按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Turn over your papers；' said Professor Marchbanks from the front of the Hall； flicking over the giant hour…glass。 'You may begin。'
Harry stared fixedly at the first question。 It was several seconds before it occurred to him that he had not taken in a word of it； there was a wasp buzzing distractingly against one of the high windows。 Slowly； tortuously； he at last began to write an answer。
He was finding it very difficult to remember names and kept confusing dates。 He simply skipped question four （In your opinion； did wand legislation contribute to； or lead to better control of； goblin riots of the eighteenth century？）； thinking that he would go back to it if he had time at the end。 He had a stab at question five （How was the Statute of Secrecy breached in I749 and what measures were introduced to prevent a recurrence？） but had a nagging suspicion that he had missed several important points； he had a feeling vampires had e into the story somewhere。
He looked ahead for a question he could definitely answer and his eyes alighted upon number ten： Describe the circumstances that led to the formation of the International Confederation of Wizards and explain why the warlocks of Liechtenstein refused to join。
I know this； Harry thought； though his brain felt torpid and slack。 He could visualise a heading； in Hermione's handwriting： The formation of the International Confederation of Wizards： he had read those notes only this morning。
He began to write； looking up now and again to check the large hour…glass on the desk beside Professor Marchbanks。 He was sitting right behind Parvati Patil； whose long dark hair fell below the back of her chair。 Once or twice he found himself staring at the tiny golden lights that glistened in it when she moved her head slightly； and had to give his own head a little shake to clear it。
： the first Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards was Pierre Bonaccord； but his appointment was contested by the wizarding munity of Liechtenstein； because …
All around Harry quills were scratching on parchment like scurrying； burrowing rats。 The sun was very hot on the back of his head。 What was it that Bonaccord had done to offend the wizards of Liechtenstein？ Harry had a feeling it had something to do with trolls： he gazed blankly at the back of Parvati's head again。 If he could only perform Legilimency and open a window in the back of her head and see what it was about trolls that had caused the breach between Pierre Bonaccord and Liechtenstein：
Harry closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands； so that the glowing red of his eyelids grew dark and cool。 Bonaccord had wanted to stop troll…hunting and give the trolls rights： but Liechtenstein was having problems with a tribe of particularly vicious mountain trolls： that was it。
He opened his eyes； they stung and watered at the sight of the blazing white parchment。 Slowly； he wrote two lines about the trolls； then read through what he had done so far。 It did not seem very informative or detailed； yet he was sure Hermione's notes on the Confederation had gone on for pages and pages。
He closed his eyes again； trying to see them； trying to remember： the Confederation had met for the first time in France； yes； he had written that already：
Goblins had tried to attend and been ousted： he had written that； too：
And nobody from Liechtenstein had wanted to e：
Think； he told himself； his face in his hands； while all around him quills scratched out never…ending answers and the sand trickled through the hour…glass at the front：
He was walking along the cool； dark corridor to the Department of Mysteries again； walking with a firm and purposeful tread； breaking occasionally into a run； determined to reach his destination at last： the black door swung open for him as usual； and here he was in the circular room with its many doors：
Straight across the stone floor and through the second door： patches of dancing light on the walls and floor and that odd mechanical clicking； but no time to explore； he must hurry：
He jogged the last few feet to the third door； which swung open just like the others：
Once again he was in the cathedral…sized room full of shelves and glass spheres： his heart was beating very fast now： he was going to get there this time： when he reached number ninety…seven he turned left and hurried along the aisle between two rows：
But there was a shape on the floor at the very end； a black shape moving on the floor like a wounded animal： Harry's stomach contracted with fear： with excitement：
A voice issued from his own mouth； a high； cold voice empty of any human kindness：
Take it for me： lift it down； now： I cannot touch it： but you can
The black shape on the floor shifted a little。 Harry saw a long…fingered white hand clutching a wand rise at the end of his own arm： heard the high； cold voice say 'Crucio！'
The man on the floor let out a scream of pain； attempted to stand but fell back； writhing。 Harry was laughing。 He raised his wand； the curse lifted and the figure groaned and became motionless。
'Lord Voldemort is waiting
Very slowly； his arms trembling； the man on the ground raised his shoulders a few inches and lifted his head。 His face was bloodstained and gaunt； twisted in pain yet rigid with defiance：
'You'll have to kill me；' whispered Sirius。
'Undoubtedly I shall in the end；' said the cold voice。 'But you will fetch it for me first； Black： you think you have felt pain thus far？ Think again： we have hours ahead of us and nobody to hear you scream：'
But somebody screamed as Voldemort lowered his wand again； somebody yelled and fell sideways off a hot desk on to the cold stone floor； Harry awoke as he hit the ground； still yelling； his scar on fire； as the Great Hall erupted all around him。
… CHAPTER THIRTY…TWO …
Out of the Fire
'I'm not going： I don't need the hospital wing： I don't want
He was gibbering as he tried to pull away from Professor Tofty； who was looking at Harry with much concern after helping him out into the Entrance Hall with the students all around them staring。
'I'm … I'm fine； sir；' Harry stammered； wiping the sweat from his face。 'Really： I just fell asleep： had a nightmare：〃
'Pressure of examinations！' said the old wizard sympathetically； patting Harry shakily on the shoulder。 'It happens； young man； it happens！ Now； a cooling drink of water； and perhaps you will be ready to return to the Great Hall？ The examination is nearly over； but you may be able to round off your last answer nicely？'
'Yes；' said Harry wildly。 'I mean： no： I've done … done as much as I can； I think：'
'Very well； very well；' said the old wizard gently。 'I shall go and collect your examination paper and I suggest that you go and have a nice lie down。'
I'll do that；' said Harry； nodding vigorously。 Thanks very much。'
The second that the old man's heels disappeared over the threshold into the Great Hall； Harry ran up the marble staircase； hurtled along the corridors so fast the portraits he passed muttered reproaches； up more flights of stairs； and finally burst like a hurricane through the double doors of the hospital wing； causing Madam Pomfrey … who had been spooning some bright blue liquid into Montague's open mouth … to shriek in alarm。
Potter； what do you think you're doing？'
'I need to see Professor McGonagall；' gasped Harry； the breath tearing his lungs。 'Now： it's urgent！'
'She's not here； Potter；' said Madam Pomfrey sadly。 'She was transferred to St Mungo's this morning。 Four Stunning Spells straight to the chest at her age？ It's a wonder they didn't kill her。'
'She's： gone？' said Harry； shocked。
The bell rang just outside the dormitory and he heard the usual distant rumbling of students starting to flood out into the corridors above and below him。 He remained quite still； looking at Madam Pomfrey。 Terror was rising inside him。
There was nobody left to tell。 Dumbledore had gone； Hagrid had gone； but he had always expected Prof