4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第29部分

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　　〃Er　…　but　maybe　this　is　not　the　time。。　。　no。　。　。〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃where　was　I？　Ah　yes；　the　Triwizard　Tournament。　。　。　well；　some　of　you　will　not　know　what　this　tournament　involves；　so　I　hope　those　who　do　know　will　forgive　me　for　giving　a　short　explanation；　and　allow　their　attention　to　wander　freely。
　　〃The　Triwizard　Tournament　was　first　established　some　seven　hundred　years　ago　as　a　friendly　petition　between　the　three　largest　European　schools　of　wizardry：　Hogwarts；　Beauxbatons；　and　Durmstrang。　A　champion　was　selected　to　represent　each　school；　and　the　three　champions　peted　in　three　magical　tasks。　The　schools　took　it　in　turns　to　host　the　tournament　once　every　five　years；　and　it　was　generally　agreed　to　be　a　most　excellent　way　of　establishing　ties　between　young　witches　and　wizards　of　different　nationalities　…until；　that　is；　the　death　toll　mounted　so　high　that　the　tournament　was　discontinued。〃
　　〃Death　toll？〃　Hermione　whispered；　looking　alarmed。　But　her　anxiety　did　not　seem　to　be　shared　by　the　majority　of　students　in　the　Hall；　many　of　them　were　whispering　excitedly　to　one　another；　and　Harry　himself　was　far　more　interested　in　hearing　about　the　tournament　than　in　worrying　about　deaths　that　had　happened　hundreds　of　years　ago。
　　〃There　have　been　several　attempts　over　the　centuries　to　reinstate　the　tournament；〃
　　Dumbledore　continued；　〃none　of　which　has　been　very　successful。　However；　our　own　departments　of　International　Magical　Cooperation　and　Magical　Games　and　Sports　have　decided　the　time　is　ripe　for　another　attempt。　We　have　worked　hard　over　the　summer　to　ensure　that　this　time；　no　champion　will　find　himself　or　herself　in　mortal　danger。
　　〃The　heads　of　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang　will　be　arriving　with　their　short…listed　contenders　in　October；　and　the　selection　of　the　three　champions　will　take　place　at　Halloween。　An　impartial　judge　will　decide　which　students　are　most　worthy　to　pete　for　the　Triwizard　Cup；　the　glory　of　their　school；　and　a　thousand　Galleons　personal　prize　money。〃
　　〃I'm　going　for　it！〃　Fred　Weasley　hissed　down　the　table；　his　face　lit　with　enthusiasm　at　the　prospect　of　such　glory　and　riches。　He　was　not　the　only　person　who　seemed　to　be　visualizing　himself　as　the　Hogwarts　champion。　At　every　House　table；　Harry　could　see　people　either　gazing　raptly　at　Dumbledore；　or　else　whispering　fervently　to　their　neighbors。　But　then　Dumbledore　spoke　again；　and　the　Hall　quieted　once　more。
　　〃Eager　though　I　know　all　of　you　will　be　to　bring　the　Triwizard　Cup　to　Hogwarts；〃　he　said；
　　〃the　heads　of　the　participating　schools；　along　with　the　Ministry　of　Magic；　have　agreed　to　impose　an　age　restriction　on　contenders　this　year。　Only　students　who　are　of　age　…　that　is　to　say；　seventeen　years　or　older　…　will　be　allowed　to　put　forward　their　names　for　consideration。　This〃　　Dumbledore　raised　his　voice　slightly；　for　several　people　had　made　noises　of　outrage　at　these　words；　and　the　Weasley　twins　were　suddenly　looking　furious　…　〃is　a　measure　we　feel　is　necessary；　given　that　the　tournament　tasks　will　still　be　difficult　and　dangerous；　whatever　precautions　we　take；　and　it　is　highly　unlikely　that　students　below　sixth　and　seventh　year　will　be　able　to　cope　with　them。　I　will　personally　be　ensuring　that　no　underage　student　hoodwinks　our　impartial　judge　into　making　them　Hog…warts　champion。〃　His　light　blue　eyes　twinkled　as　they　flickered　over　Fred's　and　George's　mutinous　faces。　〃I　therefore　beg　you　not　to　waste　your　time　submitting　yourself　if　you　are　under　seventeen。
