—        CHAPTER THREE —

第三章

The Advance Guard

高級保鏢

I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from llogwarts. I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here.

我剛剛被催狂魔襲擊了，而且也許會被開除出霍格華茲。我想瞭解接下來會怎麽樣以及什麽時候我將被趕出這裏。

Harry copied these words on to three separate pieces of parchment the moment he reached the desk in his dark bedroom. He addressed the first to Sirius, the second to Ron and the third to Hermione. His owl, Hedwig, was off hunting; her cage stood empty on the desk. Harry paced the bedroom waiting for her to come back, his head pounding, his brain too busy for sleep even though his eyes stung and itched with tiredness. His back ached from hauling Dudley home, and the two lumps on his head where the window and Dudley had hit him were throbbing painfully.

哈利一回到他漆黑臥室的書桌前就把上面這些話抄進了三張不同的羊皮紙。他把第一封信寄給了天狼星，第二封信寄給了榮恩，第三封信寄給了妙麗。哈利的貓頭鷹嘿美現在正在外面覓食，它桌上的籠子是空的。哈利在臥室裏踱來踱去等嘿美回來，他的頭像受到重擊一樣，儘管他的眼睛由於過度疲勞而刺痛發癢，可是他的腦子卻因爲過度亢奮而失眠。自從背著達力回家以來他的背就一直在疼痛，窗戶上撞的加上達力打的那一拳在哈利的頭上留下兩個腫塊，現在也是抽痛。

Up and down he paced, consumed with anger and frustration, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, casting angry looks out at the empty, star-strewn sky every time he passed the window. Dementors sent to get him, Mrs Figg and Mundungus Fletcher tailing him in secret, then suspension fromHogwarts and a hearing at the Ministry of Magic - and still no one was telling him what was going on.

哈利踱來踱去，帶著憤怒和挫敗感消磨時光，他磨著牙齒，並且牢牢的攥緊自己的拳頭。每次走到窗邊的時候他都用惱怒的目光看著外面空洞的，點綴著星光的夜空。催狂魔送到他的面前，費太太和蒙頓格斯.弗萊徹秘密跟蹤他，接著被從霍格華茲延期開除並被告知出席魔法部的聽證會——最糟的是直到現在都沒有人告訴他還會發生什麽。

And what, what, had that Howler been about? Whose voice had echoed so horribly, so menacingly, through the kitchen?

還有關於那個巫師咆哮彈的問題。誰的聲音在廚房裏回蕩的時候顯得如此恐怖，如此惡毒呢？

Why was he still trapped here without information? Why was everyone treating him like some naughty kid? Don't do any more magic, stay in the house…

爲什麽他依然留在這裏得不到任何消息呢？爲什麽每個人對待他的態度都像對待一個調皮的孩子呢？他只是被要求待在這所房子裏並且不得再使用任何魔法……

He kicked his school trunk as he passed it, but far from relieving his anger he felt worse, as he now had a sharp pain in his toe to deal with in addition to the pain in the rest of his body.

當哈利經過時他踢了學校的旅行箱一腳，可是這遠遠沒有發洩他的怒火，而只是讓他感覺更加的糟糕，就像現在這樣，他除了身體其他部分的疼痛之外他的腳趾也劇烈的疼痛起來。

Just as he limped past the window, Hedwig soared through it with a soft rustle of wings like a small ghost.

就再哈利再次一瘸一拐的經過窗戶的時候，嘿美像一隻小幽靈一樣拍著柔軟的沙沙作響的翅膀從窗戶飛了進來。

'About time!' Harry snarled, as she landed lightly on top of her cage. 'You can put that down, I've got work for you!'

『什麽時候了！』當嘿美站在籠子頂上的時候，哈利怒氣衝衝的說道，『把那東西放下來，我有工作要你做！』

Hedwig's large, round, amber eyes gazed at him reproachfully over the dead frog clamped in her beak.

嘿美的嘴裏叼著一隻死青蛙，用它那巨大滾圓，呈琥珀色的眼睛盯著哈利，眼中滿是責備。

'Come here,' said Harry, picking up the three small rolls of parchment and a leather thong and tying the scrolls to her scaly leg. Take these straight to Sirius, Ron and Hermione and don't come back here without good long replies. Keep pecking them till they've written decent-length answers if you've got to. Understand?'

『到這兒來，』哈利說道，他拿起那三張小羊皮紙和一根皮帶並將信卷好綁在嘿美的腳上。『把這些直接送給天狼星、榮恩和妙麗，而且沒得到足夠長度的回信就別回來。如果你到了的話就一直啄他們直到他們寫出相當長度的回應。明白了嗎？』

Hedwig gave a muffled hooting noise, her beak still full of frog.

嘿美發出不滿的聲音，她的嘴裏依然叼著那只青蛙。

'Get going, then,' said Harry.

『那麽出發吧，』哈利說道。

She took off immediately. The moment she'd gone, Harry threw himself down on his bed without undressing and stared at the dark ceiling. In addition to every other miserable feeling, he now felt guilty that he'd been irritable with Hedwig; she was the only friend he had at number four, Privet Drive. But he'd make it up to her when she came back with the answers from Sirius, Ron and Hermione.

她立即啓程出發了。就在嘿美飛走的那一刻，哈利倒在了床上，直勾勾的盯著漆黑一片的天花板。除了其他痛苦的感受以外，他現在又爲自己如此粗暴的對待嘿美而感到愧疚。嘿美是他在水蠟樹街四號裏唯一的朋友。哈利決定當嘿美帶著天狼星，榮恩和妙麗的回信返回的時候要好好彌補她。

They were bound to write back quickly; they couldn't possibly ignore a Dementor attack. He'd probably wake up tomorrow to three fat letters full of sympathy and plans for his immediate removal to The Burrow. And with that comforting idea, sleep rolled over him, stifling all further thought.

他們肯定會很快回信的：他們決不可能忽略催狂魔的襲擊。由於他對洞穴屋方面的快速反應，也許明天他醒來的時候，三個寫滿各種同情和計劃的鼓鼓囊囊的信封就會交到他的手裏。帶著這種令人安慰的想法，睡意席捲了哈利，所有進一步的想法都沈寂下去了。

But Hedwig didn't return next morning. Harry spent the day in his bedroom, leaving it only to go to the bathroom. Three times that day Aunt Petunia shoved food into his room through the cat-flap Uncle Vernon had installed three summers ago. Every time Harry heard her approaching he tried to question her about the Howler, but he might as well have interrogated the doorknob for all the answers he got. Otherwise, the Dursleys kept well clear of his bedroom. Harry couldn't see the point of forcing his company on them; another row would achieve nothing except perhaps make him so angry he'd perform more illegal magic.

但是嘿美第二天早晨並沒有回來，哈利一整天都待在臥室裏，只有去浴室才離開一下。這一天有三次佩妮姨媽將食物從維農姨丈三年前安裝的那個貓洞遞進來。每次哈利聽見姨媽接近的時候他都試圖詢問那個巫師咆哮彈的事情，但是每次都像是在向門把手諮詢一樣。除此之外，德思禮一家就讓他好好的待在臥室裏。哈利看不到和他們在一起會帶給他什麽力量，除了可能會使他更加憤怒而施展更多的非法魔法之外什麽也得不到。

So it went on for three whole days. Harry was alternately filled with restless energy that made him unable to settle to anything, during which time he paced his bedroom, furious at the whole lot of them for leaving him to stew in this mess; and with a lethargy so complete that he could lie on his bed for an hour at a time, staring dazedly into space, aching with dread at the thought of the Ministry hearing.

