jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第41节

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n　their　late　teens；　had　emerged　from　the　carriage　and　were　now　standing　behind　Madame　Maxime。　They　were　shivering；　which　was　unsurprising；　given　that　their　robes　seemed　to　be　made　of　fine　silk；　and　none　of　them　were　wearing　cloaks。　A　few　had　wrapped　scarves　and　shawls　around　their　heads。　From　what　Harry　could　see　of　them　（they　were　standing　in　Madame　Maxime's　enormous　shadow）；　they　were　staring　up　at　Hogwarts　with　apprehensive　looks　on　their　faces。
　　　〃As　Karkaroff　arrived　yet？〃　Madame　Maxime　asked。
　　　〃He　should　be　here　any　moment；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Would　you　like　to　wait　here　and　greet　him　or　would　you　prefer　to　step　inside　and　warm　up　a　trifle？〃
　　　〃Warm　up；　I　think；〃　said　Madame　Maxime。　〃But　ze　'orses…〃
　　　〃Our　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　teacher　will　be　delighted　to　take　care　of　them；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃the　moment　he　has　returned　from　dealing　with　a　slight　situation　that　has　arisen　with　some　of　his　other…er…charges。〃
　　　〃Skrewts；〃　Ron　muttered　to　Harry；　grinning。
　　　〃My　steeds　require…er…forceful　'andling；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　looking　as　though　she　doubted　whether　any　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　teacher　at　Hogwarts　could　be　up　to　the　job。　〃Zey　are　very　strong。。。〃
　　　〃I　assure　you　that　Hagrid　will　be　well　up　to　the　job；〃　said　Dumbledore；　smiling。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　said　Madame　Maxime；　bowing　slightly。　〃Will　you　please　inform　zis　'Agrid　zat　ze　'orses　drink　only　single…malt　whiskey？〃
　　　〃It　will　be　attended　to；〃　said　Dumbledore；　also　bowing。
　　　〃e；〃　said　Madame　Maxime　imperiously　to　her　students；　and　the　Hogwarts　crowd　parted　to　allow　her　and　her　students　to　pass　up　the　stone　steps。
　　　〃How　big　d'you　reckon　Durmstrang's　horses　are　going　to　be？〃　Seamus　Finnigan　said；　leaning　around　Lavender　and　Parvati　to　address　Harry　and　Ron。
　　　〃Well；　if　they're　any　bigger　than　this　lot；　even　Hagrid　won't　be　able　to　handle　them；〃　said　Harry。　〃That's　if　he　hasn't　been　attacked　by　his　skrewts。　Wonder　what's　up　with　them？〃
　　　〃Maybe　they've　escaped；〃　said　Ron　hopefully。
　　　〃Oh　don't　say　that；〃　said　Hermione　with　a　shudder。　〃Imagine　that　lot　loose　on　the　grounds。。。〃
　　　They　stood；　shivering　slightly　now；　waiting　for　the　Durmstrang　party　to　arrive。　Most　people　were　gazing　hopefully　up　at　the　sky。
　　　For　a　few　minutes；　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　Madame　Maxime's　huge　horses　snorting　and　stamping。　But　then…〃Can　you　hear　something？〃　said　Ron　suddenly。
　　　Harry　listened；　a　loud　and　oddly　eerie　noise　was　drifting　toward　them　from　out　of　the　darkness：　a　muffled　rumbling　and　sucking　sound；　as　though　an　immense　vacuum　cleaner　were　moving　along　a　riverbed。
　　　〃The　lake！〃　yelled　Lee　Jordan；　pointing　down　at　it。　〃Look　at　the　lake！〃
　　　From　their　position　at　the　top　of　the　lawns　overlooking　the　grounds；　they　had　a　clear　view　of　the　smooth　black　surface　of　the　water…except　that　the　surface　was　suddenly　not　smooth　at　all。　Some　disturbance　was　taking　place　deep　in　the　center；　great　bubbles　were　forming　on　the　surface；　waves　were　now　washing　over　the　muddy　banks…and　then；　out　in　the　very　middle　of　the　lake；　a　whirlpool　appeared；　as　if　a　giant　plug　had　just　been　pulled　out　of　the　lake's　floor。。
