jkrowling.hp&theorderofphenix-第141部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
Harry tried to make a case for Snape having deserved what he had suffered at James's hands: but hadn't Lily asked; 'What's he done to you?' And hadn't James replied; 'It's more the fact that he exists; if you know what I mean。' Hadn't James started it all simply because Sirius had said he was bored? Harry remembered Lupin saying back in Grimmauld Place that Dumbledore had made him prefect in the hope that he would be able to exercise some control over James and Sirius: but in the Pensieve; he had sat there and let it all happen:
Harry kept reminding himself that Lily had intervened; his mother had been decent。 Yet; the memory of the look on her face as she had shouted at James disturbed him quite as much as anything else; she had clearly loathed James; and Harry simply could not understand how they could have ended up married。 Once or twice he even wondered whether James had forced her into it:
For nearly five years the thought of his father had been a source of fort; of inspiration。 Whenever someone had told him he was like James; he had glowed with pride inside。 And now: now he felt cold and miserable at the thought of him。
The weather grew breezier; brighter and warmer as the Easter holidays passed; but Harry; along with the rest of the fifth… and seventh…years; was trapped inside; revising; traipsing back and forth to the library。 Harry pretended his bad mood had no other cause but the approaching exams; and as his fellow Gryffindors were sick of studying themselves; his excuse went unchallenged。
'Harry; I'm talking to you; can you hear me?'
'Huh?'
He looked round。 Ginny Weasley; looking very windswept; had joined him at the library table where he had been sitting alone。 It was late on Sunday evening: Hermione had gone back to Gryffindor Tower to revise Ancient Runes; and Ron had Quidditch practice。
'Oh; hi;' said Harry; pulling his books towards him。 'How e you're not at practice?'
'It's over;' said Ginny。 'Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing。'
'Why?'
'Well; we're not sure; but we think he knocked himself out with his own bat。' She sighed heavily。 'Anyway: a package just arrived; it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process。'
She hoisted a box wrapped in brown paper on to the table; it had clearly been unwrapped and carelessly re…wrapped。 There was a scribbled note across it in red ink; reading: Inspected and Passed by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor。
'It's Easter eggs from Mum;' said Ginny。 There's one for you: there you go。'
She handed him a handsome chocolate egg decorated with small; iced Snitches and; according to the packaging; containing a bag of Fizzing Whizzbees。 Harry looked at it for a moment; then; to his horror; felt a lump rise in his throat。
'Are you OK; Harry?' Ginny asked quietly。
'Yeah; I'm fine;' said Harry gruffly。 The lump in his throat was painful。 He did not understand why an Easter egg should have made him feel like this。
'You seem really down lately;' Ginny persisted。 'You know; I'm sure if you just talked to Cho:'
'It's not Cho I want to talk to;' said Harry brusquely。
'Who is it; then?' asked Ginny; watching him closely。
'I:'
He glanced around to make quite sure nobody was listening。 Madam Pince was several shelves away; stamping out a pile of books for a frantic…looking Hannah Abbott。
'I wish I could talk to Sirius;' he muttered。 'But I know I can't。'
Ginny continued to watch him thoughtfully。 More to give himself something to do than because he really wanted any; Harry unwrapped his Easter egg; broke off a large bit and put it into his mouth。
'Well;' said Ginny slowly; helping herself to a bit of egg; too; 'if you really want to talk to Sirius; I expect we could think of a way to do it。'
'e on;' said Harry dully。 'With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?'
The thing about growing up with Fred and George;' said Ginny thoughtfully; 'is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve。'
Harry looked at her。 Perhaps it was the effect of the chocolate … Lupin had always advised eating some after encounters with Dementors … or simply because he had finally spoken aloud the wish that had been burning inside him for a week; but he felt a bit more hopeful。
'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?'
'Oh damn;' whispered Ginny; jumping to her feet。 'I forgot …' Madam Pince was swooping down on them; her shrivelled face contorted with rage。
'Chocolate in the library!' she screamed。 'Out … out … OUT!' And whipping out her wand; she caused Harry's books; bag and ink bottle to chase him and Ginny from the library; whacking them repeatedly over the head as they ran。
* * *
As though to underline the importance of their uping examinations; a batch of pamphlets; leaflets and notices concerning various wizarding careers appeared on the tables in Gryffindor Tower shortly before the end of the holidays; along with yet another notice on the board; which read:
All fifth…years are required to attend a short meeting with their
Head of House during the first week of the summer term to discuss
their future careers。 Times of individual appointments are listed below。
Harry looked down the list and found that he was expected in Professor McGonagall's office at half past two on Monday; which would mean missing most of Divination。 He and the other fifth…years spent a considerable part of the final weekend of the Easter break reading all the careers information that had been left there for their perusal。
'Well; I don't fancy Healing;' said Ron on the last evening of the holidays。 He was immersed in a leaflet that carried the crossed bone…and…wand emblem of St Mungo's on its front。 'It says here you need at least 〃E〃 at NEWT level in Potions; Herbology; Transfiguration; Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts。 I mean: blimey: don't want much; do they?'
'Well; it's a very responsible job; isn't it?' said Hermione absently。
She was poring over a bright pink and orange leaflet that was headed; 'SO YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO WORK IN MUGGLE RELATIONS?'
'You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles; all they want is an OWL in Muggle Studies: Much more important is your enthusiasm; patience and a good sense of fun!'
'You'd need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle;' said Harry darkly。 'Good sense of when to duck; more like。' He was halfway through a pamphlet on wizard banking。 'Listen to this: Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel; adventure and substantial; danger…related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank; who are currently recruiting Curse…Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad: They want Arithmancy; though; you could do it; Hermione!'
'I don't much fancy banking;' said Hermione vaguely; now immersed in: 'HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN SECURITY TROLLS?'
'Hey;' said a voice in Harry's ear。 He looked round; Fred and George had e to join them。 'Ginnys had a word with us about you;' said Fred; stretching out his legs on the table in front of them and causing several booklets on careers with the Ministry of Magic to slide off on to the floor。 'She says you need to talk to Sirius?'
'What?' said Hermione sharply; freezing with her hand halfway towards picking up 'MAKE A BANG AT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAGICAL ACCIDENTS AND CATASTROPHES'。
'Yeah:' said Harry; trying to sound casual; 'yeah; I thought I'd like …'
'Don't be so ridiculous;' said Hermione; straightening up and looking at him as though she could not believe her eyes。 'With Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls?'
'Well; we think we can find a way around that;' said George; stretching and smiling。 'It's a simple matter of causing a diversion。 Now; you might have noticed that we have been rather quiet on the mayhem front during the Easter holidays?'
'What was the point; we asked ourselves; of disrupting leisure time?' continued Fred。 'No point at all; we answered our