jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第34部分

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　　　〃Wow！〃　said　Dennis；　as　though　nobody　in　their　wildest　dreams　could　hope　for　more　than　being　thrown　into　a　storm…tossed；　fathoms…deep　lake；　and　pushed　out　of　it　again　by　a　giant　sea　monster。
　　　〃Dennis！　Dennis！　See　that　boy　down　there？　The　one　with　the　black　hair　and　glasses？　See　him？　Know　who　he　is；　Dennis？〃
　　　Harry　looked　away；　staring　very　hard　at　the　Sorting　Hat；　now　Sorting　Emma　Dobbs。
　　　The　Sorting　continued；　boys　and　girls　with　varying　degrees　of　fright　on　their　faces　moving　one　by　one　to　the　three…legged　stool；　the　line　dwindling　slowly　as　Professor　McGonagall　passed　the　L's。
　　　〃Oh　hurry　up；〃　Ron　moaned；　massaging　his　stomach。
　　　〃Now；　Ron；　the　Sorting's　much　more　important　than　food；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick　as　〃Madley；　Laura！〃　became　a　Hufflepuff。
　　　〃Course　it　is；　if　you're　dead；〃　snapped　Ron。
　　　〃I　do　hope　this　year's　batch　of　Gryffindors　are　up　to　scratch；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick；　applauding　as　〃McDonald；　Natalie！〃　joined　the　Gryffindor　table。　〃We　don't　want　to　break　our　winning　streak；　do　we？〃
　　　Gryffindor　had　won　the　Inter…House　Championship　for　the　last　three　years　in　a　row。
　　　〃Pritchard；　Graham！〃
　　　〃SLYTHERIN！〃
　　　〃Quirke；　Orla！〃
　　　〃RAVENCLAW！〃
　　　And　finally；　with　〃Whitby；　Kevin！〃　（〃HUFFLEPUFF！〃）；　the　Sorting　ended。　Professor　McGonagall　picked　up　the　hat　and　the　stool　and　carried　them　away。
　　　〃About　time；〃　said　Ron；　seizing　his　knife　and　fork　and　looking　expectantly　at　his　golden　plate。
　　　Professor　Dumbledore　had　gotten　to　his　feet。　He　was　smiling　around　at　the　students；　his　arms　opened　wide　in　wele。
　　　〃I　have　only　two　words　to　say　to　you；〃　he　told　them；　his　deep　voice　echoing　around　the　Hall。　〃Tuck　in。〃
　　　〃Hear；　hear！〃　said　Harry　and　Ron　loudly　as　the　empty　dishes　filled　magically　before　their　eyes。
　　　Nearly　Headless　Nick　watched　mournfully　as　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　loaded　their　own　plates。
　　　〃Aaah；　'at's　be'er；〃　said　Ron；　with　his　mouth　full　of　mashed　potato。
　　　〃You're　lucky　there's　a　feast　at　all　tonight；　you　know；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick。　〃There　was　trouble　in　the　kitchens　earlier。〃
　　　〃Why？　Wha'　'appened？〃　said　Harry；　through　a　sizable　chunk　of　steak。
　　　〃Peeves；　of　course；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick；　shaking　his　head；　which　wobbled　dangerously。　He　pulled　his　ruff　a　little　higher　up　on　his　neck。　〃The　usual　argument；　you　know。　He　wanted　to　attend　the　feast…well；　it's　quite　out　of　the　question；　you　know　what　he's　like；　utterly　uncivilized；　can't　see　a　plate　of　food　without　throwing　it。　We　held　a　ghost's　council…the　Fat　Friar　was　all　for　giving　him　the　chance…but　most　wisely；　in　my　opinion；　the　Bloody　Baron　put　his　foot　down。〃
　　　The　Bloody　Baron　was　the　Slytherin　ghost；　a　gaunt　and　silent　specter　covered　in　silver　bloodstains。　He　was　the　only　person　at　Hogwarts　who　could　really　control　Peeves。
　　　〃Yeah；　we　thought　Peeves　seemed　hacked　off　about　something；〃　said　Ron　darkly。　〃So　what　did　he　do　in　the　kitchens？〃
　　　〃Oh　the　usual；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick；　shrugging。　〃Wreaked　havoc　and　mayhem。　Pots　and　pans　everywhere。　Place　swimming　in　soup。　Terrified　the　house…elves　out　of　their　wits…〃
　　　Clang。
　　　Hermione　had　knocked　over　her　golden　goblet。　Pumpkin　juice　spread　steadily　over　the　tablecloth；　staining　several　feet　of　white　linen　orange；　but　Hermione　paid　no　attention。
　　　〃There　are　house…elves　here？〃　she　said；　staring；　horror…struck；　at　Nearly　Headless　Nick。　〃Here　at　Hogwarts？〃
　　　〃Certainly；〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick；　looking　surprised　at　her　reaction。　〃The　largest　number　in　any　dwelling　in　Britain；　I　believe。　Over　a　hundred。〃
　　　〃I've　never　seen　one！〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃Well；　they　hardly　ever　leave　the　kitchen　by　day；　do　they？〃　said　Nearly　Headless　Nick。　〃They　e　out　at　night　to　do　a　bit　of　cleaning。。。　see　to　the　fires　and　so　on。。。　I　mean；　you're　not　supposed　to　see　them；　are　you？　That's　the　mark　of　a　good　house…elf；　isn't　it；　that　you　don't　know　it's　there？〃
　　　Hermione　stared　at　him。