　　　What　seemed　to　be　a　long；　black　pole　began　to　rise　slowly　out　of　the　heart　of　the　whirlpool。。。　and　then　Harry　saw　the　rigging。。。
　　　〃It's　a　mast！〃　he　said　to　Ron　and　Hermione。
　　　Slowly；　magnificently；　the　ship　rose　out　of　the　water；　gleaming　in　the　moonlight。　It　had　a　strangely　skeletal　look　about　it；　as　though　it　were　a　resurrected　wreck；　and　the　dim；　misty　lights　shimmering　at　its　portholes　looked　like　ghostly　eyes。　Finally；　with　a　great　sloshing　noise；　the　ship　emerged　entirely；　bobbing　on　the　turbulent　water；　and　began　to　glide　toward　the　bank。　A　few　moments　later；　they　heard　the　splash　of　an　anchor　being　thrown　down　in　the　shallows；　and　the　thud　of　a　plank　being　lowered　onto　the　bank。
　　　People　were　disembarking；　they　could　see　their　silhouettes　passing　the　lights　in　the　ship's　portholes。　All　of　them；　Harry　noticed；　seemed　to　be　built　along　the　lines　of　Crabbe　and　Goyle。。。　but　then；　as　they　drew　nearer；　walking　up　the　lawns　into　the　light　streaming　from　the　entrance　hall；　he　saw　that　their　bulk　was　really　due　to　the　fact　that　they　were　wearing　cloaks　of　some　kind　of　shaggy；　matted　fur。　But　the　man　who　was　leading　them　up　to　the　castle　was　wearing　furs　of　a　different　sort：　sleek　and　silver；　like　his　hair。
　　　〃Dumbledore！〃　he　called　heartily　as　he　walked　up　the　slope。　〃How　are　you；　my　dear　fellow；　how　are　you？〃
　　　〃Blooming；　thank　you；　Professor　Karkaroff；〃　Dumbledore　replied。　Karkaroff　had　a　fruity；　unctuous　voice；　when　he　stepped　into　the　light　pouring　from　the　front　doors　of　the　castle　they　saw　that　he　was　tall　and　thin　like　Dumbledore；　but　his　white　hair　was　short；　and　his　goatee　（finishing　in　a　small　curl）　did　not　entirely　hide　his　rather　weak　chin。　When　he　reached　Dumbledore；　he　shook　hands　with　both　of　his　own。
　　　〃Dear　old　Hogwarts；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　castle　and　smiling；　his　teeth　were　rather　yellow；　and　Harry　noticed　that　his　smile　did　not　extend　to　his　eyes；　which　remained　cold　and　shrewd。　〃How　good　it　is　to　be　here；　how　good。。。　Viktor；　e　along；　into　the　warmth。。。　you　don't　mind；　Dumbledore？　Viktor　has　a　slight　head　cold。。。〃
　　　Karkaroff　beckoned　forward　one　of　his　students。　As　the　boy　passed；　Harry　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　prominent　curved　nose　and　thick　black　eyebrows。　He　didn't　need　the　punch　on　the　arm　Ron　gave　him；　or　the　hiss　in　his　ear；　to　recognize　that　profile。
　　　〃Harry…it's　Krum！〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIXTEEN
　　　THE　GOBLET　OF　FIRE
　　　
　　　I　don't　believe　it！〃　Ron　said；　in　a　stunned　voice；　as　the　Hogwarts　students　filed　back　up　the　steps　behind　the　party　from　Durmstrang。　〃Krum；　Harry！　Viktor　Krum！〃
　　　〃For　heaven's　sake；　Ron；　he's　only　a　Quidditch　player；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃Only　a　Quidditch　player？〃　Ron　said；　looking　at　her　as　though　he　couldn't　believe　his　ears。　〃Hermione…he's　one　of　the　best　Seekers　in　the　world！　I　had　no　idea　he　was　still　at　school！〃
