jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第97章

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　　　〃It　is　Veritaserum…a　Truth　Potion　so　powerful　that　three　drops　would　have　you　spilling　your　innermost　secrets　for　this　entire　class　to　hear；〃　said　Snape　viciously。　〃Now；　the　use　of　this　potion　is　controlled　by　very　strict　Ministry　guidelines。　But　unless　you　watch　your　step；　you　might　just　find　that　my　hand　slips〃…he　shook　the　crystal　bottle　slightly…〃right　over　your　evening　pumpkin　juice。　And　then。　Potter。。。　then　we'll　find　out　whether　you've　been　in　my　office　or　not。〃
　　　Harry　said　nothing。　He　turned　back　to　his　ginger　roots　once　more；　picked　up　his　knife；　and　started　slicing　them　again。　He　didn't　like　the　sound　of　that　Truth　Potion　at　all；　nor　would　he　put　it　past　Snape　to　slip　him　some。　He　repressed　a　shudder　at　the　thought　of　what　might　e　spilling　out　of　his　mouth　if　Snape　did　it。。。　quite　apart　from　landing　a　whole　lot　of　people　in　trouble…Hermione　and　Dobby　for　a　start…there　were　all　the　other　things　he　was　concealing。。。　like　the　fact　that　he　was　in　contact　with　Sirius。。。　and…his　insides　squirmed　at　the　thought…how　he　felt　about　Cho。。。　He　tipped　his　ginger　roots　into　the　cauldron　too；　and　wondered　whether　he　ought　to　take　a　leaf　out　of　Moody　s　book　and　start　drinking　only　from　a　private　hip　flask。
　　　There　was　a　knock　on　the　dungeon　door。
　　　〃Enter；〃　said　Snape　in　his　usual　voice。
　　　The　class　looked　around　as　the　door　opened。　Professor　Karkaroff　came　in。　Everyone　watched　him　as　he　walked　up　toward　Snape's　desk。　He　was　twisting　his　finger　around　his　goatee　and　looking　agitated。
　　　〃We　need　to　talk；〃　said　Karkaroff　abruptly　when　he　had　reached　Snape。　He　seemed　so　determined　that　nobody　should　hear　what　he　was　saying　that　he　was　barely　opening　his　lips；　it　was　as　though　he　were　a　rather　poor　ventriloquist。　Harry　kept　his　eyes　on　his　ginger　roots；　listening　hard。
　　　〃I'll　talk　to　you　after　my　lesson；　Karkaroff；〃　Snape　muttered；　but　Karkaroff　interrupted　him。
　　　〃I　want　to　talk　now；　while　you　can't　slip　off；　Severus。　You've　been　avoiding　me。〃
　　　〃After　the　lesson；〃　Snape　snapped。
　　　Under　the　pretext　of　holding　up　a　measuring　cup　to　see　if　he'd　poured　out　enough　armadillo　bile；　Harry　sneaked　a　sidelong　glance　at　the　pair　of　them。　Karkaroff　looked　extremely　worried；　and　Snape　looked　angry。
　　　Karkaroff　hovered　behind　Snape's　desk　for　the　rest　of　the　double　period。　He　seemed　intent　on　preventing　Snape　from　slipping　away　at　the　end　of　class。　Keen　to　hear　what　Karkaroff　wanted　to　say；　Harry　deliberately　knocked　over　his　bottle　of　armadillo　bile　with　two　minutes　to　go　to　the　bell；　which　gave　him　an　excuse　to　duck　down　behind　his　cauldron　and　mop　up　while　the　rest　of　the　class　moved　noisily　toward　the　door。
　　　〃What's　so　urgent？〃　he　heard　Snape　hiss　at　Karkaroff。
　　　〃This；〃　said　Karkaroff；　and　Harry；　peering　around　the　edge　of　his　cauldron；　saw　Karkaroff　pull　up　the　left…hand　sleeve　of　his　robe　and　show　Snape　something　on　his　inner　forearm。
　　　〃Well？〃　said　Karkaroff；　still　making　every　effort　not　to　move　his　lips。　〃Do　you　see？　It's　never　been　this　clear；　never　since…〃
　　　〃Put　it　away！〃　snarled　Snape；　his　black　eyes　sweeping　the　classroom。
　　　〃But　you　must　have　noticed…〃　Karkaroff　began　in　an　agitated　voice。
　　　〃We　can　talk　later；　Karkaroff！〃　spat　Snape。　〃Potter！　What　are　you　doing？〃
　　　〃Clearing　up　my　armadillo　bile；　Professor；〃　said　Harry　innocently；　straightening　up　and　showing　Snape　the　sodden　rag　he　was　holding。
　　　Karkaroff　turned　on　his　heel　and　strode　out　of　the　dungeon。　He　looked　both　worried　and　angry。　Not　wanting　to　remain　alone　with　an　exceptionally　angry　Snape；　Harry　threw　his　books　and　ingredients　back　into　his　bag　and　left　at　top　speed　to　tell　Ron　and　Hermione　what　he　had　just　witnessed。
　　　
　　　They　left　the　castle　at　noon　the　next　day　to　find　a　weak　silver　sun　shining　down　upon　the　grounds。　The　weather　was　milder　than　it　had　been　all　year；　and　by　the　time　they　arrived　in　Hogsmeade；　all　three　of　them　had　taken　off　their　cloaks　and　thrown　them　over　their　shoulders。　The　food　Sirius　had　told　them　to　bring　was　in　Harry's　bag；　they　had　sneaked　a　dozen　chicken　legs；　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　a　flask　of　pumpkin　juice　from　the　lunch　table。
