HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS
‘In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned to this country and is once more active.
‘“It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord—well, you know who I mean—is alive and among us again,” said Fudge, looking tired and flustered1 as he addressed reporters. “It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse2 to continuing in the Ministry3's employ. We believe the dementors are currently taking direction from Lord— Thingy.
‘“We urge the magician population to remain vigilant4. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence which will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the coming month.”
‘The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was “no truth whatsoever5 in these persistent6 rumours7 that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more.”
‘Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy8, though it is believed that He Who Must Not Be Named and a select band of followers9 (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday evening.
‘Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft10 and Wizardry, reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, has so far been unavailable for comment. He has insisted over the past year that You-Know-Who is not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but is recruiting followers once more for afresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the “Boy Who Lived”—’
‘There you are, Harry11, I knew they'd drag you into it somehow,’ said Hermione, looking over the top of the paper at him.
They were in the hospital wing. Harry was sitting on the end of Ron's bed and they were both listening to Hermione read the front page of the Sunday Prophet.Ginny, whose ankle had been mended in a trice by Madam Pomfrey, was curled up at the foot of Hermione's bed; Neville, whose nose had likewise been returned to its normal size and shape, was in a chair between the two beds; and Luna, who had dropped in to visit, clutching the latest edition of The Quibbler, was reading the magazine upside-down and apparently12 not taking in a word Hermione was saying.
‘He's the “boy who lived” again now, though, isn't he?’ said Ron darkly. ‘Not such a deluded13 show-off any more, eh?’
He helped himself to a handful of Chocolate Frogs from the immense pile on his bedside cabinet, threw a few to Harry, Ginny and Neville and ripped off the wrapper of his own with his teeth. There were still deep welts on his forearms where the brain's tentacles15 had wrapped around him. According to Madam Pomfrey, thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else, though since she had started applying copious16 amounts of Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious17 Unction there seemed to have been some improvement.
‘Yes, they're very complimentary18 about you now, Harry,’ said Hermione, scanning down the article. ‘“A lone19 voice of truth ... perceived as unbalanced, yet never wavered in his story ... forced to bear ridicule20 and slander21 ...”Hmmm,’ she said, frowning, ‘I notice they don't mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing22 and slandering23 in the Prophet ...’
She winced24 slightly and put a hand to her ribs25. The curse Dolohov had used on her, though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incantation aloud, had nevertheless caused, in Madam Pomfrey's words, ‘quite enough damage to be going on with'. Hermione was having to take ten different types of potion every day, was improving greatly, and was already bored with the hospital wing.
‘You-Know-Who's Last Attempt to Take Over, pages two to Jour, What the Ministry Should Have Told Us, page five, Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore, pages six to eight, Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter, page nine ...Well,’ said Hermione, folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside, ‘it's certainly given them lots to write about. And that interview with Harry isn't exclusive, it's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago ...’
‘Daddy sold it to them,’ said Luna vaguely26, turning a page of The Quibbler.‘He got a very good price for it, too, so we're going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.’
‘Hermione seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, then said, That sounds lovely.’
Ginny caught Harry's eye and looked away quickly, grinning.
‘So, anyway,’ said Hermione, sitting up a little straighter and wincing27 again, ‘what's going on in school?’
‘Well, Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp,’ said Ginny, ‘he did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off—’
‘Why?’ said Hermione, looking startled.
‘Oh, he just says it was a really good bit of magic,’ said Ginny, shrugging.
‘I think he left it as a monument to Fred and George,’ said Ron, through a mouthful of chocolate. ‘They sent me all these, you know,’ he told Harry, pointing at the small mountain of Frogs beside him. ‘Must be doing all right out of that joke shop, eh?’
Hermione looked rather disapproving28 and asked, ‘So has all the trouble stopped now Dumbledore's back?’
‘Yes,’ said Neville, ‘everything's settled right back to normal.’
‘I s'pose Filch29 is happy, is he?’ asked Ron, propping30 a Chocolate Frog Card featuring Dumbledore against his water jug32.
‘Not at all,’ said Ginny. ‘He's really, really miserable33, actually ...’ She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts ...’
All six of them looked around. Professor Umbridge was lying in a bed opposite them, gazing up at the ceiling. Dumbledore had strode alone into the Forest to rescue her from the centaurs34; how he had done it—how he had emerged from the trees supporting Professor Umbridge without so much as a scratch on him—nobody knew, and Umbridge was certainly not telling. Since she had returned to the castle she had not, as far as any of them knew, uttered a single word. Nobody really knew what was wrong with her, either. Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs35 and leaves in it, but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed.
‘Madam Pomfrey says she's just in shock,’ whispered Hermione.
‘Sulking, more like,’ said Ginny.
‘Yeah, she shows signs of life if you do this,’ said Ron, and with his tongue he made soft clip-clopping noises. Umbridge sat bolt upright, looking around wildly.
‘Anything wrong, Professor?’ called Madam Pomfrey, poking36 her head around her office door.
‘No ... no ...’ said Umbridge, sinking back into her pillows. ‘No, I must have been dreaming ...’
Hermione and Ginny muffled37 their laughter in the bedclothes.
‘Speaking of centaurs,’ said Hermione, when she had recovered a little, ‘who's Divination38 teacher now? Is Firenze staying?’
‘He's got to,’ said Harry, ‘the other centaurs won't take him back, will they?’
‘It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach,’ said Ginny.
‘Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good,’ said Ron, now munching39 on his fourteenth Frog. ‘Mind you, the whole subject's useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better ...’
‘How can you say that?’ Hermione demanded. ‘After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?’
Harry's heart began to race. He had not told Ron, Hermione or anyone else what the prophecy had contained. Neville had told them it had smashed while Harry was pulling him up the steps in the Death Room and Harry had not yet corrected this impression. He was not ready to see their expressions when he told them that he must be either murderer or victim, there was no other way ...
‘It is a pity it broke,’ said Hermione quietly, shaking her head.
‘Yeah, it is,’ said Ron. ‘Still, at least You-Know-Who never found out what was in it either— where are you going?’ he added, looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry stood up.
‘Er—Hagrid's,’ said Harry. ‘You know, he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you two are.’
‘Oh, all right then,’ said Ron grumpily, looking out of the dormitory window at the patch of bright blue sky beyond. ‘Wish we could come.’
‘Say hello to him for us!’ called Hermione, as Harry proceeded down the ward41. ‘And ask him what's happening about ... about his little friend!’
Harry gave a wave of his hand to show he had heard and understood as he left the dormitory.
The castle seemed very quiet even for a Sunday. Everybody was clearly out in the sunny grounds, enjoying the end of their exams and the prospect42 of a last few days of term unhampered by revision or homework. Harry walked slowly along the deserted43 corridor, peering out of windows as he went; he could see people messing around in the air over the Quidditch pitch and a couple of students swimming in the lake, accompanied by the giant squid.
He was finding it hard to decide whether he wanted to be with people or not; whenever he was in company he wanted to get away and whenever he was alone he wanted company. He thought he might really go and visit Hagrid, though, as he had not talked to him properly since he'd returned ...
