jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第72章

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mum　knits　me　this　Christmas；　I　always　get　one　from　her。　You　don't　mind　maroon；　do　you？〃
　　　Dobby　was　delighted。
　　　〃We　might　have　to　shrink　it　a　bit　to　fit　you；〃　Ron　told　him；　〃but　it'll　go　well　with　your　tea　cozy。〃
　　　As　they　prepared　to　take　their　leave；　many　of　the　surrounding　elves　pressed　in　upon　them；　offering　snacks　to　take　back　upstairs。　Hermione　refused；　with　a　pained　look　at　the　way　the　elves　kept　bowing　and　curtsying；　but　Harry　and　Ron　loaded　their　pockets　with　cream　cakes　and　pies。
　　　〃Thanks　a　lot！〃　Harry　said　to　the　elves；　who　had　all　clustered　around　the　door　to　say　good　night。　〃See　you；　Dobby！〃
　　　〃Harry　Potter。。。　can　Dobby　e　and　see　you　sometimes；　sir？〃　Dobby　asked　tentatively。
　　　〃　'Course　you　can；〃　said　Harry；　and　Dobby　beamed。
　　　〃You　know　what？〃　said　Ron；　once　he；　Hermione；　and　Harry　had　left　the　kitchens　behind　and　were　climbing　the　steps　into　the　entrance　hall　again。　〃All　these　years　I've　been　really　impressed　with　Fred　and　George；　nicking　food　from　the　kitchens…well；　it's　not　exactly　difficult；　is　it？　They　can't　wait　to　give　it　away！〃
　　　〃I　think　this　is　the　best　thing　that　could　have　happened　to　those　elves；　you　know；〃　said　Hermione；　leading　the　way　back　up　the　marble　staircase。　〃Dobby　ing　to　work　here；　I　mean。　The　other　elves　will　see　how　happy　he　is；　being　free；　and　slowly　it'll　dawn　on　them　that　they　want　that　too！〃
　　　〃Let's　hope　they　don't　look　too　closely　at　Winky；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Oh　she'll　cheer　up；〃　said　Hermione；　though　she　sounded　a　bit　doubtful。　〃Once　the　shock's　worn　off；　and　she's　got　used　to　Hogwarts；　she'll　see　how　much　better　off　she　is　without　that　Crouch　man。〃
　　　〃She　seems　to　love　him；〃　said　Ron　thickly　（he　had　just　started　on　a　cream　cake）。
　　　〃Doesn't　think　much　of　Bagman；　though；　does　she？〃　said　Harry。　〃Wonder　what　Crouch　says　at　home　about　him？〃
　　　〃Probably　says　he's　not　a　very　good　Head　of　Department；〃　said　Hermione；　〃and　let's　face　it。。。　he's　got　a　point；　hasn't　he？〃
　　　〃I'd　still　rather　work　for　him　than　old　Crouch；〃　said　Ron。　〃At　least　Bagman's　got　a　sense　of　humor。〃
　　　〃Don't　let　Percy　hear　you　saying　that；〃　Hermione　said；　smiling　slightly。
　　　〃Yeah；　well；　Percy　wouldn't　want　to　work　for　anyone　with　a　sense　of　humor；　would　he？〃　said　Ron；　now　starting　on　a　chocolate　eclair。　〃Percy　wouldn't　recognize　a　joke　if　it　danced　naked　in　front　of　him　wearing　Dobby's　tea　cozy。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
　　　THE　UNEXPECTED　TASK
　　　
　　　Potter！　Weasley！　Will　you　pay　attention？〃
　　　Professor　McGonagall's　irritated　voice　cracked　like　a　whip　through　the　Transfiguration　class　on　Thursday；　and　Harry　and　Ron　both　jumped　and　looked　up。
　　　It　was　the　end　of　the　lesson；　they　had　finished　their　work；　the　guinea　fowl　they　had　been　changing　into　guinea　pigs　had　been　shut　away　in　a　large　cage　on　Professor　McGonagall's　desk　（Neville's　still　had　feathers）；　they　had　copied　down　their　homework　from　the　blackboard　（〃Describe；　with　examples；　the　ways　in　which　Transforming　Spells　must　be　adapted　when　performing　Cross…Species　Switches〃｝。　The　bell　was　due　to　ring　at　any　moment；　and　Harry　and　Ron；　who　had　been　having　a　sword　fight　with　a　couple　of　Fred　and　George's　fake　wands　at　the　back　of　the　class；　looked　up；　Ron　holding　a　tin　parrot　and　Harry；　a　rubber　haddock。
　　　〃Now　that　Potter　and　Weasley　have　been　kind　enough　to　act　their　age；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　with　an　angry　look　at　the　pair　of　them　as　the　head　of　Harry's　haddock　drooped　and　fell　silently　to　the　floor…Ron's　parrot's　beak　had　severed　it　moments　before…〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you　all。
　　　〃The　Yule　Ball　is　approaching…a　traditional　part　of　the　Triwizard　Tournament　and　an　opportunity　for　us　to　socialize　with　our　foreign　guests。　Now；　the　ball　will　be　open　only　to　fourth　years　and　above…although　you　may　invite　a　younger　student　if　you　wish…〃
　　　Lavender　Brown　let　out　a　shrill　giggle。　Parvati　Patil　nudged　her　hard　in　the　ribs；　her　face　working　furiously　as　she　too　fought　not　to　giggle。　They　both　looked　around　at　Harry；　Professor　McGonagall　ignored　them；　which　Harry　thought　was　distinctly　unfair；　as　she　had　just　told　off　him　and　Ron。
