The moment her finger touched the Mark, Harry1’s scar burned savagely3, the starry4 room vanished from sight, and he was standing5 upon an outcrop of rock beneath a cliff, and the sea was washing around him and there was a triumph in his heart – They have the boy.
A loud bang brought Harry back to where he stood. Disoriented, he raised his wand, but the witch before him was already falling forward; she hit the ground so hard that the glass in the bookcases tinkled6.
“I’ve never Stunned7 anyone except in our D.A. lessons,” said Luna, sounding mildly interested. “That was noisier than I though it would be.”
And sure enough, the ceiling had begun to tremble Scurrying9, echoing footsteps were growing louder from behind the door leading to the dormitories. Luna’s spell had woken Ravenclaws sleeping above.
“Luna, where are you? I need to get under the Cloak!”
Luna’s feet appeared out of nowhere,; he hurried to her side and she let the Cloak fall back over them as the door opened and a stream of Ravenclaws, all in their nightclothes, flooded into the common room. there were gasps10 and cries of surprise as they saw Alecto lying there unconscious. Slowly they shuffled11 in around her, a savage2 beast that might wake at any moment and attack them. Then one brave little first-year darted12 up to her and prodded13 her backside with his big toe.
“I think she might be dead!” he shouted with delight.
“Oh look,” whispered Luna happily, as the Ravenclaws crowded in around Alecto. “They’re pleased!”
“Yeah… great…”
Harry closed his eyes, and as his scar throbbed14 he chose to sink again into Voldemort’s mind…. He was moving along the tunnel into the first cave…. He had chosen to make sure of the locker15 before coming…but that would not take him long….
There was a rap on the common room door and every Ravenclaw froze. From the other side, Harry heard the soft, musical voice that issued from the eagle door knocker: “Where do Vanished objects go?”
“I dunno, do I? Shut it!“ snarled16 an uncouth17 voice that Harry knew was that of the Carrow brother , Amycus, ”Alecto? Alecto? Are you there? Have you got him? Open the door!“
The Ravenclaws were whispering amongst themselves, terrified. Then without warning, there came a series of loud bangs, as though somebody was firing a gun into the door.
“ALECTO! If he comes, and we haven’t got Potter – d’you want to go the same way as the Malfoys? ANSWER ME!“ Amycus bellowed18, shaking the door for all he was worth, but still it did not open. The Ravenclaws were all backing away, and some of the most frightened began scampering19 back up the stair case to their beds. Then, just as Harry was wondering whether he ought not to blast open the door and Stun8 Amycus before the Death Eater could do anything else, a second, most familiar voice rang out beyond the door.
“May I ask what you are doing, Professor Carrow?”
“Trying – to get– through this damned – door!” shouted Amycus. “Go and get Flitwick! Get him to open it, now!”
“But isn’t your sister in there” asked Professor McGonagall. “Didn’t Professor Flitwick let her in earlier this evening, at your urgent request? Perhaps she could open the door for you? Then you needn’t wake up half the castle.”
“She ain’t answering, you old besom! You open it! Darn! Do it, now!“
“Certainly, if you wish it,“ said Professor McGonagall, with awful coldness, There was a genteel tap of the knocker and the musical voice asked again.
“Where do Vanished objects go?”
“Into non being, which is to say, everything,” replied Professor McGonagall.
“Nicely phrased,” replied the eagle door knocker, and the door swung open.
The few Ravenclaws who had remained behind sprinted20 for the stairs as Amycus burst over the threshold, brandishing21 his wand. Hunched22 like his sister, he had a pallid23, doughy24 face and tiny eyes, which fell at once on Alecto, sprawled25 motionless on the floor. He let out a yell of fury and fear.
“What’ve they done, the little whelps?“ he screamed. ”I’ll Cruciate the lot of ‘em till they tell me who did it – and what’s the Dark Lord going to say?“ he shrieked26, standing over his sister and smacking27 himself on the forehead with his fist, ”We haven’t got him, and they’ve gone and killed her!“
“She’s only Stunned,” said Professor McGonagall impatiently, who had stooped down to examine Alecto. “She’ll be perfectly28 all right.”
“No she bludgering well won’t!” bellowed Amycus. “Not after the Dark Lord gets hold of her! She’s gone and sent for him, I felt me Mark burn, and he thinks we’ve got Potter!”
“‘Got Potter’?” said Professor McGonagall sharply, “What do you mean, ‘got Potter’?”
“He told us Potter might try and get inside Ravenclaw Tower, and to send for him if we caught him!”
“Why would Harry Potter try to get inside Ravenclaw Tower! Potter belongs in my House!”
Beneath the disbelief and anger, Harry heard a little strain of pride in her voice and affection for Minerva McGonagall gushed29 up inside him.
“We was told he might come in here!” said Carrow. “I dunno why, do I?”
Professor McGonagall stood up and her beady eyes swept the room. Twice they passed right over the place where Harry and Luna stood.
“We can push it off on the kids,” said Amycus, his pig like face suddenly crafty30. “Yeah, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll say Alecto was ambushed31 by the kids, them kids up there” – he looked up at the starry ceiling toward the dormitories – “ and we’ll say they forced her to pres her Mark, and that’s why he got a false alarm…. He can punish them. Couple of kids more or less, what’s the difference?”
“Only the difference between truth and lie, courage and cowardice,“ said Professor McGonagall, who had turned pale, ”a difference, in short, which you and your sister seem unable to appreciate. But let me make one thing very clear. You are not going to pass off your many ineptitudes on the students of Hogwarts. I shall not permit it.“
“Excuse me?”
Amycus moved forward until he was offensively close to Professor McGonagall, his face within inches of hers. She refused to back away, but looked down at him as if he were something disgusting she had found stuck to the lavatory32 seat.
“It’s not a case of what you’ll permit, Minerva McGonagall. Your time’s over. It’s us what’s in charge here now, and you’ll back me up or you’ll pay the price.“
Harry pulled the Cloak off himself, raised his wand, and said, “You shouldn’t have done that.”
As Amycus spun34 around, Harry shouted, “Crucio!”
The Death Eater was lifted off his feet. He writhed35 through the air like a drowning man, thrashing and howling in pain, and then, with a crunch36 and a shattering of glass, he smashed into the front of a bookcase and crumpled37, insensible, to the floor. “I see what Bellatrix meant,” said Harry, the blood thundering through his brain, “you need to really mean it.”
“Potter!“ whispered Professor McGonagall, clutching her heart. “Potter – you’re here! What–? How–?” She struggled to pull herself together. “Potter, that was foolish!”
“He spat at you,” said Harry.
“Potter, I – that was very – gallant39 of you – but don’t you realize –?“
“Yeah, I do,” Harry assured her. Somehow her panic steadied him. “Professor McGonagall, Voldemort’s on the way.”
“Oh, are we allowed to say the name now?” asked Luna with an air of interest, pulling off the Invisibility Cloak. The appearance of a second outlaw40 seemed to overwhelm Professor McGonagall, who staggered backward and fell into a nearby chair, clutching at the neck of her old tartan dressing41 gown.
“I don’t think it makes any difference what we call him,” Harry told Luna. “He already knows where I am.”
