正文预览

第1章 神性与人性

Harry had had no idea where they were, but now he saw, by the stuttering light of a single candle, the grubby, sawdust bar of the Hog’s Head Inn. They ran behind the counter and through a second doorway, which led to a trickery wooden staircase, that they climbed as fast as they could. The stairs opened into a sitting room with a durable carpet and a small fireplace, above which hung a single large oil painting of a blonde girl who gazed out at the room with a kind of a vacant sweetness.

had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a

Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing.

Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, “Thought o’ jus’ letting Buckbeak go …tryin’ ter make him fly away…but how d'yeh explain ter a Hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An’ — an’ I'm scared o’ breakin’ the law…” He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. “I don’ ever want ter go back ter Azkaban.”

Harry looked back at the water. The surface of the lake was once more shining black glass: the ripples had vanished unnaturally fast; Harry's heart, however, was still pounding.

Harry threw him a dark look. He was quite sure that Ron’s support of Hermione had little to do with a desire to know the meaning of the triangular rune.

Harry sat in thought for a long time, or perhaps seconds. It was very hard to be sure of things like time, here.

have finished my tale: but hear me to the end.”

Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black…If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Harry's business… If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry's parents….