jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第62部分

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the　doors　to　the　Great　Hall　would　be　thrown　open。　Those　people　who　were　meeting　partners　from　different　Houses　were　edging　through　the　crowd　trying　to　find　one　another。　Parvati　found　her　sister；　Padma；　and　led　her　over　to　Harry　and　Ron。
　　　〃Hi；〃　said　Padma；　who　was　looking　just　as　pretty　as　Parvati　in　robes　of　bright　turquoise。　She　didn't　look　too　enthusiastic　about　having　Ron　as　a　partner；　though；　her　dark　eyes　lingered　on　the　frayed　neck　and　sleeves　of　his　dress　robes　as　she　looked　him　up　and　down。
　　　〃Hi；〃　said　Ron；　not　looking　at　her；　but　staring　around　at　the　crowd。　〃Oh　no　。。。〃
　　　He　bent　his　knees　slightly　to　hide　behind　Harry；　because　Fleur　Delacour　was　passing；　looking　stunning　in　robes　of　silver…gray　satin；　and　acpanied　by　the　Ravenclaw　Quidditch　captain；　Roger　Davies。　When　they　had　disappeared；　Ron　stood　straight　again　and　stared　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd。
　　　〃Where　is　Hermione？〃　he　said　again。
　　　A　group　of　Slytherins　came　up　the　steps　from　their　dungeon　mon　room。　Malfoy　was　in　front；　he　was　wearing　dress　robes　of　black　velvet　with　a　high　collar；　which　in　Harry's　opinion　made　him　look　like　a　vicar。　Pansy　Parkinson　in　very　frilly　robes　of　pale　pink　was　clutching　Malfoy's　arm。　Crabbe　and　Goyle　were　both　wearing　green；　they　resembled　moss…colored　boulders；　and　neither　of　them；　Harry　was　pleased　to　see；　had　managed　to　find　a　partner。
　　　The　oak　front　doors　opened；　and　everyone　turned　to　look　as　the　Durmstrang　students　entered　with　Professor　Karkaroff。　Krum　was　at　the　front　of　the　party；　acpanied　by　a　pretty　girl　in　blue　robes　Harry　didn't　know。　Over　their　heads　he　saw　that　an　area　of　lawn　right　in　front　of　the　castle　had　been　transformed　into　a　sort　of　grotto　full　of　fairy　lights…meaning　hundreds　of　actual　living　fairies　were　sitting　in　the　rosebushes　that　had　been　conjured　there；　and　fluttering　over　the　statues　of　what　seemed　to　be　Father　Christmas　and　his　reindeer。
　　　Then　Professor　McGonagall's　voice　called；　〃Champions　over　here；　please！〃
　　　Parvati　readjusted　her　bangles；　beaming；　she　and　Harry　said；　〃See　you　in　a　minute〃　to　Ron　and　Padma　and　walked　forward；　the　chattering　crowd　parting　to　let　them　through。　Professor　McGonagall；　who　was　wearing　dress　robes　of　red　tartan　and　had　arranged　a　rather　ugly　wreath　of　thistles　around　the　brim　other　hat；　told　them　to　wait　on　one　side　of　the　doors　while　everyone　else　went　inside；　they　were　to　enter　the　Great　Hall　in　procession　when　the　rest　of　the　students　had　sat　down。　Fleur　Delacour　and　Roger　Davies　stationed　themselves　nearest　the　doors；　Davies　looked　so　stunned　by　his　good　fortune　in　having　Fleur　for　a　partner　that　he　could　hardly　take　his　eyes　off　her。　Cedric　and　Cho　were　close　to　Harry　too；　he　looked　away　from　them　so　he　wouldn't　have　to　talk　to　them。　His　eyes　fell　instead　on　the　girl　next　to　Krum。　His　jaw　dropped。
　　　It　was　Hermione。
　　　But　she　didn't　look　like　Hermione　at　all。　She　had　done　something　with　her　hair；　it　was　no　longer　bushy　but　sleek　and　shiny；　and　twisted　up　into　an　elegant　knot　at　the　back　of　her　head。　She　was　wearing　robes　made　of　a　floaty；　periwinkle…blue　material；　and　she　was　holding　herself　differently；　somehow…or　maybe　it　was　merely　the　absence　of　the　twenty　or　so　books　she　usually　had　slung　over　her　back。　She　was　also　smiling…rather　nervously；　it　was　true…but　the　reduction　in　the　size　of　her　front　teeth　was　more　noticeable　than　ever；　Harry　couldn't　understand　how　he　hadn't　spotted　it　before。
