第5节

"Thankyou，Ron!"saidHermione，lookingbothpleasedａｎｄalittleconfused.Harryturnedaway，smilingtohimself.HehadafunnynotionthathewouldfindachapteroncomplimentswhenhefoundtimetoperusehiscopyofTwelveFail-SafeWaystoCharmWitches;hecaughtGinny’seyeａｎｄgrinnedatherbeforerememberinghispromisetoRonａｎｄhurriedlystrikingupaconversationwithMonsieurDelacour."Outoftheway，outoftheway!"sangMrs.Weasley，comingthroughthegatewithwhatappearedtobeagiant，beach-ball-sizedSnitchfloatinginfrontofher.SecondslaterHarryrealizedthatitwashisbirthdaycake，whichMrs.Weasleywassuspendingwithherwａｎｄ，ratherthanriskcarryingitovertheunevenground.Whenthecakehadfinallylａｎｄedinthemiddleofthetable，Harrysaid，"Thatlooksamazing，Mrs.Weasley.""Oh，it’snothing，dear，"shesaidfondly.Overhershoulder，RongaveHarrythethumbs-upａｎｄmouthed，Goodone.Byseveno’clockalltheguestshadarrived，ledintothehousebyFredａｎｄGeorge，whohadwaitedforthemattheendofthelane.Hagridhadhonoredtheoccasionbywearinghisbest，ａｎｄhorrible，hairybrownsuit.AlthoughLupinsmiledasheshookHarry’shａｎｄ，Harrythoughthelookedratherunhappy.Itwasallveryodd;Tonks，besidehim，lookedsimplyradiant."Happybirthday，Harry，"shesaid，hugginghimtightly."Seventeen，eh!"saidHagridasheacceptedabucket-sizedglassofwinefromFred."Sixyearsterthedaysincewemet，Harry，d’yehrememberit?""Vaguely，"saidHarry，grinningupathim."Didn’tyousmashdownthefrontdoor，giveDudleyapig’stail，ａｎｄtellmeIwasawizard?""Iforge’thedetails，"Hagridchortled."Allrigh’，Ron，Hermione?""We’refine，"saidHermione."Howareyou?""Ar，notbad.Binbusy，wegotsomenewbornunicorns.I’llshowyehwhenyehgetback——"HarryavoidedRon’sａｎｄHermione’sgazesasHagridrummagedinhispocket."Here.Harry——couldn’tthinkwhattergetteh，butthenIrememberedthis."Hepulledoutasmall，slightlyfurrydrawstringpouchwithalongstring，evidentlyintendedtobewornaroundtheneck."Mokeskin.Hideanythin’intherean’noonebuttheownercangetitout.They’rerare，them."

第4章"Hagrid，thanks!""’S’nothin’，"saidHagridwithawaveofadustbin-lid-sizedhａｎｄ."An’there’sCharlie!Alwayslikedhim——hey!Charlie!"Charlieapproached，runninghishａｎｄslightlyruefullyoverhisnew，brutallyshorthaircut.HewasshorterthanRon，thickset，withanumberofburnsａｎｄscratchesuphismuscleyarms."Hi，Hagrid，how’sitgoing?""Binmeanin’terwriteferages.How’sNorbertdoin’?""Norbert?"Charlielaughed."TheNorwegianRidgeback?WecallherNorbertanow.""Wha——Norbert’sagirl?""Ohyeah，"saidCharlie."Howcanyoutell?"askedHermione."They’realotmorevicious，"saidCharlie.Helookedoverhisshoulderａｎｄdroppedhisvoice."WishDadwouldhurryupａｎｄgethere.Mum’sgettingedgy."TheyalllookedoveratMrs.Weasley.ShewastryingtotalktoMadameDelacourwhileglancingrepeatedlyatthegate."Ithinkwe’dbetterstartwithoutArthur，"shecalledtothegardenatlargeafteramomentortwo."Hemusthavebeenheldupat——oh!"Theyallsawitatthesametime:astreakoflightthatcameflyingacrosstheyardａｎｄontothetable，whereitresolveditselfintoabrightsilverweasel，whichstoodonitshindlegsａｎｄspokewithMr.Weasley’svoice."MinisterofMagiccomingwithme."ThePatronusdissolvedintothinair，leavingFleur’sfamilypeeringinastonishmentattheplacewhereithadvanished."Weshouldn’tbehere，"saidLupinatonce."Harry——I’msorry——I’llexplainsomeothertime——"HeseizedTonks’swristａｎｄpulledheraway;theyreachedthefence，climbedoverit，ａｎｄvanishedfromsight.Mrs.Weasleylookedbewildered."TheMinister——butwhy——?Idon’tunderstａｎｄ——"Buttherewasnotimetodiscussthematter;asecondlater，Mr.Weasleyhadappearedoutofthinairatthegate，accompaniedbyRufusScrimgeour，instantlyrecognizablebyhismaneofgrizzledhair.Thetwonewcomersmarchedacrosstheyardtowardthegardenａｎｄthelantern-littable，whereeverybodysatinsilence，watchingthemdrawcloser.AsScrimgeourcamewithinrangeofthelanternlight.Harrysawthathelookedmucholderthanthelasttimethathadmet，scraggyａｎｄgrim."Sorrytointrude，"saidScrimgeour，ashelimpedtoahaltbeforethetable."EspeciallyasIcanseethatIamgate-crashingaparty."HiseyeslingeredforamomentonthegiantSnitchcake."Manyhappyreturns.""Thanks，"saidHarry."Irequireaprivatewordwithyou，"Scrimgeourwenton."AlsowithMr.RonaldWeasleyａｎｄMissHermioneGranger.""Us?"saidRon，soundingsurprised."Whyus?""Ishalltellyouthatwhenwearesomewheremoreprivate，"saidScrimgeour."Istheresuchaplace?’hedemａｎｄedofMr.Weasley."Yes，ofcourse，"saidMr.Weasley，wholookednervous."The，er，sittingroom，whydon’tyouusethat?""Youcanleadtheway，"ScrimgeoursaidtoRon."Therewillbenoneedforyoutoaccompanyus，Arthur."HarrysawMr.WeasleyexchangeaworriedlookwithMrs.Weasleyashe，Ron，ａｎｄHermionestoodup.Astheyledthewaybacktothehouseinsilence，Harryknewthattheothertwowerethinkingthesameashewas;Scrimgeourmust，somehow，hadlearnedthatthethreeofthemwereplanningtodropoutofHogwarts.ScrimgeourdidnotspeakastheyallpassedthroughthemessedkitchenａｎｄintotheBurrow’ssittingroom.Althoughthegardenhadbeenfullofsoftgoldeneveninglight，itwasalreadydarkinhere;Harryflickedhiswａｎｄattheoillampsasheenteredａｎｄtheyilluminatedtheshabbybutcozyroom.ScrimgeoursathimselfinthesaggingarmchairthatMr.Weasleynormallyoccupied，leavingHarry，Ron，ａｎｄHermionetosqueezesidebysideontothesofa.Oncetheyhaddoneso，Scrimgeourspoke."Ihavesomequestionsforthethreeofyou，ａｎｄIthinkitwillbebestifwedoitindividually.Ifyoutwo"——hepointedatHarryａｎｄHermione——"canwaitupstairs，IwillstartwithRonald.""We’renotgoinganywhere，"saidHarry，whileHermionenoddedvigorously."Youcanspeaktoustogether，ornotatall."ScrimgeourgaveHarryacold，appraisinglook.HarryhadtheimpressionthattheMinisterwaswonderingwhetheritwasworthwhileopeninghostilitiesthisearly."Verywellthen，together，"hesaid，shrugging.Heclearedhisthroat."Iamhere，asI’msureyouknow，becauseofAlbusDumbledore’swill."Harry，Ron，ａｎｄHermionelookedatoneanother."Asurprise，apparently!YouwerenotawarethenthatDumbledorehadleftyouanything?""A-allofus?"saidRon，"MeａｎｄHermionetoo?""Yes，allof——"ButHarryinterrupted."Dumbledorediedoveramonthago.Whyhasittakenthislongtogiveuswhatheleftus?""Isn’titobvious?"saidHermione，beforeScrimgeourcouldanswer."Theywantedtoexaminewhateverhe’sleftus.Youhadnorighttodothat!"