Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban哈利·波特与阿兹卡班的囚徒

Chapter 22

OWL POST AGAIN又见猫头鹰邮递

Harry!” Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. “We’ve got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —”
“哈利!”赫敏在拉他的袖子，一边瞪眼看着她的表。“我们正好还剩十分钟，我们要回到病房去，要不让任何人看见我们——在邓布利多把我们锁起来以前……”
“Okay,” said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, “let’s go. . . .”
“没问题，”哈利说，把目光从天空中收回来，“我们走吧……”
They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.
他们溜过身后的门廊，走下一道很陡的石头螺旋形楼梯。他们走到楼梯底部时，听到了说话声音。他们紧贴墙壁站着谛听。听起来像是福吉和斯内普。他们沿着这道楼梯底部的走廊迅速走来。
“. . . only hope Dumbledore’s not going to make difficulties,” Snape was saying. “The Kiss will be performed immediately?”
“……只希望邓布利多不要制造麻烦，”斯内普正说着，“马上就会给他那个吻吧?”
“As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we’ve got him at last. . . . I daresay they’ll want to interview you, Snape . . . and once young Harry’s back in his right mind, I expect he’ll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him. . . .”
“麦克尼尔一带着那些家伙回来就可以了。这整个布莱克事件真叫人尴尬。我没法告诉你我是多么盼望能告诉《预言家日报》说我们终于抓到他了……我敢说他们会来采访你的，斯内普……还有，一旦小哈利脑子恢复正常，我认为他会告诉《预言家日报》你是如何救了他的……”
Harry clenched his teeth. He caught a glimpse of Snape’s smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry and Hermione’s hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they’d really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead.
哈利咬牙切齿。斯内普和福吉走过哈利和赫敏躲藏的地方，哈利还看见了斯内普脸上的假笑。他们的脚步声消逝了。哈利和赫敏又等了一会儿，确认他们真的走了，这才开始向相反的方向跑去，下一道楼梯，再下一道，沿着一条没有走过的走廊……然后他们听到前方传来咯咯的声音。
“Peeves!” Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione’s wrist. “In here!”
“皮皮鬼!”哈利喃喃地说，抓住赫敏的手腕，“就在这儿!”
They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.
他们及时跑到左边一间空闲无人的教室里。皮皮鬼似乎情绪高涨，正沿着走廊蹦蹦跳跳，乐得不可开交。
“Oh, he’s horrible,” whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. “I bet he’s all excited because the dementors are going to finish off Sirius. . . .” She checked her watch. “Three minutes, Harry!”
“哦，他真可怕，”赫敏耳语道，耳朵贴在门上，“我敢打赌，他这么高兴是因为摄魂怪们要来结果小天狼星了……”她看了看表。“三分钟，哈利!”
They waited until Peeves’s gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.
他们等着，直到皮皮鬼幸灾乐祸的声音在远处消失了，他们才又溜出教室。拔脚飞奔。
“Hermione — what’ll happen — if we don’t get back inside — before Dumbledore locks the door?” Harry panted.
“赫敏——要是我们——在邓布利多锁门——以前——没有回去——会发生什么事?”哈利喘着气问道。
“I don’t want to think about it!” Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. “One minute!”
“我不愿意想这事!”赫敏呻吟道， 又去看表，“一分钟!”
They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. “Okay — I can hear Dumbledore,” said Hermione tensely. “Come on, Harry!”
他们已经跑到校医院的入口处所在的走廊的一头了。“好吧——我听见邓布利多说话了。”赫敏紧张地说，“加油。哈利!”
They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore’s back appeared.
他们弯下身子沿着走廊前进。门开了。邓布利多的后背出现了。
“I am going to lock you in,” they heard him saying. “It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck.”
“我把你们锁在这里，”他们听见他说，“现在是差五分午夜十二点。格兰杰小姐，转三次就行了。祝你们好运。”
Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. “Well?” he said quietly.
邓布利多退出房间，关上门，抽出魔杖用魔法锁门。哈利和赫敏惊慌失措地向前跑去。邓布利多抬眼一看，长长的唇髭下面露出了笑容。“唔?”他平静地说。
“We did it!” said Harry breathlessly. “Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak. . . .”
“我们做到了!”哈利气都透不过来地说，“小天狼星走了，骑着巴克比克……”
Dumbledore beamed at them.
邓布利多满脸笑容地望着他们。
“Well done. I think —” He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. “Yes, I think you’ve gone too — get inside — I’ll lock you in —”
“干得好。我想——”他专注地谛听校医院里是否有什么声音。“好，我想你们也走了。进去吧——我要把你们锁起来。”
Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.
哈利和赫敏溜回病房。那里是空的，只有罗恩在，罗恩仍旧没有知觉地躺在床上。门锁在他们后面轻轻一响，哈利和赫敏各自爬回自己的床上，赫敏把计时器塞回到袍子下面。庞弗雷夫人马上就从她的办公室里回来了。
“Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?”
“我听到校长走了，是不是?我可以照顾我的病人了吗?”
