3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第52章

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　　〃。。。　as　witnessed　below。　Hagrid；　you　sign　here。。。〃
　　Harry　threw　all　his　weight　onto　the　rope；　but　Buckbeak　had　dug　in　his　front　feet。
　　〃Well；　let's　get　this　over　with；〃　said　the　reedy　voice　of　the　mittee　member　from　inside　Hagrid's　cabin。　〃Hagrid；　perhaps　it　will　be　better　if　you　stay　inside　〃
　　〃No；　I　　I　wan'　ter　be　with　him。。。。　I　don'　wan'　him　ter　be　alone　〃
　　Footsteps　echoed　from　within　the　cabin。
　　〃Buckbeak；　move！〃　Harry　hissed。
　　Harry　tugged　harder　on　the　rope　around　Buckbeak's　neck。　The　hippogriff　began　to　walk；　rustling　its　wings　irritably。　They　were　still　ten　feet　away　from　the　forest；　in　plain　view　of　Hagrid's　back　door。　〃One　moment；　please；　Macnair；〃　came　Dumbledore's　voice。　〃You　need　to　sign　too。〃　The　footsteps　stopped。　Harry　heaved　on　the　rope。　Buckbeak　snapped　his　beak　and　walked　a　little　faster。
　　Hermione's　white　face　was　sticking　out　from　behind　a　tree。
　　〃Harry；　hurry！〃　she　mouthed。
　　Harry　could　still　hear　Dumbledore's　voice　talking　from　within　the　cabin。　He　gave　the　rope　another　wrench。　Buckbeak　broke　into　a　grudging　trot。　They　had　reached　the　trees。。。。
　　〃Quick！　Quick！〃　Hermione　moaned；　darting　out　from　behind　her　tree；　seizing　the　rope　too　and　adding　her　weight　to　make　Buckbeak　move　faster。　Harry　looked　over　his　shoulder；　they　were　now　blocked　from　sight；　they　couldn't　see　Hagrid's　garden　at　all。
　　〃Stop！〃　he　whispered　to　Hermione。　〃They　might　hear　us
　　Hagrid's　back　door　had　opened　with　a　bang。　Harry；　Hermione；　and　Buckbeak　stood　quite　still；　even　the　hippogriff　seemed　to　be　listening　intently。
　　Silence。。。　then　
　　〃Where　is　it？〃　said　the　reedy　voice　of　the　mittee　member。　〃Where　is　the　beast？〃
　　〃It　was　tied　here！〃　said　the　executioner　furiously。　I　saw　it！　just　here！〃
　　〃How　extraordinary；〃　said　Dumbledore。　There　was　a　note　of　amusement　in　his　voice。
　　〃Beaky！〃　said　Hagrid　huskily。
　　There　was　a　swishing　noise；　and　the　thud　of　an　axe。　The　executioner　seemed　to　have　swung　it　into　the　fence　in　anger。　And　then　came　the　howling；　and　this　time　they　could　hear　Hagrid's　words　through　his　sobs。
　　〃Gone！　Gone！　Bless　his　little　beak；　he's　gone！　Musta　pulled　himself　free！　Beaky；　yeh　clever　boy！〃
　　Buckbeak　started　to　strain　against　the　rope；　trying　to　get　back　to　Hagrid。　Harry　and　Hermione　tightened　their　grip　and　dug　their　heels　into　the　forest　floor　to　stop　him。
　　〃Someone　untied　him！〃　the　executioner　was　snarling。　〃We　should　search　the　grounds；　the　forest。〃
　　〃Macnair；　if　Buckbeak　has　indeed　been　stolen；　do　you　really　think　the　thief　will　have　led　him　away　on　foot？〃　said　Dumbledore；　still　sounding　amused。　〃Search　the　skies；　if　you　will。。。。　Hagrid；　I　could　do　with　a　cup　of　tea。　Or　a　large　brandy。〃
　　〃O'　　o'　course；　Professor；〃　said　Hagrid；　who　sounded　weak　with　happiness。　〃e　in；　e　in。。。。〃
