jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第73部分

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　　　She　and　the　girls　walked　slowly　forward　toward　the　unicorn；　leaving　the　boys　standing　near　the　paddock　fence；　watching。　The　moment　Professor　Grubbly…Plank　was　out　of　earshot。　Harry　turned　to　Ron。
　　　〃What　d'you　reckons　wrong　with　him？　You　don't　think　a　skrewt…？〃
　　　〃Oh　he　hasn't　been　attacked；　Potter；　if　that's　what　you're　thinking；〃　said　Malfoy　softly。　〃No；　he's　just　too　ashamed　to　show　his　big；　ugly　face。〃
　　　〃What　d'you　mean？〃　said　Harry　sharply。
　　　Malfoy　put　his　hand　inside　the　pocket　of　his　robes　and　pulled　out　a　folded　page　of　newsprint。
　　　〃There　you　go；〃　he　said。　〃Hate　to　break　it　to　you。　Potter。。。〃
　　　He　smirked　as　Harry　snatched　the　page；　unfolded　it；　and　read　it；　with　Ron；　Seamus；　Dean；　and　Neville　looking　over　his　shoulder。　It　was　an　article　topped　with　a　picture　of　Hagrid　looking　extremely　shifty。
　　　
　　　DUMBLEDORE'S　GIANT　MISTAKE
　　　
　　　Albus　Dumbledore；　eccentric　Headmaster　of　Hogwarts　School　of　Witchcraft　and　Wizardry；　has　never　been　afraid　to　make　controversial　staff　appointments；　writes　Rita　Skeeter；　Special　Correspondent。　In　September　of　this　year；　he　hired　Alastor　〃Mad…Eye〃　Moody；　the　notoriously　jinx…happy　ex…Auror；　to　teach　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts；　a　decision　that　caused　many　raised　eyebrows　at　the　Ministry　of　Magic；　given　Moody's　well…known　habit　of　attacking　anybody　who　makes　a　sudden　movement　in　his　presence。　Mad…Eye　Moody；　however；　looks　responsible　and　kindly　when　set　beside　the　part…human　Dumbledore　employs　to　teach　Care　of　Magical　Creatures。
　　　Rubeus　Hagrid；　who　admits　to　being　expelled　from　Hogwarts　in　his　third　year；　has　enjoyed　the　position　of　gamekeeper　at　the　school　ever　since；　a　job　secured　for　him　by　Dumbledore。　Last　year；　however；　Hagrid　used　his　mysterious　influence　over　the　headmaster　to　secure　the　additional　post　of　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　teacher；　over　the　heads　of　many　better…qualified　candidates。
　　　An　alarmingly　large　and　ferocious…looking　man；　Hagrid　has　been　using　his　newfound　authority　to　terrify　the　students　in　his　care　with　a　succession　of　horrific　creatures。　While　Dumbledore　turns　a　blind　eye；　Hagrid　has　maimed　several　pupils　during　a　series　of　lessons　that　many　admit　to　being　〃very　frightening。〃
　　　'I　was　attacked　by　a　hippogriff；　and　my　friend　Vincent　Crabbe　got　a　bad　bite　off　a　flobberworm；〃　says　Draco　Malfoy；　a　fourth…year　student。　〃We　all　hate　Hagrid；　but　we're　just　too　scared　to　say　anything。〃
　　　Hagrid　has　no　intention　of　ceasing　his　campaign　of　intimidation；　however。　In　conversation　with　a　Daily　Prophet　reporter　last　month；　he　admitted　breeding　creatures　he　has　dubbed　〃Blast…Ended　Skrewts；〃　highly　dangerous　crosses　between　manti…cores　and　fire…crabs。　The　creation　of　new　breeds　of　magical　creature　is；　of　course；　an　activity　usually　closely　observed　by　the　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control　of　Magical　Creatures。　Hagrid；　however；　considers　himself　to　be　above　such　petty　restrictions。
　　　〃I　was　just　having　some　fun；〃　he　says；　before　hastily　changing　the　subject。
