jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第103部分

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　　　Mr。　Diggory　looked　as　though　he　was　going　to　say　something　angry；　but　his　wife　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm；　and　he　merely　shrugged　and　turned　away。
　　　Harry　had　a　very　enjoyable　morning　walking　over　the　sunny　grounds　with　Bill　and　Mrs。　Weasley；　showing　them　the　Beauxbatons　carriage　and　the　Durmstrang　ship。　Mrs。　Weasley　was　intrigued　by　the　Whomping　Willow；　which　had　been　planted　after　she　had　left　school；　and　reminisced　at　length　about　the　gamekeeper　before　Hagrid；　a　man　called　Ogg。
　　　〃How's　Percy？〃　Harry　asked　as　they　walked　around　the　greenhouses。
　　　〃Not　good；〃　said　Bill。
　　　〃He's　very　upset；〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley；　lowering　her　voice　and　glancing　around。　〃The　Ministry　wants　to　keep　Mr。　Crouch's　disappearance　quiet；　but　Percy's　been　hauled　in　for　questioning　about　the　instructions　Mr。　Crouch　has　been　sending　in。　They　seem　to　think　there's　a　chance　they　weren't　genuinely　written　by　him。　Percy's　been　under　a　lot　of　strain。　They're　not　letting　him　fill　in　for　Mr。　Crouch　as　the　fifth　judge　tonight。　Cornelius　Fudge　is　going　to　be　doing　it。〃
　　　They　returned　to　the　castle　for　lunch。
　　　〃Mum…Bill！〃　said　Ron；　looking　stunned；　as　he　joined　the　Gryffindor　table。　〃What're　you　doing　here？〃
　　　〃e　to　watch　Harry　in　the　last　task！〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley　brightly。　〃I　must　say；　it　makes　a　lovely　change；　not　having　to　cook。　How　was　your　exam？〃
　　　〃Oh。。。　okay；〃　said　Ron。　〃Couldn't　remember　all　the　goblin　rebels'　names；　so　I　invented　a　few。　It's　all　right；〃　he　said；　helping　himself　to　a　Cornish　pasty；　while　Mrs。　Weasley　looked　stern；　〃they're　all　called　stuff　like　Bodrod　the　Bearded　and　Urg　the　Unclean；　it　wasn't　hard。〃
　　　Fred；　George；　and　Ginny　came　to　sit　next　to　them　too；　and　Harry　was　having　such　a　good　time　he　felt　almost　as　though　he　were　back　at　the　Burrow；　he　had　forgotten　to　worry　about　that　evening's　task；　and　not　until　Hermione　turned　up；　halfway　through　lunch；　did　he　remember　that　she　had　had　a　brainwave　about　Rita　Skeeter。
　　　〃Are　you　going　to　tell　us…？〃
　　　Hermione　shook　her　head　warningly　and　glanced　at　Mrs。　Weasley。
　　　〃Hello；　Hermione；〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley；　much　more　stiffly　than　usual。
　　　〃Hello；〃　said　Hermione；　her　smile　faltering　at　the　cold　expression　on　Mrs。　Weasley's　face。
　　　Harry　looked　between　them；　then　said；　〃Mrs。　Weasley；　you　didn't　believe　that　rubbish　Rita　Skeeter　wrote　in　Witch　Weekly；　did　you？　Because　Hermione's　not　my　girlfriend。〃
　　　〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley　〃No…of　course　I　didn't！〃
　　　But　she　became　considerably　warmer　toward　Hermione　after　that。
　　　Harry；　Bill；　and　Mrs。　Weasley　whiled　away　the　afternoon　with　a　long　walk　around　the　castle；　and　then　returned　to　the　Great　Hall　for　the　evening　feast。　Ludo　Bagman　and　Cornelius　Fudge　had　joined　the　staff　table　now。　Bagman　looked　quite　cheerful；　but　Cornelius　Fudge；　who　was　sitting　next　to　Madame　Maxime；　looked　stern　and　was　not　talking。　Madame　Maxime　was　concentrating　on　her　plate；　and　Harry　thought　her　eyes　looked　red。　Hagrid　kept　glancing　along　the　table　at　her；
