Гарри Поттер и Принц-полукровка
Spinner’s End
"Whydidyoustaythereallthattime,Snape?StillspyingonDumbledoreforamasteryoubelieveddead?"
"Hardly,"saidSnape,"althoughtheDarkLordispleasedthatIneverdesertedmypost:IhadsixteenyearsofinformationonDumbledoretogivehimwhenhereturned,arathermoreusefulwelcome-backpresentthanendlessreminiscencesofhowunpleasantAzkabanis..."
"Butyoustayed—"
"Yes,Bellatrix,Istayed,"saidSnape,betrayingahintofimpatienceforthefirsttime."IhadacomfortablejobthatIpreferredtoastintinAzkaban.TheywereroundinguptheDeathEaters,youknow.Dumbledore’sprotectionkeptmeoutofjail;itwasmostconvenientandIusedit.Irepeat:TheDarkLorddoesnotcomplainthatIstayed,soIdonotseewhyyoudo.
"Ithinkyounextwantedtoknow,"hepressedon,alittlemoreloudly,forBellatrixshowedeverysignofinterrupting,"whyIstoodbetweentheDarkLordandtheSorcerer’sStone.Thatiseasilyanswered.Hedidnotknowwhetherhecouldtrustme.Hethought,likeyou,thatIhadturnedfromfaithfulDeathEatertoDumbledore’sstooge.Hewasinapitiablecondition,veryweak,sharingthebodyofamediocrewizard.HedidnotdarerevealhimselftoaformerallyifthatallymightturnhimovertoDumbledoreortheMinistry.Ideeplyregretthathedidnottrustme.Hewouldhavereturnedtopowerthreeyearssooner.Asitwas,IsawonlygreedyandunworthyQuirrellattemptingtostealthestoneand,Iadmit,IdidallIcouldtothwarthim."
