分卷阅读3（1 / 2）

Dracopushedthenameoutofhismind.Hefoundittheremoreandmorefrequentlyasoflate,ifthatwaspossible.Draco’sstomachtightenedashetriedtoforgetthearticlehehadreadintheProphetthedaybefore.

PotterConfirmedBachelor?Theheadlinerungthroughhismindagain.HehadbrokenupwiththeWeaseletteshortlyafterDracohad“died.”Dracotriedtotellhimselfthatwasacoincidencebutavoiceinsomewhereinthedeepesthollowsofhisheartwhisperedmaybeitwasn’t.Thatvoiceaccompaniedwithclaimsmadeinthegossipragshehadunfortunatelyfoundhimselfreadingforalackofentertainmentcementedhisirrationalhopesevenfurtherintohisbrain.Hekeptascrapbookofarticlesandclippingsthatmentionedpeoplehehadgonetoschoolwith,asfamiliarnamesweretheclosestthingshehadtofriends,butbecausePotterwasthemostfrequentlymentionedinthepapers,itwasquicklybecomingHarryPotter:AHistory.Helookedatitsooftennowthathewascertainhecouldrecitemostarticlesbyheart.ParticularlytheonesaboutPotter,buthechosenottonoticethatcorrelation.

Helayonthebed,aparticulararticlehehadreadnearlysixmonthsafterhe“died,”theonethatplantedtheideainhismindoriginally,whichhewholeheartedlywishedhehadneverread,runningthroughhishead.

PotterCarryingaTorchforFormerNemesis?

SourcesclosetotheyoungwizardsayacertainrecentlosshasmuchtodowiththebreakupofHogwartssweetheartsHarryPotterandGinevraWeasley.

“IthoughtmaybethewholefixationhehadonMalfoyinschoolwouldfadeawayaswegotolder,”thevery,veryclosesourcesays,“andcertainlyafterhepassed.Can’tdoanythingsneakywhenhe’s—well,whenhe’snothere.”

ThesourcesuspectstherewassomethingmoretoPotterandMalfoy’srivalryinschool,thoughperhapsonlyonPotter’sbehalf.

“Itwouldbedifferentifhecouldn’tgetoverthewar.ThatIunderstand.I’mnotoveritmyself,anddon’tknowthatIeverwillbecompletely.Butthewarhardlyseemstobewhatreallygottohim.ItwasMalfoy.Hejustcan’tmovepastit.It’sabitembarrassing,beingjealousofcorpse,”theredheadedsourceconcluded.

Thearticlehadbeenaccompaniedbyaphotographofthetwoofthem,thedaytheyhadexchangedwandsatthemugglecoffeeshop.Init,HarrywasholdingDraco’shandwhereitrestonhisshoulder,theotherboylookingupatDracowithaneasysmileonhisface.Dracocouldn’tdenyitlookedparticularlyincriminating.

Dracorememberedlosingfeelinginhishandsthefirsttimehehadreadit.ItwasheavilyimpliedthatthesourcewasGinnyherself,butsurely,magazinesthatreportonsubjectssuchasthatwerenottobetrusted.HehadleakedfalseinformationaboutPotterbackinschoolhimself,andheknewhoweasyitwastogetsomethingpublishedifyouwantedtoruinsomeone,especiallysomeonewhoheldasmuchpublicinterestasPotter.Whatscaredhimmost,however,wasthathewantedittobetrue.HeknewPotterhadbeentohisfuneral,hadbeenoneofthelasttoleave,infact,outstayedonlybyhismotherandMinervaMcGonagall.HealsoknewthatHarryPotter,theboywholostnearlyeverythingbutnevershedatear,wasweepingratheropenlyattheevent.Ithadcrossedhismind,ofcourse,thatperhapsitwasaculminationofeventsthatleadtothisdisplayofemotion.Hewouldhavecontinuedtothinksoifitweren’tforthisarticle,accompaniedwiththefactthatnearlythreeyearsafterthearticlespublication,Potterhadn’tdatedanyonepublically.Dracofoundithardtobelievethatamanapproachingtwenty-twowouldnotbecaughtonceinawhileinsomesortoffling.ButPotterneverwas,whicheithermeanthewasPolyjuicingheavily,orhejustdidn’tgoout.

Dracowasbrokenoutofthisoftvisitedtrainofthoughtbyasuddenblowtohisstomach.

“Omph,Iwassleeping,”hegroaned,openinghiseyestoseethegreeneyesofhiscalicostaringbackathim.Thelookshegavehiminreturnseemedtosaysheknewfullwellhehadn’tbeen.“Iwas,”heinsisted,defensivetohersilentjudgement.

Shemewedathimandhesighed.

“Alright,alright,”hesaid,scratchingbetweenherears.ShehadbeenagiftfromMcGonagall,andhelovedherdearly.Hehadbeenslightlywaryofherbeingananimagus,asthemarkingsaroundhereyeslookedverymuchlikeglasses,butMcGonagallinsistedshewasjustacat,shehadmadesureofit.HewasonlycompletelyconvincedwhenhebecameanAnimagushimself,asherenergydidnotfeellikeMcGonagall’s.WhenMcGonagallhadtoldhimhernamewasHarriet,Dracowassureitwassomecrueljoke,buttherewasnohintoflaughterinMcGonagall’seyes.ShehadgivenhimabespectacledcatnamedHarrietandseeminglythoughtnothingofit.Thoughhesupposedmostnormalpeoplewouldthinknothingofit.Allthesame,hehadtakentocallingherPotter,asshewasjustashardheadedandrebellious.

“I’llletyouout,butplease,don’tbringanymiceback,”hepleadedwithher,throwinghislegsovertheedgeofthebed.

Shehoppeddowninpursuitofhim,followinghimtotheholeinthewallthatbegantoclickopenathistouch.Shemeowedagain.

“Imeanit,Potter,nomiceoryou’regrounded,”Dracoreplied,knowingthatevenifhedidn’tletherout,shewouldfindanotherway,bullyingthehouseelvesintolettingherthroughwhentheycametogatherhisdishes.

Shemewledagaininresponse,soundingnonetoothreatened,anddashedoutintothehall.Dracoclosedtheentranceagainanddraggedhimselfbacktobed.