She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling. . . . And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them. . . .
她情绪很坏。哈利和赫敏认为他们最好安静地接受她给的巧克力。庞弗雷夫人站到他们床前，看着他们把巧克力吃下。但是哈利觉得难以下咽。他和赫敏在等待、谛听，心里烦躁……等他们两人都从庞弗雷夫人手里接过第四块巧克力的时候，他们听见上面什么地方响起了愤怒的吼声……
“What was that?” said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.
“怎么回事?”庞弗雷夫人惊慌地问道。
Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.
现在他们能听到恼怒的说话声了，越来越响。庞弗雷夫人瞪眼看着门。
“Really — they’ll wake everybody up! What do they think they’re doing?”
“真的——他们会吵醒所有人的!他们以为自己在干什么啊?”
Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer —
哈利想听清这些声音在说什么。他们走近了些……
“He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —”
“他一定是幻影移行走了，西弗勒斯，我们应该在房间里留人看着他!当这事传出去……”
“HE DIDN’t DISAPPARATE!” Snape roared, now very close at hand. “YOU CAN’T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!”
“他没有幻影移行!”斯内普吼道，声音很近了，“在城堡里面，谁也不能幻影移行和幻影显形!这件事——和——波特——有——关系!”
“Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up —”
“西弗勒斯——讲点理——哈利被锁起来了——”
BAM.
砰。
The door of the hospital wing burst open.
校医院的门被撞开了。
Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.
福吉、斯内普和邓布利多大步走进病房。只有邓布利多显得很平静。的确，他似乎相当轻松高兴。福吉恼怒。斯内普气得不成样子。
“OUT WITH IT, POTTER!” he bellowed. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”
“说出来。波特!”他咆哮道，“你干了什么好事?”
“Professor Snape!” shrieked Madam Pomfrey. “Control yourself!”
“斯内普教授!”庞弗雷夫人尖叫道，“管管你自己。”
“See here, Snape, be reasonable,” said Fudge. “This door’s been locked, we just saw —”
“看到这里了吧，斯内普，理智些，”福吉说，“门是锁着的，我们刚才看见……”
“THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!” Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.
“他们帮他逃走了，我知道的!”斯内普吼道，指着哈利和赫敏。他的脸扭曲了，嘴里唾沫横飞。
“Calm down, man!” Fudge barked. “You’re talking nonsense!”
“镇静，朋友!”福吉大声喊道，“你在胡说八道!”
“YOU DON’T KNOW POTTER!” shrieked Snape. “HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —”
“你不了解波特!”斯内普尖叫道，“是他干的，我知道是他干的!”
“That will do, Severus,” said Dumbledore quietly. “Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?”
“行了，西弗勒斯，”邓布利多平静地说，“想想你在说些什么吧。十分钟以前我离开病房的时候，门就锁着了。庞弗雷夫人，这些学生离开过床吗?”
“Of course not!” said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. “I would have heard them!”
“当然没有!”庞弗雷夫人恼怒地说，“你们离开以后，我一直守着他们!”
“Well, there you have it, Severus,” said Dumbledore calmly. “Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I’m afraid I don’t see any point in troubling them further.”
“好吧，你听到了，西弗勒斯，”邓布利多镇静地说，“除非你的意思是说，哈利和赫敏能够同时在两个地方出现，否则我认为再找他们麻烦没有什么意思。”
Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.
斯内普情绪激昂地站在那里，从福吉瞪到邓布利多，福吉对斯内普的言行惊诧不已，邓布利多的眼睛在镜片后面眨动。斯内普飞快转过身去，袍子因摆动而在他身后簌簌作响，他乒乒乓乓地走出了病房。
“Fellow seems quite unbalanced,” said Fudge, staring after him. “I’d watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore.”
“这人好像脑子不大清楚了。”福吉说，瞪眼看着他离去，“我会留心他的，如果我是你的话，邓布利多。”
“Oh, he’s not unbalanced,” said Dumbledore quietly. “He’s just suffered a severe disappointment.”
“哦，他不是脑子不清楚，”邓布利多平静地说，“只不过是极度失望罢了。”
“He’s not the only one!” puffed Fudge. “The Daily Prophet’s going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff’s escape to get out, and I’ll be a laughingstock! Well . . . I’d better go and notify the Ministry. . . .”
“他不是惟一的!”福吉叹了一声说。“《预言家日报》可有尽情嘲笑的机会了!我们把布莱克逼到了绝境，他却又从我们手指缝里溜掉了!现在那张报纸需要的，就是把那头鹰头马身有翼兽逃逸的事披露出去，我就要成为笑柄了!好吧……我还是离开这里去通知部里吧……”
“And the dementors?” said Dumbledore. “They’ll be removed from the school, I trust?”
“那些摄魂怪呢?”邓布利多问。“我想它们可以从学校撤走了吧?”
“Oh yes, they’ll have to go,” said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. “Never dreamed they’d attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy. . . . Completely out of control . . . no, I’ll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight. . . . Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance. . . .”
