今年年頭在網上買了哈利波特系列的書，給自己放 career break 時閱讀。 開箱的時候，開心到哭了！ 二十年前第一次看這書，是問同學借的，看完就還，從來沒有擁有過。 喜愛了多年，現在手上拿著屬於自己的書，感覺很滿足。 經得起時間考驗的，定必珍而重之。 ❤️
剛剛重讀完第三本，想在這兒記下一些令我感受深刻的句子及重讀的新體會。 （注意劇透！）
書名（英）： 《Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban》
書名（中）： 《哈利波特：阿茲卡班的逃犯》
作者： J. K. Rowling
“Don’t let the Muggles get you down!” (P.10)
這句令我想起 Margaret Atwood 的 The Handmaid’s Tale 入面的 “Don’t let the bastards grind you down.”
P.11 Ron 給 HP 的生日禮物是 Pocket Sneakoscope。 他信中提到，這玩意曾在晚飯時不停發光，估計是他的兩位哥哥作弄 Bill 的原因。 重讀就會發現，原因是他的寵物老鼠！
在 Ch.2 入面 Aunt Marge 對 HP 父母的侮辱，看到我「火都嚟」。 Marge 不認識 HP 父母，卻加入很多幻想及 assumptions，斷定別人是 bad egg / bad blood，顯露了自己思考及性格的缺陷。 Marge 不知有魔法世界，某程度上可以「原諒」她，但 Dursleys 一家卻是知的。 自己是 bad egg 而不自知，反而大大聲攻擊比自己優秀的人才是 bad egg（正正是用來形容自己的說話），這現象在歷史及現今社會也常見到。
Ch.3：”Minister for Magic” 及 “Ministry of Magic” 注意 preposition用法。
‘I’m never stocking them again, never! It’s been bedlam! I thought we’d seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of The Invisible Book of Invisibility – cost a fortune, and we never found them…’ (P.56)
太好笑了，透明的書！ 😆
Bedlam 是很英式的說法，由來是英國歷史悠久的精神病院 Bethlem。
She (Mrs. Weasley) pointed at the brand-new silver badge on Percy’s chest. ‘Second Head Boy in the family!’ she said, swelling with pride.
‘And last,’ Fred muttered under his breath. (P.66)
笑了出來！ 另成績不是一切，Fred 和 George 的頭腦也很不錯！
Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement towards the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard, wearing a suit of emerald green. (P.74)
短短一句就形容了這麼多，是很有效率的寫法，記下來作學習。
‘Harry, swear to me you won’t go looking for Black.’ (P.77)
‘Promise me, Harry,’ said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, ‘that whatever happens -‘ (P.77)
‘Swear to me that whatever you might hear -‘ (P.78)
可見 Mr. Weasley 是個很有同理心的人，他知道 HP 會去找 Sirius Black，因此要求了 HP 三次，但結果 HP 最後也沒有答應。 故事這兒也在暗示 Sirius Black 擁有一些讀者未知的東西，吸引 HP 主動找他。
P.88 是 Dementors 在故事中首次出現。 第一次讀這書還未知 Dementor = Depression，現在有了這個認知重讀這書，對 Dementors 的描述有另一番體會。
“And around Easter, one of our number will leave us for ever.’ (P.109)
這是 Professor Trelawney 在第一課 Divination 的眾多預測之一，給讀者有人會死的感覺（其實只是有人 drop out）。
‘C’mon!’ Hagrid said angrily. ‘I’m takin’ yer all back up ter school, an’ don’ let me catch yeh walking down ter see me after dark again. I’m not worth that!’ (P.128)
最尾那句 I’m not worth that 可見 (1) Hagrid 對他們三人的重視，以及 (2) 他對自己的評價很低。
Ch.7 The Boggart in the Wardrobe 見證了 Professor Lupin 是怎樣好的老師，他在第一堂就記得每位學生的名字，用 first name 稱呼學生，禮貌地對待取笑他的人，用行動鼓勵 Neville，教授實用的魔法，又用分數獎勵有份參與的學生。
‘This means,’ said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville’s small splutter of terror, ‘that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?’ (P.140)
以後講與視力有關的東西，我也可以用 “spot”，不需要一直用 “see” 。
‘No, no, you misunderstand me,’ said Professor Lupin. (P.141)
說得很直接呢，我也可以學習這樣說。
‘Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other’ (P.157)
‘as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk’ (P.171)
‘Harry raised his head very slightly off his arms to free his other ear.’ (P.173)
‘Slytherin are trying to wrong-foot us!’ (P.177)
也可以學這個用法。
Ch.9 講 Snape 做 Lupin 的代課老師一段很有心思，讀者還未知，但已透露了 Lupin 的身份！ “I never thought I’d meet a third-year class who wouldn’t even recognise a werewolf when they saw one” (P.180)
