jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第68章

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　　　〃You're　tied　in　first　place；　Harry！　You　and　Krum！〃　said　Charlie　Weasley；　hurrying　to　meet　them　as　they　set　off　back　toward　the　school。　〃Listen；　I've　got　to　run；　I've　got　to　go　and　send　Mum　an　owl；　I　swore　I'd　tell　her　what　happened…but　that　was　unbelievable！　Oh　yeah…and　they　told　me　to　tell　you　you've　got　to　hang　around　for　a　few　more　minutes。。。　Bagman　wants　a　word；　back　in　the　champions'　tent。〃
　　　Ron　said　he　would　wait；　so　Harry　reentered　the　tent；　which　somehow　looked　quite　different　now：　friendly　and　weling。　He　thought　back　to　how　he'd　felt　while　dodging　the　Horntail；　and　pared　it　to　the　long　wait　before　he'd　walked　out　to　face　it。。。　There　was　no　parison；　the　wait　had　been　immeasurably　worse。
　　　Fleur；　Cedric；　and　Krum　all　came　in　together。　One　side　of　Cedric's　face　was　covered　in　a　thick　orange　paste；　which　was　presumably　mending　his　burn。　He　grinned　at　Harry　when　he　saw　him。
　　　〃Good　one；　Harry。〃
　　　〃And　you；〃　said　Harry；　grinning　back。
　　　〃Well　done；　all　of　you！〃　said　Ludo　Bagman；　bouncing　into　the　tent　and　looking　as　pleased　as　though　he　personally　had　just　got　past　a　dragon。　〃Now；　just　a　quick　few　words。　You've　got　a　nice　long　break　before　the　second　task；　which　will　take　place　at　half　past　nine　on　the　morning　of　February　the　twenty…fourth…but　we're　giving　you　something　to　think　about　in　the　meantime！　If　you　look　down　at　those　golden　eggs　you're　all　holding；　you　will　see　that　they　open。。。　see　the　hinges　there？　You　need　to　solve　the　clue　inside　the　egg…because　it　will　tell　you　what　the　second　task　is；　and　enable　you　to　prepare　for　it！　All　clear？　Sure？　Well；　off　you　go；　then！〃
　　　Harry　left　the　tent；　rejoined　Ron；　and　they　started　to　walk　back　around　the　edge　of　the　forest；　talking　hard；　Harry　wanted　to　hear　what　the　other　champions　had　done　in　more　detail。　Then；　as　they　rounded　the　clump　of　trees　behind　which　Harry　had　first　heard　the　dragons　roar；　a　witch　leapt　out　from　behind　them。
　　　It　was　Rita　Skeeter。　She　was　wearing　acid…green　robes　today；　the　Quick…Quotes　Quill　in　her　hand　blended　perfectly　against　them。
　　　〃Congratulations；　Harry！〃　she　said；　beaming　at　him。　〃I　wonder　if　you　could　give　me　a　quick　word？　How　you　felt　facing　that　dragon？　How　you　feel　now；　about　the　fairness　of　the　scoring？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　you　can　have　a　word；〃　said　Harry　savagely。　〃Good…bye。〃
　　　And　he　set　off　back　to　the　castle　with　Ron。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE
　　　THE　HOUSE…ELF　LIBERATION　FRONT
　　　
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　went　up　to　the　Owlery　that　evening　to　find　Pigwidgeon；　so　that　Harry　could　send　Sirius　a　letter　telling　him　that　he　had　managed　to　get　past　his　dragon　unscathed。　On　the　way；　Harry　filled　Ron　in　on　everything　Sirius　had　told　him　about　Karkaroff。　Though　shocked　at　first　to　hear　that　Karkaroff　had　been　a　Death　Eater；　by　the　time　they　entered　the　Owlery　Ron　was　saying　that　they　ought　to　have　suspected　it　all　along。
　　　〃Fits；　doesn't　it？〃　he　said。　〃Remember　what　Malfoy　said　on　the　train；　about　his　dad　being　friends　with　Karkaroff？　Now　we　know　where　they　knew　each　other。　They　were　probably　running　around　in　masks　together　at　the　World　Cup。。。　I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　though；　Harry；　if　it　was　Karkaroff　who　put　your　name　in　the　goblet；　he's　going　to　be　feeling　really　stupid　now；　isn't　he？　Didn't　work；　did　it？　You　only　got　a　scratch！　e　here…I'll　do　it…〃
　　　Pigwidgeon　was　so　overexcited　at　the　idea　of　a　delivery　he　was　flying　around　and　around　Harry's　head；　hooting　incessantly。　Ron　snatched　Pigwidgeon　out　of　the　air　and　held　him　still　while　Harry　attached　the　letter　to　his　leg。
　　　〃There's　no　way　any　of　the　other　tasks　are　going　to　be　that　dangerous；　how　could　they　be？〃　Ron　went　on　as　he　carried　Pigwidgeon　to　the　window。　〃You　know　what？　I　reckon　you　could　win　this　tournament；　Harry；　I'm　serious。〃
　　　Harry　knew　that　Ron　was　only　saying　this　to　make　up　for　his　behavior　of　the　last　few　weeks；　but　he　appreciated　it　all　the　same。　Hermione；　however；　leaned　against　the　Owlery　wall；　folded　her　arms；　and　frowned　at　Ron。
