“Where?”
“Next to the tall kid with the red hair.”
“Wearing the glasses?”
“Did you see his face?”
“Did you see his scar?”
Whispers followed Harry1 from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining2 up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring. Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.
There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping3 ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway4 up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled5 them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.
The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided6 suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves7 the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt8 you with bits of chalk, or sneak9 up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech10, “GOT YOUR CONK!”
Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch11. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons12 when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.
Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging14, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing15, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.
And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.
They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout16, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi17, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled18 down names and dates, and got Emetic19 the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.
Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak20 and toppled out of sight.
Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.
“Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts,” she said. “Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned.”
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.
The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense22 Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward21 off a vampire23 he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.
Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.
Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.
“What have we got today?” Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.
“Double Potions with the Slytherins,” said Ron. “Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true.”
“Wish McGonagall favored us,” said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.
Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls24 had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.
Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble25 his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:
Dear Harry,
I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?
I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid
Harry borrowed Ron's quill26, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.
It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.
At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry — he hated him.
Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.
“Ah, Yes,” he said softly, “Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity27.”
Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
“You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking,” he began. He spoke28 in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. “As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering29 fumes30, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins31, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew32 glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.”
More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows33. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.
“Potter!” said Snape suddenly. “What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion34 of wormwood?”
Powdered root of what to an infusion of what ? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped35 as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.
“I don't know, sir,” said Harry.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer36.
“Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything.”
He ignored Hermione's hand.
“Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?”
Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.
“I don't know, sir.”
“Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?” Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi ?
Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
“What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?”
At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon13 ceiling.
“I don't know,” said Harry quietly. “I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?”
A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked37. Snape, however, was not pleased.
“Sit down,” he snapped at Hermione. “For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught38 of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?”
There was a sudden rummaging39 for quills40 and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, “And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter.”
Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles41 and crush snake fangs42, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed44 his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing45 filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping46 across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing47 on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched48 in the potion when the cauldron collapsed49, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.
“Idiot boy!” snarled50 Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. “I suppose you added the porcupine51 quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?”
Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
“Take him up to the hospital wing,” Snape spat52 at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.
“You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor.”
This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.
“Don't push it,” he muttered, “I've heard Snape can turn very nasty.”
As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing53 and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week — why did Snape hate him so much?
“Cheer up,” said Ron, “Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?”
At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.
When Harry knocked they heard a frantic54 scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, “Back, Fang43 — back.”
Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.
“Hang on,” he said. “Back, Fang.”
He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.
There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper55 kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork56 quilt over it.
“Make yerselves at home,” said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.
“This is Ron,” Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.
“Another Weasley, eh?” said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles57. I spent half me life chasin’ yer twin brothers away from the forest.”
The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins58 that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.
Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch “that old git.”
“An’ as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it.”
Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.
“But he seemed to really hate me.”
“Rubbish!” said Hagrid. “Why should he?”
Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.
“How's yer brother Charlie?” Hagrid asked Ron. “I liked him a lot — great with animals.”
Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy59. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet :
GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.
Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault60 that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.
“But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you,” said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.
Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.
“Hagrid!” said Harry, “that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!”
There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted61 and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?
As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?
