jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第65部分

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　　　In　tribute　to　their　recently　repaired　friendship；　Ron　had　kept　the　bitterness　in　his　voice　to　a　bare　minimum。　Moreover；　to　Harry's　amazement；　he　turned　out　to　be　quite　right。
　　　A　curly…haired　third…year　Hufflepuff　girl　to　whom　Harry　had　never　spoken　in　his　life　asked　him　to　go　to　the　ball　with　her　the　very　next　day。　Harry　was　so　taken　aback　he　said　no　before　he'd　even　stopped　to　consider　the　matter。　The　girl　walked　off　looking　rather　hurt；　and　Harry　had　to　endure　Dean's；　Seamus's；　and　Ron's　taunts　about　her　all　through　History　of　Magic。　The　following　day；　two　more　girls　asked　him；　a　second　year　and　（to　his　horror）　a　fifth　year　who　looked　as　though　she　might　knock　him　out　if　he　refused。
　　　〃She　was　quite　good…looking；〃　said　Ron　fairly；　after　he'd　stopped　laughing。
　　　〃She　was　a　foot　taller　than　me；〃　said　Harry；　still　unnerved。　〃Imagine　what　I'd　look　like　trying　to　dance　with　her。〃
　　　Hermione's　words　about　Krum　kept　ing　back　to　him。　〃They　only　like　him　because　he's　famous！〃　Harry　doubted　very　much　if　any　of　the　girls　who　had　asked　to　be　his　partner　so　far　would　have　wanted　to　go　to　the　ball　with　him　if　he　hadn't　been　a　school　champion。　Then　he　wondered　if　this　would　bother　him　if　Cho　asked　him。
　　　On　the　whole。　Harry　had　to　admit　that　even　with　the　embarrassing　prospect　of　opening　the　ball　before　him；　life　had　definitely　improved　since　he　had　got　through　the　first　task。　He　wasn't　attracting　nearly　as　much　unpleasantness　in　the　corridors　anymore；　which　he　suspected　had　a　lot　to　do　with　Cedric…he　had　an　idea　Cedric　might　have　told　the　Hufflepuffs　to　leave　Harry　alone；　in　gratitude　for　Harry's　tip…off　about　the　dragons。　There　seemed　to　be　fewer　Support　Cedric　Diggory！　badges　around　too。　Draco　Malfoy；　of　course；　was　still　quoting　Rita　Skeeter's　article　to　him　at　every　possible　opportunity；　but　he　was　getting　fewer　and　fewer　laughs　out　of　it…and　just　to　heighten　Harry's　feeling　of　well…being；　no　story　about　Hagrid　had　appeared　in　the　Daily　Prophet。
　　　〃She　didn'　seem　very　int'rested　in　magical　creatures；　ter　tell　yeh　the　truth；〃　Hagrid　said；　when　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　asked　him　how　his　interview　with　Rita　Skeeter　had　gone　during　the　last　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　lesson　of　the　term。　To　their　very　great　relief；　Hagrid　had　given　up　on　direct　contact　with　the　skrewts　now；　and　they　were　merely　sheltering　behind　his　cabin　today；　sitting　at　a　trestle　table　and　preparing　a　fresh　selection　of　food　with　which　to　tempt　the　skrewts。
　　　〃She　jus'　wanted　me　ter　talk　about　you；　Harry；〃　Hagrid　continued　in　a　low　voice。　〃Well；　I　told　her　we'd　been　friends　since　I　went　ter　fetch　yeh　from　the　Dursleys。　'Never　had　to　tell　him　off　in　four　years？'　she　said。　'Never　played　you　up　in　lessons；　has　he？'　I　told　her　no；　an　she　didn'　seem　happy　at　all。　Yeh'd　think　she　wanted　me　to　say　yeh　were　horrible；　Harry。〃
　　　〃　'Course　she　did；〃　said　Harry；　throwing　lumps　of　dragon　liver　into　a　large　metal　bowl　and　picking　up　his　knife　to　cut　some　more。　〃She　can't　keep　writing　about　what　a　tragic　little　hero　I　am；　it'll　get　boring。〃
