jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第17部分

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　　　Behind　him；　a　group　of　haggard…looking　Ministry　wizards　rushed　past；　pointing　at　the　distant　evidence　of　some　sort　of　a　magical　fire　that　was　sending　violet　sparks　twenty　feet　into　the　air。
　　　Percy　hurried　forward　with　his　hand　outstretched。　Apparently　his　disapproval　of　the　way　Ludo　Bagman　ran　his　department　did　not　prevent　him　from　wanting　to　make　a　good　impression。
　　　〃Ah…yes；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　grinning；　〃this　is　my　son　Percy。　He's　just　started　at　the　Ministry…and　this　is　Fred…no；　George；　sorry…that's　Fred…Bill；　Charlie；　Ron…my　daughter；　Ginny　and　Ron's　friends；　Hermione　Granger　and　Harry　Potter。〃
　　　Bagman　did　the　smallest　of　double　takes　when　he　heard　Harry's　name；　and　his　eyes　performed　the　familiar　flick　upward　to　the　scar　on　Harry's　forehead。
　　　〃Everyone；〃　Mr。　Weasley　continued；　〃this　is　Ludo　Bagman；　you　know　who　he　is；　it's　thanks　to　him　we've　got　such　good　tickets…〃
　　　Bagman　beamed　and　waved　his　hand　as　if　to　say　it　had　been　nothing。
　　　〃Fancy　a　flutter　on　the　match；　Arthur？〃　he　said　eagerly；　jingling　what　seemed　to　be　a　large　amount　of　gold　in　the　pockets　of　his　yellow…and…black　robes。　〃I've　already　got　Roddy　Pontner　betting　me　Bulgaria　will　score　first…I　offered　him　nice　odds；　considering　Ireland's　front　three　are　the　strongest　I've　seen　in　years…and　little　Agatha　Timms　has　put　up　half　shares　in　her　eel　farm　on　a　weeklong　match。〃
　　　〃Oh　。。。go　on　then；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Let's　see　。。。a　Galleon　on　Ireland　to　win？〃
　　　〃A　Galleon？〃　Ludo　Bagman　looked　slightly　disappointed；　but　recovered　himself。　〃Very　well；　very　well　。。。any　other　takers？〃
　　　〃They're　a　bit　young　to　be　gambling；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Molly　wouldn't　like…〃
　　　〃We'll　bet　thirty…seven　Galleons；　fifteen　Sickles；　three　Knuts；〃　said　Fred　as　he　and　George　quickly　pooled　all　their　money；　〃that　Ireland　wins…but　Viktor　Krum　gets　the　Snitch。　Oh　and　we'll　throw　in　a　fake　wand。〃
　　　〃You　don't　want　to　go　showing　Mr。　Bagman　rubbish　like　that；〃　Percy　hissed；　but　Bagman　didn't　seem　to　think　the　wand　was　rubbish　at　all；　on　the　contrary；　his　boyish　face　shone　with　excitement　as　he　took　it　from　Fred；　and　when　the　wand　gave　a　loud　squawk　and　turned　into　a　rubber　chicken；　Bagman　roared　with　laughter。
　　　〃Excellent！　I　haven't　seen　one　that　convincing　in　years！　I'd　pay　five　Galleons　for　that！〃
　　　Percy　froze　in　an　attitude　of　stunned　disapproval。
　　　〃Boys；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　under　his　breath；　〃I　don't　want　you　betting。。。　That's　all　your　savings　。。。　Your　mother…〃
　　　〃Don't　be　a　spoilsport；　Arthur！〃　boomed　Ludo　Bagman；　rattling　his　pockets　excitedly。　〃They're　old　enough　to　know　what　they　want！　You　reckon　Ireland　will　win　but　Krum'll　get　the　Snitch？　Not　a　chance；　boys；　not　a　chance。。。　I'll　give　you　excellent　odds　on　that　one　。。。　We'll　add　five　Galleons　for　the　funny　wand；　then；　shall　we。。。〃
