4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第55部分

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　　〃Harry；〃　he　said；　very　seriously；　〃whoever　put　your　name　in　that　goblet　…　I　…　I　reckon　they're　trying　to　do　you　in！〃
　　It　was　as　though　the　last　few　weeks　had　never　happened　…　as　though　Harry　were　meeting　Ron　for　the　first　time；　right　after　he'd　been　made　champion。
　　〃Caught　on；　have　you？〃　said　Harry　coldly。　〃Took　you　long　enough。〃
　　Hermione　stood　nervously　between　them；　looking　from　one　to　the　other。　Ron　opened　his　mouth　uncertainly。　Harry　knew　Ron　was　about　to　apologize　and　suddenly　he　found　he　didn't　need　to　hear　it。
　　〃It's　okay；〃　he　said；　before　Ron　could　get　the　words　out。　〃Forget　it。〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Ron；　〃I　shouldn't've　…〃
　　〃Forget　it；　〃Harry　said。
　　Ron　grinned　nervously　at　him；　and　Harry　grinned　back　Hermione　burst　into　tears。
　　〃There's　nothing　to　cry　about！〃　Harry　told　her；　bewildered。
　　〃You　two　are　so　stupid！〃　she　shouted；　stamping　her　foot　on　the　ground；　tears　splashing　down　her　front。　Then；　before　either　of　them　could　stop　her；　she　had　given　both　of　them　a　hug　and　dashed　away；　now　positively　howling。
　　〃Barking　mad；〃　said　Ron；　shaking　his　head。　〃Harry；　c'mon；　they'll　be　putting　up　your　scores。　。　。　。〃
　　Picking　up　the　golden　egg　and　his　Firebolt；　feeling　more　elated　than　he　would　have　believed　possible　an　hour　ago；　Harry　ducked　out　of　the　tent；　Ron　by　his　side；　talking　fast。
　　〃You　were　the　best；　you　know；　no　petition。　Cedric　did　this　weird　thing　where　he　Transfigured　a　rock　on　the　ground。　。　。　turned　it　into　a　dog。　。　。　he　was　trying　to　make　the　dragon　go　for　the　dog　instead　of　him。　Well；　it　was　a　pretty　cool　bit　of　Transfiguration；　and　it　sort　of　worked；　because　he　did　get　the　egg；　but　he　got　burned　as　well　…　the　dragon　changed　its　mind　halfway　through　and　decided　it　would　rather　have　him　than　the　Labrador；　he　only　just　got　away。　And　that　Fleur　girl　tried　this　sort　of　charm；　I　think　she　was　trying　to　put　it　into　a　trance　…　well；　that　kind　of　worked　too；　it　went　all　sleepy；　but　then　it　snored；　and　this　great　jet　of　flame　shot　out；　and　her　skirt　caught　fire　…　she　put　it　out　with　a　bit　of　water　out　of　her　wand。　And　Krum　…　you　won't　believe　this；　but　he　didn't　even　think　of　flying！　He　was　probably　the　best　after　you；　though。
　　Hit　it　with　some　sort　of　spell　right　in　the　eye。　Only　thing　is；　it　went　trampling　around　in　agony　and　squashed　half　the　real　eggs　…　they　took　marks　off　for　that；　he　wasn't　supposed　to　do　any　damage　to　them。〃
　　Ron　drew　breath　as　he　and　Harry　reached　the　edge　of　the　enclosure。　Now　that　the　Horntail　had　been　taken　away；　Harry　could　see　where　the　five　judges　were　sitting　…　right　at　the　other　end；　in　raised　seats　draped　in　gold。
　　〃It's　marks　out　of　ten　from　each　one；〃　Ron　said；　and　Harry　squinting　up　the　field；　saw　the　first　judge　…　Madame　Maxime　…　raise　her　wand　in　the　air。　What　hooked　like　a　long　silver　ribbon　shot　out　of　it；　which　twisted　itself　into　a　large　figure　eight。
　　〃Not　bad！〃　said　Ron　as　the　crowd　applauded。　〃I　suppose　she　took　marks　off　for　your　shoulder。　。　。
　　Mr。　Crouch　came　next。　He　shot　a　number　nine　into　the　air。
　　〃Looking　good！〃　Ron　yelled；　thumping　Harry　on　the　back。
　　Next；　Dumbledore。　He　too　put　up　a　nine。　The　crowd　was　cheering　harder　than　ever。
　　Ludo　Bagman　…　ten。
　　〃Ten？〃　said　Harry　in　disbelief。　〃But。　。　。　I　got　hurt。　。　。　。　What's　he　playing　at？〃
　　〃Harry；　don't　plain！〃　Ron　yelled　excitedly。