“He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling.” (P.194)
這兒的 “stripes of moonlight” 對應不久前在《消失的密室》學到的字 “mullioned windows”，加深了學習。
P.197 Lupin 向 HP 解釋甚麼是 Dementors，當中有些形容，當知道 Dementors 就是 depression 就可以作出一些聯系：
- It has nothing to do with weakness
- Affect you worse than others because there are horrors in your past that the others don’t have
- They drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them
- Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can’t see them
- Every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you
- You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life
之後 Hagrid 的形容也類似：
- Kep’ goin’ over horrible stuff in me mind… the day I got expelled from Hogwarts… day me dad died… day I had ter let Norbert go…’ (P.233)
- Yeh can’ really remember who yeh are after a while. An’ yeh can’ see the point o’ livin’ at all. I used ter hope I’d jus’ die in me sleep… (P.233)
“they’re all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks.” (P.198)
這是 Lupin 對 Azkaban 的形容，被囚禁在這個地方真的很恐怖，在上一本書 Hagrid 在未被定罪前就被帶去 Azkaban，實在是太過份了！ 這樣足以毀掉一整個人！ 現實也有這種地方吧？ 被困的人很可憐也很不幸…
‘You’re winding me up,’ said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment. (P.203)
即是被人整蠱，“you’re joking” 之意。
‘Worried abou’ Buckbeak, an’ no one likin’ me classes –‘
‘We do like them!’ lied Hermione at once.
‘Yeah, they’re great!’ said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table. ‘Er – how are the Flobberworms?’
‘Dead,’ said Hagrid gloomily. ‘Too much lettuce.’ (P.233)
好好笑！
It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating, and let go; it hung in mid-air, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount it. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail. (P.236)
跟我欣賞自己心儀的結他時一樣！ ❤️❤️❤️
‘I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!’ (P.242)
Professor Trelawney 的預言時準時不準，無論如何，對於據情發展，這預言不可不理！
Harry and Ron looked at Hermione. They could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside down. (P.245)
笑了出來！
‘Professor Lupin?’ he said. ‘If you knew my dad, you must’ve known Sirius Black as well.’
Lupin turned very quickly.
‘What gives you that idea?’ he said sharply.
‘Nothing – I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts, too…’
Lupin’s face relaxed. (P.257)
為甚麼 Lupin 會那麼緊張？ 怕被 Harry 知這他是人狼嗎？ 那為何在談及 James 時又不緊張？ 還是有其他原因？ 在網上看到有個說法，Lupin 和 Sirius 是同性戀的！ 不是吧？ Lupin 不是跟 Nymphadora 一起有個小孩嗎？
‘OK, side with Ron, I knew you would!’ (P.269)
我只懂很累贅的說 “take sides with”，要學 “side with” 一詞呢。
Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt. (P.273)
每一個字我也懂，就是不懂把它們串連一起造句。 要多多學習。
‘Got plenty of special features, hasn’t it?’ said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. ‘Shame it doesn’t come with a parachute – in case you get too near a Dementor.’ (P.274)
降落傘是 Muggle 世界的東西，Malfoy 又會知道它的運作？ *thinking*
‘Come on, Hermione, come and have some food,’ Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet. (P.281)
即是「言歸於好」的意思。
‘Everyone back upstairs!’ said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke. (P.284)
Percy 要算是眾多 Weasley 之中最不討好的一個（雖然他也不是太差，只是相比起他的家人被比下去）。 他經常用自己的 Prefect badge（前兩本書）及 Head Boy badge 證明自己，而不是用個人的才能和 presence，可能是心底缺乏自信要表現自己？ 他兩位哥哥相當出色，可能他覺得要每分每秒給人看到他的成就吧。
‘Percy, I expected better of you!’
