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“I’ve got a question for you,” said Harry, his heart beating rather fast as he looked
down at the elf, “and I order you to answer it truthfully. Understand?”
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本文由我csbeyond（http://blog.sina.com.cn/csbeyond）用专业软件转化，不过等到10月中文翻译版出来以后我还是会在第一时间购买正版的~支持正版哈7
“I’ve got a question for you,” said Harry, his heart beating rather fast as he looked
down at the elf, “and I order you to answer it truthfully. Understand?”
acher, bowing low again. Harry saw his lips moving
soundlessly, undoubtedly framing the insults he was now forbidden to utter.
was a big gold locket in the drawing room upstairs. We threw it out. Did you steal it
back?”
Harry full in the face. Then he said, “Yes.”
next word.
gone?”
Fletcher stole it all; Miss Bella’s and Miss Cissy’s pictures, my Mistress’s gloves, the
Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and – and – “
his eyes flew open and he uttered a bloodcurdling scream.
in his orders!”
he launched himself upon the elf, flattening him. Hermione’s scream mingled with
Kreacher’s but Harry bellowed louder than both of them: “Kreacher, I order you to stay
still!”
tears gushing from his sagging eyes.
“I don’t think so. Right. Kreacher, I want the truth: How do you know Mundungus
Fletcher stole the locket?”
mouth full of graying teeth. “Kreacher saw him coming out of Kreacher’s cupboard with
his hands full of Kreacher’s treasures. Kreacher told the sneak thief to stop, but
Mundungus Fletcher laughed and r-ran … “
come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything
you know about that locket, and everything Regulus had to do with it!”
to rock backward and forward. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct
in the silent, echoing kitchen.
Mistress’s heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper order; he knew
what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked
of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles
and the Muggle-borns … and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the
Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve …
see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said … he
said …”
who looked just as puzzled as he did.
was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure
to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do … and then to c-come home.”
they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the
cave was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake … “
seemed to come to him from across the dark water. He saw what had happened as clearly
as though he had been present.
bewitched so as to carry one wizard and one victim toward the island in the center. This,
then, was how Voldemort had tested the defenses surrounding the Horcrux, by borrowing
a disposable creature, a house-elf…
Kreacher drink it …”
burned … Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black,
but the Dark Lord only laughed … He made Kreacher drink all the potion … He dropped
a locket into the empty basin … He filled it with more potion.”
vanishing into darkness, those red eyes fixed pitilessly on the thrashing elf whose death
would occur within minutes, whenever he succumbed to the desperate thirst that the
burning poison caused its victim … But here, Harry’s imagination could go no further,
for he could not see how Kreacher had escaped.
black lake … and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under
the surface … “
whispering.
Dumbledore – “
and Disapparate in and out of Hogwarts when we can’t.”
a mistake? But even as he thought this, Hermione spoke, and her voice was icy.
beneath his notice … It would never have occurred to him that they might have magic
that he didn’t.”
“Kreacher was told to come home, so Kreacher came home … “
“You didn’t disobey orders at all!”
when you told him what happened?”
Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house. And then … it was a
little while later … Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and
Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could
tell … and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone
with the Dark Lord … “
old elf and the thin, dark Seeker who had so resembled Sirius … Kreacher knew how to
open the concealed entrance to the underground cavern, knew how to raise the tiny boat:
this time it was his beloved Regulus who sailed with him to the island with its basin of
poison …
seemed to have understood something.
had,” said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snoutlike nose. “And he told
Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets …”
understand him.
home – and never to tell my Mistress – what he had done – but to destroy – the first
locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched
… as Master Regulus … was dragged beneath the water … and … “
beside the elf and tried to hug him. At once he was on his feet, cringing away from her,
quite obviously repulsed.
say?”
punishing himself. He fell to the ground and banged his forehead on the floor.
the way they’ve got to obey?”
snot, a bruise already blooming on his pallid forehead where he had struck himself, his
eyes swollen and bloodshot and swimming in tears. Harry had never seen anything so
pitiful.
know the full story. “And you tried to destroy it?”
everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work … So many powerful
spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it
would not open … Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he
tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And
his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared and Kreacher
could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him
to tell any of the f-f-family what happened in the c-cave …”
flowed down Hermione’s cheeks as she watched Kreacher, but she did not dare touch
him again. Even Ron, who was no fan of Kreacher’s, looked troubled. Harry sat back on
his heels and shook his head, trying to clear it.