Harry had just descended44 the last marble step into the Entrance Hall when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle emerged from a door on the right that Harry knew led down to the Slytherin common room. Harry stopped dead; so did Malfoy and the others. The only sounds were the shouts, laughter and splashes drifting into the Hall from the grounds through the open front doors.
Malfoy glanced around—Harry knew he was checking for signs of teachers—then he looked back at Harry and said in a low voice, ‘You're dead, Potter.’
‘Funny.’ he said, ‘you'd think I'd have stopped walking around ...’
Malfoy looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him; he felt a kind of detached satisfaction at the sight of his pale, pointed40 face contorted with rage.
‘You're going to pay,’ said Malfoy, in a voice barely louder than a whisper. ‘I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to my father ...’
‘Well, I'm terrified now,’ said Harry sarcastically46. ‘I s'pose Lord Voldemort's just a warm-up act compared to you three—what's the matter?’ he added, for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had all looked stricken at the sound of the name. ‘He's a mate of your dad, isn't he? Not scared of him, are you?’
‘You think you're such a big man, Potter,’ said Malfoy, advancing now, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him. ‘You wait. I'll have you. You can't land my father in prison—’
‘I thought I just had,’ said Harry.
‘The dementors have left Azkaban,’ said Malfoy quietly. ‘Dad and the others'll be out in no time ...’
‘Yeah, I expect they will,’ said Harry. ‘Still, at least everyone knows what scumbags they are now—’
Malfoy's hand flew towards his wand, but Harry was too quick for him; he had drawn47 his own wand before Malfoy's fingers had even entered the pocket of his robes.
‘Potter!’
The voice rang across the Entrance Hall. Snape had emerged from the staircase leading down to his office and at the sight of him Harry felt a great rush of hatred48 beyond anything he felt towards Malfoy ... whatever Dumbledore said, he would never forgive Snape . . . never ...
‘What are you doing, Potter?’ said Snape, as coldly as ever, as he strode over to the four of them.
‘I'm trying to decide what curse to use on Malfoy, sir,’ said Harry fiercely.
Snape stared at him.
‘Put that wand away at once,’ he said curtly49. ‘Ten points from Gryff—’
Snape looked towards the giant hour-glasses on the walls and gave a sneering50 smile.
‘Ah. I see there are no longer any points left in the Gryffindor hour-glass to take away. In that case, Potter, we will simply have to—’
‘Add some more?’
Professor McGonagall had just stumped51 up the stone, steps into the castle; she was carrying a tartan carpetbag in one hand and leaning heavily on a walking stick with her other, but otherwise looked quite well.
‘Professor McGonagall!’ said Snape, striding forwards. ‘Out of St. Mungo's, I see!’
‘Yes, Professor Snape,’ said Professor McGonagall. shrugging off her travelling cloak, ‘I'm quite as good as new. You two—Crabbe—Goyle—’
She beckoned52 them forwards imperiously and they came, shuffling53 their large feet and looking awkward.
‘Here,’ said Professor McGonagall, thrusting her carpetbag into Crabbe's chest and her cloak into Goyle's, ‘take these up to my office for me.’
They turned and stumped away up the marble staircase.
‘Right then,’ said Professor McGonagall, looking up at the hourglasses on the wall. ‘Well, I think Potter and his friends ought to have fifty points apiece for alerting the world to the return of You-Know-Who! What say you, Professor Snape?’
‘What?’ snapped Snape, though Harry knew he had heard perfectly54 well. ‘Oh—well—I suppose ...’
‘So that's fifty each for Potter, the two Weasleys, Longbottom and Miss Granger,’ said Professor McGonagall, and a shower of rubies55 fell down into the bottom bulb of Gryffindor s hour-glass as she spoke56. ‘Oh—and fifty for Miss Lovegood, I suppose,’ she added, and a number of sapphires57 fell into Ravenclaw's glass. ‘Now, you wanted to take ten from Mr. Potter, I think, Professor Snape—so there we are ...’
A few rubies retreated into the upper bulb, leaving a respectable amount below nevertheless.
‘Well, Potter, Malfoy, I think you ought to be outside on a glorious day like this,’ Professor McGonagall continued briskly.
Harry did not need telling twice; he thrust his wand back inside his robes and headed straight for the front doors without another glance at Snape and Malfoy.
The hot sun hit him with a blast as he walked across the lawns towards Hagrid's cabin. Students lying around on the grass sunbathing58, talking, reading the Sunday Prophet and eating sweets, looked up at him as he passed; some called out to him, or else waved, clearly eager to show that they, like the Prophet, had decided59 he was something of a hero. Harry said nothing to any of them. He had no idea how much they knew of what had happened three days ago, but he had so far avoided being questioned and preferred to keep it that way.
He thought at first when he knocked on Hagrid's cabin door that he was out, but then Fang60 came charging around the corner and almost bowled him over with the enthusiasm of his welcome. Hagrid, it transpired61, was picking runner beans in his back garden.
‘All righ', Harry!’ he said, beaming, when Harry approached the fence. ‘Come in, come in, we'll have a cup o’ dandelion juice ...
‘How's things?’ Hagrid asked him, as they settled down at his wooden table with a glass apiece of iced juice. ‘Yeh—er—feelin’ all righ', are yeh?’
Harry knew from the look of concern on Hagrid's face that he was not referring to Harry's physical well-being62.
‘I'm fine,’ Harry said quickly, because he could not bear to discuss the thing that he knew was in Hagrid's mind. ‘So, where've you been?’
‘Bin14 hidin’ out in the mountains,’ said Hagrid. ‘Up in a cave, like Sirius did when he—’
Hagrid broke off, cleared his throat gruffly, looked at Harry, and took a long draught63 of juice.
‘Anyway, back now,’ he said feebly.
‘You—you look better,’ said Harry, who was determined64 to keep the conversation moving away from Sirius.
‘Wha?’ said Hagrid, raising a massive hand and feeling his face. ‘Oh—oh yeah. Well, Grawpy's loads better behaved now, loads. Seemed right pleased ter see me when I got back, ter tell yeh the truth. He's a good lad, really ... Ive bin thinkin abou tryin ter find him a lady friend, actually ...’
Harry would normally have tried to persuade Hagrid out of this idea at once; the prospect of a second giant taking up residence in the Forest, possibly even wilder and more brutal65 than Grawp, was positively66 alarming, but somehow Harry could not muster67 the energy necessary to argue the point. He was starting to wish he was alone again, and with the idea of hastening his departure he took several large gulps68 of his dandelion juice, half-emptying his glass.
‘Ev'ryone knows yeh've bin tellin’ the truth now, Harry’ said Hagrid softly and unexpectedly. He was watching Harry closely. ‘Tha's gotta be better, hasn’ it?’
‘Look ...’ Hagrid leaned towards him across the table, ‘I knew Sirius longer ‘n yeh did ... he died in battle, an tha's the way he'd've wanted ter go—’
‘He didn't want to go at all!’ said Harry angrily.
Hagrid bowed his great shaggy head.
‘Nah, I don’ reckon he did,’ he said quietly. ‘But still, Harry ... he was never one ter sit aroun’ at home an’ let other people do the fightin'. He couldn've lived with himself if he hadn’ gone ter help—’
Harry leapt up.