In a distant part of Harry’s brain, that part connected to the angry, burning scar, he could see Voldemort sailing fast over the dark lake in the ghostly green boat…. He had nearly reached the island where the stone basin stood….
“You must flee,” whispered Professor McGonagall, “Now Potter, as quickly as you can!”
“I can’t,” said Harry, “There’s something I need to do. Professor, so you know where the diadem42 of Ravenclaw is?”
“The d-diadem of Ravenclaw? Of course not – hasn’t it been lost for centuries?“ She sat up a little straighter ”Potter, it was madness, utter madness, for you to enter this castle–“
“I had to,“ said Harry. ”Professor, there’s something hidden here that I’m supposed to find, and it could be the diadem– if I could just speak to Professor Flitwick–“
There was a sound of movement, of clinking glass. Amycus was coming round. Before Harry or Luna could act, Professor McGonagall rose to her feet, pointed43 her wand at the groggy44 Death Eater, and said, “Imperio.”
Amycus got up, walked over to his sister, picked up her wand, then shuffled obediently to Professor McGonagall and handed it over along with his own. Then he lay down on the floor beside Alecto. Professor McGonagall waved her wand again, and a length of shimmering45 silver rope appeared out of thin air and snaked around the Carrows, binding46 them tightly together.
“Potter,” said Professor McGonagall, turning to face him again with superb indifference47 to the Carrows’ predicament. “if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does indeed know that you are here–”
As she said it, a wrath48 that was like physical pain blazed through Harry, setting his scar on fire, and for a second he looked down upon a basin whose potion had turned clear, and saw that no golden locket lay safe beneath the surface–.
“Potter, are you all right.” said a voice, and Harry came back. He was clutching Luna’s shoulder to steady himself.
“Time’s running out, Voldemort’s getting nearer, Professor, I’m acting49 on Dumbledore’s orders, I must find what he wanted me to find! But we’ve got to get the students out while I’m searching the castle – It’s me Voldemort wants, but he won’t care about killing50 a few more or less, not now–“ not now he knows I’m attacking Horcruxes, Harry finished the sentence in his head.
“You’re acting on Dumbledore’s orders?” she repeated with a look of dawning wonder. Then she drew herself up to her fullest height.
“We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named while you search for this – this object.”
“Is that possible?”
“I think so,” said Professor McGonagall dryly, “we teachers are rather good at magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we all put our best efforts into it. Of course, something will have to be done about Professor Snape–”
“Let me –”
“–and if Hogwarts is about to enter a state of siege, with the Dark Lord at the gates, it would indeed be advisable to take as many innocent people out of the way as possible. With the Floo Network under observation, and Apparition51 impossible within the grounds–“
“There’s a way,” said Harry quickly, and he explained about the passageway leading into the Hog’s Head.
“Potter, we’re talking about hundreds of students–”
“I know, Professor, but if Voldemort and the Death Eaters are concentrating on the school boundaries they won’t be interested in anyone who’s Disapparating out of Hog’s Head.”
“There’s something in that,“ she agreed. She pointed her wand at the Carrows, and a silver net fell upon their bound bodies, tied itself around them, and hoisted52 them into the air, where they dangled53 beneath the blue-and-gold ceiling like two large, ugly sea creatures. ”Come. We must alert the other Heads of House. You’d better put that Cloak back on.“
She marched toward the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip burst three silver cats with spectacle markings around their eyes. the Patronuses ran sleekly54 ahead, filling the spiral staircase with silvery light, as Professor McGonagall, Harry, and Luna hurried back down.
Along the corridors they raced, and one by one the Patronuses left them. Professor McGonagall’s tartan dressing gown rustled55 over the floor, and Harry and Luna jogged behind her under the Cloak.
They had descended56 two more floors when another set of quiet joined theirs. Harry, whose scar was still prickling, heard them first. He felt in the pouch57 around his neck for the Marauder’s Map, but before he could take it our, McGonagall too seemed to become aware of their company. She halted, raised her wand ready to duel58, and said, “Who’s there?”
“It is I,” said a low voice.
From behind a suit of armor stepped Severus Snape.
Hatred59 boiled up in Harry at the sight of him. He had forgotten the details of Snape’s appearance in the magnitude of his crimes, forgotten how his greasy60 black hair hung in curtains around his thin face, how his black eyes had a dead, cold look. He was not wearing nightclothes, but was dressed in his usual black cloak, and he too was holding his wand ready for a fight.
“Where are the Carrows?” he asked quietly.
“Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus,” said Professor McGonagall.
Snape stepped nearer, and his eyes flitted over Professor McGonagall into the air around her, as if he knew that Harry was there. Harry held his wand up too, ready to attack.
“I was under the impression,“ said Snape, ”That Alecto had apprehended61 an intruder.“
“Really?” said Professor McGonagall. “And what gave you that impression?”
Snape mad a slight flexing62 movement of his left arm, where the Dark Mark was branded into his skin.
“Oh, but naturally,” said Professor McGonagall. “You Death Eaters have your own private means of communication, I forgot.”
Snape pretended not to have heard her. His eyes were still probing the air all about her, and he was moving gradually closer, with an air of hardly noticing what he was doing.
“I did not know that it was your night to patrol the corridors Minerva.“
“You have some objection?”
“I wonder what could have brought you out of our bed at this late hour?”
“I thought I heard a disturbance,” said Professor McGonagall.
“Really? But all seems calm.”
Snape looked into her eyes.
“Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva? Because if you have. I must insist–”
Professor McGonagall moved faster than Harry could have believed. Her wand slashed63 through the air and for a split second Harry thought that Snape must crumple38, unconscious, but the swiftness of his Shield Charm was such that McGonagall was thrown off balance. She brandished64 her wand at a touch on the wall and it flew out of its bracket. Harry, about to curse Snape, was forced to pull Luna out of the way of the descending65 flames, which became a ring of fire that filled the corridor and flew like a lasso at Snape– Then it was no longer fire, but a great black serpent that McGonagall blasted to smoke, which re-formed and solidified66 in seconds to become a swarm67 of pursuing daggers68. Snape avoided them only by forcing the suit of armor in front of him, and with echoing clangs the daggers sank, one after another, into its breast–
“Minerva!” said a squeaky voice, and looking behind him, still shielding Luna from flying spells, Harry saw Professors Flitwick and Sprout69 sprinting70 up the corridor toward them in their nightclothes, with the enormous Professor Slughorn panting along at the rear.
“No!” squealed71 Flitwick, raising his wand. “You’ll do no more murder at Hogwarts!”
Flitwick’s spell hit the suit of armor behind which Snape had taken shelter. With a clatter72 it came to life. Snape struggled free of the crushing arms and sent it flying back toward his attackers. Harry and Luna had to dive sideways to avoid it as it smashed into the wall and shattered. When Harry looked up again, Snape was in full flight, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout all thundering after him. He hurtled through a classroom door and, moments later, he heard McGonagall cry, “Coward! COWARD!”
“What’s happened, what’s happened?” asked Luna.
Harry dragged her to her feet and they raced along the corridor, trailing the Invisibility Cloak behind them, into the deserted73 classroom where Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout were standing at a smashed window.
“He jumped,” said Professor McGonagall as Harry and Luna ran into the room.