這樣的情況持續了三天。哈利渾身上下充滿了過剩的能量，這使的他沒有辦法解決任何事情，每次他在臥室裏踱步的時候他都會爲那些把他扔在這個髒亂悶熱的鬼地方的人感到極度憤怒，同時每隔一段時間他就會在床上躺一個小時，麻木的盯著空中，以一種恐懼的疼痛想著魔法部的聽證會。

What if they ruled against him? What if he was expelled and his wand was snapped in half? What would he do, where would he go? He could not return to living full-time with the Dursleys, not now he knew the other world, the one to which he really belonged. Might he be able to move into Siriuss house, as Sirius had suggested a year ago, before he had been forced to flee from the Ministry? Would Harry be allowed to live there alone, given that he was still underage? Or would the matter of where he went next be decided for him? Had his breach of the International Statute of Secrecy been severe enough to land him in a cell in Azkaban? Whenever this thought occurred, Harry invariably slid off his bed and began pacing again.

如果他們的裁定對他不利怎麽辦？如果他被開除並且魔杖被折成兩段怎麽辦？他能做什麽呢？他能去哪裡呢？他無法回到每天和德思禮一家生活在一起的日子，現在的他不像過去，他知道了另一個他真正歸屬的世界。也許他可以搬進天狼星的房子去住，就像一年以前天狼星被迫從魔法部逃跑之前建議的那樣？可是哈利還未成年，他能否獲准一個人生活在哪裡呢？或者他將要前往的地方接下來就要決定他的去向呢？也可能他違反國際巫術保密條例的行爲已經足夠嚴重，從而使他夠資格在阿茲卡班得到一個房間呢？無論何時出現這些想法，哈利總是從床上滑下來並再次在臥室裏踱步。

On the fourth night after Hedwig's departure Harry was lying in one of his apathetic phases, staring at the ceiling, his exhausted mind quite blank, when his uncle entered his bedroom. Harry looked slowly around at him. Uncle Vernon was wearing his best suit and an expression of enormous smugness.

到了嘿美出發的第四夜，當維農姨丈進入臥室的時候，哈利正處於他最無動於衷的某個階段，眼睛盯著天花板，極度疲勞的大腦一片空白。哈利緩慢的看著他。維農姨丈穿著他最好的衣服，臉上帶著一種極度裝模做樣的表情。

'We're going out,' he said.

『我們正準備出去？』

'Sorry?'

『抱歉？』

'We - that is to say, your aunt, Dudley and I - are going out.'

『我們——這麽說吧，你的姨媽、達力和我——正準備出門。』

'Fine,' said Harry dully, looking back at the ceiling.

『很好，』哈利遲鈍的說著，眼睛又回到天花板。

'You are not to leave your bedroom while we are away.'

『當我們外出的時候你不准離開臥室。』

'OK.'

『沒問題。』

'You are not to touch the television, the stereo, or any of our possessions.'

『你不准碰電視，身歷聲音響以及任何屬於我們的財産。』

'Right.'

『可以。』

'You are not to steal food from the fridge.'

『你不准從冰箱裏偷食物。』

'OK.'

『行。』

'I am going to lock your door.'

『我將把你的門鎖上。』

'You do that.'

『你就這麽做吧。』

Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, clearly suspicious of this lack of argument, then stomped out of the room and closed the door behind him. Harry heard the key turn in the lock and Uncle Vernon's footsteps walking heavily down the stairs. A few minutes later he heard the slamming of car doors, the rumble of an engine, and the unmistakeable sound of the car sweeping out of the drive.

維農姨丈盯著哈利，明顯對這種缺乏爭吵的狀況感到懷疑，然後他重重的走出了房間，並關上了他身後的門。哈利聽見了鑰匙在鎖孔裏轉動的聲音，以及維農姨丈下樓的沈重腳步聲。幾分鐘之後，他聽見了車庫門打開的聲音，和發動機的轟鳴聲，最後是千真萬確的汽車駛上馬路的聲音。

Harry had no particular feeling about the Dursleys leaving. It made no difference to him whether they were in the house or not. He could not even summon the energy to get up and turn on his bedroom light. The room grew steadily darker around him as he lay listening to the night sounds through the window he kept open all the time, waiting for the blessed moment when Hedwig returned. The empty house creaked around him. The pipes gurgled. Harry lay there in a kind of stupor, thinking of nothing, suspended in misery.

關於德思禮一家的離開哈利沒有任何特別的感覺。對他來說他們是否在家沒有任何區別。他甚至沒有振作精神爬起來打開臥室的燈。當哈利透過從來不關的窗戶躺在床上傾聽夜晚的聲音的時候，他周圍的房間變得更加黑暗了，他現在只是等著某個被祝福的時刻嘿美能夠回來。空蕩蕩的房子在哈利的身邊吱吱作響。管道發出汩汩的流水聲。哈利帶著一種半昏迷的，不想任何事情的，暫時忘卻痛苦的精神狀態躺在床上。

Then, quite distinctly, he heard a crash in the kitchen below. He sat bolt upright, listening intently. The Dursleys couldn't be back, it was much too soon, and in any case he hadn't heard their car.

接著，很清楚的，他聽到下面的廚房裏傳來一聲撞擊聲。他直挺挺的坐起來，仔細傾聽。德思禮一家不可能回來，時間太短，而且無論如何他都會聽見他們汽車的聲音。

There was silence for a few seconds, then voices. Burglars, he thought, sliding off the bed on to his feet - but a split second later it occurred to him that burglars would keep their voices down, and whoever was moving around in the kitchen was certainly not troubling to do so.

下面安靜了幾秒鐘，然後響起了說話聲。他的想法是來了夜賊，他的腳從床上滑下來——但是第二個瞬間他意識到夜賊會降低他們的聲音，並且無論是誰在廚房裏移動都肯定不會這麽做以給自己惹上麻煩。

He snatched up his wand from the bedside table and stood facing his bedroom door, listening with all his might. Next moment, he jumped as the lock gave a loud click and his door swung open. Harry stood motionless, staring through the open doorway at the dark upstairs landing, straining his ears for further sounds, but none came. He hesitated for a moment, then moved swiftly and silently out of his room to the head of the stairs.

哈利從床邊的桌子上抓起了自己的魔杖並面隊臥室的門站好，盡其所能傾聽著外面的動靜。下一刻，伴隨著鎖發出一聲響亮的卡嗒聲他的臥室門開了，哈利跳了起來。哈利靜止不動的站著，通過打開的門洞盯著黑暗的上樓的樓梯平臺，豎起耳朵以便聽見更多的聲音，但是沒人上來。他猶豫了一下，然後快速的移動並安靜的走出了房間，來到了樓梯的最上端。

His heart shot upwards into his throat. There were people standing in the shadowy hall below, silhouetted against the streetlight glowing through the glass door; eight or nine of them, all, as far as he could see, looking up at him.

他的心一下子提到了嗓子眼。有人站在樓下客廳的陰影裏，從毛玻璃透過來的街燈的光照出了他們的側面輪廓，就他能夠盡力看見的而言大約有八到九個人，正在擡頭看著他。

'Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out,' said a low, growling voice.

『在你把某人的眼睛打爆之前，放低你的魔杖，』一個低沈的聲音咆哮道。

Harry's heart was thumping uncontrollably. He knew that voice, but he did not lower his wand.

哈利從床邊的桌子上抓起了自己的魔杖並面隊臥室的門站好，盡其所能傾聽哈利的心臟不受控制的狂跳。他認得這個聲音，但是他並沒有放低自己的魔杖。

'Professor Moody?' he said uncertainly.

