jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第45章

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　thing　as　a　joke。
　　　Ron　now　rolled　his　eyes　at　the　ceiling；　which　was　flooding　them　all　in　autumn　sunlight；　and　Fred　became　extremely　interested　in　his　bacon　（both　twins　had　refused　to　buy　a　S。　P。　E。　W。　badge）。　George；　however；　leaned　in　toward　Hermione。
　　　〃Listen；　have　you　ever　been　down　in　the　kitchens；　Hermione？〃
　　　〃No；　of　course　not；〃　said　Hermione　curtly；　〃I　hardly　think　students　are　supposed　to…〃
　　　〃Well；　we　have；〃　said　George；　indicating　Fred；　〃loads　of　times；　to　nick　food。　And　we've　met　them；　and　they're　happy。　They　think　they've　got　the　best　job　in　the　world…〃
　　　〃That's　because　they're　uneducated　and　brainwashed！〃　Hermione　began　hotly；　but　her　next　few　words　were　drowned　out　by　the　sudden　whooshing　noise　from　overhead；　which　announced　the　arrival　of　the　post　owls。　Harry　looked　up　at　once；　and　saw　Hedwig　soaring　toward　him。　Hermione　stopped　talking　abruptly；　she　and　Ron　watched　Hedwig　anxiously　as　she　fluttered　down　onto　Harry's　shoulder；　folded　her　wings；　and　held　out　her　leg　wearily。
　　　Harry　pulled　off　Sirius's　reply　and　offered　Hedwig　his　bacon　rinds；　which　she　ate　gratefully。　Then；　checking　that　Fred　and　George　were　safely　immersed　in　further　discussions　about　the　Triwizard　Tournament；　Harry　read　out　Sirius's　letter　in　a　whisper　to　Ron　and　Hermione。
　　　
　　　Nice　try；　Harry。
　　　I'm　back　in　the　country　and　well　hidden。　I　want　you　to　keep　me　posted　on　everything　that's　going　on　at　Hogwarts。　Don't　use　Hedwig；　keep　changing　owls；　and　don't　worry　about　me；　just　watch　out　for　yourself　Don't　forget　what　I　said　about　your　scar。
　　　Sirius
　　　
　　　〃Why　d'you　have　to　keep　changing　owls？〃　Ron　asked　in　a　low　voice。
　　　〃Hedwig'll　attract　too　much　attention；〃　said　Hermione　at　once。　〃She　stands　out。　A　snowy　owl　that　keeps　returning　to　wherever　he's　hiding。。。　I　mean；　they're　not　native　birds；　are　they？〃
　　　Harry　rolled　up　the　letter　and　slipped　it　inside　his　robes；　wondering　whether　he　felt　more　or　less　worried　than　before。　He　supposed　that　Sirius　managing　to　get　back　without　being　caught　was　something。　He　couldn't　deny　either　that　the　idea　that　Sirius　was　much　nearer　was　reassuring；　at　least　he　wouldn't　have　to　wait　so　long　for　a　response　every　time　he　wrote。
　　　〃Thanks；　Hedwig；〃　he　said；　stroking　her。　She　hooted　sleepily；　dipped　her　beak　briefly　into　his　goblet　of　orange　juice；　then　took　off　again；　clearly　desperate　for　a　good　long　sleep　in　the　Owlery。
　　　There　was　a　pleasant　feeling　of　anticipation　in　the　air　that　day。　Nobody　was　very　attentive　in　lessons；　being　much　more　interested　in　the　arrival　that　evening　of　the　people　from　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang；　even　Potions　was　more　bearable　than　usual；　as　it　was　half　an　hour　shorter。　When　the　bell　rang　early；　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　hurried　up　to　Gryffindor　Tower；　deposited　their　bags　and　books　as　they　had　been　instructed；　pulled　on　their　cloaks；　and　rushed　back　downstairs　into　the　entrance　hall。
　　　The　Heads　of　Houses　were　ordering　their　students　into　lines。
　　　〃Weasley；　straighten　your　hat；〃　Professor　McGonagall　snapped　at　Ron。　〃Miss　Patil；　take　that　ridiculous　thing　out　of　your　hair。〃
　　　Parvati　scowled　and　removed　a　large　ornamental　butterfly　from　the　end　of　her　plait。
　　　〃Follow　me；　please；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃First　years　in　front。。。　no　pushing。。。
　　　They　filed　down　the　steps　and　lined　up　in　front　of　the　castle。　It　was　a　cold；　clear　evening；　dusk　was　falling　and　a　pale；　transparent…looking　moon　was　already　shining　over　the　Forbidden　Forest。　Harry；　standing　between　Ron　and　Hermione　in　the　fourth　row　from　the　front；　saw　Dennis　Creevey　positively　shivering　with　anticipation　among　the　other　first　years。
　　　〃Nearly　six；〃　said　Ron；　checking　his　watch　and　then　staring　down　the　drive　that　led　to　the　front　gates。　〃How　d'you　reckon　they're　ing？　The　train？〃
　　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃How；　then？　Broomsticks？〃　Harry　suggested；　looking　up　at　the　starry　sky。
　　　〃I　don't　think　so。。。　not　from　that　far　away。。。
　　　〃A　Portkey？〃　Ron　suggested。　〃Or　they　could　Apparate…maybe　you're　allowed　to　do　it　under　seventeen　wherever　they　e　from？〃
