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！
'Cured！' he announced brightly to the kitchen at large。 'pletely cured！'
He and all the other Weasleys froze on the threshold； gazing at the scene in front of them； which was also suspended in mid…action； both Sirius and Snape looking towards the door with their wands pointing into each other's faces and Harry immobile between them； a hand stretched out to each； trying to force them apart。
'Merlin's beard；' said Mr Weasley； the smile sliding off his face； 'what's going on here？'
Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands。 Harry looked from one to the other。 Each wore an expression of utmost contempt； yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses。 Snape pocketed his wand； turned on his heel and swept back across the kitchen； passing the Weasleys without ment。 At the door he looked back。
'Six o'clock； Monday evening； Potter。'
And he was gone。 Sirius glared after him； his wand at his side。
'What's been going on？' asked Mr Weasley again。
'Nothing； Arthur；' said Sirius； who was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance。 'Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends。' With what looked like an enormous effort； he smiled。 'So： you're cured？ That's great news； really great。'
'Yes； isn't it？' said Mrs Weasley； leading her husband forward to a chair。 'Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end； found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs； and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine； haven't you； dear？' she added； rather menacingly。
'Yes； Molly； dear；' said Mr Weasley meekly。
That night's meal should have been a cheerful one； with Mr Weasley back amongst them。 Harry could tell Sirius was trying to make it so； yet when his godfather was not forcing himself to laugh loudly at Fred and George's jokes or offering everyone more food； his face fell back into a moody； brooding expression。 Harry was separated from him by Mundungus and Mad…Eye； who had dropped in to offer Mr Weasley their congratulations。 He wanted to talk to Sirius； to tell him he shouldn't listen to a word Snape said； that Snape was goading him deliberately and that the rest of them didn't think Sirius was a coward for doing as Dumbledore told him and remaining in Grimmauld Place。 But he had no opportunity to do so； and； eyeing the ugly look on Sirius's face； Harry wondered occasionally whether he would have dared to mention it even if he had the chance。 Instead； he told Ron and Hermione under his voice about having to take Occlumency lessons with Snape。
'Dumbledore wants to stop you having those dreams about Voldemort；' said Hermione at once。 'Well； you won't be sorry not to have them any more； will you？'
'Extra lessons with Snape？' said Ron； sounding aghast。 'I'd rather have the nightmares！'
They were to return to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus the following day； escorted once again by Tonks and Lupin； both of whom were eating breakfast in the kitchen when Harry； Ron and Hermione came down next morning。 The adults seemed to have been mid…way through a whispered conversation as Harry opened the door； all of them looked round hastily and fell silent。
After a hurried breakfast； they all pulled on jackets and scarves 。 against the chilly grey January morning。 Harry had an unpleasant constricted sensation in his chest； he did not want to say goodbye to Sirius。 He had a bad feeling about this parting； he didn't know 。 when they would next see each other and he felt it was incumbent upon him to say something to Sirius to stop him doing anything stupid … Harry was worried that Snape's accusation of cowardice had stung Sirius so badly he might even now be planning some foolhardy trip beyond Grimmauld Place。 Before he could think of what to say； however； Sirius had beckoned him to his side。
'I want you to take this；' he said quietly； thrusting a badly wrapped package roughly the size of a paperback book into Harry's hands。
'What is it？' Harry asked。
'A way of letting me know if Snape's giving you a hard time。 No； don't open it in here！' said Sirius； with a wary look at Mrs Weasley； who was trying to persuade the twins to wear hand…knitted mittens。 'I doubt Molly would approve … but I want you to use it if you need me； all right？'
'OK；' said Harry； stowing the package away in the inside pocket of his jacket； but he knew he would never use whatever it was。 It would not be he； Harry； who lured Sirius from his place of safety； no matter how foully Snape treated him in their forthing Occlumency classes。