『是穆敵教授嗎？』他不確定的問道。

'I don't know so much about "Professor",' growled the voice, 'never got round to much teaching, did I? Get down here, we want to see you properly.'

『我可不知道什麽教授，』這個聲音回答道，『我從來就沒有教過你們什麽東西，是嗎？下來，到這裏來，我們要見你。』

Harry lowered his wand slightly but did not relax his grip on it, nor did he move. He had very good reason to be suspicious. He had recently spent nine months in what he had thought was Mad-Eye Moody's company only to find out that it wasn't Moody at all, but an impostor; an impostor, moreover, who had tried to kill Harry before being unmasked. But before he could make a decision about what to do next, a second, slightly hoarse voice floated upstairs.

哈利稍稍放低了魔杖，但是毫不放鬆的抓著它，同時也沒有移動腳步。他完全有充足的理由懷疑。他在最近九個月裏認爲是瘋眼穆敵的傢夥卻被發現完全不是穆敵，而是一個冒名頂替者，一個冒名頂替者，而且更糟糕的是，在他被揭穿之前他還試圖殺死哈利。但是在哈利決定下一步行動之前，另一個稍稍沙啞的聲音傳到了樓上。

'It's all right, Harry. We've come to take you away.'

『沒事了，哈利。我們來帶你走。』

Harry's heart leapt. He knew that voice, too, though he hadn't heard it for over a year.

哈利的心臟急速的跳動著。他同樣認的這個聲音，儘管他已經有一年多沒有聽到這個聲音了。

'P-Professor Lupin?' he said disbelievingly. 'Is that you?'

『路——路平教授？』他難以置信的問道，『是你嗎？』

'Why are we all standing in the dark?' said a third voice, this one completely unfamiliar, a woman's. 'Lumos.'

『我們爲什麽要站在黑暗裏？』第三個聲音說道，這個聲音是完全陌生的，是個女人，『路摸思。』

A wand-tip flared, illuminating the hall with magical light. Harry blinked. The people below were crowded around the foot of the stairs, gazing up at him intently, some craning their heads for a better look.

一根魔杖發出了閃光，魔法的光亮照亮了整個客廳。哈利眨了眨眼睛。下面的人都擠在樓梯腳上，專心的盯著哈利，有些人甚至像蘇格蘭鯡魚一樣仰起頭以便看的更清楚。

Remus Lupin stood nearest to him. Though still quite young, Lupin looked tired and rather ill; he had more grey hairs than when Harry had last said goodbye to him and his robes were more patched and shabbier than ever. Nevertheless, he was smiling broadly at Harry, who tried to smile back despite his state of shock.

雷木思•路平站的離哈利最近。儘管仍然十分年輕，可路平看上去十分疲倦，一臉病容：他的頭髮比哈利一年前與他道別時看來更加的灰白，而且他的長袍與過去相比也更加的破舊不堪。然而，他卻正在對著哈利露骨的微笑，而後者震驚之餘也盡力以微笑回應。

'Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would,' said the witch who was holding her lit wand aloft. She looked the youngest there; she had a pale heart-shaped face, dark twinkling eyes, and short spiky hair that was a violent shade of violet. 'Wotcher, Harry!'

『哦呵，他看上去就像我想像的那個樣子，』說話的女巫拿著她那根在高處發光的魔杖。她看上去是這群人裏面最年輕的一個：她有著一張蒼白的臉，眼睛烏黑閃亮，短而尖的頭髮是紫色的，呈現出一種狂暴的陰影。『沃切，哈利！』

'Yeah, I see what you mean, Remus,' said a bald black wizard standing furthest back - he had a deep, slow voice and wore a single gold hoop in his ear - 'he looks exactly like James.'

『是的，我知道你的意思，雷木思，』說話的是個禿頂的黑人巫師，他站在後面最遠的地方——他有著深沈緩慢的聲音，並且在他的耳朵上帶著一隻金環——『他看起來像極了詹姆。』

'Except the eyes,' said a wheezy-voiced, silver-haired wizard at the back. 'Lily's eyes.'

『除了眼睛，』說話的是站在後面的一個氣喘吁吁，滿頭白髮的老巫師，『那是莉莉的眼睛。』

Mad-Eye Moody, who had long grizzled grey hair and a large chunk missing from his nose, was squinting suspiciously at Harry through his mismatched eyes. One eye was small, dark and beady, the other large, round and electric blue - the magical eye that could see through walls, doors and the back of Moody's own head. 'Are you quite sure it's him, Lupin?' he growled. 'It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?'

瘋眼穆敵，就是那個有著長而灰白頭髮，鼻子缺掉一大塊的老頭，正在通過他那對毫不相配的眼睛懷疑的打量著哈利。他的一隻眼睛很小，黑色，向珠子一樣，而另一隻眼睛巨大，滾圓並且是鐵藍色的——這只瘋眼能夠穿透牆壁，門以及穆敵自己的後腦看見東西。『你十分確定是他嗎，路平？』他低吼道，『如果我們帶回去的是某個該死的模仿者那就好看了。我們應當問他一些只有真正的波特才知道的問題。否則除非誰帶了威瑞塔斯拉姆（一種測謊的魔法藥劑）藥劑。』

'Harry, what form does your Patronus take?' Lupin asked. 'A stag,' said Harry nervously. That's him, Mad-Eye,' said Lupin.

『哈利，你的護法現身魔法是什麽形狀的？』路平問道，『一隻雄鹿。』哈利緊張不安的說道。『就是他，瘋眼。』路平回答說。

Very conscious of everybody still staring at him, Harry descended the stairs, stowing his wand in the back pocket of his jeans as he came.

每個人都仍然十分好奇的盯著他，哈利走下樓梯，當他走上前的時候將魔杖收進了牛仔褲背後的口袋裏。

'Don't put your wand there, boy!' roared Moody. 'What if it ignited? Better wizards than you have lost buttocks, you know!'

『不要把魔杖放在那裏，孩子！』穆敵吼道，『如果它點著了怎麽辦？比你優秀的巫師都會燒到臀部，你知道的！』

'Who d'you know who's lost a buttock?' the violet-haired woman asked Mad-Eye interestedly.

『你知道有誰燒掉了臀部嗎？』那個紫色頭髮的女巫十分感興趣的問瘋眼穆敵。

'Never you mind, you just keep your wand out of your back pocket!' growled Mad-Eye. 'Elementary wand-safety, nobody bothers about it any more.' He stumped off towards the kitchen. 'And I saw that,' he added irritably, as the woman rolled her eyes towards the ceiling.

『這不關你的事，你只要把你的魔杖從屁股口袋裏拿出來！』穆敵吼道，『這是基本的魔杖安全措施，沒有人會嫌它麻煩的。』可是他在通往廚房的路上絆倒了。『我看見了，』當穆敵看見那個女巫把眼睛翻向天花板時他氣急敗壞的加了一句。

Lupin held out his hand and shook Harry's. 'How are you?' he asked, looking closely at Harry. T-fine…'

路平伸出他的手搖晃著哈利的手。『你怎麽樣？』他在很近的地方看著哈利並問道。『我很好。』哈利說。

Harry could hardly believe this was real. Four weeks with nothing, not the tiniest hint of a plan to remove him from Privet Drive, and suddenly a whole bunch of wizards was standing matter-of-factly in the house as though this was a long-standing arrangement. He glanced at the people surrounding Lupin; they were still gazing avidly at him. He felt very conscious of the fact that he had not combed his hair for four days.

