jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第61节

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　　　〃Harry's　got　a　long　way　to　go　before　he　finishes　this　tournament；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃If　that　was　the　first　task；　I　hate　to　think　what's　ing　next。〃
　　　〃Right　little　ray　of　sunshine；　aren't　you？〃　said　Ron。　〃You　and　Professor　Trelawney　should　get　together　sometime。〃
　　　He　threw　Pigwidgeon　out　of　the　window。　Pigwidgeon　plummeted　twelve　feet　before　managing　to　pull　himself　back　up　again；　the　letter　attached　to　his　leg　was　much　longer　and　heavier　than　usual…Harry　hadn't　been　able　to　resist　giving　Sirius　a　blow…by…blow　account　of　exactly　how　he　had　swerved；　circled；　and　dodged　the　Horntail。　They　watched　Pigwidgeon　disappear　into　the　darkness；　and　then　Ron　said；　〃Well；　we'd　better　get　downstairs　for　your　surprise　party；　Harry…Fred　and　George　should　have　nicked　enough　food　from　the　kitchens　by　now。〃
　　　Sure　enough；　when　they　entered　the　Gryffindor　mon　room　it　exploded　with　cheers　and　yells　again。　There　were　mountains　of　cakes　and　flagons　of　pumpkin　juice　and　butterbeer　on　every　surface；　Lee　Jordan　had　let　off　some　Filibuster's　Fireworks；　so　that　the　air　was　thick　with　stars　and　sparks；　and　Dean　Thomas；　who　was　very　good　at　drawing；　had　put　up　some　impressive　new　banners；　most　of　which　depicted　Harry　zooming　around　the　Horntail's　head　on　his　Firebolt；　though　a　couple　showed　Cedric　with　his　head　on　fire。
　　　Harry　helped　himself　to　food；　he　had　almost　forgotten　what　it　was　like　to　feel　properly　hungry；　and　sat　down　with　Ron　and　Hermione。　He　couldn't　believe　how　happy　he　felt；　he　had　Ron　back　on　his　side；　he'd　gotten　through　the　first　task；　and　he　wouldn't　have　to　face　the　second　one　for　three　months。
　　　〃Blimey；　this　is　heavy；〃　said　Lee　Jordan；　picking　up　the　golden　egg；　which　Harry　had　left　on　a　table；　and　weighing　it　in　his　hands。　〃Open　it；　Harry；　go　on！　Let's　just　see　what's　inside　it！〃
　　　〃He's　supposed　to　work　out　the　clue　on　his　own；〃　Hermione　said　swiftly。　〃It's　in　the　tournament　rules。。。〃
　　　〃I　was　supposed　to　work　out　how　to　get　past　the　dragon　on　my　own　too；〃　Harry　muttered；　so　only　Hermione　could　hear　him；　and　she　grinned　rather　guiltily。
　　　〃Yeah；　go　on；　Harry；　open　it！〃　several　people　echoed。
　　　Lee　passed　Harry　the　egg；　and　Harry　dug　his　fingernails　into　the　groove　that　ran　all　the　way　around　it　and　prised　it　open。
　　　It　was　hollow　and　pletely　empty…but　the　moment　Harry　opened　it；　the　most　horrible　noise；　a　loud　and　screechy　wailing；　filled　the　room。　The　nearest　thing　to　it　Harry　had　ever　heard　was　the　ghost　orchestra　at　Nearly　Headless　Nick's　deathday　party；　who　had　all　been　playing　the　musical　saw。
　　　〃Shut　it！〃　Fred　bellowed；　his　hands　over　his　ears。
　　　〃What　was　that？〃　said　Seamus　Finnigan；　staring　at　the　egg　as　Harry　slammed　it　shut　again。　〃Sounded　like　a　banshee　。。。Maybe　you've　got　to　get　past　one　of　those　next；　Harry！〃
　　　〃It　was　someone　being　tortured！〃　said　Neville；　who　had　gone　very　white　and　spilled　sausage　rolls　all　over　the　floor。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　fight　the　Cruciatus　Curse！〃
