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哈利·波特与密室
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

英文中文双语对照双语交替

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN CORNELIUS FUDGE

第十四章　康奈利·福吉

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. During their first year at Hogwarts he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the giant, three-headed dog he’d christened “Fluffy.” And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Harry was sure he’d have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it. He’d probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Harry could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But he was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.

哈利、罗恩和赫敏早就知道海格对庞大的怪物情有独钟。他们去年在霍格沃茨期间，海格曾经试图在他的小木屋里养一条龙，还有那三个脑袋的、被他称为“路威”的大狗，也使他们很长时间不能忘记。当年，还是一个少年的海格，如果听说城堡的什么地方藏着一个怪物，哈利知道他肯定会想尽一切办法去看它一眼。海格很可能认为，把那怪物囚禁那么久很不像话，应该给它一个机会出来活动活动腿脚；哈利简直可以想象十三岁的海格想给那怪物拴上皮带、套上颈圈。但是哈利也同样相信，海格决不会故意把人害死。

Harry half wished he hadn’t found out how to work Riddle’s diary. Again and again Ron and Hermione made him recount what he’d seen, until he was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed.

哈利甚至有点希望他没有发现怎样阅读里德尔的日记。罗恩和赫敏一遍遍地叫他讲述他的所见所闻，最后他讲得厌烦了，对之后没完没了的、车轱辘式的谈话也感到腻味透顶。

“Riddle might have got the wrong person,” said Hermione. “Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people. . . .”

“里德尔可能找错了人，”赫敏说，“也许是另外一只怪物伤害了人……”

“How many monsters d’you think this place can hold?” Ron asked dully.

“你以为这个地方能关着几个怪物？”罗恩没精打采地问。

“We always knew Hagrid had been expelled,” said Harry miserably. “And the attacks must’ve stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn’t have got his award.”

“我们早就知道海格是被开除的。”哈利苦恼地说，“自从海格被赶走后，攻击事件一定就停止了。不然的话，里德尔是不会获奖的。”

Ron tried a different tack.

罗恩试着换个方向。

“Riddle does sound like Percy — who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?”

“里德尔说话的口气很像珀西——说到底，谁叫他去告发海格的？”

“But the monster had killed someone, Ron,” said Hermione.

“但是怪物杀人，罗恩。”赫敏说。

“And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts,” said Harry. “I don’t blame him for wanting to stay here. . . .”

“如果他们关闭霍格沃茨，里德尔就要回到一家麻瓜的孤儿院。”哈利说，“我认为他希望待在这里是情有可原的……”

“You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn’t you, Harry?”

罗恩咬着嘴唇，然后试探地说道：“你上次在翻倒巷遇见了海格，是吗，哈利？”

“He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent,” said Harry quickly.

“他正在购买驱除食肉鼻涕虫的药水，”哈利很快地说。

The three of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice.

三个人都沉默了。经过长时间的冷场，赫敏迟疑不决地提出了最棘手的一个问题：“你们看，我们是不是应该拿这些事情去问问海格？”

“Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?”

“那可是一次愉快的拜访。”罗恩说，“你好，海格，对我们说说，最近你有没有把城堡里某个野蛮的、浑身是毛的东西放出来？”

“That’d be a cheerful visit,” said Ron. “ ‘Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?’ ”

最后，他们决定什么也不对海格说，除非又有攻击事件发生。随后，日子一天天过去了，再也没有听见那个幽灵发出的低语。他们乐观起来，以为永远用不着去问海格当年为什么被开除了。自从贾斯廷和差点没头的尼克被石化后，时间已经过去了四个月，似乎差不多每个人都认为那个攻击者，不管他是谁，已经永远洗手不干了。皮皮鬼终于唱腻了他那首“哦，波特，你这个讨厌鬼”。一天在上草药课时，厄尼礼貌地请哈利把一小桶跳动的伞菌递给他。三月里，几株曼德拉草在第三温室开了一个热热闹闹、吵吵嚷嚷的舞会，这使斯普劳特教授非常高兴。

In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally got bored of his “Oh, Potter, you rotter” song, Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.

