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哈利·波特与密室
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

英文中文双语对照双语交替

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CHAPTER EIGHT THE DEATHDAY PARTY

第八章　忌辰晚会

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup Potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.

十月来临了，湿乎乎的寒气弥漫在场地上，渗透进城堡。教工和学生中间突然流行起了感冒，弄得护士长庞弗雷夫人手忙脚乱。她的提神剂有着立竿见影的效果，不过喝下这种药水的人，接连几个小时耳朵里会冒烟。金妮·韦斯莱最近一直病恹恹的，被珀西强迫着喝了一些提神剂。结果，她鲜艳的头发下冒出一股股蒸气，整个脑袋像着了火似的。

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid’s pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Oliver Wood’s enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why Harry was to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud. Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn’t been a happy practice session. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles.

像子弹一样大的雨点噼噼啪啪地打在城堡的窗户上，好几天都没有停止。湖水上涨，花坛里一片泥流，海格种的南瓜一个个膨胀得有花棚那么大。然而，奥利弗·伍德定期开展魁地奇训练的热情并没有因此而减低，所以，我们才会在万圣节的前几天，在一个风雨交加的星期六黄昏，看见哈利训练归来，返回格兰芬多的城堡。他全身都湿透了，沾满泥浆。

As Harry squelched along the deserted corridor he came across somebody who looked just as preoccupied as he was. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, “. . . don’t fulfill their requirements . . . half an inch, if that . . .”

即使不刮风也不下雨，这次训练也不会愉快。弗雷德和乔治一直在侦察斯莱特林队的情况，他们亲眼看见了那些新扫帚光轮2001的速度。他们回来汇报说，斯莱特林队的队员们现在只是七个模糊的淡绿色影子，像喷气机一样在空中嗖嗖地穿梭。

“Hello, Nick,” said Harry.

哈利咕叽咕叽地走在空无一人的走廊上，突然看见一个和他一样心事重重的人。格兰芬多城堡的幽灵，“差点没头的”尼克正忧郁地望着窗外，嘴里低声念叨着：“……不符合他们的条件……就差半寸，如果那……”

“Hello, hello,” said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Harry could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.

“你好。尼克。”哈利说。

“You look troubled, young Potter,” said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.

“你好，你好。”差点没头的尼克吃了一惊，四下张望着。他长长的鬈发上扣着一顶很时髦的、插着羽毛的帽子，身上穿着一件长达膝盖的束腰外衣，上面镶着车轮状的皱领，掩盖住了他的脖子几乎被完全割断的事实。他像一缕轻烟一样似有若无，哈利可以透过他的身体眺望外面黑暗的天空和倾盆大雨。

“So do you,” said Harry.

“你好像有心事，年轻的波特。”尼克说着，把一封透明的信叠起来，藏进了紧身上衣里。

“Ah,” Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, “a matter of no importance. . . . It’s not as though I really wanted to join. . . . Thought I’d apply, but apparently I ‘don’t fulfill requirements’ —”

“你也是啊。”哈利说。

In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.

“啊，”差点没头的尼克挥着一只优雅修长的手，“小事一桩……并不是我真的想参加……我以为可以申请，可是看样子我‘不符合条件’。”

“But you would think, wouldn’t you,” he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, “that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?”

他的口气是满不在乎的，但他脸上却显出了深切的痛苦。

“Oh — yes,” said Harry, who was obviously supposed to agree.

“你倒是说说看，”他突然爆发了，把那封信又从口袋里抽了出来，“脖子上被一把钝斧子砍了四十四下，有没有资格参加无头猎手队？”

“I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However —” Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously:

“噢——有的。”哈利显然应该表示同意。

“ ‘We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.’ ”

“我的意思是，我比任何人都希望事情办得干净利落，希望我的脑袋完全彻底地断掉，我的意思是，那会使我免受许多痛苦，也不致被人取笑。可是……”差点没头的尼克把信抖开，愤怒地念了起来：

Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.

我们只能接受脑袋与身体分家的猎手。你会充分地意识到，如果不是这样，成员将不可能参加马背头戏和头顶球之类的猎手队活动。因此，我非常遗憾地通知您，您不符合我们的条件。顺致问候，帕特里克德波魔先生。

“Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Harry! Most people would think that’s good and beheaded, but oh, no, it’s not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore.”

差点没头的尼克气呼呼地把信塞进衣服。

Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, “So — what’s bothering you? Anything I can do?”

“只有一点儿皮和筋连着我的脖子啊，哈利！大多数人都会认为，这实际上和掉脑袋一个样儿。可是不行，在彻底掉脑袋的德波魔先生看来，这还不够。”

“No,” said Harry. “Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly —”

差点没头的尼克深深吸了几口气，然后用平静多了的口吻说：“那么——你又为什么事发愁呢？我能帮得上忙吗？”

The rest of Harry’s sentence was drowned out by a high-pitched mewling from somewhere near his ankles. He looked down and found himself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal gray cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.

