jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第55部分

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　　　〃Just　get　past　them；　I　think；〃　said　Charlie。　〃We'll　be　on　hand　if　it　gets　nasty；　Extinguishing　Spells　at　the　ready。　They　wanted　nesting　mothers；　I　don't　know　why。。。　but　I　tell　you　this；　I　don't　envy　the　one　who　gets　the　Horntail。　Vicious　thing。　Its　back　end's　as　dangerous　as　its　front；　look。〃
　　　Charlie　pointed　toward　the　Horntail's　tail；　and　Harry　saw　long；　bronze…colored　spikes　protruding　along　it　every　few　inches。
　　　Five　of　Charlie's　fellow　keepers　staggered　up　to　the　Horntail　at　that　moment；　carrying　a　clutch　of　huge　granite…gray　eggs　between　them　in　a　blanket。　They　placed　them　carefully　at　the　Horntail's　side。　Hagrid　let　out　a　moan　of　longing。
　　　〃I've　got　them　counted；　Hagrid；〃　said　Charlie　sternly。　Then　he　said；　〃How's　Harry？〃
　　　〃Fine；〃　said　Hagrid。　He　was　still　gazing　at　the　eggs。
　　　〃Just　hope　he's　still　fine　after　he's　faced　this　lot；〃　said　Charlie　grimly；　looking　out　over　the　dragons'　enclosure。　〃I　didn't　dare　tell　Mum　what　he's　got　to　do　for　the　first　task；　she's　already　having　kittens　about　him。。。〃　Charlie　imitated　his　mother's　anxious　voice。　〃How　could　they　let　him　enter　that　tournament；　he's　much　too　young！　I　thought　they　were　all　safe；　I　thought　there　was　going　to　be　an　age　limit！'　She　was　in　floods　after　that　Daily　Prophet　article　about　him。　'He　still　cries　about　his　parents！　Oh　bless　him；　I　never　knew！〃
　　　Harry　had　had　enough。　Trusting　to　the　fact　that　Hagrid　wouldn't　miss　him；　with　the　attractions　of　four　dragons　and　Madame　Maxime　to　occupy　him；　he　turned　silently　and　began　to　walk　away；　back　to　the　castle。
　　　He　didn't　know　whether　he　was　glad　he'd　seen　what　was　ing　or　not。　Perhaps　this　way　was　better。　The　first　shock　was　over　now。　Maybe　if　he'd　seen　the　dragons　for　the　first　time　on　Tuesday；　he　would　have　passed　out　cold　in　front　of　the　whole　school。。。　but　maybe　he　would　anyway。。。　He　was　going　to　be　armed　with　his　wand…which；　just　now；　felt　like　nothing　more　than　a　narrow　strip　of　wood…against　a　fifty…foot…high；　scaly；　spike…ridden；　fire…breathing　dragon。　And　he　had　to　get　past　it。　With　everyone　watching。　How？
　　　Harry　sped　up；　skirting　the　edge　of　the　forest；　he　had　just　under　fifteen　minutes　to　get　back　to　the　fireside　and　talk　to　Sirius；　and　he　couldn't　remember；　ever；　wanting　to　talk　to　someone　more　than　he　did　right　now…when；　without　warning；　he　ran　into　something　very　solid。
　　　Harry　fell　backward；　his　glasses　askew；　clutching　the　cloak　around　him。　A　voice　nearby　said；　〃Ouch！　Who's　there？〃
　　　Harry　hastily　checked　that　the　cloak　was　covering　him　and　hay　very　still；　staring　up　at　the　dark　outline　of　the　wizard　he　had　hit。　He　recognized　the　goatee。。。　it　was　Karkaroff。
　　　〃Who's　there？〃　said　Karkaroff　again；　very　suspiciously；　looking　around　in　the　darkness。　Harry　remained　still　and　silent。　After　a　minute　or　so；　Karkaroff　seemed　to　decide　that　he　had　hit　some　sort　of　animal；　he　was　looking　around　at　waist　height；　as　though　expecting　to　see　a　dog。　Then　he　crept　back　under　the　cover　of　the　trees　and　started　to　edge　forward　toward　the　place　where　the　dragons　were。
