jkrowling.hp&theorderofphenix-第89节

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s：'
　　　
　　　Professor　McGonagall　was　gazing　at　him　through　her　lopsided　spectacles　as　though　horrified　at　what　she　was　seeing。
　　　'I'm　not　lying　and　I'm　not　mad！'　Harry　told　her；　his　voice　rising　to　a　shout。　'I　tell　you；　I　saw　it　happen！'
　　　
　　　'I　believe　you；　Potter；'　said　Professor　McGonagall　curtly。　'Put　on　your　dressing　gown　…　we're　going　to　see　the　Headmaster。'
　　　
　　　
　　　…　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO　…
　　　
　　　St　Mungo's　Hospital　for　Magical　Maladies　and　Injuries
　　　
　　　Harry　was　so　relieved　she　was　taking　him　seriously　that　he　did　not　hesitate；　but　jumped　out　of　bed　at　once；　pulled　on　his　dressing　gown　and　pushed　his　glasses　back　on　to　his　nose。
　　　'Weasley；　you　ought　to　e　too；'　said　Professor　McGonagall。
　　　They　followed　Professor　McGonagall　past　the　silent　figures　of　Neville；　Dean　and　Seamus；　out　of　the　dormitory；　down　the　spiral　stairs　into　the　mon　room；　through　the　portrait　hole　and　off　along　the　Fat　Lady's　moonlit　corridor。　Harry　felt　as　though　the　panic　inside　him　might　spill　over　at　any　moment；　he　wanted　to　run；　to　yell　for　Dumbledore；　Mr　Weasley　was　bleeding　as　they　walked　along　so　sedately；　and　what　if　those　fangs　（Harry　tried　hard　not　to　think　'my　fangs'）　had　been　poisonous？　They　passed　Mrs　Norris；　who　turned　her　lamplike　eyes　upon　them　and　hissed　faintly；　but　Professor　McGonagall　said；　'Shoo！'　Mrs　Norris　slunk　away　into　the　shadows；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　had　reached　the　stone　gargoyle　guarding　the　entrance　to　Dumbledore's　office。
　　　'Fizzing　Whizzbee；'　said　Professor　McGonagall。
　　　The　gargoyle　sprang　to　life　and　leapt　aside；　the　wall　behind　it　split　in　two　to　reveal　a　stone　staircase　that　was　moving　continually　upwards　like　a　spiral　escalator。　The　three　of　them　stepped　on　to　the　moving　stairs；　the　wall　closed　behind　them　with　a　thud　and　they　were　moving　upwards　in　tight　circles　until　they　reached　the　highly　polished　oak　door　with　the　brass　knocker　shaped　like　a　griffin。
　　　Though　it　was　now　well　past　midnight　there　were　voices　ing　from　inside　the　room；　a　positive　babble　of　them。　It　sounded　as　though　Dumbledore　was　entertaining　at　least　a　dozen　people。
　　　Professor　McGonagall　rapped　three　times　with　the　griffin　knocker　and　the　voices　ceased　abruptly　as　though　someone　had　switched　them　all　off。　The　door　opened　of　its　own　accord　and　Professor　McGonagall　led　Harry　and　Ron　inside。
　　　The　room　was　in　half…darkness；　the　strange　silver　instruments　standing　on　tables　were　silent　and　still　rather　than　whirring　and　emitting　puffs　of　smoke　as　they　usually　did；　the　portraits　of　old　headmasters　and　headmistresses　covering　the　walls　were　all　snoozing　in　their　frames。　Behind　the　door；　a　magnificent　red　and　gold　bird　the　size　of　a　swan　dozed　on　its　perch　with　its　head　under　its　wing。
　　　'Oh；　it's　you；　Professor　McGonagall：　and：　ah。'
　　　
　　　Dumbledore　was　sitting　in　a　high…backed　chair　behind　his　desk；　he　leaned　forward　into　the　pool　of　candlelight　illuminating　the　papers　laid　out　before　him。　He　was　wearing　a　magnificently　embroidered　purple　and　gold　dressing　gown　over　a　snowy　white　nightshirt；　but　seemed　wide…awake；　his　penetrating　light　blue　eyes　fixed　intently　upon　Professor　McGonagall。
