'Well, as everyone thinks I'm a mad mass-murderer and the Ministry's put a ten
thousand Galleon price on my head, I can hardly stroll up the street and start handing out leaflets, can I?' said Sirius restlessly.
'And I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community,' said Lupin. 'It's an occupational hazard of being a werewolf.'
'Tonks and Arthur would lose their jobs at the Ministry if they started shooting their mouths off,' said Sirius, 'and it's very important for us to have spies inside the Ministry, because you can bet Voldemort will have them.'
'We've managed to convince a couple of people, though,' said Mr Weasley. Tonks
here, for one - she's too young to have been in the Order of the Phoenix last time, and having Aurors on our side is a huge advantage - Kingsley Shacklebolt's been a real asset, too; he's in charge of the hunt for Sirius, so he's been feeding the Ministry information that Sirius is in.'
'But if none of you are putting the news out that Voldemort's back - ' Harry began.
'Who said none of us are putting the news out?' said Sirius. 'Why d'you think
Dumbledore's in such trouble?'
'What d'you mean?' Harry asked.
They're trying to discredit him,' said Lupin. 'Didn't you see the Daily Prophet last week?


They reported that he'd been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International
Confederation of Wizards because he's getting old and losing his grip, but it's not true; he was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemort's return. They've demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot - that's the Wizard High Court - and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too.'
'But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards,' said Bill, grinning.
'It's no laughing matter,' said Mr Weasley sharply. 'If he carries on defying the Ministry like this he could end up in Azkaban, and the last thing we want is to have Dumbledore locked up. While You-Know-Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to he's going to go cautiously. If Dumbledore's out of the way - well, You-Know-Who will have a clear field.'
'But if Voldemort's trying to recruit more Death Eaters it's bound to get out that he's come back, isn't it?' asked Harry desperately.
'Voldemort doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry,' said Sirius. 'He tricks, jinxes and blackmails them. He's well-practised at operating in secret. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in. He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment.'
'What's he after apart from followers?' Harry asked swiftly. He thought he saw Sirius and Lupin exchange the most fleeting of looks before Sirius answered.
'Stuff he can only get by stealth.'
When Harry continued to look puzzled, Sirius said, 'Like a w*eapon. Something he
didn't have last time.'
'When he was powerful before?'
'Yes.'
'Like what kind of weapon?' said Harry. 'Something worse than the Avada Kedavra
- ?'
That's enough!'
Mrs Weasley spoke from the shadows beside the door. Harry hadn't noticed her
return from taking Ginny upstairs. Her arms were crossed and she looked furious.