　　　〃Hi；　Harry！〃　she　said。　〃Hi；　Parvati！〃
　　　Parvati　was　gazing　at　Hermione　in　unflattering　disbelief。　She　wasn't　the　only　one　either；　when　the　doors　to　the　Great　Hall　opened；　Krum's　fan　club　from　the　library　stalked　past；　throwing　Hermione　looks　of　deepest　loathing。　Pansy　Parkinson　gaped　at　her　as　she　walked　by　with　Malfoy；　and　even　he　didn't　seem　to　be　able　to　find　an　insult　to　throw　at　her。　Ron；　however；　walked　right　past　Hermione　without　looking　at　her。
　　　Once　everyone　else　was　settled　in　the　Hall；　Professor　McGonagall　told　the　champions　and　their　partners　to　get　in　line　in　pairs　and　to　follow　her。　They　did　so；　and　everyone　in　the　Great　Hall　applauded　as　they　entered　and　started　walking　up　toward　a　large　round　table　at　the　top　of　the　Hall；　where　the　judges　were　sitting。
　　　The　walls　of　the　Hall　had　all　been　covered　in　sparkling　silver　frost；　with　hundreds　of　garlands　of　mistletoe　and　ivy　crossing　the　starry　black　ceiling。　The　House　tables　had　vanished；　instead；　there　were　about　a　hundred　smaller；　lantern…lit　ones；　each　seating　about　a　dozen　people。
　　　Harry　concentrated　on　not　tripping　over　his　feet。　Parvati　seemed　to　be　enjoying　herself；　she　was　beaming　around　at　everybody；　steering　Harry　so　forcefully　that　he　felt　as　though　he　were　a　show　dog　she　was　putting　through　its　paces。　He　caught　sight　of　Ron　and　Padma　as　he　neared　the　top　table。　Ron　was　watching　Hermione　pass　with　narrowed　eyes。　Padma　was　looking　sulky。
　　　Dumbledore　smiled　happily　as　the　champions　approached　the　top　table；　but　Karkaroff　wore　an　expression　remarkably　like　Ron's　as　he　watched　Krum　and　Hermione　draw　nearer。　Ludo　Bagman；　tonight　in　robes　of　bright　purple　with　large　yellow　stars；　was　clapping　as　enthusiastically　as　any　of　the　students；　and　Madame　Maxime；　who　had　changed　her　usual　uniform　of　black　satin　for　a　flowing　gown　of　lavender　silk；　was　applauding　them　politely。　But　Mr。　Crouch；　Harry　suddenly　realized；　was　not　there。　The　fifth　seat　at　the　table　was　occupied　by　Percy　Weasley。
　　　When　the　champions　and　their　partners　reached　the　table；　Percy　drew　out　the　empty　chair　beside　him；　staring　pointedly　at　Harry。　Harry　took　the　hint　and　sat　down　next　to　Percy；　who　was　wearing　brand…new；　navy…blue　dress　robes　and　an　expression　of　such　smugness　that　Harry　thought　it　ought　to　be　fined。
　　　〃I've　been　promoted；〃　Percy　said　before　Harry　could　even　ask；　and　from　his　tone；　he　might　have　been　announcing　his　election　as　supreme　ruler　of　the　universe。　〃I'm　now　Mr。　Crouch's　personal　assistant；　and　I'm　here　representing　him。〃
　　　〃Why　didn't　he　e？〃　Harry　asked。　He　wasn't　looking　forward　to　being　lectured　on　cauldron　bottoms　all　through　dinner。
　　　〃I'm　afraid　to　say　Mr。　Crouch　isn't　well；　not　well　at　all。　Hasn't　been　right　since　the　World　Cup。　Hardly　surprising…overwork。　He's　not　as　young　as　he　was…though　still　quite　brilliant；　of　course；　the　mind　remains　as　great　as　it　ever　was。　But　the　World　Cup　was　a　fiasco　for　the　whole　Ministry；　and　then；　Mr。　Crouch　suffered　a　huge　personal　shock　with　the　misbehavior　of　that　house…elf　of　his；　Blinky；　or　whatever　she　was　called。　Naturally；　he　dismissed　her　immediately　afterward；　but…well；　as　I　say；　he's　getting　on；　he　needs　looking　after；　and　I　think　he's　found　a　definite　drop　in　his　home　forts　since　she　left。　And　then　we　had　the　tournament　to　arrange；　and　the　aftermath　of　the　Cup　to　deal　with…that　revolting　Skeeter　woman　buzzing　around…no；　poor　man；　he's　having　a　well　earned；　quiet　Christmas。　I'm　just　glad　he　knew　he　had　someone　he　could　rely　upon　to　take　his　place。〃
