分卷阅读5（1 / 2）

Theyarestillintheroom,butnowtheyaremostlyquiet,calmer,workingtheirwaythroughapologies.It’sfunnierthantheyshouldbe,butwhenyoupeelawayallthebigotryandwhathappenedtheirsixthyear,itreallyjustwastwokidsbeingpetty.

“Doyouremember,”Dracochokedout,wheezing,thelaughstillgoingonaftertheyrecountedstoriesofHagrid’sCareofMagicalcreaturesclass.“ThosebadgesImadeforthetriwizardtournament?God,Ispentagesworkingonfindingtherightspell,madethemallmyself,andyouweresomadatRonthatyoubarelyevenseemedtocare.”

“Icared,”Harryadmitted,rememberingthewordsflashingaroundthepotionsclassroom.“Buttheywerefunny.”

Everythingwasfunny,now,eventhetimethatRoncursedhimselfintobelchingupslugs,butitwasalsosortofsad,oncetheyworkedthroughtheirproblemsandgottothelegacyofbigotrywaitingunderneath.“Doyourememberwhenwemetonthetrain?”Harryaskedquietly.“WithCrabbeandGoyle?”

“Yeah.”Dracosoberedupandstoppedlaughing.“Ron’sratbitoneofthem,didn’tit?”

God,hedid,Harrythought,andthenthatwasanotherawfulthing,howmanytimesPeterwasbroughtupinRonandHarry’schildhood.“Andyouofferedtoshowmetherightsortofwizards.”

“Iwasagit.”They’dlosttrackoverhowmanytimesthey’veadmittedthattoeachotheroverthepasthour,butthistimehesaiditfiercely.“Youwereright.Youweretheonewhoknewwhathewasdoing.AndIwastheidiotthatbelievedeverythingmyfathersaid.”

“Soletmeshowyounow.”Harrybarelyhadanyideaofwhathewasoffering,butallheknewwasthathehadtooffer,tohelpDracopullhimselfoutofhisplacehehadfoundhimselfin.“Introduceyoutotherightkindofpeople.”

“Okay.”Dracoheldouthishand,andforonce,Harryactuallyshookitwithoutfeelinglikeoneofthemwouldtrytokilltheotherintheprocess.“I’min.”

Chapter5

Draco

He’stakenwanderingaroundthehousewhenHarryisn’tthere.

Dracoisn’tsurewhyhedoesit,otherthanthefactthatwithoutschoolorajoboranyresponsibilitieshe’sgothours’worthoffreetimeandnothingtofillitwith,unlessheactuallywantstotakeGrangeruponherofferofteachinghimhowtocrochet.Kreacherhadbeentheonetostartit,showinghimroomsthathecouldn’tgetaroundtocleaningbecauseofhiskneesortheplacesthathewon’tgoanymorebecausetheyholdtoomanymemories,andallofasuddenhewasrippingdownwallpaperinbathroomsandwipingawaythedustthathaspiledupinthelibrary,likehecouldscrubawaythedarknessifheonlytriedhardenough.

Hefindsremnantsofthepastwheneverheleastexpectsit.That’spartofit,too,oneofthereasonsthathewantstotakethesewalksthroughthehouseandstickhisnoseinplacesthatHarryflatoutrefusedtoputfootin.He’sgatheredupknowledgelikethey’retreasure—ababyphotoofhisaunt,aletterfromhisfathertuckedintoadrawer—butit’snotuntilhedarestopullhimselfupintotheatticthatheunderstandswhyHarryseemstowanttofillthishouseupwithnoisesooften.

It’stochaseawaytheghosts.

AllDracohaddonewasmoveabox,andallofasuddenphotoswerepouringout,floodingthefloor,ahundredofthesamefacesflashingupathim,waving,screaming.ThereisamuchyoungerProfessorLupinwithhisarmwrappedaroundacleanshavenSiriusBlack,amanwholookedlikeHarrywithhisarmwrappedaroundsomeonewhohadHarry’seyes,ProfessorMoodywhenhestillhadbotheyes.Hethinksitisonlythedistantpast,atfirst,butthenheshiftsthroughsomemoreandfindsotherthings—NyphmadoraTonksholdingoutherhandwiththesmallestengagementringhehadeverseenonherfinger,GinnyandHermioneleaningintoeachothertoposeforthepicture,theWeasleyfamilygatheredaroundthetableassomeonewhomustbetheirmotheryellsatthem.Therearepeoplehedoesn’trecognizeandpeoplehedoes—FredWeasley,GeorgeWeasley,Professors,Dumbledore,Hermione,andHarry,alwaysHarryatthecenterofthings,happyandlaughing.

Alotofthesepeoplearedead,Hethinks,anditisnotforthefirsttimethatDracobeginstofullyappreciatehowyoungtheyallwere,howmuchtheyhadtolosejustayearago.Allthethingsthattheydidlose.Muchtooyoungtobesoldiers.

That’showHarryfindshim,sittinginthecenterofaseaofphotographs,lookingatallthesefacesthatheknowsheonceknewbutcannolongerrecognize.DracolooksupathimlikeheislostandHarryishislighthouse,handsfullofmemories,photographsfullofthecurrentdeadanddying.

“Theydidn’tknowwhatwasgoingtohappen,”Hesaysfinally,afterHarryhassatdownacrossfromhimandreachedforphotographsofhisown,soclosethathiskneeswerepressedupagainstDraco’s.Theyhavegottentoaboxthatisjustfullofthetwins—thetwinstogetheratdinner,thetwinsintheirroom,thetwinsholdingouttheirhandstokeeptheirpicturefrombeingtaken,thetwinsplayingexplodingsnapwithRon,thetwinsteamingupagainstBillforagameofExplodingSnap,allthetinymomentsthatpiledupwhiletheywerelivinghere.Whentheyweretogether,andsafe,andwhole.“Theydidn’tknowhowshortitwouldallbe.”