第6节

tedwithexamreview.

“Robes，”shesaidunderherbreath，acknowledgingtheirpresencewithanervousnodａｎｄcontinuingtopokearoundinherbeadedbag，“PolyjuicePotion…InvisibiliityCloak…DecoyDetonators…Youshouldeachtakeacouplejustincase…PukingPastilles，NosebleedNorgat，ExtendableEars…”

Theygulpeddowntheirbreakfast，thensetoffupstairs，Kreacherbowingthemoutａｎｄpromisingtohaveasteak-ａｎｄ-kidneypiereadyforthemwhentheyreturned.

“Blesshim，”saidRonfondly，“ａｎｄwhenyouthinkIusedtofantasizeaboutcuttingoffhisheadａｎｄstickingitonthewall.”

Theymadetheirwayontothefrontstepwithimmensecaution.Theycouldseeacoupleofpuffy-eyedDeathEaterswatchingthehousefromacrossthemistysquare.

HermioneDisapparatedwithRonfirst，thencamebackforHarry.

Aftertheusualbriefspellofdarknessａｎｄnearsuffocation，Harryfoundhimselfinthetinyalleywaywherethefirstphaseoftheirplanwasscheduledtotakeplace.Itwasasyetdeserted，exceptforacoupleoflargebins;thefirstMinistryworkersdidnotusuallyappearhereuntilatleasteighto’clock.

“Rightthen，”saidHermione，checkingherwatch.“sheoughttobehereinaboutfiveminutes.WhenI’veStunnedher–“

“Hermione，weknow，”saidRonsternly.“AndIthoughtweweresupposedtoopenthedoorbeforeshegothere?”

Hermionesquealed.

“Inearlyforgot!Stａｎｄback–“

Shepointedherwａｎｄatthepadlockedａｎｄheavilygraffitiedfiredoorbesidethem，whichburstopenwithacrash.Thedarkcorridorbehinditled，astheyknewfromtheircarefulscoutingtrips，intoanemptytheater.Hermionepulledthedoorbacktowardher，tomakeitlookasthoughtitwasstillclosed.

“Andnow，”shesaid，turning，backtofacetheothertwointhealleyway，“weputontheCloakagain–“

“—ａｎｄwewait，”Ronfinished，throwingitoverHermione’sheadlikeablanketoverabirdcageａｎｄrollinghiseyesatHarry.

Littlemorethanaminutelater，therewasatinypopａｎｄalittleMinistrywitchwithflyawaygrayhairApparatedfeetfromthem，blinkingalittleinthesuddenbrightness:thesunhadjustcomeoutfrombehindacloud.Shebarelyhadtimetoenjoytheunexpectedwarmth，however，beforeHermione’ssilentStunningSpellhitherinthechestａｎｄshetoppledover.

“Nicelydone，Hermione，”saidRon，emergingbehindabinbesidethetheaterdoorasHarrytookofftheInvisibilityCloak.Togethertheycarriedthelittlewitchintothedarkpassagewaythatledbackstage.Hermionepluckedafewhairsfromthewitch’sheadａｎｄaddedthemtoaflaskofmuddyPolyjuicePotionshehadtakenfromthebeadedbag.Ronwasrummagingthroughthelittlewitch’shａｎｄbag.

“She’sMafaldaHopkirk，”hesaid，readingasmallcardthatidentifiedtheirvictimasanassistantintheImproperUseofMagicOffice.“You’dbettertakethis，Hermione，ａｎｄherearethetokens.”

Hepassedherseveralsmallgoldencoins，allembossedwiththelettersM.O.M.，whichhehadtakenfromthewitch’spurse.

HermionedrankthePolyjuicePotion，whichwasnowapleasantheliotropecolor，ａｎｄwithinsecondsstoodbeforethem，thedoubleofMafaldaHopkirk.AssheremovedMafalda’sspectaclesａｎｄputthemon，Harrycheckedhiswatch.

“We’rerunninglate，Mr.MagicalMaintenancewillbehereanysecond.”

TheyhurriedtoclosethedoorontherealMafalda;HarryａｎｄRonthrewtheInvisibilityCloakoverthemselvesbutHermioneremainedinview，waiting.Secondslatertherewasanotherpop，ａｎｄasmall，ferretylookingwizardappearedbeforethem.

“Oh，hello，Mafalda.”

“Hello!”saidHermioneinaquaveryvoice，“Howareyoutoday?”

“Notsogood，actually，”repliedthelittlewizard，wholookedthoroughlydowncast.

AsHermioneａｎｄthewizardheadedforthemainroad，HarryａｎｄRoncreptalongbehindthem.

“I’msorrytohearyou’reundertheweather，”saidHermione，talkingfirmlyoverthelittlewizardａｎｄhetriedtoexpounduponhisproblems;itwasessentialtostophimfromreachingthestreet.“Here，haveasweet.”

“Eh?Oh，nothanks–“

“Iinsist!”saidHermioneaggressively，shakingthebagofpastillesinhisface.Lookingratheralarmed，thelittlewizardtookone.

Theeffectwasinstantaneous.Themomentthepastilletouchedhistongue，thelittlewizardstartedvomitingsohardthathedidnotevennoticeasHermioneyankedahａｎｄfulofhairsfromthetopofhishead.

“Ohdear!”shesaid，ashesplatteredthealleywithsick.“Perhapsyou’dbettertakethedayoff!”

“No–no!”Hechokedａｎｄretched，tryingtocontinueonhiswaydespitebeingunabletowalkstraight.“Imust–today–mustgo–“第5章“Butthat’sjustsilly!”saidHermione，alarmed.“Youcan’tgotoworkinthisstate–IthinkyououghttogotoSt.Mungo’sａｎｄgetthemtosortyouout.”