3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第20部分

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　　Talking　excitedly；　the　class　left　the　staffroom。　Harry；　however；　wasn't　feeling　cheerful。　Professor　Lupin　had　deliberately　stopped　him　from　tackling　the　boggart。　Why？　Was　it　because　he'd　seen　Harry　collapse　on　the　train；　and　thought　he　wasn't　up　to　much？　Had　he　thought　Harry　would　pass　out　again？
　　But　no　one　else　seemed　to　have　noticed　anything。
　　〃Did　you　see　me　take　that　banshee？〃　shouted　Seamus。　〃And　the　hand！〃　said　Dean；　waving　his　own　around。
　　〃And　Snape　in　that　hat！〃　〃And　my　mummy！〃
　　I　wonder　why　Professor　Lupin's　frightened　of　crystal　balls？〃　said　Lavender　thoughtfully。
　　〃That　was　the　best　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　lesson　we've　ever　had；　wasn't　it？〃　said　Ron　excitedly　as　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　classroom　to　get　their　bags。
　　〃He　seems　like　a　very　good　teacher；〃　said　Hermione　approvingly。　〃But　I　wish　I　could　have　had　a　turn　with　the　boggart　〃
　　〃What　would　it　have　been　for　you？〃　said　Ron；　sniggering。　〃A　piece　of　homework　that　only　got　nine　out　of　ten？〃
　　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　　FLIGHT　OF　THE　FAT　FADY
　　In　no　time　at　all；　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　had　bee　most　people's　favorite　class。　Only　Draco　Malfoy　and　his　gang　of　Slytherins　had　anything　bad　to　say　about　Professor　Lupin。
　　〃Look　at　the　state　of　his　robes；〃　Malfoy　would　say　in　a　loud　whisper　as　Professor　Lupin　passed。　〃He　dresses　like　our　old　houseelf　〃
　　But　no　one　else　cared　that　Professor　Lupin's　robes　were　patched　and　frayed。　His　next　few　lessons　were　just　as　interesting　as　the　first。　After　boggarts；　they　studied　Red　Caps；　nasty　little　goblin　like　creatures　that　lurked　wherever　there　had　been　bloodshed：　in　the　dungeons　of　castles　and　the　potholes　of　deserted　battlefields；　waiting　to　bludgeon　those　who　had　gotten　lost。　From　Red　Caps　they　moved　on　to　kappas；　creepy。　water…dwellers　that　looked　like　scaly　monkeys；　with　webbed　hands　itching　to　strangle　unwitting　waders　in　their　ponds。
　　Harry　only　wished　he　was　as　happy　with　some　of　his　other　classes。　Worst　of　all　was　Potions。　Snape　was　in　a　particularly　vindictive　mood　these　days；　and　no　one　was　in　any　doubt　why。　The　story　of　the　boggart　assuming　Snape's　shape；　and　the　way　that　Neville　had　dressed　it　in　his　grandmother's　clothes；　had　traveled　through　the　school　like　wildfire。　Snape　didn't　seem　to　find　it　funny。　His　eyes　flashed　menacingly　at　the　very　mention　of　Professor　Lupin's　name；　and　he　was　bullying　Neville　worse　than　ever。
　　Harry　was　also　growing　to　dread　the　hours　he　spent　in　Professor　Trelawney's　stifling　tower　room；　deciphering　lopsided　shapes　and　symbols；　trying　to　ignore　the　way　Professor　Trelawney's　enormous　eyes　filled　with　tears　every　time　she　looked　at　him。　He　couldn't　like　Professer　Trelawney；　even　though　she　was　treated　with　respect　bordering　on　reverence　by　many　of　the　class。　Parvati　Patil　and　Lavender　Brown　had　taken　to　haunting　Professor　Trelawney's　tower　room　at　lunch　times；　and　always　returned　with　annoyingly　superior　looks　on　their　faces；　as　though　they　knew　things　the　others　didn't。　They　had　also　started　using　hushed　voices　whenever　they　spoke　to　Harry；　as　though　he　were　on　his　deathbed。
　　Nobody　really　liked　Care　of　Magical　Creatures；　which；　after　the　action…packed　first　class；　had　bee　extremely　dull。　Hagrid　seemed　to　have　lost　his　confidence。　They　were　now　spending　lesson　after　lesson　learning　how　to　look　after　flobberworms；　which　had　to　be　some　of　the　most　boring　creatures　in　existence。