shesaid，ａｎｄhervoicetrembledslightly."Ihadeveryright，"saidScrimgeourdismissively."TheDecreeforJustifiableConfiscationgivestheMinistrythepowertheconfiscatethecontentsofawill——""ThatlawwascreatedtostopwizardspassingonDarkartifacts，"saidHermione，"ａｎｄtheMinistryissupposedtohavepowerfulevidencethatthedeceased’spossessionsareillegalbeforeseizingthem!AreyoutellingmethatyouthoughtDumbledorewastryingtopassussomethingcursed?""AreyouplanningtofollowacareerinMagicalLaw，MissGranger?"askedScrimgeour."No，I’mnot，"retortedHermione."I’mhopingtodosomegoodintheworld!"Ronlaughed.Scrimgeour’seyesflickeredtowardhimａｎｄawayagainasHarryspoke."Sowhyhaveyoudecidedtoletushaveourthingsnow?Can’tthinkofapretexttokeepthem?""No，it’llbebecausethirty-onedaysareup，"saidHermioneatonce."Theycan’tkeeptheobjectslongerthanthatunlesstheycanprovethey’redangerous.Right?""WouldyousayyouwereclosetoDumbledore，Ronald?"askedScrimgeour，ignoringHermione.Ronlookedstartled."Me?Not——notreallyItwasalwaysHarrywho"RonlookedaroundatHarryａｎｄHermione，toseeHermionegivinghimastop-talking-now!sortoflook，butthedamagewasdone;Scrimgeourlookedasthoughhehadheardexactlywhathehadexpected，ａｎｄwanted，tohear.HeswoopedlikeabirdofpreyuponRon’sanswer."IfyouwerenotveryclosetoDumbledore，howdoyouaccountforthefactthatherememberedyouinhiswill?Hemadeexceptionallyfewpersonalbequests.Thevastmajorityofhispossessions——hisprivatelibrary，hismagicalinstruments，ａｎｄotherpersonaleffects——werelefttoHogwarts.Whydoyouthinkyouweresingledout?""Idunno，"saidRon."IwhenIsayweweren’tcloseImean，Ithinkhelikedme""You’rebeingmodest，Ron，"saidHermione."Dumbledorewasveryfondofyou."Thiswasstretchingthetruthtobreakingpoint;asfarasHarryknew，RonａｎｄDumbledorehadneverbeenalonetogether，ａｎｄdirectcontactbetweenthemhadbeennegligible.However，Scrimgeourdidnotseemtobelistening.HeputhishａｎｄinsidehiscloakａｎｄdrewoutadrawstringpouchmuchlargerthantheoneHagridhadgivenHarry.Fromit，heremovedascrollofparchmentwhichheunrolledａｎｄreadaloud."’TheLastWillａｎｄTestamentofAlbusPercivalWulfricBrianDumbledore’Yes，hereweare’ToRonaldBiliusWeasley，IleavemyDeluminator，inthehopethathewillremembermewhenheusesit.’"ScrimgeourtookfromthebaganobjectthatHarryhadseenbefore:Itlookedsomethinglikeasilvercigarettelighter，butithad，heknew，thepowertosuckalllightfromaplace，ａｎｄrestoreit，withasimpleclick.ScrimgeourleanedforwardａｎｄpassedtheDeluminatortoRon，whotookitａｎｄturneditoverinthefingerslookingstunned."Thatisavaluableobject，"saidScrimgeour，watchingRon."Itmayevenbeunique.CertainlyitisofDumbledore’sowndesign.Whywouldhehaveleftyouａｎｄitemsorare?"Ronshookhishead，lookingbewildered."Dumbledoremusthavetaughtthousａｎｄsofstudents，"Scrimgeourpersevered."Yettheonlyonesherememberedinhiswillareyouthree.Whyisthat?TowhatusedidhethinkyouwouldputtotheDeluminator，Mr.Weasley?""Putoutlights，Is’pose，"mumbledRon."WhatelsecouldIdowithit?"EvidentlyScrimgeourhadnosuggestions.AftersquintingatRonforamomentortow，heturnedbacktoDumbledore’swill.