'Let's go； then；' said Sirius； clapping Harry on the shoulder and smiling grimly； and before Harry could say anything else； they were heading upstairs； stopping before the heavily chained and bolted front door； surrounded by Weasleys。
'Goodbye； Harry； take care；' said Mrs Weasley； hugging him。
'See you； Harry； and keep an eye out for snakes for me！' said Mr Weasley genially； shaking his hand。
'Right … yeah；' said Harry distractedly； it was his last chance to tell Sirius to be careful； he turned； looked into his godfather's face and opened his mouth to speak； but before he could do so Sirius was giving him a brief； one…armed hug； and saying gruffly； 'Look after yourself； Harry。' Next moment； Harry found himself being shunted out into the icy winter air； with Tonks （today heavily disguised as a tall； tweedy woman with iron…grey hair） chivvying him down the steps。
The door of number twelve slammed shut behind them。 They followed Lupin down the front steps。 As he reached the pavement； Harry looked round。 Number twelve was shrinking rapidly as those on either side of it stretched sideways； squeezing it out of sight。 One blink later； it had gone。
'e on； the quicker we get on the bus the better；' said Tonks； and Harry thought there was nervousness in the glance she threw around the square。 Lupin flung out his right arm。
BANG。
A violently purple； triple…decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them； narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost； which jumped backwards out of its way。
A thin； pimply； jug…eared youth in a purple uniform leapt down on to the pavement and said； 'Wele to the …'
'Yes； yes； we know； thank you；' said Tonks swiftly。 'On； on； get on …'
And she shoved Harry forwards towards the steps； past the conductor； who goggled at Harry as he passed。
'Ere … it's 'Any …！'
'If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion；' muttered Tonks menacingly； now shunting Ginny and Hermione forwards。
'I've always wanted to go on this thing；' said Ron happily； joining Harry on board and looking around。
It had been evening the last time Harry had travelled by Knight Bus and its three decks had been full of brass bedsteads。 Now； in the early morning； it was crammed with an assortment of mismatched chairs grouped haphazardly around windows。 Some of these appeared to have fallen over when the bus stopped abruptly in Grimmauld Place； a few witches and wizards were still getting to their feet； grumbling； and somebody's shopping bag had slid the length of the bus： an unpleasant mixture of frogspawn； cockroaches and custard creams was scattered all over the floor。
'Looks like we'll have to split up；' said Tonks briskly； looking around for empty chairs。 'Fred； George and Ginny； if you just take those seats at the back： Remus can stay with you。'
She； Harry； Ron and Hermione proceeded up to the very top deck； where there were two unoccupied chairs at the very front of the bus and two at the back。 Stan Shunpike； the conductor； followed Harry and Ron eagerly to the back。 Heads turned as Harry passed and； when he sat down； he saw all the faces flick back to the front again。
As Harry and Ron handed Stan eleven Sickles each； the bus set off again； swaying ominously。 It rumbled around Grimmauld Place； weaving on and off the pavement； then； with another tremendous BANG； they were all flung backwards； Ron's chair toppled right over and Pigwidgeon； who had been on his lap； burst out of his cage and flew twittering wildly up to the front of the bus where he fluttered down on to Hermione's shoulder instead。 Harry； who had narrowly avoided falling by seizing a candle bracket； looked out of the window： they were now speeding down what appeared to be a motorway。
'Just outside Birmingham；' said Stan happily； answering Harry's unasked question as Ron struggled up from the floor。 'You keepin' well； then； 'Arry？ I seen your name in the paper loads over the summer； but it weren't never nuffink very nice。 I said to Ern； I said； 'e didn't seem like a nutter when we met 'im； just goes to show； dunnit？'
He handed over their tickets and continued to gaze； enthralled； at Harry。 Apparently； Stan did not care how nutty somebody was； if they were famous enough to be in the paper。 The Knight Bus swayed alarmingly； overtaking a line of cars on the inside。 Looking towards the front of the bus； Harry saw Hermione cover her eyes with her hands； Pigwidgeon swaying happily on her shoulder。
BANG。
Chairs slid backwards again as the Knight Bus jumped from the Birmingham motorway to a quiet country lane full of hairpin bend