“好吧，”韦新莱夫人说，深深吸了口气，扫视了一圈饭桌，指望能够得到支持，但没有人响应，“好吧？？看来我的意见是要被否决了。我只想说一句：邓布利多不想让哈利知道得太多肯定有他的道理，我作为一个关心哈利切身利益的人——　”
“他不是你的儿子。”小天狼星轻声说。
“但和我的儿子差不多。”韦斯莱夫人恼怒地说，“他还有谁？”
“他有我！”
“是啊，”韦斯莱夫人撇着嘴说，“问题是，你自己被关在阿兹卡班，根本就难以照顾他，是不是？”
小天狼星忍不住要从椅子上跳起来。
“莫丽，这张桌子旁关心哈利的人不止你一个。”卢平严厉地说，“小天狼星，坐下。”韦斯莱夫人的下嘴唇颤抖着，小天狼星缓缓跌回椅子上，脸色煞白。“我认为这件事最好允许哈利发表意见，”卢平接着说，“他年纪不小了，可以自己决定了。”“我想知道到底发生了什么事情。”哈利立刻说道。
他没有看韦斯莱夫人。刚才韦斯莱夫人说他就像她的亲生儿子一样，他很受感动，但同时他也被韦斯莱夫人对自己的过分溺爱弄得很不耐烦。小天狼星说得对，他已经不是一个小孩子了。
“很好，”韦斯莱夫人说，伤心得声音都哑了，“金妮——　罗恩——　赫敏——　弗雷德——　乔治——　我要你们离开这问厨房，马上。”
立刻，屋子里像炸了窝一样。
“我们已经成年了！”弗雷德和乔治同时嚷道。
“哈利能知道，为什么我就不能？”罗恩大叫。
“妈妈，我也想听听！”金妮尖声喊。
“不行！”韦斯莱夫人大吼一声，腾地站起来，眼睛里放出奇亮的光芒，“我绝对不允许——　”
“莫丽，你不能阻拦弗雷德和乔治，”韦斯莱先生疲倦地说，“他们已经成年了。”“他们还在上学。”“但他们是合法的成年人了。”韦斯莱先生还是用那疲倦的声音说。韦斯莱夫人的脸这时涨得通红。“我——　哦，好吧，弗雷德和乔治可以留下，但是罗恩——　”　“反正哈利会把你们说的一切都告诉我和赫敏的！”罗恩愤愤不平地说，“你——　会吗？”他迎住哈利的目光，没有把握地追问了一句。
刹那间，哈利想对罗恩说他一个字也不会告诉他，也让他尝尝披蒙在鼓里的滋味，看看好受不好受。但是当两人目光相对时，他那种小心眼的冲动一下子就消失了。
“我当然会的。”哈利说。
罗恩和赫敏顿时喜上眉梢。
“很好！”韦斯莱夫人大声喝道，“很好！金妮——　上床睡觉！”
金妮并不是乖乖离开的。他们听见她上楼时一路冲她妈妈连喊带叫，大发脾气。到了门厅里，布莱克夫人又发出震耳欲聋的尖叫，使喧闹声变得更加无法忍受。卢平赶紧冲到那幅肖像前去使它恢复了平静。等他回来返身关上厨房的门，重新在桌子旁坐下后，小天狼星这才开口说话。
“好吧，哈利？？你想知道什么？”
哈利深深吸了口气，问出了最近一个月来一直困扰着他的那个问题。
“伏地魔在哪儿？”他问，别人听到这个名字又是一阵战栗和畏缩，但他只当没看见，“他在做什么？我一直在想办法看麻瓜的新闻，但没有发现他的一点蛛丝马迹，没有人蹊跷地死去，什么也没有发生。”
“那是因为到现在为止还没有人蹊跷地死去，”小天狼星说，“反正据我们所知是这样？？而我们知道不少情况。”
“至少他没想到我们会知道得这么多。”卢平说。
“他怎么会停止杀人呢？”哈利问。他知道伏地魔光是去年就不止一次地杀过人。
“因为他不想引起别人对他的注意，”小天狼星说，“那对他来说是很危险的。你知道，他这次回来并不像他所希望的那样顺利。他的安排被打乱了。”
“或者说，是你打乱了他的安排。”卢平说着，脸上露出满意的微笑。
“怎么会呢？”哈利困惑不解地问。
“你本来不应该活下来的！”小天狼星说，“除了他的食死徒，谁都不应该知道他已经回来了。而你活下来成了证人。”
“他最不希望他一回来就对他保持警惕的人是邓布利多，”卢平说，“而你确保了邓布利多立刻就知道了这件事。”
“那又有什么用呢？”哈利问。“你在开玩笑吗？”比尔不敢相信地说，“邓布利多是神秘人有生以来惟一害怕的人！”“多亏了你，邓布利多才能够在伏地魔回来后不到一小时就重新召集了凤凰社。”小天狼星说。“那么，凤凰社一直在做些什么呢？”哈利问道，挨个几望着大家。
“尽我们最大的努力，确保伏地魔无法实施他的计划。”小天狼星说。
“你们怎么知道他的汁划是什么呢？”哈利立刻问道。
“邓布利多有一个敏锐的感觉，”卢平说，“而邓布利多的敏锐感觉一般都被证明是准确的。”
“那么邓布利多认为他的计划是什么呢？”
“是这样，首先，他想重新纠集他的人马。”小天狼星说，“过去，他有一大批人听他指挥：那些迫于他的淫威或受他蒙蔽而跟随他的巫师，那些忠心耿耿的食死徒，还有黑势力的形形色色的妖魔鬼怪。你还听说他打算把巨人也拉拢过去。其实，他们只是他想纠集的大批人马中的一部分。他显然不会只带着十几个食死徒就来跟魔法部较量。”
“这么说你们想阻止他得到更多的追随者？”
“我们在尽力而为。”卢平说。