　　　They　went　into　Gladrags　Wizardwear　to　buy　a　present　for　Dobby；　where　they　had　fun　selecting　the　most　lurid　socks　they　could　find；　including　a　pair　patterned　with　flashing　gold　and　silver　stars；　and　another　that　screamed　loudly　when　they　became　too　smelly。　Then；　at　half　past　one；　they　made　their　way　up　the　High　Street；　past　Dervish　and　Banges；　and　out　toward　the　edge　of　the　village。
　　　Harry　had　never　been　in　this　direction　before。　The　winding　lane　was　leading　them　out　into　the　wild　countryside　around　Hogsmeade。　The　cottages　were　fewer　here；　and　their　gardens　larger；　they　were　walking　toward　the　foot　of　the　mountain　in　whose　shadow　Hogsmeade　lay。　Then　they　turned　a　corner　and　saw　a　stile　at　the　end　of　the　lane。　Waiting　for　them；　its　front　paws　on　the　topmost　bar；　was　a　very　large；　shaggy　black　dog；　which　was　carrying　some　newspapers　in　its　mouth　and　looking　very　familiar。。。
　　　〃Hello；　Sirius；〃　said　Harry　when　they　had　reached　him。
　　　The　black　dog　sniffed　Harry's　bag　eagerly；　wagged　its　tail　once；　then　turned　and　began　to　trot　away　from　them　across　the　scrubby　patch　of　ground　that　rose　to　meet　the　rocky　foot　of　the　mountain。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　climbed　over　the　stile　and　followed。
　　　Sirius　led　them　to　the　very　foot　of　the　mountain；　where　the　ground　was　covered　with　boulders　and　rocks。　It　was　easy　for　him；　with　his　four　paws；　but　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　were　soon　out　of　breath。　They　followed　Sirius　higher；　up　onto　the　mountain　itself。　For　nearly　half　an　hour　they　climbed　a　steep；　winding；　and　stony　path；　following　Sirius's　wagging　tail；　sweating　in　the　sun；　the　shoulder　straps　of　Harry's　bag　cutting　into　his　shoulders。
　　　Then；　at　last；　Sirius　slipped　out　of　sight；　and　when　they　reached　the　place　where　he　had　vanished；　they　saw　a　narrow　fissure　in　the　rock。　They　squeezed　into　it　and　found　themselves　in　a　cool；　dimly　lit　cave。　Tethered　at　the　end　of　it；　one　end　of　his　rope　around　a　large　rock；　was　Buckbeak　the　hippogriff。　Half　gray　horse；　half　giant　eagle；　Buckbeak's　fierce　orange　eye　flashed　at　the　sight　of　them。　All　three　of　them　bowed　low　to　him；　and　after　regarding　them　imperiously　for　a　moment；　Buckbeak　bent　his　scaly　front　knees　and　allowed　Hermione　to　rush　forward　and　stroke　his　feathery　neck。　Harry；　however；　was　looking　at　the　black　dog；　which　had　just　turned　into　his　godfather。
　　　Sirius　was　wearing　ragged　gray　robes；　the　same　ones　he　had　been　wearing　when　he　had　left　Azkaban。　His　black　hair　was　longer　than　it　had　been　when　he　had　appeared　in　the　fire；　and　it　was　untidy　and　matted　once　more。　He　looked　very　thin。
　　　〃Chicken！〃　he　said　hoarsely　after　removing　the　old　Daily　Prophets　from　his　mouth　and　throwing　them　down　onto　the　cave　floor。
　　　Harry　pulled　open　his　bag　and　handed　over　the　bundle　of　chicken　legs　and　bread。
　　　〃Thanks；〃　said　Sirius；　opening　it；　grabbing　a　drumstick；　sitting　down　on　the　cave　floor；　and　tearing　off　a　large　chunk　with　his　teeth。　〃I've　been　living　off　rats　mostly。　Can't　steal　too　much　food　from　Hogsmeade；　I'd　draw　attention　to　myself。〃
　　　He　grinned　up　at　Harry；　but　Harry　returned　the　grin　only　reluctantly。
　　　〃What're　you　doing　here；　Sirius？〃　he　said。
　　　〃Fulfilling　my　duty　as　godfather；〃　said　Sirius；　gnawing　on　the　chicken　bone　in　a　very　doglike　way。　〃Don't　worry　about　it；　I'm　pretending　to　be　a　lovable　stray。〃
　　　He　was　still　grinning；　but　seeing　the　anxiety　in　Harrys　face；　said　more　seriously；　〃I　want　to　be　on　the　spot。　Your　last　letter。。。　well；　let's　just　say　things　are　getting　fishier。　I've　been　stealing　the　paper　every　time　someone　throws　one　out；　and　by　the　looks　of　things；　I'm　not　the　only　one　who's　getting　worried。〃
　　　He　nodded　at　the　yellowing　Daily　Prophets　on　the　cave　floor；　and　Ron　picked　them　up　and　unfolded　them。　Harry；　however；　continued　to　stare　at　Sirius。
　　　〃What　if　they　catch　you？　What　if　you're　seen？〃
　　　〃You　three　and　Dumbledore　are　the　only　ones　around　here　who　know　I'm　an　Animagus；〃　said　Sirius；　shrugging；　and　continuing　to　devour　the　chicken　leg。
　　　Ron　nudged　Harry　and　passed　him　the　Daily　Prophets。　There　were　two：　The　first　bore　the　headline　Mystery　Illness　ofBartemius　Crouch；　the　second；　Minis