　　Harry　and　Hermione　listened　closely。　They　heard　footsteps；　the　soft　cursing　of　the　executioner；　the　snap　of　the　door；　and　then　silence　once　more。
　　〃Now　what？〃　whispered　Harry；　looking　around。
　　〃We'll　have　to　hide　in　here；〃　said　Hermione；　who　looked　very　shaken。　〃We　need　to　wait　until　they've　gone　back　to　the　castle。　Then　we　wait　until　it's　safe　to　fly　Buckbeak　up　to　Sirius's　window。　He　won't　be　there　for　another　couple　of　hours。。。。　Oh；　this　is　going　to　be　difficult。。。。〃
　　She　looked　nervously　over　her　shoulder　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　The　sun　was　setting　now。
　　〃We're　going　to　have　to　move；〃　said　Harry；　thinking　hard。　〃We've　got　to　be　able　to　see　the　Whomping　Willow；　or　we　won't　know　what's　going　on。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Hermione；　getting　a　firmer　grip　on　Buckbeak's　rope。　〃But　we've　got　to　keep　out　of　sight；　Harry；　remember。。。。〃
　　They　moved　around　the　edge　of　the　forest；　darkness　falling　thickly　around　them；　until　they　were　hidden　behind　a　clump　of　trees　through　which　they　could　make　out　the　Willow。
　　〃There's　Ron！〃　said　Harry　suddenly。
　　A　dark　figure　was　sprinting　across　the　lawn　and　its　shout　echoed　through　the　still　night　air。
　　〃Get　away　from　him　　get　away　　Scabbers；　e　here　〃
　　And　then　they　saw　two　more　figures　materialize　out　of　nowhere。　Harry　watched　himself　and　Hermione　chasing　after　Ron。　Then　he　saw　Ron　dive。
　　〃Gotcha！　Get　off；　you　stinking　cat　〃
　　〃There's　Sirius！〃　said　Harry。　The　great　shape　of　the　dog　had　bounded　out　from　the　roots　of　the　Willow。　They　saw　him　bowl　Harry　over；　then　seize　Ron。。。。
　　〃Looks　even　worse　from　here；　doesn't　it？〃　said　Harry；　watching　the　dog　pulling　Ron　into　the　roots。　〃Ouch　　look；　I　just　got　walloped　by　the　tree　　and　so　did　you　　this　is　weird〃
　　The　Whomping　Willow　was　creaking　and　lashing　out　with　its　lower　branches；　they　could　see　themselves　darting　here　and　there；　trying　to　reach　the　trunk。　And　then　the　tree　froze。
　　〃That　was　Crookshanks　pressing　the　knot；〃　said　Hermione。
　　〃And　there　we　go。。。〃　Harry　muttered。　〃We're　in。〃
　　The　moment　they　disappeared；　the　tree　began　to　move　again。　Seconds　later；　they　heard　footsteps　quite　close　by。　Dumbledore；　Macnair；　Fudge；　and　the　old　mittee　member　were　making　their　way　up　to　the　castle。
　　〃Right　after　we'd　gone　down　into　the　passage！〃　said　Hermione。　〃If　only　Dumbledore　had　e　with　us。。。〃
　　〃Macnair　and　Fudge　would've　e　too；〃　said　Harry　bitterly。　〃I　bet　you　anything　Fudge　would've　told　Macnair　to　murder　Sirius　on　the　spot。。。。〃
　　They　watched　the　four　men　climb　the　castle　steps　and　disappear　from　view。　For　a　few　minutes　the　scene　was　deserted。　Then　
　　〃Here　es　Lupin！〃　said　Harry　as　they　saw　another　figure　sprinting　down　the　stone　steps　and　hating　toward　the　Willow。　Harry　looked　up　at　the　sky。　Clouds　were　obscuring　the　moon　pletely。
