jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第57章

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　　　〃Maybe　not　that　small；　Ludo；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter；　her　eyes　on　Harry。
　　　Her　hair　was　set　in　elaborate　and　curiously　rigid　curls　that　contrasted　oddly　with　her　heavy…jawed　face。　She　wore　jeweled　spectacles。　The　thick　fingers　clutching　her　crocodile…skin　handbag　ended　in　two…inch　nails；　painted　crimson。
　　　〃I　wonder　if　I　could　have　a　little　word　with　Harry　before　we　start？〃　she　said　to　Bagman；　but　still　gazing　fixedly　at　Harry。　〃The　youngest　champion；　you　know。。。　to　add　a　bit　of　color？〃
　　　〃Certainly！〃　cried　Bagman。　〃That　is…if　Harry　has　no　objection？〃
　　　〃Er…〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Lovely；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter；　and　in　a　second；　her　scarlet…taloned　fingers　had　Harry's　upper　arm　in　a　surprisingly　strong　grip；　and　she　was　steering　him　out　of　the　room　again　and　opening　a　nearby　door。
　　　〃We　don't　want　to　be　in　there　with　all　that　noise；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　see。。。　ah；　yes；　this　is　nice　and　cozy。〃
　　　It　was　a　broom　cupboard。　Harry　stared　at　her。
　　　〃e　along；　dear…that's　right…lovely；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter　again；　perching　herself　precariously　upon　an　upturned　bucket；　pushing　Harry　down　onto　a　cardboard　box；　and　closing　the　door；　throwing　them　into　darkness。　〃Let's　see　now。。〃
　　　She　unsnapped　her　crocodile…skin　handbag　and　pulled　out　a　handful　of　candles；　which　she　lit　with　a　wave　of　her　wand　and　magicked　into　midair；　so　that　they　could　see　what　they　were　doing。
　　　〃You　won't　mind；　Harry；　if　I　use　a　Quick…Quotes　Quill？　It　leaves　me　free　to　talk　to　you　normally。。。〃
　　　〃A　what？〃　said　Harry。
　　　Rita　Skeeter's　smile　widened。　Harry　counted　three　gold　teeth。　She　reached　again　into　her　crocodile　bag　and　drew　out　a　long　acid…green　quill　and　a　roll　of　parchment；　which　she　stretched　out　between　them　on　a　crate　of　Mrs。　Skower's　All…Purpose　Magical　Mess　Remover。　She　put　the　tip　of　the　green　quill　into　her　mouth；　sucked　it　for　a　moment　with　apparent　relish；　then　placed　it　upright　on　the　parchment；　where　it　stood　balanced　on　its　point；　quivering　slightly。
　　　〃Testing。。。　my　name　is　Rita　Skeeter；　Daily　Prophet　reporter。〃
　　　Harry　hooked　down　quickly　at　the　quill。　The　moment　Rita　Skeeter　had　spoken；　the　green　quill　had　started　to　scribble；　skidding　across　the　parchment：
　　　
　　　Attractive　blonde　Rita　Skeeter；　forty…three；　who's　savage　quill　has　punctured　many　inflated　reputations…
　　　
　　　〃Lovely；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter；　yet　again；　and　she　ripped　the　top　piece　of　parchment　off；　crumpled　it　up；　and　stuffed　it　into　her　handbag。　Now　she　leaned　toward　Harry　and　said；　〃So；　Harry。。。　what　made　you　decide　to　enter　the　Triwizard　Tournament？〃
　　　〃Er…〃　said　Harry　again；　but　he　was　distracted　by　the　quill。　Even　though　he　wasn't　speaking；　it　was　dashing　across　the　parchment；　and　in　its　wake　he　could　make　out　a　fresh　sentence：
　　　
　　　An　ugly　scar；　souvenier　of　a　tragic　past；　disfigures　the　otherwise　charming　face　of　Harry　Potter；　whose　eyes…
　　　
　　　〃Ignore　the　quill；　Harry；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter　firmly。　Reluctantly　Harry　looked　up　at　her　instead。　〃Now…why　did　you　decide　to　enter　the　tournament；　Harry？〃
　　　〃I　didn't；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　don't　know　how　my　name　got　into　the　Goblet　of　Fire。　I　didn't　put　it　in　there。〃
　　　Rita　Skeeter　raised　one　heavily　penciled　eyebrow。
　　　〃e　now；　Harry；　there's　no　need　to　be　scared　of　getting　into　trouble。　We　all　know　you　shouldn't　really　have　entered　at　all。　But　don't　worry　about　that。　Our　readers　hove　a　rebel。〃
　　　〃But　I　didn't　enter；〃　Harry　repeated。　〃I　don't　know　who…〃
　　　〃How　do　you　feel　about　the　tasks　ahead？〃　said　Rita　Skeeter。　〃Excited？　Nervous？〃
　　　〃I　haven't　really　thought。。。　yeah；　nervous；　I　suppose；〃　said　Harry。　His　insides　squirmed　unfortably　as　he　spoke。
　　　〃Champions　have　died　in　the　past；　haven't　they？〃　said　Rita　Skeeter　briskly。　〃Have　you　thought　about　that　at　all？〃
　　　〃Well。。。　they　say　it's　going　to　be　a　lot　safer　this　year；〃　said　Harry。
　　　The　quill　whizzed　across　the　parchment　between　them；　back　and　forward　as　though　it　were　skating。
　　　〃Of　course；　you've　looked　death　in　the　face　before；　haven't　you？〃　said　Rita　Skeeter；　watching　him　closely。　〃How　would　you　say　that's　affected　you？〃
