jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第17部分

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　　　〃Until　we　meet　again；〃　said　Professor　Trelawney　faintly；　〃fair　fortune　be　yours。　Oh；　and　dear〃…she　pointed　at　Neville…〃you'll　be　late　next　time；　so　mind　you　work　extra…hard　to　catch　up。〃
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　descended　Professor　Trelawney's　ladder　and　the　winding　stair　in　silence；　then　set　off　for　Professor　McGonagall's　Transfiguration　lesson。　It　took　them　so　long　to　find　her　classroom　that；　early　as　they　had　left　Divination；　they　were　only　just　in　time。
　　　Harry　chose　a　seat　right　at　the　back　of　the　room；　feeling　as　though　he　were　sitting　in　a　very　bright　spotlight；　the　rest　of　the　class　kept　shooting　furtive　glances　at　him；　as　though　he　were　about　to　drop　dead　at　any　moment。　He　hardly　heard　what　Professor　McGonagall　was　telling　them　about　Animagi　（wizards　who　could　transform　at　will　into　animals）；　and　wasn't　even　watching　when　she　transformed　herself　in　front　of　their　eyes　into　a　tabby　cat　with　spectacle　markings　around　her　eyes。
　　　〃Really；　what　has　got　into　you　all　today？〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　turning　back　into　herself　with　a　faint　pop；　and　staring　around　at　them　all。　〃Not　that　it　matters；　but　that's　the　first　time　my　transformation's　not　got　applause　from　a　class。〃
　　　Everybody's　heads　turned　toward　Harry　again；　but　nobody　spoke。　Then　Hermione　raised　her　hand。
　　　〃Please；　Professor；　we've　just　had　our　first　Divination　class；　and　we　were　reading　the　tea　leaves；　and　…〃
　　　〃Ah；　of　course；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　suddenly　frowning。
　　　〃There　is　no　need　to　say　any　more；　Miss　Granger。　Tell　me；　which　of　you　will　be　dying　this　year？〃
　　　Everyone　stared　at　her。
　　　〃Me；〃　said　Harry；　finally。
　　　〃I　see；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall；　fixing　Harry　with　her　beady　eyes。　〃Then　you　should　know；　Potter；　that　Sibyll　Trelawney　has　predicted　the　death　of　one　student　a　year　since　she　arrived　at　this　school。　None　of　them　has　died　yet。　Seeing　death　omens　is　her　favorite　way　of　greeting　a　new　class。　If　it　were　not　for　the　fact　that　I　never　speak　ill　of　my　colleagues　…〃
　　　Professor　McGonagall　broke　off；　and　they　saw　that　her　nostrils　had　gone　white。　She　went　on；　more　calmly；　〃Divination　is　one　of　the　most　imprecise　branches　of　magic。　I　shall　not　conceal　from　you　that　I　have　very　little　patience　with　it。　True　Seers　are　very　rare；　and　Professor　Trelawney　…〃
　　　She　stopped　again；　and　then　said；　in　a　very　matter…of…fact　tone；　〃You　look　in　excellent　health　to　me；　Potter；　so　you　will　excuse　me　if　I　don't　let　you　off　homework　today。　I　assure　you　that　if　you　die；　you　need　not　hand　it　in。〃
　　　Hermione　laughed。　Harry　felt　a　bit　better。　It　was　harder　to　feel　scared　of　a　lump　of　tea　leaves　away　from　the　dim　red　light　and　befuddling　perfume　of　Professor　Trelawney's　classroom。　Not　everyone　was　convinced；　however。　Ron　still　looked　worried；　and　Lavender　whispered；　〃But　what　about　Neville's　cup？〃
　　　When　the　Transfiguration　class　had　finished；　they　joined　the　crowd　thundering　toward　the　Great　Hall　for　lunch。