“等它们想移到别人的花盆里时，我们就知道它们完全成熟了。”她对哈利说，“然后我们就能使医院病房里那些可怜的人都活过来。”

“The moment they start trying to move into each other’s pots, we’ll know they’re fully mature,” she told Harry. “Then we’ll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing.” The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.

在复活节假日期间，二年级学生又有了新的事情要考虑。他们应该选择三年级的课程了，这件事，至少在赫敏看来，是需要慎重对待的。

“It could affect our whole future,” she told Harry and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

“这会影响到我们的整个未来。”她对哈利和罗恩说。这时他们都在仔细研究新课程名单，在上面做着记号。

“I just want to give up Potions,” said Harry.

“我只想放弃魔药课。”哈利说。

“We can’t,” said Ron gloomily. “We keep all our old subjects, or I’d’ve ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“不可能，”罗恩情绪低落地说，“原来的科目都得上，不然我早就扔掉黑魔法防御术课了。”

“But that’s very important!” said Hermione, shocked.

“但那门课是很重要的！”赫敏吃惊地说。

“Not the way Lockhart teaches it,” said Ron. “I haven’t learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose.”

“像洛哈特那种教法，我看未必。”罗恩说，“除了不要把小精灵放出来，我没有从他那里学到任何东西。”

Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like Harry, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody’s advice but signed up for everything.

纳威·隆巴顿家里的那些男巫、女巫们纷纷给他来信，在选课的问题上对他提出许多不同的建议。纳威无所适从，心里很紧张。他坐在那里看课程名单，舌头伸在外面，问别人是不是觉得算术占卜听上去比古代魔文更加难学。迪安和哈利一样，是在麻瓜身边长大的。他最后闭上眼睛，用魔杖在名单上随意地点来点去，点到哪门课就选哪门课。赫敏没有听从任何人的建议，在所有科目上都签了名。

Harry smiled grimly to himself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if he tried to discuss his career in wizardry with them. Not that he didn’t get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.

哈利想，如果他去跟弗农姨父和佩妮姨妈商量他在魔法方面的事业，他们还不知道会说什么呢。想到这里，他暗暗地苦笑。他并不是没有得到任何指导：珀西韦斯莱很迫切地向他言传身教。

“Depends where you want to go, Harry,” he said. “It’s never too early to think about the future, so I’d recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they’re thinking of working in close contact with them — look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry.”

“就看你想去什么地方了，哈利。”他说，“必须早点为将来打算，所以我向你推荐占卜术。人们说选择麻瓜研究是愚蠢的，但我个人认为，巫师应该对非魔法社会有一个全面彻底的了解，尤其是如果他们想从事与麻瓜联系密切的工作的话——你看我父亲，他每时每刻都必须与麻瓜的事务打交道。我哥哥查理一向喜欢在户外活动，所以他选择了保护神奇生物课。发挥你的强项，哈利。”

But the only thing Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch. In the end, he chose the same new subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was lousy at them, at least he’d have someone friendly to help him. Gryffindor’s next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Harry barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday’s match he went up to his dormitory to drop off his broomstick feeling Gryffindor’s chances for the Quidditch Cup had never been better.

可是哈利觉得他惟一真正擅长的就是魁地奇。最后，他选择了和罗恩一样的几门新课。他觉得，如果这几门课学起来很费劲，至少还有一个人愿意友好地帮助他。

But his cheerful mood didn’t last long. At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, he met Neville Longbottom, who was looking frantic.

格兰芬多队的下一场魁地奇比赛是对赫奇帕奇队。伍德坚持让队员们每天晚饭后训练，所以哈利除了训练和完成家庭作业，几乎没有时间做别的。不过，训练越来越得心应手，或者至少不大淋雨了。在星期六比赛的前一天晚上，当他走到宿舍去放下飞天扫帚时，他觉得格兰芬多队从来没有像现在这样有把握赢得魁地奇杯。

“Harry — I don’t know who did it — I just found —”

但是他愉快的心情并没有持续多长时间。他刚来到宿舍楼上，就看见了一脸惊慌的纳威隆巴顿。

Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door.

“哈利——我不知道是谁干的。我刚发现——”纳威惊恐地望着哈利，一把推开了房门。

The contents of Harry’s trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.