‘I've got to go and visit Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing,’ he said mechanically.
‘Oh,’ said Hagrid, looking rather upset. ‘Oh ... all righ’ then, Harry ... take care o’ yerself then, an’ drop back in if yeh've got a mo ...’
‘Yeah ... right ...’
Harry crossed to the door as fast as he could and pulled it open; he was out in the sunshine again before Hagrid had finished saying goodbye, and walking away across the lawn. Once again, people called out to him as he passed. He closed his eyes for a few moments, wishing they would all vanish, that he could open his eyes and find himself alone in the grounds ...
A few days ago, before his exams had finished and he had seen the vision Voldemort had planted in his mind, he would have given almost anything for the wizarding world to know he had been telling the truth, for them to believe that Voldemort was back, and to know that he was neither a liar70 nor mad. Now, however ...
He walked a short way around the lake, sat down on its bank, sheltered from the gaze of passers-by behind a tangle71 of shrubs72, and stared out over the gleaming water, thinking ...
Perhaps the reason he wanted to be alone was because he had felt isolated73 from everybody since his talk with Dumbledore. An invisible barrier separated him from the rest of the world. He was—he had always been—a marked man. It was just that he had never really understood what that meant ...
And yet sitting here on the edge of the lake, with the terrible weight of grief dragging at him, with the loss of Sirius so raw and fresh inside, he could not muster any great sense of fear. It was sunny, and the grounds around him were full of laughing people, and even though he felt as distant from them as though he belonged to a different race, it was still very hard to believe as he sat here that his life must include, or end in, murder ...
He sat there for a long time, gazing out at the water, trying not to think about his godfather or to remember that it was directly across from here, on the opposite bank, that Sirius had once collapsed74 trying to fend75 off a hundred dementors ...
The sun had set before he realised he was cold. He got up and returned to the castle, wiping his face on his sleeve as he went.
Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing completely cured three days before the end of term. Hermione kept showing signs of wanting to talk about Sirius, but Ron tended to make ‘hushing’ noises every time she mentioned his name. Harry was still not sure whether or not he wanted to talk about his godfather yet; his wishes varied76 with his mood. He knew one thing, though: unhappy as he felt at the moment, he would greatly miss Hogwarts in a few days’ time when he was back at number four, Privet Drive. Even though he now understood exactly why he had to return there every summer, he did not feel any better about it. Indeed, he had never dreaded77 his return more.
Professor Umbridge left Hogwarts the day before the end of term. It seemed she had crept out of the hospital wing during dinnertime, evidently hoping to depart undetected, but unfortunately for her, she met Peeves78 on the way, who seized his last chance to do as Fred had instructed, and chased her gleefully from the premises79 whacking80 her alternately with a walking stick and a sock full of chalk. Many students ran out into the Entrance Hall to watch her running away down the path and the Heads of Houses tried only half-heartedly to restrain them. Indeed, Professor McGonagall sank back into her chair at the staff table after a few feeble remonstrances81 and was clearly heard to express a regret that she could not run cheering after Umbridge herself, because Peeves had borrowed her walking stick.
Their last evening at school arrived; most people had finished packing and were already heading down to the end-of-term leaving feast, but Harry had not even started.
‘Just do it tomorrow!’ said Ron, who was waiting by the door of their dormitory. ‘Come on, I'm starving.’
‘I won't be long ... look, you go ahead ...’
But when the dormitory door closed behind Ron, Harry made no effort to speed up his packing. The very last thing he wanted to do was to attend the Leaving Feast. He was worried that Dumbledore would make some reference to him in his speech. He was sure to mention Voldemort's return; he had talked to them about it last year, after all ...
Harry pulled some crumpled82 robes out of the very bottom of his trunk to make way for folded ones and, as he did so, noticed a badly wrapped package lying in a corner of it. He could not think what it was doing there. He bent83 down, pulled it out from underneath84 his trainers and examined it.
He realised what it was within seconds. Sirius had given it to him just inside the front door of number twelve Grimmauld Place. ‘Use it if you need me, all right?’
Harry sank down on to his bed and unwrapped the package. Out fell a small, square mirror. It looked old; it was certainly dirty. Harry held it up to his face and saw his own reflection looking back at him.
He turned the mirror over. There on the reverse side was a scribbled85 note from Sirius.
This is a two-way mirror, I've got the other one of the pair. If you need to speak to me, just say my name into it; you'll appear in my mirror and I'll be able to talk in yours. James and I used to use them when we were in separate detentions86.
Harry's heart began to race. He remembered seeing his dead parents in the Mirror of Erised four years ago. He was going to be able to talk to Sirius again, right now, he knew it—
He looked around to make sure there was nobody else there; the dormitory was quite empty. He looked back at the mirror, raised it in front of his face with trembling hands and said, loudly and clearly, ‘Sirius.’
His breath misted the surface of the glass. He held the mirror even closer, excitement flooding through him, but the eyes blinking back at him through the fog were definitely his own.
He wiped the mirror clear again and said, so that every syllable87 rang clearly through the room:
‘Sirius Black!’
Nothing happened. The frustrated88 face looking back out of the mirror was still, definitely, his own ...
Sirius didn't have his mirror on him when he went through the archway, said a small voice in Harry's head. That's why it's not working ...
Harry remained quite still for a moment, then hurled89 the mirror back into the trunk where it shattered. He had been convinced, for a whole, shining minute, that he was going to see Sirius, talk to him again ...
Disappointment was burning in his throat; he got up and began throwing his things pell-mell into the trunk on top of the broken mirror—
But then an idea struck him ... a better idea than a mirror ... a much bigger, more important idea ... how had he never thought of it before—why had he never asked?
He was sprinting90 out of the dormitory and down the spiral staircase, hitting the walls as he ran and barely noticing; he hurtled across the empty common room, through the portrait hole and off along the corridor, ignoring the Fat Lady, who called after him: ‘The feast is about to start, you know, you're cutting it very fine!’
But Harry had no intention of going to the feast ...
How could it be that the place was full of ghosts whenever you didn't need one, yet now ...
He ran down staircases and along corridors and met nobody either alive or dead. They were all, clearly, in the Great Hall. Outside his Charms classroom he came to a halt, panting and thinking disconsolately91 that he would have to wait until later, until after the end of the feast ...
But just as he had given up hope, he saw it—a translucent92 somebody drifting across the end of the corridor.
‘Hey—hey, Nick! NICK!’
The ghost stuck its head back out of the wall, revealing the extravagantly93 plumed94 hat and dangerously wobbling head of Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington.
‘Good evening,’ he said, withdrawing the rest of his body from the solid stone and smiling at Harry. ‘I am not the only one who is late, then? Though,’ he sighed, ‘in a rather different sense, of course ...’
‘Nick, can I ask you something?’
A most peculiar95 expression stole over Nearly Headless Nick's face as he inserted a finger in the stiff ruff at his neck and tugged96 it a little straighter, apparently to give himself thinking time. He desisted only when his partially97 severed98 neck seemed about to give way completely.
‘Er—now, Harry?’ said Nick, looking discomfited99. ‘Can't it wait until after the feast?’
‘No—Nick— please,’ said Harry, ‘I really need to talk to you. Can we go in here?’