Regulus died to bring Voldemort down, but you were still happy to betray Sirius to
Voldemort? You were happy to go to Narcissa and Bellatrix, and pass information to
Voldemort through them … “
back of her hand. “He’s a slave; house-elves are used to bad, even brutal treatment; what
Voldemort did to Kreacher wasn’t that far out of the common way. What do wizard wars
mean to an elf like Kreacher? He’s loyal to people who are kind to him, and Mrs. Black
must have been, and Regulus certainly was, so he served them willingly and parroted
their beliefs. I know what you’re going to say,” she went on as Harry began to protest,
“that Regulus changed his mind … but he doesn’t seem to have explained that to
Kreacher, does he?” And I think I know why. Kreacher and Regulus’s family were all
safest if they kept to the old pure-blood line. Regulus was trying to protect them all.”
know it’s true. Kreacher had been alone for such a long time when Sirius came to live
here, and he was probably starving for a bit of affection. I’m sure ‘Miss Cissy’ and ‘Miss
Bella’ were perfectly lovely to Kreacher when he turned up, so he did them a favor and
told them everything they wanted to know. I’ve said all along that wizards would pay for
how they treat house-elves. Well, Voldemort did … and so did Sirius.”
remembered what Dumbledore had said to him, mere hours after Sirius’s death: I do not
think Sirius ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human’s …
pushed himself into a sitting position again, rubbing his knuckles into his eyes like a
small child.
Hermione for assistance. He wanted to give the order kindly, but at the same time, he
could not pretend that it was not an order. However, the change in his tone seemed to
have gained her approval: She smiled encouragingly.
find out where the locket – where Master Regulus’s locket it. It’s really important. We
want to finish the work Master Regulus started, we want to – er – ensure that he didn’t
die in vain.”
do that for us?”
out Hagrid’s purse and took out the fake Horcrux, the substitute locket in which Regulus
had placed the note to Voldemort.
hand. “This belonged to Regulus and I’m sure he’d want you to have it as a token of
gratitude for what you—“
shock and misery, and threw himself back onto the ground.
be presented with a Black family heirloom for his very own that he was too weak at the
knees to stand properly. When finally he was able to totter a few steps they all
accompanied him to his cupboard, watched him tuck up the locket safely in his dirty
blankets, and assured him that they would make its protection their first priority while he
was away. He then made two low bows to Harry and Ron, and even gave a funny little
spasm in Hermione’s direction that might have been an attempt at a respectful salute,
before Disapparating with the usual loud crack.
soundlessly, undoubtedly framing the insults he was now forbidden to utter.
was a big gold locket in the drawing room upstairs. We threw it out. Did you steal it
back?”
Harry full in the face. Then he said, “Yes.”
next word.
gone?”
Fletcher stole it all; Miss Bella’s and Miss Cissy’s pictures, my Mistress’s gloves, the
Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest, and – and – “
his eyes flew open and he uttered a bloodcurdling scream.
in his orders!”
he launched himself upon the elf, flattening him. Hermione’s scream mingled with
Kreacher’s but Harry bellowed louder than both of them: “Kreacher, I order you to stay
still!”
tears gushing from his sagging eyes.
“I don’t think so. Right. Kreacher, I want the truth: How do you know Mundungus
Fletcher stole the locket?”
mouth full of graying teeth. “Kreacher saw him coming out of Kreacher’s cupboard with
his hands full of Kreacher’s treasures. Kreacher told the sneak thief to stop, but
Mundungus Fletcher laughed and r-ran … “
come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything
you know about that locket, and everything Regulus had to do with it!”
to rock backward and forward. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct
in the silent, echoing kitchen.
Mistress’s heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper order; he knew
what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked
of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles
and the Muggle-borns … and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the
Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve …
see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said … he
said …”
who looked just as puzzled as he did.
was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure
to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do … and then to c-come home.”
they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the
cave was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake … “
seemed to come to him from across the dark water. He saw what had happened as clearly
as though he had been present.
bewitched so as to carry one wizard and one victim toward the island in the center. This,
then, was how Voldemort had tested the defenses surrounding the Horcrux, by borrowing
a disposable creature, a house-elf…
Kreacher drink it …”
burned … Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black,
but the Dark Lord only laughed … He made Kreacher drink all the potion … He dropped
a locket into the empty basin … He filled it with more potion.”
vanishing into darkness, those red eyes fixed pitilessly on the thrashing elf whose death
would occur within minutes, whenever he succumbed to the desperate thirst that the
burning poison caused its victim … But here, Harry’s imagination could go no further,
for he could not see how Kreacher had escaped.
black lake … and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under
the surface … “
whispering.
