jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第51部分

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　　　〃Dragons　are　extremely　difficult　to　slay；　owing　to　the　ancient　magic　that　imbues　their　thick　hides；　which　none　but　the　most　powerful　spells　can　penetrate。。。　'　But　Sirius　said　a　simple　one　would　do　it。。。
　　　〃Let's　try　some　simple　spellbooks；　then；〃　said　Harry；　throwing　aside　Men　Who　Love　Dragons　Too　Much。
　　　He　returned　to　the　table　with　a　pile　of　spellbooks；　set　them　down；　and　began　to　flick　through　each　in　turn；　Hermione　whispering　nonstop　at　his　elbow。
　　　〃Well；　there　are　Switching　Spells。。。　but　what's　the　point　of　Switching　it？　Unless　you　swapped　its　fangs　for　wine…gums　or　something　that　would　make　it　less　dangerous。。。　The　trouble　is；　like　that　book　said；　not　much　is　going　to　get　through　a　dragon's　hide。。。　I'd　say　Transfigure　it；　but　something　that　big；　you　really　haven't　got　a　hope；　I　doubt　even　Professor　McGonagall。。。　unless　you're　supposed　to　put　the　spell　on　yourself？　Maybe　to　give　yourself　extra　powers？　But　they're　not　simple　spells；　I　mean；　we　haven't　done　any　of　those　in　class；　I　only　know　about　them　because　I've　been　doing　O。　W。　L。　practice　papers。。。〃
　　　〃Hermione；〃　Harry　said；　through　gritted　teeth；　〃will　you　shut　up　for　a　bit；　please？　I　m　trying　to　concentrate。〃
　　　But　all　that　happened；　when　Hermione　fell　silent；　was　that　Harry's　brain　filled　with　a　sort　of　blank　buzzing；　which　didn't　seem　to　allow　room　for　concentration。　He　stared　hopelessly　down　the　index　of　Basic　Hexes　for　the　Busy　and　Vexed。　Instant　scalping。。。　but　dragons　had　no　hair。。。　pepper　breath。。。　that　would　probably　increase　a　dragon's　firepower。。。　horn　tongue。。。　just　what　he　needed；　to　give　it　an　extra　weapon。。。
　　　〃Oh　no；　he's　back　again；　why　can't　he　read　on　his　stupid　ship？〃　said　Hermione　irritably　as　Viktor　Krum　slouched　in；　cast　a　surly　look　over　at　the　pair　of　them；　and　settled　himself　in　a　distant　corner　with　a　pile　of　books。　〃e　on；　Harry；　we'll　go　back　to　the　mon　room。。。　his　fan　club'll　be　here　in　a　moment；　twittering　away。。。〃
　　　And　sure　enough；　as　they　left　the　library；　a　gang　of　girls　tiptoed　past　them；　one　of　them　wearing　a　Bulgaria　scarf　tied　around　her　waist。
　　　
　　　Harry　barely　slept　that　night。　When　he　awoke　on　Monday　morning；　he　seriously　considered　for　the　first　time　ever　just　running　away　from　Hogwarts。　But　as　he　looked　around　the　Great　Hall　at　breakfast　time；　and　thought　about　what　leaving　the　castle　would　mean；　he　knew　he　couldn't　do　it。　It　was　the　only　place　he　had　ever　been　happy。。。　well；　he　supposed　he　must　have　been　happy　with　his　parents　too；　but　he　couldn't　remember　that。
　　　Somehow；　the　knowledge　that　he　would　rather　be　here　and　facing　a　dragon　than　back　on　Privet　Drive　with　Dudley　was　good　to　know；　it　made　him　feel　slightly　calmer。　He　finished　his　bacon　with　difficulty　（his　throat　wasn't　working　too　well）；　and　as　he　and　Hermione　got　up；　he　saw　Cedric　Diggory　leaving　the　Hufflepuff　table。
　　　Cedric　still　didn't　know　about　the　dragons。。。　the　only　champion　who　didn't；　if　Harry　was　right　in　thinking　that　Maxime　and　Karkaroff　would　have　told　Fleur　and　Krum。。。
　　　〃Hermione；　I'll　see　you　in　the　greenhouses；〃　Harry　said；　ing　to　his　decision　as　he　watched　Cedric　leaving　the　Hall。　〃Go　on；　I'll　catch　you　up。〃
　　　〃Harry；　you'll　be　late；　the　bell's　about　to　ring…〃
　　　〃I'll　catch　you　up；　okay？〃