　　　〃Er；〃　said　Harry；　yet　again。
　　　〃Do　you　think　that　the　trauma　in　your　past　might　have　made　you　keen　to　prove　yourself？　To　live　up　to　your　name？　Do　you　think　that　perhaps　you　were　tempted　to　enter　the　Triwizard　Tournament　because…〃
　　　〃I　didn't　enter；〃　said　Harry；　starting　to　feel　irritated。
　　　〃Can　you　remember　your　parents　at　all？〃　said　Rita　Skeeter；　talking　over　him。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃How　do　you　think　they'd　feel　if　they　knew　you　were　peting　in　the　Triwizard　Tournament？　Proud？　Worried？　Angry？〃
　　　Harry　was　feeling　really　annoyed　now。　How　on　earth　was　he　to　know　how　his　parents　would　feel　if　they　were　alive？　He　could　feel　Rita　Skeeter　watching　him　very　intently。　Frowning；　he　avoided　her　gaze　and　hooked　down　at　words　the　quill　had　just　written：
　　　
　　　Tears　fill　those　startlingly　green　eyes　as　our　conversation　turns　to　the　parents　he　can　barely　remember。
　　　
　　　〃I　have　NOT　got　tears　in　my　eyes！〃　said　Harry　loudly。
　　　Before　Rita　Skeeter　could　say　a　word；　the　door　of　the　broom　cupboard　was　pulled　open。　Harry　looked　around；　blinking　in　the　bright　light。　Albus　Dumbledore　stood　there；　looking　down　at　both　of　them；　squashed　into　the　cupboard。
　　　〃Dumbledore！〃　cried　Rita　Skeeter；　with　every　appearance　of　delight…but　Harry　noticed　that　her　quill　and　the　parchment　had　suddenly　vanished　from　the　box　of　Magical　Mess　Remover；　and　Rita's　clawed　fingers　were　hastily　snapping　shut　the　clasp　of　her　crocodile…skin　bag。　〃How　are　you？〃　she　said；　standing　up　and　holding　out　one　of　her　large；　mannish　hands　to　Dumbledore。　〃I　hope　you　saw　my　piece　over　the　summer　about　the　International　Confederation　of　Wizards'　Conference？〃
　　　〃Enchantingly　nasty；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　eyes　twinkling。　〃I　particularly　enjoyed　your　description　of　me　as　an　obsolete　dingbat。〃
　　　Rita　Skeeter　didn't　look　remotely　abashed。
　　　〃I　was　just　making　the　point　that　some　of　your　ideas　are　a　little　old…fashioned；　Dumbhedore；　and　that　many　wizards　in　the　street…〃
　　　〃I　will　be　delighted　to　hear　the　reasoning　behind　the　rudeness；　Rita；〃　said　Dumbledore；　with　a　courteous　bow　and　a　smile；　〃but　I'm　afraid　we　will　have　to　discuss　the　matter　later。　The　Weighing　of　the　Wands　is　about　to　start；　and　it　cannot　take　place　if　one　of　our　champions　is　hidden　in　a　broom　cupboard。〃
　　　Very　glad　to　get　away　from　Rita　Skeeter；　Harry　hurried　back　into　the　room。　The　other　champions　were　now　sitting　in　chairs　near　the　door；　and　he　sat　down　quickly　next　to　Cedric；　hooking　up　at　the　velvet…covered　table；　where　four　of　the　five　judges　were　now　sitting…Professor　Karkaroff；　Madame　Maxime；　Mr。　Crouch；　and　Ludo　Bagman。　Rita　Skeeter　settled　herself　down　in　a　corner；　Harry　saw　her　slip　the　parchment　out　of　her　bag　again；　spread　it　on　her　knee；　suck　the　end　of　the　Quick…Quotes　Quill；　and　place　it　once　more　on　the　parchment。
　　　〃May　I　introduce　Mr。　Ollivander？〃　said　Dumbledore；　taking　his　place　at　the　judges'　table　and　talking　to　the　champions。　〃He　will　be　checking　your　wands　to　ensure　that　they　are　in　good　condition　before　the　tournament。〃
　　　Harry　hooked　around；　and　with　a　jolt　of　surprise　saw　an　old　wizard　with　large；　pale　eyes　standing　quietly　by　the　window。　Harry　had　met　Mr。　Ollivander　before…he　was　the　wand…maker　from　whom　Harry　had　bought　his　own　wand　over　three　years　ago　in　Diagon　Alley。
　　　〃Mademoiselle　Delacour；　could　we　have　you　first；　please？〃　said　Mr。　Ollivander；　stepping　into　the　empty　space　in　the　middle　of　the　room。
　　　Fleur　Delacour　swept　over　to　Mr。　Olhivander　and　handed　him　her　wand。
　　　〃Hmm。。。〃　he　said。
　　　He　twirled　the　wand　between　his　long　fingers　like　a　baton　and　it　emitted　a　number　of　pink　and　gold　sparks。　Then　he　held　it　chose　to　his　eyes　and　examined　it　carefully。
　　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃nine　and　a　half　inches。。。　inflexible。。　rosewood。。。　and　containing。。。　dear　me。。。〃
　　　〃An　'air　from　ze　'ead　of　a　veela；〃　said　Fleur。　〃One　of　my　grandmuzzer's。〃
　　　So　Fleur　was　part　veela；　thought　Harry；　making　a　mental　note　to　tell　Ron。。。　then　he　remembered　that　Ron　wasn't　speaking　to　him。
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Ollivander；　〃yes；　I've　never　used　veela　hair　myself；　of　course。　I　find　it　makes　for　rather　temperamental　wands。。。　however；　to　each　his　own；　and　if　this　suits　you。。〃