　　　〃She　wants　a　new　angle；　Hagrid；〃　said　Ron　wisely　as　he　shelled　salamander　eggs。　〃You　were　supposed　to　say　Harry's　a　mad　delinquent！〃
　　　〃But　he's　not！〃　said　Hagrid；　looking　genuinely　shocked。
　　　〃She　should've　interviewed　Snape；〃　said　Harry　grimly。　〃He'd　give　her　the　goods　on　me　any　day。　'Potter　has　been　crossing　lines　ever　since　he　first　arrived　at　this　school。。。　'〃
　　　〃Said　that；　did　he？〃　said　Hagrid；　while　Ron　and　Hermione　laughed。　〃Well；　yeh　might've　bent　a　few　rules。　Harry；　bu'　yeh're　all　righ'　really；　aren'　you？〃
　　　〃Cheers；　Hagrid；〃　said　Harry；　grinning。
　　　〃You　ing　to　this　ball　thing　on　Christmas　Day；　Hagrid？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Though'　I　might　look　in　on　it；　yeah；〃　said　Hagrid　gruffly。　〃Should　be　a　good　do；　I　reckon。　You'll　be　openin　the　dancin'；　won　yeh；　Harry？　Who're　you　takin'？〃
　　　〃No　one；　yet；〃　said　Harry；　feeling　himself　going　red　again。　Hagrid　didn't　pursue　the　subject。
　　　The　last　week　of　term　became　increasingly　boisterous　as　it　progressed。　Rumors　about　the　Yule　Ball　were　flying　everywhere；　though　Harry　didn't　believe　half　of　them…for　instance；　that　Dumbledore　had　bought　eight　hundred　barrels　of　mulled　mead　from　Madam　Rosmerta。　It　seemed　to　be　fact；　however；　that　he　had　booked　the　Weird　Sisters。　Exactly　who　or　what　the　Weird　Sisters　were　Harry　didn't　know；　never　having　had　access　to　a　wizard's　wireless；　but　he　deduced　from　the　wild　excitement　of　those　who　had　grown　up　listening　to　the　WWN　（Wizarding　Wireless　Network）　that　they　were　a　very　famous　musical　group。
　　　Some　of　the　teachers；　like　little　Professor　Flitwick；　gave　up　trying　to　teach　them　much　when　their　minds　were　so　clearly　elsewhere；　he　allowed　them　to　play　games　in　his　lesson　on　Wednesday；　and　spent　most　of　it　talking　to　Harry　about　the　perfect　Summoning　Charm
　　　Harry　had　used　during　the　first　task　of　the　Triwizard　Tournament。　Other　teachers　were　not　so　generous。　Nothing　would　ever　deflect　Professor　Binns；　for　example；　from　plowing　on　through　his　notes　on　goblin　rebellions…as　Binns　hadn't　let　his　own　death　stand　in　the　way　of　continuing　to　teach；　they　supposed　a　small　thing　like　Christmas　wasn't　going　to　put　him　off。　It　was　amazing　how　he　could　make　even　bloody　and　vicious　goblin　riots　sound　as　boring　as　Percys　cauldron…bottom　report。　Professors　McGonagall　and　Moody　kept　them　working　until　the　very　last　second　of　their　classes　too；　and　Snape；　of　course；　would　no　sooner　let　them　play　games　in　class　than　adopt　Harry。　Staring　nastily　around　at　them　all；　he　informed　them　that　he　would　be　testing　them　on　poison　antidotes　during　the　last　lesson　of　the　term。
　　　〃Evil；　he　is；〃　Ron　said　bitterly　that　night　in　the　Gryffindor　mon　room。　〃Springing　a　test　on　us　on　the　last　day。　Ruining　the　last　bit　of　term　with　a　whole　load　of　studying。〃
　　　〃Mmm。。。　you're　not　exactly　straining　yourself；　though；　are　you？〃　said　Hermione；　looking　at　him　over　the　top　of　her　Potions　notes。　Ron　was　busy　building　a　card　castle　out　of　his　Exploding　Snap　pack…a　much　more　interesting　pastime　than　with　Muggle　cards；　because　of　the　chance　that　the　whole　thing　would　blow　up　at　any　second。
　　　〃It's　Christmas；　Hermione；〃　said　Harry　lazily；　he　was　rereading　Flying　with　the　Cannons　for　the　tenth　time　in　an　armchair　near　the　fire。