“不能，”哈利说，“除非你知道上哪儿能弄到七把免费的光轮2001，让我们在比赛中对付斯莱——”

“You’d better get out of here, Harry,” said Nick quickly. “Filch isn’t in a good mood — he’s got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He’s been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place —”

“喵——”哈利的脚脖子附近突然发出一声尖厉刺耳的叫声，淹没了他的话音。他低下头，看见两只像灯一样发亮的黄眼睛。是洛丽丝夫人，这只骨瘦如柴的灰猫受到看门人费尔奇的重用，在他与学生之间没完没了的战斗中充当他的副手。

“Right,” said Harry, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough. Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to Harry’s right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.

“你最好离开这里，哈利，”尼克赶紧说，“费尔奇情绪不好。他感冒了，还有几个三年级学生不小心把青蛙的脑浆抹在了第五地下教室的天花板上。他整整冲洗了一个上午，如果他看见你把泥水滴得到处都是……”

“Filth!” he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Harry’s Quidditch robes. “Mess and muck everywhere! I’ve had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!”

“说得对，”哈利说，一边后退着离开洛丽丝夫人谴责的目光，可是已经来不及了。费尔奇和他这只讨厌的猫之间，大概有某种神秘的力量联系着。他突然从一条挂毯后面冲到哈利右边，呼哧呼哧喘着气，气疯了似的东张西望，寻找违反校规的人。他脑袋上扎着一条厚厚的格子花纹围巾，鼻子红得很不正常。

So Harry waved a gloomy good-bye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor.

“脏东西！”他喊道，指着从哈利的魁地奇队服上滴下来的泥浆和脏水，眼睛鼓得怪吓人的，双下巴上的肉颤抖着。“到处都是脏东西，到处一团糟！告诉你吧，我受够了！波特，跟我走！”

Harry had never been inside Filch’s office before; it was a place most students avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Harry could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch’s desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.

哈利愁闷地朝差点没头的尼克挥手告剐，跟着费尔奇走下楼梯，在地板上又留下一串泥泞的脚印。

Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.

哈利以前从未进过费尔奇的办公室，大多数学生对这个地方避之惟恐不及。房间里昏暗肮脏，没有窗户，只有一盏孤零零的油灯从低矮的天花板上吊下来。空气里弥漫着一股淡淡的煎鱼气味。四周的墙边排着许多木头文件柜；从标签上看，哈利知道柜里收藏着费尔奇处罚过的每个学生的详细资料。弗雷德和乔治两个人就占了整整一个抽屉。在费尔奇书桌后面的墙上，挂着一套亮晶晶的绞链和手铐、脚镣之类的东西。大家都知道，费尔奇经常请求邓布利多允许他吊住学生的脚踝，把学生从天花板上倒挂下来。

“Dung,” he muttered furiously, “great sizzling dragon bogies . . . frog brains . . . rat intestines . . . I’ve had enough of it . . . make an example . . . where’s the form . . . yes . . .”

费尔奇从书桌上的一只罐子里抓过一支羽毛笔，然后拖着脚走来走去，寻找羊皮纸。

He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.

“讨厌，”他怒气冲冲地嘟囔着，“咝咝作响的大鼻涕虫……青蛙脑浆……老鼠肠子……我受够了……要杀鸡给猴看……表格呢……在这里……”

“Name . . . Harry Potter. Crime . . .”

他从书桌抽屉里取出一大卷羊皮纸，铺在面前，然后拿起长长的黑羽毛笔，在墨水池里蘸了蘸。

“It was only a bit of mud!” said Harry.

“姓名……哈利·波特。罪行……”

“It’s only a bit of mud to you, boy, but to me it’s an extra hour scrubbing!” shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. “Crime . . . befouling the castle . . . suggested sentence . . .”

“就是一点点泥浆！”哈利说。

Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Harry, who waited with bated breath for his sentence to fall.

“对你来说是一点点泥浆，孩子，但对我来说，又得洗洗擦擦，忙上一个小时！”费尔奇说道，他鼓鼓囊囊的鼻子尖上抖动着一滴令人恶心的鼻涕。“罪行……玷污城堡……处罚建议……”

But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.

费尔奇擦了擦流下来的鼻涕，眯起眼睛，不怀好意地看着哈利。哈利屏住呼吸，等待宣判。

“PEEVES!” Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. “I’ll have you this time, I’ll have you!”

然而，就在费尔奇的笔落下去的时候，办公室的天花板上传来了一声巨响，“啷！”油灯被震得格格作响。

And without a backward glance at Harry, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him.

“皮皮鬼！”费尔奇吼道，一气之下，狠狠地扔掉了羽毛笔。“这次我一定不放过你，我要抓住你！”

Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress. Harry didn’t much like Peeves, but couldn’t help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he’d wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from Harry.