‘I certainly didn’t authorize this, Professor!’ said Percy. (P.284)
如果是我，我不會懂這樣回答，若果我有做自己本份，卻還被人誤會，可以學 Percy 的說話呢。
‘Which person,’ she said, her voice shaking, ‘which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week’s passwords and left them lying around?’ (P.285)
可憐的 Neville！！！ 當看見 Neville 在後期的蛻變（在 Triwizard Cup 開始去到 Dumbledore’s Army 再去到殺死 Hocrux），我必會感動到流淚！ He will go very far！
‘Because her cat acted like all cats do,’
‘I thought you two’d value yer friend more’n broomsticks or rats. Tha’s all.’
‘She’s got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an’ you two not talkin’ to her –‘ (P.291)
‘Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou’ their pets,’ said Hagrid wisely. (P.292)
Hagrid 的說話很是窩心，他很明白被孤立的感覺，不想善良的 Hermione 繼續受到排擠。 我讀到這兒流淚了，Hagrid 令我想起 Great Expectations 的 Joe Gargery 在主角病了以後幫他還債及照顧他的一段。
He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape’s desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak. (P.307)
原來 stitch 不止是針線縫口的意思！ 原來運動時的腹痛 / 心口痛都叫 stitch，是橫膈膜抽搐而成！
‘Don’t expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them – gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks.’ (P.308)
在 Ch.14，Harry 分別被 Hagrid 及 Lupin 教導了，這段正是 Lupin 點醒 Harry，寫得很感人。 另外，這段可見 Harry 步入青春期後的行事魯莽。 這書還描述了其他青少年 typical 的舉動，如衝動（離開 Dursleys 家、叫 Snape shut up、差點殺了 Sirius），被異性吸引（看見 Cho Chang 心跳）。
Ch.15 The Quidditch Final 入面有兩個位令我哭成淚人！ 第一個是 Buckbeak 被判死刑後 Hermione 跟 Ron 和好如初，第二個是 Harry 為 Gryffindor 贏了 Quidditch Cup。 這個 chapter 有幾句要特別記下：
- ‘Indeed, I don’t remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly Mundane.’ (P.318) – 這是 Professor Trelawney 對 Hermione 說的話，其中 mundane 一字有雙重意思：
- 大階 M 的意思（Mundane）：Divination 這專業需要能看穿未來的心眼，是天賜的技能，這就是說 Hermione 太 earthly，沒有這天份。 大階 Mundane 可能是 Divination 的專業用語，有點像 Squib 的意思。
- 小階 m 的意思（mundane）：就是平常的用法，平凡、dull 之意。 全級最聰敏的 Hermione 被老師形容有 dull 的頭腦，難怪她會走了。
- ‘The enmity between Harry and Malfoy was at its highest point ever.’ (P.320) – 主要想自己記得 enmity 一字。
‘Hermione?’ Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. (P.335)
“Liable to” 還有 “likely to” 的意思，我一直只把這字當作法律用語。
Ch.16 對 Hogwarts 考試的描述，真的很好笑！
Ch.18 大篇幅描述 HP，Hermione，Ron 覺得 Lupin 與 Sirius “out of their minds” ，我認為是有點 out of charcter，好像和一直建立的形象分開了。
Harry looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment. (P.383)
要是 Lupin 沒有把他們三人的魔杖發還，他們就沒有機會把 Snape 打倒了。 這是文學中的因果。
Sirius’s gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger was shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry’s parents’ wedding. (P.402-403)
這是 Harry 答應會和 Sirius 一起住後 Sirius 的反應，一想到這個願望永遠不會實現，我就不禁落淚。
Ch.18 至 20 情節非常緊湊，根本無法把書放下來。 去到 Ch.21 “Hermione’s Secret” （尾二的 chapter），終於揭曉了 Time Turner，一件是 McGonagall 切力游說魔法部才可以讓 Hermione 使用的法寶，而 Hermione 也特別小心遵守使用規則。 我奇怪的是，這樣重要的法寶，為何沒有 log？ 在資安的角度，魔法部應該記錄每一次使用的時間及用途，還要有人定期 review 嘛。 不過在 Chamber of Secrets 一書中提過，很多出色的巫師都不懂 logic，可能是這原因吧。 😆
‘There’s only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors gp,’ said Harry. ‘A real Patronus. A powerful one.’