哈利箱子里的东西被扔得到处都是。他的衣服皱巴巴地躺在地板上。床单被人从他的四拄床上扯了下来，床头柜的抽屉被拉开了，里面的东西都散落在床垫上。

Harry walked over to the bed, openmouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, Dean, and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly.

哈利张大嘴巴向床边走去，脚底下踩着了几张从《与巨怪同行》里掉出来的纸页。

“What happened, Harry?”

当他和纳威把床单重新铺回床上时，罗恩、迪安和西莫也进来了。

“No idea,” said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry’s robes. All the pockets were hanging out.

迪安大声嚷了起来：“怎么回事，哈利？”

“Someone’s been looking for something,” said Ron. “Is there anything missing?”

“不知道。”哈利说。

Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that he realized what wasn’t there.

罗恩正在仔细查看哈利的衣服。所有的口袋都被翻在了外面。

“Riddle’s diary’s gone,” he said in an undertone to Ron.

“有人在找什么东西，”罗恩说，“有什么东西不见了吗？”

“What ?”

哈利开始把他的东西都捡起来，一件件扔回到箱子里。当他把洛哈特的最后一本书也扔进去时，才意识到少了什么。

Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and Ron followed him out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting alone, reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy.

“里德尔的日记不见了。”他压低声音对罗恩说。

Hermione looked aghast at the news.

“什么？”

“But — only a Gryffindor could have stolen — nobody else knows our password —”

哈利把头朝宿舍门的方向一扭，罗恩跟着他走了出来。他们匆匆下楼，回到格兰芬多的公共休息室，那里面没有什么人。赫敏独自坐着，在读一本名叫《古代魔文简易入门》的书。他们走了过去。

“Exactly,” said Harry. They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

赫敏听了这个消息，顿时惊呆了。

“Perfect Quidditch conditions!” said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team’s plates with scrambled eggs. “Harry, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast.”

“可是——只有格兰芬多的人才可能偷——别人都不知道我们的口令……”

Harry had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table, wondering if the new owner of Riddle’s diary was right in front of his eyes. Hermione had been urging him to report the robbery, but Harry didn’t like the idea. He’d have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? He didn’t want to be the one who brought it all up again.

“一点儿不错。”哈利说。

As he left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione to go and collect his Quidditch things, another very serious worry was added to Harry’s growing list. He had just set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet again —

他们第二天清早醒来，天气晴朗，阳光明媚，宜人的微风轻轻吹拂。

“Kill this time . . . let me rip . . . tear . . .”

“是魁地奇比赛最理想的天气！”在格兰芬多餐桌上，伍德热情洋溢地说，一边给每个队员的盘子里都添了许多炒蛋。“哈利，振作起来，你需要好好吃一顿早饭。”

He shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from him in alarm.

哈利一直望着拥挤的格兰芬多餐桌，猜想里德尔日记的新主人是否就在他眼前。赫敏催促他把遭窃的事情向校方汇报，但是哈利不愿意这么做。他难道必须对老师讲清日记的来龙去脉，并告诉他有多少人知道五十年前海格为什么被开除吗？他可不想成为把这件事重新挑起的人。

“The voice!” said Harry, looking over his shoulder. “I just heard it again — didn’t you?”

哈利和罗恩、赫敏一起离开礼堂，去收拾他的比赛物品，这时，他已经纷乱不堪的心里又多了一份非常沉重的忧虑。因为就在他刚刚踏上大理石楼梯时，突然又听见了那个声音：“这次要杀人……让我撕……让我撕裂……”

Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

他大喊一声，罗恩和赫敏惊恐地从他身边跳开。

“Harry — I think I’ve just understood something! I’ve got to go to the library!”

“那个声音！”哈利说着，扭过头向后看，“我刚才又听见了——你们听见了吗？”

And she sprinted away, up the stairs.

罗恩摇了摇头，眼睛睁得圆圆的。赫敏却突然伸手拍着前额。

“What does she understand?” said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.

“哈利——我突然明白了一件事！我要去一趟图书馆！”

“Loads more than I do,” said Ron, shaking his head.

她匆匆跑开，往楼上去了。

“But why’s she got to go to the library?”