“You mean he’s dead?“ Harry sprinted to the window, ignoring Flitwick’s and Sprout’s yells of shock at his sudden appearance.
“No, he’s not dead,“ said McGonagall bitterly. ”Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand… and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master.“
With a tingle74 of horror, Harry saw in the distance a huge, bat like shape flying through the darkness toward the perimeter75 wall.
There were heavy footfalls behind them, and a great deal of puffing76. Slughorn had just caught up.
“Harry!“ he panted, massaging77 his immense chest beneath his emerald-green silk pajamas78. “My dear boy… what a surprise…Minerva, do please explain…Severus…what…?”
“Our headmaster is taking a short break,“ said Professor McGonagall, pointing at the Snape-shaped hole in the window.
“Professor!” Harry shouted his hand on his forehead, He could see the Inferi-filled lake sliding beneath him, and he felt a ghostly green boat bump into the underground shore, and Voldemort lept from it with murder in his heart–
“Professor, we’ve got to barricade79 the school, he’s coming now!“
“Very well. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming,” she told the other teachers. Sprout and Flitwick gasped80. Slughorn let out a low groan81. “Potter has work to do in the castle on Dumbledore’s orders. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do.”
“You realize , of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely?” squeaked82 Flitwick.
“But we can hold him up.” said Professor Sprout.
“Thank you, Pomona,” said Professor McGonagall, and between the two witches there passed a look of grim understanding.
“I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in the Great Hall. Most must be evacuated83, though if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance.“
“Agreed,” said Professor Sprout, already hurrying toward the door. “I shall meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes with my House.”
And as she jogged out of sight, they could hear her muttering, “Tentacula, Devil’s Snare84. And Snargaluff pods…yes, I’d like to see the Death Eaters fighting those.”
“I can act from here,” said Flitwick, and although he could barely see out of it, he pointed his wand through the smashed window and started muttering incantations of great complexity85. Harry heard a weird86 rushing noise, as though Flitwick had unleashed87 the power of the wind into the grounds.
“Professor,” Harry said, approaching the little Charms master. “Professor, I’m sorry to interrupt, but this is important. Have you got any idea where the diadem of Ravenclaw is?”
“–Protego Horribillis – the diadem of Ravenclaw?“ squeaked Flitwick. ”A little extra wisdom never goes amiss, Potter, but I hardly think it would be much use in this situation!“
“I only meant – do you know where it is? Have you ever seen it?”
“Seen it! Nobody has seen it in living memory! Long since lost, boy.”
Harry felt a mixture of desperate disappointment and panic. What, then, was the Horcrux?
“We shall meet you and your Ravenclaws in the Great Hall, Filius!“ said Professor McGonagall, beckoning88 to Harry and Luna to follow her.
They had just reached the door when Slughorn rumbled89 into speech.
“My word,“ he puffed90, pale and sweaty, his walrus91 mustache aquiver. ”What a to-do! I’m not at all sure whether this is wise, Minerva. He is bound to find a way in, you know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in the most grievous peril–“
“I shall expect you and the Slytherins in the Great Hall in twenty minutes also.” said Professor McGonagall. “If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage92 our resistance or take up arms against us within this castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill.”
“Minerva!” he said, aghast.
“The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties,“ interrupted Professor McGonagall. ”Go and wake your students, Horace.“
Harry did not stay to watch Slughorn splutter. He and Luna stayed after Professor McGonagall, who had taken up a position in the middle of the corridor and raised her wand.
“Piertotum–oh, for heaven’s sake, Filch93, not now–“
The aged94 caretaker had just come hobbling into view, shouting “Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!”
“They’re supposed to be you blithering idiot!“ shouted McGonagall. ”Now go and do something constructive95! Find Peeves96!“
“P-Peeves?” stammered97 Filch as though he had never heard the name before.
“Yes, Peeves, you fool, Peeves! Haven’t you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once.“
Filch evidently thought Professor McGonagall had taken leave of her senses, but hobbled away, hunch-shouldered, muttering under his breath.
“And now – Piertotum Locomator!“ cried Professor McGonagall. And all along the corridor the statues and suits of armor jumped down from their plinths, and from the echoing crashes from the floors above and below, Harry knew that their fellows throughout the castle had done the same.
“Hogwarts is threatened!” shouted Professor McGonagall. “Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!”
Clattering98 and yelling, the horde99 of moving statues stampeded past Harry, some of them smaller, others larger than life. There were animals too, and the clanking suits of armor brandished swords and spiked100 balls on chains.
“Now, Potter,” said McGonagall. “you and Miss Lovegood had better return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall – I shall rouse the other Gryffindors.”
They parted at the top of the next staircase, Harry and Luna turning back toward the concealed101 entrance to the Room of Requirement. As they ran, they met crowds of students, most wearing traveling cloaks over their pajamas, being shepherded down to the Great Hall by teachers and prefects.
“That was Potter!”
“Harry Potter!“
“It was him, I swear, I just saw him!”
But Harry did not look back, and at last they reached the entrance to the Room of Requirement, Harry leaned against the enchanted102 wall, which opened to admit them, and he and Luna sped back down the steep staircase.
“Wh–?”
As the room came into view, Harry slipped down a few stairs in shock. It was packed, far more crowded than when he had last been in there. Kingsley and Lupin were looking up at him, as were Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
“Harry, what’s happening?” said Lupin, meeting him at the foot of the stairs.
“Voldemort’s on his way, they’re barricading103 he school – Snape’s run for it – What are you doing here? How did you know?”
“We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore’s Army,“ Fred explained. ”You couldn’t expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix104 know, and it all kind of snowballed.“
“What first, Harry?” called George. “What’s going on?”
“They’re evacuating105 the younger kids and everyone’s meeting in the Great Hall to get organized,” Harry said. “We’re fighting.”
There was a great roar and a surge toward the stairs, he was pressed back against he wall as they ran past hi, the mingled106 members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore’s Army, and Harry’s old Quidditch team, all with their wands drawn107, heading up into the main castle.
“Come on, Luna,” Dean called as he passed, holding out his free hand, she took it and followed him back up the stairs.
The crowd was thinning. Only a little knot of people remained below in the Room of Requirement, and Harry joined them. Mrs. Weasley was struggling with Ginny. Around them stood Lupin, Fred, George, Bill and Fleur.
“You’re underage!” Mrs. Weasley shouted at her daughter as Harry approached “I won’t permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you’ve got to go home!”
“I won’t!”
Ginny’s hair flew as she pulled her arm out of her mother’s grip.
“I’m in Dumbledore’s Army–”
“A teenagers’ gang!”
“A teenagers’ gang that’s about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!” said Fred.
“She’s sixteen!” shouted Mrs. Weasley. “She’s not old enough! What you two were thinking bringing her with you – – ”
Fred and George looked slightly ashamed of themselves.
“Mom’s right, Ginny,“ said Bill gently. ”You can’t do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it’s only right.“
“I can’t go home!” Ginny shouted, angry tears sparkling in her eyes. “my whole family’s here, I can’t stand waiting there alone and not knowing and –”
Her eyes met Harry’s for the first time. She looked at him beseechingly108, but he shook his head and she turned away bitterly.
