jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第38部分

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　　　〃What's　that？〃　said　Ron；　pointing　at　a　large　dish　of　some　sort　of　shellfish　stew　that　stood　beside　a　large　steak…and…kidney　pudding。
　　　〃Bouillabaisse；〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃Bless　you；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃It's　French；〃　said　Hermione；　〃I　had　it　on　holiday　summer　before　last。　It's　very　nice。〃
　　　〃I'll　take　your　word　for　it；〃　said　Ron；　helping　himself　to　black　pudding。
　　　The　Great　Hall　seemed　somehow　much　more　crowded　than　usual；　even　though　there　were　barely　twenty　additional　students　there；　perhaps　it　was　because　their　differently　colored　uniforms　stood　out　so　clearly　against　the　black　of　the　Hogwarts'　robes。　Now　that　they　had　removed　their　furs；　the　Durmstrang　students　were　revealed　to　be　wearing　robes　of　a　deep　bloodred。
　　　Hagrid　sidled　into　the　Hall　through　a　door　behind　the　staff　table　twenty　minutes　after　the　start　of　the　feast。　He　slid　into　his　seat　at　the　end　and　waved　at　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　with　a　very　heavily　bandaged　hand。
　　　〃Skrewts　doing　all　right；　Hagrid？〃　Harry　called。
　　　〃Thrivin'；〃　Hagrid　called　back　happily。
　　　〃Yeah；　I'll　just　bet　they　are；〃　said　Ron　quietly。　〃Looks　like　they've　finally　found　a　food　they　like；　doesn't　it？　Hagrid's　fingers。〃
　　　At　that　moment；　a　voice　said；　〃Excuse　me；　are　you　wanting　ze　bouillabaisse？〃
　　　It　was　the　girl　from　Beauxbatons　who　had　laughed　during　Dumbledore's　speech。　She　had　finally　removed　her　muffler。　A　long　sheet　of　silvery…blonde　hair　fell　almost　to　her　waist。　She　had　large；　deep　blue　eyes；　and　very　white；　even　teeth。
　　　Ron　went　purple。　He　stared　up　at　her；　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　but　nothing　came　out　except　a　faint　gurgling　noise。
　　　〃Yeah；　have　it；〃　said　Harry；　pushing　the　dish　toward　the　girl。
　　　〃You　'ave　finished　wiz　it？〃
　　　〃Yeah；〃　Ron　said　breathlessly。　〃Yeah；　it　was　excellent。〃
　　　The　girl　picked　up　the　dish　and　carried　it　carefully　off　to　the　Ravenclaw　table。　Ron　was　still　goggling　at　the　girl　as　though　he　had　never　seen　one　before。　Harry　started　to　laugh。　The　sound　seemed　to　jog　Ron　back　to　his　senses。
　　　〃She's　a　veela！〃　he　said　hoarsely　to　Harry。
　　　〃Of　course　she　isn't！〃　said　Hermione　tartly。　〃I　don't　see　anyone　else　gaping　at　her　like　an　idiot！〃
　　　But　she　wasn't　entirely　right　about　that。　As　the　girl　crossed　the　Hall；　many　boys'　heads　turned；　and　some　of　them　seemed　to　have　bee　temporarily　speechless；　just　like　Ron。
　　　〃I'm　telling　you；　that's　not　a　normal　girl！〃　said　Ron；　leaning　sideways　so　he　could　keep　a　clear　view　of　her。　〃They　don't　make　them　like　that　at　Hogwarts！〃
　　　〃They　make　them　okay　at　Hogwarts；〃　said　Harry　without　thinking。　Cho　happened　to　be　sitting　only　a　few　places　away　from　the　girl　with　the　silvery　hair。
　　　〃When　you've　both　put　your　eyes　back　in；〃　said　Hermione　briskly；　〃you'll　be　able　to　see　who's　just　arrived。〃
　　　She　was　pointing　up　at　the　staff　table。　The　two　remaining　empty　seats　had　just　been　filled。　Ludo　Bagman　was　now　sitting　on　Professor　Karkaroff's　other　side；　while　Mr。　Crouch；　Percy's　boss；　was　next　to　Madame　Maxime。
　　　〃What　are　they　doing　here？〃　said　Harry　in　surprise。
　　　〃They　organized　the　Triwizard　Tournament；　didn't　they？〃　said　Hermione。　〃I　suppose　they　wanted　to　be　here　to　see　it　start。〃