　　〃The　delegations　from　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang　will　be　arriving　in　October　and　remaining　with　us　for　the　greater　part　of　this　year。　I　know　that　you　will　all　extend　every　courtesy　to　our　foreign　guests　while　they　are　with　us；　and　will　give　your　whole…hearted　support　to　the　Hogwarts　champion　when　he　or　she　is　selected。　And　now；　it　is　late；　and　I　know　how　important　it　is　to　you　all　to　be　alert　and　rested　as　you　enter　your　lessons　tomorrow　morning。　Bedtime！　Chop　chop！〃
　　Dumbledore　sat　down　again　and　turned　to　talk　to　Mad…Eye　Moody。　There　was　a　great　scraping　and　banging　as　all　the　students　got　to　their　feet　and　swarmed　toward　the　double　doors　into　the　entrance　hall。
　　〃They　can't　do　that！〃　said　George　Weasley；　who　had　not　joined　the　crowd　moving　toward　the　door；　but　was　standing　up　and　glaring　at　Dumbledore。　〃We're　seventeen　in　April；　why　can't　we　have　a　shot？〃
　　〃They're　not　stopping　me　entering；〃　said　Fred　stubbornly；　also　scowling　at　the　top　table。
　　〃The　champions'll　get　to　do　all　sorts　of　stuff　you'd　never　be　allowed　to　do　normally。
　　And　a　thousand　Galleons　prize　money！〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Ron；　a　faraway　look　on　his　face。　〃Yeah；　a　thousand　Galleons。　。　。〃
　　〃e　on；〃　said　Hermione；　〃we'll　be　the　only　ones　left　here　if　you　don't　move。〃
　　Harry；　Ron；　Hermione；　Fred；　and　George　set　off　for　the　entrance　hall；　Fred　and　George　debating　the　ways　in　which　Dumbledore　might　stop　those　who　were　under　seventeen　from　entering　the　tournament。
　　〃Who's　this　impartial　judge　who's　going　to　decide　who　the　champions　are？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Dunno；〃　said　Fred；　〃but　it's　them　we'll　have　to　fool。　I　reckon　a　couple　of　drops　of　Aging　Potion　might　do　it；　George。。　。〃
　　〃Dumbledore　knows　you're　not　of　age；　though；〃　said　Ron。
　　〃Yeah；　but　he's　not　the　one　who　decides　who　the　champion　is；　is　he？〃　said　Fred　shrewdly。　〃Sounds　to　me　like　once　this　judge　knows　who　wants　to　enter；　he'll　choose　the　best　from　each　school　and　never　mind　how　old　they　are。　Dumbledore's　trying　to　stop　us　giving　our　names。〃
　　〃People　have　died；　though！〃　said　Hermione　in　a　worried　voice　as　they　walked　through　a　door　concealed　behind　a　tapestry　and　started　up　another；　narrower　staircase。
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Fred　airily；　〃but　that　was　years　ago；　wasn't　it？　Anyway；　where's　the　fun　without　a　bit　of　risk？　Hey；　Ron；　what　if　we　find　out　how　to　get　'round　Dumbledore？
　　Fancy　entering？〃
　　〃What　d'you　reckon？〃　Ron　asked　Harry。　〃Be　cool　to　enter；　wouldn't　it？　But　I　s'pose　they　might　want　someone　older。。。。　Dunno　if　we've　learned　enough。。　。
　　〃I　definitely　haven't；〃　came　Nevihle's　gloomy　voice　from　behind　Fred　and　George。
　　〃I　expect　my　gran'd　want　me　to　try；　though。　She's　always　going　on　about　how　I　should　be　upholding　the　family　honor。　I'll　just　have　to　　oops。　。　。〃
　　Neville's　foot　had　sunk　right　through　a　step　halfway　up　the　staircase。　There　were　many　of　these　trick　stairs　at　Hogwarts；　it　was　second　nature　to　most　of　the　older　students　to　jump　this　particular　step；　but　Neville's　memory　was　notoriously　poor。　Harry　and　Ron　seized　him　under　the　armpits　and　pulled　him　out；　while　a　suit　of　armor　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　creaked　and　clanked；　laughing　wheezily。
　　〃Shut　it；　you；〃　said　Ron；　banging　down　its　visor　as　they　passed。　They　made　their　way　up　to　the　entrance　to　Gryffindor　Tower；　which　was　concealed　behind　a　large　portrait　of　a　fat　lady　in　a　pink　silk　dress。
