jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第78章

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　　　〃I'm　afraid　to　say　Mr。　Crouch　isn't　well；　not　well　at　all。　Hasn't　been　right　since　the　World　Cup。　Hardly　surprising…overwork。　He's　not　as　young　as　he　was…though　still　quite　brilliant；　of　course；　the　mind　remains　as　great　as　it　ever　was。　But　the　World　Cup　was　a　fiasco　for　the　whole　Ministry；　and　then；　Mr。　Crouch　suffered　a　huge　personal　shock　with　the　misbehavior　of　that　house…elf　of　his；　Blinky；　or　whatever　she　was　called。　Naturally；　he　dismissed　her　immediately　afterward；　but…well；　as　I　say；　he's　getting　on；　he　needs　looking　after；　and　I　think　he's　found　a　definite　drop　in　his　home　forts　since　she　left。　And　then　we　had　the　tournament　to　arrange；　and　the　aftermath　of　the　Cup　to　deal　with…that　revolting　Skeeter　woman　buzzing　around…no；　poor　man；　he's　having　a　well　earned；　quiet　Christmas。　I'm　just　glad　he　knew　he　had　someone　he　could　rely　upon　to　take　his　place。〃
　　　Harry　wanted　very　much　to　ask　whether　Mr。　Crouch　had　stopped　calling　Percy　〃Weatherby〃　yet；　but　resisted　the　temptation。
　　　There　was　no　food　as　yet　on　the　glittering　golden　plates；　but　small　menus　were　lying　in　front　of　each　of　them。　Harry　picked　his　up　uncertainly　and　looked　around…there　were　no　waiters。　Dumbledore；　however；　looked　carefully　down　at　his　own　menu；　then　said　very　clearly　to　his　plate；　〃Pork　chops！〃
　　　And　pork　chops　appeared。　Getting　the　idea；　the　rest　of　the　table　placed　their　orders　with　their　plates　too。　Harry　glanced　up　at　Hermione　to　see　how　she　felt　about　this　new　and　more　plicated　method　of　dining…surely　it　meant　plenty　of　extra　work　for　the　house…elves？…but　for　once；　Hermione　didn't　seem　to　be　thinking　about　S。　P。　E。　W。　She　was　deep　in　talk　with　Viktor　Krum　and　hardly　seemed　to　notice　what　she　was　eating。
　　　It　now　occurred　to　Harry　that　he　had　never　actually　heard　Krum　speak　before；　but　he　was　certainly　talking　now；　and　very　enthusiastically　at　that。
　　　〃Veil；　ve　have　a　castle　also；　not　as　big　as　this；　nor　as　fortable；　I　am　thinking；〃　he　was　telling　Hermione。　〃Ve　have　just　four　floors；　and　the　fires　are　lit　only　for　magical　purposes。　But　ve　have　grounds　larger　even　than　these…though　in　vinter；　ve　have　very　little　daylight；　so　ve　are　not　enjoying　them。　But　in　summer　ve　are　flying　every　day；　over　the　lakes　and　the　mountains…〃
　　　〃Now；　now；　Viktor！〃　said　Karkaroff　with　a　laugh　that　didn't　reach　his　cold　eyes；　〃don't　go　giving　away　anything　else；　now；　or　your　charming　friend　will　know　exactly　where　to　find　us！〃
　　　Dumbledore　smiled；　his　eyes　twinkling。　〃Igor；　all　this　secrecy　。；　。　one　would　almost　think　you　didn't　want　visitors。〃
　　　〃Well；　Dumbledore；〃　said　Karkaroff；　displaying　his　yellowing　teeth　to　their　fullest　extent；　〃we　are　all　protective　of　our　private　domains；　are　we　not？　Do　we　not　jealously　guard　the　halls　of　learning　that　have　been　entrusted　to　us？　Are　we　not　right　to　be　proud　that　we　alone　know　our　school's　secrets；　and　right　to　protect　them？〃
　　　〃Oh　I　would　never　dream　of　assuming　I　know　all　Hogwarts'　secrets；　Igor；〃　said　Dumbledore　amicably。　〃Only　this　morning；　for　instance；　I　took　a　wrong　turning　on　the　way　to　the　bathroom　and　found　myself　in　a　beautifully　proportioned　room　I　have　never　seen　before；　containing　a　really　rather　magnificent　collection　of　chamber　pots。　When　I　went　back　to　investigate　more　closely；　I　discovered　that　the　room　had　vanished。　But　I　must　keep　an　eye　out　for　it。　Possibly　it　is　only　accessible　at　five…thirty　in　the　morning。　Or　it　may　only　appear　at　the　quarter　moon…or　when　the　seeker　has　an　exceptionally　full　bladder。〃
　　　Harry　snorted　into　his　plate　of　goulash。　Percy　frowned；　but　Harry　could　have　sworn　Dumbledore　had　given　him　a　very　small　wink。
　　　Meanwhile　Fleur　Delacour　was　criticizing　the　Hogwarts　decorations　to　Roger　Davies。
　　　〃Zis　is　nothing；〃　she　said　dismissively；　looking　around　at　the　sparkling　walls　of　the　Great　Hall。　〃At　ze　Palace　of　Beauxbatons；　we　'ave　ice　sculptures　all　around　ze　dining　chamber　at　Chreestmas。　Zey　do　not　melt；　of　course。。。　zey　are　like　'uge　statues　of　diamond；　glittering　around　ze　place。　And　ze　food　is　seemply　superb。　And　we　'ave　choirs　of　wood　nymphs；　'oo　serenade　us　as　we　eat。　We　'ave　none　of　zis　ugly　armor　in　ze　'alls；　and　eef　a　poltergeist　ever　entaired　into　Beauxbatons；　'e　would　be　expelled　like　zat。〃　She　slapped　her　hand　onto　the　table　impatiently。