“哦，是的，它们必须走了。”福吉说，心不在焉地用手指梳理着头发。“从来没有想到它们竟然会去吻无辜的男孩……完全失控了……好，我今晚就叫它们打点一切回阿兹卡班去。也许我们应该考虑安排龙来守住学校的入口……”
“Hagrid would like that,” said Dumbledore with a swift smile at Harry and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.
“海格会高兴的。”邓布利多说，对哈利和赫敏迅速地一笑。他和福吉离开病房的时候，庞弗雷夫人赶快到门边又把门锁上。她愤怒地对自己嘟囔着什么，回到自己的办公室去了。
There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.
病房那头传来低低的呻吟声，罗恩醒过来了。他们看到他坐了起来，揉着脑袋四面张望。
“What — what happened?” he groaned. “Harry? Why are we in here? Where’s Sirius? Where’s Lupin? What’s going on?”
“怎么——发生什么事情了?”他呻吟道，“哈利?找们为什么在这里?小天狼星哪里去了?卢平呢?事情怎么样了?”
Harry and Hermione looked at each other.
哈利和赫敏面面相觑。
“You explain,” said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate.
“你来解释。”哈利说，又吃了些巧克力。
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night. . . .
哈利、罗恩和赫敏第二天中午离开了病房，发现城堡里几乎没有人了。酷热和学期考试结束，这两件事意味着大家都去充分利用再次拜访霍格莫德的机会了。然而。罗恩和赫敏都不想去，所以他们和哈利就在场地上闲逛，仍旧谈论着前一天夜里非同寻常的事件，猜想着小天狼星和巴克比克现在可能在哪里。他们坐在湖边，看着巨大的鱿鱼懒洋洋地在湖面上摇晃着触手，哈利看着对岸，不知道他们说到哪里了。就在昨天晚上，那只牡鹿从那里向他跑来……
A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.
一条影子落在他们身上，他们抬眼望去，看见的是泪眼模糊的海格，他用一块桌布那么大的手帕擦着汗津津的脸。满脸是笑地看着他们。
“Know I shouldn’ feel happy, after wha’ happened las’ night,” he said. “I mean, Black escapin’ again, an’ everythin’ — but guess what?”
“知道我不应该高兴，昨晚发生了那样的事。”他说，“我意思是说，布莱克又逃走了。还有那么多事情——不过你们猜猜?”
“What?” they said, pretending to look curious.
“什么?”他们说，假装好奇的样子。
“Beaky! He escaped! He’s free! Bin celebratin’ all night!”
“比克!它逃脱了!它自由了!我一晚上都在庆贺!”
“That’s wonderful!” said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.
“那太棒了!”赫敏说，谴责地看了罗恩一眼，因为他好像马上就要大笑起来了。
“Yeah . . . can’t’ve tied him up properly,” said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. “I was worried this mornin’, mind . . . thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin’ las’ night. . . .”
“是啊……肯定是没有把它拴好。”海格说，快乐地往场地那边看。“今天早晨我担心……怕它也许在场地上遇到卢平教授，但是卢平说昨晚他什么也没有吃……”
“What?” said Harry quickly.
“什么?”哈利迅速地问。
“Blimey, haven’ yeh heard?” said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. “Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin’. . . . Thought everyone’d know by now . . . Professor Lupin’s a werewolf, see. An’ he was loose on the grounds las’ night. . . . He’s packin’ now, o’ course.”
“哎呀，你们没有听到吗?”海格说，笑容收敛了一些。他压低了声音，尽管附近并没有人。“哦——今天早上斯内普告诉斯莱特林院所有的学生了……我以为现在大家都知道了……卢平教授是狼人，明白吗?而且他昨晚是在场地上走动的。现在他在打行李了，这是自然的。”
“He’s packing?” said Harry, alarmed. “Why?”
“他在打行李吗?”哈利吃惊地问，“为什么?”
“Leavin’, isn’ he?” said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. “Resigned firs’ thing this mornin’. Says he can’t risk it happenin’ again.”
“走啊，难道不是吗?”海格说，对哈利这样问感到惊奇。“他今天早起第一件事就是辞职。说他不能够再担风险，怕这样的事第二次发生。”
Harry scrambled to his feet.
哈利忙着站起来。
“I’m going to see him,” he said to Ron and Hermione.
“我去看他。”他对罗恩和赫敏说。
“But if he’s resigned —”
“不过要是他辞职了……”
“— doesn’t sound like there’s anything we can do —”
“听起来好像我们帮不上什么忙……”
“I don’t care. I still want to see him. I’ll meet you back here.”
“我不管。我仍旧想看他。回头我到这里来找你们。”
Lupin’s office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow’s empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door.
卢平的办公室门开着。他已经把大部分东西打好了包。格林迪洛的空水箱立在他那破旧的箱子旁边，那箱子开着，差不多要装满了。卢平正俯身对着他书桌上的什么东西，只当哈利敲门的时候他才抬头。
“I saw you coming,” said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder’s Map.
