4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第75部分

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he　lights　the　fires　and　mops　the　floors。　Dobby　heard　Professor　McGonagall　and　Professor　Moody　in　the　staffroom；　talking　about　the　next　task。　。　。　。　Dobby　cannot　let　Harry　Potter　lose　his　Wheezy！〃
　　Harrys　doubts　vanished。　Jumping　to　his　feet　he　pulled　off　the　Invisibility　Cloak；　stuffed　it　into　his　bag；　grabbed　the　gillyweed；　and　put　it　into　his　pocket；　then　tore　out　of　the　library　with　Dobby　at　his　heels。
　　〃Dobby　is　supposed　to　be　in　the　kitchens；　sir！〃　Dobby　squealed　as　they　burst　into　the　corridor。　〃Dobby　will　be　missed　…　good　luck；　Harry　Potter；　sir；　good　luck！〃
　　〃See　you　later；　Dobby！〃　Harry　shouted；　and　he　sprinted　along　the　corridor　and　down　the　stairs；　three　at　a　time。
　　The　entrance　hall　contained　a　few　last…minute　stragglers；　all　leaving　the　Great　Hall　after　breakfast　and　heading　through　the　double　oak　doors　to　watch　the　second　task。　They　stared　as　Harry　flashed　past；　sending　Colin　and　Dennis　Creevey　flying　as　he　leapt　down　the　stone　steps　and　out　onto　the　bright；　chilly　grounds。
　　As　he　pounded　down　the　lawn　he　saw　that　the　seats　that　had　encircled　the　dragons'　enclosure　in　November　were　now　ranged　along　the　opposite　bank；　rising　in　stands　that　were　packed　to　the　bursting　point　and　reflected　in　the　lake　below。　The　excited　babble　of　the　crowd　echoed　strangely　across　the　water　as　Harry　ran　flat…out　around　the　other　side　of　the　lake　toward　the　judges；　who　were　sitting　at　another　gold…draped　table　at　the　water's　edge。　Cedric；　Fleur；　and　Krum　were　beside　the　judges'　table；　watching　Harry　sprint　toward　them。
　　〃I'm　。　。。　here　。。。〃　Harry　panted；　skidding　to　a　halt　in　the　mud　and　accidentally　splattering　Fleurs　robes。
　　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　said　a　bossy；　disapproving　voice。　〃The　task's　about　to　start！〃
　　Harry　looked　around。　Percy　Weasley　was　sitting　at　the　judges'　table　…　Mr。　Crouch　had　failed　to　turn　up　again。
　　〃Now；　now；　Percy！〃　said　Ludo　Bagman；　who　was　looking　intensely　relieved　to　see　Harry。
　　〃Let　him　catch　his　breath！〃
　　Dumbledore　smiled　at　Harry；　but　Karkaroff　and　Madame　Maxime　didn't　look　at　all　pleased　to　see　him。　。。。　It　was　obvious　from　the　looks　on　their　faces　that　they　had　thought　he　wasn't　going　to　turn　up。
　　Harry　bent　over；　hands　on　his　knees；　gasping　for　breath；　he　had　a　stitch　in　his　side　that　felt　as　though　he　had　a　knife　between　his　ribs；　but　there　was　no　time　to　get　rid　of　it；　Ludo　Bagman　was　now　moving　among　the　champions；　spacing　them　along　the　bank　at　intervals　of　ten　feet。　Harry　was　on　the　very　end　of　the　line；　next　to　Krum；　who　was　wearing　swimming　trunks　and　was　holding　his　wand　ready。
　　〃All　right。　Harry？〃　Bagman　whispered　as　he　moved　Harry　a　few　feet　farther　away　from　Krum。　〃Know　what　you're　going　to　do？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　Harry　panted；　massaging　his　ribs。
　　Bagman　gave　Harry's　shoulder　a　quick　squeeze　and　returned　to　the　judges'　table；　he　pointed　his　wand　at　his　throat　as　he　had　done　at　the　World　Cup；　said；　〃Sonorus！〃　and　his　voice　boomed　out　across　the　dark　water　toward　the　stands。
　　〃Well；　all　our　champions　are　ready　for　the　second　task；　which　will　start　on　my　whistle。
　　They　have　precisely　an　hour　to　recover　what　has　been　taken　from　them。　On　the　count　of　three；　then。　One　。　。　。　two　。　。　。　three！〃