“怎么做呢？”
“是这样，尽量让更多的人相信神秘人真的回来了，让他们保持警惕，”比尔说，“不过这件事做起来很棘手。”
“为什么呢？”
“因为魔法部的态度。。”唐克斯说，“哈利，神秘人回来后，你是见过康奈利福吉的。哼，他丝毫也没有改变立场。他死活不肯相信这件事真的发生了。”
“可是为什么呢？”哈利烦躁地问，“他为什么这样愚蠢？既然邓布利多——　”
“啊，好了，你指出了问题的关键，”韦斯莱先生苦笑着说，“邓布利多。”
“福吉害怕他，明白吗？”唐克斯悲哀地说。
“害怕邓布利多？”哈利不敢相信地问。
“害怕他想做的事情。”韦斯莱先生说，“福吉认为邓布利多在密谋推翻他。他认为邓布利多自己想当魔法部长。”
“可是邓布利多并不想——　”
“他当然不想，”韦斯莱先生说，“他从来没想过要当部长，尽管米里森巴格诺退休时，许多人想让他接替部长职位。后来福吉掌了大权，但他一直没有忘记曾经有多少人支持邓布利多，虽说邓布利多从来没有申请过这个职位。”
“在内心深处，福吉知道邓布利多比他有智慧得多，巫师的法术也比他厉害得多。他刚开始当部长的时候，还三天两头地向邓布利多讨教、求助。”卢平说，“但是后来他似乎喜欢上了权力，信心也增强了。他迷恋当魔法部长的感觉，而且他使自己相信，他才是有智慧的人，邓布利多只是为此故意制造事端。”
“他怎么能那么想呢？”哈利生气地说，“他怎么能认为邓布利多会凭空编造——　我会凭空编造呢？”
“因为如果承认伏地魔回来了，就意味着有大麻烦，这种麻烦魔法部已经有将近十四年没有碰到了。”小天狼星尖刻地说，“福吉只是没有勇气面对这件事。他让自己相信邓布利多是在散布谣言，破坏他的稳定地位，这样一想就轻松多了。”
“你说到点子上了。”卢平说，“既然魔法部坚持说用不着担心伏地魔，我们就很难让人们相信他回来了，特别是在人们其实也不愿意相信这个事实的情况下。还有，魔法部一直在对《预言家日报》施加压力，不让他们报道有关的任何消息，他们现在称这些消息为邓布利多的谣言，因此，巫师界的大部分人都完全不知道有事情发生了，这样他们很容易成为食死徒的攻击目标，如果食死徒使用夺魂咒的话。”