哈利幾乎不能相信這是真的。四個星期音信全無，沒有半點迹像暗示有將他帶離水蠟樹街的計劃，而突然一大群巫師見怪不怪的站在這所房子裏，仿佛這是一個早就擬訂的計劃。他掃了一眼圍著路平教授的這些人，他們仍然熱切的盯著他。他對自己四天沒有梳頭這一事實感到極爲害羞。

'I'm - you're really lucky the Dursleys are out…' he mumbled.

『我說——你們真的十分幸運，因爲德思禮一家都出去了。』他含糊不清的說道。

'Lucky, ha!' said the violet-haired woman. 'It was me who lured them out of the way. Sent a letter by Muggle post telling them they'd been short-listed for the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition. They're heading off to the prize-giving right now… or they think they are.'

『幸運，哈！』那個紫色頭髮的女巫說道，『是我用一種方式把他們引誘出去的。我通過麻瓜的郵局送了一封信給他們，告訴他們已經被提名參加全英格蘭最平整郊區草坪競賽。他們一聽說提供獎金就馬上出發了，或者他們認爲他們就是冠軍。』

Harry had a fleeting vision of Uncle Vernon's face when he realised there was no All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition.

哈利短暫想像了一下當維農姨丈得知根本就沒有什麽全英格蘭最平整郊區草坪競賽時他的臉色會是什麽樣子。

'We are leaving, aren't we?' he asked. 'Soon?'

『我們就要離開，是嗎？』哈利問道，『很快嗎？』

Almost at once,' said Lupin, 'we're just waiting for the all-clear.'

『幾乎是馬上，』路平教授回答說，『我們只是在等待一切清理乾淨。』

'Where are we going? The Burrow?' Harry asked hopefully.

『我們要去哪裡呢？是洞穴屋嗎。』哈利滿懷希望的問道。

'Not The Burrow, no,' said Lupin, motioning Harry towards the kitchen; the little knot of wizards followed, all still eyeing Harry curiously. Too risky. We've set up Headquarters somewhere un-detectable. It's taken a while…'

『不，不是洞穴屋，』路平一邊說話一邊帶著哈利往廚房走去，那一小隊巫師在後面跟著，還在好奇的盯著哈利，『那太冒險。我們要前往某處無法偵測的指揮部。那需要一點時間。』

Mad-Eye Moody was now sitting at the kitchen table swigging from a hip flask, his magical eye spinning in all directions, taking in the Dursleys' many labour-saving appliances.

瘋眼穆敵現在正坐在廚房的桌子上痛飲一隻小水瓶裏的飲料，他的瘋眼向各個方向旋轉，仔細打量著德思禮一家苦心搜集的各種用具。

'This is Alastor Moody, Harry' Lupin continued, pointing towards Moody.

『這是穆敵，哈利，』路平指著穆敵繼續說道。

'Yeah, I know,' said Harry uncomfortably. It felt odd to be intro-duced to somebody he'd thought he'd known for a year.

『是的，我知道，』哈利很不舒服的回答說。被介紹給一個他本來以爲已經認識一年的人這種感覺相當古怪。

'And this is Nymphadora -'

『而這位是尼姆菲朵拉——』

'Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus,' said the young witch with a shudder, 'it's Tonks.'

『別叫我尼姆菲朵拉，雷木思，』這個年輕的女巫抖了一下，『我叫唐克絲。』

'Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only,' finished Lupin.

『尼姆菲朵拉•唐克絲，只喜歡別人知道她姓氏的傢夥，』路平作了結尾。

'So would you if your fool of a mother had called you Nymphadora,' muttered Tonks.

『如果你愚蠢的媽媽給你取名叫尼姆菲朵拉你會怎麽做啊，』唐克絲小聲抱怨著。

'And this is Kingsley Shacklebolt.' He indicated the tall black wizard, who bowed. 'Elphias Doge.' The wheezy-voiced wizard nodded. 'Dedalus Diggle -'

『這位是肯斯雷•沙克雷波爾特，』路平指著那個高個子的黑人巫師介紹道，而後者則鞠了一躬，『埃爾菲阿斯•道格，』那個氣喘吁吁的老巫師點點頭。『這位是德大流士•狄格爾——』

'We've met before,' squeaked the excitable Diggle, dropping his violet-coloured top hat.

『我們以前曾經見過面的，』興奮的狄格爾大聲叫道，並同時摘下了他的紫色的高帽子。

'Emmeline Vance.' A stately-looking witch in an emerald green shawl inclined her head. 'Sturgis Podmore.' A square-jawed wizard with thick straw-coloured hair winked. 'And Hestia Jones.' A pink-cheeked, black-haired witch waved from next to the toaster.

『埃米蘭•萬斯。』這是一個披著祖母綠圍巾的看上去很莊重的女巫，她點了一下頭。『斯特吉斯•波德默。』一個有著麥杆色頭髮，方下巴的男巫眨了一下眼睛。『接下來是赫斯塔•瓊斯。』一個粉紅臉頰，黑色頭髮的女巫從穆敵旁邊走出來。

Harry inclined his head awkwardly at each of them as they were introduced. He wished they would look at something other than him; it was as though he had suddenly been ushered on-stage. He also wondered why so many of them were there.

在介紹每個人的時候哈利都笨拙的對他們點點頭。他希望這些傢夥能看點別的東西而不是一直盯著他，仿佛他突然變成了舞臺上的小丑一樣。他同時也很奇怪爲什麽有這麽多人會在這裏。

'A surprising number of people volunteered to come and get you,' said Lupin, as though he had read Harry's mind; the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

『數量驚人的巫師志願前來接你，』路平仿佛能夠讀懂哈利的想法，他的嘴角微微抽動了一下。

'Yeah, well, the more the better,' said Moody darkly. 'We're your guard, Potter.'

『是的，很好，但還會更好，』穆敵在黑暗中說道。『我們是你的保鏢，波特。』

'We're just waiting for the signal to tell us it's safe to set off,' said Lupin, glancing out of the kitchen window. 'We've got about fifteen minutes.'

『我們現在僅僅是要等一個信號告訴我們可以安全離開，』路平接著說道並飛快的向外掃了一眼廚房窗戶，『我們大約需要15分鐘才能到達那裏。』

'Very clean, aren't they, these Muggles?' said the witch called Tonks, who was looking around the kitchen with great interest. 'My dad's Muggle-born and he's a right old slob. I suppose it varies, just as it does with wizards?'

『這些麻瓜十分乾淨，不是嗎？』說話的女巫叫唐克絲，她正以十分好奇的目光四處打量著這間廚房。『我的父親是麻瓜血統，不過他是個十足的懶鬼。我想那是不同的，也許巫師天生不會幹這些。』

'Er - yeah,' said Harry. 'Look -' he turned back to Lupin, 'what's going on, I haven't heard anything from anyone, what's Vol—?'

『恩——是的，』哈利說道，『你看——』他背對著路平，『接下來是什麽，我沒有從任何人那裏聽到任何消息，佛地魔怎麽樣了？』

Several of the witches and wizards made odd hissing noises; Dedalus Diggle dropped his hat again and Moody growled, 'Shut up!'

幾個巫師和巫婆發出了古怪的嘶嘶的噪音，德大流士.狄格爾再次脫下了自己的帽子，而穆敵吼道『閉嘴！』

'What?' said Harry.

『什麽？』哈利問道。

'We're not discussing anything here, it's too risky,' said Moody, turning his normal eye on Harry. His magical eye remained focused on the ceiling. 'Damn it,' he added angrily, putting a hand up to the magical eye, 'it keeps getting stuck - ever since that scum wore it.'