　　　〃But　they　get　paid？〃　she　said。　〃They　get　holidays；　don't　they？　And…and　sick　leave；　and　pensions；　and　everything？〃
　　　Nearly　Headless　Nick　chortled　so　much　that　his　ruff　slipped　and　his　head　flopped　off；　dangling　on　the　inch　or　so　of　ghostly　skin　and　muscle　that　still　attached　it　to　his　neck。
　　　〃Sick　leave　and　pensions？〃　he　said；　pushing　his　head　back　onto　his　shoulders　and　securing　it　once　more　with　his　ruff。　〃House…elves　don't　want　sick　leave　and　pensions！〃
　　　Hermione　looked　down　at　her　hardly　touched　plate　of　food；　then　put　her　knife　and　fork　down　upon　it　and　pushed　it　away　from　her。
　　　〃Oh　c'mon；　'Er…my…knee；〃　said　Ron；　accidentally　spraying　Harry　with　bits　of　Yorkshire　pudding。　〃Oops…sorry；　'Arry…〃　He　swallowed。　〃You　won't　get　them　sick　leave　by　starving　yourself！〃
　　　〃Slave　labor；〃　said　Hermione；　breathing　hard　through　her　nose。　〃That's　what　made　this　dinner。　Slave　labor。〃
　　　And　she　refused　to　eat　another　bite。
　　　The　rain　was　still　drumming　heavily　against　the　high；　dark　glass。　Another　clap　of　thunder　shook　the　windows；　and　the　stormy　ceiling　flashed；　illuminating　the　golden　plates　as　the　remains　of　the　first　course　vanished　and　were　replaced；　instantly；　with　puddings。
　　　〃Treacle　tart；　Hermione！〃　said　Ron；　deliberately　wafting　its　smell　toward　her。　〃Spotted　dick；　look！　Chocolate　gateau！〃
　　　But　Hermione　gave　him　a　look　so　reminiscent　of　Professor　McGonagall　that　he　gave　up。
　　　When　the　puddings　too　had　been　demolished；　and　the　last　crumbs　had　faded　off　the　plates；　leaving　them　sparkling　clean；　Albus　Dumbledore　got　to　his　feet　again。　The　buzz　of　chatter　filling　the　Hall　ceased　almost　at　once；　so　that　only　the　howling　wind　and　pounding　rain　could　be　heard。
　　　〃So！〃　said　Dumbledore；　smiling　around　at　them　all。　〃Now　that　we　are　all　fed　and　watered；〃　（〃Hmph！〃　said　Hermione）　〃I　must　once　more　ask　for　your　attention；　while　I　give　out　a　few　notices。
　　　〃Mr。　Filch；　the　caretaker；　has　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　the　list　of　objects　forbidden　inside　the　castle　has　this　year　been　extended　to　include　Screaming　Yo…yos；　Fanged　Frisbees；　and　Ever…Bashing　Boomerangs。　The　full　list　prises　some　four　hundred　and　thirty…seven　items；　I　believe；　and　can　be　viewed　in　Mr。　Filch's　office；　if　anybody　would　like　to　check　it。〃
　　　The　corners　of　Dumbledore's　mouth　twitched。　He　continued；　〃As　ever；　I　would　like　to　remind　you　all　that　the　forest　on　the　grounds　is　out…of…bounds　to　students；　as　is　the　village　of　Hogsmeade　to　all　below　third　year。
　　　〃It　is　also　my　painful　duty　to　inform　you　that　the　Inter…House　Quidditch　Cup　will　not　take　place　this　year。〃
　　　〃What？〃　Harry　gasped。　He　looked　around　at　Fred　and　George；　his　fellow　members　of　the　Quidditch　team。　They　were　mouthing　soundlessly　at　Dumbledore；　apparently　too　appalled　to　speak。　Dumbhedore　went　on；　〃This　is　due　to　an　event　that　will　be　starting　in　October；　and　continuing　throughout　the　school　year；　taking　up　much　of　the　teachers'　time　and　energy…but　I　am　sure　you　will　all　enjoy　it　immensely。　I　have　great　pleasure　in　announcing　that　this　year　at　Hogwarts…〃
　　　But　at　that　moment；　there　was　a　deafening　rumble　of　thunder　and　the　doors　of　the　Great　Hall　banged　open。
　　　A　man　stood　in　the　doorway；　leaning　upon　a　long　staff；　shrouded　in　a　black　traveling　cloak。　Every　head　in　the　Great　Hall　swiveled　toward　the　stranger；　suddenly　brightly　illuminated　by　a　fork　of　lightning　that　flashed　across　the　ceiling。　He　lowered　his　hood；　shook　out　a　long　mane　of　grizzled；　dark　gray　hair；　then　began　to　walk　up　toward　the　teachers'　table。
　　　A　dull　clunk　echoed　through　the　Hall　on　his　every　other　step。　He　reached　the　end　of　the　top　table；　turned　right；　and　limped　heavily　toward　Dumbledore。　Another　flash　of　lightning　crossed　the　ceiling。　Hermione　gasped。
　　　The　lightning　had　thrown　the　man's　face　into　sharp　relief；　and　it　was　a　face　unlike　any　Harry　had　ever　seen。　It　looked　as　though　it　had　been　carved　out　of　weathered　wood　by　someone　who　had　only　the　vaguest　idea　of　what　human　faces　are　supposed　to　look　like；　and　was　none　too　skilled　with　a　chisel。　Every　inch　of　skin　seemed　to　be　scarred。　The　mouth　looked　like　a　diagonal　gash；　and　a　large　chunk　of　the　nose　was　missing。　But　it　was　the　man's　eyes　that　made　him　frightening。
　　　One　of　them　was　small；　dark；　and　beady。　The　other　was　large；　round　as　a　coin；　and　a　vivid；　electric　blue。　The　blue　eye