　　　As　they　recrossed　the　entrance　hall　with　the　rest　of　the　Hogwarts　students　heading　for　the　Great　Hall；　Harry　saw　Lee　Jordan　jumping　up　and　down　on　the　soles　of　his　feet　to　get　a　better　look　at　the　back　of　Krum's　head。　Several　sixth…year　girls　were　frantically　searching　their　pockets　as　they　walked…〃Oh　I　don't　believe　it；　I　haven't　got　a　single　quill　on　me…〃
　　　〃D'you　think　he'd　sign　my　hat　in　lipstick？〃
　　　〃Really；〃　Hermione　said　loftily　as　they　passed　the　girls；　now　squabbling　over　the　lipstick。
　　　〃I'm　getting　his　autograph　if　I　can；〃　said　Ron。　〃You　haven't　got　a　quill；　have　you；　Harry？〃
　　　〃Nope；　they're　upstairs　in　my　bag；〃　said　Harry。
　　　They　walked　over　to　the　Gryffindor　table　and　sat　down。　Ron　took　care　to　sit　on　the　side　facing　the　doorway；　because　Krum　and　his　fellow　Durmstrang　students　were　still　gathered　around　it；　apparently　unsure　about　where　they　should　sit。　The　students　from　Beauxbatons　had　chosen　seats　at　the　Ravenclaw　table。　They　were　looking　around　the　Great　Hall　with　glum　expressions　on　their　faces。　Three　of　them　were　still　clutching　scarves　and　shawls　around　their　heads。
　　　〃It's　not　that　cold；〃　said　Hermione　defensively。　〃Why　didn't　they　bring　cloaks？〃
　　　〃Over　here！　e　and　sit　over　here！〃　Ron　hissed。　〃Over　here！　Hermione；　budge　up；　make　a　space…〃
　　　〃What？〃
　　　〃Too　late；〃　said　Ron　bitterly。
　　　Viktor　Krum　and　his　fellow　Durmstrang　students　had　settled　themselves　at　the　Slytherin　table。　Harry　could　see　Malfoy；　Crabbe；　and　Goyle　looking　very　smug　about　this。　As　he　watched；　Malfoy　bent　forward　to　speak　to　Krum。
　　　〃Yeah；　that's　right；　smarm　up　to　him；　Malfoy；〃　said　Ron　scathingly。　〃I　bet　Krum　can　see　right　through　him；　though。。。　bet　he　gets　people　fawning　over　him　all　the　time。。。　Where　d'you　reckon　they're　going　to　sleep？　We　could　offer　him　a　space　in　our　dormitory；　Harry。。。　I　wouldn't　mind　giving　him　my　bed；　I　could　kip　on　a　camp　bed。〃
　　　Hermione　snorted。
　　　〃They　look　a　lot　happier　than　the　Beauxbatons　lot；〃　said　Harry。　The　Durmstrang　students　were　pulling　off　their　heavy　furs　and　looking　up　at　the　starry　black　ceiling　with　expressions　of　interest；　a　couple　of　them　were　picking　up　the　golden　plates　and　goblets　and　examining　them；　apparently　impressed。
　　　Up　at　the　staff　table；　Filch；　the　caretaker；　was　adding　chairs。　He　was　wearing　his　moldy　old　tailcoat　in　honor　of　the　occasion。　Harry　was　surprised　to　see　that　he　added　four　chairs；　two　on　either　side　of　Dumbledore's。
　　　〃But　there　are　only　two　extra　people；〃　Harry　said。　〃Why's　Filch　putting　out　four　chairs；　who　else　is　ing？〃
　　　〃Eh？〃　said　Ron　vaguely。　He　was　still　staring　avidly　at　Krum。
　　　When　all　the　students　had　entered　the　Hall　and　settled　down　at　their　House　tables；　the　staff　entered；　filing　up　to　the　top　table　and　taking　their　seats。　Last　in　line　were　Professor　Dumbledore；　Professor　Karkaroff；　and　Madame　Maxime。　When　their　headmistress　appeared；　the　pupils　from　Beauxbatons　leapt　to　their　feet。　A　few　of　the　Hogwarts　students　laughed。　The　Beauxbatons　party　appeared　quite　unembarrassed；　however；　and　did　not　resume　their　seats　until　Madame　Maxime　had　sat　down　on　Dumbledore's　left…hand　side。　Dumbledore　remained　standing；　and　a　silence　fell　over　the　Great　Hall。
　　　〃Good　evening；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　ghosts　and…most　particularly…guests；〃　said　Dumbledore；　beaming　around　at　the