『我們在這裏不能討論任何事情，太危險了，』穆敵將他那只正常的眼睛轉向哈利並說道。他的瘋眼仍然聚焦在天花板上，『詛咒它，』他把一隻手放在瘋眼上憤怒的補充道，『自從那個雜碎帶過它之後——它就變的難以接受。』

And with a nasty squelching sound much like a plunger being pulled from a sink, he popped out his eye.

然後隨著一聲類似潛水員被人從水池中拖出來時發出的令人厭惡的聲音，他把瘋眼掏了出來。

'Mad-Eye, you do know that's disgusting, don't you?' said Tonks conversationally.

『瘋眼，你知不知道那是令人討厭的，』唐克絲極度不滿的抗議道。

'Get me a glass of water, would you, Harry,' requested Moody.

『給我一杯水好嗎，哈利，』穆敵請求道。

Harry crossed to the dishwasher, took out a clean glass and filled it with water at the sink, still watched eagerly by the band of wizards. Their relentless staring was starting to annoy him.

哈利穿過洗碗機，拿出一隻乾淨的杯子並到水池灌滿水，那群巫師們依然在熱切的看著他。他們無情的凝視已經開始困擾著哈利了。

'Cheers,' said Moody, when Harry handed him the glass. He dropped the magical eyeball into the water and prodded it up and down; the eye whizzed around, staring at them all in turn. 'I want three hundred and sixty degrees visibility on the return journey.'

『棒極了，』當哈利把杯子遞給穆敵的時候他說道。穆敵將瘋眼浸在水裏，並且把它按的一沈一浮，這只瘋眼飛快的旋轉，從各個角度盯著他們。『在回去的路上我需要三百六十度的視野。』

'How're we getting - wherever we're going?' Harry asked.

『我們怎樣回去——還有我們要去哪裡？』哈利問道。

'Brooms,' said Lupin. 'Only way. You're too young to Apparate, they'll be watching the Floo Network and it's more than our life's worth to set up an unauthorised Portkey.'

『乘坐掃帚，』路平說道，『這是唯一的途徑。你還太年輕不會瞬間移動，而他們又在監視著壁爐網路，同時設置一個手動的港口鑰對我們而言毫無意義。』

'Remus says you're a good flier,' said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep voice.

『雷木思說你是個優秀的魁地奇選手，』肯斯雷•沙克雷波爾特用他那低沈的嗓門說道。

'He's excellent,' said Lupin, who was checking his watch. 'Anyway, you'd better go and get packed, Harry, we want to be ready to go when the signal comes.'

『他是最棒的，』路平一邊檢查著他的手錶一邊說道，『不管怎麽說，你最好上去打包，哈利，等信號一來我們就得準備離開。』

'I'll come and help you,' said Tonks brightly.

『我來幫你，』唐克絲輕快的說。

She followed Harry back into the hall and up the stairs, looking around with much curiosity and interest.

她跟著哈利返回客廳並上了樓，一路上充滿好奇與興趣的四處張望。

'Funny place,' she said. 'It's a bit too clean, d'you know what 1 mean? Bit unnatural. Oh, this is better,' she added, as they entered Harry's bedroom and he turned on the light.

『有趣的地方，』她說道，『就是有點太乾淨了。你知道我的意思嗎？有點不太自然。哦，這樣更好，』當他們進入哈利的臥室並打開燈時她補充道。

His room was certainly much messier than the rest of the house. Confined to it for four days in a very bad mood, Harry had not bothered tidying up after himself. Most of the books he owned were strewn over the floor where he'd tried to distract himself with each in turn and thrown it aside; Hedwig's cage needed cleaning out and was starting to smell; and his trunk lay open, revealing a jumbled mixture of Muggle clothes and wizards' robes that had spilled on to the floor around it.

哈利的房間肯定要比其他的房間淩亂的多。四天以來他一直陷入一種非常糟糕的情緒當中，並把自己關在這間房間裏面。哈利在時候不辭辛苦的把這裏收拾整齊。他所擁有的絕大多數的書都雜亂的堆在地板上，他自己翻閱之後就隨手扔到一邊。嘿美的籠子也需要徹底清潔，現在已經開始散發氣味了。他的旅行箱敞開著躺在一邊，麻瓜的衣服和巫師的長袍亂七八糟的混在一起，而且地板上也到處都是。

Harry started picking up books and throwing them hastily into his trunk. Tonks paused at his open wardrobe to look critically at her reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door.

哈利開始把書揀起來並匆忙的塞進箱子裏。唐克絲則停在他的打開的衣櫃前面，並且從鑲在裏面的玻璃中挑剔的看著自己的影像。

'You know, I don't think violet's really my colour,' she said pen-sivey, tugging at a lock of spiky hair. 'D'you think it makes me look a bit peaky?'

『你知道的，我並不認爲紫色真正適合我，』她猶豫不決的說道，一邊試圖把她又長又尖的頭髮綁起來。『你認爲它是否讓我看上去有一點惹眼呢？』

'Er -' said Harry, looking up at her over the top of Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland.

『恩——』哈利邊說邊越過不列顛和愛爾蘭魁地奇國家隊的海報看著她。

'Yeah, it does,' said Tonks decisively. She screwed up her eyes in a strained expression as though she was struggling to remember something. A second later, her hair had turned bubble-gum pink.

『是的，就是這樣，』唐克絲下了結論。她以一種緊張的表情閉上了眼睛仿佛正在努力回憶某樣東西。一秒鐘之後，她的頭髮變成了口香糖一樣的粉紅色。

'How did you do that?' said Harry, gaping at her as she opened her eyes again.

『你是怎麽辦到的？』當唐克絲重新睜開眼睛的時候哈利驚奇的問道。

'I'm a Metamorphmagus,' she said, looking back at her reflec-tion and turning her head so that she could see her hair from all directions. 'It means I can change my appearance at will,' she added, spotting Harrys puzzled expression in the mirror behind her. 'I was born one. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during Auror training without any study at all, it was great.'

『我是一個變形者，』她從鏡子裏看著自己的影像，並且把頭轉來轉去，這樣她就能夠從各個方向看見自己的頭髮。『這就意味著我可以隨心所欲的改變自己的外貌，』她從鏡子裏看到了哈利迷惑的表情之後補充道，『我是天生的那一種。在正氣師接受訓練期間我的僞裝專案得了最高分，可我完全沒有學過，這是最棒的。』

'You're an Auror?' said Harry, impressed. Being a Dark-wizard-catcher was the only career he'd ever considered after Hogwarts.

『你是正氣師的成員嗎？』哈利對此印像深刻。從霍格華茲畢業之後成爲一個正氣師是哈利曾經考慮過的唯一職業。

'Yeah,' said Tonks, looking proud. 'Kingsley is as well, he's a bit higher up than me, though. I only qualified a year ago. Nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking. I'm dead clumsy, did you hear me break that plate when we arrived downstairs?'

『是的，』唐克絲看起來很自豪，『肯斯雷也是，儘管他的魔力比我高一點。我是一年前才獲准加入的。但是我在秘密行動和追蹤方面完全失敗。我笨的要死，你聽見我們到達樓下的時候我打碎碟子的聲音嗎？』

'Can you learn how to be a Metamorphmagus?' Harry asked her, straightening up, completely forgetting about packing.

『你知道怎樣成爲一個變形者嗎？』哈利直視著唐克絲，完全忘記了收拾東西。

Tonks chuckled.

唐克絲吃吃的笑了。

'Bet you wouldn't mind hiding that scar sometimes, eh?'

『我敢打賭你有時候不會介意隱藏那道傷疤的，對嗎？』

Her eyes found the lightning-shaped scar on Harrys forehead.