“Fine,” she said, staring at the entrance to the tunnel back to the Hog’s Head. “I’ll say good-by now, then, and–”
There was a scuffling and a great thump109. Someone else had clambered out of the tunnel, overbalanced slightly, and fallen. He pulled himself up no the nearest chair, looked around through lopsided horn-rimmed glasses, and said, “Am I too late? Has it started. I only just found out, so I – I –”
Percy spluttered into silence. Evidently he had not expected to run into most of his family. There was a long moment of astonishment110, broken by Fleur turning to Lupin and saying, in a wildly transparent111 attempt to break the tension. “So– ‘ow eez leetle Teddy?”
Lupin blinked at her, startled. The silence between the Weasleys seemed to be solidifying112, like ice.
“I – oh yes – he’s fine!” Lupin said loudly. “yes, Tonks is with him – at her mother’s –”
Percy and the other Weasleys were still staring at one another, frozen.
“Here, I’ve got a picture?” Lupin shouted, pulling a photograph from inside his jacket and showing it to Fleur and Harry, who saw a tiny baby with a tuft of bright turquoise113 hair, waving fat fists at the camera.
“I was a fool!” Percy roared, so loudly that Lupin nearly dropped his photograph. “I was an idiot, I was a pompous114 prat, I was a – a –”
“Ministry115-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron,” said Fred.
Percy swallowed.
“Yes, I was!”
“Well, you can’t say fairer than that,” said Fred, holding his hand out to Percy.
Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug, while he patted her on the back, his eyes on his father.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Percy said.
Mr. Weasley blinked rather rapidly, then he too hurried to hug his son.
“What made you see sense, Perce?” inquired George.
“It’s been coming on for a while,“ said Percy, mopping his eyes under his glasses with a corner of his traveling cloak. ”But I had to find a way out and it’s not so easy at the Ministry, they’re imprisoning116 traitors117 all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am.“
“Well, we do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these,” said George in a good imitation of Percy’s most pompous manner. “Now let’s get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters’ll be taken.”
“So, you’re my sister in-law now?” Said Percy, shaking hands with Fleur as they hurried off toward the staircase with Bill, Fred, and George.
“Ginny!” barked Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny had been attempting, under cover of the reconciliations118 to sneak119 upstairs too.
“Molly, how about this,” said Lupin. “Why doesn’t Ginny stay here , then at least she’ll be on the scene and know what’s going on, but she won’t be in the middle of the fighting?”
“I–”
“That’s a good idea,” said Mr. Weasley firmly, “Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?”
Ginny did not seem to like the idea much, but under her father’s unusually stern gaze, she nodded. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin headed off to the stairs as well.
“Where’s Ron?” asked Harry, “Where’s Hermione?”
“They must have gone up the Great Hall already,” Mr. Weasley called over his shoulder.
“ I didn’t see them pass me,” said Harry.
“They said something about a bathroom,” said Ginny, “not long after you left.”
“A bathroom?”
Harry strode across the room to an open door leading off the Room of Requirement and checked the bathroom beyond. It was empty.
“You’re sure they said bath–?”
But then his scar seared and the Room of Req1uirement vanished. He was looking through the high wrought-iron gates with winged boats on pillars at either side, looking through the dark grounds toward the castle, which was ablaze120 with lights. Nagini lay draped over his shoulders. He was possessed121 of that cold, cruel sense of purpose that preceded murder.
在她的手指触碰到黑魔标志的那一瞬间，哈利的伤疤像被火烧着了一样剧烈的疼痛起来，布满星星的房间从眼前消失了，他正站在悬崖下一块露出海面的岩石上，海浪在他周围拍打着，在他心中有一种狂喜的感觉——他们抓到了那个男孩。
?！一声巨响将哈利拉回到拉文克劳公共休息室。他已经失去了方向感，只是胡乱地举起了魔杖，但是在他面前的巫师已经朝前倒下；她重重地撞向地板，以致书架上的玻璃器皿都发出叮叮当当的脆响。
“我除了在D·A课上的练习，从来就没击倒过任何人，”卢娜有点兴奋，“动静比我想象中的还要大。”
很明显，天花板开始急剧的震动起来，从门后到宿舍急匆匆的脚步回响声越来越大。卢娜的咒语惊醒了睡在上面的拉文克劳学院的学生。
“卢娜，你在哪？我得躲在隐身衣下！”
卢娜的脚一下出现在了跟前，哈利急忙到她的身边，她用隐身衣重新盖住他们，与此同时，休息室的门开了。一群穿着睡衣的拉文克劳学生涌进公共休息室。当他们看到阿勒克图没有知觉的躺在那时，人群里发出一阵吸气声和几声惊呼。他们慢慢地拖着脚步将她围了起来，好像她是一只随时会醒来攻击他们的残暴野兽。然后一个勇敢的一年级学生冲向她，并用他的大脚指戳了戳她的背。
“我想她可能死了！”他欣喜的叫道。
“噢！你看，”卢娜开心地低声说，拉文克劳的学生们在阿勒克图周围围了上来。 “他们很高兴！”
“是的……太棒了……”
哈利闭上了眼睛，他的伤疤抽痛起来，迫使他再次沉入伏地魔的思想……他正在沿着通向第一个洞穴的隧道里移动着……他选择在来之前先确定保护魂器的机关是否安全……但是这不会占用他太长的时间。
公共休息室的门上响起一阵扣门声，所有拉文克劳的学生都呆住了。从门的那一边，哈利听到一个温柔而悦耳的声音从鹰型的门环里传出，“消失了的东西会上哪儿去？”
“我怎么知道？闭嘴！”一个粗俗的声音咆哮道，哈利知道那是卡罗兄妹的另一个，阿米科斯，“阿勒克图？阿勒克图？你在那儿吗？捉到他没？快开门！”
拉文克劳的同学们惊恐地小声交谈着。然后没有任何的预兆地，一阵震耳欲聋的巨响，就好像有人正拿着枪向门里开火一样。
“阿勒克图！如果他来了，而我们还没捉到波特——难道你想和马尔福落得一样的下场吗？快回答我！”阿米科斯吼叫着，用尽全身的力气摇晃着门，但是它依然没有开。拉文克劳的人渐渐向后退，其中一些胆小的开始跑上楼梯，回到他们的床上。正当哈利考虑着是不是应该在食死徒造成什么更大的举动之前把门炸开然后击昏阿米科斯的时候，一个最熟悉的声音从门外很远的地方传来。
“能问一下你正在干什么吗，卡罗教授？”
“正试图——通——过这该死的——门！”阿米科斯吼道，“把弗利维叫来！让他来开门，现在就去！”
“但是你妹妹不是在里面吗？”麦格教授问。“在你的急切要求下，弗利维教授不是让你的妹妹在今天晚上早些时候进去了吗？也许她能为你打开门？那你就不需要惊醒半座城堡的人了。”
“她没回答，你这只老扫把！你来打开它！快点!现在就干！”
“当然，如果你想这样，”麦格教授用一种可怕的冷酷声调说。
麦格教授优雅地敲了敲门，那个悦耳的声音再次问话了：
“消失了的东西会上哪儿去？”
“土崩瓦解，无处可寻，世间万物，无一例外。”麦格教授回答道。
“句子真漂亮，”鹰形门环回应说，门也跟着旋转开来。
当阿米科斯挥舞着魔杖冲进休息室的时候，少数留在房间的拉文克劳学生，急忙向楼梯跑去。他像他妹妹一样驼背，长着一张暗淡苍白的脸和一双极小的眼睛，他立刻扑倒在了四肢摊开在地板上动也不动的阿勒克图身上，发出一声狂怒而惊恐的叫喊。
“他们对你做了什么，那些小兔崽子们？”他大喊。“我会用钻心咒对付他们！直到他们告诉我是谁干的----黑魔王会说什么？”他尖声叫着，站在他妹妹的旁边，用拳头捶锤打着自己的额头，“我们没有捉到他，他们还杀了她逃走了!”