　　　By　the　time　Harry　reached　the　bottom　of　the　marble　staircase；　Cedric　was　at　the　top。　He　was　with　a　load　of　sixth…year　friends。　Harry　didn't　want　to　talk　to　Cedric　in　front　of　them；　they　were　among　those　who　had　been　quoting　Rita　Skeeter's　article　at　him　every　time　he　went　near　them。　He　followed　Cedric　at　a　distance　and　saw　that　he　was　heading　toward　the　Charms　corridor。　This　gave　Harry　an　idea。　Pausing　at　a　distance　from　them；　he　pulled　out　his　wand；　and　took　careful　aim。
　　　〃Diffindo！〃
　　　Cedric's　bag　split。　Parchment；　quills；　and　books　spilled　out　of　it　onto　the　floor。　Several　bottles　of　ink　smashed。
　　　〃Don't　bother；〃　said　Cedric　in　an　exasperated　voice　as　his　friends　bent　down　to　help　him。　〃Tell　Flitwick　I'm　ing；　go　on。。。
　　　This　was　exactly　what　Harry　had　been　hoping　for。　He　slipped　his　wand　back　into　his　robes；　waited　until　Cedric's　friends　had　disappeared　into　their　classroom；　and　hurried　up　the　corridor；　which　was　now　empty　of　everyone　but　himself　and　Cedric。
　　　〃Hi；〃　said　Cedric；　picking　up　a　copy　of　A　Guide　to　Advanced　Transfiguration　that　was　now　splattered　with　ink。　〃My　bag　just　split。。。　brand…new　and　all。。。〃
　　　〃Cedric；〃　said　Harry；　〃the　first　task　is　dragons。〃
　　　〃What？〃　said　Cedric；　looking　up。
　　　〃Dragons；〃　said　Harry；　speaking　quickly；　in　case　Professor　Flitwick　came　out　to　see　where　Cedric　had　got　to。　〃They've　got　four；　one　for　each　of　us；　and　we've　got　to　get　past　them。〃
　　　Cedric　stared　at　him。　Harry　saw　some　of　the　panic　he'd　been　feeling　since　Saturday　night　flickering　in　Cedric's　gray　eyes。
　　　〃Are　you　sure？〃　Cedric　said　in　a　hushed　voice。
　　　〃Dead　sure；〃　said　Harry。　〃I've　seen　them。〃
　　　〃But　how　did　you　find　out？　We're　not　supposed　to　know。。。〃
　　　〃Never　mind；〃　said　Harry　quickly…he　knew　Hagrid　would　be　in　trouble　if　he　told　the　truth。　〃But　I'm　not　the　only　one　who　knows。　Fleur　and　Krum　will　know　by　now…Maxime　and　Karkaroff　both　saw　the　dragons　too。〃
　　　Cedric　straightened　up；　his　arms　full　of　inky　quills；　parchment；　and　books；　his　ripped　bag　dangling　off　one　shoulder。　He　stared　at　Harry；　and　there　was　a　puzzled；　almost　suspicious　look　in　his　eyes。
　　　〃Why　are　you　telling　me？〃　he　asked。
　　　Harry　looked　at　him　in　disbelief。　He　was　sure　Cedric　wouldn't　have　asked　that　if　he　had　seen　the　dragons　himself。　Harry　wouldn't　have　let　his　worst　enemy　face　those　monsters　unprepared…well；　perhaps　Malfoy　or　Snape。。。
　　　〃It's　just。。。　fair；　isn't　it？〃　he　said　to　Cedric。　〃We　all　know　now。。。　we're　on　an　even　footing；　aren't　we？〃
　　　Cedric　was　still　hooking　at　him　in　a　slightly　suspicious　way　when　Harry　heard　a　familiar　clunking　noise　behind　him。　He　turned　around　and　saw　Mad…Eye　Moody　emerging　from　a　nearby　classroom。
　　　〃e　with　me；　Potter；〃　he　growled。　〃Diggory；　off　you　go。〃
　　　Harry　stared　apprehensively　at　Moody。　Had　he　overheard　them？
　　　〃Er…Professor；　I'm　supposed　to　be　in　Herbology…〃
　　　〃Never　mind　that；　Potter。　In　my　office；　please。。。
　　　Harry　followed　him；　wondering　what　was　going　to　happen　to　him　now。　What　if　Moody　wanted　to　know　how　he'd　found　out　about　the　dragons？　Would　Moody　go　to　Dumbledore　and　tell　on　Hagrid；　or　just　turn　Harry　into　a　ferret？　Well；　it　might　be　easier　to　get　past　a　dragon　if　he　were　a　ferret；　Harry　thought　dully；　he'd　be　smaller；　much　less　easy　to　see　from　a　height　of　fifty　feet。。
　　　He　followed　Moody　into　his　office。　Moody　closed　the　door　behind　them　and　turned　to　look　at　Harry；　his　magical　eye　fixed　upon　him　as　well　as　the　normal　one。
　　　〃That　was　a　very　decent　thing　you　just　did；　Potter；〃　Moody　said　quietly。
　　　Harry　didn't　know　what　to　say；　this　wasn't　the　reaction　he　had　expected　at　all。