她的眼睛發現了哈利前額上的那道閃電形狀的傷疤。

'No, I wouldn't mind,' Harry mumbled, turning away. He did not like people staring at his scar.

『不，我不介意，』哈利嘟嚕道，他轉身走開了。他不喜歡別人盯著他的傷疤。

'Well, you'll have to learn the hard way, I'm afraid,' said Tonks. 'Metamorphmagi are really rare, they're born, not made. Most wizards need to use a wand, or potions, to change their appearance. But we've got to get going, Harry, we're supposed to be packing,' she added guiltily, looking around at all the mess on the floor.

『好吧，我恐怕你得艱苦學習才行，』唐克絲說道，『變形者真的是非常稀少，他們都是天生的，而不是人爲的。絕大多數的巫師都要依靠魔杖或者藥劑才能改變其外形。但是我們想變就變。哈利，我想我們現在的任務是打包，』她看著周圍淩亂的地板心虛的加上一句。

'Oh — yeah,' said Harry, grabbing a few more books.

『哦，是的，』哈利又抓起幾本書塞進箱子裏。

'Don't be stupid, it'll be much quicker if I - pack!' cried Tonks, waving her wand in a long, sweeping movement over the floor.

『別犯傻了，打包的事情由我來做會快的多！』唐克絲叫起來，同時她的魔杖在地板上做了一個波浪形的長長的掃除動作。

Books, clothes, telescope and scales all soared into the air and flew pell-mell into the trunk.

書、衣服、望遠鏡以及幾乎所有的東西都飛到了半空中，並且一股腦的飛進了旅行箱裏。

'It's not very neat,' said Tonks, walking over to the trunk and looking down at the jumble inside. 'My mums got this knack of getting stuff to fit itself in neatly - she even gets the socks to fold themselves - but I've never mastered how she does it - it's a kind of flick -' She flicked her wand hopefully.

『好像不是很整潔，』唐克絲走到旅行箱上方看著裏面混亂的局面說道，『我的媽媽掌握了這個咒語的訣竅，她能夠讓物品整齊的落在合適的位置裏——她甚至能夠讓短襪自己折疊——但是我從來就沒有掌握她是怎麽做的——那是一種快速輕打的動作——』唐克絲充滿希望的快速輕打她的魔杖。

One of Harry's socks gave a feeble sort of wiggle and flopped back on top of the mess in the trunk.

哈利的一隻短襪做了一個虛弱無力的搖擺動作，然後噗的一聲又落回到混亂的箱子頂端。

'Ah, well,' said Tonks, slamming the trunk's lid shut, 'at least it's all in. That could do with a bit of cleaning, too.' She pointed her wand at Hedwig's cage. 'Scourgify.' A few feathers and droppings vanished. 'Well, that's a bit better - I've never quite got the hang of these householdy sort of spells. Right - got everything? Cauldron? Broom? Wow! - A FireboltT

『哈，很好，』唐克絲砰的一聲箱子蓋關上了，『至少它們都裝進去了。那個也需要做一點清潔。』她將魔杖指向嘿美的籠子。『斯科吉菲（咒語）。』幾根羽毛和鳥糞消失了。『好的。這次做的更好——我從未花精力去記憶那些討厭的家政咒語。好——所有東西都帶上了嗎？氣鍋？掃帚？哇！那是一根霹靂系列的掃帚——』

Her eyes widened as they fell on the broomstick in Harry's right hand It was his pride and joy, a gift from Sirius, an international-standard broomstick.

當他們坐在哈利右手拿著的掃帚上時，唐克絲的眼睛張大了。那是哈利的驕傲與快樂，一件來自天狼星的禮物，這是一把國際標準的魁地奇比賽用掃帚。

'And I'm still riding a Comet Two Sixty' said Tonks enviously. 'Ah well… wand still in your jeans? Both buttocks still on? OK, let's go. Locomotor trunk.'

『我現在還在乘坐彗星260，』唐克絲羡慕的說道，『接下來，魔杖還在你的牛仔褲裏嗎？我們的屁股都安然無恙嗎？好的，我們走。運動皮箱。』

Harry's trunk rose a few inches into the air. Holding her wand like a conductor's baton, Tonks made the trunk hover across the room and out of the door ahead of them, Hedwig's cage in her left hand. Harry followed her down the stairs carrying his broomstick.

哈利的旅行箱漂浮在空中幾英寸的地方。唐克絲的魔杖就像是樂隊指揮的指揮棒，唐克絲讓旅行箱盤旋著穿過房間並在他們的前面出門，嘿美的籠子抓在她的左手。哈利手中攥著他的掃帚跟在唐克絲後面下樓了。

Back in the kitchen Moody had replaced his eye, which was spinning so fast after its cleaning it made Harry feel sick to look at it. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Sturgis Podmore were examining the microwave and Hestia Jones was laughing at a potato peeler she had come across while rummaging in the drawers. Lupin was sealing a letter addressed to the Dursleys.

回到廚房時穆敵已經將他的眼睛裝了回去，瘋眼在清潔之後旋轉的如此之快以至於哈利看著它的時候感到一陣噁心。肯斯雷•沙克雷波爾特和斯特吉斯•波德默正在檢查微波爐，赫斯塔•瓊斯則在一個抽屜裏翻箱搗櫃，當她過來的時候她還在對著一個土豆剝皮機笑個不停。路平教授則正在寫一封致德思禮一家的信。

'Excellent,' said Lupin, looking up as Tonks and Harry entered. We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry -

『棒極了，』路平擡頭看見唐克絲和哈利進來的時候說道。『我認爲我們大約一分鐘之後出發。我們也許應當出門到花園去做好準備。哈利，我留了一封信告訴你的姨丈和姨媽不要擔心——』

'They won't,' said Harry.

『他們不會擔心的，』哈利說道。

- that you're safe -'That'll just depress them.'

『——以及你是安全的——』『那只會讓他們感到失望。』

- and you'll see them next summer.'

『——還有你將在明年再次見到他們。』

'Do I have to?'

『我一定要再次見到他們嗎？』

Lupin smiled but made no answer.

路平笑了笑但是沒有作任何回答。

'Come here, boy,' said Moody gruffly, beckoning Harry towards him with his wand. 'I need to Disillusion you.'

『到這兒來，孩子，』穆敵粗暴的用魔杖把哈利引到他的面前，『我需要把你隱形。』

'You need to what?' said Harry nervously.

『你需要把我什麽？』哈利焦急的說。

'Disillusionment Charm,' said Moody, raising his wand. 'Lupin says you've got an Invisibility Cloak, but it won't stay on while we're flying; this'll disguise you better. Here you go -

『隱身咒語，』穆敵說著舉起了他的魔杖。『路平說你曾經獲得過一件隱身斗篷，但是當我們飛行的時候它沒法使用，這個咒語可以更好的僞裝你。你到這裏來——』

He rapped him hard on the top of the head and Harry felt a curious sensation as though Moody had just smashed an egg there;

穆敵重重的敲擊著哈利的頭，哈利有種奇怪的感覺，好像穆敵僅僅是在敲擊一隻雞蛋。

cold trickles seemed to be running down his body from the point the wand had struck.

冰冷的魔力從魔杖敲擊點流向了哈利的身體。

'Nice one, Mad-Eye,' said Tonks appreciatively, staring at Harry's midriff.

『漂亮的小夥子，瘋眼，』唐克絲一邊看著哈利的肚子一邊欣賞的說道。

Harry looked down at his body, or rather, what had been his body, for it didn't look anything like his any more. It was not invisible; it had simply taken on the exact colour and texture of the kitchen unit behind him. He seemed to have become a human chameleon.