"在那儿，看！"
"哪个呀？"
"在那个红头发高个儿的旁边。"
"戴着眼镜的那个？"
"看清他的模样了吗？"
"有没有看到他的那块伤疤？"
第二天，哈利一离开宿舍，大家就吵吵嚷嚷地议论开了。那些在教室外排着队的人踮起脚尖来要看他，走廊上碰到的人都会回头对他一看再看。哈利多希望他们别那样干，因为他都快没办法集中精神找去教室的那条路了。
霍格瓦彻学校里一共有一百四十二座楼梯，有的宽敞干净；有的不但窄，还老爱晃动；有的在某个星期五就会变成通向另一处不同的地方；有的藏着些消失的梯级，弄得你不得不跳起来才能往上走。这里的门除非你有礼貌地请求它，或者帮它在某个恰当的地方挠挠痒，否则它们是不会开的。还有些门根本就不是门，而是坚固的墙壁伪装而成的。要记住这一切机关真的好难呀，因为它们好像是会自己移动的。壁贴肖像上的人物者爱互相拜访换位置。还有一件鱼鳞盔甲般的外套，哈利确信它是会走路的。
小鬼们也让人头痛得要命。当你正要打开一扇门时，他们可能会忽然从里面飘出来，吓得你半死。没头鬼尼克经常很乐意为新来的格林芬顿学生们指点正确的方向，但喧哗鬼皮维斯就不同了。如果你迟到的时候碰上他，那家伙就会给你弄个锁上的门和一座戏法楼梯尝尝。他会往你头上扔废纸篓，抽掉你脚下的地毯，连续不断地向你掷粉笔，或者从背后偷偷地接近你，无声无息的，突然飞快地捏住你的鼻子，然后尖声大叫："抓住你的鼻子啦！"比遇上皮维斯更惨的，是碰上管理员亚格斯。费驰。第一天的早上，哈利和罗恩走错了路。费驰发现他们俩正在努力试图推开的门正好是三楼通往外界走廊的出口。他压根儿就不相信哈利和罗恩是迷路，他坚决认为他们俩是故意想强行闯进那道门的。他威胁着要把他们俩锁进地牢里去，幸亏屈拉教授刚好经过，这才救了他们。
费驰有一只叫诺丽丝夫人的猫。那是只骨瘦如柴而且脏兮兮的东西，和费驰一样长着双灯泡似的鼓突大眼睛。她常常自个儿在走廊上巡逻。谁敢在她面前违反纪律，比如说吧，伸一只脚趾头到队伍外边来，她就会嗖地飞窜到费驰那里去。两秒钟之后，费驰就会气喘吁吁地出现了。费驰比这学校里的每一个人都更明晓那些秘道的所在（可能威斯里家那对双胞胎除外），并且能够像小鬼们一样突然间弹出来。
学生们都很透了她，很多人最大的心愿就是使劲地踢诺丽丝夫人一脚。
其实只要你努力地去找那些神奇的门和楼梯，你会学到很多东西的。哈利很快就发现，这些比挥挥魔杖说说有趣的咒语的那些魔法要深奥多了。
每个星期三半夜，学生们都得用望远镜来观察夜空，学习不同星星的名字和行星们的运行轨道。另外，他们一个星期有三次机会到城堡后面的温室里学习植物常识。教他们这门课的是史普露教授，她是个矮胖的小女巫。史普露教授会教他们怎样留意那些千奇百怪的植物和菌类并且找出这些植物和菌类的用途。
最枯燥无味的课当属《魔法历史》了，这是唯-一门由鬼魂来教授的学科。宾西教授实在是个老糊涂了，有一次他在教工休息室里睡觉，那儿半夜着火了他都不知道。第二天早上，他傻乎乎地起来就上课去了，结果连身体都留在那儿忘了拿。
宾西老头总是像只蜜蜂似的在上面嗡嗡地讲课，大家却只是死记下一些名字和日期而已，甚至还常把马里格弊病和古怪维里格搞混掉。
教他们咒语课的是费立维克教授，他是一位很小很小的巫师，上课时得站在一堆书上才能看得到他的桌子。上第一节课时，他点了一次名。念到哈利时，他发出一声怪叫，摇晃一下就不见了。
麦康娜教授又是另一个异人。哈利曾想，大概没有人比她更适合当老师了。她又严肃又睿智，在她的第一节课上，大家刚坐下，她就给大家来了一段训斥："变形术可说是你将在霍格瓦彻学校里学到的最复杂、最危险的法术之一。"她说。
"谁想在我的课上瞎搅和的就马上滚蛋，再也别回来了。咱们这叫丑话说在前头。"然后她把桌子变成一头猪又把它变回来。所有人都给她这一手绝活震住了，个个都跃跃欲试。但是，很快他们就明白，不花上好一段时间学习，他们都别想能把家具变成动物。记了一大难复杂的笔记之后，每个人都分到了一根火柴，大家开始使足劲儿要把这根火柴变成一支针。然而，一节课结束时，只有荷米恩。格林佐使她的火柴有一点点变化。麦康娜教授让全班人都看了如何让这支火柴变得银白和变尖，还给了荷米恩一个非常少见的微笑。
大家都盼望着上的课程是黑巫术防御法，因此这门课程的老师屈拉，他上的课实在太搞笑了。屈拉上课时，教室里总是弥漫着一股浓烈的大蒜味。人们传说这是屈拉教授为了避开以前在罗马尼亚遇到过的一个吸血鬼。屈拉一直担心那个吸血鬼会有一天跑回来找他。他那顶缠头巾状的帽子，据他自己讲是某个非洲王子为了感谢他帮忙赶走一个难缠的还魂僵尸而送给他的。不过，大家都不怎么相信这个故事。
因为有一次谢默斯。范尼更好奇地问他是怎么大战还魂僵尸时，屈拉的脸马上就红了，还借故谈起天气以转移话题。
而且大家发现屈拉的头巾帽子总是散发着一种奇特的味儿，威斯里家的双胞胎坚持说那也是大蒜的味道。如此说来，屈拉对吸血鬼的防卫真是从头到脚，武装到了牙齿呢。