　　　〃Don't　be　a　prat；　Neville；　that's　illegal；〃　said　George。　〃They　wouldn't　use　the　Cruciatus　Curse　on　the　champions。　I　thought　it　sounded　a　bit　like　Percy　singing。。。　maybe　you've　got　to　attack　him　while　he's　in　the　shower。　Harry。〃
　　　〃Want　a　jam　tart；　Hermione？〃　said　Fred。
　　　Hermione　looked　doubtfully　at　the　plate　he　was　offering　her。　Fred　grinned。
　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　haven't　done　anything　to　them。　It's　the　custard　creams　you've　got　to　watch…〃
　　　Neville；　who　had　just　bitten　into　a　custard　cream；　choked　and　spat　it　out。　Fred　laughed。
　　　〃Just　my　little　joke；　Neville。。。〃
　　　Hermione　took　a　jam　tart。　Then　she　said；　〃Did　you　get　all　this　from　the　kitchens；　Fred？〃
　　　〃Yep；〃　said　Fred；　grinning　at　her。　He　put　on　a　high…pitched　squeak　and　imitated　a　house…elf。　〃'Anything　we　can　get　you；　sir；　anything　at　all！'　They're　dead　helpful。。。　get　me　a　roast　ox　if　I　said　I　was　peckish。〃
　　　〃How　do　you　get　in　there？〃　Hermione　said　in　an　innocently　casual　sort　of　voice。
　　　〃Easy；〃　said　Fred；　〃concealed　door　behind　a　painting　of　a　bowl　of　fruit。　Just　tickle　the　pear；　and　it　giggles　and…〃　He　stopped　and　looked　suspiciously　at　her。　〃Why？〃
　　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Hermione　quickly。
　　　〃Going　to　try　and　lead　the　house…elves　out　on　strike　now；　are　you？〃　said　George。　〃Going　to　give　up　all　the　leaflet　stuff　and　try　and　stir　them　up　into　rebellion？〃
　　　Several　people　chortled。　Hermione　didn't　answer。
　　　〃Don't　you　go　upsetting　them　and　telling　them　they've　got　to　take　clothes　and　salaries！〃　said　Fred　warningly。　〃You'll　put　them　off　their　cooking！〃
　　　Just　then；　Neville　caused　a　slight　diversion　by　turning　into　a　large　canary。
　　　〃Oh…sorry；　Neville！〃　Fred　shouted　over　all　the　laughter。　〃I　forgot…it　was　the　custard
　　　creams　we　hexed…〃
　　　Within　a　minute；　however；　Neville　had　molted；　and　once　his　feathers　had　fallen　off；　he　reappeared　looking　entirely　normal。　He　even　joined　in　laughing。
　　　〃Canary　Creams！〃　Fred　shouted　to　the　excitable　crowd。　〃George　and　I　invented　them…seven　Sickles　each；　a　bargain！〃
　　　It　was　nearly　one　in　the　morning　when　Harry　finally　went　up　to　the　dormitory　with　Ron；　Neville；　Seamus；　and　Dean。　Before　he　pulled　the　curtains　of　his　four…poster　shut。　Harry　set　his　tiny　model　of　the　Hungarian　Horntail　on　the　table　next　to　his　bed；　where　it　yawned；　curled　up；　and　closed　its　eyes。　Really；　Harry　thought；　as　he　pulled　the　hangings　on　his　four…poster　closed；　Hagrid　had　a　point。。。　they　were　all　right；　really；　dragons。。。
　　　
　　　The　start　of　December　brought　wind　and　sleet　to　Hogwarts。　Drafty　though　the　castle　always　was　in　winter。　Harry　was　glad　of　its　fires　and　thick　walls　every　time　he　passed　the　Durmstrang　ship　on　the　lake；　which　was　pitching　in　the　high　winds；　its　black　sails　billowing
　　　against　the　dark　skies。　He　thought　the　Beauxbatons　caravan　was　likely　to　be　pretty　chilly　too。　Hagrid；　he　noticed；　was　keeping　Madame　Maxime's　horses　well　provided　with　their　preferred　drink　of　single…malt　whiskey；　the　fumes　wafting　from　the　trough　in　the　er　of　their　paddock　was　enough　to　make　the　entire　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　class　light…headed。　This　was　unhelpful；　as　they　were　still　tending　the　horrible　skrewts　and　needed　their　wits　about　them。
