jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第47部分

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tructions；　haven't　we？　Barty；　want　to　do　the　honors？〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　seemed　to　e　out　of　a　deep　reverie。
　　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃instructions。　Yes。。。　the　first　task。。。〃
　　　He　moved　forward　into　the　firelight。　Close　up；　Harry　thought　he　looked　ill。　There　were　dark　shadows　beneath　his　eyes　and　a　thin；　papery　look　about　his　wrinkled　skin　that　had　not　been　there　at　the　Quidditch　World　Cup。
　　　〃The　first　task　is　designed　to　test　your　daring；〃　he　told　Harry；　Cedric；　Fleur；　and　Viktor；　〃so　we　are　not　going　to　be　telling　you　what　it　is。　Courage　in　the　face　of　the　unknown　is　an　important　quality　in　a　wizard。。。　very　important。
　　　〃The　first　task　will　take　place　on　November　the　twenty…fourth；　in　front　of　the　other　students　and　the　panel　of　judges。
　　　〃The　champions　are　not　permitted　to　ask　for　or　accept　help　of　any　kind　from　their　teachers　to　plete　the　tasks　in　the　tournament。　The　champions　will　face　the　first　challenge　armed　only　with　their　wands。　They　will　receive　information　about　the　second　task　when　the　first　is　over。　Owing　to　the　demanding　and　time…consuming　nature　of　the　tournament；　the　champions　are　exempted　from　end…of…year　tests。〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　turned　to　look　at　Dumbledore。
　　　〃I　think　that's　all；　is　it；　Albus？〃
　　　〃I　think　so；〃　said　Dumbledore；　who　was　looking　at　Mr。　Crouch　with　mild　concern。　〃Are　you　sure　you　wouldn't　like　to　stay　at　Hogwarts　tonight；　Barty？〃
　　　〃No；　Dumbledore；　I　must　get　back　to　the　Ministry；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch。　〃It　is　a　very　busy；　very　difficult　time　at　the　moment。。。　I've　left　young　Weatherby　in　charge。。。　Very　enthusiastic。。。　a　little　overenthusiastic；　if　truth　be　told。。。
　　　〃You'll　e　and　have　a　drink　before　you　go；　at　least？〃　said　Dumbledore。
　　　〃e　on；　Barry；　I'm　staying！〃　said　Bagman　brightly。　〃It's　all　happening　at　Hogwarts　now；　you　know；　much　more　exciting　here　than　at　the　office！〃
　　　〃I　think　not；　Ludo；〃　said　Crouch　with　a　touch　of　his　old　impatience。
　　　〃Professor　Karkaroff…Madame　Maxime…a　nightcap？〃　said　Dumbledore。
　　　But　Madame　Maxime　had　already　put　her　arm　around　Fleur's　shoulders　and　was　leading　her　swiftly　out　of　the　room。　Harry　could　hear　them　both　talking　very　fast　in　French　as　they　went　off　into　the　Great　Hall。　Karkaroff　beckoned　to　Krum；　and　they；　too；　exited；　though　in　silence。
　　　〃Harry；　Cedric；　I　suggest　you　go　up　to　bed；〃　said　Dumbledore；　smiling　at　both　of　them。　〃I　am　sure　Gryffindor　and　Hufflepuff　are　waiting　to　celebrate　with　you；　and　it　would　be　a　shame　to　deprive　them　of　this　excellent　excuse　to　make　a　great　deal　of　mess　and　noise。〃
　　　Harry　glanced　at　Cedric；　who　nodded；　and　they　left　together。
　　　The　Great　Hall　was　deserted　now；　the　candles　had　burned　low；　giving　the　jagged　smiles　of　the　pumpkins　an　eerie；　flickering　quality。
　　　〃So；〃　said　Cedric；　with　a　slight　smile。　〃We're　playing　against　each　other　again！〃
　　　〃I　s'pose；〃　said　Harry。　He　really　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　say。　The　inside　of　his　head　seemed　to　be　in　plete　disarray；　as　though　his　brain　had　been　ransacked。