哈利发现他与班上其他同学的差距并不大，这使他悄悄松了一口气。大部分同学都是来自一般家庭，而且都跟他一样，一点儿也不觉得自己是个女巫或男巫。这儿实在有太多东西要学了，即使像罗恩那样的人也没有超前太多。
对哈利和罗恩来讲，这个星期五是个值得纪念的日子。他们终于可以成功地找到去大厅吃早餐的路，而且一次都没有错！
"今天咱们拿到了什么？"罗恩往他的麦片粥里加糖时，哈利问。
"两份史林德林学生作的药剂，"罗恩说。"史纳皮是史林德林队的头儿。他们说，他会喜欢这个——我们很快就可以知道这是不是真的。""真希望麦康娜会帮助我们。"哈利说。麦康娜是格林芬顿队的头儿，可是她前日还是给了他们一大堆作业。
这时候，邮件送到了。哈利现在已经可以习惯了，但是第一天早上他真的吃了一惊。那天吃早餐时，几乎一百只猫头鹰尖叫着飞进大厅。它们在每张桌子上方盘旋，直到它们看到它们的主人并把信件和包裹扔到主人们的膝盖上为止。
海维到目前为止都还没给哈利梢过信件。她有时会飞过来啄一下哈利的耳朵，吃一片烤面包后，就和其它的校园猫头鹰一起飞回去睡觉。但是，今早她飞到了果酱瓶和糖碗之间，把一封信扔进哈利的盘子里。哈利马上就把它拆开了。
"亲爱的哈利：（信里的字写得可真糟糕。）
我知道你这个星期五下午有假，所以我想请你三点钟的时候来这儿和我喝杯茶，如何？我想听听你这一周来的生活情况。请让海维把答复带回给我。
哈格力哈利问罗恩借了支羽毛笔，在纸条的背面飞快地写上"太好了，到时见！"就让海维把信悄走了。
对哈利而言，能和哈格力谈谈实在太好了。因为到目前为止，药剂学已经成了哈利觉得最糟糕的课程了。
在学期初的宴会上，哈利就已经发觉教药学的史纳皮教授不是很喜欢他。到第一堂药学课结束时，哈利发现——他简直是厌恶他！
药学的课程是在一个地牢里上的。地牢里边可比城堡上面冷多了，阴森恐怖，四周的墙上还摆满了玻璃瓶子，瓶里面漂着的都是腌制动物的尸体，真让人毛骨悚然。
和费立维克教授一样，史纲皮教授以点名的方式开始他的第一堂课。同样地，念到哈利的名字时，他停了一下。
"哈，对，"他低声说，"哈利·波特。我们学校新来的——名人哪。"杰高。马尔夫和他的死党克来伯和高尔用手捂着嘴偷笑起来。
史纳皮点完名，严肃地看着大家。他的眼睛像哈格力的眼睛一样乌黑，可是里边找不到一丝哈格力眼睛里所具有的温暖。他的一双眼睛冷冰冰，空洞洞的，让人看了想起深黝的隧道。
"你们到这儿来，是要学习制药的精妙技术。"史纳皮说。他的声音很低，近乎耳语，但是每一个字大家都听得一清二楚——和麦康娜教授一样，史纳皮有一种神秘的力量，能轻而易举地让学生们保持安静。"由于这里有些只会乱挥魔法棒的蠢才，所以你们中的许多人都不大相信这就是魔法。我并不奢求你们会真正地懂得制药技术的美妙之处。想想看，用大汽锅煨药材时，药水慢慢地沸腾，白色的烟雾袅袅升起……还有人体静脉里流淌的液体，那具有无比精妙力量的液体……简直能让你的心醉掉，让你的所有感官着迷……我能教会你们怎样罐装名誉，怎样酿造光荣，甚至说……储存死亡……只要你们不要像我以前教的那一帮蠢才们一样愚蠢就行。"听了史纳皮的这一番话，教室里更加安静了。哈利和罗恩偷偷地交换了一下眼色。而荷米恩。格林佐则坐得直直的，屁股只沾了一点儿椅子边，好像这样就能向史纳皮证明，她绝不是蠢才似的。
"波特！"史纳皮突然把哈利叫起来，"如果将水仙花球茎的粉末加入苦艾的汁液里，这样会有什么后果？"什么的粉末加入什么的汁里去？哈利偷眼看了一下罗恩，看来罗恩和他一样茫然，但是荷米思就拼命把手举得高高的。
"我不知道，老师。"哈利低声答道。
史纲皮努了努嘴，嗤地笑了。
"啧啧，看来名气大也不过如此。"
他完全不理荷米恩举得高高的手。
"那好，再问你一个问题。如果我要求你去找一块胃石，那么你会到哪里去着手找？"荷米恩又把她的手举得尽可能的高，高到她的那只手好像要离开她的身体飞到半空去似的。可是哈利连一点点关于胃石的概念都没有。他竭尽全力不去看马尔夫、克来伯和高尔，那三个家伙正笑得全身打颤呢。
"我不知道，老师。"
"难道你上课之前从来不先预习的吗？啊？波特？"哈利竭力使自己面对那双冷冰冰的眼睛。他的确曾经看过一遍课本，可是史纳皮该不会要求他只看一遍就把那本《巫术药草与菌类千例》中的每一个字都记得吧？
史纲皮还是没理会荷米恩抖动的手。
"草乌和乌头，它们有些什么不同之处？"
这一次，荷米恩站了起来，她的右手都快举到地牢的顶部了。
"我不知道。"哈利低声说，"不过，我想荷米恩是知道的。你干嘛不问问她？"一些同学哈哈大笑了起来。哈利瞥了一眼谢默斯，谢默斯则向他眨了眨眼。然而史纲皮一点儿都不高兴。
