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！
。 did that mean： what did that mean？'
'It meant；' said Dumbledore； 'that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July； nearly sixteen years ago。 This boy would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times。'
Harry felt as though something was closing in on him。 His breathing seemed difficult again。
'It means … me？'
Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses。
'The odd thing； Harry；' he said softly； 'is that it may not have meant you at all。 Sybill's prophecy could have applied to two wizard boys； both born at the end of July that year； both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix； both sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times。 One； of course； was you。 The other was Neville Longbottom。'
'But then： but then； why was it my name on the prophecy and not Neville's？'
'The official record was re…labelled after Voldemort's attack on you as a child；' said Dumbledore。 'It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill you because he knew you to be the one to whom Sybill was referring。'
'Then … it might not be me？' said Harry
'I am afraid；' said Dumbledore slowly； looking as though every word cost him a great effort； 'that there is no doubt that it is you。
'But you said … Neville was born at the end of July； too … and his mum and dad … '
'You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy； the final identifying feature of the boy who could vanquish Voldemort： Voldemort himself would mark him as his equal。 And so he did； Harry He chose you； not Neville。 He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse。'
'But he might have chosen wrong！' said Harry。 'He might have marked the wrong person！'
'He chose the boy he thought most likely to be a danger to him；' said Dumbledore。 'And notice this； Harry： he chose； not the pureblood （which； according to his creed； is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing） but the half…blood； like himself。 He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you； and in marking you with that scar； he did not kill you； as he intended； but gave you powers； and a future； which have fitted you to escape him not once； but four times so far … something that neither your parents； nor Neville's parents； ever achieved。'
'Why did he do it； then？' said Harry； who felt numb and cold。 'Why did he try and kill me as a baby？ He should have waited to see whether Neville or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then … '
'That might； indeed； have been the more practical course；' said Dumbledore； 'except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was inplete。 The Hog's Head inn； which Sybill chose for its cheapness； has long attracted； shall we say； a more interesting clientele than the Three Broomsticks。 As you and your friends found out to your cost； and I to mine that night； it is a place where it is never safe to assure you are not being overheard。 Of course； I had not dreamed； when I set out to meet Sybill Trelawney； that I would hear anything worth overhearing。 My … our … one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the prophecy and thrown from the building。'
'So he only heard …？'
'He heard only the beginning； the part foretelling the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort。 Consequently； he could not warn his master that to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you； and marking you as his equal。 So Voldemort never knew that there might be danger in attacking you； that it might be wise to wait； to learn more。 He did not know that you would have power the Dark Lord knows not … '
'But I don't！' said Harry； in a strangled voice。 'I haven't any powers he hasn't got； I couldn't fight the way he did tonight； I can't possess people or … or kill them …'
'There is a room in the Department of Mysteries；' interrupted Dumbledore； 'that is kept locked at all times。 It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death； than human intelligence； than the forces of nature。 It is also； perhaps； the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there。 It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all。 That power took you to save Sirius tonight。 That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort； because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests。 In the end； it mattered not that you could not close your mind。 It was your heart that saved you。'
Harry closed his eyes。 If he had not gone to save Sirius； Sirius would not have died： More to stave off the moment when he would have to think of Sirius again； Harry asked； without caring much about the answer； 'The end of the prophecy： it was something about： neither can live：'
'： while the other survives；' said Dumbledore。
'So；' said Harry； dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him； 'so does that mean that： that one of us has got to kill the other one： in the end？'
'Yes；' said Dumbledore。
For a long time； neither of them spoke。 Somewhere far beyond the office walls； Harry could hear the sound of voices； students heading down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast； perhaps。 It seemed impossible that there could be people in the world who still desired food； who laughed； who neither knew nor cared that Sirius Black was gone for ever。 Sirius seemed a million miles away already； even now a part of Harry still believed that if he had only pulled back that veil； he would have found Sirius looking back at him； greeting him； perhaps； with his laugh like a bark：
'I feel I owe you another explanation； Harry；' said Dumbledore hesitantly。 'You may； perhaps； have wondered why I never chose you as a prefect？ I must confess： that I rather thought： you had enough responsibility to be going on with。'
Harry looked up at him and saw a tear trickling down Dumbledore's face into his long silver beard
… CHAPTER THIRTY…EIGHT
The Second War Begins
HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS
'In a brief statement on Friday night； Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned to this country and is once more active。
〃'It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord … well； you know who I mean … is alive and among us again；〃 said Fudge； looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters。 〃It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the Dementors of Azkaban； who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ。 We believe the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord … Thingy。
〃'We urge the magical population to remain vigilant。 The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence which will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the ing month。 〃
'The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding munity； which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was 〃no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You…Know…Who is operating amongst us once more〃。
'Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy； though it is believed that He Who Must Not Be Named and a select band of followers （known as Death Eaters） gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday evening。
'Albus Dumbledore； newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry； reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot； has so far been unavailable for ment。 He has insisted over the past year that You…Know…Who is not dead； as was widely hoped and believed； but is recruiting followers once more for afresh attempt to seize power。 Meanwhile； the 〃Boy Who Lived〃 …
'There you are； Harry； I knew they'd drag you into it somehow；' said Hermione； looking over the top of the paper at him。
They were in the hospital wing。 Harry was sitting on the end of Ron's bed and they were both listening to Hermione read the front page of the Sunday Prophet。 Ginny； whose ankle had been mended in a trice by Madam Pomfrey； was curled up at the foot of Hermione's bed； Neville； whose nose had likewise been returned to its normal size and shape； was in a chair between the two beds； and Luna； who had dropped in to visit； clutching the latest edition of The Quibbler； was reading the magazine upside…down and apparently not taking in a word Hermione was saying。
'He's the 〃boy who lived〃 again now； though； isn't he？' said Ron darkly。 'Not such a deluded show…off any more； eh？'
He helped himself to a handful of Chocolate Frogs from the immense pile on his bedside cabinet； threw a few to Harry； Ginny and Neville and ripped off the wrapper of his own with his teeth。 There were still deep welts on his forearms where the brain's tentacles had wr