　　The　whistle　echoed　shrilly　in　the　cold；　still　air；　the　stands　erupted　with　cheers　and　applause；　without　looking　to　see　what　the　other　champions　were　doing；　Harry　pulled　off　his　shoes　and　socks；　pulled　the　handful　of　gillyweed　out　of　his　pocket；　stuffed　it　into　his　mouth；　and　waded　out　into　the　lake。
　　It　was　so　cold　he　felt　the　skin　on　his　legs　searing　as　though　this　were　fire；　not　icy　water。　His　sodden　robes　weighed　him　down　as　he　walked　in　deeper；　now　the　water　was　over　his　knees；　and　his　rapidly　numbing　feet　were　slipping　over　silt　and　flat；　slimy　stones。
　　He　was　chewing　the　gillyweed　as　hard　and　fast　as　he　could；　it　felt　unpleasantly　slimy　and　rubbery；　like　octopus　tentacles。　Waist…deep　in　the　freezing　water　he　stopped；　swallowed；　and　waited　for　something　to　happen。
　　He　could　hear　laughter　in　the　crowd　and　knew　he　must　look　stupid；　walking　into　the　lake　without　showing　any　sign　of　magical　power。　The　part　of　him　that　was　still　dry　was　covered　in　goose　pimples；　half　immersed　in　the　icy　water；　a　cruel　breeze　lifting　his　hair；　Harry　started　to　shiver　violently。　He　avoided　looking　at　the　stands；　the　laughter　was　being　louder；　and　there　were　catcalls　and　jeering　from　the　Slytherins。　。。。
　　Then；　quite　suddenly；　Harry　felt　as　though　an　invisible　pillow　had　been　pressed　over　his　mouth　and　nose。　He　tried　to　draw　breath；　but　it　made　his　head　spin；　his　lungs　were　empty；　and　he　suddenly　felt　a　piercing　pain　on　either　side　of　his　neck　…Harry　clapped　his　hands　around　his　throat　and　felt　two　large　slits　just　below　his　ears；　flapping　in　the　cold　air。　。　。　。　He　had　gills。　Without　pausing　to　think；　he　did　the　only　thing　that　made　sense　…　he　flung　himself　forward　into　the　water。
　　The　first　gulp　of　icy　lake　water　felt　like　the　breath　of　life。　His　head　had　stopped　spinning；　he　took　another　great　gulp　of　water　and　felt　it　pass　smoothly　through　his　gills；　sending　oxygen　back　to　his　brain。　He　stretched　out　his　hands　in　front　of　him　and　stared　at　them。　They　looked　green　and　ghostly　under　the　water；　and　they　had　bee　webbed。　He　twisted　around　and　looked　at　his　bare　feet　…　they　had　bee　elongated　and　the　toes　were　webbed　too：
　　It　looked　as　though　he　had　sprouted　flippers。
　　The　water　didn't　feel　icy　anymore　either　。。。　on　the　contrary；　he　felt　pleasantly　cool　and　very　light。　。　。　。　Harry　struck　out　once　more；　marveling　at　how　far　and　fast　his　flipper…like　feet　propelled　him　through　the　vater；　and　noticing　how　clearly　he　could　see；　and　how　he　no　longer　seemed　to　need　to　blink。　He　had　soon　swum　so　far　into　the　lake　that　he　could　no　longer　see　the　bottom。　He　flipped　over　and　dived　into　its　depths。
　　Silence　pressed　upon　his　ears　as　he　soared　over　a　strange；　dark；　foggy　landscape。　He　could　only　see　ten　feet　around　him；　so　that　as　he　sped　throuugh　the　water　new　scenes　seemed　to　loom　suddenly　out　of　the　ining　darkness：　forests　of　rippling；　tangled　black　weed；　wide　plains　of　mud　littered　with　dull；　glimmering　stones。　He　swam　deeper　and　deeper；　out　toward　the　middle　of　the　lake；　his　eyes　wide；　staring　through　the　eerily　gray…lit　water　around　him　to　the　shadow　beyond；　where　the　water　became　opaque。
　　Small　fish　flickered　past　him　like　silver　darts。　Once　or　twice　he　thought　he　saw　something　larger　moving　ahead　of　him；　but　when　he　got　nearer；　he　discovered　it　to　be　nothing　but　a　large；　blackened　log；　or　a　dense　clump　of　weed。　There　was　no　sign　of　any　of　the　other　champions；　merpeople；　Ron　…　nor；　thankfully；　the　giant　squid。