皮皮鬼是学校里专门闹恶作剧的鬼，整天嘻皮笑脸，在空中蹿来蹿去，惹是生非，制造灾难和不幸。哈利不太喜欢皮皮鬼，但他不由得感激皮皮鬼这次闹得正是时候。但愿皮皮鬼不管做了什么（从声音昕，他这次似乎打碎了一个很大的东西），都能使费尔奇的注意力从哈利身上转移开去。

Thinking that he should probably wait for Filch to come back, Harry sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. There was only one thing on it apart from his half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn’t on his way back, Harry picked up the envelope and read:

哈利认为他大概应该等费尔奇回来，就在书桌边的一张被虫蛀坏的椅子上坐下了。桌子上除了他那张填了一半的表格，还有另外一件东西——一个鼓鼓囊囊的紫色信封，上面印着一些银色的字。哈利飞快地朝门口瞥了一眼，确信费尔奇还没有回来，便拿起信封，看了起来：快速念咒魔法入门函授课程。哈利觉得困惑，便打开信封，从里面抽出一扎羊皮纸，只见第一页上又印着一些银色的花体字：您觉得跟不上现代魔法世界的节拍吗？您发现自己在寻找借口不表演简单的魔法吗？你有没有因为蹩脚的魔杖技法而受人嘲笑？答案就在这里！快速念咒是一种万无一失、收效神速、简便易学的全新课程。已有成百上千的男女巫师从快速念咒中受益匪浅！托普山的讨人嫌女士这样写道：“我记不住咒语，我调制的魔药受到全家人的取笑！现在，经过一期快速念咒课程的学习，我已成为晚会上大家注意的中心，朋友们都向我讨要闪烁魔药的配方！”迪茨布里的惹祸精巫师说：“我妻子过去总是嘲笑我蹩脚的魔法，但是在你们神奇的快速念咒班里学习了一个月之后，我成功地将她变成了一头牦牛！谢谢你，快速念咒！”哈利被吸引住了，他用手指翻动着信封里其余的羊皮纸。费尔奇为什么要学习快速念咒课程呢？这难道意味着他不是一个正规的巫师？哈利刚刚读到“第一课：拿住你的魔杖（几点有用的忠告）”，外面就传来了踢踢踏踏的脚步声。他知道费尔奇回来了，便赶紧把羊皮纸塞进信封，扔回到桌上。就在这时，门开了。

KWIKSPELL

费尔奇一副大获全胜的样子。“那个消失柜特别珍贵！”他高兴地对洛丽丝夫人说，“这次我们可以叫皮皮鬼滚蛋了，亲爱的！”

A Correspondence Course in Beginners’ Magic

他的目光落到了哈利身上，又赶紧转向那个快速念咒信封，哈利这才发现它离刚才的位置偏了两英尺，然而已经来不及了。

Intrigued, Harry flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:

费尔奇苍白的脸一下子变得通红。哈利鼓起勇气，等待着他大发雷霆。费尔奇一瘸一拐地走向桌子，一把抓起信封，扔进了抽屉。

Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wandwork?

“你有没有——你看了——？”他语无伦次地问。

There is an answer!

“没有。”哈利赶紧撒谎。

Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course.

费尔奇把两只关节突出的手拧在一起。

Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!

“如果我认为你偷看我的私人……不，这不是我的……替一个朋友弄的……不管怎么样吧……不过……”

Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:

哈利瞪着他，惊讶极了，费尔奇从来没有显得这样恼怒。他的眼球暴突着，松垂的脸颊有一边突然抽搐起来，即使扎着格子花纹的围巾也无济于事。

“I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke!

“很好……走吧……不要透露一个字……我不是说……不过，如果你没有看……你走吧，我还要写皮皮鬼的报告呢……走吧……”

Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the center of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!”

哈利简直不敢相信自己的运气，于是飞快地离开办公室，穿过走廊，来到楼上。没受到惩罚就从费尔奇的办公室逃脱出来，这大概也算本校的一项最新记录了。

Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:

“哈利！哈利！管用吗？”差点没头的尼克从一间教室里闪了出来。在他身后，哈利看见一只黑色和金色相间的柜子摔碎在地上，看样子是从很高的地方落下来的。“我劝说皮皮鬼把它砸在费尔奇的办公室顶上，”尼克急切地说，“我想这大概会转移他的注意——”

“My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak!

“原来是你？”哈利感激地说，“啊，太管用了，我甚至没有被罚留校。谢谢你，尼克！”

Thank you, Kwikspell!”

他们一起在走廊里走着。哈利注意到，差点没头的尼克手里还拿着帕特里克先生的那封回绝信。

Fascinated, Harry thumbed through the rest of the envelope’s contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn’t a proper wizard? Harry was just reading “Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips)” when shuffling footsteps outside told him Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Harry threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.

“关于无头猎手队的事，我希望我能为你做点什么。”哈利说。

Filch was looking triumphant.

差点没头的尼克立刻停住脚步，哈利径直从他身体里穿过。他真希望自己没有这样做；那感觉就好像是冲了一个冰水浴。

“That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!” he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. “We’ll have Peeves out this time, my sweet —”

“你确实可以为我做一件事，”尼克兴奋地说，“哈利——我的要求是不是太过分了——不行，你不会愿意——”

His eyes fell on Harry and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Harry realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.