　　　〃Harry's　got　a　long　way　to　go　before　he　finishes　this　tournament；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃If　that　was　the　first　task；　I　hate　to　think　what's　ing　next。〃
　　　〃Right　little　ray　of　sunshine；　aren't　you？〃　said　Ron。　〃You　and　Professor　Trelawney　should　get　together　sometime。〃
　　　He　threw　Pigwidgeon　out　of　the　window。　Pigwidgeon　plummeted　twelve　feet　before　managing　to　pull　himself　back　up　again；　the　letter　attached　to　his　leg　was　much　longer　and　heavier　than　usual…Harry　hadn't　been　able　to　resist　giving　Sirius　a　blow…by…blow　account　of　exactly　how　he　had　swerved；　circled；　and　dodged　the　Horntail。　They　watched　Pigwidgeon　disappear　into　the　darkness；　and　then　Ron　said；　〃Well；　we'd　better　get　downstairs　for　your　surprise　party；　Harry…Fred　and　George　should　have　nicked　enough　food　from　the　kitchens　by　now。〃
　　　Sure　enough；　when　they　entered　the　Gryffindor　mon　room　it　exploded　with　cheers　and　yells　again。　There　were　mountains　of　cakes　and　flagons　of　pumpkin　juice　and　butterbeer　on　every　surface；　Lee　Jordan　had　let　off　some　Filibuster's　Fireworks；　so　that　the　air　was　thick　with　stars　and　sparks；　and　Dean　Thomas；　who　was　very　good　at　drawing；　had　put　up　some　impressive　new　banners；　most　of　which　depicted　Harry　zooming　around　the　Horntail's　head　on　his　Firebolt；　though　a　couple　showed　Cedric　with　his　head　on　fire。
　　　Harry　helped　himself　to　food；　he　had　almost　forgotten　what　it　was　like　to　feel　properly　hungry；　and　sat　down　with　Ron　and　Hermione。　He　couldn't　believe　how　happy　he　felt；　he　had　Ron　back　on　his　side；　he'd　gotten　through　the　first　task；　and　he　wouldn't　have　to　face　the　second　one　for　three　months。
　　　〃Blimey；　this　is　heavy；〃　said　Lee　Jordan；　picking　up　the　golden　egg；　which　Harry　had　left　on　a　table；　and　weighing　it　in　his　hands。　〃Open　it；　Harry；　go　on！　Let's　just　see　what's　inside　it！〃
　　　〃He's　supposed　to　work　out　the　clue　on　his　own；〃　Hermione　said　swiftly。　〃It's　in　the　tournament　rules。。。〃
　　　〃I　was　supposed　to　work　out　how　to　get　past　the　dragon　on　my　own　too；〃　Harry　muttered；　so　only　Hermione　could　hear　him；　and　she　grinned　rather　guiltily。
　　　〃Yeah；　go　on；　Harry；　open　it！〃　several　people　echoed。
　　　Lee　passed　Harry　the　egg；　and　Harry　dug　his　fingernails　into　the　groove　that　ran　all　the　way　around　it　and　prised　it　open。
　　　It　was　hollow　and　pletely　empty…but　the　moment　Harry　opened　it；　the　most　horrible　noise；　a　loud　and　screechy　wailing；　filled　the　room。　The　nearest　thing　to　it　Harry　had　ever　heard　was　the　ghost　orchestra　at　Nearly　Headless　Nick's　deathday　party；　who　had　all　been　playing　the　musical　saw。
　　　〃Shut　it！〃　Fred　bellowed；　his　hands　over　his　ears。
　　　〃What　was　that？〃　said　Seamus　Finnigan；　staring　at　the　egg　as　Harry　slammed　it　shut　again。　〃Sounded　like　a　banshee　。。。Maybe　you've　got　to　get　past　one　of　those　next；　Harry！〃
　　　〃It　was　someone　being　tortured！〃　said　Neville；　who　had　gone　very　white　and　spilled　sausage　rolls　all　over　the　floor。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　fight　the　Cruciatus　Curse！〃
　　　〃Don't　be　a　prat；　Neville；　that's　illegal；〃　said　George。　〃They　wouldn't　use　the　Cruciatus　Curse　on　the　champions。　I　thought　it　sounded　a　bit　like　Percy　singing。。。　maybe　you've　got　to　attack　him　while　he's　in　the　shower。　Harry。〃
　　　〃Want　a　jam　tart；　Hermione？〃　said　Fred。
　　　Hermione　looked　doubtfully　at　the　plate　he　was　offering　her。　Fred　grinned。
　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　haven't　done　anything　to　them。　It's　the　custard　creams　you've　got　to　watch…〃
　　　Neville；　who　had　just　bitten　into　a　custard　cream；　choked　and　spat　it　out。　Fred　laughed。
　　　〃Just　my　little　joke；　Neville。。。〃
　　　Hermione　took　a　jam　tart。　Then　she　said；　〃Did　you　get　all　this　from　the　kitchens；　Fred？〃
　　　〃Yep；〃　said　Fred；　grinning　at　her。　He　put　on　a　high…pitched　squeak　and　imitated　a　house…elf。　〃'Anything　we　can　get　you；　sir；　anything　at　all！'　They're　dead　helpful。。。　get　me　a　roast　ox　if　I　said　I　was　peckish。〃
　　　〃How　do　you　get　in　there？〃　Hermione　said　in　an　innocently　casual　sort　of　voice。
　　　〃Easy；〃　said　Fred；　〃concealed　door　behind　a　painting　of　a　bowl　of　fruit。　Just　tickle　the　pear；　and　it　giggles　and…〃　He　stopped　and　looked　suspiciously　at　her。　〃Why？〃
　　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Hermione　quickly。
　　　〃Going　to　try　and　lead　the　house…elves　out　on　strike　now；　are　you？〃　said　George。　〃Going　to　give　up　all　the　leaflet　stuff