jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第46部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


afety　measure。　And　as　his　name's　e　out　of　the　goblet。。。　I　mean；　I　don't　think　there　can　be　any　ducking　out　at　this　stage。。。　It's　down　in　the　rules；　you're　obliged。。。　Harry　will　just　have　to　do　the　best　he…〃
　　　The　door　behind　them　opened　again；　and　a　large　group　of　people　came　in：　Professor　Dumbledore；　followed　closely　by　Mr。　Crouch；　Professor　Karkaroff；　Madame　Maxime；　Professor　McGonagall；　and　Professor　Snape。　Harry　heard　the　buzzing　of　the　hundreds　of　students　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　before　Professor　McGonagall　closed　the　door。
　　　〃Madame　Maxime！〃　said　Fleur　at　once；　striding　over　to　her　headmistress。　〃Zey　are　saying　zat　zis　little　boy　is　to　pete　also！〃
　　　Somewhere　under　Harry's　numb　disbelief　he　felt　a　ripple　of　anger。　Little　boy？
　　　Madame　Maxime　had　drawn　herself　up　to　her　full；　and　considerable；　height。　The　top　of　her　handsome　head　brushed　the　candle…filled　chandelier；　and　her　gigantic　black…satin　bosom　swelled。
　　　〃What　is　ze　meaning　of　zis；　Dumbly…dorr？〃　she　said　imperiously。　〃I'd　rather　like　to　know　that　myself；　Dumbledore；〃　said　Professor　Karkaroff。　He　was　wearing　a　steely　smile；　and　his　blue　eyes　were　like　chips　of　ice。　〃Two　Hogwarts　champions？　I　don't　remember　anyone　telling　me　the　host　school　is　allowed　two　champions…or　have　I　not　read　the　rules　carefully　enough？〃
　　　He　gave　a　short　and　nasty　laugh。
　　　〃C'est　impossible；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　whose　enormous　hand　with　its　many　superb　opals　was　resting　upon　Fleur's　shoulder。　〃Ogwarts　cannot　'ave　two　champions。　It　is　most　injust。〃
　　　〃We　were　under　the　impression　that　your　Age　Line　would　keep　out　younger　contestants；　Dumbledore；〃　said　Karkaroff；　his　steely　smile　still　in　place；　though　his　eyes　were　colder　than　ever。　〃Otherwise；　we　would；　of　course；　have　brought　along　a　wider　selection　of　candidates　from　our　own　schools。〃
　　　〃It's　no　one's　fault　but　Potter's；　Karkaroff；〃　said　Snape　softly。　His　black　eyes　were　alight　with　malice。　〃Don't　go　blaming　Dumbledore　for　Potter's　determination　to　break　rules。　He　has　been　crossing　lines　ever　since　he　arrived　here…〃
　　　〃Thank　you；　Severus；〃　said　Dumbledore　firmly；　and　Snape　went　quiet；　though　his　eyes　still　glinted　malevolently　through　his　curtain　of　greasy　black　hair。
　　　Professor　Dumbledore　was　now　looking　down　at　Harry；　who　looked　right　back　at　him；　trying　to　discern　the　expression　of　the　eyes　behind　the　half…moon　spectacles。
　　　〃Did　you　put　your　name　into　the　Goblet　of　Fire；　Harry？〃　he　asked　calmly。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry。　He　was　very　aware　of　everybody　watching　him　closely。　Snape　made　a　soft　noise　of　impatient　disbelief　in　the　shadows。
　　　〃Did　you　ask　an　older　student　to　put　it　into　the　Goblet　of　Fire　for　you？〃　said　Professor　Dumbledore；　ignoring　Snape。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry　vehemently。
　　　〃Ah；　but　of　course　'e　is　lying！〃　cried　Madame　Maxime。　Snape　was　now　shaking　his　head；　his　lip　curling。
　　　〃He　could　not　have　crossed　the　Age　Line；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　sharply。　〃I　am　sure　we　are　all　agreed　on　that…〃