“她明白了什么？”哈利心慌意乱地说，仍然四下环顾，想弄清声音是从什么地方发出来的。

“Because that’s what Hermione does,” said Ron, shrugging. “When in doubt, go to the library.”

“我不知道。”罗恩摇着头说。

Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind him, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.

“可是她为什么要去图书馆呢？”

“You’d better get moving,” said Ron. “It’s nearly eleven — the match —”

“因为这就是赫敏的作风，”罗恩说着，耸了耸肩膀，“一有疑问，就上图书馆。”

Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected his Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but his mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as he pulled on his scarlet robes in the locker room, his only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game.

哈利犹豫不决地站在那里，想再次捕捉那个声音。可这时人们都从礼堂里拥出来了，在他身后高声谈笑，准备从正门到魁地奇球场去。

The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.

“你最好赶紧行动，”罗恩说，“快十一点了——比赛。”

Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.

哈利快步走向格兰芬多楼，拿起他的光轮2000，加入到熙熙攘攘穿过球场的人流中，但是他的思绪还在城堡里，追寻那个没有形体的声音。当他在更衣室里换上鲜红色长袍时，他惟一聊以自慰的就是现在大家都在外面观看比赛。队员在震天动地的欢呼声中走向赛场。奥利弗伍德腾空而起，围着球门柱作热身飞行。霍琦夫人把球放了出来。赫奇帕奇队的队员穿着淡黄色衣服，此刻正聚在一起，抓紧最后一分钟时间讨论战术。

Harry’s heart dropped like a stone.

哈利正要骑上自己的飞天扫帚，麦格教授突然连走带跑地穿过赛场，手里拿着一个巨大的紫色麦克风。哈利的心像石头一样沉落下去。

“This match has been canceled,” Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

“比赛取消了。”麦格教授通过麦克风对着拥挤的露天看台说。

“But, Professor!” he shouted. “We’ve got to play — the Cup — Gryffindor —”

人群里发出不满的嘘声和喊叫。奥利弗伍德显得垂头丧气。他降落到地面，没有从扫帚上下来，就朝麦格教授跑去。

Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone:

“可是教授！”他喊道，“我们必须比赛……学院杯……格兰芬多……”

“All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!”

麦格教授没有理他，继续拿着麦克风喊话：“所有学生必须返回学院的公共休息室，在那里，学院的负责人会告诉你们更多的情况。请大家尽快离开！”然后她放下麦克风，示意哈利过去。“波特，我认为你最好和我一起来……”

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her.

哈利正纳闷这次她怎么又怀疑到自己，只见罗恩使劲从正在抱怨的人群中钻出来。就在他们俩开始朝城堡走去时，罗恩向他们跑过来了。使哈利感到吃惊的是，麦格教授居然并没有反对。“好吧，也许你最好也来一下，韦斯莱。”

“Potter, I think you’d better come with me. . . .”

学生们拥挤在他们周围，有的在嘟嘟囔囔地抱怨比赛被取消了，有的则显出很紧张的样子。哈利和罗恩跟着麦格教授回到学校，登上大理石楼梯。但是这次他们没有被带到任何人的办公室。“你们会觉得有些震惊，”他们走近医院时，麦格教授用出奇温柔的声音说，“又发生了攻击事件……又是双重攻击。”

Wondering how she could possibly suspect him this time, Harry saw Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; he came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. To Harry’s surprise, Professor McGonagall didn’t object.

哈利的内脏剧烈翻腾起来。麦格教授把门推开，哈利和罗恩走了进去。

“Yes, perhaps you’d better come, too, Weasley. . . .”

庞弗雷夫人正在低身俯视一个留着长长鬈发的五年级学生。哈利认出她就是那天他们向她打听斯莱特林公共休息室在哪里的那个拉文克劳学院的女生。在她旁边的那张床上——

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled; others looked worried. Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren’t taken to anybody’s office this time.

“赫敏！”罗恩惊呼道。

“This will be a bit of a shock,” said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. “There has been another attack . . . another double attack.”

赫敏一动不动地躺在那里，呆滞的眼睛大大地睁着。

Harry’s insides did a horrible somersault. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and he and Ron entered.