　　　Hermione　looked　severely　over　at　him　too。　〃I'd　have　thought　you'd　be　doing　something　constructive；　Harry；　even　if　you　don't　want　to　learn　your　antidotes！〃
　　　〃Like　what？〃　Harry　said　as　he　watched　Joey　Jenkins　of　the　Cannons　belt　a　Bludger　toward　a　Ballycastle　Bats　Chaser。
　　　〃That　egg！〃　Hermione　hissed。
　　　〃e　on；　Hermione；　I've　got　till　February　the　twenty…fourth；〃　Harry　said。
　　　He　had　put　the　golden　egg　upstairs　in　his　trunk　and　hadn't　opened　it　since　the　celebration　party　after　the　first　task。　There　were　still　two　and　a　half　months　to　go　until　he　needed　to　know　what　all　the　screechy　wailing　meant；　after　all。
　　　〃But　it　might　take　weeks　to　work　it　out！〃　said　Hermione。　〃You're　going　to　look　a　real　idiot　if　everyone　else　knows　what　the　next　task　is　and　you　don't！〃
　　　〃Leave　him　alone；　Hermione；　he's　earned　a　bit　of　a　break；〃　said　Ron；　and　he　placed　the　last　two　cards　on　top　of　the　castle　and　the　whole　lot　blew　up；　singeing　his　eyebrows。
　　　〃Nice　look；　Ron　。。。go　well　with　your　dress　robes；　that　will。〃
　　　It　was　Fred　and　George。　They　sat　down　at　the　table　with　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　as　Ron　felt　how　much　damage　had　been　done。
　　　〃Ron；　can　we　borrow　Pigwidgeon？〃　George　asked。
　　　〃No；　he's　off　delivering　a　letter；〃　said　Ron。　〃Why？〃
　　　〃Because　George　wants　to　invite　him　to　the　ball；〃　said　Fred　sarcastically。
　　　〃Because　we　want　to　send　a　letter；　you　stupid　great　prat；〃　said　George。
　　　〃Who　d'you　two　keep　writing　to；　eh？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Nose　out；　Ron；　or　I'll　burn　that　for　you　too；〃　said　Fred；　waving　his　wand　threateningly。　〃So。。。　you　lot　got　dates　for　the　ball　yet？〃
　　　〃Nope；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Well；　you'd　better　hurry　up；　mate；　or　all　the　good　ones　will　be　gone；〃　said　Fred。
　　　〃Who're　you　going　with；　then？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Angelina；〃　said　Fred　promptly；　without　a　trace　of　embarrassment。
　　　〃What？〃　said　Ron；　taken　aback。　〃You've　already　asked　her？〃
　　　〃Good　point；〃　said　Fred。　He　turned　his　head　and　called　across　the　mon　room；　〃Oi！　Angelina！〃
　　　Angelina；　who　had　been　chatting　with　Alicia　Spinnet　near　the　fire；　looked　over　at　him。
　　　〃What？〃　she　called　back。
　　　〃Want　to　e　to　the　ball　with　me？〃
　　　Angelina　gave　Fred　an　appraising　sort　of　look。
　　　〃All　right；　then；〃　she　said；　and　she　turned　back　to　Alicia　and　carried　on　chatting　with　a　bit　of　a　grin　on　her　face。
　　　〃There　you　go；〃　said　Fred　to　Harry　and　Ron；　〃piece　of　cake。〃
　　　He　got　to　his　feet；　yawning；　and　said；　〃We'd　better　use　a　school　owl　then；　George；　e　on。。。〃
　　　They　left。　Ron　stopped　feeling　his　eyebrows　and　looked　across　the　smoldering　wreck　of　his　card　castle　at　Harry。
　　　〃We　should　get　a　move　on；　you　know。。。　ask　someone。　He's　right。　We　don't　want　to　end　up　with　a　pair　of　trolls。〃
　　　Hermione　let　out　a　sputter　of　indignation。
　　　〃A　pair　of。。。　what；　excuse　me？〃
　　　〃Well…you　know；〃　said　Ron；　shrugging。　〃I'd　rather　go　alone　than　with…with　Eloise　Midgen；　say。〃
　　　〃Her　acne's　loads　better　lately…and　she's　really　nice！〃
　　　〃Her　nose　is　off…center；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Oh　I　see；〃　Hermione　said；　br