“什么呀？”哈利问道。

Filch’s pasty face went brick red. Harry braced himself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.

“好吧，今年的万圣节将是我的五百岁忌辰。”差点没头的尼克说着，挺起了胸膛，显出一副高贵的样子。

“Have you — did you read — ?” he sputtered.

“噢，”哈利说，对这个消息，他不知道应该是表示出难过还是高兴，“是吗？”

“No,” Harry lied quickly.

“我要在一间比较宽敞的地下教室里开一个晚会。我的朋友们将从全国各地赶来。如果你也能参加，我将不胜荣幸。当然啦，韦斯莱先生和格兰杰小姐也是最受欢迎的——可是，我敢说你情愿参加学校的宴会，是吗？”他焦急不安地看着哈利。

Filch’s knobbly hands were twisting together.

“不是，”哈利很快地说，“我会来的——”

“If I thought you’d read my private — not that it’s mine — for a friend — be that as it may — however —”

“哦，我亲爱的孩子！哈利波特，参加我的忌辰晚会，太棒了！还有，”他迟疑着，显得十分兴奋，“劳驾，你可不可以对帕特里克先生提一句，就说你觉得我特别吓人，给人印象特别深刻，好吗？”

Harry was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn’t help.

“当——当然可以。”哈利说。

“Very well — go — and don’t breathe a word — not that — however, if you didn’t read — go now, I have to write up Peeves’ report — go —”

差点没头的尼克向他露出了笑容。

Amazed at his luck, Harry sped out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch’s office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.

“忌辰晚会？”赫敏兴致很高地说，“我敢打赌没有几个活着的人能说他们参加过这种晚会——肯定是很奇妙的！”

“Harry! Harry! Did it work?”

这时哈利终于换好了衣服，在公共休息室里找到了她和罗恩。

Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, Harry could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.

“为什么有人要庆祝他们死亡的日子呢？”罗恩带着怒气说，他正在做魔药课的家庭作业，“我听着觉得怪沉闷的……”

“I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch’s office,” said Nick eagerly. “Thought it might distract him —”

窗外仍然下着倾盆大雨，天已经黑得像墨汁一样，屋里却是明亮而欢快的。火光映照着无数张柔软的扶手椅，人们坐在里面看书、聊天、做家庭作业。弗雷德和乔治韦斯莱这对孪生兄弟呢，他们正在研究如果给一只火蜥蜴吃一些费力拔烟火，会出现什么效果。弗雷德把这只鲜艳的橘红色蜥蜴从保护神奇生物课的课堂上“拯救”出来，此刻，它趴在一张桌子上闷闷地燃烧着，四周围着一群好奇的人。

“Was that you?” said Harry gratefully. “Yeah, it worked, I didn’t even get detention. Thanks, Nick!”

哈利正要把费尔奇和快速念咒函授课的事告诉罗恩和赫敏，突然，那边的火蜥蜴嗖地蹿到半空，在房间里疯狂地旋转，噼噼啪啪地放出火花，还伴随着一些邦邦的巨响。珀西嘶哑着嗓子狠狠地训斥弗雷德和乔治。火蜥蜴的嘴里喷出橘红色的星星，十分美丽壮观。它带着接二连三的爆炸声，逃进了炉火里。所有这一切，使哈利把费尔奇和那个快速念咒的信封忘得一于二净。

They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, Harry noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick’s rejection letter.

万圣节到来了，哈利正在后悔自己不该那么草率地答应去参加忌辰晚会。学校里的其他同学都开开心心地参加万圣节的宴会，礼堂里已经像平常那样，用活蝙蝠装饰起来了。海格种的巨大南瓜被雕刻成了一盏盏灯笼，大得可以容三个人坐在里面。人们还传言说，邓布利多预定了一支骷髅舞蹈团，给大家助兴。

“I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt,” Harry said.

“一言既出，驷马难追。”赫敏盛气凌人地提醒哈利，“你说过你要去参加忌辰晚会的。”

Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry walked right through him. He wished he hadn’t; it was like stepping through an icy shower.

于是，七点钟的时候，哈利、罗恩和赫敏径直穿过门道，这条门道正好通往拥挤的礼堂。那里张灯结彩，烛光闪耀，桌上摆放着金盘子，非常诱人，但他们还是朝地下教室的方向走去。

“But there is something you could do for me,” said Nick excitedly. “Harry — would I be asking too much — but no, you wouldn’t want —”

通向差点没头的尼克的晚会的那条过道，也已经点着蜡烛了，但效果却一点也不令人愉快：它们都是黑乎乎的、细细的小蜡烛，燃烧的时候闪着蓝盈盈的光芒，即使照在他们三个充满生机的脸上，也显得阴森森的。他们每走一步，气温都在降低。哈利颤抖着，把衣服拉紧了裹住自己。这时，他听见一种声音，仿佛是一千个指甲在一块巨大的黑板上刮来刮去。

“What is it?” said Harry.

