第13节
“Youthere!Givemeyourchair，I’mahundredａｎｄseven!”
AnotherredheadedWeasleycousinjumpedoffhisseat，lookingalarmed，ａｎｄAuntieMurielswungitaroundwithsurprisingstrengthａｎｄploppedherselfdownuponitbetweenDogeａｎｄHarry.
“Helloagain，Barryorwhateveryournameis，”shesaidtoHarry，“NowwhatwereyousayingaboutRitaSkeeter，Elphias?Youknow，she’swrittenabiographyofDumbledore?Ican’twaittoreadit.ImustremembertoplaceanorderatFlourishａｎｄBlotts!”
DogelookedstiffａｎｄsolemnatthisbutAuntieMurieldrainedhergobletａｎｄclickedherbonyfingersatapassingwaiterforareplacement.Shetookanotherlargegulpofchampagne，belchedａｎｄthensaid，“There’snoneedtolooklikeapairofstuffedfrogs!Beforehebecamesorespectedａｎｄrespectableａｎｄallthattosh，thereweresomemightyfunnyrumorsaboutAlbus!”
“Ill-informedsniping，”saidDoge，turningradish-coloredagain.
“Youwouldsaythat，Elphias，”cackledAuntieMuriel.“Inoticedhowyouskatedoverthestickypatchesinthatobituaryofyours!”
“I’msorryyouthinkso，”saidDoge，morecoldlystill.“IassureyouIwaswritingfromtheheart.”
“Oh，weallknowyouworshippedDumbledore;Idaresayyou’llstillthinkhewasasaintevenifitdoesturnoutthathedidawaywithhisSquibsister!”
“Muriel!”exclaimedDoge.
AchillthathadnothingtodowiththeicedchampagnewasstealingthroughHarry’schest.
“Whatdoyoumean?”heaskedMuriel.“WhosaidhissisterwasaSquib?Ithoughtshewasill?”
“Thoughtwrong，then，didn’tyou，Barry!”saidAuntieMuriel，lookingdelightedattheeffectshehadproduced.“Anyway，howcouldyouexpecttoknowanythingaboutit!ITallhappenedyearsａｎｄyearsbeforeyouwereeventhoughtof，mydear，ａｎｄthetruthisthatthoseofuswhowerealivethenneverknewwhatreallyhappened.That’swhyIcan’twaittofindoutwhatSkeeter’sunearthed!Dumbledorekeptthatsisterofhisquietforalongtime!”
“Untrue!”wheezedDoge，“Absolutelyuntrue!”
“HenevertoldmehissisterasaSquib，”saidHarry，withoutthinking，stillcoldinside.
“Andwhyonearthwouldhetellyou?”screechedMuriel，swayingalittleinherseatassheattemptedtofocusuponHarry.
“ThereasonAlbusneverspokeaboutAriana，”beganElphiasinavoicestiffwithemotion，“is，Ishouldhavethought，quiteclear.Hewassodevastatedbyherdeath–“
“Whydidnobodyeverseeher，Elphias?”squawkedMuriel，“Whydidhalfofusneverevenknowsheexisted，untiltheycarriedthecoffinoutofthehouseａｎｄheldafuneralforher?WherewassaintlyAlbuswhileArianawaslockedinthecellar?OffbeingbrilliantatHogwarts，ａｎｄnevermindwhatwasgoingoninhisownhouse!”
“Whatd’youmean，lockedinthecellar?”askedHarry.“Whatisthis?”
Dogelookedwretched.AuntieMurielcackledagainａｎｄansweredHarry.
“Dumbledore’smotherwasaterrifyingwoman，simplyterrifying.Muggle-born，thoughIheardshepretendedotherwise-“
“Sheneverpretendedanythingofthesort!Kendrawasafinewoman，”whisperedDogemiserably，butAuntieMurielignoredhim.
“-proudａｎｄverydomineering，thesortofwitchwhowouldhavebeenmortifiedtoproduceaSquib-“
“ArianawasnotaSquib!”wheezedDoge.
“Soyousay，Elphias，butexplain，then，whysheneverattendedHogwarts!”saidAuntieMuriel.SheturnedbacktoHarry.“Inourday，Squibswereoftenhushedup，thoughttotakeittotheextremeofactuallyimprisoningalittlegirlinthehouseａｎｄpretendingshedidn’texist–“
“Itellyou，that’snotwhathappened!”saidDoge，butAuntieMurielsteamrolleredon，stilladdressingHarry.
SquibswereusuallyshippedofftoMuggleschoolsａｎｄencouragedtointegrateintotheMugglecommunity…muchkinderthantryingtofindthemaplaceintheWizardingworld，wheretheymustalwaysbesecondclass，butnaturallyKendraDumbledorewouldn’thavedreamedoflettingherdaughtergotoaMuggleschool–“
“Arianawasdelicate!”saidDogedesperately.“Herhealthwasalwaystoopoortopermither–“
“-topermithertoleavethehouse?”cackledMuriel.“AndyetshewasnevertakentoSt.Mungo’sａｎｄnoHealerwaseversummonedtoseeher!”
“Really，Muriel，howcanyoupossiblyknowwhether–“
“Foryourinformation，Elphias，mycousinLancelotwasaHealeratSt.Mungo’satthetime，ａｎｄhetoldmyfamilyinstrictestconfidencethatArianahadneverbeenseenthere.Allmostsuspicious，Lancelotthought!”
Dogelookedtobeonthevergeoftears.AuntieMuriel，whoseemedtobeenjoyingherselfhugely，snappedherfingersformorechampagne.NumblyHarrythoughtofhowtheDursleyshadonceshuthimup，lockedhimaway，kepthimoutofsight，allforthecrimeofbeingawizard.HadDumbledore’ssistersufferedthesamefateinreverse:imprisonedforherlackofmagic?AndhadDumbledoretrulylefthertoherfatewhilehewentofftoHogwartstoprovehimselfbrilliantａｎｄtalented?