“她们是在图书馆附近被发现的，”麦格教授说，“我想你们俩大概没有人能对此作出解释吧？这是她们身边地板上的……”她举起一面圆圆的小镜子。哈利和罗恩摇了摇头，他们都死死地盯着赫敏。“我护送你们回格兰芬多城堡，”麦格教授心情沉重地说，“不管怎样，反正我要去对学生们讲话。”

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a sixth-year girl with long, curly hair. Harry recognized her as the Ravenclaw they’d accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. And on the bed next to her was —

“所有学生晚上六点钟以前必须回到自己学院的公共休息室。任何学生不得在这个时间之后离开宿舍楼。每次上课都由一位老师护送。在没有老师陪伴的情况下，任何学生不得使用盥洗室。所有魁地奇训练和比赛都被延期。晚上不再开展任何活动。”

“Hermione!” Ron groaned.

格兰芬多学生挤在公共休息室里，默默地听麦格教授讲话。她卷起她刚才念过的羊皮纸文件，然后用一种有些窒息的声音说：“实际上不用我说，我以前很少这样痛苦。学校很可能要关闭了，除非策划这些攻击行为的罪犯被抓住。我敦促每一个认为自己知道一些情况的人主动站出来。”

Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

她有些笨拙地爬过肖像洞口，格兰芬多学生立刻就唧唧喳喳地议论开了。

“They were found near the library,” said Professor McGonagall. “I don’t suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them. . . .”

“已经有两个格兰芬多倒下了，还不算一个格兰芬多的鬼，还有一个拉文克劳和一个赫奇帕奇。”韦斯莱孪生兄弟的朋友李乔丹扳着指头数道，“有没有哪位老师注意到，斯莱特林们全都安然无恙？这不是显然这些玩艺儿都是从斯莱特林出来的吗？斯莱特林的继承人，斯莱特林的怪物——他们为什么不干脆把所有的斯莱特林都赶出去呢？”他大声嚷道，听众们频频点头，并响起稀稀拉拉的掌声。

She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

珀西韦斯莱坐在李乔丹旁边的椅子上，他似乎平生第一次不急于发表自己的观点。他看上去脸色惨白，受了惊吓。

Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.

“珀西吓坏了，”乔治悄悄对哈利说，“那个拉文克劳女生——佩内洛克里瓦特——是个级长。珀西以前大概以为那怪物是不敢攻击级长的。”

“I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower,” said Professor McGonagall heavily. “I need to address the students in any case.” “All students will return to their House common rooms by six o’clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities.”

但是哈利没有在认真听。他似乎不能摆脱赫敏躺在医院病床上，像石雕一样僵硬呆滞的模样。如果罪犯不能很快被抓住，他就要回到德思礼家度过一生了。汤姆里德尔之所以要告发海格，就是因为一旦学校关闭，他就面临着回到麻瓜孤儿院的前景。哈利现在完全明白了他的感受。

The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, “I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward.”

“我们怎么办呢？”罗恩在哈利耳边悄悄问道，“你认为他们怀疑到海格了吗？”

She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.

“我们必须去跟他谈谈，”哈利拿定了主意，说道，“我无法相信这次是他干的。但是既然他上次把怪物放了出来，他一定知道怎样进入密室，这就是一个突破点。”

“That’s two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and one Hufflepuff,” said the Weasley twins’ friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. “Haven’t any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn’t it obvious all this stuff ’s coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin — why don’t they just chuck all the Slytherins out?” he roared, to nods and scattered applause.

“可是麦格教授说我们必须待在城堡里，除非在教室上课——”

Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn’t seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.

“我认为，”哈利说，声音放得更轻了，“现在应该把我爸爸的那件旧袍子再拿出来了。”

“Percy’s in shock,” George told Harry quietly. “That Ravenclaw girl — Penelope Clearwater — she’s a prefect. I don’t think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect.”

哈利只从父亲那里继承了一件东西：一件长长的、银光闪闪的隐形衣。他们要想偷偷溜出学校去拜访海格而不被别人发觉，就全靠它了。

But Harry was only half-listening. He didn’t seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone. And if the culprit wasn’t caught soon, he was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. Harry now knew exactly how he had felt.