　　〃Why　would　anyone　bother　looking　after　them？〃　said　Ron；　after　yet　another　hour　of　poking　shredded　lettuce　down　the　flobberworms'　throats。
　　At　the　start　of　October；　however；　Harry　had　something　else　to　occupy　him；　something　so　enjoyable　it　more　than　made　up　for　his　unsatisfactory　classes。　The　Quidditch　season　was　approaching；　and　O1iver　Wood；　Captain　of　the　Gryffindor　team；　called　a　meeting　on　Thursday　evening　to　discuss　tactics　for　the　new　season。
　　There　were　seven　people　on　a　Quidditch　team：　three　Chasers；　whose　job　it　was　to　score　goals　by　putting　the　Quaffle　（a　red；　soccer…sized　ball）　through　one　of　the　fifty…foot…high　hoops　at　each
　　end　of　the　field；　two　Beaters；　who　were　equipped　with　heavy　bats　to　repel　the　Bludgers　（two　heavy　black　balls　that　zoomed　around　trying　to　attack　the　players）；　a　Keeper；　who　defended　the　goal
　　posts；　and　the　Seeker；　who　had　the　hardest　job　of　all；　that　of　catching　the　Golden　Snitch；　a　tiny；　winged；　walnut…sized　ball；　whose　capture　ended　the　game　and　earned　the　Seeker's　team　an　extra　one　hundred　and　fifty　points。
　　Oliver　Wood　was　a　burly　seventeen…year…old；　now　in　his　seventh　and　final　year　at　Hogwarts。　There　was　a　quiet　sort　of　desperation　in　his　voice　a's　he　addressed　his　six　fellow　team　members　in　the　chilly　locker　rooms　on　the　edge　of　the　darkening　Quidditch　field。
　　〃This　is　our　last　chance　　my　last　chance　　to　win　the　Quidditch　Cup；〃　he　told　them；　striding　up　and　down　in　front　of　them。　〃I'll　be　leaving　at　the　end　of　this　year。　I'll　never　get　another　shot　at　it。〃
　　〃Gryffindor　hasn't　won　for　seven　years　now。　Okay；　so　we've　had　the　worst　luck　in　the　world　　injuries　　then　the　tournamentgetting　called　off　last　year　Wood　swallowed；　as　though　the　memory　still　brought　a　lump　to　his　throat。　〃But　we　also　know　we've　got　the　best…ruddy…team…in…the…school；〃　he　said；　punching　a　fist　into　his　other　hand；　the　old　manic　glint　back　in　his　eye。　〃We've　got　three　superb　Chasers。〃
　　Wood　pointed　at　Alicia　Spinner；　Angelina　Johnson；　and　Katie　Bell。
　　〃We've　got　two　unbeatable　Beaters。〃
　　〃Stop　it；　Oliver；　you're　embarrassing　us；〃　said　Fred　and　George　Weasley　together；　pretending　to　blush。
　　〃And　we've　got　a　Seeker　who　has　never　failed　to　win　us　a　match！〃　Wood　rumbled；　glaring　at　Harry　with　a　kind　of　furious　pride。　〃And　me；〃　he　added　as　an　afterthought。
　　〃We　think　you're　very　good　too；　Oliver；〃　said　George。
　　〃Spanking　good　Keeper；〃　said　Fred。
　　〃The　point　is；〃　Wood　went　on；　resuming　his　pacing；　〃the　Quidditch　Cup　should　have　had　our　name　on　it　these　last　two　years。　Ever　since　Harry　joined　the　team；　I've　thought　the　thing　was　in　the　bag。　But　we　haven't　got　it；　and　this　year's　the　last　chance　we'll　get　to　finally　see　our　name　on　the　thing。。。。〃
　　Wood　spoke　so　dejectedly　that　even　Fred　and　George　looked　sympathetic。
　　〃Oliver；　this　year's　our　year；〃　said　Fred。
　　〃We'll　do　it；　Oliver！〃　said　Angelina。
　　〃Definitely；〃　said　Harry。
　　Full　of　determination；　the　team　started　training　sessions；　three　evenings　a　week。　The　weather　was　getting　colder　and　wetter；　the　nights　darker；　but　no　amount　of　mud；　wind；　or　rain　could　tarnish　Harry's　wonderful　vision　of　finally　winning　the　huge；　silver　Quidditch　Cup。
　　Harry　returned　to　the　Gryffindor　mon　room　one　evening　after　training；　cold　and　stiff　but　pleased　with　the　way　practice　had　gone；　to　find　the　room　buzzing　excitedly。