“我看见你来了。”卢平微笑着说，指指那张他一直在看着的羊皮纸。那是活点地图。
“I just saw Hagrid,” said Harry. “And he said you’d resigned. It’s not true, is it?”
“我刚看见海格，”哈利说，“他说您已经辞职了。他说得不对吧?”
“I’m afraid it is,” said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.
“恐怕是对的。”卢平说。他开始拉开书桌的抽屉，拿出里面的东西。
“Why?” said Harry. “The Ministry of Magic don’t think you were helping Sirius, do they?”
“为什么?”哈利问，“魔法部没有认为您帮了小天狼星，是不是?”
Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry.
卢平走到门边，关上了哈利身后的门。
“No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives.” He sighed. “That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast.”
“没有。邓布利多教授想办法说服福吉，说我是想救你们的命来着。”他叹了口气。“对于西弗勒斯来说，这是最后一根稻草。我想他得不到梅林爵士团勋章了，这对他是一大打击。所以他……哦……今天早餐的时候就偶然地说出我是狼人这件事来。”
“You’re not leaving just because of that!” said Harry.
“您不能因为这个就离开我们!”哈利说。
Lupin smiled wryly.
卢平苦笑。
“This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents. . . . They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you. . . . That must never happen again.”
“明天这时候，猫头鹰要从家长们那里飞来了——他们不愿意有狼人教他们的孩子，哈利。而且经过昨晚的事情以后，我认为他们是对的。我可能会咬你们之中任何一个人……这种事绝对不能再发生了。”
“You’re the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we’ve ever had!” said Harry. “Don’t go!”
“您是教过我们的最好的黑魔法防御术课教师!”哈利说，“不要走!”
Lupin shook his head and didn’t speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, “From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I’m proud of anything, it’s how much you’ve learned. . . . Tell me about your Patronus.”
卢平摇摇头，没有说话。他继续收拾抽屉。然后，当哈利在想理由让他留下时，卢平说：“根据今天早上校长告诉我的内容看，昨晚你救了许多人的命呢，哈利。如果我为什么事情骄傲，那就是你学到了许多东西。告诉我关于你的守护神的事。”
“How d’you know about that?” said Harry, distracted.
“您怎么会知道的?”哈利心烦意乱地问道。
“What else could have driven the dementors back?”
“那还有什么东西能够把摄魂怪赶回去?”
Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he’d finished, Lupin was smiling again.
哈利告诉卢平发生了什么事。等他说完了，卢平又微笑了。
“Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,” he said. “You guessed right . . . that’s why we called him Prongs.”
“对，你爸爸变形的时候总是变成牡鹿的。”他说，“你猜得对……所以我们叫他尖头叉子。”
Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.
卢平把最后几本书扔进了箱子，关上书桌的抽屉，转身看着哈利。
“Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night,” he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. “And . . .” He hesitated, then held out the Marauder’s Map too. “I am no longer your teacher, so I don’t feel guilty about giving you this back as well. It’s no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it.”
“给你——我昨天晚上从尖叫棚屋拿回来的。”他说，把隐形衣还给哈利。“还有……”他踌躇了一下，然后把那张活点地图也拿了出来。“我不再是你的老师了，所以把这个还你我也不觉得有什么不好。这张地图对我没有用处了，我敢说，你、罗恩和赫敏会给这张地图找到用武之地的。”
Harry took the map and grinned.
哈利接过地图笑了。
“You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would’ve wanted to lure me out of school . . . you said they’d have thought it was funny.”
“您告诉过我说，月亮脸、虫尾巴、大脚板和尖头叉子会引诱我离开学校……你说过他们会认为这样做很有趣。”
“And so we would have,” said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. “I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle.”
“我们本来是会这样做的，”卢平边说，边伸手去关箱子，“我毫不犹豫地说，如果詹姆的儿子从来没有发现城堡外面的任何秘密通道，詹姆会大失所望的。”
There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder’s Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.
有人敲门。哈利连忙把活点地图和隐形衣塞到衣袋里去。
It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn’t look surprised to see Harry there.
是邓布利多教授。他看见哈利在这里并不惊奇。
“Your carriage is at the gates, Remus,” he said.
“你的车子在大门口呢，卢平。”他说。
“Thank you, Headmaster.”
“谢谢你，校长。”
Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank.
卢平拎起他的旧箱子和那个空水箱。
“Well — good-bye, Harry,” he said, smiling. “It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we’ll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage. . . .”
“好啦——再见。哈利，”他微笑着说，“教你真是一件愉快的事。我觉得我们一定还会见面的。校长，不用送我到大门口了，我自己能行……”
Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
哈利觉得卢平希望尽快离开。
“Good-bye, then, Remus,” said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.
“那么，再见了，卢平。”邓布利多有节制地说。卢平把那空水箱稍微侧了一下，以便和邓布利多握手。然后，卢平对哈利最后点了点头，很快地一笑。就离开了办公室。
Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. He heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there.
哈利坐在他的空椅子上，忧郁地看着地板。他听见门关上了，便抬起眼来，邓布利多还在那里。
“Why so miserable, Harry?” he said quietly. “You should be very proud of yourself after last night.”
