He was flying facedown on the ground again. The smell of the forest filled his nostrils1. He could feel the cold hard ground beneath his cheek, and the hinge of his glasses which have been knocked sideways by the fall cutting into his temple. Every inch of him ached, and the place where Killing2 Curse had hit him felt like the bruise3 of an iron-clad punch. He did not stir, but he remained exactly where he had fallen, with his left arm bent4 out at an awkward angle and his mouth gaping5.
He had expected to hear cheer of triumph and jubilation6 at his death, but instead hurried footsteps, whispers, and solicitous7 murmurs8 filled the air.
“My Lord… my Lord…”
It was Bellatrix’s voice, and she spoke9 as if to a lover. Harry10 did not dare open his eyes, but allowed his other senses to explore his predicament. He knew that his wand was still stowed beneath his robes because he could feel it pressed between his chest and the ground. A slight cushioning effect in the area of his stomach told him that the Invisibility Cloak was also there, stuffed out of sight.
“My Lord…”
“That will do,” said Voldemort’s voice.
More footsteps. Several people were backing away from the same spot. Desperate to see what was happening and why, Harry opened his eyes by a millimeter.
Voldemort seemed to be getting to his feet. Various Death Eaters were hurrying away from him, returning to the crowd lining11 the clearing. Bellatrix alone remained behind, kneeling beside Voldemort.
Harry closed his eyes again and considered what he had seen. The Death Eaters have been buddled around Voldemort, who seem to have fallen to the ground. Something had happened when he had hit Harry with the Killing Curse. Had Voldemort too collapsed12? It seemed like it. And both of them had briefly13 fallen unconscious and both of them had now returned…
“My Lord, let me –”
“I do not require assistance,” said Voldemort coldly, and though he could not see it, Harry pictured Bellatrix withdrawing a helpful hand. “The boy… Is he dead?”
There was a complete silence in the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, but he felt their concentrated gaze; it seemed to press him harder into the ground, and he was terrified a finger or an eyelid14 might twitch15.
“You,” said Voldemort, and there was a bang and a small shriek16 of pain. “Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead.”
Harry did not know who had been sent to verify. He could only lie there, with his heart thumping17 traitorously18, and wait to be examined, but at the same time nothing, small comfort through it was, that Voldemort was wary19 of approaching him, that Voldemort suspected that all had not gone to plan….
Hands, softer than he had been expecting, touched Harry’s face, and felt his heart. He could hear the woman’s fast breathing, her pounding of life against his ribs21.
“Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?”
The whisper was barely audible, her lips were an inch from his ear, her head bent so low that her long hair shielded his face from the onlookers22.
“Yes,” he breathed back.
He felt the hand on his chest contract: her nails pierced him. Then it was withdrawn23. She had sat up.
“He is dead!” Narcissa Malfoy called to the watchers.
And now they shouted, now they yelled in triumph and stamped their feet, and through his eyelids24, Harry saw bursts of red and silver light shoot into the air in celebration.
Still feigning25 death on the ground, he understood. Narcissa knew that the only way she would be permitted to enter Hogwarts, and find her son, was as part of the conquering army. She no longer cared whether Voldemort won.
“You see?” screeched26 Voldemort over the tumult27. “Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man alive can threaten me now! Watch! Crucio!”
Harry had been expecting it, knew his body would not be allowed to remain unsullied upon the forest floor; it must be subjected to humiliation28 to prove Voldemort’s victory. He was lifted into the air, and it took all his determination to remain limp, yet the pain he expected did not come. He was thrown once, twice, three times into the air. His glasses flew off and he felt his wand slide a little beneath his robes, but he kept himself floppy29 and lifeless, and when he fell to ground for the last time, the clearing echoed with jeers30 and shrieks31 of laughter.
“Now,” said Voldemort, “we go to the castle, and show them what has become of their hero. Who shall drag the body? No – Wait – ”
There was a fresh outbreak of laughter, and after a few moments Harry felt the ground trembling beneath him.
“You carry him,” Voldemort said. “He will be nice and visible in your arms, will he not? Pick up your little friend, Hagrid. And the glasses – put on the glasses – he must be recognizable – ”
Someone slammed Harry’s glasses back onto his face with deliberate force, but the enormous hands that lifted him into the air were exceedingly gentle. Harry could feel Hagrid’s arms trembling with the force of his heaving sobs32; great tears splashed down upon him as Hagrid cradled Harry in his arms, and Harry did not dare, by movement or word, to intimate to Hagrid that all was not, yet, lost.
“Move,” said Voldemort, and Hagrid stumbled forward, forcing his way through the close-growing trees, back through the forest.
Branches caught at Harry’s hair and robes, but he lay quiescent33, his mouth lolling open, his eyes shut, and in the darkness, while the Death Eaters coed all around them, and while Hagrid sobbed34 blindly, nobody looked to see whether a pulse beat in the exposed neck of Harry Potter….
The two giants crashed along behind the Death Eaters; Harry could hear trees creaking and falling as they passed; they made so much din20 that birds toes shrieking35 into the sky, and even the jeers of the Death Eaters were drowned. The victorious36 procession marched on toward the open ground, and after a while Harry could tell, by the lightening of the darkness through his closed eyelids, that the trees were beginning to thin.
“BANE!”
Hagrid’s unexpected bellow37 nearly forced Harry’s eyes open. “Happy now, are yeh, that yeh didn’t fight, yeh cowardly bunch o’ nags38? Are yeh happy Harry Potter’s – d-dead…?”
Hagrid could not continue, but broke down in fresh tears. Harry wondered how many centaurs39 were watching their procession pass; he dared not open his eyes to look. Some of the Death Eaters called insults at the centaurs as they left them behind. A little later, Harry sensed, by a freshening of the air, that they had reached the edge of the forest.
“Stop.”
Harry thought that Hagrid must have been forced to obey Voldemort’s command, because he lurched a little. And now a chill settled over them where they stood, and Harry heard the rasping breath of the dementors that patrolled the other trees. They would not affect him now.
The fact of his own survival burned inside him, a talisman40 against them, as though his father’s stag kept guardian41 in his heart.
Someone passed close by Harry, and he knew that it was Voldemort himself because he spoke a moment later, his voice magically magnified so that it swelled42 through the ground, crashing upon Harry’s eardrums.
“Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.”
“The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered43, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together.”
There was silence in the grounds and from the castle. Voldemort was so close to him that Harry did not dare open his eyes again.
“Come,” said Voldemort, and Harry heard him move ahead, and Hagrid was forced to follow. Now Harry opened his eyes a fraction, and saw Voldemort striding in front them, wearing the great snake Nagini around his shoulders, now free of her enchanted44 cage. But Harry had no possibility of extracting the wand concealed45 under his robes without being noticed by the Death Eaters, who marched on the either side of them through the slowly lightening darkness….
“Harry,” sobbed Hagrid. “Oh, Harry… Harry…”
Harry shut his eyes tight again. He knew that they were approaching the castle and strained his ears to distinguish, above the gleeful voices of the Death Eaters and their tramping footsteps, signs of life from those within.
“Stop.”
The Death Eaters came to a halt; Harry heard them spreading out in a line facing the open front doors of the school. He could see, even though his closed lids, the reddish glow that meant light streamed upon him from the entrance hall. He waited. Any moment, the people for whom he had tried to die would see him, lying apparently46 dead, in Hagrid’s arms.
“NO!”
The scream was the more terrible because he had never expected or dreamed that Professor McGonagall could make such a sound. He heard another women laughing nearby, and knew that Bellatrix gloried in McGonagall’s despair. He squinted47 again for a single second and saw the open doorway48 filling with people, as the survivors49 of the battle came out onto the front steps to face their vanquishers and see the truth of Harry’s death for themselves. He saw Voldemort standing50 a little in front of him, stroking Nagini’s head with a single white finger. He closed his eyes again.
“No!”
“No!”
“Harry! HARRY!”
Ron’s, Hermione’s, and Ginny’s voices were worse than McGonagall’s; Harry wanted nothing more than to call back, yet he made himself lie silent, and their cries acted like a trigger; the crowd of survivors took up the cause, screaming and yelling abuse at the Death Eathers, until - “SILENCE!” cried Voldemort, and there was a bang and a flash of bright light, and silence was forced upon them all. “It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!”
Harry felt himself lowered onto the grass.
“You see?” said Voldemort, and Harry felt him striding backward and forward right beside the place where he lay. “Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded51 ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!”
“He beat you!” yelled Ron, and the charm broke, and the defenders52 of Hogwarts were shouting and screaming again until a second, more powerful bang extinguished their voices once more.
“He was killed while trying to sneak54 out of the castle grounds,” said Voldemort, and there was a relish55 in his voice for the lie. “killed while trying to save himself – ”
But Voldemort broke off: Harry heard a scuffle and a shout, then another bang, a flash of light, and grunt56 of pain; he opened his eyes an infinitesimal amount. Someone had broken free of the crowd and charged at Voldemort: Harry saw the figure hit the ground. Disarmed57, Voldemort throwing the challenger’s wand aside and laughing.
“And who is this?” he said in his soft snake’s hiss58. “Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?”
Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.
“It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?”
“Ah, yes, I remember,” said Voldemort, looking down at Neville, who was struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unprotected, standing in the no-man’s-land between the survivors and the Death Eaters. “But you are a pureblood, aren’t you, my brave boy?” Voldemort asked Neville, who stood facing him, his empty hands curled in fists.
“So what if I am?” said Neville loudly.
“You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.”
“I’ll join you when hell freezes over,” said Neville. “Dumbledore’s Army!” he shouted, and there was an answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort’s Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold.
“Very well,” said Voldemort, and Harry heard more danger in the silkiness of his voice than in the most powerful curse. “If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert59 to the original plan. On your head,” he said quietly, “be it.”
Still watching through his lashes60, Harry saw Voldemort wave his wand. Seconds later, out of one of the castle’s shattered windows, something that looked like a misshapen bird flew through the half light and landed in Voldemort’s hand. He shook the mildewed61 object by its pointed62 end and it dangled63, empty and ragged64: the Sorting Hat.
“There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School,” said Voldemort. “There will be no more Houses. The emblem65, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slythering, will suffice everyone. Won’t they, Neville Longbottom?”
He pointed his wand at Neville, who grew rigid66 and still, then forced the hat onto Neville’s head, so that it slipped down below his eyes. There were movements from the watching crowd in front of the castle, and as one, the Death Eaters raised their wands, holding the fighters of Hogwarts at bay.
“Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me,” said Voldemort, and with a flick67 of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames.
Screams split the dawn, and Neville was a flame, rooted to the spot, unable to move, and Harry could not bear it: He must act - And then many things happened at the same moment.
They heard uproar68 from the distant boundary of the school as what sounded like hundreds of people came swarming69 over the out-of-sight walls and pelted70 toward the castle, uttering loud war cries. At the same time, Grawp came lumbering71 around the side of the castle and yelled, “HAGGER!” His cry was answered by roars from Voldemort’s giants: They ran at Grawp like bull elephants making the earth quake. Then came hooves and the twangs of bows, and arrows were suddenly falling amongst the Death Eaters, who broke ranks, shouting their surprise. Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak from inside his robes, swung it over himself, and sprang to his feet, as Neville moved too.
In one swift, fluid motion, Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the flaming hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering, rubied handle - The slash72 of the silver blade could not be heard over the roar of the oncoming crowd or the sounds of the clashing giants or of the stampeding centaurs, and yet, it seemed to draw every eye. With a single stroke Neville sliced off the great snake’s head, which spun73 high into the air, gleaming in the light flooding from the entrance hall, and Voldemort’s mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear, and the snake’s body thudded to the ground at his feet. –
Hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry cast a Shield Charm between Neville and Voldemort before the latter could raise his stamps of the battling giants, Hagrid’s yell came loudest of all.
“HARRY!” Hagrid shouted. “HARRY – WHERE’S HARRY?” Chaos74 reigned75. The charging centaurs were scattering76 the Death Eaters, everyone was feeling the giants’ stamping feet, and nearer and nearer thundered the reinforcements that had come from who knew where; Harry saw great winged creatures soaring the heads of Voldemort’s giants, thestrals and Buckbeak the hippogriff scratching at their eyes while Grawp punched and pummeled them and now the wizards, defenders of Hogwarts and Death Eaters alike were being forced back into the castle. Harry was shooting jinxes and curses at any Death Eater he could see, and they crumpled77, not knowing what or who had hit them, and their bodies were trampled78 by the retreating crowd. Still hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry was buffered79 into the entrance hall: He was searching for Voldemort and saw him across the room, firing spells from his wand as he backed into the Great Hall, still screaming instructions to his followers80 as he sent curses flying left and right; Harry cast more Shield Charms, and Voldemort’s would-be victims. Seamus Finnigan and Hannah Abbott, darted81 past him into the Great Hall, where they joined the fight already flourishing inside it.
And now there were more, even more people storming up the front steps, and Harry saw Charlie Weasley overtaking Horace Slughorn, who was still wearing his emerald pajamas82. They seemed to have returned at the head of what looked like the families and friends of every Hogwarts student who had remained to fight along with the shopkeeps and homeowners of Hogsmeade. The centaurs Bane, Ronan and Magorian burst into the hall with a great clatter83 of hooves, as behind Harry the door that led to the kitchens was blasted off its hinges.
The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed84 into the entrance hall, screaming and waving carving85 knives and cleaver86, and at their head, the locker87 of Regulus Black bouncing on his chest, was Kreacher, his bullfrog’s voice audible even above this din: “Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender53 of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!”
They were hacking88 and stabbing at the ankles and shim of Death Eaters their tiny faces alive with malice89, and everywhere Harry looked Death Eaters were folding under sheer weight of numbers, overcome by spells, dragging arrows from wounds, stabbed in the leg by elves, or else simply attempting to escape, but swallowed by the oncoming horde90.
But it was not over yet: Harry sped between duelers, past a struggling prisoners, and into he Great Hall.
Voldemort was in the center of the battle, and he was striking and smiting92 al within reach. Harry could not get a clear shot, but fought his way nearer, still invisible, and the Great Hall became more and more crowded as everyone who could walk forced their way inside.
Harry saw Yaxley slammed to the floor by George and Lee Jordan, saw Dolohov fall with a scream at Flitwick’s hands, saw Walden Macnair thrown across the room by Hagrid, hit the stone wall opposite, and slide unconscious to the ground. He saw Ron and Neville bringing down Fenrir Greyback. Aberforth Stunning93 Rookwood, Arthur and Percy flooting Thicknesse, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy running through the crowd, not even attempting to fight, screaming for their son.
Voldemort was now dueling94 McGonagall, Slughorn, Kingsley all at once, and there was a cold hatred95 in his face as they wove and ducked around him, unable to finish him - Bellatrix was still fighting too, fifty yards away from Voldemort, and like her master she dueled96 three at once: Hermione, Ginny and Luna, all battling their hardest, but Bellatrix was equal to them, and Harry’s attention was diverted as a Killing Curse shot so close to Ginny that she missed death by an inch -
He changed course, running at Bellatrix rather than Voldemort, but before he had gone a few steps he was knocked sideways.
“NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!”
Mrs. Weasley threw off her cloak as she ran, freeing her arms, Bellatrix spun on the spot, roaring with laughter at the sight of the new challenger.
“OUT OF MY WAY!” shouted Mrs. Weasley to the three girls, and with a simple swipe of her wand she began to duel91. Harry watched with terror and elation97 as Molly Weasley’s wand slashed98 and twisted, and Bellatrix Lestrange’s smile faltered99 and became a snarl100. Jets of light flew from both wands, the floor around the witches’ feet became hot and cracked; both woman were fighting to kill.
“No!” Mrs. Weasley cried as a few students ran forward, trying to come to her aid. “Get back! Get back! She is mine!”
Hundreds of people now lined the walls, watching the two fights, Voldemort and his three opponents, Bellatrix and Molly, and Harry stood, invisible, torn between both, wanting to attack and yet to protect, unable to be sure that he would not hit the innocent.
“What will happen to your children when I’ve killed you?” taunted102 Bellatrix, as mad as her master, capering103 as Molly’s curses danced around her. “When Mummy’s gone the same way as Freddie?”
“You – will – never – touch – our – children – again!” screamed Mrs. Weasley.
Bellatrix laughed the same exhilarated laugh her cousin Sirius had given as he toppled backward through the veil, and suddenly Harry knew what was going to happen before it did.
Molly’s curse soared beneath Bellatrix’s constricted104 arm and hit her squarely in the chest, directly over her heart.
Bellatrix’s gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge105: For the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemord screamed.
Harry felt as though he turned into slow motion: he saw McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn blasted backward, flailing106 and writhing107 through the air, as Voldemort’s fury at the fall of his last, best lieutenant108 exploded with the force of a bomb, Voldemort raised his wand and directed it at Molly Weasley.
“Protego!” roared Harry, and the Shield Charm expanded in the middle of the Hall, and Voldemort stared around for the source as Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak at last.
The yell of shock, the cheers, the screams on every side of: “Harry!”
“HE’S ALIVE!” were stifled109 at once. The crowd was afraid, and silence fell abruptly110 and completely as Voldemort and Harry looked at each other, and began, at the same moment, to circle each other.
“I don’t want anyone else to help,” Harry said loudly, and in the total silence his voice carried like a trumpet111 call. “It’s got to be like this. It’s got to be me.”
“Potter doesn’t mean that,” he said, his red eyes wide. “This isn’t how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?”
“Nobody,” said Harry simply. “There are no more Horcruxes. It’s just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good….”
“One of us?” jeered113 Voldemort, and his whole body was taut114 and his red eyes stared, a snake that was about to strike. “You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings115?”
“Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?” asked Harry. They were still moving sideways, both of them, in that perfect circle, maintaining the same distance from each other, and for Harry no face existed but Voldemort’s. “Accident, when I decided116 to fight in that graveyard117? Accident, that I didn’t defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?”
“Accidents!” screamed Voldemort, but still he did not strike, and the watching crowd was frozen as if Petrified118, and of the hundreds in the Hall, nobody seemed to breathe but they two. “Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched119 and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!”
“You won’t be killing anyone else tonight,” said Harry as they circled, and stared into each other’s eyes, green into red. “You won’t be able to kill any of them ever again. Don’t you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people – ”
“But you did not!”
“ – I meant to, and that’s what did it. I’ve done what my mother did. They’re protected from you. Haven’t you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding120? You can’t torture them. You can’t touch them. You don’t learn from your mistakes, Riddle121, do you?”
“You dare – ”
“Yes, I dare,” said Harry. “I know things you don’t know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don’t. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?”
Voldemort did not speak, but prowled in a circle, and Harry knew that he kept him temporarily mesmerized122 at bay, held back by the faintest possibility that Harry might indeed know a final secret….
“Is it love again?” said Voldemort, his snake’s face jeering123. “Dumbledore favorite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like and old waxwork124? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Muddblood mother like a cockroach125, Potter – and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?”
“Just one thing,” said Harry, and still they circled each other, wrapped in each other, held apart by nothing but the last secret.
“If it is not love that will save you this time,” said Voldemort, “you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?”
“I believe both,” said Harry, and he saw shock flit across the snakelike face, though it was instantly dispelled126; Voldemort began to laugh, and the sound was more frightening than his screams; humorless and insane, it echoed around the silent Hall.
“You think you know more magic than I do?” he said. “Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?”
“Oh he dreamed of it,” said Harry, “but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you’ve done.”
“You mean he was weak!” screamed Voldemort. “Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!”
“No, he was cleverer than you,” said Harry, “a better wizard, a better man.”
“I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!”
“You thought you did,” said Harry, “but you were wrong.”
For the first time, the watching crowd stirred as the hundreds of people around the walls drew breath as one.
“Dumbledore is dead!” Voldemort hurled127 the words at Harry as in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, “I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!”
“Yes, Dumbledore is dead,” said Harry calmly, “but you didn’t have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant.”
“What childish dream is this?” said Voldemort, but still he did not strike, and his red eyes did not waver from Harry’s.
“Severus Snape wasn’t yours,” said Harry. “Snape was Dumbledore’s. Dumbledore’s from the moment you starting hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can’t understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?”
Voldemort did not answer. They continued to circle each other like wolves about to tear each other apart.
“Snape’s Patronus was a doe,” said Harry, “the same as my mother’s, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized,” he said as he saw Voldemort’s nostrils flare128, “he asked you to spare her life, didn’t he?”
“He desired her, that was all,” sneered129 Voldemort, “but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier130 of him – ”
“Of course he told you that,” said Harry, “but he was Dumbledore’s spy from the moment you threatened her, and he’s been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!”
“It matters not!” shrieked131 Voldemort, who had followed every word with rapt attention, but now let out a cackle of mad laughter. “It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore’s, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape’s supposed great love! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand!”
“Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy – I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore’s last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!”
“Yeah, it did.” said Harry. “You’re right. But before you try to kill me, I’d advise you think what you’ve done…. Think, and try for some remorse132, Riddle….”
“What is this?”
Of all the things that Harry had said to him, beyond any revelation or taunt101, nothing had socked Voldemort like this. Harry saw is pupils contract to thin slits134, saw the skin around his eyes whiten.
“It’s your one last chance,” said Harry, “it’s all you’ve got left…. I’ve seen what you’ll be otherwise…. Be a man… try…
Try for some remorse….“
“You dare –?” said Voldemort again.
“Yes, I dare,” said Harry, “because Dumbledore’s last plan hasn’t backfired on me at all. It’s backfired on you, Riddle.”
Voldemort’s hand was trembling on the Elder Wand, and Harry gripped Draco’s very tightly. The moment, he knew, was seconds away.
“That wand still isn’t working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore.”
“He killed – ”
“Aren’t you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore’s death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated, the wand’s last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand’s power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!”
“But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!” Voldemort’s voice shook with malicious135 pleasure. “I stole the wand from its last master’s tomb! I removed it against the last master’s wishes! Its power is mine!”
“You still don’t get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn’t enough! Holding it, using it, doesn’t make it really yours. Didn’t you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard… The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world’s most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance…”
Voldemort’s chest rose and fell rapidly, and Harry could feel the curse coming, feel it building inside the wand pointed at his face.
“The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.”
Blank shock showed in Voldemort’s face for a moment, but then it was gone.
“But what does it matter?” he said softly. “Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix136 wand: We duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…”
“But you’re too late,” said Harry. “You’ve missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him.”
Harry twitched137 the hawthorn138 wand, and he felt the eyes of everyone in the Hall upon it.
“So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it?” whispered Harry. “Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand.”
A red-glow burst suddenly across the enchanted sky above them as an edge of dazzling sun appeared over the sill of the nearest window. The light hit both of their faces at the same time, so that Voldemort’s was suddenly a flaming blur139. Harry heard the high voice shriek as he too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco’s wand:
“Avada Kedavra!“
“Expelliarmus!“
The bang was like a cannon140 blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead center of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided. Harry saw Voldemort’s green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air toward the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last. And Harry, with the unerring skill of the Seeker, caught the wand in his free hand as Voldemort fell backward, arms splayed, the slit133 pupils of the scarlet141 eyes rolling upward. Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane142 finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty, the snakelike face vacant and unknowing. Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding143 curse, and Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy’s shell.
One shivering second of silence, the shock of the moment suspended: and then the tumult broke around Harry as the screams and the cheers and the roars of the watchers rent the air. The fierce new sun dazzled the windows as they thundered toward him, and the first to reach him were Ron and Hermione, and it was their arms that were wrapped around him, their incomprehensible shouts that deafened144 him. Then Ginny, Neville, and Luna were there, and then all the Weasleys and Hagrid, and Kingsley and McGonagall and Flitwick and Sprout145, and Harry could not hear a word that anyone was shouting, not tell whose hands were seizing him, pulling him, trying to hug some part of him, hundreds of them pressing in, all of them determined146 to touch the Boy Who Lived, the reason it was over at last – The sun rose steadily147 over Hogwarts, and the Great Hall blazed with life and light. Harry was an indispensable part of the mingled148 outpourings of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration. They wanted him there with them, their leader and symbol, their savior and their guide, and that he had not slept, that he craved149 the company of only a few of them, seemed to occur to no one. He must speak to the bereaved150, clasp their hands, witness their tears, receive their thanks, hear the news now creeping in from every quarter as the morning drew on; that the Imperiused up and down the country had come back to themselves, that Death Eaters were fleeing or else being captured, that the innocent of Azkaban were being released at that very moment, and that Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named temporary Minister of Magic.
They moved Voldemort’s body and laid it in a chamber151 off the Hall, away form the bodies of Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and fifty others who had died fighting him. McGonagall had replaced the House tables, but nobody was sitting according to House anymore: All were jumbled152 together, teachers and pupils, ghosts and parents, centaurs and house-elves, and Firenze lay recovering in the corner, and Grawp peered in through a smashed window, and people were throwing food into his laughing mouth. After a while, exhausted153 and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna.
“I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,” she said.
“I’d love some,” he replied.
“I’ll distract them all,” she said. “Use your cloak.”
And before he could say a word, she had cried, “Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!” and pointed out the window. Everyone who heard looked around, and Harry slid the Cloak up over himself, and got to his feet.
Now he could move through the Hall without interference. He spotted154 Ginny two tables away; she was sitting with her head on her mother’s shoulder: There would be time to talk later, hours and days and maybe years in which to talk. He saw Neville, the sword of Gryffindor lying beside his plate as he ate, surrounded by a knot of fervent155 admirers. Along the aisle156 between the tables he walked, and he spotted the three Malfoys, huddled157 together as though unsure whether or not they were supposed to be there, but nobody was paying them any attention. Everywhere he looked, he saw families reunited, and finally, he saw the two whose company he craved most.
“It’s me,” he muttered, crouching158 down between them. “Will you come with me?”
They stood up at once, and together he, Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall. Great chunks159 were missing from the marble staircase, part of the balustrade gone, and rubble160 and bloodstains occurred ever few steps as their climbed.
Somewhere in the distance they could hear Peeves161 zooming162 through the corridors singing a victory song of his own composition:
We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the one,
And Voldy’s gone moldy163, so now let’s have fun!
“Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?“ said Ron, pushing open a door to let Harry and Hermione through.
Happiness would come, Harry though, but at the moment it was muffled164 by exhaustion165, and the pain of losing Fred and Lupin and Tonks pierced him like a physical wound every few steps. Most of all he felt the most stupendous relief, and a longing166 to sleep. But first he owed an explanation to Ron and Hermione, who had stuck with him for so long, and who deserved the truth.
Painstakingly167 he recounted what he had seem in the Pensieve and what had happened in the forest, and they had not even begun to express all their shock and amazement168, when at last they arrived at the place to which they had been walking, though none of them had mentioned their destination.
Since he had last seen it, the gargoyle169 guarding the entrance to the headmaster’s study had been knocked aside; it stood lopsided, looking a little punch-drunk, and Harry wondered whether it would be able to distinguish passwords anymore.
“Can we go up?” he asked the gargoyle.
“Feel free,” groaned170 the statue.
They clambered over him and onto the spiral stone staircase that moved slowly upward like an escalator. Harry pushed open the door at the top.
He had one, brief glimpse of the stone Pensieve on the desk where he had left it, and then an earsplitting noise made him cry out, thinking of curses and returning Death Eaters and the rebirth of Voldemort –
But it was applause. All around the walls, the headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts were giving him a standing ovation171; they waved their hats and in some cases their wigs172, they reached through their frames to grip each other’s hands; they danced up and down on their chairs in which they have been painted: Dilys Derwent sobbed unashamedly; Dexter Fortescue was waving his ear-trumpet; and Phineas Niggelus called, in his high, reedy voice, “And let it be noted173 that Slytherin House played its part! Let our contribution not be forgotten!”
But Harry had eyes only for the man who stood in the largest portrait directly behind the headmaster’s chair. Tears were sliding down from behind the half-moon spectacles into the long silver beard, and the pride and the gratitude174 emanating175 from him filled Harry with the same balm as phoenix song.
At last, Harry held up his hands, and the portraits fell respectfully silent, beaming and mopping their eyes and waiting eagerly for him to speak. He directed his words at Dumbledore, however, and chose them with enormous care. Exhausted and bleary-eyed though he was, he must make one last effort, seeking one last piece of advice.
“The thing that was hidden in the Snitch,” he began, “I dropped it in the forest. I don’t know exactly where, but I’m not going to go looking for it again. Do you agree?”
“My dear boy, I do,” said Dumbledore, while his fellow pictures looked confused and curious. “A wise and courageous176 decision, but no less than I would have expected of you. Does anyone know else know where it fell?”
“No one,” said Harry, and Dumbledore nodded his satisfaction.
“I’m going to keep Ignotus’s present, though,” said Harry, and Dumbledore beamed.
“But of course, Harry, it is yours forever, until you pass it on!”
“And then there’s this.”
Harry held up the Elder Wand, and Ron and Hermione looked at it with a reverence177 that, even in his befuddled178 and sleep-deprived state, Harry did not like to see.
“I don’t want it.” said Harry.
“What?” said Ron loudly. “Are you mental?”
“I know it’s powerful,” said Harry wearily. “But I was happier with mine. So…”
He rummaged179 in the pouch180 hung around his neck, and pulled out the two halves of holly181 still just connected by the finest threat of phoenix feather. Hermione had said that they could not be repaired, that the damage was too severe. All he knew was that if this did not work, nothing would.
He laid the broken wand upon the headmaster’s desk, touched it with the very tip of the Elder Wand, and said, “Reparo.”
As his wand resealed, red sparks flew out of its end. Harry knew that he had succeeded. He picked up the holly and phoenix wand and felt a sudden warmth in his fingers, as though wand and hand were rejoicing at their reunion.
“I’m putting the Elder Wand,” he told Dumbledore, who was watching him with enormous affection and admiration182, “back where it came from. It can stay there. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, its power will be broken, won’t it? The previous master will never have been defeated. That’ll be the end of it.”
Dumbledore nodded. They smiled at each other.
“Are you sure?” said Ron. There was the faintest trace of longing in his voice as he looked at the Elder Wand.
“I think Harry’s right,” said Hermione quietly.
“That wand’s more trouble than it’s worth.” said Harry. “And quite honestly,” he turned away from the painted portraits, thinking now only of the four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wondering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, “I’ve had enough trouble for a lifetime.”
哈利再一次感到自己面朝下地倒在了地上，森林的气味充斥鼻间，他感觉到面颊贴在寒冷坚硬的地面上，眼镜腿也在他摔倒的时候被撞歪了，卡在太阳穴上。他身体上每一寸肌肤都在疼，那个被死咒击中的部位就像被利器刺中了一样剧痛。但他一动也没动地呆在原地，左臂古怪地扭曲着，嘴巴大张。
他本以为能听到庆祝他死亡的欢呼声，但空气中却充斥着匆忙的脚步声、耳语声和热切的低语声。
“主人……我的主人……”
那是贝拉特里克斯的声音，她像是在对自己的爱人说话一般。哈利不敢睁开眼睛，但他还是在用其它感官去探知自己的险境。他知道魔杖还在他的袍子里，因为他能感觉到魔杖就抵在地面和前胸之间。在他倒下时，腹部的轻微缓冲让他知道了隐形衣也塞在别人看不到的地方。
“主人……”
“够了。”伏地魔说。
周围响起了很多脚步声，一些人从同一处向后退开，哈利把眼睛睁开一条缝，急切地想知道是怎么了。
伏地魔似乎站了起来，食死徒们都匆忙地离开他回到空地的人堆里，只有贝拉特里克斯还留在那里，跪在伏地魔的身边。
哈利再次闭上眼睛，思考着刚才看到的那一幕。伏地魔摔倒在地上，食死徒们围在他身边。在他用死咒攻击哈利的时候出了点状况。伏地魔被击倒了吗？看起来似乎是的。刚才他们两个都不省人事地倒下了，而现在他们都清醒了过来。
“主人，让我来……”
“我不需要帮助，”伏地魔冷冷地说。尽管哈利看不见他，但他脑袋里还是浮现出了贝拉特里克斯伸出一只手想要帮他的样子。
“那个男孩……死了吗？”
周围一片死寂，没有人接近哈利，但他可以感觉到周围注视的目光好像把他压进地面一样。他生怕哪根手指或是哪边眼皮会突然动弹一下。
“你，”伏地魔说，哈利听到一声巨响和因疼痛发出的抽泣声，“检查一下，然后告诉我他死没死。”
哈利不知道被派过来核实的人是谁，他只能躺在那里等着，而他的心脏此时却不听使唤地狂跳着，但是同时他心中有些许欣慰： 伏地魔不敢接近他，伏地魔怀疑计划并没有那么顺利……
一双比想象中柔软的手碰了碰哈利的脸，又摸了摸他的心脏，他感觉到那个女人急促的呼吸着，感觉到她那贴着他肋骨的心跳声。
“德拉科还活着吗？他在城堡里吗？”
这句耳语几不可闻，她的嘴唇几乎贴着哈利的耳朵，头倾得很低，长长的头发挡住了哈利，因而其他人都看不到他的脸。
“是的，”他轻声回答。
他感到胸前的那只手攥紧了，指甲戳到了他。然后她收回手，坐直了身子。
“他死了！”纳西莎?马尔福对旁观者们说。
现在，他们终于开始呼喊，他们兴奋地大声叫喊，手舞足蹈。透过眼皮，哈利看见了红色和银色的庆祝火焰射向天空。
他仍然躺在地上装死，他明白，唯一能让纳西莎进入霍格沃茨去找儿子的方法就是跟着胜利的大军一块儿进去，她已经不在乎伏地魔的胜负了。
“看见了吗？”伏地魔在喧闹中尖叫着，“我亲手杀死了哈利?波特，现在任何活着的人都不是我的对手了！看着吧！钻心剜骨！”
哈利早就知道会这样了，他知道他的身体不会这样一直静静地躺在森林的地面上，为了证明自己的胜利，伏地魔一定会去践踏、侮辱他的遗体。他被抛到空中，竭尽全力保持身体的柔软，但是疼痛并没有降临。他被抛向空中一次，两次，三次……眼镜被甩掉了，袍子下的魔杖也稍稍滑动了一下，他尽力的让自己软绵绵的像个死人，最后一次摔到地上的时候，周围回响起一阵嘲笑和讥讽的叫声。
“现在，”伏地魔说，“我们去城堡，让他们看看他们英雄的下场。谁过来拖尸首？不——等等……”
他突然出发出一阵刺耳的笑声，顷刻，哈利感觉到身下的地面抖动起来。
“你来抬他，”伏地魔说，“他在你的手臂里会显得更瘦小，更显眼，不是吗？拾起你的小朋友，海格。还有眼镜——戴上眼镜，他必须要很容易被辨认出来。”
有人不怀好意的狠狠地把眼镜扣在了哈利的脸上，但是，把哈利举起来的那双巨大的手却非常温柔。哈利能感觉到海格呜咽着颤抖着把自己抱在怀里，大滴大滴的眼泪溅落到他身上。但哈利既不敢动弹，也不敢通过语言来告诉海格这一切还没有结束。
“快走，”伏地魔说。海格踉踉跄跄的往前走了几步，被迫穿过茂密的树丛，由禁林向霍格沃茨走去。
树枝刮住了哈利的头发和袍子，但他还是静静地躺着，嘴巴自然地张开，双眼紧闭。一片黑暗中，食死徒们在他的周围说着话，而海格在不顾一切地哭着，没人会费心去摸摸哈利脖子上的青筋是否在跳动。
两个巨人在食死徒身后轰隆隆的拖着脚步。哈利能听见他们走过森林时，树木吱吱作响然后倒掉的声音。他们弄出的声音太大了，鸟儿被吓得尖叫着飞向天空，甚至连食死徒尖锐的笑声也模糊了。胜利的大军慢慢接近了开阔的场地，过了一会儿，黑暗中有光芒穿透了哈利的眼帘，树木也变得稀少了。
“贝恩！”
海格突然一吼，差点让哈利睁开了眼睛。“现在高兴了吧，是吧，你们根本没去战斗，你们这群懦弱的老驽马，哈利死……死了你们很高兴吧……”
海格没法继续说下去了，他又痛哭了起来。哈利不知道身后有多少马人在看着大军前进，因为他不敢睁开眼睛。队伍继续前进，把马人甩在了后面，一些食死徒嘴里说着侮辱马人的话。没过多久，哈利感觉到前面的空气变得清新了，他们已经到了森林的边缘。
“停下。”
哈利知道海格一定是被迫服从伏地魔的命令的，因为他踉跄了一下。一时间，寒冷笼罩了他们，哈利听到了在树丛间巡视的摄魂怪的呼吸声。他们现在影响不了他，活着的这个事实在哈利心中燃烧起来，这个信念帮助哈利抵抗着摄魂怪，就好像他父亲的牡鹿在他心中保护他一样。
有人紧贴着哈利走过去了，哈利知道到那是伏地魔本人，因为马上他开始说话了，他那被魔法放大的声音冲进了场地，敲击着哈利的耳膜。
“哈利?波特已经死了，他在逃跑的时候被杀了，在你们用生命保护他的时候，他想的却是保全自己的命。为了让你们确信你们的英雄已经死了，我们把他的尸体也带来了。”
“我们已经赢了战斗。而你们失去了一半的战士，我的食死徒人数比你们多，大难不死的男孩已经完蛋了，不需要再有任何战争了。任何要继续抵抗的人和他们的家人，无论是男是女还是小孩，都会被处死。从城堡里出来吧，在我的面前下跪吧，你们会被宽恕的，你们的家人、孩子、兄弟姐妹都会被宽恕。你们会加入我，我们会共同建设一个崭新的世界。”
城堡那边的场地上一片寂静。哈利现在不敢睁眼看看当前的状况，因为伏地魔离他太近了。
“过来。”伏地魔说。哈利听见他正往前走，海格也被迫跟了过去。这时哈利微微睁开了眼，看到伏地魔正大步地走在他们前面，那条大蛇纳吉尼在他的肩头缠绕着，现在那个魔法变出的笼子已经不见了。但是在微微闪烁的黑暗中，食死徒们缓缓跟随着他们，哈利无法在不被发现的情况下从袍子底下抽出魔杖。
“哈利，”海格抽泣着“噢，哈利……哈利……”
哈利又紧紧的闭上了眼睛，他知道他们正在接近城堡。他竖起了耳朵，在食死徒愉快的谈话声和脚步声中，仔细地分辨着霍格沃茨里面的生命迹象。
“停。”
食死徒们停下了脚步，哈利听到了他们面对城堡散成一排的声音。尽管哈利闭着眼睛，他也可以感觉到门厅的灯光洒向了他。他等待着。他用生命保卫着的人们瞬间就可能看到他躺在海格的怀中，已经死去了。
“不！”
那尖叫声比他想象的更糟糕，他从没想过到麦格教授会发出那种声音。他听见了贝拉特里克斯得意地看着绝望的麦格教授时发出的笑声。他又睁了一下眼睛，看到了门口站满了战斗中的幸存者，他们从里面冲出来面对着攻击他们的人，而且看到了哈利已经死了。他还看到了伏地魔在他前面不远处站着，用一只苍白的手指抚摸着纳吉尼的脑袋。哈利又闭上了眼睛。
“不！”
“不！”
“哈利！哈利！”
罗恩、赫敏、金妮的声音听起来比麦格的更加痛苦。哭声爆发出来，震耳欲聋。虽然他想赶快起来，可还是强迫自己安静的躺着。人们看到眼前的景象，哭喊尖叫着怒骂食死徒，直到——
“安静！”伏地魔喊了一声，同时发出了一束带着巨响的光：“结束了！把他放下来，海格，放到我脚边，这才是属于他的位置。”
哈利感觉到自己被放到了草坪上。
“你们看到了吧？”伏地魔说，哈利感到他大步地在他躺着的地方来回踱着，“哈利?波特死了！你们现在明白了吧，被迷惑的人们，他死了，那个靠别人的牺牲而保全自己的男孩不存在了！”
“他打败过你！”罗恩哭喊着，平静被打破了，霍格沃茨的保卫者们同时开始哭喊和尖叫，一个更响的爆炸声再一次熄灭了他们的声音。
“当他在城堡周围打算逃跑时被我杀了，“伏地魔说，意味深长地扯着谎，“在他打算保全自己的时候被杀死——”
但是伏地魔被打断了，哈利听到了一阵骚乱，然后是另一声巨响、一束亮光和痛苦的呻吟。他把眼睛睁开了一个小缝看了看周围。有个人冲出了人群袭击了伏地魔，哈利看到那个人倒在地上，被解除了武器，伏地魔把挑战者的魔杖扔在一边大笑着。
“这又是谁啊？”他用蛇一般的柔软的声音说着：“是谁想证明失败者企图延续斗争会得到的结果啊？
贝拉特里克斯愉快地笑了一声：“他是纳威?隆巴顿，主人！就是这个男孩曾经给卡罗兄妹制造了不少麻烦！他是傲罗的儿子，记得吗？”
“哦，是的，我记得，”伏地魔低头看了看纳威说，纳威正挣扎着从他的脚下站了起来，徒手站在幸存者和食死徒之间的空地上。“但是你是纯血统的，对吗？我勇敢的孩子？”伏地魔问道，纳威站在他的面前，空空的手掌握成了拳头。
“是又怎么样？”纳威大声问道。
“你表现出了你的精神和勇气，你出身高贵，你可以成为一个非常有价值的食死徒。我们需要你的帮忙，纳威?隆巴顿。“
“我永远也不会加入你们的。”纳威说，“邓布利多军！”他喊道，人群中传出一阵应答声，即使是伏地魔的声音抑制咒也不能完全控制住。
“很好，”伏地魔说，哈利知道，那柔软如丝的声音中所包含的危险，比大多数咒语还要可怕得多。“如果这就是你的选择，那么隆巴顿，我们还是回到最初的计划上来，把头伸过来。”
哈利依然眯着眼睛，看到伏地魔挥舞着魔杖。几秒钟之后，一个奇怪的像鸟一样的东西从城堡的一扇破碎的窗户里飞出来，落在了伏地魔的手掌中。他摇晃着那个已经有点发霉的，粗糙的、空瘪的东西：分院帽。
“霍格沃茨再也不需要分院了。”伏地魔说，“那里再也没有什么其他的学院了，每一个人，都将使用我高贵的祖先萨拉查?斯莱特林的标志、徽章和颜色，是不是呢，纳威?隆巴顿？”
纳威坚毅平静地站在那里，伏地魔伸出魔杖指着他，分院帽被扣在了纳威的头上，滑到了眼睛下面。城堡前面的旁观者们开始骚动。在另一边，食死徒们也举起了他们的魔杖，防备着霍格沃茨可能爆发的战斗。
“纳威将示范给你们看，如果一个人始终愚蠢的反对我会怎么样。”伏地魔一边说，一边挥动着他的魔杖，分院帽着起了火。尖叫声打破了沉寂，纳威毅然决然的站在那里，一动也不动。哈利再也不能忍受了，他必须行动起来——
然而就在那一刹那，好几件事情同时发生了：
他们听到学校边界处的骚动声，就好像成千上万的人翻过了那道看不见的围墙进入了城堡，发出战争的宣言。同时，格洛普从城堡的另一边跑了过来喊着“海格！”他的哭喊声得到了伏地魔的巨人们的回应了，他们跑向了格洛普，好像野牛与象群一样弄得地动山摇。一阵拉弓放箭的声音响起，弓箭射到了已经乱了阵型惊恐尖叫着的食死徒中间。哈利从他的斗篷里拿出隐身衣披上，跳了起来，纳威这时也跑开了。
纳威敏捷地破解了施在他身上的束缚咒，燃烧着的帽子掉了下来，从它中间露出了一个银色的东西，柄上的红宝石熠熠生辉——
在这人群嘈杂，巨人混战以及马人的马蹄声中，银剑重重的落地声没有任何人能听得到，但这一刻它还是吸引住了所有的目光。纳威干净利落地砍下了伸到空中的巨蛇的脑袋，它旋转着飞上高空，在门廊划过一道微光。伏地魔狂怒的张大嘴巴尖叫，但谁也听不见他的声音。蛇的尸体掉下来，砸在他的脚边。
哈利藏在隐身衣下面，赶在伏地魔把正在作战的巨人们召唤过来之前，在纳威和伏地魔之间施了一个盔甲护身咒，这时海格的吼声盖过了所有声音。
“哈利！”海格叫喊着。“哈利——哈利在哪儿？”
混战仍在继续。马人们不断地向食死徒射箭，每个人都能感觉到巨人走动时大地的震颤，增援大军振聋发聩的声音越来越近。哈利看到许多有着巨大翅膀的生物盘旋在伏地魔的巨人军队头顶上，那是许多夜骐——还有那头鹰头马身有翼兽巴克比克，它们在格洛普挣扎的时候猛抓其他巨人的眼睛。守卫霍格沃茨的巫师们和食死徒们都退回到城堡中，哈利对每一个他看到的食死徒发射着咒语，他们还不知道被谁攻击了就倒下了，任凭撤退的人群从他们身上踩过。
哈利躲在隐形衣下面走进了大门，他寻找着伏地魔，看见他从屋子里穿过，一边用魔杖不断地到处发射咒语，一边退到礼堂里不断吼叫地命令着他的随从们。哈利向可能被伏地魔攻击到的人发射了更多的盔甲护身咒，比如西莫、斐尼甘和汉娜。艾博在他后面追进大礼堂，加入了愈演愈烈的战斗。
入口台阶那里，越来越多的人涌了进来，哈利看到查理?韦斯莱赶上了穿着祖母绿睡裤的霍拉斯?斯拉格霍恩。每一个在霍格沃茨的人都成了家人和朋友，甚至包括霍格沃德村的店主和居民们都赶来一同战斗。马人贝恩、罗南和玛格瑞伴着马蹄的巨响也闯进了大厅，与此同时，哈利身后通往厨房的那道门也奇迹般地打开了。
霍格沃茨的家养小精灵们挥舞着刀叉尖叫着冲进大厅，在他们最前面，是胸前挂着雷古勒斯?布莱克的挂坠盒的克利
切，他那牛蛙一般的声音在一片喧嚣声中清晰可见：“战斗战斗！为了我那保卫家养小精灵的主人而战！打倒黑魔头，以勇敢的雷古勒斯的名义！战斗！”
他们在食死徒的脚上和胫骨上砍着刺着，小脸上布满了憎恶的表情。哈利看到四下的食死徒逐渐寡不敌众，有的被咒语打倒，有的正忍痛把箭从伤口里拔出来，有的腿被家养小精灵刺伤了，其他的干脆逃跑了，却又被赶来的支援大军所吞没。
战斗还没有结束。哈利避开决斗的人们，穿过拥挤的人群，跑进了礼堂。
伏地魔处在战斗的中心，他向每一个接近他的人发射咒语。哈利不会被咒语击中，他穿着隐身衣，离伏地魔更近了一步。这个时候，涌入礼堂的人越来越多，好像每个能走路的人都被挤了进来。
哈利看到亚克斯利被乔治和李乔丹击中倒地，看到多洛霍夫尖叫着被弗立维教授打倒，看到沃尔顿?麦克尼尔被海格穿过大厅扔到对面，撞到石墙上后不省人事地滑到了地面。他看到罗恩和纳威放倒了芬里尔?格雷伯克，阿不福思击晕了卢克伍德， 亚瑟和珀西在围攻底克尼斯，卢修斯和纳西莎?马尔福无心恋战，他们穿过人群大声呼唤着他们的儿子。
伏地魔正在同时对付麦格，斯拉格霍恩和金斯莱，他们在他周围迂回躲闪，脸上充满了冷冷的憎恶，却始终结果不了他——
贝拉特里克斯在伏地魔五十码外战斗着，同她的主人一样，她也同时迎战三人：赫敏、金妮和卢娜。她们三人都在竭力抵抗，但贝拉特里克斯和她们法力相当。当一道死咒几乎击中金妮时，哈利禁不住吓了一跳，死神里她就差那么一英寸……
他决定改变策略，从伏地魔那里转向贝拉特里克斯，但是还没走几步就被撞到了一边。
“别碰我女儿，你这个贱人！”
韦斯莱夫人脱掉了穿在身上的斗篷，腾开双臂，贝拉特里克斯停下了战斗，盯着她的新挑战者大笑起来。
“闪一边去！”韦斯莱夫人冲三个女孩喊着，她挥动魔杖开始了战斗。哈利紧张又高兴地看到莫丽?韦斯莱用魔杖灵活地发动着攻击，而贝拉特里克斯的笑容则僵了下来化做一阵咆哮。光束不断从两人的魔杖中喷射出来，周围的地板变得滚烫开裂，两个女人都在以死相搏。
当有几个学生跑过来打算帮她时，韦斯莱夫人大喊着：“不！回去！回去！她是我的！”
现在上百人围成了人墙，关注着这两场的战役，伏地魔和他的三个挑战者，以及贝拉特里克斯和莫丽。哈利站在隐身衣里，想去进攻但又不想伤及无辜，充满矛盾的站在两场决斗中间。
“如果你被我杀了，你那群孩子可怎么办呢？”贝拉特里克斯一边跳跃着躲避莫丽的咒语，一边用她主人那般嘲讽的声音说道，“如果妈妈和弗雷德一样惨死了呢？”
“你——别想——再碰——我们的－孩子！”韦斯莱夫人尖叫道。
贝拉特里克斯笑着，就像她把自己的堂兄弟小天狼星推到帷幕后面时一样愉快地狂笑着，哈利突然知道接下来会发生什么了。
莫丽的咒语穿过贝拉特里克斯张开的双臂，击中了她的胸膛，直指她的心脏。
贝拉特里克斯的笑容凝固了，眼睛凸了出来，瞬间，她意识到发生了什么，而后倒在了地上，伏地魔嚎叫了起来。
哈利觉得眼前的画面就好像慢镜头一样，他看到麦格、金斯莱和斯拉格霍恩被一股强大的魔力撞了回来，他们被抛向空中时翻腾挣扎着，伏地魔看到自己最得力的助手被杀死后，他的狂怒像炸弹爆发了，他挥动着魔杖直指莫丽?韦斯莱。
“盔甲护身！”哈利怒吼着，金甲护身咒在礼堂中间扩散开来，伏地魔四下寻找声音的来源，哈利一把揭掉了隐身衣。
惊呼声、欢庆声和尖叫声从四面八方涌来：“哈利！”“他还活着！”但片刻之后，就停住了。人群突然陷入了恐慌和死一般的寂静，伏地魔和哈利看着对方，开始缓慢的移动着脚步，他们始终保持着距离，似乎走在圆形轨道上。
“我不想要其他任何人的帮助，”哈利大声地说，在寂静中，他的声音亮如洪钟，“这是注定的，注定了是我来和他决斗。”
伏地魔嘘了一声。
“波特不是这个意思，”他说道，睁大了红色的眼睛，“那不是他的作风，是不是？你今天又要利用谁来作你的挡箭牌呢？波特？”
“没有任何人，”哈利简单地说，“魂器
收听单词发音 |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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jubilation
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| n.欢庆，喜悦 | |
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solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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eyelid
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| n.眼睑，眼皮 | |
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twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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thumping
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| adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持 | |
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traitorously
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| 叛逆地，不忠地 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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feigning
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| 假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等） | |
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screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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floppy
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| adj.松软的，衰弱的 | |
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jeers
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| n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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quiescent
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| adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的 | |
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sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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nags
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| n.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的名词复数 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的第三人称单数 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
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centaurs
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| n.（希腊神话中）半人半马怪物( centaur的名词复数 ) | |
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talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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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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51
deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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53
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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54
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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55
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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56
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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57
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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58
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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59
revert
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| v.恢复，复归，回到 | |
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60
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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61
mildewed
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| adj.发了霉的，陈腐的，长了霉花的v.（使）发霉，（使）长霉( mildew的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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63
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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64
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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65
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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66
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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67
flick
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| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
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68
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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69
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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70
pelted
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| （连续地）投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续抨击； 攻击； 剥去…的皮 | |
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71
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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72
slash
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| vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩 | |
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73
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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74
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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75
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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76
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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77
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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78
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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79
buffered
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| [医]缓冲的 | |
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80
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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81
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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82
pajamas
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| n.睡衣裤 | |
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83
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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84
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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85
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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86
cleaver
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| n.切肉刀 | |
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87
locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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88
hacking
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| n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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89
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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90
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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91
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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92
smiting
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的现在分词 ) | |
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93
stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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94
dueling
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| n. 决斗, 抗争(=duelling) 动词duel的现在分词形式 | |
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95
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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96
dueled
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| vt.使（另一人）参加决斗（duel的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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97
elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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98
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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99
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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100
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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101
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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102
taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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103
capering
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| v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的现在分词 )；蹦蹦跳跳 | |
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104
constricted
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| adj.抑制的，约束的 | |
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105
bulge
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| n.突出，膨胀，激增；vt.突出，膨胀 | |
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106
flailing
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| v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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107
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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108
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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109
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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110
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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111
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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112
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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113
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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114
taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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115
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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116
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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117
graveyard
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| n.坟场 | |
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118
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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119
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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120
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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121
riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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122
mesmerized
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| v.使入迷( mesmerize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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123
jeering
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| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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124
waxwork
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| n.蜡像 | |
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125
cockroach
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| n.蟑螂 | |
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126
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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127
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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128
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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129
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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130
worthier
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| 应得某事物( worthy的比较级 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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131
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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132
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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133
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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134
slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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135
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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136
phoenix
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| n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生 | |
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137
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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138
hawthorn
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| 山楂 | |
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139
blur
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| n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚 | |
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140
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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141
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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142
mundane
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| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
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143
rebounding
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| 蹦跳运动 | |
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144
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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145
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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146
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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147
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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148
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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149
craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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150
bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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151
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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152
jumbled
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| adj.混乱的；杂乱的 | |
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153
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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154
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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155
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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156
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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157
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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158
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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159
chunks
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| 厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分 | |
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160
rubble
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| n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾 | |
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161
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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162
zooming
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| adj.快速上升的v.（飞机、汽车等）急速移动( zoom的过去分词 )；（价格、费用等）急升，猛涨 | |
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163
moldy
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| adj.发霉的 | |
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164
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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165
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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166
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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167
painstakingly
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| adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
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168
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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169
gargoyle
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| n.笕嘴 | |
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170
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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171
ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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172
wigs
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| n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 ) | |
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173
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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174
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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175
emanating
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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176
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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177
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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178
befuddled
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| adj.迷糊的，糊涂的v.使烂醉( befuddle的过去式和过去分词 )；使迷惑不解 | |
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179
rummaged
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| 翻找，搜寻( rummage的过去式和过去分词 )； 已经海关检查 | |
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180
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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181
holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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182
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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