“那也叫音乐？”罗恩低声说。他们转过一个拐角，看见差点没头的尼克站在一个门口，身上披挂着黑色天鹅绒的幕布。

“Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday,” said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.

“我亲爱的朋友，”他无限忧伤地说，“欢迎，欢迎……你们能来，我真是太高兴了……”

“Oh,” said Harry, not sure whether he should look sorry or happy about this. “Right.”

他脱掉插着羽毛的帽子，鞠躬请他们进去。

“I’m holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course — but I daresay you’d rather go to the school feast?” He watched Harry on tenterhooks.

眼前的景象真是令人难以置信。地下教室里挤满了几百个乳白色的、半透明的身影，他们大多在拥挤不堪的舞场上游来荡去，和着三十把乐锯发出的可怕而颤抖的声音跳着华尔兹舞，演奏乐锯的乐队就坐在铺着黑布的舞台上。头顶上的一个枝形吊灯里也点燃了一千支蜡烛，放出午夜的蓝光。他们三个人的呼吸在面前形成一团团雾气，仿佛走进了冷藏室。

“No,” said Harry quickly, “I’ll come —”

“我们到处看看吧？”哈利提出建议，想暖一暖他的脚。

“My dear boy! Harry Potter, at my deathday party! And” — he hesitated, looking excited — “do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?”

“小心，不要从什么人的身体里穿过。”罗恩紧张地说，他们绕着舞场边缘慢慢地走，经过一群闷闷不乐的修女、一个戴着锁链的衣衫褴褛的男人，还有一个胖修士。一个赫奇帕奇的鬼魂，性情活泼愉快，此刻正在和一个脑门上插着一根箭的骑士聊天。哈利还看到了血人巴罗，这是在他的意料中的。血人巴罗是斯莱特林的鬼魂，他骨瘦如柴，两眼发直，身上沾满银色的血迹，其他鬼魂正给他腾出一大块地方。

“Of — of course,” said Harry.

“哦，糟糕，”赫敏突然停住脚步，“快转身，快转身，我不想跟哭泣的桃金娘说话——”

Nearly Headless Nick beamed at him. “A deathday party?” said Hermione keenly when Harry had changed at last and joined her and Ron in the common room. “I bet there aren’t many living people who can say they’ve been to one of those — it’ll be fascinating!”

“谁？”他们匆匆由原路返回时，哈利问道。

“Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?” said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. “Sounds dead depressing to me. . . .”

“她待在一楼的女生盥洗室里。”赫敏说。

Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander. Fred had “rescued” the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people.

“待在盥洗室里？”

Harry was at the point of telling Ron and Hermione about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander’s mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from Harry’s mind. By the time Halloween arrived, Harry was regretting his rash promise to go to the deathday party. The rest of the school was happily anticipating their Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid’s vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumors that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.

“对。盥洗室一年到头出故障，因为她不停地发脾气，把水泼得到处都是。我只要能够避免，是尽量不到那里去的。你上厕所，她冲你尖声哭叫，真是太可怕了——”

“A promise is a promise,” Hermione reminded Harry bossily. “You said you’d go to the deathday party.”

“看，吃的东西！”罗恩说。地下教室的另一头是一张长长的桌子，上面也铺着黑色天鹅绒。他们迫不及待地走上前去，紧接着就惊恐万分地停下了，气味太难闻了。大块大块已经腐烂的肉放在漂亮的银盘子里，漆黑的、烤成焦炭的蛋糕堆在大托盘里；还有大量长满蛆虫的肉馅羊肚，一块覆盖着绿毛的奶酪。在桌子的正中央，放着一块巨大的墓碑形的灰色蛋糕，上面用焦油状的糖霜拼出了这样的文字：尼古拉斯德敏西·波平顿①爵士逝于1492年10月31日。

So at seven o’clock, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons.

哈利看得目瞪口呆。这时一个肥胖的鬼魂向桌子走来，他蹲下身子，直接从桌子中间通过，嘴巴张得大大的，正好穿过一条臭气熏天的大马哈鱼。

The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick’s party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The temperature dropped with every step they took. As Harry shivered and drew his robes tightly around him, he heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.

“你这样直接穿过去，能尝出味道吗？”哈利问他。

“Is that supposed to be music?” Ron whispered. They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.

“差不多吧。”鬼魂悲哀地说，转身飘走了。

“My dear friends,” he said mournfully. “Welcome, welcome . . . so pleased you could come. . . .”

“我猜想他们让食物腐烂，是想让味道更浓一些。”赫敏很有见识地说，她捂着鼻子，靠上前去细看腐烂的肉馅羊肚。

He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.

“我们走吧，我感到恶心了。”罗恩说。他们还没来得及转身，一个矮小的男鬼突然从桌子底下钻了出来，停在他们面前的半空中。

It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.