　　〃What's　happened？〃；　he　asked　Ron　and　Hermione；　who　were　sitting　in　two　of　the　best　chairs　by　the　fireside　and　pleting　some　star　charts　for　Astronomy。
　　〃First　Hogsmeade　weekend；〃　said　Ron；　pointing　at　a　notice　that　had　appeared　on　the　battered　old　bulletin　board。　〃End　of　October。　Halloween。〃
　　〃Excellent；〃　said　Fred；　who　had　followed　Harry　through　the　portrait　hole。　〃I　need　to　visit　Zonko's。　I'm　nearly　out　of　Stink　Pellets。〃
　　Harry　threw　himself　into　a　chair　beside　Ron；　his　high　spirits　ebbing　away。　Hermione　seemed　to　read　his　mind。
　　〃Harry；　I'm　sure　you'll　be　able　to　go　next　time；〃　she　said。　〃They're　bound　to　catch　Black　soon。　He's　been　sighted　once　already。〃
　　〃Black's　not　fool　enough　to　try　anything　in　Hogsmeade；〃　said　Ron。　〃Ask　McGonagall　if　you　can　go　this　time；　Harry。　The　next　one　might　not　be　for　ages　〃
　　〃Ron！〃　said　Hermione。　〃Harry's　supposed　to　stay　in　school…〃
　　〃He　can't　be　the　only　third　year　left　behind；〃　said　Ron。　〃Ask　McGonagall；　go　on；　Harry　〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　think　I　will；〃　said　Harry；　making　up　his　mind。
　　Hermione　opened　her　mouth　to　argue；　but　at　that　moment　Crookshanks　leapt　lightly　onto　her　lap。　A　large；　dead　spider　was　dangling　from　his　mouth。
　　〃Does　he　have　to　eat　that　in　front　of　us？〃　said　Ron；　scowling。
　　〃Clever　Crookshanks；　did　you　catch　that　all　by　yourself？〃　said　Hermione。
　　Crookshanks；　slowly　chewed　up　the　spider；　his　yellow　eyes　fixed　insolently　on　Ron。
　　〃Just　keep　him　over　there；　that's　all；〃　said　Ron　irritably；　turning　back　to　his　star　chart。　〃1've　got　Scabbers　asleep　in　my　bag。〃
　　Harry　yawned。　He　really　wanted　to　go　to　bed；　but　he　still　had　his　own　star　chart　to　plete。　He　pulled　his　bag　toward　him；　took　out　parchment；　ink；　and　quill；　and　started　work。
　　〃You　can　copy　mine；　if　you　like；〃　said　Ron；　labeling　his　last　star　with　a　flourish　and　shoving　the　chart　toward　Harry。
　　Hermione；　who　disapproved　of　copying；　pursed　her　lips　but　didn't　say　anything。　Crookshanks　was　still　staring　unblinkingly　at　Ron；　flicking　the　end　of　his　bushy　tail。　Then；　without　warning；　he　pounced。
　　〃OY！〃　Ron　roared；　seizing　his　bag　as　Crookshanks　sank　four　sets　of　claws　deep　inside　it　and　began　tearing　ferociously。　〃GET　OFF；　YOU　STUPID　ANIMAL！〃
　　Ron　tried　to　pull　the　bag　away　from　Crookshanks；　but　Crookshanks　clung　on；　spitting　and　slashing。
　　〃Ron；　don't　hurt　him！〃　squealed　Hermione；　the　whole　mon　room　was　watching；　Ron　whirled　the　bag　around；　Crookshanks　still　clinging　to　it；　and　Scabbers　came　flying　out　of　the　top　…
　　〃CATCH　THAT　CAR'　Ron　yelled　as　Crookshanks　freed　himself　from　the　remnants　of　the　bag；　sprang　over　the　table；　and　chased　after　the　terrified　Scabbers。
　　George　Weasley　made　a　lunge　for　Crookshanks　but　missed；　Scabbers　streaked　through　twenty　pairs　of　legs　and　shot　beneath　an　old　chest　of　drawers。　Crookshanks　skidded　to　a　halt；　crouched　low　on　his　bandy　legs；　and　started　making　furious　swipes　beneath　it　with　his　front　paw。
　　Ron　and　Hermione　hurried　over；　Hermione　grabbed　Crookshanks　around　the　middle　and　heaved　him　away；　Ron　threw　himself　onto　his　stomach　and；　with　great　difficulty；　pulled　Scabbers　out　by　the　tail。
　　〃Look　at　him！〃　he　said　furiously　to　Hermione；　dangling　Scabbers　in　front　of　her。　〃He's　skin　and　bone！　You　keep　that　cat　away　from　him！〃
　　〃Crookshanks　doesn't　understand　it's　wrong！〃　said　Hermione；　her　voice　shaking。　〃All　cats　chase　rats；　Ron！〃
　　〃There's　something　funny　about　that　animal！〃　said　Ron；　who　was　tryin