　　　There　were　more　courses　than　usual；　but　Harry；　who　was　starting　to　feel　really　nervous　now；　didn't　eat　much。　As　the　enchanted　ceiling　overhead　began　to　fade　from　blue　to　a　dusky　purple；　Dumbledore　rose　to　his　feet　at　the　staff　table；　and　silence　fell。
　　　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　in　five　minutes'　time；　I　will　be　asking　you　to　make　your　way　down　to　the　Quidditch　field　for　the　third　and　final　task　of　the　Triwizard　Tournament。　Will　the　champions　please　follow　Mr。　Bagman　down　to　the　stadium　now。〃
　　　Harry　got　up。　The　Gryffindors　all　along　the　table　were　applauding　him；　the　Weasleys　and　Hermione　all　wished　him　good　luck；　and　he　headed　off　out　of　the　Great　Hall　with　Cedric；　Fleur；　and　Viktor。
　　　〃Feeling　all　right。　Harry？〃　Bagman　asked　as　they　went　down　the　stone　steps　onto　the　grounds。　〃Confident？〃
　　　〃I'm　okay；〃　said　Harry。　It　was　sort　of　true；　he　was　nervous；　but　he　kept　running　over　all　the　hexes　and　spells　he　had　been　practicing　in　his　mind　as　they　walked；　and　the　knowledge　that　he　could　remember　them　all　made　him　feel　better。
　　　They　walked　onto　the　Quidditch　field；　which　was　now　pletely　unrecognizable。　A　twenty…foot…high　hedge　ran　all　the　way　around　the　edge　of　it。　There　was　a　gap　right　in　front　of　them：　the　entrance　to　the　vast　maze。　The　passage　beyond　it　looked　dark　and　creepy。
　　　Five　minutes　later；　the　stands　had　begun　to　fill；　the　air　was　full　of　excited　voices　and　the　rumbling　of　feet　as　the　hundreds　of　students　filed　into　their　seats。　The　sky　was　a　deep；　clear　blue　now；　and　the　first　stars　were　starting　to　appear。　Hagrid；　Professor　Moody；　Professor　McGonagall；　and　Professor　Flitwick　came　walking　into　the　stadium　and　approached　Bagman　and　the　champions。　They　were　wearing　large；　red；　luminous　stars　on　their　hats；　all　except　Hagrid；　who　had　his　on　the　back　of　his　moleskin　vest。
　　　〃We　are　going　to　be　patrolling　the　outside　of　the　maze；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　to　the　champions。　〃If　you　get　into　difficulty；　and　wish　to　be　rescued；　send　red　sparks　into　the　air；　and　one　of　us　will　e　and　get　you；　do　you　understand？〃
　　　The　champions　nodded。
　　　〃Off　you　go；　then！〃　said　Bagman　brightly　to　the　four　patrollers。
　　　〃Good　luck。　Harry；〃　Hagrid　whispered；　and　the　four　of　them　walked　away　in　different　directions；　to　station　themselves　around　the　maze。　Bagman　now　pointed　his　wand　at　his　throat；　muttered；　〃Sonorus；〃　and　his　magically　magnified　voice　echoed　into　the　stands。
　　　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　third　and　final　task　of　the　Triwizard　Tournament　is　about　to　begin！　Let　me　remind　you　how　the　points　currently　stand！　Tied　in　first　place；　with　eighty…five　points　each…Mr。　Cedric　Diggory　and　Mr。　Harry　Potter；　both　of　Hogwarts　School！〃　The　cheers　and　applause　sent　birds　from　the　Forbidden　Forest　fluttering　into　the　darkening　sky。　〃In　second　place；　with　eighty　points…Mr。　Viktor　Krum；　of　Durmstrang　Institute！〃　More　applause。　〃And　in　third　place…Miss　Fleur　Delacour；　of　Beauxbatons　Academy！〃
　　　Harry　could　just　make　out　Mrs。　Weasley；　Bill；　Ron；　and　Hermione　applauding　Fleur　politely；　halfway　up　the　stands。　He　waved　up　at　them；　and　they　waved　back；　beaming　at　him。