"坐下。"史纳皮瞪着哈利，"刚才问的几个问题，水仙花球茎和苦艾混在一起就成了一种很厉害的安眠药，人们把它叫做死亡之网。胃石则是在羊的胃里找到的结石，它是很多种毒药的克星。而草乌和乌头，指的是同一种植物，它们都是一种叫附子的植物的俗称。怎样？你们为什么不把这些知识抄下来？"地牢里马上骚动起来，大家都快拿出了羽毛笔和羊皮纸。史纲皮又说："波特你刚才对老师的无礼顶撞，我决定要扣掉你一分。"之后的几节药学深里，情况一点好转的迹象都没有。史纲皮让同学们分成两人一组，教他们如何混合几种简单的药草来治疗烫伤。他穿着他那件宽大的黑斗篷在地牢里走来走去，看他们怎样称那些干等麻和磨碎了的蛇牙。几乎每一个人都挨了骂，只有马尔夫幸免于难。看来史纳皮有点喜欢马尔夫，他告诉大家，要好好地看看马尔夫是怎么做的。当酸性的绿雾从炖着的蛞蝓角上冒起，发出一阵阵嘶嘶的时候，马尔夫他处理得多么好啊！尼维尔却不知道鼓捣了些什么，他居然把谢默斯的大汽锅烧穿了，他们偎着的药汁顺着地势到处流，在同学们的鞋子上烫出一个又一个小洞洞。不到一会儿，整个班的学生都站到他们的桌子上去了。只有尼维尔没来得及跳上桌子，结果，被彻底烧坏的大汽锅倒了下来，药汁溅得他全身都是。他的手臂和腿都被烫红了，尼维尔忍不住呜呜地哭了起来。
"傻瓜！"史纲皮咆哮着，用他的魔杖一挥就把地上乱溅的药汁弄干净了。
"把汽锅从火上提起来之前，你是不是把豪猪尖刺扔进去了？"尼维尔鼻子上的小疮一个个红得发亮，好像马上就会爆开。现在他哭得更起劲了。
"带他到医务室去。"史纳皮吩咐谢默斯。接着，他盯着坐在尼维尔旁边的哈利和罗思，低声说："你——波特——你为什么不告诉尼维尔炖这种药时是不能加入豪猪尖刺的？你是想着，他要是做错了，你就有好戏看了，对不对？我要再扣掉你一分！"这是不公平的！哈利张大嘴正要反驳，罗恩从他们的汽锅下踢了他一脚，暗示他别干傻事。
一个小时之后，他们走出了地牢。哈利的心情低落到了极点。
入学才一周他就已经被扣掉了两分！为什么史纳皮这么讨厌他？
"嘿，哈利！你得振作起来！"罗恩说，"史纳皮也经常扣弗雷德和乔治的分啦，他不会是针对你的。对了，我能够和你一起去拜访哈格力吗？"星期五下午四点五十五分，哈利和罗恩离开城堡，穿过草地，往哈格力家走去。
哈格力住在森林边上的一间小木屋里，他的房子门前总放着一副石弓和一双橡胶雨鞋。
哈利伸手敲了敲门，里边马上传来一阵叫人害怕的跑动声，一只狗狂吠着向门这边跑过来了。接着听到哈格力高声叫嚷："回来，弗兰！回来！"哈格力打开一点点门，在门缝里露出他那张毛茸茸的大脸："请稍等一会儿。
嘿，弗兰，你快回自己窝里去。"
哈格力让他们俩进来，然后和他的那只巨型的黑色大丹狗弗兰激烈斗争了一会儿，才把弗兰的项圈给拉住。
屋里边只有一间房，房间的顶部挂着火腿和风鸡。火炉上，一只铜水壶正煮着开水。在角落里有一张巨大的床，床上胡乱地扔着一张千缝百补的棉被。
"随便坐，随便坐！当自己家里一样好了。"哈格力说。他放开弗兰，弗兰"呼"地一下子扑到罗恩身边，亲热地舔了舔罗恩的耳朵。和它的主人哈格力一样，弗兰也只是看上去有点凶而已。
"他叫罗恩。"哈利告诉哈格力。哈格力正忙着把开水倒进一个大茶壶里，又端来一盘蛋糕卷。他看了一眼罗恩，注意到了罗恩脸上的雀斑，说："你也是威斯里家的孩子吧？我可花了好多时间在这禁林里追逐那对双胞胎呢！"哈格力的蛋糕卷差点儿没把哈利和罗恩的牙齿给磕了下来，但是哈利和罗恩假装着很享受的样子。他们把这一周来的学习生活情况对哈格力讲了。弗兰则把它的巨头搁到哈利的膝盖上睡大觉，还流口水弄湿了哈利的衣服。
听到哈格力把门房费驰叫做"那个老家伙。"哈利和罗恩心里可高兴了。
"至于那只老猫，叫什么来着？诺丽丝夫人，待我有空时我会介绍弗兰和它认识认识的。那家伙，每一次我到学校里去，它总爱跟着我，怎么也摆脱不了。哼，肯定是费驰授意它这么干的。"哈利又把史纲皮上课时怎么针对他的事告诉哈格力。哈格力也和罗恩一样劝哈利不用太担心，史纳皮那个家伙几乎是对每一个学生都没有什么好感的啦。
"但是，他真的好像很讨厌我。"
"胡说！"哈格力说，"他干嘛要讨厌你呢？"
但是哈利觉得好奇怪，哈格力说话时干嘛连看都不敢看他？
"你的兄弟查理近来怎样了？"哈格力问罗恩，"我挺喜欢他的，当然啦，还有他那些奇怪的宠物。"哈格力干嘛要转移话题？哈利心里更加奇怪了。罗恩跟哈格力大讲查理养的丑龙时，哈利看到茶壶旁边的桌子上有一张纸，拿起来一看，原来是从《先知日报》上剪下来的：格林高斯银行劫案调查近况。
发生在7月31日晚的格林高斯银行大劫案目前仍在调查中。
有关人士相信是某些黑女巫或黑巫师干的。
格林高斯里的小妖们今天坚持说他们什么也没干。事实上劫案发生当天，保险库里早就空了。
"但是我们不会告诉你那里边有些什么，让我们静观事态的发展！"今天下牛，格林高斯的发言人如此说道。
哈利记得在火车上罗恩曾经告诉他，有人打算打劫格林高斯，不过罗恩没有对他提及确切的日期。
"哈格力！"哈利嚷起来，"劫案发生那天，刚好是我的生日！