Harry opened the door of the nearest classroom and Nearly Headless Nick sighed.
‘Oh, very well,’ he said, looking resigned. ‘I can't pretend I haven't been expecting it.’
Harry was holding the door open for him, but he drifted through the wall instead.
‘Expecting what?’ Harry asked, as he closed the door.
‘You to come and find me,’ said Nick, now gliding100 over to the window and looking out at the darkening grounds. ‘It happens, sometimes ... when somebody has suffered a ... loss.’
‘Well,’ said Harry, refusing to be deflected101. ‘You were right, I've—I've come to find you.’
Nick said nothing.
‘It's—’ said Harry, who was finding this more awkward than he had anticipated, ‘it's just— you're dead. But you're still here, aren't you?’
Nick sighed and continued to gaze out at the grounds.
‘That's right, isn't it?’ Harry urged him. ‘You died, but I'm talking to you ... you can walk around Hogwarts and everything, can't you?’
‘Yes,’ said Nearly Headless Nick quietly, ‘I walk and talk, yes.’
‘So, you came back, didn't you?’ said Harry urgently. ‘People can come back, right? As ghosts. They don't have to disappear completely. Well?’ he added impatiently, when Nick continued to say nothing.
Nearly Headless Nick hesitated, then said, ‘Not everyone can come back as a ghost.’
‘What d'you mean?’ said Harry quickly.
‘Only ... only wizards.’
‘Oh,’ said Harry, and he almost laughed with relief. ‘Well, that's OK then, the person I'm asking about is a wizard. So he can come back, right?’
Nick turned away from the window and looked mournfully at Harry.
‘He won't come back.’
‘Who?’
‘Sirius Black,’ said Nick.
‘But you did!’ said Harry angrily. ‘You came back—you're dead and you didn't disappear—’
‘Wizards can leave an imprint102 of themselves upon the earth, to walk palely where their living selves once trod,’ said Nick miserably103. ‘But very few wizards choose that path.’
‘Why not?’ said Harry. ‘Anyway—it doesn't matter—Sirius won't care if it's unusual, he'll come back, I know he will!’
And so strong was his belief, Harry actually turned his head to check the door, sure, for a split second, that he was going to see Sirius, pearly-white and transparent104 but beaming, walking through it towards him.
‘He will not come back,’ repeated Nick. ‘He will have ... gone on.’
‘What d'you mean, “gone on"?’ said Harry quickly. ‘Gone on where? Listen—what happens when you die, anyway? Where do you go? Why doesn't everyone come back? Why isn't this place full of ghosts? Why—?’
‘I cannot answer,’ said Nick.
‘You're dead, aren't you?’ said Harry exasperatedly. ‘Who can answer better than you?’
‘I was afraid of death,’ said Nick softly. ‘I chose to remain behind. I sometimes wonder whether I oughtn't to have ... well, that is neither here nor there ... in fact, I am neither here nor there ...’ He gave a small sad chuckle105. ‘I know nothing of the secrets of death, Harry, for I chose my feeble imitation of life instead. I believe learned wizards study the matter in the Department of Mysteries—’
‘Don't talk to me about that place!’ said Harry fiercely.
‘I am sorry not to have been more help,’ said Nick gently. ‘Well ... well, do excuse me ... the feast, you know ...’
And he left the room, leaving Harry there alone, gazing blankly at the wall through which Nick had disappeared.
Harry felt almost as though he had lost his godfather all over again in losing the hope that he might be able to see or speak to him once more. He walked slowly and miserably back up through the empty castle, wondering whether he would ever feel cheerful again.
He had turned the corner towards the Fat Lady's corridor when he saw somebody up ahead fastening a note to a board on the wall. A second glance showed him it was Luna. There were no good hiding places nearby, she was bound to have heard his footsteps, and in any case, Harry could hardly muster the energy to avoid anyone at the moment.
‘Hello,’ said Luna vaguely, glancing around at him as she stepped back from the notice.
‘How come you're not at the feast?’ Harry asked.
‘Well, I've lost most of my possessions,’ said Luna serenely106. ‘People take them and hide them, you know. But as it's the last night, I really do need them back, so I've been putting up signs.’
She gestured towards the noticeboard, upon which, sure enough, she had pinned a list of all her missing books and clothes, with a plea for their return.
An odd feeling rose in Harry; an emotion quite different from the anger and grief that had filled him since Sirius's death. It was a few moments before he realised that he was feeling sorry for Luna.
‘How come people hide your stuff?’ he asked her, frowning.
‘Oh ... well ...’ she shrugged. ‘I think they think I'm a bit odd, you know. Some people call me “Loony” Lovegood, actually.’
Harry looked at her and the new feeling of pity intensified107 rather painfully.
‘That's no reason for them to take your things,’ he said flatly. ‘D'you want help finding them?’
‘Oh, no,’ she said, smiling at him. ‘They'll come back, they always do in the end. It was just that I wanted to pack tonight. Anyway ... why aren't you at the feast?’
Harry shrugged. ‘Just didn't feel like it.’
‘No,’ said Luna, observing him with those oddly misty108, protuberant109 eyes. ‘I don't suppose you do. That man the Death Eaters killed was your godfather, wasn't he? Ginny told me.’
Harry nodded curtly, but found that for some reason he did not mind Luna talking about Sirius. He had just remembered that she, too, could see Thestrals.
‘Have you ...’ he began. ‘I mean, who ... has anyone you known ever died?’
‘Yes,’ said Luna simply, ‘my mother. She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day. I was nine.’
‘I'm sorry,’ Harry mumbled110.
‘Yes, it was rather horrible,’ said Luna conversationally111. ‘I still feel very sad about it sometimes. But I've still got Dad. And anyway, it's not as though I'll never see Mum again, is it?’
‘Er—isn't it?’ said Harry uncertainly.
She shook her head in disbelief.
‘Oh, come on. You heard them, just behind the veil, didn't you?’
‘You mean ...’
‘In that room with the archway. They were just lurking112 out of sight, that's all. You heard them.’
They looked at each other. Luna was smiling slightly. Harry did not know what to say, or to think; Luna believed so many extraordinary things ... yet he had been sure he had heard voices behind the veil, too.
‘Are you sure you don't want me to help you look for your stuff?’ he said.
‘Oh, no,’ said Luna. ‘No, I think I'll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up ... it always does in the end ... well, have a nice holiday, Harry.’
‘Yeah ... yeah, you too.’
She walked away from him and, as he watched her go, he found that the terrible weight in his stomach seemed to have lessened113 slightly.
The journey home on the Hogwarts Express next day was eventful in several ways. Firstly, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who had clearly been waiting all week for the opportunity to strike without teacher witnesses, attempted to ambush114 Harry halfway115 down the train as he made his way back from the toilet. The attack might have succeeded had it not been for the fact that they unwittingly chose to stage the attack right outside a compartment116 full of DA members, who saw what was happening through the glass and rose as one to rush to Harry's aid. By the time Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot, had finished using a wide variety of the hexes and jinxes Harry had taught them, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle resembled nothing so much as three gigantic slugs squeezed into Hogwarts uniform as Harry, Ernie and Justin hoisted117 them into the luggage rack and left them there to ooze118.
