4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第48部分

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it　were　crouching　ahead　of　him　hike　some　horrific　monster；　barring　his　path。　He　had　never　suffered　nerves　like　these；　they　were　way　beyond　anything　he　had　experienced　before　a　Quidditch　match；　not　even　his　last　one　against　Slytherin；　which　had　decided　who　would　win　the　Quidditch　Cup。　Harry　was　finding　it　hard　to　think　about　the　future　at　all；　he　felt　as　though　his　whole　life　had　been　heading　up　to；　and　would　finish　with；　the　first　task。
　　Admittedly；　he　didn't　see　how　Sirius　was　going　to　make　him　feel　any　better　about　having　to　perform　an　unknown　piece　of　difficult　and　dangerous　magic　in　front　of　hundreds　of　people；　but　the　mere　sight　of　a　friendly　face　would　be　something　at　the　moment。　Harry　wrote　back　to　Sirius　saying　that　he　would　be　beside　the　mon　room　fire　at　the　time　Sirius　had　suggested；　and　he　and　Hermione　spent　a　long　time　going　over　plans　for　forcing　any　stragglers　out　of　the　mon　room　on　the　night　in　question。　If　the　worst　came　to　the　worst；　they　were　going　to　drop　a　bag　of　Dungbombs；　but　they　hoped　they　wouldn't　have　to　resort　to　that　…　Filch　would　skin　them　alive。
　　In　the　meantime；　life　became　even　worse　for　Harry　within　the　confines　of　the　castle；　for　Rita　Skeeter　had　published　her　piece　about　the　Triwizard　Tournament；　and　it　had　turned　out　to　be　not　so　much　a　report　on　the　tournament　as　a　highly　colored　life　story　of　Harry。
　　Much　of　the　front　page　had　been　given　over　to　a　picture　of　Harry；　the　article　（continuing　on　pages　two；　six；　and　seven）　had　been　all　about　Harry；　the　names　of　the　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang　champions　（misspelled）　had　been　squashed　into　the　last　line　of　the　article；　and　Cedric　hadn't　been　mentioned　at　all。
　　The　article　had　appeared　ten　days　ago；　and　Harry　still　got　a　sick；　burning　feeling　of　shame　in　his　stomach　every　time　he　thought　about　it。　Rita　Skeeter　had　reported　him　saying　an　awful　lot　of　things　that　he　couldn't　remember　ever　saying　in　his　life；　let　alone　in　that　broom　cupboard。
　　I　suppose　I　get　my　strength　from　my　parents。　I　know　they'd　be　very　proud　of　me　if　they　could　see　me　now。　。　。　。　Yes；　sometimes　at　night　I　still　cry　about　them；　I'm　not　ashamed　to　admit　it。　。　。　。　I　know　nothing　will　hurt　me　during　the　tournament；　because　they're　watching　over　me。　。　。
　　But　Rita　Skeeter　had　gone　even　further　than　transforming　his　〃er's〃　into　long；　sickly　sentences：　She　had　interviewed　other　people　about　him　too。
　　Harry　has　at　last　found　love　at　Hogwarts。　His　close　friend；　Colin　Creevey；　says　that　Harry　is　rarely　seen　out　of　the　pany　of　one　Hermione　Granger；　a　stunningly　pretty　Muggle…born　girl　who；　like　Harry；　is　one　of　the　top　students　in　the　school。
　　From　the　moment　the　article　had　appeared；　Harry　had　had　to　endure　people　Slytherins；　mainly　　quoting　it　at　him　as　he　passed　and　making　sneering　ments。
　　〃Want　a　hanky；　Potter；　in　case　you　start　crying　in　Transfiguration？〃
　　〃Since　when　have　you　been　one　of　the　top　students　in　the　school；　Potter？　Or　is　this　a　school　you　and　Longbottom　have　set　up　together？〃
　　〃Hey　…　Harry！〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　right！〃　Harry　found　himself　shouting　as　he　wheeled　around　in　the　corridor；　having　had　just　about　enough。　〃I've　just　been　crying　my　eyes　out　over　my　dead　mum；　and　I'm　just　off　to　do　a　bit　more。　。　。
　　〃No　…　it　was　just　…　you　dropped　your　quill。〃