　　　〃Dress　robes　will　be　worn；〃　Professor　McGonagall　continued；　〃and　the　ball　will　start　at　eight　o'clock　on　Christmas　Day；　finishing　at　midnight　in　the　Great　Hall。　Now　then…〃
　　　Professor　McGonagall　stared　deliberately　around　the　class。
　　　〃The　Yule　Ball　is　of　course　a　chance　for　us　all　to…er…let　our　hair　down；〃　she　said；　in　a　disapproving　voice。
　　　Lavender　giggled　harder　than　ever；　with　her　hand　pressed　hard　against　her　mouth　to　stifle　the　sound。　Harry　could　see　what　was　funny　this　time：　Professor　McGonagall；　with　her　hair　in　a　tight　bun；　looked　as　though　she　had　never　let　her　hair　down　in　any　sense。
　　　〃But　that　does　NOT　mean；〃　Professor　McGonagall　went　on；　〃that　we　will　be　relaxing　the　standards　of　behavior　we　expect　from　Hogwarts　students。　I　will　be　most　seriously　displeased　if　a　Gryffindor　student　embarrasses　the　school　in　any　way。〃
　　　The　bell　rang；　and　there　was　the　usual　scuffle　of　activity　as　everyone　packed　their　bags　and　swung　them　onto　their　shoulders。
　　　Professor　McGonagall　called　above　the　noise；　〃Potter…a　word；　if　you　please。〃
　　　Assuming　this　had　something　to　do　with　his　headless　rubber　haddock；　Harry　proceeded　gloomily　to　the　teacher's　desk。　Professor　McGonagall　waited　until　the　rest　of　the　class　had　gone；　and　then　said；　〃Potter；　the　champions　and　their　partners…〃
　　　〃What　partners？〃　said　Harry。
　　　Profesor　McGonagall　looked　suspiciously　at　him；　as　though　she　thought　he　was　trying　to　be　funny。
　　　〃Your　partners　for　the　Yule　Ball；　Potter；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃Your　dance　partners。〃
　　　Harry's　insides　seemed　to　curl　up　and　shrivel。
　　　〃Dance　partners？〃　He　felt　himself　going　red。　〃I　don't　dance；〃　he　said　quickly。
　　　〃Oh　yes；　you　do；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　irritably。　〃That's　what　I'm　telling　you。　Traditionally；　the　champions　and　their　partners　open　the　ball。〃
　　　Harry　had　a　sudden　mental　image　of　himself　in　a　top　hat　and　tails；　acpanied　by　a　girl　in　the　sort　of　frilly　dress　Aunt　Petunia　always　wore　to　Uncle　Vernon's　work　parties。
　　　〃I'm　not　dancing；〃　he　said。
　　　〃It　is　traditional；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　firmly。　〃You　are　a　Hogwarts　champion；　and　you　will　do　what　is　expected　of　you　as　a　representative　of　the　school。　So　make　sure　you　get　yourself　a　partner；　Potter。〃
　　　〃But…I　don't…〃
　　　〃You　heard　me；　Potter；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　in　a　very　final　sort　of　way。
　　　
　　　A　week　ago。　Harry　would　have　said　finding　a　partner　for　a　dance　would　be　a　cinch　pared　to　taking　on　a　Hungarian　Horntail。　But　now　that　he　had　done　the　latter；　and　was　facing　the　prospect　of　asking　a　girl　to　the　ball；　he　thought　he'd　rather　have　another　round　with　the　dragon。
　　　Harry　had　never　known　so　many　people　to　put　their　names　down　to　stay　at　Hogwarts　for　Christmas；　he　always　did；　of　course；　because　the　alternative　was　usually　going　back　to　Privet　Drive；　but　he　had　always　been　very　much　in　the　minority　before　now。　This　year；　however；　everyone　in　the　fourth　year　and　above　seemed　to　be　staying；　and　they　all　seemed　to　Harry　to　be　obsessed　with　the　ing　ball…or　at　least　all　the　girls　were；　and　it　was　amazing　how　many　girls　Hogwarts　suddenly　seemed　to　hold；　he　had　never　quite　noticed　that　before。　Girls　giggling　and　whispering　in　the　corridors；　girls　shrieking　with　laughter　as　boys　passed　them；　girls　excitedly　paring　notes　on　what　they　were　going　to　wear　on　Christmas　night。。。
　　　〃Why　do　they　have　to　move　in　packs？〃　Harry　asked　Ron　as　a　dozen　or　so　girls　walked　past　them；　sniggering　and　staring　at　Harry。　〃How're　you　supposed　to　get　one　on　their　own　to　ask　them？〃
　　　〃Lasso　one？〃　Ron　suggested。　〃Got　any　idea　who　you're　going　to　try？〃
　　　Harry　didn't　answer。　He　knew　perfectly　well　whom　he'd　like　to　ask；　but　working　up　the　nerve　was　something　else。。。　Cho　was　a　year　older　than　he　was；　she　was　very　pretty；　she　was　a　very　good　Quidditch　player；　and　she　was　also　very　popular。
　　　Ron　seemed　to　know　what　was　going　on　inside　Harry's　head。
　　　〃Listen；　you're　not　going　to　have　any　trouble。　You're　a　champion。　You've　just　beaten　a　Hungarian　Horntail。　I　bet　they'll　be　queuing　up　to　go　with　you。〃
　　　In　tribute　to　their　recently　repaired　friendship；　Ron　had　kept　the　bitterness　in　his　voice　to　a　bare　m