　　　Roger　Davies　was　watching　her　talk　with　a　very　dazed　look　on　his　face；　and　he　kept　missing　his　mouth　with　his　fork。　Harry　had　the　impression　that　Davies　was　too　busy　staring　at　Fleur　to　take　in　a　word　she　was　saying。
　　　〃Absolutely　right；〃　he　said　quickly；　slapping　his　own　hand　down　on　the　table　in　imitation　of　Fleur。　〃Like　that。　Yeah。〃
　　　Harry　looked　around　the　Hall。　Hagrid　was　sitting　at　one　of　the　other　staff　tables；　he　was　back　in　his　horrible　hairy　brown　suit　and　gazing　up　at　the　top　table。　Harry　saw　him　give　a　small　wave；　and　looking　around；　saw　Madame　Maxime　return　it；　her　opals　glittering　in　the　candlelight。
　　　Hermione　was　now　teaching　Krum　to　say　her　name　properly；　he　kept　calling　her　〃Hermy…own。〃
　　　〃Her…my…oh…nee；〃　she　said　slowly　and　clearly。
　　　〃Herm…own…ninny。〃
　　　〃Close　enough；〃　she　said；　catching　Harry's　eye　and　grinning。
　　　When　all　the　food　had　been　consumed；　Dumbledore　stood　up　and　asked　the　students　to　do　the　same。　Then；　with　a　wave　of　his　wand；　all　the　tables　zoomed　back　along　the　walls　leaving　the　floor　clear；　and　then　he　conjured　a　raised　platform　into　existence　along　the　right　wall。　A　set　of　drums；　several　guitars；　a　lute；　a　cello；　and　some　bagpipes　were　set　upon　it。
　　　The　〃Weird　Sisters　now　trooped　up　onto　the　stage　to　wildly　enthusiastic　applause；　they　were　all　extremely　hairy　and　dressed　in　black　robes　that　had　been　artfully　ripped　and　torn。　They　picked　up　their　instruments；　and　Harry；　who　had　been　so　interested　in　watching　them　that　he　had　almost　forgotten　what　was　ing；　suddenly　realized　that　the　lanterns　on　all　the　other　tables　had　gone　out；　and　that　the　other　champions　and　their　partners　were　standing　up。
　　　〃e　on！〃　Parvati　hissed。　〃We're　supposed　to　dance！〃
　　　Harry　tripped　over　his　dress　robes　as　he　stood　up。　The　Weird　Sisters　struck　up　a　slow；　mournful　tune；　Harry　walked　onto　the　brightly　lit　dance　floor；　carefully　avoiding　catching　anyone's　eye　（he　could　see　Seamus　and　Dean　waving　at　him　and　sniggering）；　and　next　moment；　Parvati　had　seized　his　hands；　placed　one　around　her　waist；　and　was　holding　the　other　tightly　in　hers。
　　　It　wasn't　as　bad　as　it　could　have　been。　Harry　thought；　revolving　slowly　on　the　spot　（Parvati　was　steering）。　He　kept　his　eyes　fixed　over　the　heads　of　the　watching　people；　and　very　soon　many　of　them　too　had　e　onto　the　dance　floor；　so　that　the　champions　were　no　longer　the　center　of　attention。　Neville　and　Ginny　were　dancing　nearby…he　could　see　Ginny　wincing　frequently　as　Neville　trod　on　her　feet…and　Dumbledore　was　waltzing　with　Madame　Maxime。　He　was　so　dwarfed　by　her　that　the　top　of　his　pointed　hat　barely　tickled　her　chin；　however；　she　moved　very　gracefully　for　a　woman　so　large。　Mad…Eye　Moody　was　doing　an　extremely　ungainly　two…step　with　Professor　Sinistra；　who　was　nervously　avoiding　his　wooden　leg。
　　　〃Nice　socks。　Potter；〃　Moody　growled　as　he　passed；　his　magical　eye　staring　through　Harry's　robes。
　　　〃Oh…yeah；　Dobby　the　house…elf　knitted　them　for　me；〃　said　Harry；　grinning。
　　　〃He　is　so　creepy！〃　Parvati　whispered　as　Moody　clunked　away。　〃I　don't　think　that　eye　should　be　allowed。〃
　　　Harry　heard　the　final；　quavering　note　from　the　bagpipe　with　relief。　The　Weird　Sisters　stopped　playing；　applause　filled　the　hall　once　more；　and　Harry　let　go　of　Parvati　at　once。
　　　〃Let's　sit　down；　shall　we？〃
　　　〃Oh…but…this　is　a　really　good　one！〃　Parvati　said　as　the　Weird　Sisters　struck　up　a　new　song；　which　was　much　faster。
　　　〃No；　I　don't　like　it；〃　Harry　lied；　and　he　led　her　away　from　the　dance　floor；　past　Fred　and　Angelina；　who　were　dancing　so　exhuberantly　that　people　around　them　were　backing　away　in　fear　of　injury；　and　over　to　the　table　where　Ron　and　Padma　were　sitting。
　　　〃How's　it　going？〃　Harry　asked　Ron；　sitting　down　and　opening　a　bottle　of　butterbeer。
　　　Ron　didn't　answer。　He　was　glaring　at　Hermione　and　Krum；　who　were　dancing　nearby。　Padma　was　sitting　with　her　arms　and　legs　crossed；　one　foot　jiggling　in　time　to　the　music。　Every　now　and　then　she　threw　a　disgruntl