For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Harry had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone. When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly” and "looking happy."

　　Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.

　　"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking -" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched.

　　The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could Harry and Ron get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out.

　　Harry had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made him stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. After a hurried lunch, he went upstairs to meet Ron in the library, and saw Justin Finch- Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward him. Harry had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of him, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction.

　　Harry found Ron at the back of the library, measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a threefoot-long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards."

　　"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny. "

　　"Where is she?" asked Harry, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling his own homework.

　　"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas." Harry told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him.

　　"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great."

　　Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.

　　"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

　　"Why do you want it?" said Harry.

　　"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

　　"What's that?" said Harry quickly.

　　"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else."

　　"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

　　"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it."

　　"I only need another two inches, come on."

　　The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering.

资源来自网络，仅供学习使用，如有侵权，立即删除。

诚邀

1. 转发朋友圈，让更多的人加入我们

 2. 点击下方广告（只需要点击一次，无需购买）

    为小芳老师的坚持点赞支持吧！

想听哈利波特吗？ 关注公众号，回复“1”，听第一集！回复“2”，听第二集！剩下的，聪明的懂得！

打卡群-扫码加入