　　Light　green　weed　stretched　ahead　of　him　as　far　as　he　could　see；　two　feet　deep；　like　a　meadow　of　very　overgrown　grass。　Harry　was　staring　unblinkingly　ahead　of　him；　trying　to　discern　shapes　through　the　gloom　。　。　。　and　then；　without　warning；　something　grabbed　hold　of　his　ankle。
　　Harry　twisted　his　body　around　and　saw　a　grindylow；　a　small；　horned　water　demon；　poking　out　of　the　weed；　its　long　fingers　clutched　tightly　around　Harry's　leg；　its　pointed　fangs　bared　…　Harry　stuck　his　webbed　hand　quickly　inside　his　robes　and　fumbled　for　his　wand。
　　By　the　time　he　had　grasped　it；　two　more　grindylows　had　risen　out　of　the　weed；　had　seized　handfuls　of　Harry's　robes；　and　were　attempting　to　drag　him　down。
　　〃Relashio！〃　Harry　shouted；　except　that　no　sound　came　out。　。。。　A　large　bubble　issued　from　his　mouth；　and　his　wand；　instead　of　sending　sparks　at　the　grindylows；　pelted　them　with　what　seemed　to　be　a　jet　of　boiling　water；　for　where　it　struck　them；　angry　red　patches　appeared　on　their　green　skin。　Harry　pulled　his　ankle　out　of　the　grindylows　grip　and　swam；　as　fast　as　he　could；　occasionally　sending　more　jets　of　hot　water　over　his　shoulder　at　random；　every　now　and　then　he　felt　one　of　the　grindylows　snatch　at　his　foot　again；　and　he　kicked　out；　hard；　finally；　he　felt　his　foot　connect　with　a　horned　skull；　and　looking　back；　saw　the　dazed　grindylow　floating　away；　cross…eyed；　while　its　fellows　shook　their　fists　at　Harry　and　sank　back　into　the　weed。
　　Harry　slowed　down　a　little；　slipped　his　wand　back　inside　his　robes；　and　looked　around；　listening　again。　He　turned　full　circle　in　the　water；　the　silence　pressing　harder　than　ever　against　his　eardrums。　He　knew　he　must　be　even　deeper　in　the　lake　now；　but　nothing　was　moving　but　the　rippling　weed。
　　〃How　are　you　getting　on？〃
　　Harry　thought　he　was　having　a　heart　attack。　He　whipped　around　and　saw　Moaning　Myrtle　floating　hazily　in　front　of　him；　gazing　at　him　through　her　thick；　pearly　glasses。
　　〃Myrtle！〃　Harry　tried　to　shout　…　but　once　again；　nothing　came　out　of　his　mouth　but　a　very　large　bubble。　Moaning　Myrtle　actually　giggled。
　　〃You　want　to　try　over　there！〃　she　said；　pointing。　〃I　won't　e　with　you。　。。。　I　don't　like　them　much；　they　always　chase　me　when　I　get　too　close。　。。。〃
　　Harry　gave　her　the　thumbs…up　to　show　his　thanks　and　set　off　once　more；　careful　to　swim　a　bit　higher　over　the　weed　to　avoid　any　more　grindylows　that　might　be　lurking　there。
　　He　swam　on　for　what　felt　like　at　least　twenty　minutes。　He　was　passing　over　vast　expanses　of　black　mud　now；　which　swirled　murkily　as　he　disturbed　the　water。　Then；　at　long　last；　he　heard　a　snatch　of　haunting　mersong。
　　〃An　hour　long　you'll　have　to　look；　And　to　recover　what　we　took。。。〃
　　Harry　swam　faster　and　soon　saw　a　large　rock　emerge　out　of　the　muddy　water　ahead。　It　had　paintings　of　merpeople　on　it；　they　were　carrying　spears　and　chasing　what　looked　like　the　giant　squid。　Harry　swam　on　past　the　rock；　following　the　mersong。
　　〃。　。　。　your　time's　half　gone；　so　tarry　not　Lest　what　you　seek　stays　here　to　rot。　。。。〃
　　A　cluster　of　crude　stone　dwellings　stained　with　algae　loomed　suddenly　out　of　the　gloom　on　all　sides。　Here　and　there　at　the　dark　windows；　Harry　saw　faces　。　。　。　faces　that　bore　no　resemblance　at　all　to　the　painting　of　the　mermaid　in　the　prefects'　bathroom。　。　。　。
　　The　merpeople　had　grayish　skin　and　long；　wild；　dark　green　hair。　Their　eyes　were　yellow；　as　were　their　broken　teeth；　and　they　wore　thick　ropes　of　pebbles　around　their　necks。　They　leered　at　Harry　as　he　swam　past；　one　or　two　of　them　emerged　from　their　caves　to　watch　him　better；　their　powerfu