　　　'Professor　Dumbledore；　Potter　has　had　a：　well；　a　nightmare；'　said　Professor　McGonagall。　'He　says：'
　　　
　　　'It　wasn't　a　nightmare；'　said　Harry　quickly。
　　　Professor　McGonagall　looked　round　at　Harry；　frowning　slightly。
　　　'Very　well；　then；　Potter；　you　tell　the　Headmaster　about　it。'
　　　
　　　'I：　well；　I　was　asleep：'　said　Harry　and；　even　in　his　terror　and　his　desperation　to　make　Dumbledore　understand；　he　felt　slightly　irritated　that　the　Headmaster　was　not　looking　at　him；　but　examining　his　own　interlocked　fingers。　'But　it　wasn't　an　ordinary　dream：　it　was　real：　I　saw　it　happen：'　He　took　a　deep　breath；　'Ron's　dad　…　Mr　Weasley　…　has　been　attacked　by　a　giant　snake。'
　　　
　　　The　words　seemed　to　reverberate　in　the　air　after　he　had　said　them；　sounding　slightly　ridiculous；　even　ic。　There　was　a　pause　in　which　Dumbledore　leaned　back　and　stared　meditatively　at　the　ceiling。　Ron　looked　from　Harry　to　Dumbledore；　white…faced　and　shocked。
　　　'How　did　you　see　this？'　Dumbledore　asked　quietly；　still　not　looking　at　Harry。
　　　'Well：　I　don't　know；'　said　Harry；　rather　angrily　…　what　did　it　matter？　'Inside　my　head；　I　suppose　…'
　　　
　　　'You　misunderstand　me；'　said　Dumbledore；　still　in　the　same　calm　tone。　'I　mean：　can　you　remember　…　er　…　where　you　were　positioned　as　you　watched　this　attack　happen？　Were　you　perhaps　standing　beside　the　victim；　or　else　looking　down　on　the　scene　from　above？'

　　　This　was　such　a　curious　question　that　Harry　gaped　at　Dumbledore；　it　was　almost　as　though　he　knew：
　　　
　　　'I　was　the　snake；'　he　said。　'I　saw　it　all　from　the　snake's　point　of　view。'
　　　
　　　Nobody　else　spoke　for　a　moment；　then　Dumbledore；　now　looking　at　Ron　who　was　still　whey…faced；　asked　in　a　new　and　sharper　voice；　'Is　Arthur　seriously　injured？'
　　　
　　　'Yes；'　said　Harry　emphatically　…　why　were　they　all　so　slow　on　the　uptake；　did　they　not　realise　how　much　a　person　bled　when　fangs　that　long　pierced　their　side？　And　why　could　Dumbledore　not　do　him　the　courtesy　of　looking　at　him？
　　　
　　　But　Dumbledore　stood　up；　so　quickly　it　made　Harry　jump；　and　addressed　one　of　the　old　portraits　hanging　very　near　the　ceiling。　'Everard？'　he　said　sharply。　'And　you　too；　Dilys！'
　　　
　　　A　sallow…faced　wizard　with　a　short　black　fringe　and　an　elderly　witch　with　long　silver　ringlets　in　the　frame　beside　him；　both　of　whom　seemed　to　have　been　in　the　deepest　of　sleeps；　opened　their　eyes　immediately。
　　　'You　were　listening？'　said　Dumbledore。
　　　The　wizard　nodded；　the　witch　said；　'Naturally。'
　　　
　　　The　man　has　red　hair　and　glasses；'　said　Dumbledore。　'Everard；　you　will　need　to　raise　the　alarm；　make　sure　he　is　found　by　the　right　people　…'
　　　
　　　Both　nodded　and　moved　sideways　out　of　their　frames；　but　instead　of　emerging　in　neighbouring　pictures　（as　usually　happened　at　Hogwarts）　neither　reappeared。　One　frame　now　contained　nothing　but　a　backdrop　of　dark　curtain；　the　other　a　handsome　leather　armchair。　Harry　noticed　that　many　of　the　other　headmasters　and　mistresses　on　the　walls；　though　snoring　and　drooling　most　convincingly；　kept　sneaking　peeks　at　him　from　under　their　eyelids；　and　he　suddenly　understood　who　had　been　talking　when　they　had　knocked。