　　　Mr。　Weasley　looked　on　helplessly　as　Ludo　Bagman　whipped　out　a　notebook　and　quill　and　began　jotting　down　the　twins'　names。
　　　〃Cheers；〃　said　George；　taking　the　slip　of　parchment　Bagman　handed　him　and　tucking　it　away　into　the　front　of　his　robes。　Bagman　turned　most　cheerfully　back　to　Mr。　Weasley。
　　　〃Couldn't　do　me　a　brew；　I　suppose？　I'm　keeping　an　eye　out　for　Barty　Crouch。　My　Bulgarian　opposite　number's　making　difficulties；　and　I　can't　understand　a　word　he's　saying。　Barty'll　be　able　to　sort　it　out。　He　speaks　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　languages。〃
　　　〃Mr。　Crouch？〃　said　Percy；　suddenly　abandoning　his　look　of　poker…stiff　disapproval　and　positively　writhing　with　excitement。　〃He　speaks　over　two　hundred！　Mermish　and　Gobbledegook　and　Troll。。。〃
　　　〃Anyone　can　speak　Troll；〃　said　Fred　dismissively。　〃All　you　have　to　do　is　point　and　grunt。〃
　　　Percy　threw　Fred　an　extremely　nasty　look　and　stoked　the　fire　vigorously　to　bring　the　kettle　back　to　the　boil。
　　　〃Any　news　of　Bertha　Jorkins　yet；　Ludo？〃　Mr。　Weasley　asked　as　Bagman　settled　himself　down　on　the　grass　beside　them　all。
　　　〃Not　a　dicky　bird；〃　said　Bagman　fortably。　〃But　she'll　turn　up。　Poor　old　Bertha　。。。memory　like　a　leaky　cauldron　and　no　sense　of　direction。　Lost；　you　take　my　word　for　it。　She'll　wander　back　into　the　office　sometime　in　October；　thinking　it's　still　July。〃
　　　〃You　don't　think　it　might　be　time　to　send　someone　to　look　for　her？〃　Mr。　Weasley　suggested　tentatively　as　Percy　handed　Bagman　his　tea。
　　　〃Barty　Crouch　keeps　saying　that；〃　said　Bagman；　his　round　eyes　widening　innocently；　〃but　we　really　can't　spare　anyone　at　the　moment。　Oh…talk　of　the　devil！　Barty！〃
　　　A　wizard　had　just　Apparated　at　their　fireside；　and　he　could　not　have　made　more　of　a　contrast　with　Ludo　Bagman；　sprawled　on　the　grass　in　his　old　Wasp　robes。　Barty　Crouch　was　a　stiff；　upright；　elderly　man；　dressed　in　an　impeccably　crisp　suit　and　tie。　The　parting　in　his　short　gray　hair　was　almost　unnaturally　straight；　and　his　narrow　toothbrush　mustache　looked　as　though　he　trimmed　it　using　a　slide　rule。　His　shoes　were　very　highly　polished。　Harry　could　see　at　once　why　Percy　idolized　him。　Percy　was　a　great　believer　in　rigidly　following　rules；　and　Mr。　Crouch　had　plied　with　the　rule　about　Muggle　dressing　so　thoroughly　that　he　could　have　passed　for　a　bank　manager；　Harry　doubted　even　Uncle　Vernon　would　have　spotted　him　for　what　he　really　was。
　　　〃Pull　up　a　bit　of　grass；　Barry；〃　said　Ludo　brightly；　patting　the　ground　beside　him。
　　　〃No　thank　you；　Ludo；〃　said　Crouch；　and　there　was　a　bite　of　impatience　in　his　voice。　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　everywhere。　The　Bulgarians　are　insisting　we　add　another　twelve　seats　to　the　Top　Box。〃
　　　〃Oh　is　that　what　they're　after？〃　said　Bagman。　I　thought　the　chap　was　asking　to　borrow　a　pair　of　tweezers。　Bit　of　a　strong　accent。〃