“她只是被击晕了，”麦格教授弯下腰，检查了阿勒克图后，不耐烦地说道，“她会好起来的。”
“她不会的！”阿米科斯咆哮道，“黑魔王饶不了她！她已经召唤了他，我曾感觉我的黑魔标志在灼烧，他以为我们捉到了波特！”
“捉到波特？”麦格教授尖锐地说道，“你说‘捉到波特’是什么意思？”
“黑魔王说波特可能会试图进入拉文克劳的塔楼，如果我们捉住了波特就召唤他！”
“为什么哈利波特会试图进入拉文克劳的塔楼！波特属于我的学院！”
除了怀疑和愤怒，哈利还从她的声音里听出了一点自豪，他对米勒娃麦格教授的感激一下涌上了心头。
“我们被告知他可能进来这里！”卡罗说，“我怎么知道他为什么会来？”
麦格教授站了起来，目光锐利地扫视着房间——两次扫过哈利和卢娜站着的地方。
“我们可以把责任推给这些小兔崽子，”阿米科斯说，他那猪一样的脸突然变得狡诈起来。“对，就是这样。我们会说阿勒克图是被学生们伏击了，那些在楼上的学生”--他抬头看向布满星星的天花板上面的寝室--“我们会说他们强迫她按下黑魔标记，所以他才收到了假警报……他可以惩罚他们——或多或少的一些孩子——多少都无所谓。”
“真实和谎言是勇敢和胆小的唯一区别，”麦格教授的脸变得苍白，“简单的说，就是你和你妹妹所不能理解的区别。不过，让我把一点讲清楚。你不能把你的许多失职推卸到霍格沃茨的学生的身上。我不会允许。”
“你说什么？”
阿米科斯向前移动了几步，令人讨厌地走到麦格教授身边，他的脸离她只有几英寸。她没有退缩，反而俯视着他，就像看着黏在马桶座上的一些恶心的东西一样。
“这可由不得你，米勒娃·麦格。你的时代已经结束了，现在我们掌管这里，你要么服从我，要么就得付出代价。”
阿米科斯一巴掌打在她的脸上。
哈利一把从身上扯下隐身衣，举起魔杖道，“你会后悔那么做的！”
阿米科斯转过身来，哈利大叫一声，“钻心剜骨！”
这个食死徒被抬离了地面。他像一个溺水者一样在空中不断翻腾、挣扎，发出痛苦的嚎叫，然后，随着嘎扎声和玻璃的破碎的声音，他撞上了书架，身体卷曲着，毫无知觉地倒在了地上。
“我明白贝拉的意思了，”哈利说，血液潮水般往大脑里涌来，“你得真的想干掉对方。”
“波特！”麦格教授捉住她的胸口低声说，“波特——你在这！你想做——？你是怎么——？”她努力使自己平静下来。 “波特，刚才那样非常卤莽！”
“但他扇了你一巴掌，”哈利说。
“波特，我——你那样非常——英勇——但是你没意识到——？”
“不，我意识到了，”哈利让她放心。不知何故，她的惊慌反而让哈利稳定了心情，“麦格教授，伏地魔正在来的路上。”
“噢！我们现在被允许说这个名字了？”卢娜扯掉了隐身衣兴奋的说。又一个“逃犯”的出现似乎击垮了麦格教授，她摇摇晃晃的退了几步跌进附近的一把椅子里，抓着她旧格子晨衣的颈部。
“我认为我们如何称呼他并没有什么区别。”哈利告诉卢娜，“他已经知道了我在哪儿。”
在哈利的大脑深处，一个连接着极度的愤怒与灼痛的伤疤地方。他可以看见伏地魔正在一艘幽灵丝的绿色小船里快速穿行在黑色的湖面上，他就快要接近石盆所在的小岛了。
“你必须逃跑。”麦格教授轻声说，“现在就走，波特，越快越好。”
“我不能，”哈利说，“我还有些事情要做。教授。你知道拉文克劳的金冕在哪吗？”
“拉文克劳的金-金冕？当然不知道，——它不是丢失了几个世纪了吗？”她稍稍坐直了身子，“波特，你现在回来是疯狂的——极度疯狂的行为”
“但我必须这么做，”哈利说，“教授，有些东西藏在城堡里，我得把它找出来，那可能就是金冕——如果我能和弗利维教授谈谈——”
玻璃叮叮当当地响起来了，有什么东西在动。阿米科斯正醒过来。哈利和卢娜还没来得及举起魔杖，麦格教授就站了起来，用魔杖指着摇摇晃晃的食死徒说道，“魂魄出窍。”
阿米科斯站起来，走向他的妹妹，拾起她的魔杖，又拖着脚步顺从的走向麦格教授，把自己的魔杖和妹妹的一起交给她。随后，他在阿勒克图旁边的地板上躺下。麦格教授再次挥舞魔杖，一股闪着微光的银绳从稀薄的空气中出现，并象蛇一样盘绕着卡罗兄妹，将他们紧紧的绑了起来。
“波特，”麦格教授重新把脸转向哈利，对卡罗兄妹所处的困境无动于衷，“如果那个不能被提到名字的人确实知道你在这——”
正当她说着的时候，一股愤怒就象真实的疼痛一般贯穿了哈利，让他的伤疤如同火烧一般。有那么一会儿，他低头看到石盆里的药剂已变得清澈，却没看见稳稳地躺在水面下的金坠盒子——。
“波特，你还好吗。” 一个声音说，哈利又清醒过来。他抓着卢娜的肩膀借此来稳住自己。
“时间不多了，伏地魔越来越近了，教授，我正在执行邓布利多的命令，我必须找到他让我找到的东西！但是我在城堡里寻找的时候必须让学生们离开——伏地魔想要的是我，而他不会关心会杀掉多少个学生，特别是现在——”特别是现在他知道我正在试图毁掉魂器时。哈利在脑海中说完这句话。
“你正在执行邓布利多的命令？”她重复道，看起来相当的惊愕。然后，她努力让自己站直身子。
“在你寻找这个-这个东西的时候，我们会保障学校免遭神秘人的毒手。”
“那有可能吗？”
“我想可以，”麦格教授干巴巴的说，“我们老师对于魔法可是很在行，你知道的。如果我们尽全力，我可以肯定我们能拖住他一会儿。当然，对于斯内普教授我们需要做点什么——”
“让我——”
“-随着伏地魔进入大门，霍格沃茨就将要陷入包围中，让尽可能多的无辜的人逃走确实是明智的做法。但飞路网被监视了起来，在城堡内也不能用幻影移形——”
“有一条路，”哈利快速说，他说明了通向猪头酒吧的秘道。
“波特，但是有数以百计的学生——”
“我知道，教授，但是如果伏地魔和食死徒把注意力放在守住学校的边界时，他们不会注意到从猪头酒吧消失掉的人的。
“有道理，”她同意了。麦格教授将魔杖指向卡罗兄妹俩，一张银色的网落在他们被绑着的身体上，然后拉紧罩住了他们，并将他们升到了空中，他们在蓝金色的天花板下摇摆着，就象两只又大又丑的海怪。“快过来，我们得警告其他学院的院长。你最好把隐身衣穿上。”