‘I must say, I'm looking forward to seeing Malfoy's mother's face when he gets off the train,’ said Ernie, with some satisfaction, as he watched Malfoy squirm above him. Ernie had never quite got over the indignity119 of Malfoy docking points from Hufflepuff during his brief spell as a member of the Inquisitorial Squad120.
‘Goyle's mum'll be really pleased, though,’ said Ron, who had come to investigate the source of the commotion121. ‘He's loads better-looking now ... anyway, Harry, the food trolley122's just stopped if you want anything ...’
Harry thanked the others and accompanied Ron back to their compartment, where he bought a large pile of cauldron cakes and pumpkin123 pasties. Hermione was reading the Daily Prophet again, Ginny was doing a quiz in The Quibbler and Neville was stroking his Mimbulus mimbletonia, which had grown a great deal over the year and now made odd crooning noises when touched.
Harry and Ron whiled away most of the journey playing wizard chess while Hermione read out snippets from the Prophet.It was now full of articles about how to repel124 dementors, attempts by the Ministry to track down Death Eaters and hysterical125 letters claiming that the writer had seen Lord Voldemort walking past their house that very morning ...
‘It hasn't really started yet,’ sighed Hermione gloomily, folding up the newspaper again. ‘But it won't be long now ...’
‘Hey, Harry,’ said Ron softly, nodding towards the glass window on to the corridor.
Harry looked around. Cho was passing, accompanied by Marietta Edgecombe, who was wearing a balaclava. His and Cho's eyes met for a moment. Cho blushed and kept walking. Harry looked back down at the chessboard just in time to see one of his pawns126 chased off its square by Ron's knight127.
‘What's—er— going on with you and her, anyway?’ Ron asked quietly.
‘Nothing,’ said Harry truthfully.
‘I—er—heard she's going out with someone else now,’ said Hermione tentatively.
Harry was surprised to find that this information did not hurt at all. Wanting to impress Cho seemed to belong to a past that was no longer quite connected with him; so much of what he had wanted before Sirius's death felt that way these days ... the week that had elapsed since he had last seen Sirius seemed to have lasted much, much longer; it stretched across two universes, the one with Sirius in it, and the one without.
‘You're well out of it, mate,’ said Ron forcefully. ‘I mean, she's quite good-looking and all that, but you want someone a bit more cheerful.’
‘She's probably cheerful enough with someone else,’ said Harry, shrugging.
‘Who's she with now, anyway?’ Ron asked Hermione, but it was Ginny who answered.
‘Michael Corner,’ she said.
‘Michael—but— ’ said Ron, craning around in his seat to state at her. ‘But you were going out with him!’
‘Not any more,’ said Ginny resolutely128. ‘He didn't like Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quidditch, and got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho instead.’ She scratched her nose absently with the end of her quill129, turned The Quibbler upside-down and began marking her answers. Ron looked highly delighted.
‘Well, I always thought he was a bit of an idiot,’ he said, prodding130 his queen forwards towards Harry's quivering castle. ‘Good for you. Just choose someone—better—next time.’
He cast Harry an oddly furtive131 look as he said it.
‘Well, I've chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he's better?’ asked Ginny vaguely.
‘WHAT?’ shouted Ron, upending the chessboard. Crookshanks went plunging132 after the pieces and Hedwig and Pigwidgeon twittered and hooted133 angrily from overhead.
As the train slowed down in the approach to King's Cross, Harry thought he had never wanted to leave it less. He even wondered fleetingly134 what would happen if he simply refused to get off, but remained stubbornly sitting there until the first of September, when it would take him back to Hogwarts. When it finally puffed135 to a standstill, however, he lifted down Hedwig's cage and prepared to drag his trunk from the train as usual.
When the ticket inspector136 signalled to Harry, Ron and Hermione that it was safe to walk through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten, however, he found a surprise awaiting him on the other side: a group of people standing137 there to greet him who he had not expected at all.
There was Mad-Eye Moody138, looking quite as sinister139 with his bowler140 hat pulled low over his magical eye as he would have done without it, his gnarled hands clutching a long staff, his body wrapped in a voluminous travelling cloak. Tonks stood just behind him, her bright bubble-gum-pink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass of the station ceiling, wearing heavily patched jeans and a bright purple T-shirt bearing the legend The Weird141 Sisters.Next to Tonks was Lupin, his face pale, his hair greying, a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. At the front of the group stood Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, dressed in their Muggle best, and Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid142 green, scaly143 material.
‘Ron, Ginny!’ called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying forwards and hugging her children tightly. ‘Oh, and Harry dear—how are you?’
‘Fine,’ lied Harry, as she pulled him into a tight embrace. Over her shoulder he saw Ron goggling144 at the twins’ new clothes.
‘What are they supposed to be?’ he asked, pointing at the jackets.
‘Finest dragonskin, little bro',’ said Fred, giving his zip a little tweak. ‘Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves.’
‘Hello, Harry,’ said Lupin, as Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry and turned to greet Hermione.
‘Hi,’ said Harry. ‘I didn't expect ... what are you all doing here?’
‘Well,’ said Lupin with a slight smile, ‘we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home.’
‘I dunno if that's a good idea,’ said Harry at once.
‘Oh, I think it is,’ growled145 Moody, who had limped a little closer. ‘That'll be them, will it, Potter?’
He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder; his magical eye was evidently peering through the back of his head and his bowler hat. Harry leaned an inch or so to the left to see where Mad-Eye was pointing and there, sure enough, were the three Dursleys, who looked positively appalled146 to see Harry's reception committee.
‘Ah, Harry!’ said Mr. Weasley, turning from Hermione's parents, who he had just greeted enthusiastically, and who were now taking it in turns to hug Hermione. ‘Well— shall we do it, then?’
‘Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur,’ said Moody.
He and Mr. Weasley took the lead across the station towards the Dursleys, who were apparently rooted to the floor. Hermione disengaged herself gently from her mother to join the group.
‘Good afternoon,’ said Mr. Weasley pleasantly to Uncle Vernon as he came to a halt right in front of him. ‘You might remember me, my name's Arthur Weasley.’
As Mr. Weasley had single-handedly demolished147 most of the Dursleys’ living room two years previously148, Harry would have been very surprised if Uncle Vernon had forgotten him. Sure enough, Uncle Vernon turned a deeper shade of puce and glared at Mr. Weasley, but chose not to say anything, partly, perhaps, because the Dursleys were outnumbered two to one. Aunt Petunia149 looked both frightened and embarrassed; she kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant150, a feat31 at which he was failing extravagantly.
‘We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry,’ said Mr. Weasley, still smiling.
‘Yeah,’ growled Moody. ‘About how he's treated when he's at your place.’
Uncle Vernon's moustache seemed to bristle151 with indignation. Possibly because the bowler hat gave him the entirely152 mistaken impression that he was dealing153 with a kindred spirit, he addressed himself to Moody.
‘I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house—’
‘I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley,’ growled Moody.
‘Anyway, that's not the point,’ interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. ‘The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Harry— ’
‘—And make no mistake, we'll hear about it,’ added Lupin pleasantly.