“干吗那么不高兴呀，哈利?”他平静地说，“昨晚以后，你应该为自己感到非常自豪。”
“It didn’t make any difference,” said Harry bitterly. “Pettigrew got away.”
“没有什么两样，”哈利痛苦地说，“小矮星彼得逃走了。”
“Didn’t make any difference?” said Dumbledore quietly. “It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate.”
“没有什么两样吗?”邓布利多平静地说，“这可是大大的不一样啊，哈利。你协助发现了真相。你救了一个无辜的人，使他免于可怕的命运。”
Terrible. Something stirred in Harry’s memory. Greater and more terrible than ever before . . . Professor Trelawney’s prediction!
可怕。哈利脑子里好像想起了什么东西。比以前更大更可怕……特里劳妮教授的预言!
“Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange.”
“邓布利多教授，昨天，我在考占卜的时候，特里劳妮教授变得很……很古怪。”
“Indeed?” said Dumbledore. “Er — stranger than usual, you mean?”
“是吗?”邓布利多教授说，“哦……比平时古怪，你的意思是说?”
“Yes . . . her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said . . . she said Voldemort’s servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight. . . . She said the servant would help him come back to power.” Harry stared up at Dumbledore. “And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn’t remember anything she’d said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?”
“是啊……她声音变得深沉起来，眼睛不停地转动，她说……她说伏地魔的仆人要在午夜以前重新回到他身边……她说那仆人会帮助他主子重新获得权力。”哈利瞪眼看着邓布利多。“然后她好像又回到正常状态，她不记得刚才说过的任何东西。她是不是……是不是在作真正的预言呢?”
Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.
邓布利多似乎稍稍有点儿惊讶。
“Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been,” he said thoughtfully. “Who’d have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise. . . .”
“你知道，哈利，我认为也许是，”他深思着说，“没想到，这样一来她就做了两个真正的预言了。我应该给她加工资……”
“But —” Harry looked at him, aghast. How could Dumbledore take this so calmly?
“但是……”哈利看着他，惊呆了。邓布利多听了这个怎么会如此镇定？
“But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!”
“但是，我阻止了小天狼星和卢平教授，不让他们杀了小矮星彼得!如果伏地魔重新获得权力，那岂不是我的过失吗?”
“It does not,” said Dumbledore quietly. “Hasn’t your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed. . . . Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that. . . . You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew’s life.”
“不是的，”邓布利多平静地说，“用计时器的时候，你的经历没有教会你什么东西吗，哈利?我们行动的后果经常是如此复杂、如此分散，因此，预言未来的确是很困难的事……特里劳妮教授，上帝保佑她，就是活生生的例子。你救了小矮星彼得的命，你这是做了件很高尚的事。”
“But if he helps Voldemort back to power — !”
“不过要是他帮助伏地魔重新得到权力……”
“Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt. When one wizard saves another wizard’s life, it creates a certain bond between them . . . and I’m much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter.”
“小矮星彼得的命是你救的。你给伏地魔送去一个欠你恩情的助手。一个巫师救了另外一个巫师的命，他们之间就有了某种联系……如果伏地魔愿意他的仆人欠哈利·波特的情，那我一定是大错而特错了。”
“I don’t want a bond with Pettigrew!” said Harry. “He betrayed my parents!”
“我不要和小矮星彼得之间有什么联系!”哈利说，“他背叛了我的父母!”
“This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me . . . the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew’s life.”
“这是魔法的最高、最无法参透的境界，哈利。但是相信我……有朝一日你会因为救过小矮星彼得的命而非常高兴的。”
Harry couldn’t imagine when that would be. Dumbledore looked as though he knew what Harry was thinking.
哈利无法想象会有那一天。邓布利多似乎看出了哈利在想什么。
“I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry,” he said gently. “He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it.”
“我很了解你爸爸，在霍格沃茨的时候以及他毕业以后都很了解，哈利，”他温和地说，“我敢肯定，他也会救小矮星彼得的命的。”
Harry looked up at him. Dumbledore wouldn’t laugh — he could tell Dumbledore . . .
哈利抬眼看着他。邓布利多不会笑他……他可以告诉邓布利多……
“Last night . . . I thought it was my dad who’d conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake . . . I thought I was seeing him.”
“昨天晚上……我觉得给我召唤守护神的是我爸爸。我的意思是说，我看见我自己在湖对面的时候……我以为我看见他了。”
“An easy mistake to make,” said Dumbledore softly. “I expect you’ll tire of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James. Except for the eyes . . . you have your mother’s eyes.”
“很容易犯的错误，”邓布利多温和地说，“我想你已经听厌了，不过你真是特别像詹姆。除了眼睛之外……你眼睛像你妈妈。”
Harry shook his head.
哈利摇头。
“It was stupid, thinking it was him,” he muttered. “I mean, I knew he was dead.”
“认为是他，这是愚蠢的，”他喃喃地说，“我的意思是说，我知道他已经死了。”
“You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.”
