jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第101章

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　　　〃We　is　sorry　you　had　to　see　that；　sirs　and　miss！〃　squeaked　a　nearby　elf；　shaking　his　head　and　looking　very　ashamed。　〃We　is　hoping　you　will　not　judge　us　all　by　Winky；　sirs　and　miss！〃
　　　〃She's　unhappy！〃　said　Hermione；　exasperated。　〃Why　don't　you　try　and　cheer　her　up　instead　of　covering　her　up？〃
　　　〃Begging　your　pardon；　miss；〃　said　the　house…elf；　bowing　deeply　again；　〃but　house…elves　has　no　right　to　be　unhappy　when　there　is　work　to　be　done　and　masters　to　be　served。〃
　　　〃Oh　for　heavens　sake！〃　Hermione　cried。　〃Listen　to　me；　all　of　you！　You've　got　just　as　much　right　as　wizards　to　be　unhappy！　You've　got　the　right　to　wages　and　holidays　and　proper　clothes；　you　don't　have　to　do　everything　you're　told…look　at　Dobby！〃
　　　〃Miss　will　please　keep　Dobby　out　of　this；〃　Dobby　mumbled；　looking　scared。　The　cheery　smiles　had　vanished　from　the　faces　of　the　house…elves　around　the　kitchen。　They　were　suddenly　looking　at　Hermione　as　though　she　were　mad　and　dangerous。
　　　〃We　has　your　extra　food！〃　squeaked　an　elf　at　Harry's　elbow；　and　he　shoved　a　large　ham；　a　dozen　cakes；　and　some　fruit　into　Harry's　arms。　〃Good…bye！〃
　　　The　house…elves　crowded　around　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　and　began　shunting　them　out　of　the　kitchen；　many　little　hands　pushing　in　the　smalls　of　their　backs。
　　　〃Thank　you　for　the　socks；　Harry　Potter！〃　Dobby　called　miserably　from　the　hearth；　where　he　was　standing　next　to　the　lumpy　tablecloth　that　was　Winky。
　　　〃You　couldn't　keep　your　mouth　shut；　could　you；　Hermione？〃　said　Ron　angrily　as　the　kitchen　door　slammed　shut　behind　them。　〃They　won't　want　us　visiting　them　now！　We　could've　tried　to　get　more　stuff　out　of　Winky　about　Crouch！〃
　　　〃Oh　as　if　you　care　about　that！〃　scoffed　Hermione。　〃You　only　like　ing　down　here　for　the　food！〃
　　　It　was　an　irritable　sort　of　day　after　that。　Harry　got　so　tired　of　Ron　and　Hermione　sniping　at　each　other　over　their　homework　in　the　mon　room　that　he　took　Sirius's　food　up　to　the　Owlery　that　evening　on　his　own。
　　　Pigwidgeon　was　much　too　small　to　carry　an　entire　ham　up　to　the　mountain　by　himself；　so　Harry　enlisted　the　help　of　two　school　screech　owls　as　well。　When　they　had　set　off　into　the　dusk；　looking　extremely　odd　carrying　the　large　package　between　them。　Harry　leaned　on　the　windowsill；　looking　out　at　the　grounds；　at　the　dark；　rustling　treetops　of　the　Forbidden　Forest；　and　the　rippling　sails　of　the　Durmstrang　ship。　An　eagle　owl　flew　through　the　coil　of　smoke　rising　from　Hagrids　chimney；　it　soared　toward　the　castle；　around　the　Owlery；　and　out　of　sight。　Looking　down；　Harry　saw　Hagrid　digging　energetically　in　front　of　his　cabin。　Harry　wondered　what　he　was　doing；　it　looked　as　though　he　were　making　a　new　vegetable　patch。　As　he　watched；　Madame　Maxime　emerged　from　the　Beauxbatons　carriage　and　walked　over　to　Hagrid。　She　appeared　to　be　trying　to　engage　him　in　conversation。　Hagrid　leaned　upon　his　spade；　but　did　not　seem　keen　to　prolong　their　talk；　because　Madame　Maxime　returned　to　the　carriage　shortly　afterward。
　　　Unwilling　to　go　back　to　Gryffindor　Tower　and　listen　to　Ron　and　Hermione　snarling　at　each　other；　Harry　watched　Hagrid　digging　until　the　darkness　swallowed　him　and　the　owls　around　Harry　began　to　awake；　swooshing　past　him　into　the　night。
　　　
　　　By　breakfast　the　next　day　Ron's　and　Hermione's　bad　moods　had　burnt　out；　and　to　Harrys　relief；　Ron's　dark　predictions　that　the　house…elves　would　send　substandard　food　up　to　the　Gryffindor　table　because　Hermione　had　insulted　them　proved　false；　the　bacon；　eggs；　and　kippers　were　quite　as　good　as　usual。
　　　When　the　post　owls　arrived；　Hermione　looked　up　eagerly；　she　seemed　to　be　expecting　something。
　　　〃Percy　won't've　had　time　to　answer　yet；〃　said　Ron。　〃We　only　sent　Hedwig　yesterday。〃
　　　〃No；　it's　not　that；〃　said　Hermione。　〃I've　taken　out　a　subscription　to　the　Daily　Prophet。　I'm　getting　sick　of　finding　everything　out　from　the　Slytherins。〃
　　　〃Good　thinking！〃　said　Harry；　also　looking　up　at　the　owls。　〃Hey；　Hermione；　I　think　you're　in　luck…〃
　　　A　gray　owl　was　soaring　down　toward　Hermione。
　　　〃It　hasn't　got　a　newspaper；　though；〃　she　said；　looking　disappointed。　〃It's…〃