“你好，皮皮鬼。”哈利小心翼翼地说。皮皮鬼是一个专门喜欢搞恶作剧的鬼，他和他们周围的那些鬼魂不同，不是苍白而透明的。恰恰相反，他戴着一顶鲜艳的橘红色晚会帽，打着旋转的蝴蝶领结，一副坏样的阔脸上龇牙咧嘴地露出笑容。

“Shall we have a look around?” Harry suggested, wanting to warm up his feet.

“想来点儿吗？”他甜甜地说，递给他们一碗长满霉菌的花生。

“Careful not to walk through anyone,” said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Harry wasn’t surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts.

“不，谢谢。”赫敏说。

“Oh, no,” said Hermione, stopping abruptly. “Turn back, turn back, I don’t want to talk to Moaning Myrtle —”

“听见你们在议论可怜的桃金娘。”皮皮鬼说，眼睛忽闪忽闪的，“议论可怜的桃金娘，真不礼貌。”他深深吸了口气，大吼一声：“喂，桃金娘！”

“Who?” said Harry as they backtracked quickly.

“哦，不要，皮皮鬼，别把我的话告诉她，她会感到很难过的。”赫敏着急地低声说，“我是说着玩儿的，我不介意她那样——噢，你好，桃金娘。”

“She haunts one of the toilets in the girls’ bathroom on the first floor,” said Hermione.

一个矮矮胖胖的姑娘的鬼魂飘然而至。她那张脸是哈利见过的最忧郁阴沉的脸，被直溜溜的长发和厚厚的、珍珠色的眼镜遮去了一半。

“She haunts a toilet?”

“怎么？”她绷着脸问。

“Yes. It’s been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it’s awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you —”

“你好，桃金娘。”赫敏用假装很愉快的声音说，“很高兴在盥洗室外面看到你。”

“Look, food!” said Ron.

桃金娘抽了抽鼻子。

On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal-black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mold and, in pride of place, an enormous gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words,

“格兰杰小姐刚才正议论你呢——”皮皮鬼狡猾地在桃金娘耳边说。

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington

“我正在说——在说——你今晚的样子真漂亮。”赫敏狠狠地瞪着皮皮鬼，说道。

died 31st October, 1492

桃金娘狐疑地看着赫敏。

Harry watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low, and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.

“你们在取笑我。”她说着，眼泪就扑簌簌地从她透明的小眼睛里飞快地落下来。

“Can you taste it if you walk through it?” Harry asked him.

“没有——真的——我刚才不是说桃金娘的样子很漂亮吗？”赫敏说，一边用臂肘使劲捣着哈利和罗恩的肋骨。

“Almost,” said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.

“是啊……”

“I expect they’ve let it rot to give it a stronger flavor,” said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.

“她是这么说的……”

“Can we move? I feel sick,” said Ron.

“别骗我。”桃金娘喘着气说，眼泪滔滔不绝地滚下面颊，皮皮鬼在她身后快活地咯咯直笑。“你们以为我不知道别人在背后叫我什么吗？肥婆桃金娘！丑八怪桃金娘！可怜的、哭哭啼啼、闷闷不乐的桃金娘！”

They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in midair before them.

“你漏说了一个‘满脸粉刺的’。”皮皮鬼压低声音在她耳边说。

“Hello, Peeves,” said Harry cautiously.

哭泣的桃金娘突然伤心地抽泣起来，奔出了地下教室。皮皮鬼飞快地在她后面追着，用发霉的花生砸她，一边大喊：“满脸粉刺！满脸粉刺！”

Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the Poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face.

“哦，天哪。”赫敏难过地说。

“Nibbles?” he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.

差点没头的尼克从人群中飘然而至。

“No thanks,” said Hermione.

“玩得高兴吗？”

“Heard you talking about poor Myrtle,” said Peeves, his eyes dancing. “Rude you was about poor Myrtle.” He took a deep breath and bellowed, “OY! MYRTLE!”

“哦，高兴。”他们撒谎说。

“Oh, no, Peeves, don’t tell her what I said, she’ll be really upset,” Hermione whispered frantically. “I didn’t mean it, I don’t mind her — er, hello, Myrtle.”

“人数还令人满意，”差点没头的尼克骄傲地说，“哭喊的寡妇大老远地从肯特郡赶来……我讲话的时间快要到了，我最好去跟乐队提个醒儿……”

The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick, pearly spectacles.

没想到，就在这时候，乐队突然停止了演奏。他们和地下教室里的每个人都沉默下来，兴奋地环顾四周，一只猎号吹响了。

“What?” she said sulkily.

“哦，糟了。”差点没头的尼克痛苦地说。

“How are you, Myrtle?” said Hermione in a falsely bright voice. “It’s nice to see you out of the toilet.”

从地下教室的墙壁突然奔出十二匹鬼马，每匹马上面都有一个无头的骑手。全体参加晚会的人热烈鼓掌；哈利也拍起了巴掌，但一看到尼克的脸色，他就赶紧停住了。

Myrtle sniffed.