　　　〃Dumbly…dorr　must　'ave　made　a　mistake　wiz　ze　line；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　shrugging。
　　　〃It　is　possible；　of　course；〃　said　Dumbledore　politely。
　　　〃Dumbledore；　you　know　perfectly　well　you　did　not　make　a　mistake！〃　said　Professor　McGonagall　angrily。　〃Really；　what　nonsense！　Harry　could　not　have　crossed　the　line　himself；　and　as　Professor　Dumbledore　believes　that　he　did　not　persuade　an　older　student　to　do　it　for　him；　I'm　sure　that　should　be　good　enough　for　everybody　else！〃
　　　She　shot　a　very　angry　look　at　Professor　Snape。
　　　〃Mr。　Crouch。。。　Mr。　Bagman；〃　said　Karkaroff；　his　voice　unctuous　once　more；　〃you　are　our…er…objective　judges。　Surely　you　will　agree　that　this　is　most　irregular？〃
　　　Bagman　wiped　his　round；　boyish　face　with　his　handkerchief　and　looked　at　Mr。　Crouch；　who　was　standing　outside　the　circle　of　the　firelight；　his　face　half　hidden　in　shadow。　He　looked　slightly　eerie；　the　half　darkness　making　him　look　much　older；　giving　him　an　almost　skull…like　appearance。　When　he　spoke；　however；　it　was　in　his　usual　curt　voice。
　　　〃We　must　follow　the　rules；　and　the　rules　state　clearly　that　those　people　whose　names　e　out　of　the　Goblet　of　Fire　are　bound　to　pete　in　the　tournament。〃
　　　〃Well；　Barty　knows　the　rule　book　back　to　front；〃　said　Bagman；　beaming　and　turning　back　to　Karkaroff　and　Madame　Maxime；　as　though　the　matter　was　now　closed。
　　　〃I　insist　upon　resubmitting　the　names　of　the　rest　of　my　students；〃　said　Karkaroff。　He　had　dropped　his　unctuous　tone　and　his　smile　now。　His　face　wore　a　very　ugly　look　indeed。　〃You　will　set　up　the　Goblet　of　Fire　once　more；　and　we　will　continue　adding　names　until　each　school　has　two　champions。　It's　only　fair；　Dumbledore。〃
　　　〃But　Karkaroff；　it　doesn't　work　like　that；〃　said　Bagman。　〃The　Goblet　of　Fire's　just　gone　out…it　won't　reignite　until　the　start　of　the　next　tournament…〃
　　　〃in　which　Durmstrang　will　most　certainly　not　be　peting！〃　exploded　Karkaroff。　〃After　all　our　meetings　and　negotiations　and　promises；　I　little　expected　something　of　this　nature　to　occur！　I　have　half　a　mind　to　leave　now！〃
　　　〃Empty　threat；　Karkaroff；〃　growled　a　voice　from　near　the　door。　〃You　can't　leave　your　champion　now。　He's　got　to　pete。　They've　all　got　to　pete。　Binding　magical　contract；　like　Dumbledore　said。　Convenient；　eh？〃
　　　Moody　had　just　entered　the　room。　He　limped　toward　the　fire；　and　with　every　right　step　he　took；　there　was　a　loud　clunk。
　　　〃Convenient？〃　said　Karkaroff。　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand　you；　Moody。〃
　　　Harry　could　tell　he　was　trying　to　sound　disdainful；　as　though　what　Moody　was　saying　was　barely　worth　his　notice；　but　his　hands　gave　him　away；　they　had　balled　themselves　into　fists。
　　　〃Don't　you？〃　said　Moody　quietly。　〃It's　very　simple；　Karkaroff。　Someone　put　Potter's　name　in　that　goblet　knowing　he'd　have　to　pete　if　it　came　out。〃
　　　〃Evidently；　someone　'oo　wished　to　give　'Ogwarts　two　bites　at　ze　apple！〃　said　Madame　Maxime。
　　　〃I　quite　agree；　Madame　Maxime；〃　said　Karkaroff；　bowing　to　her。　〃I　shall　be　lodging　plaints　with　the　Ministry　of　Magic　and　the　International　Confederation　of　Wizards…〃
　　　〃If　anyone's　got　reason　to　plain；　it's　Potter；〃　growled　Moody；　〃but。。。　funny　thing。。。　I　don't　hear　him　saying　a　word。。。