　　　But　to　her　bewilderment；　the　gray　owl　landed　in　front　of　her　plate；　closely　followed　by　four　barn　owls；　a　brown　owl；　and　a　tawny。
　　　〃How　many　subscriptions　did　you　take　out？〃　said　Harry；　seizing　Hermione's　goblet　before　it　was　knocked　over　by　the　cluster　of　owls；　all　of　whom　were　jostling　close　to　her；　trying　to　deliver　their　own　letter　first。
　　　〃What　on　earth…？〃　Hermione　said；　taking　the　letter　from　the　gray　owl；　opening　it；　and　starting　to　read。　〃Oh　really！〃　she　sputtered；　going　rather　red。
　　　〃What's　up？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃It；'s…oh　how　ridiculous…〃
　　　She　thrust　the　letter　at　Harry；　who　saw　that　it　was　not　handwritten；　but　posed　from　pasted　letters　that　seemed　to　have　been　cut　out　of　the　Daily　Prophet。
　　　
　　　YOU　ARE　A　WICKED　GIRL。　HARRY　POTTER　DESERVES
　　　BETTER。　GO　BACK　WHERE　YOU　CAME　FROM　MUGGLE。
　　　
　　　〃They're　all　like　it！〃　said　Hermione　desperately；　opening　one　letter　after　another。　〃'Harry　Potter　can　do　much　better　than　the　likes　of　you。。。　'　'You　deserve　to　be　boiled　in　frog　spawn。。。　'　Ouch！〃
　　　She　had　opened　the　last　envelope；　and　yellowish…green　liquid　smelling　strongly　of　petrol　gushed　over　her　hands；　which　began　to　erupt　in　large　yellow　boils。
　　　〃Undiluted　bubotuber　pus！〃　said　Ron；　picking　up　the　envelope　gingerly　and　sniffing　it。
　　　〃Ow！〃　said　Hermione；　tears　starting　in　her　eyes　as　she　tried　to　rub　the　pus　off　her　hands　with　a　napkin；　but　her　fingers　were　now　so　thickly　covered　in　painful　sores　that　it　looked　as　though　she　were　wearing　a　pair　of　thick；　knobbly　gloves。
　　　〃You'd　better　get　up　to　the　hospital　wing；〃　said　Harry　as　the　owls　around　Hermione　took　flight。　〃We'll　tell　Professor　Sprout　where　you've　gone。。。〃
　　　〃I　warned　her！〃　said　Ron　as　Hermione　hurried　out　of　the　Great　Hall；　cradling　her　hands。　〃I　warned　her　not　to　annoy　Rita　Skeeter！　Look　at　this　one　。。。〃　He　read　out　one　of　the　letters　Hermione　had　left　behind：　〃I　read　In　Witch　Weekly　about　how　you　are　playing　Harry　Potter　false　and　that　boy　has　had　enough　hardship　and　I　will　be　sending　you　a　curse　by　next　post　as　soon　as　I　can　find　a　big　enough　envelope。　'　Blimey；　she'd　better　watch　out　for　herself。〃
　　　Hermione　didn't　turn　up　for　Herbology。　As　Harry　and　Ron　left　the　greenhouse　for　their　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　class；　they　saw　Malfoy；　Crabbe；　and　Goyle　descending　the　stone　steps　of　the　castle。　Pansy　Parkinson　was　whispering　and　giggling　behind　them　with　her　gang　of　Slytherin　girls。　Catching　sight　of　Harry；　Pansy　called；　〃Potter；　have　you　split　up　with　your　girlfriend？　Why　was　she　so　upset　at　breakfast？〃
　　　Harry　ignored　her；　he　didn't　want　to　give　her　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　how　much　trouble　the　Witch　Weekly　article　had　caused。
　　　Hagrid；　who　had　told　them　last　lesson　that　they　had　finished　with　unicorns；　was　waiting　for　them　outside　his　cabin　with　a　fresh　supply　of　open　crates　at　his　feet。　Harrys　heart　sank　at　the　sight　of　the　crates…surely　not　another　skrewt　hatching？…but　when　he　got　near　enough　to　see　inside；　he　found　himself　looking　at　a　number　of　flurry　black　creatures　with　long　snouts。　Their　front　paws　were　curiously　flat；　like　spades；　and　they　were　blinking　up　at　the　class；　looking　politely　puzzled　at　all　the　attention。
　　　〃These're　nifflers；〃　said　Hagrid；　when　the　class　had　gathered　around。　〃Yeh　find　'em　down　mines　mostly。　They　like　sparkly　stuff。。。　There　yeh　go；　look。〃
　　　One　of　the　nifflers　had　suddenly　leapt　up　and　attempted　to　bite　Pansy　Parkinson's　watch　off　her　wrist。　She　shrieked　and　jumped　backward。
　　　〃Useful　little　treasure　detectors；〃　said　Hagrid　happily。　〃Thought　we'd　have　some　fun　with　'em　today。　See　over　there？〃　He　pointed　at　the　large　patch　of　freshly　turned　earth　Harry　had　watched　him　digging　from　the　Owlery　window。　〃I've　buried　some　gold　coins。　I've　got　a　prize　fer　whoever　picks　the　niffler　that　digs　up　most。　Jus'　take　off　all　yer　valuables；　an'　choose　a　niffler；　an　get　ready　ter　set　'em　loose。〃
　　　Harry　took　off　his　watch；　which　he　was　only　wearing　out　of　habit；　as　it　didn't　work　anymore；　and　stuffed　it　into　his　pocket。　Then　he　picked　up　a　niffler。　It　put　its　long　snout　in　Harry's　ear　and　sniffed　enthusiastically。　It　was　really　quite　cuddly。
　　　〃Hang　on；〃　said　Hagrid；　lookin