麦格教授走向门边，举起魔杖。三只银色的猫顿时从魔杖尖端跳了出来，它们的眼睛周围都有着眼镜一样的花纹。守护神跑在前头，让螺旋梯充满了银色的光芒，麦格教授、哈利和卢娜匆忙走下来。
他们沿着走廊奔跑着，守护神一个接一个地消失了。麦格教授的格子呢晨衣袍子在地板上发出沙沙的响声，哈利和卢娜在隐身衣下紧跟着她。
他们下了两三层楼，突然传来一阵不易察觉的响动。哈利最先听到，他的伤疤仍然刺痛。他将手伸进挂在脖子上的小袋子拿活点地图，但他还没拿得出来，麦格教授似乎也察觉到了他们新同伴的到来。她停住脚步，举起魔杖准备战斗，“谁在那？”
“是我，”一个低沉的声音说。
西弗勒斯·斯内普从一套盔甲后面走了出来。
一看到他，仇恨开始在哈利心中翻滚。他已经忘了在斯内普犯下的罪行中他的样貌的细节，忘了他那油腻腻的头发是如何像窗帘一样遮在他瘦削的脸上，忘记了他黑色的眼睛中带着怎样麻木而冷酷的眼神。他没有穿着睡衣，而是穿着他一贯的黑色长袍，同样他也拿着魔杖准备战斗。
“卡罗兄妹在哪？”他平静的问道。
“我想他们在你让他们去的地方，西弗勒斯。”麦格教授说。
斯内普走近了，他的眼睛掠过麦格教授，看向她周围的空气，就好像他知道哈利在那里一样。哈利也捏紧了他的魔杖，准备攻击。
“我有一种感觉，”斯内普说，“阿勒克图发现了一个入侵者。”
“真的？”麦格教授说。“你那种感觉从哪里来的？”
斯内普轻轻地挠了挠他的左臂，烙着黑魔标志的地方。
“哦，那是理所当然，”麦格教授说，“我忘了你们食死徒有你们自己的通讯手段。”
斯内普假装没有听她讲话，他的眼睛依然在麦格教授身边的空气里搜索，他靠得更近了，让人不知道他到底想做什么。
“我不知道今天晚上是你负责巡视走廊，米勒娃。”
“你有异议吗？”
“我只是想知道为什么这么晚了你要下床到这里来。”
“我认为有一场骚乱，”麦格教授说。
“是吗？但是一切都看起来很平静。”
斯内普看向她的眼睛。
“你见过哈利波特了，米勒娃？因为如果你见过他了。我必须强调——”
麦格教授以哈利难以相信的速度动起来。她的魔杖划过空气，有一瞬间哈利认为斯内普一定已经没有知觉地倒下了。但是斯内普迅速念出的防护咒却让麦格教授失去了平衡。她挥舞着的魔杖碰到了墙壁，并从托架上飞了出来。哈利正准备对斯内普念咒，却被迫将卢娜拉离了那道逐渐消失的火焰，它变成了一个火环照亮了走廊，然后像一个套索飞向斯内普——
然后火焰消失了，只有一条被麦格教授炸成烟的黑色大毒蛇，这些烟雾重新成型，片刻凝固成了一群飞刀。斯内普只能将那套盔甲挡在身前来躲避飞刀，随着叮叮当当的回声，它们一个接一个地刺入了盔甲的胸部。
“米勒娃！”一个尖细的声音说，哈利一边看向他后面，一边保护着卢娜躲避飞来的咒语，他看见弗利维教授和斯普劳特教授穿着睡衣穿过走廊跑向他们，身躯庞大的斯拉霍恩教授气喘吁吁的尾随其后。
“不！”弗利维教授长声尖叫，举起他的魔杖。“你不能再在霍格沃茨杀人！”
弗利维教授的咒语撞在斯内普用于掩蔽的那套盔甲上。随着咔嚓一声，它活了过来。斯内普挣扎着摆脱那些可以碾碎人的手臂并让它飞向攻击他的人。当它砸到墙上散成碎片时，哈利和卢娜不得不蹲到一旁来躲避它。当哈利再次抬起头的时候，斯内普正在飞行，麦格教授、弗利维教授和斯普劳特教授都在他身后紧跟着他。他急急地飞过一扇教室门，片刻之后，他听到麦格教授喊道“胆小鬼！胆小鬼！”
“怎么了？怎么了？”卢娜问。
哈利把她扶了起来，他们沿着走廊跑进了那个废弃的教室，隐型斗蓬都被他们甩在了身后。麦格教授、弗利维教授、斯普劳特教授正站在一面破碎的窗户前。
“他跳了下去，”当哈利和卢娜跑进教室的时候，麦格教授说道。
“你是说他已经死了？”哈利跑向窗户，并没有理睬弗利维教授和斯普劳特教授因为他的突然出现而发出的惊呼。
“不，他没死。”麦格教授悲痛地说。“不像邓布利多，他仍然拿着魔杖……而且他好像从他的主子那学会了一点花招。”
带着因恐怖而起麻刺感，他看到远方有一个巨大的、蝙蝠形的东西穿过黑暗飞向城堡的围墙。
他们身后传来沉重的脚步声和大声的喘气声。斯拉格霍恩刚刚赶到。
“哈利！”他喘着气，揉着他那鲜绿色丝质睡衣下巨大的胸脯，“我亲爱的孩子……真是一个惊喜……米勒娃，可以解释一下么……西弗勒斯……到底怎么回事？”
“我们的校长想暂时休息一下。”麦格教授边说，边指着窗户上一个斯内普形状的洞。
“教授！”
哈利手放在额头上喊道，他可以看见那片堆满阴尸的湖被他飞快地他抛在身后，感觉到一只幽灵似的绿色小船撞上了地下湖的岸边，伏地魔带着想杀人的暴怒离开了船——
“教授，我们需要在学校里布置障碍，他快来了！”
“很好。神秘人来了，”她告诉其他老师。弗利维教授和斯普劳特教授吸了口气。斯拉霍恩则发出低低的呻吟。“按照邓布利多的指示，波特在城堡里有事情需要做。当波特在做他需要做的事情的时候，我们要尽我们所能安置所有的保护措施。”
“当然，但是你应该知道无论我们做什么也不可能挡得住神秘人！”弗利维教授尖叫道。
“但是我们可以拖延他的时间。”斯普劳特教授说。
“谢谢你，波莫纳，”麦格教授说，她们互相交换了一个会意的眼神，“我建议在学校外围建立最基本的防护，然后将我们的学生集中起来，在礼堂碰面。绝大多数学生都必须撤离，可是如果有些成年的想留下来战斗的，我想应该给他们机会。”
“我同意，”斯普劳特教授说着已经冲到了门口，“我会带着我们学院的学生在二十分钟后在礼堂和你碰面。”
当斯普劳特教授跑着消失在大家的视野中，他们可以听到她咕哝着，“触须， 魔鬼网和巴波块茎……是的，我倒要看看这些食死徒怎么对付它们。”
“我就从这儿开始好了。”弗利维教授说，虽然他几乎看不到窗外，他举起魔杖穿过穿过破碎的窗户，开始咕哝着相当复杂的咒语。哈利听到一阵奇怪的唰唰声，就好像弗利维教授在地面上制造了一场飓风。
“教授，”哈利说，靠近这个矮小的魔咒课教授。“教授，很抱歉打扰您，但是这很重要。您知不知道拉文克劳的金冕在哪？”
“——防御保护——拉文克劳的金冕？”弗利维教授尖声说，“了解一点点课外的知识是不会有错的，波特，但是我实在不知道在现在这种情况下那有什么用!”