　　　〃Ron；　cheer　up；〃　said　Hermione；　pushing　a　dish　of　stew　toward　him。　〃You　heard　what　Professor　McGonagall　said。〃
　　　Ron　spooned　stew　onto　his　plate　and　picked　up　his　fork　but　didn't　start。
　　　〃Harry；〃　he　said；　in　a　low；　serious　voice；　〃You　haven't　seen　a　great　black　dog　anywhere；　have　you？〃
　　　〃Yeah；　I　have；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　saw　one　the　night　I　left　the　Dursleys'。　〃
　　　Ron　let　his　fork　fall　with　a　clatter。
　　　〃Probably　a　stray；〃　said　Hermione　calmly。
　　　Ron　looked　at　Hermione　as　though　she　had　gone　mad。
　　　〃Hermione；　if　Harry's　seen　a　Grim；　that's…that's　bad；〃　he　said。　〃My…my　uncle　Bilius　saw　one　and…and　he　died　twenty…four　hours　later！〃
　　　〃Coincidence；〃　said　Hermione　airily；　pouring　herself　some　pumpkin　juice。
　　　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about！〃　said　Ron；　starting　to　get　angry。　〃Grims　scare　the　living　daylights　out　of　most　wizards！〃
　　　〃There　you　are；　then；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　superior　tone。　〃They　see　the　Grim　and　die　of　fright。　The　Grim's　not　an　omen；　it's　the　cause　of　death！　And　Harry's　still　with　us　because　he's　not　stupid　enough　to　see　one　and　think；　right；　well；　I'd　better　kick　the　bucket　then！〃
　　　Ron　mouthed　wordlessly　at　Hermione；　who　opened　her　bag；　took　out　her　new　Arithmancy　book；　and　propped　it　open　against　the　juice　jug。
　　　〃I　think　Divination　seems　very　woolly；〃　she　said；　searching　for　her　page。　〃A　lot　of　guesswork；　if　you　ask　me。〃
　　　〃There　was　nothing　woolly　about　the　Grim　in　that　cup！〃　said　Ron　hotly。
　　　〃You　didn't　seem　quite　so　confident　when　you　were　telling　Harry　it　was　a　sheep；〃　said　Hermione　coolly。
　　　〃Professor　Trelawney　said　you　didn't　have　the　right　aura！　You　just　don't　like　being　bad　at　something　for　a　change！〃
　　　He　had　touched　a　nerve。　Hermione　slammed　her　Arithmancy　book　down　on　the　table　so　hard　that　bits　of　meat　and　carrot　flew　everywhere。
　　　〃If　being　good　at　Divination　means　I　have　to　pretend　to　see　death　omens　in　a　lump　of　tea　leaves；　I'm　not　sure　I'll　be　studying　it　much　longer！　That　lesson　was　absolute　rubbish　pared　with　my　Arithmancy　class！〃
　　　She　snatched　up　her　bag　and　stalked　away。
　　　Ron　frowned　after　her。
　　　〃What's　she　talking　about？〃　he　said　to　Harry。　〃She　hasn't　been　to　an　Arithmancy　class　yet。〃
　　　Harry　was　pleased　to　get　out　of　the　castle　after　lunch。　Yesterday's　rain　had　cleared；　the　sky　was　a　clear；　pale　gray；　and　the　grass　was　springy　and　damp　underfoot　as　they　set　off　for　their　first　ever　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　class。
　　　Ron　and　Hermione　weren't　speaking　to　each　other。　Harry　walked　beside　them　in　silence　as　they　went　down　the　sloping　lawns　to　Hagrid's　hut　on　the　edge　of　the　Forbidden　Forest。　It　was　only　when　he　spotted　three　only…toofamiliar　backs　ahead　of　them　that　he　realized　they　must　be　having　these　lessons　with　the　Slytherins。　Malfoy　was　talking　animatedly　to　Crabbe　and　Goyle；　who　were　chortling。　Harry　was　quite　sure　he　knew　what　they　were　talking　about。
　　　Hagrid　was　waiting　for　his　class　at　the　door　of　his　hut。　He　stood　in　his　moleskin　overcoat；　with　Fang　the　boarhound　at　his　heels；　looking　impatient　to　start。
　　　〃C'mon；　now；　get　a　move　on！〃　he　called　as　the　class　approached。　〃Got　a　real　treat　for　yeh　today！　Great　lesson　in'　up！　Everyone　here？　Right；　follow　me！〃