“可是你们在告诉人们真相，是不是？”哈利说，轮番看着韦斯莱先生、小天狼星、比尔、蒙顿格斯、卢平和唐克斯，“你们在让人们知道他已经回来了？”
他们全都毫无生趣地苦笑着。
“唉，所有的人都认为我是一个杀人不眨眼的疯子，魔法部悬赏一万加隆取我的人头，所以我不可能溜溜达达地在大街上散发传单，是不是？”小天狼星焦躁不安地说。
“在大多数巫师的眼里，我不是一个很受欢迎的晚宴贵宾。”卢平说，“身为狼人，真是一种职业性的危害。”
“唐克斯和亚瑟如果信口开河，随便乱说，就会丢掉他们在魔法部的工作。”小天狼星说，“而我们在部里安插内线是很重要的，伏地魔肯定也有他们自己的奸细。”
“不过我们还是说服了几个人，”书斯莱先生说，“比如这位唐克斯——　她年纪太轻，上次没能加入凤凰社，能把傲罗争取到我们这边是一个很大的优势——　金斯莱沙克尔也是一个无价之宝。他负责追捕小天狼星，所以他一直向部里提供信息说小天狼星在XX。”
“但是你们谁也没有公布伏地魔回来的消息——　”哈利话没说完。
“谁说我们没有公布这个消息？”小天狼星说，“你认为邓布利多为什么会陷入这样的麻烦境地吗？”
“你这话是什么意思？”哈利问。
“他们拼命想败坏他的名声，”卢平说，“你没看上个星期的《预言家日报》吗？他们报道说他的国际魔法师联合会主席的职位丢了，因为他已经年迈，力不从心，但那根本不是事实。他发表了一篇讲话，宣布伏地魔回来了，之后魔法部的巫师们就投票使他落选了。他们给他降了级，他不再是威森加摩——　就是最高巫师法()庭——　的首席魔法师，他们还在讨论收回他的梅林①爵士团一级勋章。”
“可是邓布利多说，只要不把他从巧克力蛙的卡片中撤下来，他们做什么他都不在乎。”比尔咧嘴笑着说。


“这不是什么好笑的事情。”韦斯莱先生严厉地说，“如果他一直这样公然与魔法部对着于，最后他可能会被关进阿兹卡班的，而我们最不希望看到的就是邓布利多被关起来。既然神秘人知道邓布利多在哪里并且清楚他打算做什么，他就必须谨慎行事。如果邓布利多被清除了——　唉，神秘人就可以肆意妄为了。”
“但是，如果伏地魔想吸收更多的人成为食死徒，他回来的消息肯定会传出去的，是不是？”哈利急躁地问。
“伏地魔并不是大摇大摆地走到别人家门口，砰砰地敲他们的门，哈利，”小天狼星说，“他对他们施魔法，念恶咒，威逼利诱。他搞秘密()活动是很有一套的。不管怎么说，网罗追随者只是他感兴趣的事情之一。他还有其他计划，他可以神不知鬼不觉地实施的计划，眼下他的全部注意力都在那上面。”
“除了追随者以外，他还想得到什么呢？”哈利反应敏捷地问。他仿佛看到小天狼星和卢平飞快地交换了一下目光，然后小天狼星才做出了回答。“某种只有偷偷摸摸才能得到的东西。”　看到哈利还是一脸的迷惑，小天狼星说：“比如一件武()器。他上次所没有的东西。”
“他以前得势的时候？”
“是的。”
“　比如什么样的武器呢？”　哈利说，“　比阿瓦达索命咒还要厉害——　？”　“够了！”　韦斯莱夫人站在门旁的阴影里说。哈利没有注意到她送金妮上楼已经回来了。她抱着双臂，满脸怒气。“我希望你们赶紧上床睡觉。大家都去！”她补充了一句，挨个儿扫视着弗雷德、乔治、罗恩和赫敏。“你不能对我们发号施令——　”弗雷德想反抗。

'I want you in bed, now. All of you,' she added, looking around at Fred, George, Ron and Hermione.
'You can't boss us - ' Fred began.
'Watch me,' snarled Mrs Weasley. She was trembling slightly as she looked at Sirius.
'You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might just as well induct him into the Order straightaway.'
'Why not?' said Harry quickly. 'I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight.'
'No.'
It was not Mrs Weasley who spoke this time, but Lupin.
The Order is comprised only of overage wizards,' he said. 'Wizards who have left
school,' he added, as Fred and George opened their mouths. There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you . . . I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough.'
Sirius half-shrugged but did not argue. Mrs Weasley beckoned imperiously to her
sons and Herrnione. One by one they stood up and Harry, recognising defeat, followed suit.
-

