jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第18部分

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　　　〃What's　happening　at　Hogwarts；　Dad？〃　said　Fred　at　once。　〃What　were　they　talking　about？〃
　　　〃You'll　find　out　soon　enough；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　smiling。
　　　〃It's　classified　information；　until　such　time　as　the　Ministry　decides　to　release　it；〃　said　Percy　stiffly。　〃Mr。　Crouch　was　quite　right　not　to　disclose　it。〃
　　　〃Oh　shut　up；　Weatherby；〃　said　Fred。
　　　A　sense　of　excitement　rose　like　a　palpable　cloud　over　the　campsite　as　the　afternoon　wore　on。　By　dusk；　the　still　summer　air　itself　seemed　to　be　quivering　with　anticipation；　and　as　darkness　spread　like　a　curtain　over　the　thousands　of　waiting　wizards；　the　last　vestiges　of　pretence　disappeared：　the　Ministry　seemed　to　have　bowed　to　the　inevitable　and　stopped　fighting　the　signs　of　blatant　magic　now　breaking　out　everywhere。
　　　Salesmen　were　Apparating　every　few　feet；　carrying　trays　and　pushing　carts　full　of　extraordinary　merchandise。　There　were　luminous　rosettes…green　for　Ireland；　red　for　Bulgaria…which　were　squealing　the　names　of　the　players；　pointed　green　hats　bedecked　with　dancing　shamrocks；　Bulgarian　scarves　adorned　with　lions　that　really　roared；　flags　from　both　countries　that　played　their　national　anthems　as　they　were　waved；　there　were　tiny　models　of　Firebolts　that　really　flew；　and　collectible　figures　of　famous　players；　which　strolled　across　the　palm　of　your　hand；　preening　themselves。
　　　〃Been　saving　my　pocket　money　all　summer　for　this；〃　Ron　told　Harry　as　they　and　Hermione　strolled　through　the　salesmen；　buying　souvenirs。　Though　Ron　purchased　a　dancing　shamrock　hat　and　a　large　green　rosette；　he　also　bought　a　small　figure　of　Viktor　Krum；　the　Bulgarian　Seeker。　The　miniature　Krum　walked　backward　and　forward　over　Ron's　hand；　scowling　up　at　the　green　rosette　above　him。
　　　〃Wow；　look　at　these！〃　said　Harry；　hurrying　over　to　a　cart　piled　high　with　what　looked　like　brass　binoculars；　except　that　they　were　covered　with　all　sorts　of　weird　knobs　and　dials。
　　　〃Omnioculars；〃　said　the　saleswizard　eagerly。　〃You　can　replay　action　。。。slow　everything　down　。。。and　they　flash　up　a　play…byplay　breakdown　if　you　need　it。　Bargain…ten　Galleons　each。〃
　　　〃Wish　I　hadn't　bought　this　now；〃　said　Ron；　gesturing　at　his　dancing　shamrock　hat　and　gazing　longingly　at　the　Omnioculars。
　　　〃Three　pairs；〃　said　Harry　firmly　to　the　wizard。
　　　〃No…don't　bother；〃　said　Ron；　going　red。　He　was　always　touchy　about　the　fact　that　Harry；　who　had　inherited　a　small　fortune　from　his　parents；　had　much　more　money　than　he　did。
　　　〃You　won't　be　getting　anything　for　Christmas；〃　Harry　told　him；　thrusting　Omnioculars　into　his　and　Hermione's　hands。　〃For　about　ten　years；　mind。〃
　　　〃Fair　enough；〃　said　Ron；　grinning。
　　　〃Oooh；　thanks；　Harry；〃　said　Hermione。　〃And　I'll　get　us　some　programs；　look…〃
　　　Their　money　bags　considerably　lighter；　they　went　back　to　the　tents。　Bill；　Charlie；　and　Ginny　were　all　sporting　green　rosettes　too；　and　Mr。　Weasley　was　carrying　an　Irish　flag。　Fred　and　George　had　no　souvenirs　as　they　had　given　Bagman　all　their　gold。
　　　And　then　a　deep；　booming　gong　sounded　somewhere　beyond　the　woods；　and　at　once；　green　and　red　lanterns　blazed　into　life　in　the　trees；　lighting　a　path　to　the　field。
　　　〃It's　time！〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　looking　as　excited　as　any　of　them。　〃e　on；　let's　go！〃
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　　　THE　QUIDDITCH　WORLD　CUP
　　　
　　　Clutching　their　purchases；　Mr。　Weasley　in　the　lead；　they　all　hurried　into　the　wood；　following　the　lantern…lit　trail。　They　could　hear　the　sounds　of　thousands　of　people　moving　around　them；　shouts　and　laughter；　snatches　of　singing。　The　atmosphere　of　feverish　excitement　was　highly　infectious；　Harry　couldn't　stop　grinning。　They　walked　through　the　wood　for　twenty　minutes；　talking　and　joking　loudly；　until　at　last　they　emerged　on　the　other　side　and　found　themselves　in　the　shadow　of　a　gigantic　stadium。　Though　Harry　could　see　only　a　fraction　of　the　immense　gold　walls　surrounding　the　field；　he　could　tell　that　ten　cathedrals　would　fit　fortably　inside　it。