　　　For　one　nasty　moment；　Harry　thought　that　Hagrid　was　going　to　lead　them　into　the　forest；　Harry　had　had　enough　unpleasant　experiences　in　there　to　last　him　a　lifetime。　However；　Hagrid　strolled　off　around　the　edge　of　the　trees；　and　five　minutes　later；　they　found　themselves　outside　a　kind　of　paddock。　There　was　nothing　in　there。
　　　〃Everyone　gather　'round　the　fence　here！〃　he　called。　〃That's　it…make　sure　yeh　can　see…now；　firs'　thing　yeh'll　want　ter　do　is　open　yer　books　…〃
　　　〃How？〃　said　the　cold；　drawling　voice　of　Draco　Malfoy。
　　　〃Eh？〃　said　Hagrid。
　　　〃How　do　we　open　our　books？〃　Malfoy　repeated。　He　took　out　his　copy　of　The　Monster　Book　of　Monsters；　which　he　had　bound　shut　with　a　length　of　rope。　Other　people　took　theirs　out　too；　some；　like　Harry；　had　belted　their　book　shut；　others　had　crammed　them　inside　tight　bags　or　clamped　them　together　with　binder　clips。
　　　〃Hasn'…hasn'　anyone　bin　able　ter　open　their　books？〃　said　Hagrid；　looking　crestfallen。
　　　The　class　all　shook　their　heads。
　　　〃Yeh've　got　ter　stroke　'em；〃　said　Hagrid；　as　though　this　was　the　most　obvious　thing　in　the　world。　〃Look　…〃
　　　He　took　Hermione's　copy　and　ripped　off　the　Spellotape　that　bound　it。　The　book　tried　to　bite；　but　Hagrid　ran　a　giant　forefinger　down　its　spine；　and　the　book　shivered；　and　then　fell　open　and　lay　quiet　in　his　hand。
　　　〃Oh；　how　silly　we've　all　been！〃　Malfoy　sneered。　〃We　should　have　stroked　them！　why　didn't　we　guess！〃
　　　〃I…I　thought　they　were　funny；〃　Hagrid　said　uncertainly　to　Hermione。
　　　〃Oh；　tremendously　funny！〃　said　Malfoy。　〃Really　witty；　giving　us　books　that　try　and　rip　our　hands　off！〃
　　　〃Shut　up；　Malfoy；〃　said　Harry　quietly。　Hagrid　was　looking　downcast　and　Harry　wanted　Hagrid's　first　lesson　to　be　a　success。
　　　〃Righ'　then；〃　said　Hagrid；　who　seemed　to　have　lost　his　thread；　〃so…so　yeh've　got　yer　books　an'…an'…　now　yeh　need　the　Magical　Creatures。　Yeah。　So　I'll　go　an'　get　'em。　Hang　on。。。　〃
　　　He　strode　away　from　them　into　the　forest　and　out　of　sight。
　　　〃God；　this　place　is　going　to　the　dogs；〃　said　Malfoy　loudly。　〃That　oaf　teaching　classes；　my　father'll　have　a　fit　when　I　tell　him
　　　〃Shut　up；　Malfoy；〃　Harry　repeated。
　　　〃Careful；　Potter；　there's　a　dementor　behind　you
　　　〃Oooooooh！〃　squealed　Lavender　Brown；　pointing　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　paddock。
　　　Trotting　toward　them　were　a　dozen　of　the　most　bizarre　creatures　Harry　had　ever　seen。　They　had　the　bodies；　hind　legs；　and　tails　of　horses；　but　the　front　legs；　wings；　and　heads　of　what　seemed　to　be　giant　eagles；　with　cruel；　steel…colored　beaks　and　large；　brilliantly；　orange　eyes。　The　talons　on　their　front　legs　were　half　a　foot　long　and　deadly　looking。　Each　of　the　beasts　had　a　thick　leather　collar　around　its　neck；　which　was　attached　to　a　long　chain；　and　the　ends　of　all　of　these　were　held　in　the　vast　hands　of　Hagrid；　who　came　jogging　into　the　paddock　behind　the　creatures。
　　　〃Gee　up；　there！〃　he　roared；　shaking　the　chains　and　urging　the　creatures　toward　the　fence　where　the　class　stood。　Everyone　drew　back　slightly　as　Hagrid　reached　them　and　tethered　the　creatures　to　the　fence。
　　　〃Hippogriffs！〃　Hagrid　roared　happily；　waving　a　hand