晚上，哈利和罗恩像平常一样上了床，一直等到纳威、迪安和西莫不再讨论密室、终于进入梦乡之后，他们才从床上起来，重新穿好衣服，把大袍披在两个人的身上。

“What’re we going to do?” said Ron quietly in Harry’s ear. “D’you think they suspect Hagrid?”

穿过阴森森的走廊，这一路并不令人愉快。哈利以前曾好几次半夜三更在城堡里游逛，却从没有看见在太阳落山后还有这么多人。老师、级长和幽灵成双成对地在走廊里巡逻，四处查看有无异常情况。哈利的隐形衣并不能防止他们发出声音，有一次格外惊险，罗恩突然绊了一下，而斯内普就在离他几步远的地方站岗。幸好，斯内普几乎就在罗恩发出咒骂的同时打了一个喷嚏。

“We’ve got to go and talk to him,” said Harry, making up his mind. “I can’t believe it’s him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he’ll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that’s a start.”

当他们终于来到栎木门前，并轻轻把它们打开时，才算松了口气。这是一个星光灿烂的夜晚，他们匆匆朝海格住处的那扇映着灯光的窗户走去，一直来到他的门外，他们才脱去了大袍。在他们敲门几秒钟后，海格猛地把门打开。他们迎面看见海格举着一套弓箭对准他们，大猎狗牙牙在他身后高声狂吠。

“But McGonagall said we’ve got to stay in our tower unless we’re in class —”

“哦，是你们，”他说，放下手里的武器，瞪着他们，“你们俩到这儿来干什么？”

“I think,” said Harry, more quietly still, “it’s time to get my dad’s old cloak out again.” Harry had inherited just one thing from his father: a long and silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it. They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean, and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over themselves.

“那是做什么的？”他们走进屋里，哈利指着那套弓箭，说道。

The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn’t enjoyable. Harry, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloak didn’t stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.

“没什么……没什么，”海格含混地说，“我还以为……没关系……坐下吧……我去沏茶……”他似乎有些心神不定，水壶里的水泼洒出来，差点把炉火浇灭了，然后他粗大的手猛地抖动一下，把茶壶打翻了。

It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid’s house and pulled off the cloak only when they were right outside his front door.

“你没事儿吧，海格？”哈利问，“赫敏的事你听说了吗？”

Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind him.

“哦，对，我听说了。”海格说，声音有些哽咽。

“Oh,” he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. “What’re you two doin’ here?”

他老是紧张地朝着窗口张望。他给他们俩各倒了一大杯开水（忘记放茶叶袋了），正要把一块厚厚的水果蛋糕放在一只盘子里，就在这时，传来了很响的敲门声。

“What’s that for?” said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.

海格扔掉了水果蛋糕，哈利和罗恩十分恐慌地交换一下目光，然后赶紧把隐形衣披在身上，退缩到一个角落里。海格看到他们都藏好了，就抓起他的弓箭，又一次猛地把门拉开。

“Nothin’ — nothin’ — “ Hagrid muttered. “I’ve bin expectin’ — doesn’ matter — Sit down — I’ll make tea —”

“晚上好，海格。”是邓布利多。他走进来，神情非常严肃，后面还跟着一个模样十分古怪的男人。这个陌生人长得矮矮胖胖，敦敦实实，一头乱糟糟的灰发，脸上带着焦虑的神色。他身上的衣服是个奇怪的大杂烩：细条纹的西服、鲜红色的领带、黑色的长斗篷、紫色的尖头靴。他胳膊下夹着一顶暗绿色的礼帽。

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

“那是我爸的上司！”罗恩喘着气说，“康奈利福吉，魔法部部长！”哈利用胳膊肘使劲捣了捣罗恩，让他闭嘴。海格一下子脸色煞白，脑门上开始出汗。他跌坐进一把椅子里，看看邓布利多，又看看康奈利福吉。

“Are you okay, Hagrid?” said Harry. “Did you hear about Hermione?”

“真糟糕，海格，”福吉用一种清脆快速的语调说，“非常糟糕，我们不得不来。在麻瓜身上发生了四起攻击事件，太过分了，魔法部必须采取行动。”

“Oh, I heard, all righ’,” said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.

“我没有，”海格恳求地望着邓布利多，“你知道我没有，邓布利多教授，先生……”

He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.