“你以为我们爱过的死者会真正离开我们吗?你以为在有大麻烦的时候我们就不会比以前更加清楚地回忆起他们来吗?你爸爸活在你身上，哈利，在你需要他的时候，他在你身上表现得最清楚。不然你怎么能够产生那么特殊的守护神呢?尖头叉子昨晚凭借你而出现了。”
It took a moment for Harry to realize what Dumbledore had said.
哈利过了一会儿才明白了邓布利多这番话的意思。
“Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi,” said Dumbledore, smiling. “An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. So you did see your father last night, Harry. . . . You found him inside yourself.”
“昨晚小天狼星把他们如何成为阿尼马格斯的事都告诉我了。”邓布利多微笑着说，“一项特殊的成就——不让我知道，做到这一点就不容易。那时我记起你的守护神呈现出来的最不平凡的形状，那是在你们和拉文克劳队进行魁地奇比赛中，你的守护神对着马尔福冲过去的时候。所以说，你昨晚的确看见你爸爸了，哈利……你在你身体里面发现了他。”
And Dumbledore left the office, leaving Harry to his very confused thoughts.
邓布利多离开了，留下哈利一个人在办公室里面对自己混乱的思绪。
Nobody at Hogwarts knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, Harry heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth.
除了哈利、罗恩和赫敏还有邓布利多教授之外，霍格沃茨的人都不知道布莱克、巴克比克和小矮星彼得失踪的那天晚上到底出了什么事。学期快要结束了，哈利听到了许多有关事情发生的说法，但是没有一种是接近真相的。
Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius’s escape.
马尔福对巴克比克的事情暴跳如雷。他深信海格找到了什么方法，把巴克比克偷偷运到了安全的地方。一个狩猎场看守竟然智胜他们父子。马尔福对这一点怒不可遏。与此同时，珀西·韦斯莱在小天狼星逃脱事件上有许多话可说。
“If I manage to get into the Ministry, I’ll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!” he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.
“要是我能够进魔法部，我就要在魔法法律的执行方面提许多建议!”他告诉惟一愿意听他说话的人——他的女朋友佩内洛。
Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits.
尽管天气极好，尽管气氛愉快，尽管哈利知道在帮助小天狼星获得自由方面，他们已经做到了几乎不可能做到的事，但是哈利在学年结束时的情绪还是很低落。
He certainly wasn’t the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Harry’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation.
他肯定他不是惟一对卢平教授的离去感到惋惜的人。和哈利一起上黑魔法防御术课的同学对于他的辞职都感到遗憾。
“Wonder what they’ll give us next year?” said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.
“不知道下学期他们安排谁来教?”西莫·斐尼甘闷闷不乐地说。
“Maybe a vampire,” suggested Dean Thomas hopefully.
“可能来个吸血鬼。”迪安·托马斯满怀希望地说。
It wasn’t only Professor Lupin’s departure that was weighing on Harry’s mind. He couldn’t help thinking a lot about Professor Trelawney’s prediction. He kept wondering where Pettigrew was now, whether he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. But the thing that was lowering Harry’s spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursleys. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, he had believed he would be living with Sirius from now on . . . his parents’ best friend. . . . It would have been the next best thing to having his own father back. And while no news of Sirius was definitely good news, because it meant he had successfully gone into hiding, Harry couldn’t help feeling miserable when he thought of the home he might have had, and the fact that it was now impossible.
让哈利心情沉重的，还不只是卢平离开这件事。他忍不住对特里劳妮教授的预言想了很多。哈利不清楚小矮星彼得现在到哪里去了，有没有在伏地魔那里找到避难所。但是，让哈利最不痛快的是：还要回到德思礼家度过假期。曾经有过半小时工夫。在那光辉的半小时里，哈利认为，从此以后他就可以和小天狼星一起生活……他父母最好的朋友……这件事仅仅次于自己的爸爸重新回来。就小天狼星而言，没有消息就是好消息，因为这就意味着他躲藏得很成功。但是哈利想到自己本来可能有的那个家，还是忍不住心情凄惨，这样的家现在是不可能有了。
The exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose. Snape’s behavior toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. Harry wouldn’t have thought it possible that Snape’s dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape’s thin mouth every time he looked at Harry, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry’s throat.
学期最后一天，公布了考试成绩。哈利、罗恩和赫敏每门课都通过了。哈利想不到他竟然通过了魔药课考试。他很怀疑是邓布利多进行了干预，不许斯内普跟他过不去。最后一星期里，斯内普对哈利的态度相当令人害怕。哈利想不到斯内普对他的厌烦情绪竟然有增无减，但是事情就是这样。斯内普每次看到哈利，他那薄薄的嘴唇旁的一根肌肉就令人不愉快地扭动起来，他还不断地折屈手指，似乎恨不得要扼住哈利的喉咙似的。
Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House Championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Harry managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursleys the next day as he ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest.