　　　〃I'm　not　sure　whether　they　hibernate　or　not；〃　Hagrid　told　the　shivering　class　in　the　windy　pumpkin　patch　next　lesson。　〃Thought　we'd　jus'　try　an　see　if　they　fancied　a　kip。。。　we'll　jus'　settle　'em　down　in　these　boxes。。。〃
　　　There　were　now　only　ten　skrewts　left；　apparently　their　desire　to　kill　one　another　had　not　been　exercised　out　of　them。　Each　of　them　was　now　approaching　six　feet　in　length。　Their　thick　gray　armor；　their　powerful；　scuttling　legs；　their　fire…blasting　ends；　their　stings　and　their　suckers；　bined　to　make　the　skrewts　the　most　repulsive　things　Harry　had　ever　seen。　The　class　looked　dispiritedly　at　the　enormous　boxes　Hagrid　had　brought　out；　all　lined　with　pillows　and　fluffy　blankets。
　　　〃We'll　jus'　lead　'em　in　here；〃　Hagrid　said；　〃an'　put　the　lids　on；　and　we'll　see　what　happens。〃
　　　But　the　skrewts；　it　transpired；　did　not　hibernate；　and　did　not　appreciate　being　forced　into　pillow…lined　boxes　and　nailed　in。　Hagrid　was　soon　yelling；　〃Don　panic；　now；　don'　panic！〃　while　the　skrewts　rampaged　around　the　pumpkin　patch；　now　strewn　with　the　smoldering　wreckage　of　the　boxes。　Most　of　the　class…Malfoy；　Crabbe；　and　Goyle　in　the　lead…had　fled　into　Hagrid's　cabin　through　the　back　door　and　barricaded　themselves　in；　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　however；　were　among　those　who　remained　outside　trying　to　help　Hagrid。　Together　they　managed　to　restrain　and　tie　up　nine　of　the　skrewts；　though　at　the　cost　of　numerous　burns　and　cuts；　finally；　only　one　skrewt　was　left。
　　　〃Don'　frighten　him；　now！〃　Hagrid　shouted　as　Ron　and　Harry　used　their　wands　to　shoot　jets　of　fiery　sparks　at　the　skrewt；　which　was　advancing　menacingly　on　them；　its　sting　arched；　quivering；　over　its　back。　〃Jus'　try　an　slip　the　rope　'round　his　sting；　so　he　won　hurt　any　o'　the　others！〃
　　　〃Yeah；　we　wouldn't　want　that！〃　Ron　shouted　angrily　as　he　and　Harry　backed　into　the　wall　of　Hagrid's　cabin；　still　holding　the　skrewt　off　with　their　sparks。
　　　〃Well；　well；　well。。。　this　does　look　like　fun。〃
　　　Rita　Skeeter　was　leaning　on　Hagrid's　garden　fence；　looking　in　at　the　mayhem。　She　was　wearing　a　thick　magenta　cloak　with　a　furry　purple　collar　today；　and　her　crocodile…skin　handbag　was　over　her　arm。
　　　Hagrid　launched　himself　forward　on　top　of　the　skrewt　that　was　cornering　Harry　and　Ron　and　flattened　it；　a　blast　of　fire　shot　out　of　its　end；　withering　the　pumpkin　plants　nearby。
　　　〃Who're　you？〃　Hagrid　asked　Rita　Skeeter　as　he　slipped　a　loop　of　rope　around　the　skrewt's　sting　and　tightened　it。
　　　〃Rita　Skeeter；　Daily　Prophet　reporter；〃　Rita　replied；　beaming　at　him。　Her　gold　teeth　glinted。
　　　〃Thought　Dumbledore　said　you　weren'　allowed　inside　the　school　anymore；〃　said　Hagrid；　frowning　slightly　as　he　got　off　the　slightly　squashed　skrewt　and　started　tugging　it　over　to　its　fellows。
　　　Rita　acted　as　though　she　hadn't　heard　what　Hagrid　had　said。
　　　〃What　are　these　fascinating　creatures　called？〃　she　asked；　beaming　still　more　widely。
　　　〃Blast…Ended　Skrewts；〃　grunted　Hagrid。
　　　〃Really？〃　said　Rita；　apparently　full　of　lively　interest。　〃I've　never　heard　of　them　before。。。　where　do　they　e　from？〃
　　　Harry　noticed　a　dull　red　flush　rising　up　out　of　H