jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第69章

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　　　〃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　and　try　and　stir　them　up　into　rebellion？〃
　　　Several　people　chortled。　Hermione　didn't　answer。
　　　〃Don't　you　go　upsetting　them　and　telling　them　they've　got　to　take　clothes　and　salaries！〃　said　Fred　warningly。　〃You'll　put　them　off　their　cooking！〃
　　　Just　then；　Neville　caused　a　slight　diversion　by　turning　into　a　large　canary。
　　　〃Oh…sorry；　Neville！〃　Fred　shouted　over　all　the　laughter。　〃I　forgot…it　was　the　custard
　　　creams　we　hexed…〃
　　　Within　a　minute；　however；　Neville　had　molted；　and　once　his　feathers　had　fallen　off；　he　reappeared　looking　entirely　normal。　He　even　joined　in　laughing。
　　　〃Canary　Creams！〃　Fred　shouted　to　the　excitable　crowd。　〃George　and　I　invented　them…seven　Sickles　each；　a　bargain！〃
　　　It　was　nearly　one　in　the　morning　when　Harry　finally　went　up　to　the　dormitory　with　Ron；　Neville；　Seamus；　and　Dean。　Before　he　pulled　the　curtains　of　his　four…poster　shut。　Harry　set　his　tiny　model　of　the　Hungarian　Horntail　on　the　table　next　to　his　bed；　where　it　yawned；　curled　up；　and　closed　its　eyes。　Really；　Harry　thought；　as　he　pulled　the　hangings　on　his　four…poster　closed；　Hagrid　had　a　point。。。　they　were　all　right；　really；　dragons。。。
　　　
　　　The　start　of　December　brought　wind　and　sleet　to　Hogwarts。　Drafty　though　the　castle　always　was　in　winter。　Harry　was　glad　of　its　fires　and　thick　walls　every　time　he　passed　the　Durmstrang　ship　on　the　lake；　which　was　pitching　in　the　high　winds；　its　black　sails　billowing
　　　against　the　dark　skies。　He　thought　the　Beauxbatons　caravan　was　likely　to　be　pretty　chilly　too。　Hagrid；　he　noticed；　was　keeping　Madame　Maxime's　horses　well　provided　with　their　preferred　drink　of　single…malt　whiskey；　the　fumes　wafting　from　the　trough　in　the　er　of　their　paddock　was　enough　to　make　the　entire　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　class　light…headed。　This　was　unhelpful；　as　they　were　still　tending　the　horrible　skrewts　and　needed　their　wits　about　them。
　　　〃I'm　not　sure　whether　they　hibernate　or　not；〃　Hagrid　told　the　shivering　class　in　the　windy　pumpkin　patch　next　lesson。　〃Thought　we'd　jus'　try　an　see　if　they　fancied　a　kip。。。　we'll　jus'　settle　'em　down　in　these　boxes。。。〃
　　　There　were　now　only　ten　skrewts　left；　apparently　their　desire　to　kill　one　another　had　not　been　exercised　out　of　them。　Each　of　them　was　now　approaching　six　feet　in　length。　Their　thick　gray　armor；　their　powerful；　scuttling　legs；　their　fire…blasting　ends；　their　stings　and　their　suckers；　bined　to　make　the　skrewts　the　most　repulsive　things　Harry　had　ever　seen。　The　class　looked　dispiritedly　at　the　enormous　boxes　Hagrid　had　brought　out；　all　lined　with　pillows　and　fluffy　blankets。
　　　〃We'll　jus'　lead　'em　in　here；〃　Hagrid　said；　〃an'　put　the　lids　on；　and　we'll　see　what　happens。〃
　　　But　the　skrewts；　it　transpired；　did　not　hibernate；　and　did　not　appreciate　being　forced　into　pillow…lined　boxes　and　nailed　in。　Hagrid　was　soon　yelling；　〃Don　panic；　now；　don'　panic！〃　while　the　skrewts　rampaged　around　the　pumpkin　patch；　now　strewn　with　the　smoldering　wreckage　of　the　boxes。　Most　of　the　class…Malfoy；　Crabbe；　and　Goyle　in　the　lead…had　fled　into　Hagrid's　cabin　through　the　back　door　and　barricaded　themselves　in；　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　however；　were　among　those　who　remained　outside　trying　to　help　Hagrid。　Together　they　managed　to　restrain　and　tie　up　nine　of　the　skrewts；　though　at　the　cost　of　numerous　burns　and　cuts；　finally；　only　one　skrewt　was　left。
　　　〃Don'　frighten　him；　now！〃　Hagrid　shouted　as　Ron　and　Harry　used　their　wands　to　shoot　jets　of　fiery　sparks　at　the　skrewt；　which　was　advancing　menacingly　on　them；　its　sting　arched；　quivering；　over　its　back。　〃Jus'　try　an　slip　the　rope　'round　his　sting；　so　he　won　hurt　any　o'　the　others！〃
　　　〃Yeah；　we　wouldn't　want　that！〃　Ron　shouted　angrily　as　he　and　Harry　backed　into　the　wall　of　Hagrid's　cabin；　still　holding　the　skrewt　off　with　their　sparks。
　　　〃Well；　well；　well。。。　this　does　look　like　fun。〃
　　　Rita　Skeeter　was　leaning　on　Hagrid's　garden　fence；　looking　in　at　the　mayhem。　She　was　wearing　a　thick　magenta　cloak　with　a　furry　purple　collar　today；　and　her　crocodile…skin　handbag　was　over　her　arm。