　　　〃Why　should　'e　plain？〃　burst　out　Fleur　Delacour；　stamping　her　foot。　〃E　'as　ze　chance　to　pete；　'asn't　'e？　We　'ave　all　been　'oping　to　be　chosen　for　weeks　and　weeks！　Ze　honor　for　our　schools！　A　thousand　Galleons　in　prize　money…zis　is　a　chance　many　would　die　for！〃
　　　〃Maybe　someone's　hoping　Potter　is　going　to　die　for　it；〃　said　Moody；　with　the　merest　trace　of　a　growl。
　　　An　extremely　tense　silence　followed　these　words。　Ludo　Bagman；　who　was　looking　very　anxious　indeed；　bounced　nervously　up　and　down　on　his　feet　and　said；　〃Moody；　old　man。。。　what　a　thing　to　say！〃
　　　〃We　all　know　Professor　Moody　considers　the　morning　wasted　if　he　hasn't　discovered　six　plots　to　murder　him　before　lunchtime；〃　said　Karkaroff　loudly。　〃Apparently　he　is　now　teaching　his　students　to　fear　assassination　too。　An　odd　quality　in　a　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　teacher；　Dumbledore；　but　no　doubt　you　had　your　reasons。
　　　〃Imagining　things；　am　I？〃　growled　Moody。　〃Seeing　things；　eh？　It　was　a　skilled　witch　or　wizard　who　put　the　boy's　name　in　that　goblet。。。
　　　〃Ah；　what　evidence　is　zere　of　zat？〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　throwing　up　her　huge　hands。
　　　〃Because　they　hoodwinked　a　very　powerful　magical　object！〃　said　Moody。　〃It　would　have　needed　an　exceptionally　strong　Confundus　Charm　to　bamboozle　that　goblet　into　forgetting　that　only　three　schools　pete　in　the　tournament。。。　I'm　guessing　they　submitted　Potter's　name　under　a　fourth　school；　to　make　sure　he　was　the　only　one　in　his　category。。。〃
　　　〃You　seem　to　have　given　this　a　great　deal　of　thought；　Moody；〃　said　Karkaroff　coldly；　〃and　a　very　ingenious　theory　it　is…though　of　course；　I　heard　you　recently　got　it　into　your　head　that　one　of　your　birthday　presents　contained　a　cunningly　disguised　basilisk　egg；　and　smashed　it　to　pieces　before　realizing　it　was　a　carriage　clock。　So　you'll　understand　if　we　don't　take　you　entirely　seriously。。。〃
　　　〃There　are　those　who'll　turn　innocent　occasions　to　their　advantage；〃　Moody　retorted　in　a　menacing　voice。　〃It's　my　job　to　think　the　way　Dark　wizards　do；　Karkaroff…as　you　ought　to　remember。。。
　　　〃Alastor！〃　said　Dumbledore　warningly。　Harry　wondered　for　a　moment　whom　he　was　speaking　to；　but　then　realized　〃Mad…Eye〃　could　hardly　be　Moody's　real　first　name。　Moody　fell　silent；　though　still　surveying　Karkaroff　with　satisfaction…Karkaroff's　face　was　burning。
　　　〃How　this　situation　arose；　we　do　not　know；〃　said　Dumbledore；　speaking　to　everyone　gathered　in　the　room。　〃It　seems　to　me；　however；　that　we　have　no　choice　but　to　accept　it。　Both　Cedric　and　Harry　have　been　chosen　to　pete　in　the　Tournament。　This；　therefore；　they　will　do。。。
　　　〃Ah；　but　Dumbly…dorr…〃
　　　〃My　dear　Madame　Maxime；　if　you　have　an　alternative；　I　would　be　delighted　to　hear　it。〃
　　　Dumbledore　waited；　but　Madame　Maxime　did　not　speak；　she　merely　glared。　She　wasn't　the　only　one　either。　Snape　looked　furious；　Karkaroff　livid；　Bagman；　however；　looked　rather　excited。
　　　〃Well；　shall　we　crack　on；　then？〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands　together　and　smiling　around　the　room。　〃Got　to　give　our　champions　their　instructions；　haven't　we？　Barty；　want　to　do　the　honors？〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　seemed　to　e　out　of　a　deep　rever