　　　'Everard　and　Dilys　were　two　of　Hogwarts's　most　celebrated　Heads；'　Dumbledore　said；　now　sweeping　around　Harry；　Ron　and　Professor　McGonagall　to　approach　the　magnificent　sleeping　bird　on　his　perch　beside　the　door。　Their　renown　is　such　that　both　have　portraits　hanging　in　other　important　wizarding　institutions。　As　they　are　free　to　move　between　their　own　portraits；　they　can　tell　us　what　may　be　happening　elsewhere：〃
　　　
　　　'But　Mr　Weasley　could　be　anywhere！'　said　Harry。
　　　'Please　sit　down；　all　three　of　you；'　said　Dumbledore；　as　though　Harry　had　not　spoken；　'Everard　and　Dilys　may　not　be　back　for　several　minutes。　Professor　McGonagall；　if　you　could　draw　up　extra　chairs。'
　　　
　　　Professor　McGonagall　pulled　her　wand　from　the　pocket　of　her　dressing　gown　and　waved　it；　three　chairs　appeared　out　of　thin　air；　straight…backed　and　wooden；　quite　unlike　the　fortable　chintz　armchairs　that　Dumbledore　had　conjured　up　at　Harry's　hearing。　Harry　sat　down；　watching　Dumbledore　over　his　shoulder。　Dumbledore　was　now　stroking　Fawkes's　plumed　golden　head　with　one　finger。　The　phoenix　awoke　immediately。　He　stretched　his　beautiful　head　high　and　observed　Dumbledore　through　bright；　dark　eyes。
　　　'We　will　need；'　Dumbledore　said　very　quietly　to　the　bird；　'a　warning。'
　　　
　　　There　was　a　flash　of　fire　and　the　phoenix　had　gone。
　　　Dumbledore　now　swooped　down　upon　one　of　the　fragile　silver　instruments　whose　function　Harry　had　never　known；　carried　it　over　to　his　desk；　sat　down　facing　them　again　and　tapped　it　gently　with　the　tip　of　his　wand。
　　　The　instrument　tinkled　into　life　at　once　with　rhythmic　clinking　noises。　Tiny　puffs　of　pale　green　smoke　issued　from　the　minuscule　silver　tube　at　the　top。　Dumbledore　watched　the　smoke　closely；　his　brow　furrowed。　After　a　few　seconds；　the　tiny　puffs　became　a　steady　stream　of　smoke　that　thickened　and　coiled　in　the　air：　a　serpent's　head　grew　out　of　the　end　of　it；　opening　its　mouth　wide。　Harry　wondered　whether　the　instrument　was　confirming　his　story：　he　looked　eagerly　at　Dumbledore　for　a　sign　that　he　was　right；　but　Dumbledore　did　not　look　up。
　　　'Naturally；　naturally；'　murmured　Dumbledore　apparently　to　himself；　still　observing　the　stream　of　smoke　without　the　slightest　sign　of　surprise。　'But　in　essence　divided？'
　　　
　　　Harry　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　this　question。　The　smoke　serpent；　however；　split　itself　instantly　into　two　snakes；　both　coiling　and　undulating　in　the　dark　air。　With　a　look　of　grim　satisfaction；　Dumbledore　gave　the　instrument　another　gentle　tap　with　his　wand：　the　clinking　noise　slowed　and　died　and　the　smoke　serpents　grew　faint；　became　a　formless　haze　and　vanished。
　　　Dumbledore　replaced　the　instrument　on　its　spindly　little　table。　Harry　saw　many　of　the　old　headmasters　in　the　portraits　follow　him　with　their　eyes；　then；　realising　that　Harry　was　watching　them；　hastily　pretend　to　be　sleeping　again。　Harry　wanted　to　ask　what　the　strange　silver　instrument　was　for；　but　before　he　could　do　so；　there　was　a　shout　from　the　top　of　th