‘Yes,’ said Mr Weasley, ‘even if you won't let Harry use the felly-tone—’
‘Telephone,’ whispered Hermione.
‘—Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to,’ said Moody.
Uncle Vernon swelled154 ominously155. His sense of outrage156 seemed to outweigh157 even his fear of this bunch of oddballs.
‘Are you threatening me, sir?’ he said, so loudly that passers-by actually turned to stare.
‘Yes, I am,’ said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.
‘And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated158?’ barked Uncle Vernon.
‘Well ...’ said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly159 revolving160 magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backwards161 in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. ‘Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley.’
He turned away from Uncle Vernon to survey Harry.
‘So, Potter ... give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along ...’
Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbours would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path.
‘Bye, then, Potter,’ said Moody, grasping Harry's shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.
‘Take care, Harry,’ said Lupin quietly. ‘Keep in touch.’
‘Harry, we'll have you away from there as soon as we can,’ Mrs. Weasley whispered, hugging him again.
‘We'll see you soon, mate,’ said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry's hand.
‘Really soon, Harry,’ said Hermione earnestly. ‘We promise.’
Harry nodded. He somehow could not find words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side. Instead, he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around and led the way out of the station towards the sunlit street, with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.
在星期五晚上一次简短的发言中，魔法部长康纳利斯。福吉确认，神秘人已经回到了这个国家，并再一次地处于活动之中。
“我很遗憾地宣布，那个自诩为某某大人的巫师—你们知道我指的是谁—还活着并再次回到了我们中间。”福吉，看上去疲倦且狼狈不堪地对记者说。“我同时还要遗憾地宣布，阿兹卡班的摄魂怪发生了大规模的反抗，他们不愿意继续接受魔法部的雇佣。我们相信摄魂怪现在正服从于神秘人的指挥。”
“我们强烈要求所有的巫师保持警惕。魔法部正在印刷家庭和个人初级防御的小册子，并将在接下来的一个月内免费发放到各个巫师家庭。”
魔法部的声明引起了巫师人群的恐慌，就在上个星期三，他们还刚刚得到魔法部的保证：“所有关于神秘人正在我们中间活动的说法都是一派胡言”。
是什么导致了魔法部一百八十度大转弯目前还不得而知，现在所掌握的情况是，就在星期四晚上，神秘人带着一伙他的忠实信徒（即食死徒）得以进入魔法部内部。
新近刚刚恢复霍格沃兹魔法学校校长头衔、国际魔法联盟成员头衔、巫师协会主席头衔的艾伯斯。丹伯多，迄今为止没有发表任何看法。在过去的一年里，他一直坚持神秘人并没有像广泛希望及相信的那样死去，而是正在再次招募信徒以图东山再起。期间，那个“死里逃生的男孩”—
“说的是你，哈利。我就知道他们会把你牵扯进去。”荷米恩从报纸上方看着哈利说道。
他们正在学校的医院里。哈利坐在罗恩的床尾，两个人一起听着荷米恩读《预言家日报》的头版。金妮则蜷缩在荷米恩的床尾，她的脚踝已经被庞弗类夫人治好了；纳威的鼻子已经恢复了原来的样子，他坐在两张床中间的椅子上；而露娜，作为一次顺便的造访，正抓着一本最新出版的《吹毛求疵》杂志，上下颠倒地看着，显然没有去听荷米恩在说什么。
“他现在又是“死里逃生的男孩”了，是吗？”罗恩沉着脸说道。“不再是蛊惑人心的瞎炫耀了，嗯？”
他从床边橱柜上一大堆的东西了抓了一把巧克力青蛙，扔了些给哈利、金妮和纳威，又用自己的牙齿撕开了包装纸。他的前臂上依然有几条很深的伤痕，那是“脑袋”的触须缠绕着他时留下的。根据庞弗雷夫人的说法，“思想”总是能够比其他的东西留下更深的印记，尽管当她开始使用乌布里医生的遗忘药膏后，那些伤痕已经好多了。
“是的，现在他们对你赞不绝口，哈利。”荷米恩说道，一边浏览着那篇文章。“呼吁真相的孤独的声音，还被认为是精神错乱，从不动摇他的立场，被迫忍受嘲弄和诽谤。”“恩，”她皱着眉，“我想他们没提，事实上正是他们在《预言家日报》上进行嘲弄和诽谤。”
她轻微地缩了一下，把一只手放在她的肋骨上。多洛霍夫咒语击中了她，尽管它的作用已经被减轻了，用庞弗雷夫人的话来说，仍然“有足够多的伤处需要对付”。荷米恩每天要服十副药剂，她的情况已大大好转，以致厌倦了继续留在医院里。
神秘人的最后一次图谋被消灭—第二到第四页；魔法部本应该告诉我们什么—第五页；为什么没有人听艾伯斯。丹伯多的—第六到第八页；哈利。波特的独家采访—第九页。看起来，”荷米恩把报纸折起扔到一边，“他们现在可有东西要写了。那篇采访也不是独家的，早在几个月前就在《吹毛求疵》刊登了。”
“爸爸把它卖给了他们，”露娜翻了一页杂志，含糊不清地说，“他卖了个好价钱，我们这个夏天能去瑞典，看看能不能赶上Crumple-Horned Snorkack。”
荷米恩似乎作了一会儿思想斗争，最后说了句：“那听上去很不错。”
金妮笑了，看了一眼哈利的眼睛又赶紧移开。
“那么，”荷米恩坐直了一些，又缩了一下，“学校里怎么样？”
“弗立维教授把弗莱德和乔治的沼泽给弄掉了，只用了三秒钟。但他在窗下面留了一小块，还用绳子围了起来。—”
“为什么？”荷米恩惊讶地问。
“他说那是了不起的魔法。”金妮耸了耸肩。
“我想他把那留着，当作弗莱德和乔治的纪念碑。”罗恩说，他塞了满满一嘴的巧克力。“他们把这些都给我了，”他指着旁边一大堆巧克力青蛙对哈利说，“除了魔法玩笑商店总得做点别的，对吧？”
荷米恩看上去不以为然，“那么，丹伯多回来以后麻烦都没有了吗？”
“是的，”纳威说，“一切都回到原来正常的样子了。”
“我想这下费尔奇高兴了，对吗？”罗恩问道，把一张丹伯多的扑克牌靠在他的水壶上。
“恰恰相反，”金妮说，“实际上他真的真的非常失望，”她把声音压得很低，“他一直说安布里奇是霍格沃兹有史以来最好的一样东西。”
他们六个一齐把头转了过去。安布里奇教授就躺在对面的一张床上，眼睛直直地瞪着天花板。丹伯多一个人跑到黑森林里面去，把她从人马那里解救了出来。至于他是怎么做的—怎么从那些树里面毫发不伤地把安布里奇教授救出来的—没有人知道，当然安布里奇教授也不可能说。自从她回到城堡之后，她没有—至少就他们所知—说过一个字。也没有人知道她到底发生了什么事。她那总是非常整洁的鼠灰色的头发现在变得乱七八糟，上面甚至还有一些树枝和叶子，但她似乎毫不在意。
“庞弗雷夫人说她吓坏了，”荷米恩低低地说。
“不如说是气坏了，”金妮说。
“不错，如果你试试看，会发现她还活着。”罗恩说着，嘴里发出骨碌骨碌的声音。安布里奇教授直挺挺地坐起来，朝四周张望。
“有什么事吗，安布里奇教授？”庞弗雷夫人从伸出脑袋问。
“不，不。” 安布里奇重又跌落到枕头里，“我一定是做了个梦。” 荷米恩和金妮一边笑一边用床单捂住了嘴。
“说到人马，”荷米恩稍稍笑停一些之后问，“现在谁是我们的预言课老师？佛罗伦萨还在吗？”
“他会留下来的，”哈利说，“别的人马肯定不欢迎他回去，对吗？”
“好像他和特里劳妮一起教。”金妮说。
“我打赌，丹伯多希望最好永远别再见到特里劳妮。”罗恩说，一边嚼着他的第十四个巧克力青蛙。“我提醒你们，如果问我预言课有什么不是垃圾的话，我要说佛罗伦萨还不是那么糟糕。”
“你怎么能这么说？”荷米恩质问他，“在我们发现确实存在真实的预言之后？”
哈利的心跳突然加快了。他还没有告诉罗恩、荷米恩或者任何其他的人预言球的含义。纳威告诉了他们，当哈利在死亡房间里拖他上去的时候，预言球被打碎了。哈利没有纠正他。他不想看到，当他告诉他们他将不可避免地成为一个凶手或被杀者时他们的表情。
“真遗憾它碎了。”荷米恩摇了摇头，轻轻地说。
“没错，”罗恩说，“不过，最起码神秘人也不可能知道里面是什么了—你去哪儿？”他补充了一句，又惊讶又失望地看着哈利站起来。
“呃，去哈格力那儿，”哈利说，“你知道他刚回来，而我答应会去看他，告诉他你们俩怎么样了。”
“噢，好吧，”罗恩闷闷不乐地说，看着窗外湛蓝的天空，“真希望我们也能去。”
“代我们问他好！”荷米恩喊道，看着哈利往外走去，“问问他关于、关于他那个小朋友的事！”
哈利挥了挥手，表示听到，然后离开了房间。
即使是星期天，城堡也显得太安静了。每个人都跑了出去，在布满阳光的操场上，享受考试结束的愉快，以及对学期最后几天没有家庭作业的期待。哈利缓缓地走过空无一人的走廊，一边看着窗外；他可以看到人们三三两两地散布在魁地奇球场上，还有一些人在湖里面和巨大的鱿鱼一起游泳。
他发现很难确定自己是否愿意和人们待在一起；当他和他们在一起时他想离开，而当他一个人时他又想和他们在一起。他想他也许真的应该去看看哈格力，自从他回来后他们还没有好好的谈谈。
当哈利走下最后一个阶梯进入门廊时，他看到马尔夫、克拉伯和高尔从右边通往斯莱特林公共休息室的门里面出来。哈利站住了，马尔夫他们也站住了。此刻唯一可以听到的声音是从操场上传进来的叫喊声和笑声。
马尔夫朝周围看了看—哈利知道他是在检查有没有老师—然后他看着哈利，低声说：“你死定了，波特。”
哈利挑起眉毛，“有意思，”他说，“你预料到了我不会躲避。”
马尔夫看上去比任何时候都愤怒；哈利看着他那张苍白的、被愤怒扭曲了的脸，感到一阵痛快。
“你必须付出代价，”马尔夫用低的不能再低的声音说道，“我要让你为你对我父亲所做的事情付出代价！”
“我害怕了，”哈利讽刺地说，“我想比起你们三个，伏地魔大人不过是刚刚热了个身—怎么了？”他补充道，看到马尔夫他们被那个名字吓了一跳。“他不是你父亲的朋友么？你不应该害怕他，对吗？”
“你认为你有多了不起，波特，”马尔夫说，慢慢地往前走，克拉伯和高尔在两旁跟着。“你等着，我会让你知道。你不能让我父亲待在监狱里-”
“我想我知道，”哈利说。
“摄魂怪已经离开了阿兹卡班，”马尔夫轻轻地说，“父亲和其他人很快就会出来。”
“是的，我想他们会，”哈利说，“不过，至少现在每个人都知道他们是些卑鄙的家伙-”
马尔夫飞快地去抽他的魔杖，但是哈利比他更快；他在马尔夫的手指刚刚伸进长袍的口袋时抽出了自己的魔杖。
“波特！”
一个声音穿过门廊。斯内普出现在通往他的办公室的楼梯上，看着哈利。哈利感到一阵强烈的憎恨，远远超过他对马尔夫的。无论丹伯多说什么，他都不会原谅斯内普，永远不。
“你在干什么，波特？”斯内普的声音和平时一样冷酷，他朝他们四个大步走了过来。
“我正在想用在马尔夫身上的咒语，先生，”哈利厉声说道。
斯内普瞪着他。
“马上把你的魔杖放下，”他快速地说，“扣除格莱芬多十分—”
斯内普看着墙上巨大的记分器，轻蔑地笑了。
“啊，我发现记分器上格莱芬多已经没什么分可以扣了。那么，波特，我只能简单地—”
“加上一些分数？”
麦格教授一瘸一拐地从石阶上走进城堡，一只手提着一个格子呢的旅行袋，身体歪斜地靠着另一只手中的手杖，气色看上去很不错。
“麦格教授！”斯内普叫道，大踏步地走了过去，“你从圣蒙格医院出来了！”
“是的，斯内普教授，”麦格教授说，一边脱去了她的旅行斗蓬，“我已经焕然一新了。你们两个-克拉伯-高尔-”
她高傲地向他们招了招手，那两个人走了过来，磨磨蹭蹭地拖着脚步。
“拿着，”她把旅行袋塞到克拉伯怀里，斗蓬塞给了高尔，“把它们拿到我办公室去。”
克拉伯和高尔转过身去，跌跌撞撞地走上了楼梯。
“那么好吧，”麦格教授说，抬头看着墙上的记分器，“嗯，我想波特和他的朋友必须每人加上五十分，因为他们向世人警告了神秘人的归来！你看怎么样，斯内普教授？”
“什么？”斯内普吃惊地问，哈利觉得他肯定听得清清楚楚。“噢-好吧-我想是的。”
“那么给波特加五十分，还有两个威斯里家的孩子，隆巴顿和格林佐，”麦格教授说着，格莱芬多记分器里一大堆红宝石哗啦哗啦掉了下来。“噢，我想还有拉夫格，”她补充道，“卫文克劳的记分器里兰宝石洒落了下来。“现在，我想你可以扣波特十分了，斯内普教授—就想我们看到的。”
记分器里飞起了一些红宝石，不过留在下面的仍然相当可观。
“那么，波特，马尔夫，我想你们是不是该出去了？外面那么好的天气。”麦格教授神采奕奕地说。
哈利不需要听她说第二遍了—他把魔杖塞进长袍里，径直朝着前门走过去，一眼都没多看斯内普和马尔夫。
太阳的热气包围了他，他穿过草坪，朝哈格力的小屋走去。草坪上的学生们正在享受着阳光，互相谈论着，有的在看《预言家日报》，有的在吃零食，当他走过去的时候他们都瞧着他；有一些人在叫他，或者向他挥手，迫切地想表示他们，就像《预言家日报》上的提的，把他当成了英雄。哈利没和任何一个人说话。他不知道他们对于过去的三天里发生的事知道多少，但他现在或以后都不想被人问东问西的。
他在巧哈格力的门时想了一下，但是牙牙从转角处跑了过来，并且带着极大的热情向他扑了过来，告诉哈利哈格力正在菜园里摘豆子。
“太好了，哈利！”哈格力高兴地嚷嚷，哈利朝栅栏走过去，“来吧，来吧，让我们喝一杯蒲公英汁。”
“怎么样？”哈格力问，他们坐在他的木桌旁，一人拿着一杯冰冻果汁。“呃-感觉还不错吧？”
哈利看着哈格力关心的神情，知道他并非在问自己的身体是否健康。
“我很好，”哈利快速地说，不想讨论哈格力脑海里在想的事，“你怎么样？”
“一直躲在山里，”哈格力说，“就像那时候天狼星—”
哈格力停住了，他清了清喉咙，看了看哈利，一口气喝了好几口果汁。
“不管怎么样，总算回来了，”他轻轻地说。
“你-你看上去好多了，”哈利说，下定决心要把话题从天狼星身上移开。
“是吗？”哈格力问，举起一只大手摸摸自己的脸，“噢-对。格洛普也好多了。我回来后见了他三次，他把事情跟我说了三遍。他是个好家伙，真的。我想该给他找个女朋友了。”
哈利想跟哈格力说并非如此，要是在黑森林里面再住上一个巨人，也许比格洛普更糊涂更粗鲁，那将是一件令人担忧的事。但是哈利没有精力去讨论这件事情。他开始希望自己能一个人待着了，这种想法促使他大口地喝了些蒲公英汁，喝得杯子里只剩下半杯，这样他可以快点离开。
“现在每个人都知道你说的是实话了，哈利，”哈格力突然柔声地说。他靠近哈利，看着他。“这样是不是好多了？”
哈利耸耸肩。
“看，”哈格力靠在桌子上说，“我知道天狼星死了，死于一场战斗，那正是他所希望的方式-”
“他根本不希望那样！”哈利生气地说。
哈格力低下了他那乱蓬蓬的头。
“嗯，我想他不会，”他轻轻地说，“但是，哈利，他绝对不会自己坐在家里而让别人去战斗。他不可能忍受只能接受别人的帮助-”
哈利跳了起来。
“我要去看看罗恩和荷米恩，他们还在医院里。”他生硬地说。
“噢，”哈格力不安地说，“那-好吧，哈利。哈好照顾你自己，如果你-”
“好的。”
哈利飞快地打开门冲了出去，哈格力还没来得及说再见，哈利就已经穿过草坪了。大家又一次招呼他。他闭上眼睛，希望他们都能够消失，让他睁开眼后能一个人待着。
几天前，就在考试结束前，他看到了伏地魔留在他脑海的幻像，他愿意付出所有的一切，只要这个魔法世界里的人相信他说的是真话，相信伏地魔回来了，相信他既没有撒谎也没有疯。但是现在—
他在湖边走了一会儿，然后在岸上坐了下来，躲在一丛灌木丛后面以避开人们的目光，看着闪闪发光的湖面，默默地想着。
也许他想一个人待着的原因是在他和丹伯多谈话后，他感觉和其他的人隔离了。一道看不见的障碍把他和这个世界的其他部分隔开了。他是—就像以前一样—一个被做了记号的人。而他一直不理解这意味着什么。
他坐在湖边，悲痛沉甸甸地压着他，失去天狼星的痛楚在他体内弥漫，他甚至感觉不到恐惧。此刻阳光灿烂，周围的操场上人们正在欢笑，他好像和他们处在两个世界，彼此之间有着难以逾越的距离，但即使这样，他仍然很难相信他的结局将会是一个凶手，或者被其影
收听单词发音 |
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flustered