十二匹鬼马跑到舞场中央，猛地站住了，先用后腿直立起来，又踢起后蹄冲蹿。最前面的马上是一个大块头的鬼，长着络腮胡的脑袋夹在胳膊底下，吹着号角。他从马上跳下来，把脑袋高高地举在半空中，这样他便可以从上面看着众人了（大家都哈哈大笑）；他大踏步向差点没头的尼克走来，一边马马虎虎地把脑袋往脖子上一塞。

“Miss Granger was just talking about you —” said Peeves slyly in Myrtle’s ear.

“尼克！”他大声吼道，“你好吗？脑袋还挂在那儿吗？”他发出一阵粗野的狂笑，拍了拍差点没头的尼克的肩膀。

“Just saying — saying — how nice you look tonight,” said Hermione, glaring at Peeves.

“欢迎光临，帕特里克。”尼克态度生硬地说。

Myrtle eyed Hermione suspiciously.

“活人！”帕特里克先生一眼看见了哈利、罗恩和赫敏，假装吃惊地高高跳起，结果脑袋又掉了下来（大家哄堂大笑）。

“You’re making fun of me,” she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.

“非常有趣。”差点没头的尼克板着脸说。

“No — honestly — didn’t I just say how nice Myrtle’s looking?” said Hermione, nudging Harry and Ron painfully in the ribs.

“别管尼克！”帕特里克先生的脑袋从地板上喊道，“他还为我们不让他参加猎手队而耿耿于怀呢！可是我想说——你们看看这家伙——”

“Oh, yeah —”

“我认为，”哈利看到尼克意味深长的目光，慌忙说道，“尼克非常——吓人，而且——哦——”

“She did —”

“哈哈！”帕特里克先生的脑袋嚷道，“我猜是他叫你这么说的吧！”

“Don’t lie to me,” Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. “D’you think I don’t know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!”

“请诸位注意了，现在我开始讲话！”差点没头的尼克大声说，迈大步走向讲台，来到一道冰冷的蓝色聚光灯下。“我已故的勋爵们、女士们和先生们，我怀着极大的悲痛……”

“You’ve forgotten pimply,” Peeves hissed in her ear.

后面的话便没人能听见了。帕特里克先生和无头猎手队的其他成员玩起了一种头顶曲棍球的游戏，众人都转身观看。差点没头的尼克徒劳地试图重新抓住观众，可是帕特里克先生的脑袋在一片欢呼声中从他身边飞过，他只好败下阵来。

Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling, “Pimply! Pimply!”

这时，哈利已经很冷了，肚子更是饿得咕咕直叫。

“Oh, dear,” said Hermione sadly.

“我再也受不住了。”罗恩嘟囔说，他的牙齿地打战。这时乐队又吱吱呀呀地开始演奏了，大鬼小鬼们飘飘然地回到舞场。

Nearly Headless Nick now drifted toward them through the crowd.

“我们走吧。”哈利赞同道。

“Enjoying yourselves?”

他们向门口移动，一边对每个看着他们的人点头微笑。一分钟后，他们就匆匆走在点着黑蜡烛的过道里了。

“Oh, yes,” they lied.

“布丁大概还没有吃完吧。”罗恩满怀希望地说，领头向通往门厅的台阶走去。

“Not a bad turnout,” said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. “The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent. . . . It’s nearly time for my speech, I’d better go and warn the orchestra. . . .”

这时，哈利听见了。

The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.

“……撕你……撕裂你……杀死你……”

“Oh, here we go,” said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.

又是那个声音，那个他曾在洛哈特办公室里听见过的冷冰冰的、杀气腾腾的声音。

Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly; Harry started to clap, too, but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick’s face.

他踉跄着停下脚步，抓住石墙，全神贯注地听着，一边环顾四周，眯着眼睛在光线昏暗的过道里上上下下地寻找。

The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.

“哈利，你怎么——？”

“Nick!” he roared. “How are you? Head still hanging in there?”

“那个声音又出现了——先别说话——”

He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.

“……饿坏了……好久好久了……”

“Welcome, Patrick,” said Nick stiffly.

“听！”哈利急迫地说，罗恩和赫敏呆住了，注视着他。

“Live ’uns!” said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron, and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).

“……杀人……是时候了……”

“Very amusing,” said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.

声音越来越弱了。哈利可以肯定它在移动——向上移动。他盯着漆黑的天花板，心里突然产生了一种既恐惧又兴奋的感觉；它怎么可能向上移动呢？难道它是一个幽灵，石头砌成的天花板根本挡不住它？

“Don’t mind Nick!” shouted Sir Patrick’s head from the floor. “Still upset we won’t let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say — look at the fellow —”

“走这边。”他喊道，撒腿跑了起来，跑上楼梯，跑进门厅。这里回荡着礼堂里万圣节宴会的欢声笑语，不太可能听见其他动静。哈利全速奔上了大理石楼梯，来到二楼，罗恩和赫敏跌跌撞撞地跟在后面。

“I think,” said Harry hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, “Nick’s very — frightening and — er —”

“哈利，我们在做什——”

“Ha!” yelled Sir Patrick’s head. “Bet he asked you to say that!”