Dumbledore – “
and Disapparate in and out of Hogwarts when we can’t.”
a mistake? But even as he thought this, Hermione spoke, and her voice was icy.
beneath his notice … It would never have occurred to him that they might have magic
that he didn’t.”
“Kreacher was told to come home, so Kreacher came home … “
“You didn’t disobey orders at all!”
when you told him what happened?”
Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house. And then … it was a
little while later … Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and
Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could
tell … and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone
with the Dark Lord … “
old elf and the thin, dark Seeker who had so resembled Sirius … Kreacher knew how to
open the concealed entrance to the underground cavern, knew how to raise the tiny boat:
this time it was his beloved Regulus who sailed with him to the island with its basin of
poison …
seemed to have understood something.
had,” said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snoutlike nose. “And he told
Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets …”
understand him.
home – and never to tell my Mistress – what he had done – but to destroy – the first
locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched
… as Master Regulus … was dragged beneath the water … and … “
beside the elf and tried to hug him. At once he was on his feet, cringing away from her,
quite obviously repulsed.
say?”
punishing himself. He fell to the ground and banged his forehead on the floor.
the way they’ve got to obey?”
snot, a bruise already blooming on his pallid forehead where he had struck himself, his
eyes swollen and bloodshot and swimming in tears. Harry had never seen anything so
pitiful.
know the full story. “And you tried to destroy it?”
everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work … So many powerful
spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it
would not open … Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he
tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And
his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared and Kreacher
could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him
to tell any of the f-f-family what happened in the c-cave …”
flowed down Hermione’s cheeks as she watched Kreacher, but she did not dare touch
him again. Even Ron, who was no fan of Kreacher’s, looked troubled. Harry sat back on
his heels and shook his head, trying to clear it.
Regulus died to bring Voldemort down, but you were still happy to betray Sirius to
Voldemort? You were happy to go to Narcissa and Bellatrix, and pass information to
Voldemort through them … “
back of her hand. “He’s a slave; house-elves are used to bad, even brutal treatment; what
Voldemort did to Kreacher wasn’t that far out of the common way. What do wizard wars
mean to an elf like Kreacher? He’s loyal to people who are kind to him, and Mrs. Black
must have been, and Regulus certainly was, so he served them willingly and parroted
their beliefs. I know what you’re going to say,” she went on as Harry began to protest,
“that Regulus changed his mind … but he doesn’t seem to have explained that to
Kreacher, does he?” And I think I know why. Kreacher and Regulus’s family were all
safest if they kept to the old pure-blood line. Regulus was trying to protect them all.”
know it’s true. Kreacher had been alone for such a long time when Sirius came to live
here, and he was probably starving for a bit of affection. I’m sure ‘Miss Cissy’ and ‘Miss
Bella’ were perfectly lovely to Kreacher when he turned up, so he did them a favor and
told them everything they wanted to know. I’ve said all along that wizards would pay for
how they treat house-elves. Well, Voldemort did … and so did Sirius.”
remembered what Dumbledore had said to him, mere hours after Sirius’s death: I do not
think Sirius ever saw Kreacher as a being with feelings as acute as a human’s …
pushed himself into a sitting position again, rubbing his knuckles into his eyes like a
small child.
Hermione for assistance. He wanted to give the order kindly, but at the same time, he
could not pretend that it was not an order. However, the change in his tone seemed to
have gained her approval: She smiled encouragingly.
find out where the locket – where Master Regulus’s locket it. It’s really important. We
want to finish the work Master Regulus started, we want to – er – ensure that he didn’t
die in vain.”
do that for us?”
out Hagrid’s purse and took out the fake Horcrux, the substitute locket in which Regulus
had placed the note to Voldemort.
hand. “This belonged to Regulus and I’m sure he’d want you to have it as a token of
gratitude for what you—“
shock and misery, and threw himself back onto the ground.
be presented with a Black family heirloom for his very own that he was too weak at the
knees to stand properly. When finally he was able to totter a few steps they all
accompanied him to his cupboard, watched him tuck up the locket safely in his dirty
blankets, and assured him that they would make its protection their first priority while he
was away. He then made two low bows to Harry and Ron, and even gave a funny little
spasm in Hermione’s direction that might have been an attempt at a respectful salute,
before Disapparating with the usual loud crack.