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| adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词) | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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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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witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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deluded
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| v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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tentacles
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| n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛 | |
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copious
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| adj.丰富的，大量的 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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ridiculing
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的现在分词 ) | |
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slandering
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| [法]口头诽谤行为 | |
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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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disapproving
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| adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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filch
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| v.偷窃 | |
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propping
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| 支撑 | |
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feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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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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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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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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divination
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| n.占卜，预测 | |
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munching
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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sneering
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| 嘲笑的，轻蔑的 | |
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51
stumped
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| 僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说 | |
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52
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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54
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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55
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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56
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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57
sapphires
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| n.蓝宝石，钢玉宝石( sapphire的名词复数 )；蔚蓝色 | |
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58
sunbathing
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| n.日光浴 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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fang
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| n.尖牙，犬牙 | |
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61
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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62
well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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63
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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64
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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66
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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67
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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68
gulps
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| n.一大口（尤指液体）( gulp的名词复数 )v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的第三人称单数 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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69
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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70
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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71
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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72
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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73
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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74
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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75
fend
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| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
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76
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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77
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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78
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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79
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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80
whacking
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| adj.（用于强调）巨大的v.重击，使劲打( whack的现在分词 ) | |
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81
remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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82
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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83
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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84
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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85
scribbled
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| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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86
detentions
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| 拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校 | |
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87
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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88
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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89
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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90
sprinting
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| v.短距离疾跑( sprint的现在分词 ) | |
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91
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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92
translucent
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| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
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93
extravagantly
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| adv.挥霍无度地 | |
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94
plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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95
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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96
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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97
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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98