珀西通过了最高级N.E.W.Ts；弗雷德和乔治每人都勉强凑集了一把O.W.Ls证书。与此同时，格兰芬多院在很大程度上由于在魁地奇比赛中的突出表现而连续三年得到了院冠军。这意味着期末的宴会用猩红色和金色来装饰，也意味着格兰芬多院的桌子格外热闹，因为每个人都在庆祝。就连哈利也在吃喝谈话，和大家一起开怀大笑的时候也忘记了第二天他还要回到德思礼家去。
As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news.
霍格沃茨特快列车第二天离开车站的时候，赫敏向哈利和罗恩提供了若干惊人的消息。
“I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I’ve decided to drop Muggle Studies.”
“今天早上我去看麦格教授了，就在早饭以前。我已经决定不上麻瓜研究这门课了。”
“But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!” said Ron.
“可是你的考试成绩是百分之三百二十呀!”罗恩说。
“I know,” sighed Hermione, “but I can’t stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I’ve handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I’ll be able to have a normal schedule again.”
“我知道，”赫敏叹着气说，“但是明年再像今年这样我可受不了了。那个计时器简直要让我发疯了。我已经把它上交了，不上麻瓜研究和占卜这两门课之后，我就又能有一张正常的时间表了。”
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us about it,” said Ron grumpily. “We’re supposed to be your friends.”
“你竟然不告诉我们有关计时器的事，我仍旧不能相信。”罗恩埋怨道，“我们难道不是你的朋友吗?”
“I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone,” said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he’d see it again. . . .
“我答应过不告诉任何人。”赫敏一本正经地说。她回过头来看着哈利，哈利正注视着霍格沃茨被一座山遮得看不见了。再看见霍格沃茨要等整整两个月啊。
“Oh, cheer up, Harry!” said Hermione sadly.
“哦，高兴起来，哈利!”赫敏悲伤地说。
“I’m okay,” said Harry quickly. “Just thinking about the holidays.”
“我没事，”哈利飞快地说，“只是想到假期的事而已。”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about them too,” said Ron. “Harry, you’ve got to come and stay with us. I’ll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I’ll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —”
“对，我也一直在想呢，”罗恩说，“哈利……你一定要来和我们住在一起。我会和爸妈说好的，然后我打掉话给你。现在我知道怎样打掉话了……”
“A telephone, Ron,” said Hermione. “Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year. . . .”
“是电话，罗恩，”赫敏说，“说真的，你明年应该选麻瓜研究……”
Ron ignored her. “It’s the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we’ll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work.”
罗恩不理她。“今年夏天有魁地奇世界杯!怎么样，哈利?来我家住下，我们一起去看比赛!爸总能从单位里拿到票的。”
This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal.
这个建议让哈利高兴起来。
“Yeah . . . I bet the Dursleys’d be pleased to let me come . . . especially after what I did to Aunt Marge. . . .”
“对……我打赌德思礼家会乐意让我走的……特别是在我对玛姬姑妈做了那样的事以后……”
Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it. But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up. . . .
哈利高兴起来，便和罗恩、赫敏玩了几场游戏，等到推茶车的女巫来到的时候，他给自己买了大大的一份午饭。尽管里面没有巧克力。但是让他真正高兴起来的事发生在下午晚些时候……
“Harry,” said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. “What’s that thing outside your window?”
“哈利，”赫敏忽然向后看着说，“你窗子外面是什么东西啊?”
Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train’s slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry’s seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm’s way.
哈利转身向外面看。窗玻璃上方有个小小的灰色东西跳跃着忽隐忽现。他站起来想看得清楚些。那是只小猫头鹰，带着一封对它来说太大的信。这只猫头鹰实在太小了，因此它在空中不断地翻跟斗。在火车向后的气流中这边那边地撞着。哈利迅速拉下窗子，伸出手臂抓住了那猫头鹰，好像是抓住了一个蓬蓬松松的金色飞贼。这只猫头鹰让信落在哈利的座位上，然后开始在车厢里陡直上升，显然对于完成了任务十分得意。海德薇庄严地动动嘴，表示不高兴。克鲁克山在座位上坐起来，那双大大的黄眼睛跟着小猫头鹰转。罗恩注意到了这一点，一把抓住那小猫头鹰，不让它受到伤害。
Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, “It’s from Sirius!”
哈利拿起那封信。是写给他的。他撕开信，大叫起来：“是小天狼星写来的!”
“What?” said Ron and Hermione excitedly. “Read it aloud!”
“什么?”罗恩和赫敏兴奋地说，“大声读!”
Dear Harry,
亲爱的哈利：
I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don’t know whether they’re used to owl post.
我希望这封信在你到你姨妈姨父家以前就能收到。我不知道他们对猫头鹰送信是否习惯。
Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won’t tell you where, in case this falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about the owl’s reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.
我和巴克比克都躲起来了。我不告诉你躲在哪里，以防这封信错递到别人手中。我对于猫头鹰的可靠性有一点儿怀疑，但它是我所能找到的最好的邮差，而且它的确像是急于干这份差事。
I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven’t a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted.
我相信那些摄魂怪仍旧在找我。但是它们没有希望再找到我。我打算不久就让某些麻瓜看见我，在远离霍格沃茨的地方，这样，城堡的保安措施就可以撤消了。
There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —
在我们短暂的会见中，有一件事我一直没有机会告诉你。那就是送火弩箭给你的是我。
“Ha!” said Hermione triumphantly. “See! I told you it was from him!”
“哈!”赫敏胜利地说，“看!我告诉过你那是他送的!”
“Yes, but he hadn’t jinxed it, had he?” said Ron. “Ouch!”
“对，但是他没有在上面做手脚呀，是不是?”罗恩说，“哎哟!”
The tiny owl, now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.
那只小猫头鹰现在在他手上快乐地啼叫着，已经在他的一个手指上啄了一口，似乎认为这是一种爱抚的方式。
Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from Gringotts vault number seven hundred and eleven — my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays’ worth of presents from your godfather.
克鲁克山为我到邮局去订购了这只猫头鹰。我用了你的名字，但是告诉他们到古灵阁第711号我自己的金库去取钱。请把它看做你教父送给你的十三岁生日礼物。
I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle’s house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.
我想我让你受过惊。那是去年你离开你姨父家的那个晚上，我愿意为此道歉。我只是想在去北方以前看你一眼，不过我想当时你看见我吓得不轻。
I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.
信中附上一些东西给你，我想这可以让你明年在霍格沃茨过得更加愉快。
If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.
如果需要我，带信来。你的猫头鹰会找到我的。
I’ll write again soon.
不久我还会写信给你。
Sirius
小天狼星
Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he’d swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.
哈利在信封里急切地找着。信封里还有一张羊皮纸。他迅速地看了一遍，突然觉得浑身温暖，心中满足，好像一口气喝下了一瓶热的黄油啤酒。
I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter’s godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.
我，小天狼星·布莱克，哈利·波特的教父，特此同意他周末去霍格莫德村。
“That’ll be good enough for Dumbledore!” said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius’s letter. “Hang on, there’s a P.S. . . .”
“对邓布利多来说，这就够好的了!”哈利快乐地说。他又去看小天狼星的信。“等一等，还有附言呢……”
I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it’s my fault he no longer has a rat.
我想你的朋友罗恩也许会愿意养这只猫头鹰，因为由于我的过失。他失去了那只耗子。
Ron’s eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly.
罗恩的眼睛睁大了。那只小猫头鹰仍旧在兴奋地啼叫。
“Keep him?” he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry’s and Hermione’s great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.
“养它?”他没有把握地说。他仔细看那猫头鹰，看了一会儿，然后，让哈利和赫敏大为惊讶的是，他把它拿给克鲁克山去嗅。
“What d’you reckon?” Ron asked the cat. “Definitely an owl?” Crookshanks purred.
“你认为怎么样?”罗恩问那猫，“肯定是只猫头鹰吗?”克鲁克山满足地呜呜叫着。
“That’s good enough for me,” said Ron happily. “He’s mine.”
“这对我够好的了，”罗恩快乐地说，“它是我的了。”
Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King’s Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.
在回到国王十字车站的途中，哈利把小天狼星的信读了又读。他、罗恩和赫敏走下站台的时候，这封信仍旧紧握在他手里。哈利马上就看见了弗农姨父。弗农姨父站的地方离韦斯莱先生和韦斯莱太太相当远，还狐疑地打量着他们。韦斯莱太太拥抱哈利表示欢迎的时候，他对他们的猜疑似乎得到了证实。
“I’ll call about the World Cup!” Ron yelled after Harry as Harry bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig’s cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion.
“世界杯的事我会打电话的!”罗恩在哈利身后大叫，这时哈利正向他和赫敏道别。然后推着放箱子和海德薇笼子的行李车向弗农姨父走去，弗农姨父以惯常的方式迎接他。
“What’s that?” he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. “If it’s another form for me to sign, you’ve got another —”
“那是什么?”他咆哮道，瞪着哈利还捏在手里的信封。“如果那又是要我签名的表格，那你一定要……”
“It’s not,” said Harry cheerfully. “It’s a letter from my godfather.”
“不是表格，”哈利高兴地说，“是我教父写来的信。”
“Godfather?” spluttered Uncle Vernon. “You haven’t got a godfather!”
“教父?”弗农姨父唾沫星子飞溅地说，“你可没有什么教父!”
“Yes, I have,” said Harry brightly. “He was my mum and dad’s best friend. He’s a convicted murderer, but he’s broken out of Wizard prison and he’s on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though . . . keep up with my news . . . check if I’m happy. . . .”
“不，我有，”哈利欢快地说，“他是我妈和我爸最好的朋友。他是判了罪的谋杀犯，不过他逃出了魔法监狱，现在还在逃。他愿意和我保持联系，通过……一直了解我的情况……看看我是否快乐……”
And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon’s face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.
哈利看着弗农姨父一脸恐怖的表情笑得很开心，他走向车站出口，海德薇在他前面咔咔作响，一起去过一个看起来会比去年好得多的夏季。