“我希望你明白，康奈利，我是完全信任海格的。”邓布利多对福吉皱着眉头说道。

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panicstricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.

“可是你瞧，阿不思，”福吉很不自然地说，“海格的前科记录对他非常不利啊。魔法部不得不采取一些措施——已经和校董事会取得了联系。”

“Good evening, Hagrid.”

“不过康奈利，我还是要告诉你——把海格带走根本无济于事。”邓布利多说。他的蓝眼睛里闪烁着哈利从未见过的怒火。

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.

“你从我的角度看一看吧，”福吉说，手里玩弄着他的礼帽，“我压力很大呀。必须做点什么才行。如果最后查出来不是海格，他还会回来的，一句话也没有。可是我不得不把他带走。我难道不该履行自己的——”

The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.

“把我带走？”海格说，他浑身瑟瑟发抖，“带到哪儿？”

“That’s Dad’s boss!” Ron breathed. “Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!”

“时间很短，”福吉说，不去看海格的眼睛，“不是惩罚，只是一种预防措施。如果抓住了另外一个人，就会把你放出来，并致以充分的歉意……”

Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.

“不是阿兹卡班吧？”海格声音嘶哑低沉地问。

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.

福吉还没来得及回答，又有人重重地敲门。

“Bad business, Hagrid,” said Fudge in rather clipped tones. “Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things’ve gone far enough. Ministry’s got to act.”

邓布利多过去开门。这次轮到哈利肋骨上挨一臂肘了：他发出了一声听得见的惊呼。

“I never,” said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. “You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir —”

卢修斯马尔福先生大踏步地走进海格的小屋，他全身严严实实地裹着一件长长的黑色旅行披风，脸上带着一种冷冰冰的、心满意足的微笑。牙牙开始狂吠起来。

“I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence,” said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

“你已经来了，福吉，”他满意地说，“很好，很好……”

“Look, Albus,” said Fudge, uncomfortably. “Hagrid’s record’s against him. Ministry’s got to do something — the school governors have been in touch —”

“你来这儿干什么？”海格愤怒地说，“出去，离开我的房子！”

“Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest,” said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.

“亲爱的朋友，请你相信我，我也并不高兴进入你的这间——哦——你管这也叫房子？”卢修斯马尔福环顾这间小小的陋室，讥笑道。“我只是到学校来看看，有人告诉我校长到这儿来了。”

“Look at it from my point of view,” said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. “I’m under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn’t Hagrid, he’ll be back and no more said. But I’ve got to take him. Got to. Wouldn’t be doing my duty —”

“你找我到底有何贵干，卢修斯？”邓布利多说。他话说得很礼貌，但那团怒火仍然在他的蓝眼睛里燃烧着。

“Take me?” said Hagrid, who was trembling. “Take me where?”

“事情糟糕透了，”马尔福先生懒洋洋地说，一边拿出一卷长长的羊皮纸，“董事会觉得应该让你走人了。这是罢免令——你会看到十二位董事都在上面签了名。我们觉得你恐怕没有发挥你的才能。到现在为止，已经发生了多少起攻击事件？今天下午就是两起，是吗？照这个速度，霍格沃茨的麻瓜学生就会一个不剩了，我们都知道那将是学校的一个可怕的损失。”

“For a short stretch only,” said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid’s eyes. “Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you’ll be let out with a full apology —”

“哦，怎么，你说什么，卢修斯，”福吉说，他显得很惊慌，“邓布利多被罢免……不，不……我们现在绝对不愿意……”

“Not Azkaban?” croaked Hagrid.

“对校长的任命——啊，不，是罢免——是董事会的事情，福吉，”马尔福先生用平稳的语调说，“既然邓布利多未能阻止这些攻击……”

Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.

“可是，卢修斯，如果邓布利多不能阻止他们——”福吉说，他的上唇开始出汗了，“我的意思是，谁能阻止呢？”

Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry’s turn for an elbow in the ribs; he’d let out an audible gasp.

“我们等着瞧吧，”马尔福说，脸上泛起一丝奸笑，“可是我们十二个人都投票——”

Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid’s hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.

海格猛地站了起来，毛蓬蓬、黑乎乎的大脑袋擦着了天花板。

“Already here, Fudge,” he said approvingly. “Good, good . . .”