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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99
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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100
gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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101
deflected
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| 偏离的 | |
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102
imprint
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| n.印痕，痕迹；深刻的印象；vt.压印，牢记 | |
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103
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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104
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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105
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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106
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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107
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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108
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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109
protuberant
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| adj.突出的，隆起的 | |
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110
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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111
conversationally
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| adv.会话地 | |
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112
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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113
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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114
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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115
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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116
compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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117
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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118
ooze
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| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
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119
indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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120
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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121
commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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122
trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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123
pumpkin
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| n.南瓜 | |
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124
repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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125
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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126
pawns
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| n.（国际象棋中的）兵( pawn的名词复数 )；卒；被人利用的人；小卒v.典当，抵押( pawn的第三人称单数 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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127
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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128
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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129
quill
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| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
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130
prodding
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| v.刺，戳( prod的现在分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳 | |
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131
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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132
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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133
hooted
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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134
fleetingly
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| adv.飞快地，疾驰地 | |
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135
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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136
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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137
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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138
moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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139
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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140
bowler
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| n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手 | |
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141
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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142
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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143
scaly
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| adj.鱼鳞状的；干燥粗糙的 | |
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144
goggling
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| v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的现在分词 ) | |
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145
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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146
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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147
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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148
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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149
petunia
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| n.矮牵牛花 | |
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150
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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151
bristle
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| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
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152
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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153
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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154
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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155
ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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156
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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157
outweigh
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| vt.比...更重，...更重要 | |
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158
intimidated
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| v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的 | |
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159
sinisterly
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| 不吉祥地，邪恶地 | |
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160
revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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161
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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