那时我们也在那儿待过！"当然啦，但哈格力根本不敢和哈利的眼神接触。他低声咕饿了几句，又递几块蛋糕卷给哈利。哈利仔细地把那份剪报再读一次。
"事实上劫案发生当天，保险库里早就空了。"可是这不能说保险库因此就被清空了吧？如果说，只是把那个脏兮兮的小包裹拿出来，就可以叫做提领一空的话，哈格力确实是在当日把713号地下金库提领一空。难道那就是抢匪想要找的东西吗？
哈利和罗恩走回城堡里吃晚饭时，两个人的口袋里都装满了哈格力家那些硬得像石头似的蛋糕卷。怎么说呢？他们俩实在不好意思拒绝哈格力啊！哈利想，哈格力有没有及时去取回那个小包包。
那小包现在到哪里去了呢？还有，哈格力是不是知道什么关于史纳皮的事，但是他不愿意告诉哈利呢？
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
lining
|
|
| n.衬里，衬料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
halfway
|
|
| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tickled
|
|
| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
glided
|
|
| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
peeves
|
|
| n.麻烦的事物，怨恨，触怒( peeve的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
sneak
|
|
| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
screech
|
|
| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
filch
|
|
| v.偷窃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
dungeons
|
|
| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dungeon
|
|
| n.地牢，土牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
bulging
|
|
| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
wheezing
|
|
| v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的现在分词 )；哮鸣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
sprout
|
|
| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
fungi
|
|
| n.真菌，霉菌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
scribbled
|
|
| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
emetic
|
|
| n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
squeak
|
|
| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
ward
|
|
| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
defense
|
|
| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
vampire
|
|
| n.吸血鬼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
owls
|
|
| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
nibble
|
|
| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
quill
|
|
| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
celebrity
|
|
| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
shimmering
|
|
| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
fumes
|
|
| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
veins
|
|
| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
brew
|
|
| v.酿造，调制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
infusion
|
|
| n.灌输 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
stumped
|
|
| 僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
sneer
|
|
| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
winked
|
|
| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
draught
|
|
| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
rummaging
|
|
| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
quills
|
|
| n.（刺猬或豪猪的）刺( quill的名词复数 )；羽毛管；翮；纡管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
nettles
|
|
| n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
fangs
|
|
| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
fang
|
|
| n.尖牙，犬牙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
stewed
|
|
| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
seeping
|
|
| v.（液体）渗( seep的现在分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
drenched
|
|
| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
snarled
|
|
| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
porcupine
|
|
| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
spat
|
|
| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
racing
|
|
| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
frantic
|
|
| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
copper
|
|
| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
patchwork
|
|
| n.混杂物；拼缝物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
freckles
|
|
| n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
raisins
|
|
| n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
cozy
|
|
| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
vault
|
|
| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
grunted
|
|
| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |