Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.
But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.
Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:
Monday
9 o'clock, Arithmancy
9 o'clock, Transfiguration
Lunch
1 o'clock, Charms
1 o'clock, Ancient Runes
“Hermione?” Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. “Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?”
“What?” snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. “Yes, of course I have.”
“Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?” said Harry.
“No,” said Hermione shortly. “Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?”
“Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading,” said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.
“Beaky's gettin’ a bit depressed,” Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. “Bin cooped up too long. But still…we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —”
They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. Try as Harry might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away.
Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Harry scribbled everything Florean Fortescue had ever told him about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing he could have had one of Fortescue's choco-nut sundaes with him in the stifling classroom. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.
Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.
“Excellent, Harry,” Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. “Full marks.”
Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.
“Hermione!” said Lupin, startled. “What's the matter?”
“P-P-Professor McGonagall!” Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. “Sh-she said I'd failed everything!”
It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Harry, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.
Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.
“Hello there, Harry!” he said. “Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?”
“Yes,” said Harry. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.
“Lovely day,” said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake.
“Pity…pity…”
He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.
“I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in.”
“Does that mean the appeal's already happened?” Ron interrupted, stepping forward.
“No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon,” said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.
“Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!” said Ron stoutly. “The Hippogriff might get off!”
Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Harry gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, “Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this….Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?”
The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; Harry looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.
“Why'd you stop me?” said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. “Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!”
“Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!” said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. “As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak.…”
But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying. All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.
Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and Harry and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.
“She's seeing us all separately,” Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. “Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?” he asked them unhappily.
“Nope,” said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Harry. knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.
The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, “What did she ask? Was it okay?”
But they all refused to say.
“She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!” squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Harry and Ron, who had now reached the landing.
“That's convenient,” snorted Ron. “You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her” — he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead — “she's a right old fraud.”
“Yeah,” said Harry, looking at his own watch. It was now two o'clock. “Wish she'd hurry up…”
Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.
“She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer,” she informed Harry and Ron. “I saw loads of stuff…Well, good luck!”
She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.
“Ronald Weasley,” said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads. Ron grimaced at Harry and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Harry was now the only person left to be tested. He settled himself on the floor with his back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the sunny window, his mind across the grounds with Hagrid.
Finally, after about twenty minutes, Ron's large feet reappeared on the ladder.
“How'd it go?” Harry asked him, standing up.
“Rubbish,” said Ron. “Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though…”
“Meet you in the common room,” Harry muttered as Professor Trelawney's voice called, “Harry Potter!”
The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball.
“Good day, my dear,” she said softly. “If you would kindly gaze into the Orb…Take your time, now…then tell me what you see within it….”
Harry bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as he could, willing it to show him something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.
“Well?” Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. “What do you see?”
The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. He thought of what Ron had just said, and decided to pretend.
“Er —” said Harry, “a dark shape…um…”
“What does it resemble?” whispered Professor Trelawney. “Think, now…”
Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Buckbeak.
“A Hippogriff,” he said firmly.
“Indeed!” whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. “My boy, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer…Does the Hippogriff appear to…have its head?”
“Yes,” said Harry firmly.
“Are you sure?” Professor Trelawney urged him. “Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?”
“No!” said Harry, starting to feel slightly sick.
“No blood? No weeping Hagrid?”
“No!” said Harry again, wanting more than ever to leave the room and the heat. “It looks fine, it's — flying away…”
Professor Trelawney sighed.
“Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there…A little disappointing…but I'm sure you did your best.”
Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.
“IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT.”
Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.
“S — sorry?” said Harry.
But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing — and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:
“THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT…THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT…BEFORE MIDNIGHT…THE SERVANT…WILL SET OUT…TO REJOIN…HIS MASTER…”
Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.
“I'm so sorry, dear boy,” she said dreamily, “the heat of the day, you know…I drifted off for a moment….”
Harry sat there, staring at her.
“Is there anything wrong, my dear?”
“You — you just told me that the — the Dark Lord's going to rise again…that his servant's going to go back to him.”
Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled.
“The Dark Lord? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? My dear boy, that's hardly something to joke about…Rise again, indeed —”
“But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord —”
“I think you must have dozed off too, dear!” said Professor Trelawney. “I would certainly not presume to predict anything quite as far-fetched as that!”
Harry climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering…had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test?
Five minutes later he was dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in his head. People were striding past him in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time he had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.
“Professor Trelawney,” Harry panted, “just told me —”
But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.
“Buckbeak lost,” said Ron weakly. “Hagrid's just sent this.”
Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.
Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.
Hagrid
“We've got to go,” said Harry at once. “He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!”
“Sunset, though,” said Ron, who was staring out the window ill a glazed sort of way. “We'd never be allowed …'specially you, Harry…”
Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.
“If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…”
“Where is it?” said Hermione.
Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.
“… if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble,” he finished.
“That's true,” said Hermione, getting to her feet. “If he sees you…How do you open the witch's hump again?”
“You — you tap it and say, ‘Dissendium,'” said Harry. “But —”
Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.
“She hasn't gone to get it?” Ron said, staring after her.
She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.
“Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!” said Ron, astounded. “First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —”
Hermione looked rather flattered.
They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.
“Okay,” she whispered, “no one there — cloak on —”
Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.
They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.
“It's us,” Harry hissed. “We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off.”
“Yeh shouldn've come!” Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.
Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.
“Wan’ some tea?” he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.
“Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?” said Hermione hesitantly.
“I — I took him outside,” said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. “He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an’ — an’ smell fresh air — before —”
Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.
“I'll do it, Hagrid,” said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.
“There's another one in the cupboard,” Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.
“Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?” Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. “Dumbledore —”
“He's tried,” said Hagrid. “He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told ‘em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared…Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like…threatened ‘em, I expect…an’ the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o’ Malfoy's…but it'll be quick an’ clean…an’ I'll be beside him….”
Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.
“Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore.…”
Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.
“We'll stay with you too, Hagrid,” she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.
“Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don’ wan’ yeh watchin'. An’ yeh shouldn’ be down here anyway…If Fudge an’ Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble.”
Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.
“Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!”
Ron gaped at her.
“What are you talking about?”
Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.
“Scabbers!” said Ron blankly. “Scabbers, what are you doing here?”
He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself
“It's okay, Scabbers!” said Ron. “No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!”
Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the color of parchment.
“They're comin'.…”
Harry, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.
“Yeh gotta go,” said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. “They mustn’ find yeh here…Go now…”
Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. “I'll let yeh out the back way,” said Hagrid.
They followed him to the door into his back garden. Harry felt strangely unreal, and even more so when he saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.
“It's okay, Beaky,” said Hagrid softly. “It's okay…” He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “Go on,” he said. “Get goin'.”
But they didn't move.
“Hagrid, we can't —”
“We'll tell them what really happened —”
“They can't kill him —”
“Go!” said Hagrid fiercely. “It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an’ all!”
They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.
“Go quick,” he said hoarsely. “Don’ listen…”
And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.
Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.
“Please, let's hurry,” Hermione whispered. “I can't stand it, I can't bear it….”
They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged gray, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.
Ron stopped dead.
“Oh, please, Ron,” Hermione began.
“It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —”
Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.
“Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron,” Ron hissed.
They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.
“Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!” Hermione breathed.
“Okay — Scabbers, stay put —”
They walked forward; Harry, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.
“I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —”
The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.
Hermione swayed on the spot.
“They did it!” she whispered to Harry. “I'd — don't believe it — they did it!”
在快迪斯杯中的最终胜利使哈利高兴了一周的时间。甚至天气好像也在庆祝这场胜利。七月！闲近了，天气变得无云而且酷热。每个人都希望带着几瓶托冰镇的南瓜汁，或徜徉在操场上或是懒散的坐在草地上。
但是他们不能。考试临近了，学生们被迫呆在城堡内，强迫自己的大脑聚精会神于自己的学业。虽然夏天的空气游荡过窗户也不能引诱他们懒散的到外面去玩。
甚至弗来德和乔治。威斯里也在工作，他们将进行O.W.L（平常男巫水平测试）。
伯希正准备他的N.E.W.T.S（讨厌的令人筋疲力倦的男巫考试）他想进入魔法部，他需要好的分数。他变得很急躁，并且给了那些在晚上扰乱公共休息室的人最严厉的处罚。实际上，比伯希更着急的人是荷米思。
哈利和罗恩已经放弃了问她一下子学习那么多课程的原因。但看了她所制订的考试时间表，他们又忍不住了。第一卷写着星期一九点，数字算命课九点，变形术午餐一点，迷惑术一点，古代麾法“荷米思？”由于近来如果有人打扰她，她就会发作，所以罗恩小心的问，“噢，你确信你把这些时间抄写的完全正确吗？”
“什么？”荷米恩拿过时间表检查了一下，不经意的说，“是的，当然确信。”
“可是你怎么能够同时参加两个考试呢？”哈利说道。
“不，”荷米恩简短的说，“你们有谁看见我那本《数字逻辑和语法学》？
“噢，是的，我借了它作为睡觉前看的书！”罗恩十分平静的说。
荷米恩开始在桌子上逐一收拾她羊皮纸手搞，寻找着那本书。就在此时，窗户突然响了一下，接着海维飞了进来。一张纸条被紧紧的贴在她的鸟喙上。
“这来自于海维，”哈利打开纸条看后说，“毕克碧的上诉——这是第六次。”
“是我们考试完的那一天，”仍旧在找她的数字算命学节的荷米恩说。
“他们将到这儿做这件事了。”还在读那封信的哈利说，“一些来自魔法部的人和一个审判员。”
荷米恩害怕的看着他。
“他们将带着审判者去上诉！但这听起来好像已经确定了似的！”
“是的，是这样。”哈利慢慢的说。
“她们不能这样！”罗恩咆哮着说，“我已经花了几个月的时间去为它读材料，他们不能忽略它！”
但哈利有一个可怕的念头，就是反对危险生物协会的人们已经被马尔夫先生弄得下定了决心。人们好像近来又逐渐恢复了以往的神气，轻蔑地对哈利评价。马尔夫肯定是想杀掉毕克碧，并彻底的庆幸自己带来了这个结果。在这些情况下，模仿荷米恩打击马尔夫的脸是哈利所能做的全部。而最糟糕的是他没有时间和机会去看哈格力，因为新的严厉的保护性措施还没有改变。并且哈利在青眼有加的看守监视下，他还没有重新取得他的隐形斗篷。
考试周来到后，首先要考变形学，它太难了！包括像把茶壶变为乌龟这样的难题。荷米恩激怒了别人，因为她把她的茶壶变得像海龟一样。
“我还有一个壶嘴没有变成尾巴，真令人害怕……”
“哪儿有乌龟用尾巴呼吸。”
“它还有一个柳条格状的壳，你认为我能把它变成吗？”
接着，在一个匆忙的午饭之后，她直接上楼参加测试考试。她是正确的，费立维克教授真的测试兴奋魔物。哈利为罗恩而担心，在独自操作测试时他被带到一个安静的屋子里。晚饭后学生赶紧赶回公共休息室去准备。
哈格力主持第二天早上的魔界动物考试，他的心提到了嗓子眼，他已经提供了一大试管新鲜的弗来毕蚕。这是对所有参加考试的人最简单的考试，哈利、罗思和荷米恩终于有机会和哈格力交谈了。
“马尔夫的介入会使人很伤神，”哈格力告诉他们，当他弯下腰来假装察看哈利的弗来毕蚕是否还活着的时候。“我已应付了很大一段时间了。但仍然……我们将在后天知道——一种结果或是另一种。”
接着，星相术考试于深夜在最高的塔上举行。马格历史的考试在星期三的早上举行。这场考试中哈利描述了费莱里。弗特克告诉他的～切。
他们的倒数第二个考试，安排在星期四的早晨，是黑巫术防御课。露平教授已经暗示将重点考查平时课堂上强调的内容。本次考试方式是一次小历险，考试最后的终点设在一个大车箱。
“好极了，哈利！”当哈利微笑着从车箱内爬出来时露平兴奋的说道，“满分。”
成功以后，哈利从高处观看罗恩和荷米恩。罗恩做的也相当好，但他遇到了一点麻烦。荷米恩的麻烦出现在临近终点的地方，大约一分钟以后她叫着从里面冲出来。
“荷米恩？”露平迷惑的说，“有什么问题吗？”
“教……教……教，麦康娜教授！”荷米恩喘息着指着车箱说，“她……她说我一切都失败了！”
过了一会儿，荷米恩才平息了下来。到最后她才恢复了神智，同哈利和罗恩返回城堡。罗恩还有点想笑话荷米恩，但在最高台阶上他发现有人似乎在等他们。
科恩尔。里尔斯，微微出汗的身上有一点掩饰物，他站在那儿盯着地上。当看见哈利后，他开始盯着哈利一直瞧。
“喂，过来，哈利！”他说，“正在进行一项考试吗？差不多完成了吗？”
“是的。”哈利说道。
“真是个好天气。”科恩尔向湖中看了一眼后说，“遗憾……遗憾……”
他沉重的叹息了一声后看着哈利。
“我在这儿有一个不愉快的差使。哈利，反对危险生物委员会需要一个目击证人去审判疯狂的毕克碧。而我需要去访问霍格瓦彻以便检查证人情况，我被要求介入这件事。”
“那意味着上诉已经开始了吗？”罗恩上前几步打断他。
“不，不。那是今天下午的安排。”科恩尔看着罗恩奇怪的说。
“那么，你根本不必参加这个审判会！”罗恩勇敢的说，“毕克碧也许可能逃脱！”
在科恩尔回答以前，两个男巫从他后面的城堡门中走出来。其中一个十分老，他们看他似乎是萎缩了；另一个高大健壮，有一抹黑胡子。哈利知道他们代表反对危险动物委员会，因为那个很老的巫师看了哈格力的小屋并且用一种很微弱的声音说，“亲爱的，亲爱的，我干这件事已经很久了……是吗，科恩尔？”
那黑胡子男人正在用手指摸着什么东西，哈利看了一下发现他是在用拇指试一把斧子的刀刃。罗恩开口想说什么，但荷米恩碰了碰他的肋骨制止了他，并点头暗示去大厅门口。
“你为什么阻止我？”当他们进入大厅吃午饭时，罗恩愤怒的说，“他们甚至准备好斧子！你看到了吗？这是不公平的审判！”
“罗恩，你父亲在这个部工作。你不能对他的上司那样说话。”荷米恩好像有点心神不宁的说，“只要哈格力这次保待清醒的头脑并努力的辩论，他们就不可能判决毕克碧……”
但是哈利不能告诉荷米恩他不相信她所说的话。他们周围的人在吃饭的时候激动的交谈着。他们庆祝最后一科考试在那天下午考完。但哈利、罗恩和荷米恩因为关心，挂念着哈格力和毕克碧，所以有点心神不宁。他们一起走向大理石楼梯。荷米恩离开他们在一楼走了，而哈利和罗恩继续走到七层，到达许多学生业已就坐的特雷络尼教授的教室，他们急忙进入教室，这时正在进行最后一次点名。
“她对我们不是一视同仁！”尼维尔对他们报怨着。在他的膝盖上有他的《透视未来》的笔记，是关于水晶球方面。“你们曾经从水晶球中看到过什么吗？”他不高兴的问道。
“没有。”罗恩用一种不假思索的腔调回答说。他不停的看表，哈利知道他是在记算毕克碧的起诉开始的时间。
等在教室外面的队伍缓慢的变短。每个人从银色梯子爬下来时，班上剩下的人都追问：“她问了些什么？好回答吗？”
但是他们拒绝回答。
“她说水晶球会告诉她。如果我告诉了你，我将会遇到可怕的事故！‘例才过去后又爬下来的尼维尔恐惧的说。
“非常方便，”罗恩愤愤地说，“你知道，我开始认为荷米恩对她的感觉是对的。”他激动的说，“她是一个老骗子。”
“是的，”哈利看着他的表说。现在两点了，“希望她能快点……”
帕维提骄傲的从梯子上面走下来。
“她说我得到全部真实的预测，”她告诉哈利和罗恩，“我看到了大量的材料……好了，祝你好运！”
她急急忙忙的冲下楼梯到拉温德那儿去了。
“罗恩。威斯里！”那个熟悉的声音在头顶响起。罗思看了哈利一眼，随后从银色梯子消失了。现在哈利是最后一个等待测试的人。
他手背靠着墙坐在地板上，听着苍蝇在摩边嗡嗡的叫着，他开始想到哈格力。
最后，大约二十分钟后，罗恩的大眼又出现在梯子上。
“怎么样？”哈利站起来问道。
“一团糟，”罗恩说，“看不到其它任何东西，于是我添了些材料进去。”
“公共休息室再见面。”哈利小声的说，因为她听到了特雷络尼教授的声音，“哈利·波特！”
培房间好像更热了，窗帘是拉上的，火仍然生着。而平常的令人恶心的香气弄得哈利咳嗽，他跌跌撞撞的走向站在散乱的桌椅旁的特雷络尼教授，在她面前有一些水晶球。
“白天好，亲爱的，”她温柔的说，“请聚精会神的看着这个球……
别着急，现在告诉我你看到了什么在里面……“哈利弯腰并盯着水晶球，虽然盯着看但除了些白色的雾气以外什么也看不见。
“好了吗？”特雷络尼教授温柔的催促道，“你看到了什么？”
他的鼻子受到了烟雾刺激，他想起了罗恩刚才说的话，决定假装。
“噢，”哈利说，“一个黑色的形如……咦……”
“它像什么？”特雷络尼教授低声说道，“想一想，现在——”
哈利尽力的想，忽然想到了毕克碧。
“一个河马鹿。”他坚定的说。
“事实如此！”特雷络尼教授低语道，“好孩子，也许你可以看到，可怜的哈格力的困难……河马鹿出现了吗……它有头吗？”
“是的。”哈利坚定的说。
“你确信吗？”特雷络尼教授催促他说，“你十分确信吗？亲爱的，你看到它在地上受苦吗？也许，一个手举起了斧子的影子在他的后面。”
“不！”哈利开始有一点厌恶的说。
“没有血？”
“没有！”哈利又一次说，他更想离开这屋子了，“它看起来很好，它飞走了。”
特雷络尼教授叹了口气。
“好了，亲爱的，我想我们不必管它了……有一点失望……但我想你已经尽了全力了。”
哈利放松的站起来拿起他的包准备离开，突然一个巨大的尖锐的声音在身后响起来。
“那件事将会在今天晚上发生。”
哈利转过身来，特雷络尼身体僵直的坐在椅子上，她的眼睛无神，而她的嘴在呼呼叨叨的说着什么。
“对，对不起？”哈利说。
但是特雷络尼教授好像没有听到他说的话。他的眼睛开始转动。哈利手忙脚乱地站在那里。她看起来好像突然中风的样子。他犹豫的想去找医生来，而这时特雷络尼教授又说话了，用同样尖刻的语调，好像不是她自己似的：“邪恶的黑暗巫师无援孤独的躺着，他的仆人被捆绑了12年。
今天晚上，在午夜之前，那个仆人将会逃脱，并重新和他的主人在一起。邪恶的黑暗巫师将在他仆人的帮助下重新强大起来，比以前更伟大更可怕。今天晚上…
…午夜之前……仆人将会逃脱，将会去找主人……“特雷络尼的头垂在胸前。她的嘴里发出呜哩呜噜的声音。突然她的头又一次抬了起来。
“十分对不起，亲爱的孩子，”她模模糊糊的说，“这么热的天，你知道我被热晕了一会儿……”
哈利站在那仍盯着她看。
“这有什么地方不对吗？亲爱的？”
“你——你刚才告诉我——邪恶的黑暗巫师将要重新恢复健康……而他的仆人将会去帮助他……”
特雷络尼看起来像被完全迷惑了。
“邪恶的黑暗巫师？没听过的名字？亲爱的孩子，那是不能开玩笑的……重新恢复，事实上……”
“但是你刚才说的！你说邪恶的黑暗巫师——”
“我想你肯定也头晕目眩了，亲爱的！”特雷络尼教授说，“我从来没有想过要预测那么远的事情！”
哈利从梯子上爬下来，想着，“我真的听到特雷络尼教授的预言了吗？或者只是一个令人印象深刻的结束考试的方式？”
五分钟后他就在走在通往格林芬顿塔的小路上，特雷络尼教授的话仍在他耳边响起。人们对面与他擦肩而过，笑着开玩笑，去操场上找回盼望已久的自由，在他到达画像洞口并走进公共休息室的时候，那里没有一个人了。但罗恩和行米恩坐在一个角落里。
“特雷络尼教授。”哈利慌张的说，“刚刚你告诉我——”
但他看到他的脸色很怪就急忙停下来。
“毕克碧丢了，”罗恩虚弱的说，“哈格力给了我们这些东西。”
这次哈格力的纸条是干的，没有泪痕弄湿它，但好像由于他写字时手发抖，字迹不清。
上诉失败了。他们将在日落时处决。不要下来，你什么忙都帮不上。我不想让你看到种景象。
哈格力“我们正想要去，”哈利马上说，“他不能坐在那儿袖手旁观等待判决的到来！”
“日落，虽然，”罗恩用一种奇特的方法望着窗外说，“我们不允许……除了你，哈利……”
哈利用手抱住他的头开始想。
“如果我们有看不到的隐身斗篷……”
“它在什么地方？”荷米恩说。
哈利告诉她，它放在通道上独眼女巫的下面。
“……如果史纳皮再一次看到我在那儿，我将会很麻烦。”他说道。
“这是事实。”荷米恩站起来说，“如果他看到你……你怎么再一次打开那个女巫下面的机关？”
“你——你轻拍它并说，‘得细店’。”哈利说，“但是——”
荷米恩不等她说完最后一句话，她就大步穿过房间，推开胖大婶的画像门后消失了。
“她没有去拿它？”罗恩盯着她说。
她去了。荷米恩大约一刻钟后赶了回来，且隐身斗篷放在她的长袍里。
“荷米恩，我不知道你为什么迟到了！”罗恩很吃惊的说，“你首先打败了马尔夫，接着你走出去找特雷络尼教授——”
荷米恩看起来好像平静了一些。
他们和别人一样去吃饭但没有回到格林芬顿塔。哈利把大衣藏在他的长袍的前面，他只好把手臂弯着以便隐藏鼓起来的部分。他们隐蔽的消失在大厅的出人口，听着动静，直到确认没有人后，他们听到最后两个人匆忙的消失在大厅里，门“砰”
的一声关上了。荷米恩在门前伸出头看了看，“没有人了——披上隐身斗篷。”
他们紧紧的走在一起以防别人看见他们。他们踮着脚在斗篷下穿过大厅，接着穿过前面的石头台阶走到地上。太阳正在禁林那边落下，透过树顶的缝隙闪闪发光。
他们到了哈格力的小木屋后敲门。过了一会他才开门，而开了门他看了一下来访者，脸一下子变白了，浑身还在发抖。
“是我们，”哈利轻轻的说，“我们披着隐身斗篷。让我们进去把它脱下来。”
“啊，你们不该来呀！”哈格力低声说，但他后退了几步让他们走进来。哈格力迅速送上门，而哈利脱下了斗篷。
哈格力没有哭，也没有冲上去拖住他们。他看起来像一个不知道去哪、也不知干什么的人，他是那样无助。
“想喝点茶吗？”他说。当他把手伸向水壶的时候他的手在发抖。
“毕克碧在哪里，哈格力？”荷米恩急切的说。
“我——我带他出去了，”哈格力说，当他往杯子里加奶的时候奶撒在了桌子上。
哈格力的手颤抖的那么厉害，牛奶壶脱离了手，落在地上摔碎了。
“我来做，哈格力。”荷米恩迅速的并开始收拾地上。
“还有一些在壁橱里。”哈格力坐下来用袖子擦着额头说。哈利看着失望向后看的罗恩。
“这还有什么需要帮忙的吗，哈格力？”哈利坐在他的旁边说，“丹伯多——”
“他累了，”哈格力说，“他没有能力控制委员会。他谈的关于毕克碧的都对，但他们恐吓他……唉，你知道马尔夫是怎样恐吓他的吗？我希望……宣判者，马可尼尔，他是一个马尔夫的伙伴……
哈格力咽了一口唾沫。他的眼睛环视小木屋好像在寻求一处有希望的安全的庇护场所。
“丹伯多确定了，今天早上给我写了这个。他说他想跟我在一起。伟大的人，丹伯多……”
荷米恩在努力从哈格力的壁橱里找茶壶的时候，发出一声轻微的急促的抽泣。
她把茶壶拿在手中，努力抑制住泪水。
“我们将和你在一起，哈格力。”她说，但哈格力摇了摇他那长满粗发的头。
“现在你们应该回城堡了。或说，是的，我不想让你们介入。并且你们也不必再呆在这里了……如果科恩尔发现你不经允许擅自外出，哈利你的麻烦就大了。”
无言的泪水从荷米恩脸上流下来，但她在哈格力面前毫不掩饰。
忙碌着准备茶。接着她抓起牛奶瓶子往壶里加牛奶，她发出了一声尖叫。
“罗恩，我——我不相信——它是斯卡伯斯！”
罗思目瞪口呆的望着她。
“你在说些什么？”
荷米恩把牛奶壶拿到桌子上并把它翻转过来。随着痛苦的吱吱声和极力的想回到里面，斯卡伯斯老鼠滑到了桌子上。
“斯卡伯斯汀罗思急切的说，”斯卡伯斯，你在这儿做什么？“
他抓住挣扎着的老鼠到有亮光的地方。斯卡伯斯看起来很可怕。他比以前更瘦了，一大束头发落下来后露出了光光的头皮，他痛苦的在罗恩手中扭动着想逃脱。
“好极了，斯卡伯斯！”罗恩说，“没有猫，这没有人要伤害你！”
哈格力突然站起来盯着窗外。他鲜红的脸变的像羊皮纸一样。
“他们来了……？”
哈利，罗思和荷米恩低声商量了一下。一队人从远处的城堡中走了出来。走在前面的是艾伯斯。丹伯多，他的银色胡子在太阳底下闪闪发光，他的后面是科恩尔。
里尔斯，他们的后面是委员会的成员们和审判人马可尼尔。
“唉，快走。”哈格力说。他们每个人都在发抖，“他们一定发现了你在这儿……快点，现在……
罗恩把斯卡伯斯装入口袋，而荷米恩抓起大衣。
“我让你们从后门出去。”哈格力说。
他们跟着他走到了后面的花园。哈利觉的很奇怪，甚至看到了几米之外的毕克碧，隐藏于哈格力的南瓜碎片后面的树上。毕克碧好像知道发生了什么事。他把头转向了一边，紧张的抓着泥土。
“好极了，毕克碧。”哈格力温柔的说，“好极了……”他转向哈利，罗恩和荷米恩，“继续。”他说，“快点过去。”
但是他们没有动。
“哈格力，不，我们不能——”
“我们将告诉你发生了什么事——”
“他们不能杀害他——”
“进去！”哈格力凶狠的说，“没有你介入困境已经很糟糕了！”
他们没有选择。当荷米恩把大衣被在哈利和罗恩身上时，他们听到小木屋前面的噪杂声。哈格力看着他们刚刚消失的地方。
“快点。”他急促的说，“听见了吗……”
他大步走回小木屋时有人正在敲他的前门。
慢慢的在一个极小的通道上，哈利、罗恩和荷米恩悄悄的看着哈格力的房子。
当他们走到另一边的时候，前门砰的一声关上了。
“求求你们，快点。”荷米恩低声说，“我忍不住了，我不能忍受……”
他们开始慢慢地向城堡走去。太阳飞快地落了下去。天空变得很清楚，显出紫灰的颜色，但在西方有一个鲜红的火球。
罗恩忽然停住了。
“噢，求你了，罗恩。”荷米恩说。
“是斯卡伯斯——它不会——停留下来——”
罗恩弯下腰来，努力把斯卡帕斯蹩在口袋里，但那个老鼠突然发疯了，疯狂地叫着，扭动着身于，奋力去咬罗恩的手指。
“斯卡伯斯，是我，你这个白痴，我是罗恩。”罗恩小声地说。
“他们忽然听到了门开了并响起了男人的声音。
“噢，罗恩，让我走，他们将那么做了！”荷米思喘着气说。
“好——斯卡伯斯，停下来——”
他们向前走去，哈利像荷米恩一样竭力不去听后面混乱的声音。
罗恩又一次停了下来。
“我不能告诉他——斯卡伯斯，闭嘴，每个人都能听到我们。”
老鼠正在尖锐地叫着，但没盖过哈格力在花园里的声音。接着是另外一把男声，接着静了下来，没有警告，无疑是斧子的挥动和撞击声。
荷米恩在那颤抖着。
“他们在那样做！”她悄悄地告诉哈利，“我不敢相信，他们真那样做了！”
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