jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第75部分

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　　　〃Maybe　Percys　poisoning　him；〃　said　Ron。　〃Probably　thinks　if　Crouch　snuffs　it　he'll　be　made　head　of　the　Department　of　International　Magical　Cooperation。〃
　　　Hermione　gave　Ron　a　don't…joke…about…things…like…that　look；　and　said；　〃Funny；　goblins　looking　for　Mr。　Crouch。。。　They'd　normally　deal　with　the　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control　of　Magical　Creatures。〃
　　　〃Crouch　can　speak　loads　of　different　languages；　though；〃　said　Harry。　〃Maybe　they　need　an　interpreter。〃
　　　〃Worrying　about　poor　'ickle　goblins；　now；　are　you？〃　Ron　asked　Hermione。　〃Thinking　of　starting　up　S。　P。　U。　G。　or　something？　Society　for　the　Protection　of　Ugly　Goblins？〃
　　　〃Ha；　ha；　ha；〃　said　Hermione　sarcastically。　〃Goblins　don't　need　protection。　Haven't　you　been　listening　to　what　Professor　Binns　has　been　telling　us　about　goblin　rebellions？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry　and　Ron　together。
　　　〃Well；　the/re　quite　capable　of　dealing　with　wizards；〃　said　Hermione；　taking　another　sip　of　butterbeer。　〃They're　very　clever。　They're　not　like　house…elves；　who　never　stick　up　for　themselves。〃
　　　〃Uh…oh；〃　said　Ron；　staring　at　the　door。
　　　Rita　Skeeter　had　just　entered。　She　was　wearing　banana…yellow　robes　today；　her　long　nails　were　painted　shocking　pink；　and　she　was　acpanied　by　her　paunchy　photographer。　She　bought　drinks；　and　she　and　the　photographer　made　their　way　through　the　crowds　to　a　table　nearby。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　glaring　at　her　as　she　approached。　She　was　talking　fast　and　looking　very　satisfied　about　something。
　　　〃。。。didn't　seem　very　keen　to　talk　to　us；　did　he；　Bozo？　Now；　why　would　that　be；　do　you　think？　And　what's　he　doing　with　a　pack　of　goblins　in　tow　anyway？　Showing　them　the　sights。。。　what　nonsense　。。。he　was　always　a　bad　liar。　Reckon　something's　up？　Think　we　should　do　a　bit　of　digging？　'Disgraced　Ex…Head　of　Magical　Games　and　Sports；　Ludo　Bagman。。。　'　Snappy　start　to　a　sentence；　Bozo…we　just　need　to　find　a　story　to　fit　it…〃
　　　〃Trying　to　ruin　someone　else's　life？〃　said　Harry　loudly。
　　　A　few　people　looked　around。　Rita　Skeeter's　eyes　widened　behind　her　jeweled　spectacles　as　she　saw　who　had　spoken。
　　　〃Harry！〃　she　said；　beaming。　〃How　lovely！　Why　don't　you　e　and　join？〃
　　　〃I　wouldn't　e　near　you　with　a　ten…foot　broomstick；〃　said　Harry　furiously。　〃What　did　you　do　that　to　Hagrid　for；　eh？〃
　　　Rita　Skeeter　raised　her　heavily　penciled　eyebrows。
　　　〃Our　readers　have　a　right　to　the　truth；　Harry。　I　am　merely　doing　my…〃
　　　〃Who　cares　if　he's　half…giant？〃　Harry　shouted。　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　him！〃
　　　The　whole　pub　had　gone　very　quiet。　Madam　Rosmerta　was　staring　over　from　behind　the　bar；　apparently　oblivious　to　the　fact　that　the　flagon　she　was　filling　with　mead　was　overflowing。
　　　Rita　Skeeters　smile　flickered　very　slightly；　but　she　hitched　it　back　almost　at　once；　she　snapped　open　her　crocodile…skin　handbag；　pulled　out　her　Quick…Quotes　Quill；　and　said；　〃How　about　giving　me　an　interview　about　the　Hagrid　you　know。　Harry？　The　man　behind　the　muscles？　Your　unlikely　friendship　and　the　reasons　behind　it。　Would　you　call　him　a　father　substitute？〃