哈利向下看看他的身體，或者確切的說曾經是他身體的那個東西，因爲它現在看起來和原先一點也不像。它並非隱形的，而僅僅是把他身體後面的廚房的顔色和材質精確的貼到他的身體上。現在的哈利看上去就像一隻人形變色龍。

'Come on,' said Moody, unlocking the back door with his wand.

『跟我來，』穆敵用魔杖打開了門。

They all stepped outside on to Uncle Vernon's beautifully kept lawn.

他們全體走到外面並且踩在維農姨丈精心護理的漂亮的草坪上。

'Clear night,' grunted Moody, his magical eye scanning the heavens. 'Could've done with a bit more cloud cover. Right, you,' he barked at Harry, 'we're going to be flying in close formation. Tonks'll be right in front of you, keep close on her tail. Lupin'll be covering you from below I'm going to be behind you. The rest'll be circling us. We don't break ranks for anything, got me? If one of us is killed -

『清晰的夜空，』穆敵咕嚕道，他的瘋眼正在對天堂進行掃描。『也許要搞些雲來覆蓋。好了，你，』他對著哈利叫道，『我們將要以緊密編隊飛行。唐克絲在你的前面，你要緊緊的在後面跟著她，路平在你下面遮住你，我將在你的後面，其他人在我們周圍圍成一圈。在任何情況下都不能破壞編隊，明白嗎？如果我們之中有人被殺——』

'Is that likely?' Harry asked apprehensively, but Moody ignored him.

『我看起來像什麽？』哈利擔心的問道。但是穆敵沒理他。

- the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of us and you survive, Harry, the rear guard are standing by to take over; keep flying east and they'll join you.'

『——其餘人繼續飛行，不要停下來，不要破壞編隊。如果他們幹掉了我們所有的人而你幸存下來，哈利，我們的後衛部隊目前正在另一個地方集結待命，一直向東飛行他們會接應你的。』

'Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, he'll think we're not taking this seriously' said Tonks, as she strapped Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage into a harness hanging from her broom.

『不要顯得這麽高興，瘋眼，哈利會認爲我們並未意識到事態的嚴重，』唐克絲說著把哈利的旅行箱和嘿美的籠子全副武裝的綁在掃帚上。

'I'm just telling the boy the plan,' growled Moody. 'Our jobs to deliver him safely to Headquarters and if we die in the attempt -

『我僅僅是告訴這孩子計劃，』穆敵抱怨說，『我們的工作是把哈利安全的送到司令部，並且如果我們在這次行動中喪生——』

'No one's going to die,' said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep, calming voice.

『沒人會死的，』 肯斯雷•沙克雷波爾特用他低沈平靜的嗓音說道。

'Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!' said Lupin sharply pointing into the sky.

『爬上你們的掃帚，那是第一個信號！』路平指著天空尖叫道。

Far, far above them, a shower of bright red sparks had flared among the stars, Harry recognised them at once as wand sparks. He swung his right leg over his Firebolt, gripped its handle tightly and felt it vibrating very slightly, as though it was as keen as he was to be up in the air once more.

在他們上方很高很高的地方，一棵明亮的紅色信號彈已經在夜空中閃爍，哈利立刻認出那是魔杖信號彈。他把右腳跨過他的霹靂掃帚，輕輕的抓住把手，他感到掃帚也在微微震動，好像渴望和哈利再次升到空中。

'Second signal, let's go!' said Lupin loudly as more sparks, green this time, exploded high above them.

『第二個信號，我們出發！』當另一個綠色的信號彈在高空爆炸時路平大聲命令道。

Harry kicked off hard from the ground. The cool night air rushed through his hair as the neat square gardens of Privet Drive fell away, shrinking rapidly into a patchwork of dark greens and blacks, and every thought of the Ministry hearing was swept from his mind as though the rush of air had blown it out of his head. He felt as though his heart was going to explode with pleasure; he was flying again, flying away from Privet Drive as he'd been fantasising about all summer, he was going home… for a few glorious moments, all his problems seemed to recede to nothing, insignificant in the vast, starry sky.

哈利奮力踢了一下地面。當水蠟樹街整潔的正方形草坪遠去的時候，涼爽的夜風從哈利的頭髮間呼嘯著吹過，草坪很快的縮小變成一個暗淡的綠黑相間的拼湊物，與此同時，所有關於魔法部聽證會的各種想法都被抛諸腦後，仿佛呼嘯而過的風已經將它們從哈利的腦子裏吹了出來。他感到自己的心好像因爲快樂而要爆炸了：他再一次的飛行，就像整個夏天他一直幻想的那樣飛離水蠟樹街，因爲幾個光榮的行動他現在要回家了……，他所有的難題仿佛都在遠去，在這個廣闊，滿布星辰的夜空下它們顯得如此的無關緊要了。

'Hard left, hard left, there's a Muggle looking up!' shouted Moody from behind him. Tonks swerved and Harry followed her, watching his trunk swinging wildly beneath her broom. 'We need more height… give it another quarter of a mile!'

『急轉向左，急轉向左，有個麻瓜在擡頭看！』穆敵從後面叫道。唐克絲做了一個突然轉向，而哈利在後面緊緊跟隨，同時看見他的旅行箱在唐克絲的掃帚下面大幅晃動。『我們需要提升高度，爬升四分之一英里！』

Harry's eyes watered in the chill as they soared upwards; he could see nothing below now but tiny pinpricks of light that were car headlights and streetlamps. Two of those tiny lights might belong to Uncle Vernon's car… the Dursleys would be heading back to their empty house right now, full of rage about the non-existent Lawn Competition… and Harry laughed aloud at the thought, though his voice was drowned by the flapping robes of the others, the creaking of the harness holding his trunk and the cage, and the whoosh of the wind in their ears as they sped through the air. He had not felt this alive in a month, or this happy.

當他們急劇上升時哈利的眼睛在寒冷中流淚了，現在下面除了車頭燈和街燈微弱的閃光之外他什麽也看不見。那些微弱的閃光有兩隻也許是屬於維農姨丈的汽車的，德思禮一家現在應該馬上就要回到那個空蕩蕩的家了，他們也許正在爲那個子虛烏有的草坪比賽而勃然大怒，想到這裏哈利不禁笑出聲來，儘管他的聲音很快就被其他人長袍鼓動的聲音淹沒了，當他們快速穿過空中的時候吱吱作響的風聲傳入耳朵。哈利在近一個月裏從未感到如此的生氣勃勃，或者說是快樂。

'Bearing south!' shouted Mad-Eye. Town ahead!'

『方位正南！』瘋眼叫道，『前面有個城鎮。』

They soared right to avoid passing directly over the glittering spider's web of lights below.

他們向右轉彎以避免直接穿越下面像蜘蛛網一樣閃閃發亮的燈光。

'Bear southeast and keep climbing, there's some low cloud ahead we can lose ourselves in!' called Moody.

『方位東南，持續爬升，有幾片低空雲層在我們的前面，我們飛進去可以隱藏自己！』穆敵發出指示。

'We're not going through clouds!' shouted Tonks angrily, 'we'll get soaked, Mad-Eye!'

『我們不要穿越雲層！』唐克絲惱火的叫道，『我們會被弄濕的，瘋眼！』

Harry was relieved to hear her say this; his hands were growing numb on the Firebolt's handle. He wished he had thought to put on a coat; he was starting to shiver.