　　　〃You　can't　Apparate　inside　the　Hogwarts　grounds；　how　often　do　I　have　to　tell　you？〃　said　Hermione　impatiently。
　　　They　scanned　the　darkening　grounds　excitedly；　but　nothing　was　moving；　everything　was　still；　silent；　and　quite　as　usual。　Harry　was　starting　to　feel　cold。　He　wished　they'd　hurry　up。。。　Maybe　the　foreign　students　were　preparing　a　dramatic　entrance。。。　He　remembered　what　Mr。　Weasley　had　said　back　at　the　campsite　before　the　Quidditch　World　Cup：　〃always　the　same…we　can't　resist　showing　off　when　we　get　together。。。〃
　　　And　then　Dumbledore　called　out　from　the　back　row　where　he　stood　with　the　other　teachers…〃Aha！　Unless　I　am　very　much　mistaken；　the　delegation　from　Beauxbatons　approaches！〃
　　　〃Where？〃　said　many　students　eagerly；　all　looking　in　different　directions。
　　　〃There！〃　yelled　a　sixth　year；　pointing　over　the　forest。
　　　Something　large；　much　larger　than　a　broomstick…or；　indeed；　a　hundred　broomsticks…was　hurtling　across　the　deep　blue　sky　toward　the　castle；　growing　larger　all　the　time。
　　　〃It's　a　dragon！〃　shrieked　one　of　the　first　years；　losing　her　head　pletely。
　　　〃Don't　be　stupid。。。　it's　a　flying　house！〃　said　Dennis　Creevey。
　　　Dennis's　guess　was　closer。。。　As　the　gigantic　black　shape　skimmed　over　the　treetops　of　the　Forbidden　Forest　and　the　lights　shining　from　the　castle　windows　hit　it；　they　saw　a　gigantic；　powderblue；　horse…drawn　carriage；　the　size　of　a　large　house；　soaring　toward　them；　pulled　through　the　air　by　a　dozen　winged　horses；　all　palominos；　and　each　the　size　of　an　elephant。
　　　The　front　three　rows　of　students　drew　backward　as　the　carriage　hurtled　ever　lower；　ing　in　to　land　at　a　tremendous　speed…then；　with　an　almighty　crash　that　made　Neville　jump　backward　onto　a　Slytherin　fifth　year's　foot；　the　horses'　hooves；　larger　than　dinner　plates；　hit　the　ground。　A　second　later；　the　carriage　landed　too；　bouncing　upon　its　vast　wheels；　while　the　golden　horses　tossed　their　enormous　heads　and　rolled　large；　fiery　red　eyes。
　　　Harry　just　had　time　to　see　that　the　door　of　the　carriage　bore　a　coat　of　arms　（two　crossed；　golden　wands；　each　emitting　three　stars）　before　it　opened。
　　　A　boy　in　pale　blue　robes　jumped　down　from　the　carriage；　bent　forward；　fumbled　for　a　moment　with　something　on　the　carriage　floor；　and　unfolded　a　set　of　golden　steps。　He　sprang　back　respectfully。　Then　Harry　saw　a　shining；　high…heeled　black　shoe　emerging　from　the　inside　of　the　carriage…a　shoe　the　size　of　a　child's　sled…followed；　almost　immediately；　by　the　largest　woman　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。　The　size　of　the　carriage；　and　of　the　horses；　was　immediately　explained。　A　few　people　gasped。
　　　Harry　had　only　ever　seen　one　person　as　large　as　this　woman　in　his　life；　and　that　was　Hagrid；　he　doubted　whether　there　was　an　inch　difference　in　their　heights。　Yet　somehow…maybe　simply　because　he　was　used　to　Hagrid…this　woman　（now　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　and　looking　around　at　the　waiting；　wide…eyed　crowd）　seemed　even　more　unnaturally　large。　As　she　stepped　into　the　light　flooding　from　the　entrance　hall；　she　was　revealed　to　have　a　handsome；　olive…skinned　face；　large；　black；　liquid…looking　eyes；　and　a　rather　beaky　nose。　Her　hair　was　drawn　back　in　a　shining　knob　at　the　base　of　her　neck。　She　was　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　black　satin；　and　many　magnificent　opals　gleamed　at　her　throat　and　on　her　thick　fingers。
　　　Dumbledore　started　to　clap；　the　students；　following　his　lead；　broke　into　applause　too；　many　of　them　standing　on　tiptoe；　the　better　to　look　at　this　woman。
　　　Her　face　relaxed　into　a　gracious　smile　and　she　walked　forward　toward　Dumbledore；　extending　a　glittering　hand。　Dumbledore；　though　tall　himself；　had　barely　to　bend　to　kiss　it。
　　　〃My　dear　Madame　Maxime；〃　he　said。　〃Wele　to　Hogwarts。〃
　　　〃Dumbly…dort；〃　said　Madame　Maxime　in　a　deep　voice。　〃I　'ope　I　find　you　well？〃
　　　〃In　excellent　form；　I　thank　you；〃　said　Dumbledore。
　　　〃My　pupils；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　waving　one　of　her　enormous　hands　carelessly　behind　her。
　　　Harry；　whose　attention　had　been　focused　pletely　upon　Madame　Maxime；　now　noticed　that　about　a　dozen　boys　and　girls；　all；　by　the　look　of　them；　in　their　late　teens；　had　emerged　from　the　carriage　and　were　now　standing　behind　Madame　Maxime。　They　w