“你们对多少人进行了威胁、敲诈，才迫使他们同意的，嗯，马尔福？”

“What’re you doin’ here?” said Hagrid furiously. “Get outta my house!”

“天哪，天哪，你知道，你的坏脾气总有一天会给你惹麻烦的，海格，”马尔福说，“我想给你一句忠告，可不要对阿兹卡班的看守这样大喊大叫。他们是不会喜欢的。”

“My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your — er — d’you call this a house?” said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. “I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here.”

“你不能带走邓布利多！”海格喊道，吓得大猎狗牙牙在篮子里瑟瑟发抖，呜呜地哀叫。“如果把他带走，麻瓜们就没有一点活路了！很快就会有杀人事件的！”

“And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?” said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

“你冷静一点儿，海格。”邓布利多严厉地说。他看着卢修斯马尔福。“如果董事会希望我走，卢修斯，我当然会把位子让出来的。”

“Dreadful thing, Dumbledore,” said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, “but the governors feel it’s time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension — you’ll find all twelve signatures on it. I’m afraid we feel you’re losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn’t it? At this rate, there’ll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school.”

“可是——”福吉结结巴巴地说。

“Oh, now, see here, Lucius,” said Fudge, looking alarmed, “Dumbledore suspended — no, no — last thing we want just now —”

“不行！”海格低吼道。

“The appointment — or suspension — of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge,” said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. “And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks —”

邓布利多炯炯有神的蓝眼睛始终盯着卢修斯冷冰冰的灰眼睛。“不过，”邓布利多十分缓慢而清晰地说，使在场的每个人都能听清他说的每一个字，“只有当这里的人都背叛我的时候，我才算真正离开了这所学校。你们还会发现，在霍格沃茨，那些请求帮助的人总是能得到帮助的。”

“See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can’t stop them,” said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, “I mean to say, who can?”

在那一刹那，哈利几乎可以肯定邓布利多的眼睛朝他和罗恩藏身的角落瞥了一眼。

“That remains to be seen,” said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. “But as all twelve of us have voted —”

“情感可嘉，”马尔福说着，鞠了个躬。“我们大家都会怀念你——哦——处理事情极富个性的方式，阿不思，只希望你的接班人能够彻底阻止——啊——杀人事件。”

Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.

马尔福大步走向小屋的门，把门打开，鞠躬送邓布利多出去。福吉玩弄着他的礼帽，等海格走到他前面去，可是海格站住不动，深深吸了口气，谨慎地说：“如果有人想找什么东西，他们只需要跟着蜘蛛，就会找到正确的方向！我就说这么多。”

“An’ how many did yeh have ter threaten an’ blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?” he roared.

福吉惊愕地瞪着他。

“Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid,” said Mr. Malfoy. “I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won’t like it at all.”

“好吧，我来了。”海格说着，穿上他的鼹鼠皮大衣。

“Yeh can’ take Dumbledore!” yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. “Take him away, an’ the Muggle-borns won’ stand a chance! There’ll be killin’ next!”

然而就在他要跟着福吉出门时，又停住脚步，大声说道：“我不在的时候，需要有人喂喂牙牙。”

“Calm yourself, Hagrid,” said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.

门砰地关上了，罗恩一把扯下隐形衣。“这下可麻烦了，”他声音粗哑地说道，“邓布利多不在了。他们很可能今晚就要关闭学校。他走了以后，天天都会有攻击事件发生的。”

“If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside —”

牙牙又狂吠起来，用爪子抓挠着紧闭的房门。

“But —” stuttered Fudge.

“No!” growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy’s cold gray ones.

“However,” said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, “you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.”

For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore’s eyes flickered toward the corner where he and Ron stood hidden.

“Admirable sentiments,” said Malfoy, bowing. “We shall all miss your — er — highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any — ah — killins.”

He strode to the cabin door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, “If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they’d have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That’d lead ’em right! That’s all I’m sayin’.”

Fudge stared at him in amazement.

“All right, I’m comin’,” said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, “An’ someone’ll need ter feed Fang while I’m away.”

The door banged shut and Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak.

“We’re in trouble now,” he said hoarsely. “No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There’ll be an attack a day with him gone.”

Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.