聽到她說這些話哈利放心了，他剛才緊張的握著霹靂掃帚把手以至於雙手都漸漸麻木了。他希望他記得套件外套，現在他全身冷的發抖。

They altered their course every now and then according to Mad-Eyes instructions. Harrys eyes were screwed up against the rush of icy wind that was starting to make his ears ache; he could remember being this cold on a broom only once before, during the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff in his third year, which had taken place in a storm. The guard around him was circling continuously like giant birds of prey. Harry lost track of time. He wondered how long they had been flying, it felt like an hour at least.

他們不時的按照瘋眼的指示改變路線。哈利的眼睛因爲強勁的冷風而睜不開，他的耳朵也開始疼痛起來，他可以記起這種寒冷的感覺以前只有過一次，那是在三年級的時候參加一場在暴風雪中舉行的與赫夫帕夫之間的魁地奇比賽。那些圍繞在他身邊的保鏢就像一群灰色的大鳥。哈利搞不清確切的時間。他很驚訝他們究竟飛了多長距離，感覺上至少過了一個小時。

Turning southwest!' yelled Moody 'We want to avoid the motorway!'

『轉向西南方！』穆敵叫道，『我們要避開鐵路！』

Harry was now so chilled he thought longingly of the snug, dry interiors of the cars streaming along below, then, even more longingly, of travelling by Floo powder; it might be uncomfortable to spin around in fireplaces but it was at least warm in the flames… Kingsley Shacklebolt swooped around him, bald pate and earring gleaming slightly in the moonlight… now Emmeline Vance was on his right, her wand out, her head turning left and right… then she, too, swooped over him, to be replaced by Sturgis Podmore…

哈利現在很冷，他渴想著下面暖和，乾燥的汽車，然後，他甚至更加懷念用呼嚕粉旅行的經歷，也許在壁爐裏轉的暈頭轉向不是一件舒服的事情，但是至少在火焰裏面是暖和的：肯斯雷•沙克雷波爾特突然猛撲向他的周圍，月光反射之下他的光頭和耳環微微發亮，現在是埃米蘭.萬斯在他的右邊，她的魔杖已經掏了出來，左顧右盼，然後也從哈利的頭上猛的撲過去，而她的位置則由斯特吉斯•波德默代替……

'We ought to double back for a bit, just to make sure we're not being followed!' Moody shouted.

『我們應當向後轉兩圈，以確定我們沒有被跟蹤！』穆敵叫道。

'ARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE?' Tonks screamed from the front. We're all frozen to our brooms! If we keep going off-course we're not going to get there until next week! Besides, we're nearly there now!'

『你瘋了嗎，瘋眼？』唐克絲在前面大叫著，『我們都快在掃帚上凍僵了！如果我們這麽做的話毫無疑問下個星期我們也到不了那裏！而且，我們現在已經接近那裏了！』

Time to start the descent!' came Lupin's voice. 'Follow Tonks, Harry!'

『是時候開始降落了！』路平的喊叫聲傳過來。『跟著唐克絲，哈利！』

Harry followed Tonks into a dive. They were heading for the largest collection of lights he had yet seen, a huge, sprawling crisscrossing mass, glittering in lines and grids, interspersed with patches of deepest black. Lower and lower they flew, until Harry could see individual headlights and streetlamps, chimneys and television aerials. He wanted to reach the ground very much, though he felt sure someone would have to unfreeze him from his broom.

哈利跟著唐克絲俯衝向下。他們的前方是一片哈利所見過的最大的燈光網，一片巨大的，雜亂無章的燈光縱橫交錯，星星點點的散佈在最深沈的黑暗之中。他們飛的越來越低，直到哈利可以看清楚單個的車頭燈和街燈，以及煙囪和電視天線。他現在很想降落到地面上，儘管他確信某人也許不得不把他解凍才能將他從掃帚上弄下來。

'Here we go!' called Tonks, and a few seconds later she had landed.

『這裏，我們走！』唐克絲喊道，幾秒鐘之後她就降落了。

Harry touched down right behind her and dismounted on a patch of unkempt grass in the middle of a small square. Tonks was already unbuckling Harry's trunk. Shivering, Harry looked around. The grimy fronts of the surrounding houses were not welcoming; some of them had broken windows, glimmering dully in the light fro the streetlamps, paint was peeling from many of the doors and heaps of rubbish lay outside several sets of front steps.

哈利緊跟著也下降，並降落在一塊長著亂篷篷雜草的小廣場的中央。唐克絲已經解下了哈利的箱子。哈利渾身顫抖著四處張望。周圍的房子都有肮髒的外表，看上去並不歡迎訪客：有些房子窗戶破了，街燈的光隱隱約約的透出來，油漆從許多門上剝落，大量的垃圾堆積在前面的幾級臺階上。

'Where are we?' Harry asked, but Lupin said quietly, 'In a minute.'

『我們在哪裡呢？』哈利問道，但是路平平靜的說道，『等一分鐘。』

Moody was rummaging in his cloak, his gnarled hands clumsy with cold.

穆敵在他的長袍裏面到處翻找，他粗糙的大手因爲寒冷而笨拙。

'Got it,' he muttered, raising what looked like a silver cigarette lighter into the air and clicking it.

『找到了，』他嘟嚕著舉起了一根在空中看起來像銀色香煙的打火機，並發出了卡嗒聲。

The nearest streetlamp went out with a pop. He clicked the unlighter again; the next lamp went out; he kept clicking until every lamp in the square was extinguished and the only remaining light came from curtained windows and the sickle moon overhead.

砰的一聲，最近的街燈突然熄滅了。他再次撥弄打火機，相鄰的街燈也熄滅了，他持續不斷的撥弄著打火機直到這個廣場所有的街燈都熄滅了，最後只剩下燈光從裝著窗簾的窗戶透過來，以及頭上那個鐮刀形的月亮。

'Borrowed it from Dumbledore,' growled Moody, pocketing the Put-Outer. That'll take care of any Muggles looking out of the window, see? Now come on, quick.'

『從鄧不利多那裏借來的，』穆敵嘟嚕著將打火機放回外衣口袋。『那是爲了防止任何的麻瓜從窗戶向外張望，看見了嗎？現在過來，快點。』

He took Harry by the arm and led him from the patch of grass, across the road and on to the pavement; Lupin and Tonks followed, carrying Harry's trunk between them, the rest of the guard, all with their wands out, flanking them.

他抓著哈利的胳膊，帶著他離開草地，穿過馬路並且到了人行道上，路平和唐克絲跟在他們後面，他們兩個中間是哈利的旅行箱，其餘的保鏢全部拔出了魔杖在他們的側面保護。

The muffled pounding of a stereo was coming from an upper window in the nearest house. A pungent smell of rotting rubbish came from the pile of bulging bin-bags just inside the broken gate.

一個音箱沈悶的重擊聲從最近的房屋的樓上窗戶傳來。一陣刺鼻的氣味從打破的門裏面一大堆鼓鼓囊囊的箱櫃中發出。

'Here,' Moody muttered, thrusting a piece of parchment towards Harry's Disillusioned hand and holding his lit wand close to it, so as to illuminate the writing. 'Read quickly and memorise.'

『這裏，』穆敵小聲嘟嚕道，他把一張羊皮紙扔到哈利五顔六色的手上並且將他發光的魔杖靠近了那張羊皮紙，這樣就能照亮上面的字迹。『快速讀一遍並記住它。』

Harry looked down at the piece of paper. The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar. It said:

哈利低頭看著這張羊皮紙。小小的字迹含糊不清，上面寫著：

The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.

鳳凰的喻令司令部可以在倫敦格裏曼迪街12號找到。