　as　long　as　your　brain　and　heart　are　still　working。　But　you'll　have　no　sense　of　self　anymore；　no　memory；　no。。　。　anything。　There's　no　chance　at　all　of　recovery。　You'll　just　exist。　As　an　empty　shell。　And　your　soul　is　gone　forever。。。　lost。〃
　　　Lupin　drank　a　little　more　butterbeer；　then　said；　〃It's　the　fate　that　awaits　Sirius　Black。　It　was　in　the　Daily　Prophet　this　morning。　The　Ministry　have　given　the　dementors　permission　to　perform　it　if　they　find　him。〃
　　　Harry　sat　stunned　for　a　moment　at　the　idea　of　someone　having　their　soul　sucked　out　through　their　mouth。　But　then　he　thought　of　Black。
　　　〃He　deserves　it；〃　he　said　suddenly。
　　　〃You　think　so？〃　said　Lupin　lightly。　〃Do　you　really　think　anyone　deserves　that？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry　defiantly。　〃For。。。　for　some　things。。。〃
　　　He　would　have　liked　to　have　told　Lupin　about　the　conversation　he'd　overheard　about　Black　in　the　Three　Broomsticks；　about　Black　betraying　his　mother　and　father；　but　it　would　have　involved　revealing　that　he'd　gone　to　Hogsmeade　without　permission；　and　he　knew　Lupin　wouldn't　be　very　impressed　by　that。　So　he　finished　his　butterbeer；　thanked　Lupin；　and　left　the　History　of　Magic　classroom。
　　　Harry　half　wished　that　he　hadn't　asked　what　was　under　a　dementor's　hood；　the　answer　had　been　so　horrible；　and　he　was　so　lost　in　unpleasant　thoughts　of　what　it　would　feel　like　to　have　your　soul　sucked　out　of　you　that　he　walked　headlong　into　Professor　McGonagall　halfway　up　the　stairs。
　　　〃Do　watch　where　you're　going；　Potter！〃
　　　〃Sorry；　Professor　…〃
　　　〃I've　just　been　looking　for　you　in　the　Gryffindor　mon　room；　Well；　here　it　is；　we've　done　everything　we　could　think　of；　and　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　anything　wrong　with　it　at　all。　You've　got　a　very　good　friend　somewhere；　Potter。。。〃
　　　Harry's　jaw　dropped。　She　was　holding　out　his　Firebolt；　and　it　looked　as　magnificent　as　ever。
　　　〃I　can　have　it　back？〃　Harry　said　weakly。　〃Seriously？〃
　　　〃Seriously；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　and　she　was　actually　smiling。　〃I　daresay　you'll　need　to　get　the　feel　of　it　before　Saturday's　match；　won't　you？　And　Potter…do　try　and　win；　won't　you？　Or　we'll　be　out　of　the　running　for　the　eighth　year。　in　a　row；　as　Professor　Snape　was　kind　enough　to　remind　me　only　last　night。。。〃
　　　Speechless；　Harry　carried　the　Firebolt　back　upstairs　toward　Gryffindor　Tower。　As　he　turned　a　corner；　he　saw　Ron　dashing　toward　him；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。
　　　〃She　gave　it　to　You？　Excellent！　Listen；　can　I　still　have　a　go　on　it？　Tomorrow？〃
　　　〃Yeah。。。　anything；〃　said　Harry；　his　heart　lighter　than　it　had　been　in　a　month。　〃You　know　what…we　should　make　up　with　Hermione。。。　She　was　only　trying　to　help。。。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　all　right；〃　said　Ron。　〃She's　in　the　mon　room　how　working；　for　a　change　…〃
　　　They　turned　into　the　corridor　to　Gryffindor　Tower　and　saw　Neville　Longbottom；　pleading　with　Sir　Cadogan；　who　seemed　to　be　refusing　him　entrance。
　　　〃I　wrote　them　down！〃　Neville　was　saying　tearfully。　〃But　I　must've　dropped　them　somewhere！〃
　　　〃A　likely　tale！〃　roared　Sir　C