　　　When　the　second　course　arrived　they　noticed　a　number　of　unfamiliar　desserts　too。　Ron　examined　an　odd　sort　of　pale　blancmange　closely；　then　moved　it　carefully　a　few　inches　to　his　right；　so　that　it　would　be　clearly　visible　from　the　Ravenclaw　table。　The　girl　who　looked　like　a　veela　appeared　to　have　eaten　enough；　however；　and　did　not　e　over　to　get　it。
　　　Once　the　golden　plates　had　been　wiped　clean；　Dumbledore　stood　up　again。　A　pleasant　sort　of　tension　seemed　to　fill　the　Hall　now。　Harry　felt　a　slight　thrill　of　excitement；　wondering　what　was　ing。　Several　seats　down　from　them；　Fred　and　George　were　leaning　forward；　staring　at　Dumbledore　with　great　concentration。
　　　〃The　moment　has　e；〃　said　Dumbledore；　smiling　around　at　the　sea　of　upturned　faces。　〃The　Triwizard　Tournament　is　about　to　start。　I　would　like　to　say　a　few　words　of　explanation　before　we　bring　in　the　casket…〃
　　　〃The　what？〃　Harry　muttered。
　　　Ron　shrugged。
　　　〃just　to　clarify　the　procedure　that　we　will　be　following　this　year。　But　first；　let　me　introduce；　for　those　who　do　not　know　them；　Mr。　Bartemius　Crouch；　Head　of　the　Department　of　International　Magical　Cooperation〃…there　was　a　smattering　of　polite　applause…〃and　Mr。　Ludo　Bagman；　Head　of　the　Department　of　Magical　Games　and　Sports。〃
　　　There　was　a　much　louder　round　of　applause　for　Bagman　than　for　Crouch；　perhaps　because　of　his　fame　as　a　Beater；　or　simply　because　he　looked　so　much　more　likable。　He　acknowledged　it　with　a　jovial　wave　of　his　hand。　Bartemius　Crouch　did　not　smile　or　wave　when　his　name　was　announced。　Remembering　him　in　his　neat　suit　at　the　Quidditch　World　Cup；　Harry　thought　he　looked　strange　in　wizard's　robes。　His　toothbrush　mustache　and　severe　parting　looked　very　odd　next　to　Dumbledore's　long　white　hair　and　beard。
　　　〃Mr。　Bagman　and　Mr。　Crouch　have　worked　tirelessly　over　the　last　few　months　on　the　arrangements　for　the　Triwizard　Tournament；〃　Dumbledore　continued；　〃and　they　will　be　joining　myself；　Professor　Karkaroff；　and　Madame　Maxime　on　the　panel　that　will　judge　the　champions'　efforts。〃
　　　At　the　mention　of　the　word　〃champions；〃　the　attentiveness　of　the　listening　students　seemed　to　sharpen。　Perhaps　Dumbledore　had　noticed　their　sudden　stillness；　for　he　smiled　as　he　said；　〃The　casket；　then；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Filch。〃
　　　Filch；　who　had　been　lurking　unnoticed　in　a　far　corner　of　the　Hall；　now　approached　Dumbledore　carrying　a　great　wooden　chest　encrusted　with　jewels。　It　looked　extremely　old。　A　murmur　of　excited　interest　rose　from　the　watching　students；　Dennis　Creevey　actually　stood　on　his　chair　to　see　it　properly；　but；　being　so　tiny；　his　head　hardly　rose　above　anyone　else's。
　　　〃The　instructions　for　the　tasks　the　champions　will　face　this　year　have　already　been　examined　by　Mr。　Crouch　and　Mr。　Bagman；〃　said　Dumbledore　as　Filch　placed　the　chest　carefully　on　the　table　before　him；　〃and　they　have　made　the　necessary　arrangements　for　each　challenge。　There　will　be　three　tasks；　spaced　throughout　the　school　year；　and　they　will　test　the　champions　in　many　different　ways。。　their　magical　prowess…their　daring…their　powers　of　deduction…and；　of　course；　their　ability　to　cope　with　danger。〃
　　　At　this　last　word；　the　Hall　was　filled　with　a　silence　so　absolute　that　nobody　seemed　to　be　breathing。
　　　〃As　you　know；　three　champions　pete　in　the　tournament；〃　Dumbledore　went　on　calmly；　〃one　from　each　of　the　participating　schools。　They　will　be　marked　on　how　well　they　perform　each　of　the　Tournament　tasks　and　the　champion　with　the　highest　total　after　task　three　will　win　the　Triwizard　Cup。　The　champions　will　be　chosen　by　an　impartial　selector：　the　Goblet　of　Fire。〃