　　〃Password？〃　she　said　as　they　approached。
　　〃Balderdash；〃　said　George；　〃a　prefect　downstairs　told　me。〃
　　The　portrait　swung　forward　to　reveal　a　hole　in　the　wall　through　which　they　all　climbed。
　　A　crackling　fire　warmed　the　circular　mon　room；　which　was　full　of　squashy　armchairs　and　tables。　Hermione　cast　the　merrily　dancing　flames　a　dark　look；　and　Harry　distinctly　heard　her　mutter　〃Slave　labor〃　before　bidding　them　good　night　and　disappearing　through　the　doorway　to　the　girls'　dormitory。
　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Neville　climbed　up　the　last；　spiral　staircase　until　they　reached　their　own　dormitory；　which　was　situated　at　the　top　of　the　tower。　Five　four…poster　beds　with　deep　crimson　hangings　stood　against　the　walls；　each　with　its　owner's　trunk　at　the　foot。
　　Dean　and　Seamus　were　already　getting　into　bed；　Seamus　had　pinned　his　Ireland　rosette　to　his　headboard；　and　Dean　had　tacked　up　a　poster　of　Viktor　Krum　over　his　bedside　table。
　　His　old　poster　of　the　West　Ham　football　team　was　pinned　right　next　to　it。
　　〃Mental；〃　Ron　sighed；　shaking　his　head　at　the　pletely　stationary　soccer　players。
　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Neville　got　into　their　pajamas　and　into　bed。　Someone　…　a　house…elf；　no　doubt　…　had　placed　warming　pans　between　the　sheets。　It　was　extremely　fortable；　lying　there　in　bed　and　listening　to　the　storm　raging　outside。
　　〃I　might　go　in　for　it；　you　know；〃　Ron　said　sleepily　through　the　darkness；　〃if　Fred　and　George　find　out　how　to。　。　。　the　tournament。　。　。　you　never　know；　do　you？〃
　　〃S'pose　not。　。。　。〃
　　Harry　rolled　over　in　bed；　a　series　of　dazzling　new　pictures　forming　in　his　mind's　eye。　。
　　。　。　He　had　hoodwinked　the　impartial　judge　into　believing　he　was　seventeen。　。　。　he　had　bee　Hogwarts　champion。　。　。　he　was　standing　on　the　grounds；　his　arms　raised　in　triumph　in　front　of　the　whole　school；　all　of　whom　were　applauding　and　screaming。　。　。　he　had　just　won　the　Triwizard　Tournament。　Cho's　face　stood　out　particularly　clearly　in　the　blurred　crowd；　her　face　glowing　with　admiration。。。。
　　Harry　grinned　into　his　pillow；　exceptionally　glad　that　Ron　couldn't　see　what　he　could。
　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN　…　MAD…EYE　MOODY
　　The　storm　had　blown　itself　out　by　the　following　morning；　though　the　ceiling　in　the　Great　Hall　was　still　gloomy；　heavy　clouds　of　pewter　gray　swirled　overhead　as　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　examined　their　new　course　schedules　at　breakfast。　A　few　seats　along；　Fred；　George；　and　Lee　Jordan　were　discussing　magical　methods　of　aging　themselves　and　bluffing　their　way　into　the　Triwizard　Tournament。
　　〃Today's　not　bad。。　。　outside　all　morning；〃　said　Ron；　who　was　running　his　finger　down　the　Monday　column　of　his　schedule。　〃Herbology　with　the　Hufflepuffs　and　Care　of　Magical　Creatures。。。　damn　it；　we're　still　with　the　Slytherins。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Double　Divination　this　afternoon；〃　Harry　groaned；　looking　down。
　　Divination　was　his　least　favorite　subject；　apart　from　Potions。　Professor　Trelawney　kept　predicting　Harry's　death；　which　he　found　extremely　annoying。
　　〃You　should　have　given　it　up　like　me；　shouldn't　you？〃　said　Hermione　briskly；　buttering　herself　some　toast。　〃Then　you'd　be　doing　something　sensible　like　Arithmancy。〃
　　〃You're　eating　again；　I　notice；〃　said　Ron；　watching　Hermione　adding　liberal　amounts　of　jam　to　her　toast　too。
　　〃I've　decided　there　are　better　ways　of　making　a　stand　about　elf　rights；〃
　　said　Hermione　haughtily。
　　〃Yeah。　。　。