　　　〃Sit　down；〃　said　Moody；　and　Harry　sat；　looking　around。
　　　He　had　visited　this　office　under　two　of　its　previous　occupants。　In　Professor　Lockhart's　day；　the　walls　had　been　plastered　with　beaming；　winking　pictures　of　Professor　Lockhart　himself。　When　Lupin　had　lived　here；　you　were　more　likely　to　e　across　a　specimen　of　some　fascinating　new　Dark　creature　he　had　procured　for　them　to　study　in　class。　Now；　however；　the　office　was　full　of　a　number　of　exceptionally　odd　objects　that　Harry　supposed　Moody　had　used　in　the　days　when　he　had　been　an　Auror。
　　　On　his　desk　stood　what　looked　hike　a　large；　cracked；　glass　spinning　top；　Harry　recognized　it　at　once　as　a　Sneakoscope；　because　he　owned　one　himself；　though　it　was　much　smaller　than　Moody's。　In　the　corner　on　a　small　table　stood　an　object　that　looked　something　like　an　extra…squiggly；　golden　television　aerial。　It　was　humming　slightly。　What　appeared　to　be　a　mirror　hung　opposite　Harry　on　the　wall；　but　it　was　not　reflecting　the　room。　Shadowy　figures　were　moving　around　inside　it；　none　of　them　clearly　in　focus。
　　　〃Like　my　Dark　Detectors；　do　you？〃　s　aid　Moody；　who　was　watching　Harry　closely。
　　　〃What's　that？〃　Harry　asked；　pointing　at　the　squiggly　golden　aerial。
　　　〃Secrecy　Sensor。　Vibrates　when　it　detects　concealment　and　lies。。。　no　use　here；　of　course；　too　much　interference…students　in　every　direction　lying　about　why　they　haven't　done　their　homework　Been　humming　ever　since　I　got　here。　I　had　to　disable　my　Sneakoscope　because　it　wouldn't　stop　whistling。　It's　extra…sensitive；　picks　up　stuff　about　a　mile　around。　Of　course；　it　could　be　picking　up　more　than　kid　stuff；〃　he　added　in　a　growl。
　　　〃And　what's　the　mirror　for？〃
　　　〃Oh　that's　my　Foe…Glass。　See　them　out　there；　skulking　around？　I'm　not　really　in　trouble　until　I　see　the　whites　of　their　eyes。　That's　when　I　open　my　trunk。〃
　　　He　let　out　a　short；　harsh　laugh；　and　pointed　to　the　large　trunk　under　the　window。　It　had　seven　keyholes　in　a　row。　Harry　wondered　what　was　in　there；　until　Moody's　next　question　brought　him　sharply　back　to　earth。
　　　〃So。。。　found　out　about　the　dragons；　have　you？〃
　　　Harry　hesitated。　He'd　been　afraid　of　this…but　he　hadn't　told　Cedric；　and　he　certainly　wasn't　going　to　tell　Moody；　that　Hagrid　had　broken　the　rules。
　　　〃It's　all　right；〃　said　Moody；　sitting　down　and　stretching　out　his　wooden　leg　with　a　groan。　〃Cheating's　a　traditional　part　of　the　Triwizard　Tournament　and　always　has　been。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　cheat；〃　said　Harry　sharply。　〃It　was…a　sort　of　accident　that　I　found　out。〃
　　　Moody　grinned。　〃I　wasn't　accusing　you；　laddie。　I've　been　telling　Dumbledore　from　the　start；　he　can　be　as　high…minded　as　he　likes；　but　you　can　bet　old　Karkaroff　and　Maxime　won't　be。　They'll　have　told　their　champions　everything　they　can。　They　want　to　win。　They　want　to　beat　Dumbledore。　They'd　like　to　prove　he's　only　human。〃
　　　Moody　gave　another　harsh　laugh；　and　his　magical　eye　swiveled　around　so　fast　it　made　Harry　feel　queasy　to　watch　it。
　　　〃So。。。　got　any　ideas　how　you're　going　to　get　past　your　dragon　yet？〃　said　Moody。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Well；　I'm　not　going　to　tell　you；〃　said　Moody　gruffly。　〃I　don't　show　favoritism；　me。　I'm　just　going　to　give　you　some　good；　general　advice。　And　the　first　bit　is…play　to　your　strengths。〃
　　　〃I　haven't　got　any；〃　said　Harry；　before　he　could　stop　himself。　〃Excuse　me；〃　growled　Moody；　〃you've　got　strengths　if　I　say　you've　got　them。　Think　now。　What　are　you　best　at？〃
　　　Harry　tr