　　They　watched　Lupin　seize　a　broken　branch　from　the　ground　and　prod　the　knot　on　the　trunk。　The　tree　stopped　fighting；　and　Lupin；　too；　disappeared　into　the　gap　in　its　roots。
　　〃If　he'd　only　grabbed　the　cloak；〃　said　Harry。　〃It's　just　lying　there。。。。〃
　　He　turned　to　Hermione。
　　〃If　I　just　dashed　out　now　and　grabbed　it；　Snape'd　never　be　able　to　get　it　and　〃
　　〃Harry；　we　mustn't　be　seen！〃
　　〃How　can　you　stand　this？〃　he　asked　Hermione　fiercely。　〃Just　standing　here　and　watching　it　happen？〃　He　hesitated。　〃I'm　going　to　grab　the　cloak！〃
　　〃Harry；　no！〃
　　Hermione　seized　the　back　of　Harry's　robes　not　a　moment　too　soon。　just　then；　they　heard　a　burst　of　song。　It　was　Hagrid；　making　his　way　up　to　the　castle；　singing　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　and　weaving　slightly　as　he　walked。　A　large　bottle　was　swinging　from　his　hands。
　　〃See？〃　Hermione　whispered。　〃See　what　would　have　happened？　We've　got　to　keep　out　of　sight！　No；　Buckbeak！〃
　　The　hippogriff　was　making　frantic　attempts　to　get　to　Hagrid　again；　Harry　seized　his　rope　too；　straining　to　hold　Buckbeak　back。　They　watched　Hagrid　meander　tipsily　up　to　the　castle。　He　was　gone。　Buckbeak　stopped　fighting　to　get　away。　His　head　drooped　sadly。
　　Barely　two　minutes　later；　the　castle　doors　flew　open　yet　again；　and　Snape　came　charging　out　of　them；　running　toward　the　Willow。
　　Harry's　fists　clenched　as　they　watched　Snape　skid　to　a　halt　next　to　the　tree；　looking　around。　He　grabbed　the　cloak　and　held　it　up。
　　〃Get　your　filthy　hands　off　it；〃　Harry　snarled　under　his　breath。　〃Shh！〃
　　Snape　seized　the　branch　Lupin　had　used　to　freeze　the　tree；　prodded　the　knot；　and　vanished　from　view　as　he　put　on　the　cloak。
　　〃So　that's　it；〃　said　Hermione　quietly。　〃We're　all　down　there。。。　and　now　we've　just　got　to　wait　until　we　e　back　up　again。。。。〃
　　She　took　the　end　of　Buckbeak's　rope　and　tied　it　securely　around　the　nearest　tree；　then　sat　down　on　the　dry　ground；　arms　around　her　knees。
　　〃Harry；　there's　something　I　don't　understand。。。。　Why　didn't　the　dementors　get　Sirius？　I　remember　them　ing；　and　then　I　think　I　passed　out。。。　there　were　so　many　of　them。。。。〃
　　Harry　sat　down　too。　He　explained　what　he'd　seen；　how；　as　the　nearest　dementor　had　lowered　its　mouth　to　Harry's；　a　large　silver　something　had　e　galloping　across　the　lake　and　forced　the　dementors　to　retreat。
　　Hermione's　mouth　was　slightly　open　by　the　time　Harry　had　finished。
　　〃But　what　was　it？〃
　　〃There's　only　one　thing　it　could　have　been；　to　make　the　dementors　go；〃　said　Harry。　〃A　real　Patronus。　A　powerful　one。〃
　　〃But　who　conjured　it？〃
　　Harry　didn't　say　anything。　He　was　thinking　back　to　the　person　he'd　seen　on　the　other　bank　of　the　lake。　He　knew　who　he　thought　it　had　been。。。　but　how　could　it　have　been？
　　〃Didn't　you　see　what　they　looked　like？〃　said　Hermione　eagerly。　〃Was　it　one　of　the　teachers？〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Harry。　〃He　wasn't　a　teacher。〃