　　　Very　slowly　and　very　carefully；　Harry　got　to　his　feet　and　set　off　again　as　fast　as　he　could　without　making　too　much　noise；　hurrying　through　the　darkness　back　toward　Hogwarts。
　　　He　had　no　doubt　whatsoever　what　Karkaroff　was　up　to。　He　had　sneaked　off　his　ship　to　try　and　find　out　what　the　first　task　was　going　to　be。　He　might　even　have　spotted　Hagrid　and　Madame　Maxime　heading　off　around　the　forest　together…they　were　hardly　difficult　to　spot　at　a　distance。。。　and　now　all　Karkaroff　had　to　do　was　follow　the　sound　of　voices；　and　he；　like　Madame　Maxime；　would　know　what　was　in　store　for　the　champions。
　　　By　the　looks　of　it；　the　only　champion　who　would　be　facing　the　unknown　on　Tuesday　was　Cedric。
　　　Harry　reached　the　castle；　slipped　in　through　the　front　doors；　and　began　to　climb　the　marble　stairs；　he　was　very　out　of　breath；　but　he　didn't　dare　slow　down。。。　He　had　less　than　five　minutes　to　get　up　to　the　fire。
　　　〃Balderdash！〃　he　gasped　at　the　Fat　Lady；　who　was　snoozing　in　her　frame　in　front　of　the　portrait　hole。
　　　〃If　you　say　so；〃　she　muttered　sleepily；　without　opening　her　eyes；　and　the　picture　swung　forward　to　admit　him。　Harry　climbed　inside。　The　mon　room　was　deserted；　and；　judging　by　the　fact　that　it　smelled　quite　normal；　Hermione　had　not　needed　to　set　off　any　Dungbombs　to　ensure　that　he　and　Sirius　got　privacy。
　　　Harry　pulled　off　the　Invisibility　Cloak　and　threw　himself　into　an　armchair　in　front　of　the　fire。　The　room　was　in　semidarkness；　the　flames　were　the　only　source　of　light。　Nearby；　on　a　table；　the　Support　Cedric　Diggory！　badges　the　Creeveys　had　been　trying　to　improve　were　glinting　in　the　firelight。　They　now　read　POTTER　REALLY　STINKS。　Harry　looked　back　into　the　flames；　and　jumped。
　　　Sirius's　head　was　sitting　in　the　fire。　If　Harry　hadn't　seen　Mr。　Diggory　do　exactly　this　back　in　the　Weasleys'　kitchen；　it　would　have　scared　him　out　of　his　wits。　Instead；　his　face　breaking　into　the　first　smile　he　had　worn　for　days；　he　scrambled　out　of　his　chair；　crouched　down　by　the　hearth；　and　said；　〃Sirius…how're　you　doing？〃
　　　Sirius　looked　different　from　Harry's　memory　of　him。　When　they　had　said　good…bye；　Sirius's　face　had　been　gaunt　and　sunken；　surrounded　by　a　quantity　of　long；　black；　matted　hair…but　the　hair　was　short　and　clean　now；　Sirius's　face　was　fuller；　and　he　looked　younger；　much　more　like　the　only　photograph　Harry　had　of　him；　which　had　been　taken　at　the　Potters'　wedding。
　　　〃Never　mind　me；　how　are　you？〃　said　Sirius　seriously。
　　　〃I'm…〃　For　a　second；　Harry　tried　to　say　〃fine〃…but　he　couldn't　do　it。　Before　he　could　stop　himself；　he　was　talking　more　than　he'd　talked　in　days…about　how　no　one　believed　he　hadn't　entered　the　tournament　of　his　own　free　will；　how　Rita　Skeeter　had　lied　about　him　in　the　Daily　Prophet；　how　he　couldn't　walk　down　a　corridor　without　being　sneered　at…and　about　Ron；　Ron　not　believing　him；　Ron's　jealousy。。。
　　　〃。。。　and　now　Hagrid's　just　shown　me　what's　ing　in　the　first　task；　and　it's　dragons；　Sirius；　and　I'm　a　goner；〃　he　finished　desperately。