“嘘！”

“If I could have everyone’s attention, it’s time for my speech!” said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue spotlight.

哈利竖起耳朵。远远地，从上面一层楼上，那个声音又传来了，而且变得越发微弱：“……我闻到了血腥味……我闻到了血腥味！”

“My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow . . .”

哈利的肚子猛地抽动起来。“它要杀人了！”他喊道，然后不顾罗恩和赫敏脸上困惑的表情，三步两步登上一层楼梯，一边在他沉重的脚步声中倾听着。

But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd were turning to watch. Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick’s head went sailing past him to loud cheers.

哈利飞奔着把三楼转了个遍，罗恩和赫敏气喘吁吁地跟在后面，三个人马不停蹄，最后转过一个墙角，来到最后一条空荡荡的过道里。

Harry was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.

“哈利，这到底是怎么回事？”罗恩说，一边擦去脸上的汗珠。“我什么也听不见……”

“I can’t stand much more of this,” Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.

赫敏突然倒抽一口冷气，指着走廊的下方。

“Let’s go,” Harry agreed.

“看！”

They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.

在他们面前的墙上，有什么东西在闪闪发亮。他们慢慢走近，眯着眼在黑暗中仔细辨认。在两扇窗户之间，距地面一尺高的墙面上，涂抹着一些字迹，在燃烧的火把的映照下闪着微光。

“Pudding might not be finished yet,” said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.

密室被打开了。

And then Harry heard it.

与继承人为敌者，警惕。

“. . . rip . . . tear . . . kill . . .”

“那是什么东西——挂在下面？”罗恩说，声音有些颤抖。

It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice he had heard in Lockhart’s office.

他们小心翼翼地靠近，哈利差点儿滑了一跤——地上有一大摊水。罗恩和赫敏一把抓住他，他们一点点儿地走近那条标语，眼睛死死盯着下面的一团黑影。三个人同时看清了那是什么，吓得向后一跳，溅起一片水花。

He stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all his might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.

是洛丽丝夫人，看门人的那只猫，尾巴挂在火把的支架上，身体僵硬得像块木板，眼睛睁得大大的，直勾勾地瞪着。

“Harry, what’re you — ?”

三个人一动不动地站着，足有好几秒钟，然后罗恩说道：“我们赶快离开这里吧。”

“It’s that voice again — shut up a minute —”

“是不是应该设法抢救——”哈利不很流利地说。

“. . . soo hungry . . . for so long . . .”

“听我说，”罗恩说，“我们可不想在这里被人发现。”

“Listen!” said Harry urgently, and Ron and Hermione froze, watching him.

然而已经来不及了。一阵低沉的喧闹声，像远处的雷声一样，告诉他们宴会刚刚结束。从他们所处的走廊的两端，传来几百只脚登上楼梯的声音，以及人们茶足饭饱后愉快的高声谈笑。接着，学生们就推推挤挤地从两端拥进过道。

“. . . kill . . . time to kill . . .”

当前面的人看见那只倒挂的猫时，热热闹闹、叽叽喳喳的声音突然消失了。哈利、罗恩和赫敏孤零零地站在走廊中间，学生们一下子安静了，纷纷挤上前来看这可怕的一幕。

The voice was growing fainter. Harry was sure it was moving away — moving upward. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped him as he stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn’t matter?

在这片寂静中，有人高声说话了。

“This way,” he shouted, and he began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. Harry sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, Ron and Hermione clattering behind him.

“与继承人为敌者，警惕！下一个就是你，泥巴种！”是德拉科·马尔福。他已经挤到人群前面，冰冷的眼睛活泛了起来，平常毫无血色的脸涨得通红。他看着挂在那里的那只静止僵硬的猫，脸上露出了狞笑。

“Harry, what’re we —”

“SHH!”

Harry strained his ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, he heard the voice: “. . . I smell blood. . . . I SMELL BLOOD!”

His stomach lurched —

“It’s going to kill someone!” he shouted, and ignoring Ron’s and Hermione’s bewildered faces, he ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over his own pounding footsteps —

Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Ron and Hermione panting behind him, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.

“Harry, what was that all about?” said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. “I couldn’t hear anything. . . .”

But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

“Look!”

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN

OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

“What’s that thing — hanging underneath?” said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.

As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped — there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed him, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.

Mrs. Norris, the caretaker’s cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

For a few seconds, they didn’t move. Then Ron said, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Shouldn’t we try and help —” Harry began awkwardly.

“Trust me,” said Ron. “We don’t want to be found here.”

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

Then someone shouted through the quiet.

“Enemies of the Heir, beware! You’ll be next, Mudbloods!”

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.