“我只是说——您知道它在哪吗？您曾见过它吗？”
“见过它？现在活着的人没人见过它！遗失很久了，孩子。”
哈利感到既绝望又失望又惊慌。那么，它是魂器吗？
“我们会在大礼堂等你和你拉文克劳的学生，弗利维!” 麦格教授说， 向哈利和卢娜招手示意他们过来跟着她。
当他们刚到门口时，斯拉格霍恩突然低声说道。
“我说，”他的脸变得极度苍白，汗津津的，海象般的胡须颤抖着。“这种做法！我根本不确定这是否明智，米勒娃。他一定会找到方法进来，你知道，任何企图耽搁他的人都会陷入极度危险中——”
“我也希望你和斯莱特林的学生在二十分钟后来到大礼堂。”麦格教授说，“如果你想带着你的学生离开，我们不会阻止你。但是如果你们中的任何一个在这所城堡里妨碍我们的抵抗行动，或是对我们拔剑相向的话，那么霍拉斯，我们会斗争到底。”
“米勒娃！”他吓呆了。
“现在是让斯莱特林学院决定对谁效忠的时候了，”麦格教授打断他，“去叫醒你的学生，霍拉斯。”
哈利没有留下继续听斯拉格霍恩絮絮叨叨。他和卢娜紧跟着麦格教授，她站在走廊中间的位置举起了她的魔杖。
“灵魂——噢，看在上帝的份上，费尔奇，不是现在——”
那个上了年纪的看守员刚蹒跚着进入视线内，就大叫道，“学生们都下了床！他们都在走廊上！”
“他们都当你是满腹牢骚的白痴！”麦格教授喊道。“现在去做一些有建设性的事！找到皮皮鬼！”
“皮——皮皮鬼？”费尔奇结结巴巴地，好像他以前从没听到过这个名字。
“是的，皮皮鬼，你这个傻瓜，皮皮鬼！你不是已经抱怨他二十五年了吗？把他带来，马上。”
费尔奇显然认为麦格教授失去了判断力，但是仍然蹒跚着离开，驼着背，小声的咕哝着。
“现在——灵魂复生!”
麦格教授大喊。沿着走廊的所有雕像和盔甲都从他们的底座上跳了下来，从楼上和楼下传来的撞击的回声看来，哈利知道它们分布在城堡每个角落里的同伴们也都做了同样的事。
“霍格沃茨正在受到威胁！”麦格教授大喊。“在学校外围就位，保护我们，为我们的学校尽你们的责任吧！”
伴随着咔嚓声和叫喊声，一群移动的雕像——包括一些动物雕像——从哈利身边匆忙的跑过，有些很小，有些则比人还大，周身叮当作响的盔甲们挥舞着剑和用链条串起来的锥形球。
“现在，波特。”麦格教授说，“你和洛夫古德小姐最好到你们的朋友那儿把他们带到礼堂里——我去叫醒其他格兰芬多的学生。”
他们在下一个楼梯的顶端分开了，哈利和卢娜转向了去有求必应屋的隐蔽入口方向。他们在奔跑时遇到了一群学生，其中大多数都在睡衣外面套着旅行斗篷，正被老师和级长带去礼堂。
“那是波特！”
“哈利。波特！”
“就是他，我发誓，我刚看见了他！”
但是哈利并没有回头，最后他们到达了有求必应屋的入口，哈利靠在施过魔法的墙上，墙壁打开来让他们进去，他和卢娜快速地走下陡峭的楼梯。
“什——？”
当房间映入眼帘的时候，哈利因为震惊在楼梯上绊了一跤。这里被塞得满满的，比他最后一次来这里时更加拥挤。金斯莱和卢平抬头看向他，还有奥利弗·伍德、凯蒂·贝尔、安吉利娜·约翰逊、艾利西娅·斯平内特，比尔和芙蓉，韦斯莱先生和太太。
“哈利，发生什么事了？”卢平走到楼梯底脚，站在哈利面前。
“伏地魔正在过来，他们在设置障碍阻碍他进学校——斯内普为这个逃了——你们在这做什么？你们怎么知道？”
“我们给其余的D·A成员发了消息，”弗雷德解释说，“你不会觉得有谁想错过这个有趣的事情吧，哈利。然后D·A又让凤凰社的成员知道，这事儿就像滚雪球越滚越大了。”
“我们接下来做什么，哈利？”乔治问，“现在情况怎么样？”
“他们正在疏散低年级的孩子，大家都在礼堂集合以方便组织，”哈利说，“我们正在准备战斗。”
大家发出一声怒吼，涌向楼梯，当他们从哈利身边跑过时他又被挤到了墙上，有凤凰社的成员，D·A成员还有哈利的老魁地奇球队的队员，他们全都拔出了魔杖，昂首跨入城堡。
“快点，卢娜!”迪安在经过时喊道，并且向她伸出另一只手，她抓住它跟在迪安后面上了楼梯。
人群慢慢减少了。只有一撮人还在有求必应屋下面，哈利走了过去。韦斯莱夫人正在和金妮争论，卢平、弗雷德、乔治、比尔和芙蓉都围在她们身边。
“你还没有成年！”当哈利靠近他们时，韦斯莱夫人正对她女儿喊道， “我绝不允许！你的哥哥们可以去，但是你，必须回家！”
“我不回去！”
金妮从她妈妈紧握的手里抽出胳膊的时，头发飞了起来。
“我是D·A的一员——”
“一群十几岁的孩子！”
“一群十几岁要支持哈利波特的孩子，没有人敢这么做！”弗雷德说。
“她只有十六岁！”韦斯莱夫人大喊道。“她还小！你们俩怎么会想把她带上——”
弗雷德和乔治有些愧疚的看着对方。
“妈妈是对的，金妮。”比尔温柔的说，“你不能去。每个未成年的学生都必须离开，这才是正确的决定。”
“我不能回家！”金妮大叫道，愤怒的泪花在她的眼中闪烁。“我所有的亲人都在这儿，我不能呆在家里孤单地等待，什么事情也不知道而且——”
她和哈利的眼神交汇了。金妮恳求的望着他，哈利却摇了摇头，她便悲痛地转过头去。
“好吧，”她说，凝视着通往猪头酒吧通道的入口。“我现在要说再见了，然后，我会——”
突然，随着“砰”的一声的巨响。一个人从通道爬了出来，有些失去平衡，一头栽了下来。他努力站起来，跌进了最近的一把椅子里，透过歪着的牛角框眼镜看着四周，说道：“我太晚了吗？开始了没？我刚找到出口，所以我——我——”
珀西慌乱的止住话头。显然他并没想到会碰见这么多家人。大家由于惊讶而一言不发，最后芙蓉向卢平的问话打破了这场沉默，显而易见，她想转移话题以消除这紧张的气氛。“呃——小泰迪还好吗？”
卢平惊愕的盯着她。韦斯莱们的沉默看起来正在凝固成冰。
“我——啊是的——他很好！”卢平大声说。“是的，唐克斯和他在一起——在她母亲的——”
珀西依然和其他的韦斯莱还在对视着，一动也不动。
“这里，我有一张照片！”卢平大声说，说着从里面的夹克里掏出一张照片，并展示给芙蓉和哈利看，他们看到一个有一撮青绿色头发的小婴儿，对着相机摇晃着他的小胖拳头。
“我是个傻瓜！”珀西吼得非常大声，卢平差点失手掉下照片。“我是个白痴，我是一个华而不实的窝囊废，我是一个……一个……”
“一个热爱魔法部，否认家庭，权利欲望过剩的蠢货。”弗雷德说。
珀西咽了咽口水。
“是的，我是的！”
“那好，没有比那样说更公正的了，”弗雷德将他的手伸向珀西。
韦斯莱夫人突然大哭起来。她向前跑去，将弗雷德推向一边，把珀西拉入怀中给了他一个快要扼死他的拥抱，他也轻轻的拍着韦斯莱夫人的背，眼睛却望着他的父亲。
“我很抱歉，爸爸。”珀西说。
韦斯莱先生相当迅速的眨了眨眼睛，然后他也赶紧抱住了他的儿子。
“是什么让你认清事实的，珀西？”乔治询问道。
“已经有一段时间了，”珀西说，用他旅行斗篷的一角擦着眼镜后面的眼睛。
“然而我必须找出一个办法逃出来，这在魔法部可不容易，他们每时每刻都在监禁着。但我还是设法联系到了阿不福思，他十分钟前向我泄露说霍格沃茨将要有一场自卫战，所以我就到这儿来了。”
“不错，我们期待着我们的级长在这样关键的时候发挥领导作用，”乔治惟妙惟肖的模仿珀西一贯华而不实的腔调。“现在，让我们上楼去战斗，抓住所有的食死徒。”
“那么，你现在是我嫂子啦？”珀西说着和芙蓉握了握手，随后赶快和比尔、弗雷德和乔治跑上楼梯。
“金妮！”韦斯莱夫人咆哮着。
金妮正试图在这场家庭和解的掩护之下偷偷摸摸溜上楼梯。
“莫莉，这样吧，”卢平说，“为什么不让金妮呆在这儿呢？起码这样她可以知道现场到底发生了什么，而她却不会参与到这场战斗中去。”
“我——”
“这是个好主意。”韦斯莱先生坚定的说，“金妮，你呆在这个房间，听到了吗？”
金妮看起来并不是十分喜欢这个主意，但是在韦斯莱先生不同寻常的严厉注视下，她点了点头。韦斯莱先生和韦斯莱太太，还有卢平也上了楼梯。
“罗恩哪去了？”哈利说，“还有赫敏？”
“他们一定是已经去了礼堂。”韦斯莱先生越过他的肩膀说。
“我没看到他们从我身边经过，”哈利说。
“他们说了些关于一间浴室的话，”金妮说，“就在你离开后没多久。”
“一间浴室？”
哈利大踏步的穿过房间，来到一扇开着的、连接着有求必应屋的门前，他检查了在那边的浴室，是空的。
“你肯定他们说的是浴——？”
然而他的伤疤灼痛起来，有求必应屋消失了。他正注视着一扇高大的煅铁大门，门两侧的柱子上各有一艘有翼的船，注释黑暗尽头的城堡——那里正被灯火点亮。纳吉尼在他的肩膀上盘卧着，他的全身被先前那种冷酷，残忍，想杀人的感觉占据着。
收听单词发音 |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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tinkled
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| （使）发出丁当声，（使）发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 )； 叮当响着发出，铃铃响着报出 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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prodded
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| v.刺，戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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snarled
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| 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 | |
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uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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scampering
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的现在分词 ) | |
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sprinted
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| v.短距离疾跑( sprint的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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doughy
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| adj.面团的，苍白的，半熟的；软弱无力 | |
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sprawled
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| v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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ambushed
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| v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着 | |
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lavatory
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| n.盥洗室，厕所 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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35
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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37
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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38
crumple
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| v.把...弄皱，满是皱痕，压碎，崩溃 | |
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39
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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40
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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41
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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42
diadem
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| n.王冠，冕 | |
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43
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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44
groggy
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| adj.体弱的；不稳的 | |
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45
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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46
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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47
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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48
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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49
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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50
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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51
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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52
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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54
sleekly
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| 光滑地，光泽地 | |
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55
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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57
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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58
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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59
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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60
greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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61
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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62
flexing
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| n.挠曲，可挠性v.屈曲( flex的现在分词 )；弯曲；（为准备大干而）显示实力；摩拳擦掌 | |
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63
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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64
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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65
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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66
solidified
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| （使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的过去式和过去分词 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化 | |
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67
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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68
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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69
sprout
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| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
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70
sprinting
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| v.短距离疾跑( sprint的现在分词 ) | |
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71
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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73
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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74
tingle
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| vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动 | |
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75
perimeter
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| n.周边，周长，周界 | |
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76
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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77
massaging
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| 按摩，推拿( massage的现在分词 ) | |
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78
pajamas
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| n.睡衣裤 | |
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79
barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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80
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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81
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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82
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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83
evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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84
snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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85
complexity
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| n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物 | |
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86
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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87
unleashed
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| v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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89
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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90
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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91
walrus
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| n.海象 | |
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92
sabotage
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| n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏 | |
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93
filch
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| v.偷窃 | |
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94
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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95
constructive
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| adj.建设的，建设性的 | |
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96
peeves
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| n.麻烦的事物，怨恨，触怒( peeve的名词复数 ) | |
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97
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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98
clattering
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
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99
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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100
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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101
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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102
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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103
barricading
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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104
phoenix
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| n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生 | |
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105
evacuating
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| 撤离，疏散( evacuate的现在分词 )； 排空（胃肠），排泄（粪便）； （从危险的地方）撤出，搬出，撤空 | |
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106
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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107
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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108
beseechingly
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| adv. 恳求地 | |
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109
thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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110
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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111
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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112
solidifying
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| （使）成为固体，（使）变硬，（使）变得坚固( solidify的现在分词 )； 使团结一致； 充实，巩固； 具体化 | |
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113
turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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114
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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115
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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116
imprisoning
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| v.下狱，监禁( imprison的现在分词 ) | |
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117
traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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118
reconciliations
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| 和解( reconciliation的名词复数 )； 一致； 勉强接受； （争吵等的）止息 | |
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119
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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120
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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121
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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