　　And　now　Karkaroff　raised　his　wand。　He　paused　for　a　moment；　and　then　a　number　shot　out　of　his　wand　too　…　four。
　　〃What？〃　Ron　bellowed　furiously。　〃Four？　You　lousy；　biased　scum…bag；　you　gave　Krum　ten！〃
　　But　Harry　didn't　care；　he　wouldn't　have　cared　if　Karkaroff　had　given　him　zero；　Ron's　indignation　on　his　behalf　was　worth　about　a　hundred　points　to　him。　He　didn't　tell　Ron　this；　of　course；　but　his　heart　felt　lighter　than　air　as　he　turned　to　leave　the　enclosure。
　　And　it　wasn't　just　Ron。　。　。　those　weren't　only　Gryffindors　cheering　in　the　crowd。　When　it　had　e　to　it；　when　they　had　seen　what　he　was　facing；　most　of　the　school　had　been　on　his　side　as　well　as　Cedric's。　。　。　。　He　didn't　care　about　the　Slytherins；　he　could　stand　whatever　they　threw　at　him　now。
　　〃You're　tied　in　first　place；　Harry！　You　and　Krum！〃　said　Charlie　Weasley；　hurrying　to　meet　them　as　they　set　off　back　toward　the　school。　〃Listen；　I've　got　to　run；　I've　got　to　go　and　send　Mum　an　owl；　I　swore　I'd　tell　her　what　happened　…　but　that　was　unbelievable！
　　Oh　yeah　…　and　they　told　me　to　tell　you　you've　got　to　hang　around　for　a　few　more　minutes。。
　　。　。　Bagman　wants　a　word；　back　in　the　champions'　tent。〃
　　Ron　said　he　would　wait；　so　Harry　reentered　the　tent；　which　somehow　looked　quite　different　now：　friendly　and　weling。　He　thought　back　to　how　he'd　felt　while　dodging　the　Horntail；　and　pared　it　to　the　long　wait　before　he'd　walked　out　to　face　it。。。。　There　was　no　parison；　the　wait　had　been　immeasurably　worse。
　　Fleur；　Cedric；　and　Krum　all　came　in　together。　One　side　of　Cedric's　face　was　covered　in　a　thick　orange　paste；　which　was　presumably　mending　his　burn。　He　grinned　at　Harry　when　he　saw　him。
　　〃Good　one；　Harry。〃
　　〃And　you；〃　said　Harry；　grinning　back。
　　〃Well　done；　all　of　you！〃　said　Ludo　Bagman；　bouncing　into　the　tent　and　looking　as　pleased　as　though　he　personally　had　just　got　past　a　dragon。　〃Now；　just　a　quick　few　words。　You've　got　a　nice　long　break　before　the　second　task；　which　will　take　place　at　half　past　nine　on　the　morning　of　February　the　twenty…fourth　…　but　we're　giving　you　something　to　think　about　in　the　meantime！　If　you　look　down　at　those　golden　eggs　you're　all　holding；　you　will　see
　　that　they　open。　。　。　see　the　hinges　there？　You　need　to　solve　the　clue　inside　the　egg　…because　it　will　tell　you　what　the　second　task　is；　and　enable　you　to　prepare　for　it！　All　clear？　Sure？　Well；　off　you　go；　then！〃
　　Harry　left　the　tent；　rejoined　Ron；　and　they　started　to　walk　back　around　the　edge　of　the　forest；　talking　hard；　Harry　wanted　to　hear　what　the　other　champions　had　done　in　more　detail。　Then；　as　they　rounded　the　clump　of　trees　behind　which　Harry　had　first　heard　the　dragons　roar；　a　witch　leapt　out　from　behind　them。
　　It　was　Rita　Skeeter。　She　was　wearing　acid…green　robes　today；　the　Quick…Quotes　Quill　in　her　hand　blended　perfectly　against　them。
　　〃Congratulations；　Harry！〃　she　said；　beaming　at　him。　〃I　wonder　if　you　could　give　me　a　quick　word？　How　you　felt　facing　that　dragon？　How　you　feel　now；　about　the　fairness　of　the　scoring？〃
　　〃Yeah；　you　can　have　a　word；〃　said　Harry　savagely。　〃Good…bye。〃
　　And　he　set　off　back　to　the　castle　with　Ron。
　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE　…　THE　HOUSE…ELF　LIBERATION　FRONT
　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　went　up　to　the　Owlery　that　evening　to　find　Pigwidgeon；　so　that　Harry　could　send　Sirius　a　letter　telling　him　that　he　had　managed　to　get　past　his　dragon　unscathed。　On　the　way；　Harry　filled　Ron　in　on　everything　Sirius　had　told　him　about　Karkaroff。　Though　shocked　at　first　to　hear　that　Karkaroff　had　been　a　Death　Eater；　by　the　time　they　entered　the　Owlery　Ron　was　saying　that　they　ought　to　have　suspected　it　all　along。
