jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第24部分
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r back。
〃There is bad wizards about！〃 she squeaked distractedly as she leaned forward and labored to keep running。 〃People high…high in the air！ Winky is getting out of the way！〃
And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path； panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her。
〃What's up with her？〃 said Ron； looking curiously after Winky。 〃Why can't she run properly？〃
〃Bet she didn't ask permission to hide；〃 said Harry。 He was thinking of Dobby： Every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn't like； the house…elf had been forced to start beating himself up。
〃You know； house…elves get a very raw deal！〃 said Hermione indignantly。 〃It's slavery； that's what it is！ That Mr。 Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium； and she was terrified； and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents！ Why doesn't anyone do something about it？〃
〃Well； the elves are happy； aren't they？〃 Ron said。 〃You heard old Winky back at the match。。。 'House…elves is not supposed to have fun'。。。 that's what she likes； being bossed around。。。〃
〃It's people like you； Ron；〃 Hermione began hotly； 〃who prop up rotten and unjust systems； just because they're too lazy to…〃
Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood。
〃Let's just keep moving； shall we？〃 said Ron； and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione。 Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said； perhaps Hermione was in more danger than they were。 They set off again； Harry still searching his pockets； even though he knew his wand wasn't there。
They followed the dark path deeper into the wood； still keeping an eye out for Fred； George； and Ginny。 They passed a group of goblins who were cackling over a sack of gold that they had undoubtedly won betting on the match； and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble at the campsite。 Farther still along the path； they walked into a patch of silvery light； and when they looked through the trees； they saw three tall and beautiful veela standing in a clearing； surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards； all of whom were talking very loudly。
〃I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year！〃 one of them shouted。 〃I'm a dragon killer for the mittee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures。〃
〃No； you're not！〃 yelled his friend。 〃You're a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron。。。 but I'm a vampire hunter； I've killed about ninety so far…〃
A third young wizard； whose pimples were visible even by the dim； silvery light of the veela； now cut in； 〃I'm about to bee the youngest ever Minister of Magic； I am。〃
Harry snorted with laughter。 He recognized the pimply wizard： His name was Stan Shunpike； and he was in fact a conductor on the triple…decker Knight Bus。 He turned to tell Ron this； but Ron's face had gone oddly slack； and next second Ron was yelling； 〃Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter？〃
〃Honestly！〃 said Hermione； and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms； wheeled him around； and marched him away。 By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded pletely； they were in the very heart of the wood。 They seemed to be alone now； everything was much quieter。
Harry looked around。 〃I reckon we can just wait here； you know。 We'll hear anyone ing a mile off。〃
The words were hardly out of his mouth； when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them。
Even by the feeble light of the two wands； Harry could see that a great change had e over Bagman。 He no longer looked buoyant and rosy…faced； there was no more spring in his step。 He looked very white and strained。
〃Who's that？〃 he said； blinking down at them； trying to make out their faces。 〃What are you doing in here； all alone？〃
They looked at one another； surprised。
〃Well…there's a sort of riot going on；〃 said Ron。
Bagman stared at him。
〃What？〃
〃At the campsite。。。 some people have got hold of a family of Muggles。。。
Bagman swore loudly。
〃Damn them！〃 he said； looking quite distracted； and without another word； he Disapparated with a small pop！
〃Not exactly on top of things； Mr。 Bagman； is he？〃 said Hermione； frowning。
〃He was a great Beater； though；〃 said Ron； leading the way off the path into a small clearing； and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree。 〃The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them。〃
He took his small figure of Krum out of his pocket； set it down on the ground； and watched it walk around。 Like the real Krum； the model was slightly duck…footed and round…shouldered； much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick。 Harry was listening for noise from the campsite。 Everything seemed much quieter； perhaps the riot was over。
〃I hope the others are okay；〃 said Hermione after a while。
〃They'll be fine；〃 said Ron。
〃Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy；〃 said Harry； sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves。 〃He's always said he'd like to get something on him。〃
〃That'd wipe the smirk off old Draco's face； all right；〃 said Ron。
〃Those poor Muggles； though；〃 said Hermione nervously。 〃What if they can't get them down？〃
〃They will；〃 said Ron reassuringly。 〃They'll find a way。〃
〃Mad； though； to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic's out here tonight！〃 said Hermione。 〃I mean； how do they expect to get away with it？ Do you think they've been drinking； or are they just…〃
But she broke off abruptly and looked over her shoulder。 Harry and Ron looked quickly around too。 It sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing。 They waited； listening to the sounds of the uneven steps behind the dark trees。 But the footsteps came to a sudden halt。
〃Hello？〃 called Harry。
There was silence。 Harry got to his feet and peered around the tree。 It was too dark to see very far； but he could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of his vision。
〃Who's there？〃 he said。
And then； without warning； the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood； and it uttered； not a panicked shout； but what sounded like a spell。
〃MORSMORDRE！〃
And something vast； green； and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry's eyes had been struggling to penetrate； it flew up over the treetops and into the sky。
〃What the…？〃 gasped Ron as he sprang to his feet again； staring up at the thing that had appeared。
For a split second； Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation。 Then he realized that it was a colossal skull； prised of what looked like emerald stars； with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue。 As they watched； it rose higher and higher； blazing in a haze of greenish smoke； etched against the black sky like a new constellation。
Suddenly； the wood all around them erupted with screams。 Harry didn't understand why； but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull； which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign。 He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull； but he couldn't see anyone。
〃Who's there？〃 he called again。
〃Harry； e on； move！〃 Hermione had seized the collar of his jacket and was tugging him backward。
〃What's the matter？〃 Harry said； startled to see her face so white and terrified。
〃It's the Dark Mark； Harry！〃 Hermione moaned； pulling him as hard as she could。 〃You…Know…Who's sign！〃
〃Voldemort's…〃Harry； e on！〃
Harry turned…Ron was hurriedly scooping up his miniature Krum…the three of them started across the clearing…but before they had taken a few hurried steps； a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards； appearing from thin air； surrounding them。
Harry whirled around； and in an instant； he registered one fact： Each of these wizards had his wand out； and every wand was pointing right at himself； Ron； and Hermione。
Without pausing to think； he yelled； 〃DUCK！〃
He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground。
〃STUPEFY！〃 roared twenty voices…there was a blinding series of flashes a