　　　〃Mr。　Crouch！〃　said　Percy　breathlessly；　sunk　into　a　kind　of　halfbow　that　made　him　look　like　a　hunchback。　〃Would　you　like　a　cup　of　tea？〃
　　　〃Oh；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch；　looking　over　at　Percy　in　mild　surprise。　〃Yes…thank　you；　Weatherby。〃
　　　Fred　and　George　choked　into　their　own　cups。　Percy；　very　pink　around　the　ears；　busied　himself　with　the　kettle。
　　　〃Oh　and　I've　been　wanting　a　word　with　you　too；　Arthur；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch；　his　sharp　eyes　falling　upon　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Ali　Bashir's　on　the　warpath。　He　wants　a　word　with　you　about　your　embargo　on　flying　carpets。〃
　　　Mr。　Weasley　heaved　a　deep　sigh。
　　　〃I　sent　him　an　owl　about　that　just　last　week。　If　I've　told　him　once　I've　told　him　a　hundred　times：　Carpets　are　defined　as　a　Muggle　Artifact　by　the　Registry　of　Proscribed　Charmable　Objects；　but　will　he　listen？〃
　　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch；　accepting　a　cup　from　Percy。　〃He's　desperate　to　export　here。〃
　　　〃Well；　they'll　never　replace　brooms　in　Britain；　will　they？〃　said　Bagman。
　　　〃Ali　thinks　there's　a　niche　in　the　market　for　a　family　vehicle；　said　Mr。　Crouch。　〃I　remember　my　grandfather　had　an　Axminster　that　could　seat　twelve…but　that　was　before　carpets　were　banned；　of　course。〃
　　　He　spoke　as　though　he　wanted　to　leave　nobody　in　any　doubt　that　all　his　ancestors　had　abided　strictly　by　the　law。
　　　〃So；　been　keeping　busy；　Barty？〃　said　Bagman　breezily。
　　　〃Fairly；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch　dryly。　〃Organizing　Portkeys　across　five　continents　is　no　mean　feat；　Ludo。〃
　　　〃I　expect　you'll　both　be　glad　when　this　is　over？〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。
　　　Ludo　Bagman　looked　shocked。
　　　〃Glad！　Don't　know　when　I've　had　more　fun。。。　Still；　it's　not　as　though　we　haven't　got　anything　to　took　forward　to；　eh；　Barty？　Eh？　Plenty　left　to　organize；　eh？〃
　　　Mr。　Crouch　raised　his　eyebrows　at　Bagman。
　　　〃We　agreed　not　to　make　the　announcement　until　all　the　details…〃
　　　〃Oh　details！〃　said　Bagman；　waving　the　word　away　like　a　cloud　of　midges。　〃They've　signed；　haven't　they？　They've　agreed；　haven't　they？　I　bet　you　anything　these　kids'll　know　soon　enough　anyway。　I　mean；　it's　happening　at　Hogwarts…〃
　　　〃Ludo；　we　need　to　meet　the　Bulgarians；　you　know；〃　said　Mr。　Crouch　sharply；　cutting　Bagman's　remarks　short。　〃Thank　you　for　the　tea；　Weatherby。〃
　　　He　pushed　his　undrunk　tea　back　at　Percy　and　waited　for　Ludo　to　rise；　Bagman　struggled　to　his　feet；　swigging　down　the　last　of　his　tea；　the　gold　in　his　pockets　chinking　merrily。
　　　〃See　you　all　later！〃　he　said。　〃You'll　be　up　in　the　Top　Box　with　me…I'm　mentating！〃　He　waved；　Barty　Crouch　nodded　curtly；　and　both　of　them　Disapparated。
　　　〃What's　happening　at　Hogwarts；　Dad？〃　said　Fred　at　once。　〃What　were　they　talking　about？〃
　　　〃You'll　fi