　　　Hermione　stood　up　very　abruptly；　her　butterbeer　clutched　in　her　hand　as　though　it　were　a　grenade。
　　　〃You　horrible　woman；〃　she　said；　through　gritted　teeth；　〃you　don't　care；　do　you；　anything　for　a　story；　and　anyone　will　do；　wont　they？　Even　Ludo　Bagman…〃
　　　〃Sit　down；　you　silly　little　girl；　and　don't　talk　about　things　you　don't　understand；〃　said　Rita　Skeeter　coldly；　her　eyes　hardening　as　they　fell　on　Hermione。　〃I　know　things　about　Ludo　Bagman　that　would　make　your　hair　curl。。。　not　that　it　needs　it…〃　she　added；　eyeing　Hermione's　bushy　hair。
　　　〃Let's　go；〃　said　Hermione；　〃c'mon。　Harry…Ron。。。〃
　　　They　left；　many　people　were　staring　at　them　as　they　went。　Harry　glanced　back　as　they　reached　the　door。　Rita　Skeeter's　Quick…Quotes　Quill　was　out；　it　was　zooming　backward　and　forward　over　a　piece　of　parchment　on　the　table。
　　　〃She'll　be　after　you　next；　Hermione；〃　said　Ron　in　a　low　and　worried　voice　as　they　walked　quickly　back　up　the　street。
　　　〃Let　her　try！〃　said　Hermione　defiantly；　she　was　shaking　with　rage。　〃I'll　show　her！　Silly　little　girl；　am　I？　Oh；　I'll　get　her　back　for　this。　First　Harry；　then　Hagrid　。。。〃
　　　〃You　don't　want　to　go　upsetting　Rita　Skeeter；〃　said　Ron　nervously。　〃I'm　serious；　Hermione；　she'll　dig　up　something　on　you…〃
　　　〃My　parents　don't　read　the　Daily　Prophet。　She　can't　scare　me　into　hiding！〃　said　Hermione；　now　striding　along　so　fast　that　it　was　all　Harry　and　Ron　could　do　to　keep　up　with　her。　The　last　time　Harry　had　seen　Hermione　in　a　rage　like　this；　she　had　hit　Draco　Malfoy　around　the　face。　〃And　Hagrid　isn't　hiding　anymore！　He　should　never　have　let　that　excuse　for　a　human　being　upset　him！　e　on！〃
　　　Breaking　into　a　run；　she　led　them　all　the　way　back　up　the　road；　through　the　gates　flanked　by　winged　boars；　and　up　through　the　grounds　to　Hagrid's　cabin。
　　　The　curtains　were　still　drawn；　and　they　could　hear　Fang　barking　as　they　approached。
　　　〃Hagrid！〃　Hermione　shouted；　pounding　on　his　front　door。　〃Hagrid；　that's　enough！　We　know　you're　in　there！　Nobody　cares　if　your　mum　was　a　giantess；　Hagrid！　You　can't　let　that　foul　Skeeter　woman　do　this　to　you！　Hagrid；　get　out　here；　you're　just　being…〃
　　　The　door　opened。　Hermione　said；　〃About　t…！〃　and　then　stopped；　very　suddenly；　because　she　had　found　herself　face…to…face；　not　with　Hagrid；　but　with　Albus　Dumbledore。
　　　〃Good　afternoon；〃　he　said　pleasantly；　smiling　down　at　them。
　　　〃We…er…we　wanted　to　see　Hagrid；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　rather　small　voice。
　　　〃Yes；　I　surmised　as　much；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　eyes　twinkling。　〃Why　don't　you　e　in？〃
　　　〃Oh。。。　um　。。。okay；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　She；　Ron；　and　Harry　went　into　the　cabin；　Fang　launched　himself　upon　Harry　the　moment　he　entered；　barking　madly　and　trying　to　lick　his　ears。　Harry　fended　off　Fang　and　looked　around。
　　　Hagrid　was　sitting　at　his　table；　where　there　were　two　large　mugs　of　tea。　He　looked　a　real　mess。　His　face　was　blotchy；　his　eyes　swollen；　and　he　had　gone　to　the　other　extreme　where　his　hair　was　concerned；　far　from　trying　to　make　it　behave；　it　now　looked　like　a　wig　of　tangled　wire。
　　　〃Hi；　Hagrid；〃　said　Harry。