　　　〃Seats　a　hundred　thousand；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　spotting　the　awestruck　look　on　Harry's　face。　〃Ministry　task　force　of　five　hundred　have　been　working　on　it　all　year。　Muggle　Repelling　Charms　on　every　inch　of　it。　Every　time　Muggles　have　got　anywhere　near　here　all　year；　they've　suddenly　remembered　urgent　appointments　and　had　to　dash　away　again　。。。bless　them；〃　he　added　fondly；　leading　the　way　toward　the　nearest　entrance；　which　was　already　surrounded　by　a　swarm　of　shouting　witches　and　wizards。
　　　〃Prime　seats！〃　said　the　Ministry　witch　at　the　entrance　when　she　checked　their　tickets。　〃Top　Box！　Straight　upstairs；　Arthur；　and　as　high　as　you　can　go。〃
　　　The　stairs　into　the　stadium　were　carpeted　in　rich　purple。　They　clambered　upward　with　the　rest　of　the　crowd；　which　slowly　filtered　away　through　doors　into　the　stands　to　their　left　and　right。　Mr。　Weasley's　party　kept　climbing；　and　at　last　they　reached　the　top　of　the　staircase　and　found　themselves　in　a　small　box；　set　at　the　highest　point　of　the　stadium　and　situated　exactly　halfway　between　the　golden　goal　posts。　About　twenty　purple…and…gilt　chairs　stood　in　two　rows　here；　and　Harry；　filing　into　the　front　seats　with　the　Weasleys；　looked　down　upon　a　scene　the　likes　of　which　he　could　never　have　imagined。
　　　A　hundred　thousand　witches　and　wizards　were　taking　their　places　in　the　seats；　which　rose　in　levels　around　the　long　oval　field。　Everything　was　suffused　with　a　mysterious　golden　light；　which　seemed　to　e　from　the　stadium　itself。　The　field　looked　smooth　as　velvet　from　their　lofty　position。　At　either　end　of　the　field　stood　three　goal　hoops；　fifty　feet　high；　right　opposite　them；　almost　at　Harry's　eye　level；　was　a　gigantic　blackboard。　Gold　writing　kept　dashing　across　it　as　though　an　invisible　giant's　hand　were　scrawling　upon　the　blackboard　and　then　wiping　it　off　again；　watching　it；　Harry　saw　that　it　was　flashing　advertisements　across　the　field。
　　　
　　　The　Bluebottle：　A　Broom　for　All　the　Family…safe；　reliable；　and　with　Built…in　Anti…Burgler　Buzzer　。。。Mrs。　Shower's　All　Purpose　Magical　Mess　Remover：　No　Pain；　No　Stain！　。。。Gladrags　Wizardwear…London；　Paris；　Hogsmeade。。。
　　　
　　　Harry　tore　his　eyes　away　from　the　sign　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　see　who　else　was　sharing　the　box　with　them。　So　far　it　was　empty；　except　for　a　tiny　creature　sitting　in　the　second　from　last　seat　at　the　end　of　the　row　behind　them。　The　creature；　whose　legs　were　so　short　they　stuck　out　in　front　of　it　on　the　chair；　was　wearing　a　tea　towel　draped　like　a　toga；　and　it　had　its　face　hidden　in　its　hands。　Yet　those　long；　batlike　ears　were　oddly　familiar。。。
　　　〃Dobby？〃　said　Harry　incredulously。
　　　The　tiny　creature　looked　up　and　stretched　its　fingers；　revealing　enormous　brown　eyes　and　a　nose　the　exact　size　and　shape　of　a　large　tomato。　It　wasn't　Dobby…it　was；　however；　unmistakably　a　house…elf；　as　Harry's　friend　Dobby　had　been。　Harry　had　set　Dobby　free　from　his　old　owners；　the　Malfoy　family。
　　　〃Did　sir　just　call　me　Dobby？〃　squeaked　the　elf　curiously　from　between　its　fingers。　Its　voice　was　higher　even　than　Dobby's　had　been；　a　teeny；　quivering　squeak　of　a　voice；　and　Harry　suspected　though　it　was　very　hard　to　tell　with　a　house…elf…that　this　one　might　just　be　female。　Ron　and　Hermione　spun　around　in　their　seats　to　look。　Though　they　had　heard　a　lot　about　Dobby　from　Harry；　they　had　never　actually　met　him。　Even　Mr。　Weasley　looked　around　in　interest。
　　　〃Sorry；〃　Harry　told　the　elf；　〃I　just　thought　you　were　someone　I　knew。〃
　　　〃But　I　knows　Dobby　too；　sir！〃　squeaked　the　elf。　She　was　shielding　her　face；　as　though　blinded　by　light；　though　the　Top　Box　was　not　brightly　lit。　〃My　name　is　Winky；　sir…and　you；　sir…〃　Her　dark　brown　eyes　widened　to　the　size　of　side　plates　as　they　rested　upon　Harry's　scar。　〃You　is　surely　Harry　Potter！〃
　　　〃Yeah；　I　am；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃But　Dobby　talks　of　you　all　the　time；　sir！〃　s　he　said；　lowering　her　hands　very　slightly　and　looking　awestruck。
　　　〃How　is　he？〃　said　Harry。　〃How's　freedom　suiting　him？〃
　　　〃Ah；　sir；〃　said　Winky；　shaking　her　head；　〃ah　sir；　meaning　no　disrespect；　sir；　but　I　is　not　sure　you　did　Dobby　a　favor；　sir；　when　you　is　setting　him　free。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　said　Harry；　taken　aback。　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃
　　　〃Freedom　is　going　to　Dobby's　head；　sir；　〃　said　Winky　sadly。　〃Ideas　above　his　station；　sir。　Can't　get　another　position；　sir。〃