　　　Dumbledore　now　took　out　his　wand　and　tapped　three　times　upon　the　top　of　the　casket。　The　lid　creaked　slowly　open。　Dumbledore　reached　inside　it　and　pulled　out　a　large；　roughly　hewn　wooden　cup。　It　would　have　been　entirely　unremarkable　had　it　not　been　full　to　the　brim　with　dancing　blue…white　flames。
　　　Dumbledore　closed　the　casket　and　placed　the　goblet　carefully　on　top　of　it；　where　it　would　be　clearly　visible　to　everyone　in　the　Hall。
　　　〃Anybody　wishing　to　submit　themselves　as　champion　must　write　their　name　and　school　clearly　upon　a　slip　of　parchment　and　drop　it　into　the　goblet；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Aspiring　champions　have　twenty…four　hours　in　which　to　put　their　names　forward。　Tomorrow　night；　Halloween；　the　goblet　will　return　the　names　of　the　three　it　has　judged　most　worthy　to　represent　their　schools。　The　goblet　will　be　placed　in　the　entrance　hall　tonight；　where　it　will　be　freely　accessible　to　all　those　wishing　to　pete。
　　　〃To　ensure　that　no　underage　student　yields　to　temptation；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃I　will　be　drawing　an　Age　Line　around　the　Goblet　of　Fire　once　it　has　been　placed　in　the　entrance　hall。　Nobody　under　the　age　of　seventeen　will　be　able　to　cross　this　line。
　　　〃Finally；　I　wish　to　impress　upon　any　of　you　wishing　to　pete　that　this　tournament　is　not　to　be　entered　into　lightly。　Once　a　champion　has　been　selected　by　the　Goblet　of　Fire；　he　or　she　is　obliged　to　see　the　tournament　through　to　the　end。　The　placing　of　your　name　in　the　goblet　constitutes　a　binding；　magical　contract。　There　can　be　no　change　of　heart　once　you　have　bee　a　champion。　Please　be　very　sure；　therefore；　that　you　are　wholeheartedly　prepared　to　play　before　you　drop　your　name　into　the　goblet。　Now；　I　think　it　is　time　for　bed。　Good　night　to　you　all。〃
　　　〃An　Age　Line！〃　Fred　Weasley　said；　his　eyes　glinting；　as　they　all　made　their　way　across　the　Hall　to　the　doors　into　the　entrance　hall。　〃Well；　that　should　be　fooled　by　an　Aging　Potion；　shouldn't　it？　And　once　your　name's　in　that　goblet；　you're　laughing…it　can't　tell　whether　you're　seventeen　or　not！〃
　　　〃But　I　don't　think　anyone　under　seventeen　will　stand　a　chance；〃　said　Hermione；　〃we　just　haven't　learned　enough。。。〃
　　　〃Speak　for　yourself；〃　said　George　shortly。　〃You'll　try　and　get　in；　won't　you；　Harry？〃
　　　Harry　thought　briefly　of　Dumbledore's　insistence　that　nobody　under　seventeen　should　submit　their　name；　but　then　the　wonderful　picture　of　himself　winning　the　Triwizard　Tournament　filled　his　mind　again。。。　He　wondered　how　angry　Dumbledore　would　be　if　someone　younger　than　seventeen　did　find　a　way　to　get　over　the　Age　Line。
　　　〃Where　is　he？〃　said　Ron；　who　wasn't　listening　to　a　word　of　this　conversation；　but　looking　through　the　crowd　to　see　what　had　bee　of　Krum。　〃Dumbledore　didn't　say　where　the　Durmstrang　people　are　sleeping；　did　he？〃
　　　But　this　query　was　answered　almost　instantly；　they　were　level　with　the　Slytherin　table　now；　and　Karkaroff　had　just　bustled　up　to　his　students。
　　　〃Back　to　the　ship；　then；〃　he　was　saying。　〃Viktor；　how　are　you　feeling？　Did　you　eat　enough？　Should　I　send　for　some　mulled　wine　from　the　kitchens？〃
　　　Harry　saw　Krum　shake　his　head　as　he　pulled　his　furs　back　on。　〃Professor；　Ivood　like　some　vine；〃　said　one　of　the　other　Durmstrang　boys　hopefully。
　　　〃I　wasn't　offering　it　to　you；　Poliakoff；〃　snapped　Karkaroff；　his　warmly　paternal　air　vanishing　in　an　instant。　〃I　notice　you　have　dribbled　food　all　down　the　front　of　your　robes　again；　disgusting　boy…〃
　　　Karkaroff　turned　and　led　his　students　toward　the　doors；　reaching　them　at　exactly　the　same　moment