　　　〃So　。。。on　my　whistle；　Harry　and　Cedric！〃　said　Bagman。　〃Three…two…one…〃
　　　He　gave　a　short　blast　on　his　whistle；　and　Harry　and　Cedric　hurried　forward　into　the　maze。
　　　The　towering　hedges　cast　black　shadows　across　the　path；　and；　whether　because　they　were　so　tall　and　thick　or　because　they　had　been　enchanted；　the　sound　of　the　surrounding　crowd　was　silenced　the　moment　they　entered　the　maze。　Harry　felt　almost　as　though　he　were　underwater　again。　He　pulled　out　his　wand；　muttered；　〃Lumos；〃　and　heard　Cedric　do　the　same　just　behind　him。
　　　After　about　fifty　yards；　they　reached　a　fork。　They　looked　at　each　other。
　　　〃See　you；〃　Harry　said；　and　he　took　the　left　one；　while　Cedric　took　the　right。
　　　Harry　heard　Bagman's　whistle　for　the　second　time。　Krum　had　entered　the　maze。　Harry　sped　up。　His　chosen　path　seemed　pletely　deserted。　He　turned　right；　and　hurried　on；　holding　his　wand　high　over　his　head；　trying　to　see　as　far　ahead　as　possible。　Still；　there　was　nothing　in　sight。
　　　Bagman's　whistle　blew　in　the　distance　for　the　third　time。　All　of　the　champions　were　now　inside。
　　　Harry　kept　looking　behind　him。　The　old　feeling　that　he　was　being　watched　was　upon　him。　The　maze　was　growing　darker　with　every　passing　minute　as　the　sky　overhead　deepened　to　navy。　He　reached　a　second　fork。
　　　〃Point　Me；〃　he　whispered　to　his　wand；　holding　it　flat　in　his　palm。
　　　The　wand　spun　around　once　and　pointed　toward　his　right；　into　solid　hedge。　That　way　was　north；　and　he　knew　that　he　needed　to　go　northwest　for　the　center　of　the　maze。　The　best　he　could　do　was　to　take　the　left　fork　and　go　right　again　as　soon　as　possible。
　　　The　path　ahead　was　empty　too；　and　when　Harry　reached　a　right　turn　and　took　it；　he　again　found　his　way　unblocked。　Harry　didn't　know　why；　but　the　lack　of　obstacles　was　unnerving　him。　Surely　he　should　have　met　something　by　now？　It　felt　as　though　the　maze　were　luring　him　into　a　false　sense　of　security。　Then　he　heard　movement　right　behind　him。　He　held　out　his　wand；　ready　to　attack；　but　its　beam　fell　only　upon　Cedric；　who　had　just　hurried　out　of　a　path　on　the　right…hand　side。　Cedric　looked　severely　shaken。　The　sleeve　of　his　robe　was　smoking。
　　　〃Hagrid's　Blast…Ended　Skrewts！〃　he　hissed。　〃They're　enormous…I　only　just　got　away！〃
　　　He　shook　his　head　and　dived　out　of　sight；　along　another　path。　Keen　to　put　plenty　of　distance　between　himself　and　the　skrewts；　Harry　hurried　off　again。　Then；　as　he　turned　a　corner；　he　saw　。。。a　dementor　gliding　toward　him。　Twelve　feet　tall；　its　face　hidden　by　its　hood；　its　rotting；　scabbed　hands　outstretched；　it　advanced；　sensing　its　way　blindly　toward　him。　Harry　could　hear　its　rattling　breath；　he　felt　clammy　coldness　stealing　over　him；　but　knew　what　he　had　to　do。。。
　　　He　summoned　the　happiest　thought　he　could；　concentrated　with　all　his　might　on　the　thought　of　getting　out　of　the　maze　and　celebrating　with　Ron　and　Hermione；　raised　his　wand；　and　cried；　〃Expecto　Patronum！〃
　　　A　silver　stag　erupted　from　the　end　of　Harry's　wand　and　galloped　toward　the　dementor；　which　fell　back　and　tripped　over　the　hem　of　its　robes。。。　Harry　had　never　seen　a　dementor　stumble。
　　　〃Hang　on！〃　he　shouted；　advancing　in　the　wake　of　his　silver　Patronus；　〃You're　a　boggart！　R