‘But who conjured it?’ (P.432)
讀到這兒，我竟然記得 N 年前讀同一段時的感覺！ 還記得當時那種猜謎、困惑、及緊張！ 很 déjà vu！
And then it hit him – he understood. He hadn’t seen his father – had had seen himself – (P.436)
But as his trembling fingertips stretched towards the creature, it vanished. (P.437)
當 HP 明白放 Patronus 的人是自己而不是他父親，在這一刻，他踏入了成長路上的一個重大里程碑 – 他已長大成人了。 在 Hogwarts 短短三年，他的外貌及能力，發展到跟自己父親一模一樣，連自己也分不清。 HP 抻手卻捉不住 Patronus，是在重申一個在書中常談及的主題 – 人死不能復生 – 與第一本書 Dumbledore 對 HP 關於 Mirror of Erised 的教導，以及之後幾本書談及 Resurrection Stone 的主題一樣。
‘We’ll see each other again,’ he said. ‘You are – truly your father’s son, Harry…’ (P.441)
‘Well – goodbye, Harry,’ he said, smiling. ‘It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we’ll meet again some time.’ (P.451)
這是 Sirius 及 Lupin 分別跟 Harry 說的話，沒錯，他們將來也會見面。 這是給讀者 expectation 會再讀到他們的故事。
最尾一個 chapter 叫 “Owl Post Again” ，對應了第一個 chapter “Owl Post” ，很喜歡這種 circular 式的首尾呼應的寫法。
‘It didn’t make any difference,’ said Harry bitterly. ‘Pettigrew got away.’
‘Didn’t make any difference?’ said Dumbledore quietly. ‘It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate.’ (P.452)
即使這個真相只有幾個人知道。
‘Who’d have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two.’ (P.452)
故事有不少 open string 吸引讀者追下去，這是其一。 上面與 Sirius 及 Lupin 後會有期也是。
‘When one wizard saves another wizard’s life, it creates a certain bond between them…’
‘This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew’s life.’ (P.453)
那 Snape 和 James 也有 bond 嗎？
令我想起 LOTR 入面類似的情節，Bilbo Baggins 放生了 Gollum，Frodo 覺得可惜，Gandalf 卻說這事對未來有意義，結果 Gollum 就救了全個 Middle Earth。
‘You think the dead we have loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night.’ (P.454)
‘And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. So you did see your father last night, Harry… you found him inside yourself.’ (P.454)
讀到這兩段，心裡有很多感覺，不知如何整理出來。
看完這書，學到有關城堡的字有：
- Battlement
- Plinth
- Mullioned windows（在前兩本書學的）
Hermione 由始至終都正確的事：
- Firebolt 掃帚是 Sirius 送的
- Crookshanks 沒有殺死 Scabbers
- Lupin 是人狼