'Well, they didn't tell us much we couldn't have guessed, did they?' he said, thinking of all that had been said downstairs. 'I mean, all they've really said is that the Order's trying to stop pec pie joining Vol-'
There was a sharp intake of breath from Ron. -demon,' said Harry firmly. 'When are
you going to start using his name? Sirius and Lupin do.'
“哦，他们告诉我们的情况，我们基本上都能猜得出来，是不是？”他说，想着刚才他们在楼下说过的所有那些话，“我的意思是，实际上他们只说了一点，就是凤凰社正在竭力阻止人们加入伏——　”
罗恩呼地倒抽了一口冷气。
“——　地魔，”哈利坚决地说，“你什么时候才能对他直呼其名呢？小天狼星和卢平就能做到。”

He had expected it to be empty, but when he reached the door he heard the soft
rumble of voices on the other side. He pushed it open and saw Mr and Mrs Weasley, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks sitting there almost as though they were waiting for him. All were fully dressed except Mrs Weasley, who was wearing a quilted purple dressing gown. She leapt to her feet the moment Harry entered.
'Breakfast,' she said as she pulled out her wand and hurried over to the fire.
'M - m - morning, Harry,' yawned Tonks. Her hair was blonde and curly this morning.
'Sleep all right?'
'Yeah,' said Harry.
'I've b - b - been up all night,' she said, with another shuddering yawn. 'Come and sit down . . .'
She drew out a chair, knocking over the one beside it ir the process.
'What do you want, Harry?' Mrs Weasley called. 'Porridge? Muffins? Kippers? Bacon and eggs? Toast?'
'Just - just toast, thanks,' said Harry.
Lupin glanced at Harry, then said to Tonks, 'What were you saying about
Scrimgeour?'
'Oh . . . yeah . . . well, we need to be a bit more careful, he's been asking Kingsley and me funny questions . . .'
Harry felt vaguely grateful that he was not required to join in the conversation. His insides were squirming. Mrs Weasley placed a couple of pieces of toast and marmalade in front of him; he tried to eat, but it was like chewing carpet. Mrs Weasley sat down on his other side and started fussing with his T-shirt, tucking in the label and smoothing out the creases across his shoulders. He wished she wouldn't.
'. . . and I'll have to tell Dumbledore I can't do night duty tomorrow, I'm just t - t - too tired,' Tonks finished, yawning hugely again.
'Ill cover for you,' said Mr Weasley. 'I'm OK, I've got a report to finish anyway Mr Weasley was not wearing wizards' robes but a pair of pinstriped trousers and an old bomber jacket. He turned from Tonks to Harry.
'How are you feeling?'
Harry shrugged.
'It'll all be over soon,' Mr Weasley said bracingly. 'In a few hours' time you'll be cleared.'
Harry said nothing.
The hearings on my floor, in Amelia Bones's office. She's Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the one who'll be questioning you.'
'Amelia Bones is OK, Harry,' said Tonks earnestly. 'She's fair, she'll hear you out.'
Harry nodded, still unable to think of anything to say.
'Don't lose your temper,' said Sirius abruptly. 'Be polite and stick to the facts.'
Harry nodded again.
The law's on your side,' said Lupin quietly. 'Even underage wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations.'
Something very cold trickled down the back of Harry's neck; for a moment he thought someone was putting a Disillusionment Charm on him, then he realised that Mrs Weasley was attacking his hair with a wet comb. She pressed hard on the top of his head.
'Doesn't it ever lie flat?' she said desperately.
Harry shook his head.
Mr Weasley checked his watch and looked up at Harry. I think we'll go now,' he said.
'We're a bit early, but I think you 11 be better off at the Ministry than hanging around here.'
'OK,' said Harry automatically, dropping his toast and getting to his feet.
'You'll be all right, Harry,' said Tonks, palling him on the arm.
'Good luck,' said Lupin. 'I'm sure it will be fine.'
'And if it's not,' said Sirius grimly, 'I'll see to Amelia Bones for you . . .'
Harry smiled weakly. Mrs Weasley hugged him.
'We've all got our fingers crossed,' she said.
'Right,' said Harry. 'Well . . . see you later then.'