　　　〃So。。。　tell　me。。。〃　said　Cedric　as　they　reached　the　entrance　hall；　which　was　now　lit　only　by　torches　in　the　absence　of　the　Goblet　of　Fire。　〃How　did　you　get　your　name　in？〃
　　　〃I　didn't；〃　said　Harry；　staring　up　at　him。　〃I　didn't　put　it　in。　I　was　telling　the　truth。〃
　　　〃Ah。。。　okay；〃　said　Cedric。　Harry　could　tell　Cedric　didn't　believe　him。　〃Well。。。　see　you；　then。〃
　　　Instead　of　going　up　the　marble　staircase；　Cedric　headed　for　a　door　to　its　right。　Harry　stood　listening　to　him　going　down　the　stone　steps　beyond　it；　then；　slowly；　he　started　to　climb　the　marble　ones。
　　　Was　anyone　except　Ron　and　Hermione　going　to　believe　him；　or　would　they　all　think　he'd　put　himself　in　for　the　tournament？　Yet　how　could　anyone　think　that；　when　he　was　facing　petitors　who'd　had　three　years'　more　magical　education　than　he　had…when　he　was　now　facing　tasks　that　not　only　sounded　very　dangerous；　but　which　were　to　be　performed　in　front　of　hundreds　of　people？　Yes；　he'd　thought　about　it。。。　he'd　fantasized　about　it。。。　but　it　had　been　a　joke；　really；　an　idle　sort　of　dream。。。　he'd　never　really；　seriously　considered　entering。。
　　　But　someone　else　had　considered　it。。。　someone　else　had　wanted　him　in　the　tournament；　and　had　made　sure　he　was　entered。　Why？　To　give　him　a　treat？　He　didn't　think　so；　somehow。。。
　　　To　see　him　make　a　fool　of　himself？　Well；　they　were　likely　to　get　their　wish。。
　　　But　to　get　him　killed？
　　　Was　Moody　just　being　his　usual　paranoid　self？　Couldn't　someone　have　put　Harry's　name　in　the　goblet　as　a　trick；　a　practical　joke？　Did　anyone　really　want　him　dead？
　　　Harry　was　able　to　answer　that　at　once。　Yes；　someone　wanted　him　dead；　someone　had　wanted　him　dead　ever　since　he　had　been　a　year　old。。。　Lord　Voldemort。　But　how　could　Voldemort　have　ensured　that　Harry's　name　got　into　the　Goblet　of　Fire？　Voldemort　was　supposed　to　be　far　away；　in　some　distant　country；　in　hiding；　alone。。。　feeble　and　powerless。。。
　　　Yet　in　that　dream　he　had　had；　just　before　he　had　awoken　with　his　scar　hurting；　Voldemort　had　not　been　alone。。。　he　had　been　talking　to　Wormtail。。。　plotting　Harry's　murder。
　　　Harry　got　a　shock　to　find　himself　facing　the　Fat　Lady　already。　He　had　barely　noticed　where　his　feet　were　carrying　him。　It　was　also　a　surprise　to　see　that　she　was　not　alone　in　her　frame。　The　wizened　witch　who　had　flitted　into　her　neighbor's　painting　when　he　had　joined　the　champions　downstairs　was　now　sitting　smugly　beside　the　Fat　Lady。　She　must　have　dashed　through　every　picture　lining　seven　staircases　to　reach　here　before　him。　Both　she　and　the　Fat　Lady　were　looking　down　at　him　with　the　keenest　interest。
　　　〃Well；　well；　well；〃　said　the　Fat　Lady；　〃Violet's　just　told　me　everything。　Who's　just　been　chosen　as　school　champion；　then？〃
　　　〃Balderdash；〃　said　Harry　dully。
　　　〃It　most　certainly　isn't！〃　said　the　pale　witch　indignantly。
　　　〃No；　no；　Vi；　it's　the　password；〃　said　the　Fat　Lady　soothingly；　and　she　swung　forward　on　her　hinges　to　let　Harry　into　the　mon　room。
　　　The　blast　of　noise　that　met　Harry's　ears　when　the　portrait　opened　almost　knocked　him　backward。　Next　thing　he　knew；　he　was　being　wrenched　inside　the　mon　room　by　about　a　dozen　pairs　of　hands；　and　was　facing　the　whole　of　Gryffindor　House；　all　of　whom　were　screaming；　applauding；　and　whistling。