　　　Hagrid　launched　himself　forward　on　top　of　the　skrewt　that　was　cornering　Harry　and　Ron　and　flattened　it；　a　blast　of　fire　shot　out　of　its　end；　withering　the　pumpkin　plants　nearby。
　　　〃Who're　you？〃　Hagrid　asked　Rita　Skeeter　as　he　slipped　a　loop　of　rope　around　the　skrewt's　sting　and　tightened　it。
　　　〃Rita　Skeeter；　Daily　Prophet　reporter；〃　Rita　replied；　beaming　at　him。　Her　gold　teeth　glinted。
　　　〃Thought　Dumbledore　said　you　weren'　allowed　inside　the　school　anymore；〃　said　Hagrid；　frowning　slightly　as　he　got　off　the　slightly　squashed　skrewt　and　started　tugging　it　over　to　its　fellows。
　　　Rita　acted　as　though　she　hadn't　heard　what　Hagrid　had　said。
　　　〃What　are　these　fascinating　creatures　called？〃　she　asked；　beaming　still　more　widely。
　　　〃Blast…Ended　Skrewts；〃　grunted　Hagrid。
　　　〃Really？〃　said　Rita；　apparently　full　of　lively　interest。　〃I've　never　heard　of　them　before。。。　where　do　they　e　from？〃
　　　Harry　noticed　a　dull　red　flush　rising　up　out　of　Hagrid's　wild　black　beard；　and　his　heart　sank。　Where　had　Hagrid　got　the　skrewts　from？　Hermione；　who　seemed　to　be　thinking　along　these　lines；　said　quickly；　〃They're　very　interesting；　aren't　they？　Aren't　they。　Harry？〃
　　　〃What？　Oh　yeah。。。　ouch。。。　interesting；〃　said　Harry　as　she　stepped　on　his　foot。
　　　〃Ah；　you're　here。　Harry！〃　said　Rita　Skeeter　as　she　looked　around。　〃So　you　like　Care　of　Magical　Creatures；　do　you？　One　of　your　favorite　lessons？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry　stoutly。　Hagrid　beamed　at　him。
　　　〃Lovely；〃　said　Rita。　〃Really　lovely。　Been　teaching　long？〃　she　added　to　Hagrid。
　　　Harry　noticed　her　eyes　travel　over　Dean　（who　had　a　nasty　cut　across　one　cheek）。　Lavender　（whose　robes　were　badly　singed）；　Seamus　（who　was　nursing　several　burnt　fingers）；　and　then　to　the　cabin　windows；　where　most　of　the　class　stood；　their　noses　pressed　against　the　glass　waiting　to　see　if　the　coast　was　clear。
　　　〃This　is　o'ny　me　second　year；〃　said　Hagrid。
　　　〃Lovely。。。　I　don't　suppose　you'd　like　to　give　an　interview；　would　you？　Share　some　of　your　experience　of　magical　creatures？　The　Prophet　does　a　zoological　column　every　Wednesday；　as　I'm　sure　you　know。　We　could　feature　these…er…Bang…Ended　Scoots。〃
　　　〃Blast…Ended　Skrewts；〃　Hagrid　said　eagerly。　〃Er…yeah；　why　not？〃
　　　Harry　had　a　very　bad　feeling　about　this；　but　there　was　no　way　of　municating　it　to　Hagrid　without　Rita　Skeeter　seeing；　so　he　had　to　stand　and　watch　in　silence　as　Hagrid　and　Rita　Skeeter　made　arrangements　to　meet　in　the　Three　Broomsticks　for　a　good　long　interview　later　that　week。　Then　the　bell　rang　up　at　the　castle；　signaling　the　end　of　the　lesson。
　　　〃Well；　good…bye；　Harry！〃　Rita　Skeeter　called　merrily　to　him　as　he　set　off　with　Ron　and　Hermione。　〃Until　Friday　night；　then；　Hagrid！〃
　　　〃She'll　twist　everything　he　says；〃　Harry　said　under　his　breath。
　　　〃Just　as　long　as　he　didn't　import　those　skrewts　illegally　or　anything；〃　said　Hermione　desperately。　They　looked　at　one　another…it　was　exactly　the　sort　of　thing　Hagrid　might　do。
　　　〃Hagrids　been　in　loads　of　trouble　before；　and　Dumbledores　never　sacked　him；〃　said　Ron　consolingly。　〃Worst　that　can　happen　is　Hagrid'll　have　to　get　rid　of　the　skrewts。　Sorry。。。　did　I　say　worst？　I　meant　best。〃
　　　Harry　and　Hermione　laughed；　and；　feeling　slightly　more　cheerful；　went　off　to　lunch。
　　　Harry　thoroughly　enjoyed　double　Divination　that　afternoon；　they　were　still　doing　star　charts　and　predictions；　but　now　that　he　and　Ron　were　friends　once　more；　the　whole　thing　seemed　very　funny　again。　Professor　Trelawney；　who　had　been　so　pleased　with　the　pair　of　them　when　they　had　been　predicting　their　own　horrific　deaths；　quickly　became　irritated　as　they　sniggered　through　her　explanation　of　the　various　ways　in　which　Pluto　could　disrupt　everyday　life。
　　　〃I　would　think；〃　she　said；　in　a　mystical　whisper　that　did　not　conceal　her　obvious　annoyance；　〃that　some　of　us〃…she　stared　very　meaningfully　at　Harry〃might　be　a　little　less　frivolous　had　they　seen　what　I　have　seen　during　my　crystal　gazing　last　night。　As　I　sat　here；　absorbed　in　my　needlework；　the　urge　to　consult　the　orb　overpowered　me。　I　arose；