　　　Sirius　looked　at　him；　eyes　full　of　concern；　eyes　that　had　not　yet　lost　the　look　that　Azkaban　had　given　them…that　deadened；　haunted　look　He　had　let　Harry　talk　himself　into　silence　without　interruption；　but　now　he　said；　〃Dragons　we　can　deal　with；　Harry；　but　we'll　get　to　that　in　a　minute…I　haven't　got　long　here。。。　I've　broken　into　a　wizarding　house　to　use　the　fire；　but　they　could　be　back　at　any　time。　There　are　things　I　need　to　warn　you　about。〃
　　　〃What？〃　said　Harry；　feeling　his　spirits　slip　a　further　few　notches。。。　Surely　there　could　be　nothing　worse　than　dragons　ing？
　　　〃Karkaroff；〃　said　Sirius。　〃Harry；　he　was　a　Death　Eater。　You　know　what　Death　Eaters　are；　don't　you？〃
　　　〃Yes…he…what？〃
　　　〃He　was　caught；　he　was　in　Azkaban　with　me；　but　he　got　released。　I'd　bet　everything　that's　why　Dumbledore　wanted　an　Auror　at　Hogwarts　this　year…to　keep　an　eye　on　him。　Moody　caught　Karkaroff。　Put　him　into　Azkaban　in　the　first　place。〃
　　　〃Karkaroff　got　released？〃　Harry　said　slowly…his　brain　seemed　to　be　struggling　to　absorb　yet　another　piece　of　shocking　information。　〃Why　did　they　release　him？〃
　　　〃He　did　a　deal　with　the　Ministry　of　Magic；〃　said　Sirius　bitterly。　〃He　said　he'd　seen　the　error　of　his　ways；　and　then　he　named　names。。。　he　put　a　load　of　other　people　into　Azkaban　in　his　place。。。　He's　not　very　popular　in　there；　I　can　tell　you。　And　since　he　got　out；　from　what　I　can　tell；　he's　been　teaching　the　Dark　Arts　to　every　student　who　passes　through　that　school　of　his。　So　watch　out　for　the　Durmstrang　champion　as　well。〃
　　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry　slowly。　〃But。。。　are　you　saying　Karkaroff　put　my　name　in　the　goblet？　Because　if　he　did；　he's　a　really　good　actor。　He　seemed　furious　about　it。　He　wanted　to　stop　me　from　peting。〃
　　　〃We　know　he's　a　good　actor；〃　said　Sirius；　〃because　he　convinced　the　Ministry　of　Magic　to　set　him　free；　didn't　he？　Now；　I've　been　keeping　an　eye　on　the　Daily　Prophet；　Harry。。〃
　　　〃you　and　the　rest　of　the　world；〃　said　Harry　bitterly。
　　　〃and　reading　between　the　lines　of　that　Skeeter　woman's　article　last　month；　Moody　was　attacked　the　night　before　he　started　at　Hogwarts。　Yes；　I　know　she　says　it　was　another　false　alarm；〃　Sirius　said　hastily；　seeing　Harry　about　to　speak；　〃but　I　don't　think　so；　somehow。　I　think　someone　tried　to　stop　him　from　getting　to　Hogwarts。　I　think　someone　knew　their　job　would　be　a　lot　more　difficult　with　him　around。　And　no　one's　going　to　look　into　it　too　closely；　Mad…Eye's　heard　intruders　a　bit　too　often。　But　that　doesn't　mean　he　can't　still　spot　the　real　thing。　Moody　was　the　best　Auror　the　Ministry　ever　had。〃
　　　〃So。。。　what　are　you　saying？〃　said　Harry　slowly。　〃Karkaroff's　trying　to　kill　me？　But…why？〃
　　　Sirius　hesitated。
　　　〃I've　been　nearing　some　very　strange　things；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃The　Death　Eaters　seem　to　be　a　bit　more　active　than　usual　lately。　They　showed　themselves　at　the　Quidditch　World　Cup；　didn't　they？　Someone　set　off　the　Dark　Mark。。。　and　then…did　you　hear　about　that　Ministry　of　Magic　witch　who's　gone　missing？〃
　　　〃Bertha　Jorkins？〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Exactly。。。　she　disappeared　in　Albania；　and　that's　definitely　where　Voldemort　was　rumored　to　be　last。。。　and　she　would　have　known　the　Triwizard　Tournament　was　ing　up；　wouldn't　she？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　but。。。　it's　not　very