　　　〃You　should've　told　us　you'd　entered！〃　bellowed　Fred；　he　looked　half　annoyed；　half　deeply　impressed。
　　　〃How　did　you　do　it　without　getting　a　beard？　Brilliant！〃　roared　George。
　　　〃I　didn't；〃　Harry　said。　〃I　don't　know　how…〃
　　　But　Angelina　had　now　swooped　down　upon　him；　〃Oh　if　it　couldn't　be　me；　at　least　it's　a　Gryffindor…〃
　　　〃You'll　be　able　to　pay　back　Diggory　for　that　last　Quidditch　match；　Harry！〃　shrieked　Katie　Bell；　another　of　the　Gryffindor　Chasers。
　　　〃We've　got　food；　Harry；　e　and　have　some…〃
　　　〃I'm　not　hungry；　I　had　enough　at　the　feast…〃
　　　But　nobody　wanted　to　hear　that　he　wasn't　hungry；　nobody　wanted　to　hear　that　he　hadn't　put　his　name　in　the　goblet；　not　one　single　person　seemed　to　have　noticed　that　he　wasn't　at　all　in　the　mood　to　celebrate。。。　Lee　Jordan　had　unearthed　a　Gryffindor　banner　from　somewhere；　and　he　insisted　on　draping　it　around　Harry　like　a　cloak。　Harry　couldn't　get　away；　whenever　he　tried　to　sidle　over　to　the　staircase　up　to　the　dormitories；　the　crowd　around　him　closed　ranks；　forcing　another　butterbeer　on　him；　stuffing　crisps　and　peanuts　into　his　hands。。。　Everyone　wanted　to　know　how　he　had　done　it；　how　he　had　tricked　Dumbledore's　Age　Line　and　managed　to　get　his　name　into　the　goblet。。。
　　　〃I　didn't；〃　he　said；　over　and　over　again；　〃I　don't　know　how　it　happened。〃
　　　But　for　all　the　notice　anyone　took；　he　might　just　as　well　not　have　answered　at　all。
　　　〃I'm　tired！〃　he　bellowed　finally；　after　nearly　half　an　hour。　〃No；　seriously；　George…I'm　going　to　bed…〃
　　　He　wanted　more　than　anything　to　find　Ron　and　Hermione；　to　find　a　bit　of　sanity；　but　neither　of　them　seemed　to　be　in　the　mon　room。　Insisting　that　he　needed　to　sleep；　and　almost　flattening　the　little　Creevey　brothers　as　they　attempted　to　waylay　him　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　Harry　managed　to　shake　everyone　off　and　climb　up　to　the　dormitory　as　fast　as　he　could。
　　　To　his　great　relief；　he　found　Ron　was　lying　on　his　bed　in　the　otherwise　empty　dormitory；　still　fully　dressed。　He　looked　up　when　Harry　slammed　the　door　behind　him。
　　　〃Where've　you　been？〃　Harry　said。
　　　〃Oh　hello；〃　said　Ron。
　　　He　was　grinning；　but　it　was　a　very　odd；　strained　sort　of　grin。　Harry　suddenly　became　aware　that　he　was　still　wearing　the　scarlet　Gryffindor　banner　that　Lee　had　tied　around　him。　He　hastened　to　take　it　off；　but　it　was　knotted　very　tightly。　Ron　lay　on　the　bed　without　moving；　watching　Harry　struggle　to　remove　it。
　　　〃So；〃　he　said；　when　Harry　had　finally　removed　the　banner　and　thrown　it　into　a　corner。　〃Congratulations。〃
　　　〃What　d'you　mean；　congratulations？〃　said　Harry；　staring　at　Ron。　There　was　definitely　something　wrong　with　the　way　Ron　was　smiling：　It　was　more　like　a　grimace。
　　　〃Well。。。　no　one　else　got　across　the　Age　Line；〃　said　Ron。　〃Not　even　Fred　and　George。　What　did　you　use…the　Invisibility　Cloak？〃
　　　〃The　Invisibility　Cloak　wouldn't　have　got　me　over　that　line；〃　said　Harry　slowly。
　　　〃Oh　right；〃　said　Ron。　〃I　thought　you　might've　told　me　if　it　was　the　cloak。。。　because　it　would've　covered　both　of　us；　wouldn't　it？　But　you　found　another　way；　did