　　It　was　Cho。　Harry　felt　the　color　rising　in　his　face。
　　〃Oh　…　right　…　sorry；〃　he　muttered；　taking　the　quill　back。
　　〃Er。　。　。　good　luck　on　Tuesday；〃　she　said。　〃I　really　hope　you　do　well。〃
　　Which　left　Harry　feeling　extremely　stupid。
　　Hermione　had　e　in　for　her　fair　share　of　unpleasantness　too；　but　she　hadn't　yet　started　yelling　at　innocent　bystanders；　in　fact；　Harry　was　full　of　admiration　for　the　way　she　was　handling　the　situation。
　　〃Stunningly　pretty？　Her？〃　Pansy　Parkinson　had　shrieked　the　first　time　she　had　e　face…to…face　with　Hermione　after　Rita's　article　had　appeared。　〃What　was　she　judging　against　…　a　chipmunk？〃
　　〃Ignore　it；〃　Hermione　said　in　a　dignified　voice；　holding　her　head　in　the　air　and　stalking　past　the　sniggering　Slytherin　girls　as　though　she　couldn't　hear　them。　〃Just　ignore　it；　Harry。〃
　　But　Harry　couldn't　ignore　it。　Ron　hadn't　spoken　to　him　at　all　since　he　had　told　him　about　Snape's　detentions。　Harry　had　half　hoped　they　would　make　things　up　during　the　two　hours　they　were　forced　to　pickle　rats'　brains　in　Snape's　dungeon；　but　that　had　been　the　day　Rita's　article　had　appeared；　which　seemed　to　have　confirmed　Ron's　belief　that　Harry　was　really　enjoying　all　the　attention。
　　Hermione　was　furious　with　the　pair　of　them；　she　went　from　one　to　the　other；　trying　to　force　them　to　talk　to　each　other；　but　Harry　was　adamant：　He　would　talk　to　Ron　again　only　if　Ron　admitted　that　Harry　hadn't　put　his　name　in　the　Goblet　of　Fire　and　apologized　for　calling　him　a　liar。
　　〃I　didn't　start　this；〃　Harry　said　stubbornly。　〃It's　his　problem。〃
　　〃You　miss　him！〃　Hermione　said　impatiently。　〃And　I　know　he　misses　you　…〃
　　〃Miss　him？〃　said　Harry。　〃I　don't　miss　him。　。　。
　　But　this　was　a　downright　lie。　Harry　liked　Hermione　very　much；　but　she　just　wasn't　the　same　as　Ron。　There　was　much　hess　laughter　and　a　lot　more　hanging　around　in　the　library　when　Hermione　was　your　best　friend。　Harry　still　hadn't　mastered　Summoning　Charms；　he　seemed　to　have　developed　something　of　a　block　about　them；　and　Hermione　insisted　that　learning　the　theory　would　help。　They　consequently　spent　a　lot　of　time　poring　over　books　during　their　lunchtimes。
　　Viktor　Krum　was　in　the　library　an　awful　lot　too；　and　Harry　wondered　what　he　was　up　to。
　　Was　he　studying；　or　was　he　looking　for　things　to　help　him　through　the　first　task？
　　Hermione　often　plained　about　Krum　being　there　…　not　that　he　ever　bothered　them　…　but　because　groups　of　giggling　girls　often　turned　up　to　spy　on　him　from　behind　bookshelves；　and　Hermione　found　the　noise　distracting。
　　〃He's　not　even　good…looking！〃　she　muttered　angrily；　glaring　at　Krum's　sharp　profile。
　　〃They　only　like　him　because　he's　famous！　They　wouldn't　look　twice　at　him　if　he　couldn't　do　that　WonkyFaint　thing　…〃
　　〃Wronski　Feint；〃　said　Harry；　through　gritted　teeth。　Quite　apart　from　liking　to　get　Quidditch　terms　correct；　it　caused　him　another　pang　to　imagine　Ron's　expression　if　he　could　have　heard　Hermione　talking　about　Wonky…Faints。
　　It　is　a　strange　thing；　but　when　you　are　dreading　something；　and　would　give　anything　to　slow　down　time；　it　has　a　disobliging　habit　of　speeding　up。　The　days　until　the　first　task　seemed　to　slip　by　as　though　someone　had　fixed　the　clocks　to　work　at　double　speed。
　　Harry's　feeling　of　barely　controlled　panic　was　with　him　wherever　he　went；　as　everpresent　as　the　snide　ments　about　the　Daily　Prophet　article。