　　　Hagrid　looked　up。
　　　〃'Lo；〃　he　said　in　a　very　hoarse　voice。
　　　〃More　tea；　I　think；〃　said　Dumbledore；　closing　the　door　behind　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　drawing　out　his　wand；　and　twiddling　it；　a　revolving　tea　tray　appeared　in　midair　along　with　a　plate　of　cakes。　Dumbledore　magicked　the　tray　onto　the　table；　and　everybody　sat　down。　There　was　a　slight　pause；　and　then　Dumbledore　said；　〃Did　you　by　any　chance　hear　what　Miss　Granger　was　shouting；　Hagrid？〃
　　　Hermione　went　slightly　pink；　but　Dumbledore　smiled　at　her　and　continued；　〃Hermione；　Harry；　and　Ron　still　seem　to　want　to　know　you；　judging　by　the　way　they　were　attempting　to　break　down　the　door。〃
　　　〃Of　course　we　still　want　to　know　you！〃　Harry　said；　staring　at　Hagrid。　〃You　don't　think　anything　that　Skeeter　cow…sorry；　Professor；〃　he　added　quickly；　looking　at　Dumbledore。
　　　〃I　have　gone　temporarily　deaf　and　haven't　any　idea　what　you　said。　Harry；〃　said　Dumbledore；　twiddling　his　thumbs　and　staring　at　the　ceiling。
　　　〃Er…right；〃　said　Harry　sheepishly。　〃I　just　meant…Hagrid；　how　could　you　think　we'd　care　what　that…woman…wrote　about　you？〃
　　　Two　fat　tears　leaked　out　of　Hagrid's　beetle…black　eyes　and　fell　slowly　into　his　tangled　beard。
　　　〃Living　proof　of　what　I've　been　telling　you；　Hagrid；〃　said　Dumbledore；　still　looking　carefully　up　at　the　ceiling。　〃I　have　shown　you　the　letters　from　the　countless　parents　who　remember　you　from　their　own　days　here；　telling　me　in　no　uncertain　terms　that　if　I　sacked　you；　they　would　have　something　to　say　about　it…〃
　　　〃Not　all　of　'em；〃　said　Hagrid　hoarsely。　〃Not　all　of　'em　wan　me　ter　stay。〃
　　　〃Really；　Hagrid；　if　you　are　holding　out　for　universal　popularity；　I'm　afraid　you　will　be　in　this　cabin　for　a　very　long　time；〃　said　Dumbledore；　now　peering　sternly　over　his　half…moon　spectacles。　〃Not　a　week　has　passed　since　I　became　headmaster　of　this　school　when　I　haven't　had　at　least　one　owl　plaining　about　the　way　I　run　it。　But　what　should　I　do？　Barricade　myself　in　my　study　and　refuse　to　talk　to　anybody？〃
　　　〃Yeh…yeh're　not　half…giant！〃　said　Hagrid　croakily。
　　　〃Hagrid；　look　what　I've　got　for　relatives！〃　Harry　said　furiously。　〃Look　at　the　Dursleys！〃
　　　〃An　excellent　point；〃　said　Professor　Dumbledore。　〃My　own　brother；　Aberforth；　was　prosecuted　for　practicing　inappropriate　charms　on　a　goat。　It　was　all　over　the　papers；　but　did　Aberforth　hide？　No；　he　did　not！　He　held　his　head　high　and　went　about　his　business　as　usual！　Of　course；　I'm　not　entirely　sure　he　can　read；　so　that　may　not　have　been　bravery。。。〃
　　　〃e　back　and　teach；　Hagrid；〃　said　Hermione　quietly；　〃please　e　back；　we　really　miss　you。〃
　　　Hagrid　gulped。　More　tears　leaked　out　down　his　cheeks　and　into　his　tangled　beard。
　　　Dumbledore　stood　up。　〃I　refuse　to　accept　your　resignation；　Hagrid；　and　I　expect　you　back　at　work　on　Monday；〃　he　said。　〃You　will　join　me　for　breakfast　at　eight…thirty　in　the　Great　Hall。　No　excuses。　Good　afternoon　to　you　all。〃
　　　Dumbledore　left　the　cabin；　pausing　only　to　scratch　Fangs　ears。　When　the　door　had　shut　behind　him；　Hagrid　began　to　sob　into　his　dustbin…lid…sized　hands。　Hermione　kept　patting　his　arm；　and　at　last；　Hagrid　looked　up；　his　eyes　very　red　indeed；　and　said；　〃Great　man