　　　As　if　this　were　not　enough；　the　Daily　Prophet　has　now　unearthed　evidence　that　Hagrid　is　not…as　he　has　always　pretended…a　pure…blood　wizard。　He　is　not；　in　fact；　even　pure　human。　His　mother；　we　can　exclusively　reveal；　is　none　other　than　the　giantess　Fridwulfa；　whose　whereabouts　are　currently　unknown。
　　　Bloodthirsty　and　brutal；　the　giants　brought　themselves　to　the　point　of　extinction　by　warring　amongst　themselves　during　the　last　century。　The　handful　that　remained　joined　the　ranks　of　He…Who…Must…Not…Be…Named；　and　were　responsible　for　some　of　the　worst　mass　Muggle　killings　of　his　reign　of　terror。
　　　While　many　of　the　giants　who　served　He…Who…Must…Not…Be…Named　were　killed　by　Aurors　working　against　the　Dark　Side；　Fridwulfa　was　not　among　them。　It　is　possible　she　escaped　to　one　of　the　giant　munities　still　existing　in　foreign　mountain　ranges。　If　his　antics　during　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　lessons　are　any　guide；　however；　Frid…wulfa's　son　appears　to　have　inherited　her　brutal　nature。
　　　In　a　bizarre　twist；　Hagrid　is　reputed　to　have　developed　a　close　friendship　with　the　boy　who　brought　around　You…Know…Who's　fall　from　power…thereby　driving　Hagrid's　own　mother；　like　the　rest　of　You…Know…Who's　supporters；　into　hiding。　Perhaps　Harry　Potter　is　unaware　of　the　unpleasant　truth　about　his　large　friend…but　Albus　Dumbledore　surely　has　a　duty　to　ensure　that　Harry　Potter；　along　with　his　fellow　students；　is　warned　about　the　dangers　of　associating　with　part…giants。
　　　
　　　Harry　finished　reading　and　looked　up　at　Ron；　whose　mouth　was　hanging　open。
　　　〃How　did　she　find　out？〃　he　whispered。
　　　But　that　wasn't　what　was　bothering　Harry。
　　　〃What　d'you　mean；　'we　all　hate　Hagrid'？〃　Harry　spat　at　Malfoy。　〃What's　this　rubbish　about　him〃…he　pointed　at　Crabbe…〃getting　a　bad　bite　off　a　flobberworm？　They　haven't　even　got　teeth！〃
　　　Crabbe　was　sniggering；　apparently　very　pleased　with　himself。
　　　〃Well；　I　think　this　should　put　an　end　to　the　oaf's　teaching　career；〃　said　Malfoy；　his　eyes　glinting。　〃Half…giant。。。　and　there　was　me　thinking　he'd　just　swallowed　a　bottle　of　Skele…Gro　when　he　was　young。。。　None　of　the　mummies　and　daddies　are　going　to　like　this　at　all。。。　They'll　be　worried　he'll　eat　their　kids；　ha；　ha。。。〃
　　　〃You…〃
　　　〃Are　you　paying　attention　over　there？〃
　　　Professor　Grubbly…Planks　voice　carried　over　to　the　boys；　the　girls　were　all　clustered　around　the　unicorn　now；　stroking　it。　Harry　was　so　angry　that　the　Daily　Prophet　article　shook　in　his　hands　as　he　turned　to　stare　unseeingly　at　the　unicorn；　whose　many　magical　properties　Professor　Grubbly…Plank　was　now　enumerating　in　a　loud　voice；　so　that　the　boys　could　hear　too。
　　　〃I　hope　she　stays；　that　woman！〃　said　Parvati　Patil　when　the　lesson　had　ended　and　they　were　all　heading　back　to　the　castle　for　lunch。　〃That's　more　what　I　thought　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　would　be　like。。。　proper　creatures　like　unicorns；　not　monsters。。。〃
　　　〃What　about　Hagrid？〃　Harry　said　angrily　as　they　went　up　the　steps。
　　　〃What　about　him？〃　said　Parvati　in　a　hard　voice。　〃He　can　still　be　gamekeeper；　can't　he？〃
