Les premières phrases

«  The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other’s chests; then, recognising each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.

« News? » asked the taller of the two.

« The best », replied Severus Snape.

The lane was bordered on the left by wild, low-growing brambles, on the right by a high, neatly manicured hedge. The men’s long cloaks flapped around their ankles as they marched.

« Thought I might be late », said Yaxley, his blunt features sliding in and out of sight as the branches of overhanging trees broke the moonlight. « It was a little trickier than I expected. But I hope he will be satisfied. You sound confident that your reception will be good? »

Snape nodded, but did not elaborate. They turned right, into a wide driveway that led off the lane. The high hedge curved with them, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates barring the men’s way. Neither of them broke step: in silence both raised their left arms in a kind of salute and passed straight through as though the dark metal were smoke. »

Circonstances de lecture

Je me suis mise assez tard dans la saga Harry Potter, après la sortie en salles des deux premiers volets. Par esprit de contradiction ? Peut-être… En attendant, une fois le premier tome ouvert, je suis devenue complètement accro aux livres !

Impressions

J.K.Rowling a une plume unique. Elle transporte avec naturel son lecteur dans un monde magique, et sait brosser des portraits de personnages attachants et plein de facettes. Mon préféré : Severus Snape (Rogue en français). Sept tomes que je lis et relis toujours avec le même plaisir. Accro ? Oui, totalement !

Un passage parmi d’autres

 « Where’s my wand? »

She reached down beside the bed and held it out to him.

The holly and phoenix wand was nearly severed in two. One fragile strand of phoenix feather kept both pieces hanging together. The wood had splintered apart completely. Harry took it into his hands as though it was a living thing that had suffered a terrible injury. He could not think properly: everything was a blur of panic and fear. Then he held out the wand to Hermione.

« Mend it. Please. »

« Harry, I don’t think, when it’s broken like this… »

« Please, Hermione, try! »

« R…Reparo. »

The dangling half of the wand resealed itself. Harry held it up.

« Lumos! »

The wand sparked feebly, then went out. Harry pointed it at Hermione.

« Expelliarmus! »

Hermione’s wand gave a little jerk, but did not leave her hand. The feeble attempt at magic was too much for Harry’s wand, which split into two again. He stared at it, aghast, unable to take in what he was seeing… the wand that had survived so much…

« Harry », Hermione whispered, so quietly he could hardly hear her. « I’m so, so sorry. I think it was me. As we were leaving, you know, the snake was coming for us, and so I cast a Blasting Curse, and it rebounded everywhere, and it must have… must have hit… »

« It was an accident », said Harry mechanically. He felt empty, stunned. « We’ll… we’ll find a way to repair it. »

« Harry, I don’t think we’re going to be able to », said Hermione, the tears trickling down her face. « Remember… remember Ron? When he broke his wand, crashing the car? It was never the same again, he had to get a new one. »

Harry thought of Ollivander, kidnapped and held hostage by Voldemort, of Gregorovitch, who was dead. How was he supposed to find himself a new wand?

« Well », he said, in a falsely matter-of-fact voice, « well, I’ll just borrow yours for now, then. While I keep watch. »

Her face glazed with tears, Hermione handed over her wand, and he left her sitting beside his bed, desiring nothing more than to get away from her.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K.Rowling – 2007 (Bloomsbury Publishing)