　　On　the　Saturday　before　the　first　task；　all　students　in　the　third　year　and　above　were　permitted　to　visit　the　village　of　Hogsmeade。　Hermione　told　Harry　that　it　would　do　him　good　to　get　away　from　the　castle　for　a　bit；　and　Harry　didn't　need　much　persuasion。
　　〃What　about　Ron；　though？〃　he　said。　〃Don't　you　want　to　go　with　him？〃
　　〃Oh。　。　。　well。。　。〃　Hermione　went　slightly　pink。　〃I　thought　we　might　meet　up　with　him　in　the　Three　Broomsticks。　。　。　。〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Harry　flatly。
　　〃Oh　Harry；　this　is　so　stupid　…〃
　　〃I'll　e；　but　I'm　not　meeting　Ron；　and　I'm　wearing　my　Invisibility　Cloak。〃
　　〃Oh　all　right　then。　。　。〃　Hermione　snapped；　〃but　I　hate　talking　to　you　in　that　cloak；　I　never　know　if　I'm　looking　at　you　or　not。〃
　　So　Harry　put　on　his　Invisibility　Cloak　in　the　dormitory；　went　back　downstairs；　and　together　he　and　Hermione　set　off　for　Hogsmeade。
　　Harry　felt　wonderfully　free　under　the　cloak；　he　watched　other　students　walking　past　them　as　they　entered　the　village；　most　of　them　sporting　Support　Cedric　Diggory！　badges；　but　no　horrible　remarks　came　his　way　for　a　change；　and　nobody　was　quoting　that　stupid　article。
　　〃People　keep　looking　at　me　now；〃　said　Hermione　grumpily　as　they　came　out　of　Honeydukes　Sweetshop　later；　eating　large　cream…filled　chocolates。　〃They　think　I'm　talking　to　myself。〃
　　〃Don't　move　your　lips　so　much　then。〃
　　〃e　on；　please　just　take　off　your　cloak　for　a　bit；　no　one's　going　to　bother　you　here。〃
　　〃Oh　yeah？〃　said　Harry。　〃Look　behind　you。〃
　　Rita　Skeeter　and　her　photographer　friend　had　just　emerged　from　the　Three　Broomsticks　pub。
　　Talking　in　low　voices；　they　passed　right　by　Hermione　without　hooking　at　her。　Harry　backed　into　the　wall　of　Honeydukes　to　stop　Rita　Skeeter　from　hitting　him　with　her　crocodile…skin　handbag。　When　they　were　gone；　Harry　said；　〃She's　staying　in　the　village。
　　I　bet　she's　ing　to　watch　the　first　task。〃
　　As　he　said　it；　his　stomach　flooded　with　a　wave　of　molten　panic。　He　didn't　mention　this；　he　and　Hermione　hadn't　discussed　what　was　ing　in　the　first　task　much；　he　had　the　feeling　she　didn't　want　to　think　about　it。
　　〃She's　gone；〃　said　Hermione；　looking　right　through　Harry　toward　the　end　of　the　street。
　　〃Why　don't　we　go　and　have　a　butterbeer　in　the　Three　Broomsticks；　it's　a　bit　cold；　isn't　it？　You　don't　have　to　talk　to　Ron！〃　she　added　irritably；　correctly　interpreting　his　silence。
　　The　Three　Broomsticks　was　packed；　mainly　with　Hogwarts　students　enjoying　their　free　afternoon；　but　also　with　a　variety　of　magical　people　Harry　rarely　saw　anywhere　else。
　　Harry　supposed　that　as　Hogsmeade　was　the　only　all…wizard　village　in　Britain；　it　was　a　bit　of　a　haven　for　creatures　like　hags；　who　were　not　as　adept　as　wizards　at　disguising　themselves。
　　It　was　very　hard　to　move　through　crowds　in　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　in　case　you　accidentally　trod　on　someone；　which　tended　to　lead　to　awkward　questions。　Harry　edged　slowly　toward　a　spare　table　in　the　corner　while　Hermione　went　to　buy　drinks。　On　his　way　through　the　pub；　Harry　spotted　Ron；　who　was　sitting　with　Fred；　George；　and　Lee　Jordan。
　　Resisting　the　urge　to　give　Ron　a　good　hard　poke　in　the　back　of　the　head；　he　finally　reached　the　table　and　sat　down　at　it。
　　Hermione　joined　him　a　moment　later　and　slipped　him　a　butterbeer　under　his　cloak。
　　〃I　look　like　such　an　idiot；　sitting　here　on　my　own；〃　she　muttered。　〃Lucky　I　brought　something　to　do。〃
　　And　she　pulled　out　a　notebook　in　which　she　had　been　keeping　a　record　of　S。P。E。W。　members。
　　Harry　saw　his　and　Ron's　names　at　the　top　of　the　very　short　list。　It　seemed　a　lon