　　〃Fits；　doesn't　it？〃　he　said。　〃Remember　what　Malfoy　said　on　the　train；　about　his　dad　being　friends　with　Karkaroff？　Now　we　know　where　they　knew　each　other。
　　They　were　probably　running　around　in　masks　together　at　the　World　Cup。。。。　I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　though；　Harry；　if　it　was　Karkaroff　who　put　your　name　in　the　goblet；　he's　going　to　be　feeling　really　stupid　now；　isn't　he？　Didn't　work；　did　it？　You　only　got　a　scratch！
　　e　here　…　I'll　do　it　…〃
　　Pigwidgeon　was　so　overexcited　at　the　idea　of　a　delivery　he　was　flying　around　and　around　Harry's　head；　hooting　incessantly。　Ron　snatched　Pigwidgeon　out　of　the　air　and　held　him　still　while　Harry　attached　the　letter　to　his　leg。
　　〃There's　no　way　any　of　the　other　tasks　are　going　to　be　that　dangerous；　how　could　they　be？〃　Ron　went　on　as　he　carried　Pigwidgeon　to　the　window。　〃You　know　what？　I　reckon　you　could　win　this　tournament；　Harry；　I'm　serious。〃
　　Harry　knew　that　Ron　was　only　saying　this　to　make　up　for　his　behavior　of　the　last　few　weeks；　but　he　appreciated　it　all　the　same。　Hermione；　however；　leaned　against　the　Owlery　wall；　folded　her　arms；　and　frowned　at　Ron。
　　〃Harry's　got　a　long　way　to　go　before　he　finishes　this　tournament；〃　she　said　seriously。
　　〃If　that　was　the　first　task；　I　hate　to　think　what's　ing　next。〃
　　〃Right　little　ray　of　sunshine；　aren't　you？〃　said　Ron。　〃You　and　Professor　Trelawney　should　get　together　sometime。〃
　　He　threw　Pigwidgeon　out　of　the　window。　Pigwidgeon　plummeted　twelve　feet　before　managing　to　pull　himself　back　up　again；　the　letter　attached　to　his　leg　was　much　longer　and　heavier　than　usual　…　Harry　hadn't　been　able　to　resist　giving　Sirius　a　blow…by…blow　account　of　exactly　how　he　had　swerved；　circled；　and　dodged　the　Horntail。　They　watched　Pigwidgeon　disappear　into　the　darkness；　and　then　Ron　said；　〃Well；　we'd　better　get　downstairs　for　your　surprise　party；　Harry　…　Fred　and　George　should　have　nicked　enough　food　from　the　kitchens　by　now。〃
　　Sure　enough；　when　they　entered　the　Gryffindor　mon　room　it　exploded　with　cheers　and　yells　again。　There　were　mountains　of　cakes　and　flagons　of　pumpkin　juice　and　butterbeer　on　every　surface；　Lee　Jordan　had　let　off　some　Filibuster's　Fireworks；　so　that　the　air　was　thick　with　stars　and　sparks；　and　Dean　Thomas；　who　was　very　good　at　drawing；　had　put　up　some　impressive　new　banners；　most　of　which　depicted　Harry　zooming　around　the　Horntail's　head　on　his　Firebolt；　though　a　couple　showed　Cedric　with　his　head　on　fire。
　　Harry　helped　himself　to　food；　he　had　almost　forgotten　what　it　was　like　to　feel　properly　hungry；　and　sat　down　with　Ron　and　Hermione。　He　couldn't　believe　how　happy　he　felt；　he　had　Ron　back　on　his　side；　he'd　gotten　through　the　first　task；　and　he　wouldn't　have　to　face　the　second　one　for　three　months。
　　〃Blimey；　this　is　heavy；〃　said　Lee　Jordan；　picking　up　the　golden　egg；　which　Harry　had　left　on　a　table；　and　weighing　it　in　his　hands。　〃Open　it；　Harry；　go　on！　Let's　just　see　what's
　　inside　it！〃
　　〃He's　supposed　to　work　out　the　clue　on　his　own；〃　Hermione　said　swiftly。　〃It's　in　the　tournament　rules。　。　。　。〃
　　〃I　was　supposed　to　work　out　how　to　get　past　the　dragon　on　my　own　too；〃　Harry　muttered；　so　only　Hermione　could　hear　him；　and　she　grinned　rather　guiltily。
　　〃Yeah；　go　on；　Harry；　open　it！