　　　Parvati　had　been　very　cool　toward　Harry　since　the　ball。　He　supposed　that　he　ought　to　have　paid　her　a　bit　more　attention；　but　she　seemed　to　have　had　a　good　time　all　the　same。　She　was　certainly　telling　anybody　who　would　listen　that　she　had　made　arrangements　to　meet　the　boy　from　Beauxbatons　in　Hogsmeade　on　the　next　weekend　trip。
　　　〃That　was　a　really　good　lesson；〃　said　Hermione　as　they　entered　the　Great　Hall。　〃I　didn't　know　half　the　things　Professor　Grubbly…Plank　told　us　about　uni…〃
　　　〃Look　at　this！〃　Harry　snarled；　and　he　shoved　the　Daily　Prophet　article　under　Hermione's　nose。
　　　Hermione's　mouth　fell　open　as　she　read。　Her　reaction　was　exactly　the　same　as　Ron's。
　　　〃How　did　that　horrible　Skeeter　woman　find　out？　You　don't　think　Hagrid　told　her？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry；　leading　the　way　over　to　the　Gryffindor　table　and　throwing　himself　into　a　chair；　furious。　〃He　never　even　told　us；　did　he？　I　reckon　she　was　so　mad　he　wouldn't　give　her　loads　of　horrible　stuff　about　me；　she　went　ferreting　around　to　get　him　back。〃
　　　〃Maybe　she　heard　him　telling　Madame　Maxime　at　the　ball；〃　said　Hermione　quietly。
　　　〃We'd　have　seen　her　in　the　garden！〃　said　Ron。　〃Anyway；　she's　not　supposed　to　e　into　school　anymore；　Hagrid　said　Dumbledore　banned　her。。。〃
　　　〃Maybe　she's　got　an　Invisibility　Cloak；〃　said　Harry；　ladling　chicken　casserole　onto　his　plate　and　splashing　it　everywhere　in　his　anger。　〃Sort　of　thing　she'd　do；　isn't　it；　hide　in　bushes　listening　to　people。〃
　　　〃Like　you　and　Ron　did；　you　mean；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃We　weren't　trying　to　hear　him！〃　said　Ron　indignantly。　〃We　didn't　have　any　choice！　The　stupid　prat；　talking　about　his　giantess　mother　where　anyone　could　have　heard　him！〃
　　　〃We've　got　to　go　and　see　him；〃　said　Harry。　〃This　evening；　after　Divination。　Tell　him　we　want　him　back。。。　you　do　want　him　back？〃　he　shot　at　Hermione。
　　　〃I…well；　I'm　not　going　to　pretend　it　didn't　make　a　nice　change；　having　a　proper　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　lesson　for　once…but　I　do　want　Hagrid　back；　of　course　I　do！〃　Hermione　added　hastily；　quailing　under　Harry's　furious　stare。
　　　So　that　evening　after　dinner；　the　three　of　them　left　the　castle　once　more　and　went　down　through　the　frozen　grounds　to　Hagrid's　cabin。　They　knocked；　and　Fang's　booming　barks　answered。
　　　〃Hagrid；　it's　us！〃　Harry　shouted；　pounding　on　the　door。　〃Open　up！〃
　　　Hagrid　didn't　answer。　They　could　hear　Fang　scratching　at　the　door；　whining；　but　it　didn't　open。　They　hammered　on　it　for　ten　more　minutes；　Ron　even　went　and　banged　on　one　of　the　windows；　but　there　was　no　response。
　　　〃What's　he　avoiding　us　for？〃　Hermione　said　when　they　had　finally　given　up　and　were　walking　back　to　the　school。　〃He　surely　doesn't　think　we'd　care　about　him　being　half…giant？〃
　　　But　it　seemed　that　Hagrid　did　care。　They　didn't　see　a　sign　of　him　all　week。　He　didn't　appear　at　the　staff　table　at　mealtimes；　they　didn't　see　him　going　about　his　gamekeeper　duties　on　the　grounds；　and　Professor　Grubbly…Plank　continued　to　take　the　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　classes。　Malfoy　was　gloating　at　every　possible　opportunity。
　　　〃Missing　your　half…breed　pal？〃　he　kept　whispering　to　Harry　whenever　there　was　a　teacher　around；　so　that　he　was　safe　from　Harry's　retaliation。　〃Missing　the　elephant…man？〃