　　　Harry　wanted　very　much　to　ask　whether　Mr。　Crouch　had　stopped　calling　Percy　〃Weatherby〃　yet；　but　resisted　the　temptation。
　　　There　was　no　food　as　yet　on　the　glittering　golden　plates；　but　small　menus　were　lying　in　front　of　each　of　them。　Harry　picked　his　up　uncertainly　and　looked　around…there　were　no　waiters。　Dumbledore；　however；　looked　carefully　down　at　his　own　menu；　then　said　very　clearly　to　his　plate；　〃Pork　chops！〃
　　　And　pork　chops　appeared。　Getting　the　idea；　the　rest　of　the　table　placed　their　orders　with　their　plates　too。　Harry　glanced　up　at　Hermione　to　see　how　she　felt　about　this　new　and　more　plicated　method　of　dining…surely　it　meant　plenty　of　extra　work　for　the　house…elves？…but　for　once；　Hermione　didn't　seem　to　be　thinking　about　S。　P。　E。　W。　She　was　deep　in　talk　with　Viktor　Krum　and　hardly　seemed　to　notice　what　she　was　eating。
　　　It　now　occurred　to　Harry　that　he　had　never　actually　heard　Krum　speak　before；　but　he　was　certainly　talking　now；　and　very　enthusiastically　at　that。
　　　〃Veil；　ve　have　a　castle　also；　not　as　big　as　this；　nor　as　fortable；　I　am　thinking；〃　he　was　telling　Hermione。　〃Ve　have　just　four　floors；　and　the　fires　are　lit　only　for　magical　purposes。　But　ve　have　grounds　larger　even　than　these…though　in　vinter；　ve　have　very　little　daylight；　so　ve　are　not　enjoying　them。　But　in　summer　ve　are　flying　every　day；　over　the　lakes　and　the　mountains…〃
　　　〃Now；　now；　Viktor！〃　said　Karkaroff　with　a　laugh　that　didn't　reach　his　cold　eyes；　〃don't　go　giving　away　anything　else；　now；　or　your　charming　friend　will　know　exactly　where　to　find　us！〃
　　　Dumbledore　smiled；　his　eyes　twinkling。　〃Igor；　all　this　secrecy　。；　。　one　would　almost　think　you　didn't　want　visitors。〃
　　　〃Well；　Dumbledore；〃　said　Karkaroff；　displaying　his　yellowing　teeth　to　their　fullest　extent；　〃we　are　all　protective　of　our　private　domains；　are　we　not？　Do　we　not　jealously　guard　the　halls　of　learning　that　have　been　entrusted　to　us？　Are　we　not　right　to　be　proud　that　we　alone　know　our　school's　secrets；　and　right　to　protect　them？〃
　　　〃Oh　I　would　never　dream　of　assuming　I　know　all　Hogwarts'　secrets；　Igor；〃　said　Dumbledore　amicably。　〃Only　this　morning；　for　instance；　I　took　a　wrong　turning　on　the　way　to　the　bathroom　and　found　myself　in　a　beautifully　proportioned　room　I　have　never　seen　before；　containing　a　really　rather　magnificent　collection　of　chamber　pots。　When　I　went　back　to　investigate　more　closely；　I　discovered　that　the　room　had　vanished。　But　I　must　keep　an　eye　out　for　it。　Possibly　it　is　only　accessible　at　five…thirty　in　the　morning。　Or　it　may　only　appear　at　the　quarter　moon…or　when　the　seeker　has　an　exceptionally　full　bladder。〃
　　　Harry　snorted　into　his　plate　of　goulash。　Percy　frowned；　but　Harry　could　have　sworn　Dumbledore　had　given　him　a　very　small　wink。
　　　Meanwhile　Fleur　Delacour　was　criticizing　the　Hogwarts　decorations　to　Roger　Davies。
　　　〃Zis　is　nothing；〃　she　said　dismissively；　looking　around　at　the　sparkling　walls　of　the　Great　Hall。　〃At　ze　Palace　of　Beauxbatons；　we　'ave　ice　sculptures　all　around　ze　dining　chamber　at　Chreestmas。　Zey　do　not　melt；　of　course。。。　zey　are　like　'uge　statues　of　diamond；　glittering　around　ze　place。　And　ze　food　is　seemply　superb。　And　we　'ave　choirs　of　wood　nymphs；　'oo　serenade　us　as　we　eat。　We　'ave　none　of　zis　ugly　armor　in　ze　'alls；　and　eef　a　poltergeist　ever　entaired　into　Beauxbatons；　'e　would　be　expe