　　〃But　it　must　have　been　a　really　powerful　wizard；　to　drive　all　those　dementors　away。。。　If　the　Patronus　was　shining　so　brightly；　didn't　it　light　him　up？　Couldn't　you　see　？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　saw　him；〃　said　Harry　slowly。　〃But。。。　maybe　I　imagined　it。。。。　I　wasn't　thinking　straight。。。。　I　passed　out　right　afterward。。。。〃
　　〃Who　did　you　think　it　was？〃
　　I　think　〃　Harry　swallowed；　knowing　how　strange　this　was　going　to　sound。　I　think　it　was　my　dad。〃
　　Harry　glanced　up　at　Hermione　and　saw　that　her　mouth　was　fully　open　now。　She　was　gazing　at　him　with　a　mixture　of　alarm　and　pity。
　　〃Harry；　your　dad's　　well　　dead；〃　she　said　quietly。
　　〃I　know　that；〃　said　Harry　quickly。
　　〃You　think　you　saw　his　ghost？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。。。　no。。。　he　looked　solid。。。。〃
　　〃But　then　〃
　　〃Maybe　I　was　seeing　things；〃　said　Harry。　〃But。。。　from　what　I　could　see。。。　it　looked　like　him。。。。　I've　got　photos　of　him。。。。〃
　　Hermione　was　still　looking　at　him　as　though　worried　about　his　sanity。
　　I　know　it　sounds　crazy；〃　said　Harry　flatly。　He　turned　to　took　at　Buckbeak；　who　was　digging　his　beak　into　the　ground；　apparently　searching　for　worms。　But　he　wasn't　really　watching　Buckbeak。
　　He　was　thinking　about　his　father　and　about　his　father's　three　oldest　friends。。。　Moony；　Wormtail；　Padfoot；　and　Prongs。。。。　Had　all　four　of　them　been　out　on　the　grounds　tonight？　Wormtail　had　reappeared　this　evening　when　everyone　had　thought　he　was　dead。。。。　Was　it　so　impossible　his　father　had　done　the　same？　Had　he　been　seeing　things　across　the　take？　The　figure　had　been　too　far　away　to　see　distinctly。。。　yet　he　had　felt　sure；　for　a　moment；　before　he'd　lost　consciousness。。。。
　　The　leaves　overhead　rustled　faintly　in　the　breeze。　The　moon　drifted　in　and　out　of　sight　behind　the　shifting　clouds。　Hermione　sat　with　her　face　turned　toward　the　Willow；　waiting。
　　And　then；　at　last；　after　over　an　hour。。。
　　〃Here　we　e！〃　Hermione　whispered。
　　She　and　Harry　got　to　their　feet。　Buckbeak　raised　his　head。　They　saw　Lupin；　Ron；　and　Pettigrew　clambering　awkwardly　out　of　the　hole　in　the　roots。　Then　came　Hermione。。。　then　the　unconscious　Snape；　drifting　weirdly　upward。　Next　came　Harry　and　Black。　They　all　began　to　walk　toward　the　castle。
　　Harry's　heart　was　starting　to　beat　very　fast。　He　glanced　up　at　the　sky。　Any　moment　now；　that　cloud　was　going　to　move　aside　and　show　the　moon。。。。
　　〃Harry；〃　Hermione　muttered　as　though　she　knew　exactly　what　he　was　thinking；　〃we've　got　to　stay　put。　We　mustn't　be　seen。　There's　nothing　we　can　do。。。。〃
　　〃So　we're　just　going　to　let　Pettigrew　escape　all　over　again。。　said　Harry　quietly。
　　〃How　do　you　expect　to　find　a　rat　in　the　dark？〃　snapped　Hermione。　〃There's　nothing　we　can　do！　We　came　back　to　help　Sirius；　we're　not　supposed　to　be　doing　anything　else！〃
　　〃A