'Always?' boomed Madam Bones. 'You have produced a Patronus before now?'
'Yes,' said Harry, 'I've been doing it for over a year.'
'And you are fifteen years old?'
'Yes, and - '
'You learned this at school?'
'Yes, Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the - '
'Impressive,' said Madam Bones, staring down at him, 'a true Patronus at his age . . .very impressive indeed.'
“每次？”博恩斯女士用洪亮的声音问，“你以前也变出过守护神？”
“是的，”哈利说，“我这么做已经有一年多了。”
“你现在是十五岁？”
“是的，而且——　”
“你是在学校里学会的？”
“是的，我三年级时，卢平教授教我的，因为——”
“真是了不起，”博恩斯女士从上面望着他说道，“他这个年纪能变出真正的守护神确实很了不起。”

“你呢，小天狼星？”金妮拍着赫敏的后背问道。坐在哈利旁边的小天狼星发出他惯常的那种短促刺耳的笑声。“没有人会选我当级长的，我花了那么多时间跟詹姆一起关禁闭。卢平是个好孩子，他得到了徽章。”“我想，邓布利多大概希望我能对我的好朋友进行一些管束。”卢平说，“不用说，我很悲惨地失败了。”哈利的情绪突然好了起来。他父亲当年也不是级长。
顿时，晚会似乎变得好玩多了。他把盘子装得满满的，觉得自己加倍地喜爱房间里的每一个人。罗恩逢人就热情洋溢地介绍他的新扫帚。“十秒钟内就从零到七十，不坏吧？要知道《飞天扫帚大全》上说，彗星290只有零到六十，而且还需要有一股顺风推着呢。”

赫敏正在十分恳切地跟卢平谈论她对小精灵权益的看法。“我的意思是，这就跟狼人需要隔离一样，都是一派胡言，是吗？其根源都是巫师那种可怕的偏见，认为自己比别的生物优越？？”

'. . . why Dumbledore didn't make Potter a prefect?' said Kingsley.
'He'll have had his reasons,' replied Lupin.
'But it would've shown confidence in him. It's what I'd've done,' persisted Kingsley, '
'specially with the Daily Prophet having a go at him every few days . . .'
Harry did not look round; he did not want Lupin or Kingsley to know he had heard.
“邓布利多为什么不选哈利当级长呢？”金斯菜问。
“他准有他自己的道理。”卢平回答。
“但是那样会表现出对他的信任。换了我，我就会那么做，”金斯莱执意地说，“特别是在《预言家日报》三天两头地给他造谣？？”
哈利没有转过头去。他不想让卢平和金斯莱知道他听见了。

这是讲那张最初凤凰社照片的时候。
' - poor devils,' growled Moody. 'Better dead than what happened to them . . . and
that'****eline Vance, you've met her, and that there's Lupin, obviously . . . Benjy Fenwick, he copped it too, we only ever found bits of him . . . shift aside there,' he added,poking the picture, and the little photographic people edged sideways, so that those who
were partially obscured could move to the front.
“——　可怜的人，”穆迪粗声粗气地说，“死了也比遭那份罪强？？这是爱米琳‘万斯，你见过她的，这个显然是卢平……本吉芬威克，他也遭了不幸，我们只找到了他的部分尸体？？往旁边挪挪。”他用手碰碰照片，上面的小人儿都朝旁边移去，让那些本来被遮住的人挪到了前面。