jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第91部分

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　　　Harry　just　couldn't　bring　himself　to　wipe　the　happy；　confident　smile　off　Hagrid's　face。　Pretending　he　was　interested　in　the　young　unicorns；　he　forced　a　smile　in　return；　and　moved　forward　to　pat　them　with　the　others。
　　　
　　　By　the　evening　before　the　second　task。　Harry　felt　as　though　he　were　trapped　in　a　nightmare。　He　was　fully　aware　that　even　if；　by　some　miracle；　he　managed　to　find　a　suitable　spell；　he'd　have　a　real　job　mastering　it　overnight。　How　could　he　have　let　this　happen？　Why　hadn't　he　got　to　work　on　the　egg's　clue　sooner？　Why　had　he　ever　let　his　mind　wander　in　class…what　if　a　teacher　had　once　mentioned　how　to　breathe　underwater？
　　　He　sat　with　Hermione　and　Ron　in　the　library　as　the　sun　set　outside；　tearing　feverishly　through　page　after　page　of　spells；　hidden　from　one　another　by　the　massive　piles　of　books　on　the　desk　in　front　of　each　of　them。　Harry　s　heart　gave　a　huge　leap　every　time　he　saw　the　word　〃water〃　on　a　page；　but　more　often　than　not　it　was　merely　〃Take　two　pints　of　water；　half　a　pound　of　shredded　mandrake　leaves；　and　a　newt。。。〃
　　　〃I　don't　reckon　it　can　be　done；〃　said　Rons　voice　flatly　from　the　other　side　of　the　table。　〃There's　nothing。　Nothing。　Closest　was　that　thing　to　dry　up　puddles　and　ponds；　that　Drought　Charm；　but　that　was　nowhere　near　powerful　enough　to　drain　the　lake。〃
　　　〃There　must　be　something；〃　Hermione　muttered；　moving　a　candle　closer　to　her。　Her　eyes　were　so　tired　she　was　poring　over　the　tiny　print　of　Olde　and　Forgotten　Bewitchments　and　Charmes　with　her　nose　about　an　inch　from　the　page。　〃They'd　never　have　set　a　task　that　was　undoable。〃
　　　〃They　have；〃　said　Ron。　〃Harry；　just　go　down　to　the　lake　tomorrow；　right；　stick　your　head　in；　yell　at　the　merpeople　to　give　back　whatever　they've　nicked；　and　see　if　they　chuck　it　out。　Best　you　can　do；　mate。〃
　　　〃There's　a　way　of　doing　it！〃　Hermione　said　crossly。　〃There　Just　has　to　be！〃
　　　She　seemed　to　be　taking　the　library's　lack　of　useful　information　on　the　subject　as　a　personal　insult；　it　had　never　failed　her　before。
　　　〃I　know　what　I　should　have　done；〃　said　Harry；　resting；　face…down；　on　Saucy　Tricks　for　Tricky　Sorts。　〃I　should've　learned　to　be　an　Animagus　like　Sirius。〃
　　　An　Animagus　was　a　wizard　who　could　transform　into　an　animal。
　　　〃Yeah；　you　could've　turned　into　a　goldfish　any　time　you　wanted！〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Or　a　frog；〃　yawned　Harry。　He　was　exhausted。　〃It　takes　years　to　bee　an　Animagus；　and　then　you　have　to　register　yourself　and　everything；〃　said　Hermione　vaguely；　now　squinting　down　the　index　of　Weird　Wizarding　Dilemmas　and　Their　Solutions。　〃Professor　McGonagall　told　us；　remember。。。　you've　got　to　register　yourself　with　the　Improper　Use　of　Magic　Office　。。。what　animal　you　bee；　and　your　markings；　so　you　can't　abuse　it。。。〃
　　　〃Hermione；　I　was　joking；〃　said　Harry　wearily。　〃I　know　I　haven't　got　a　chance　of　turning　into　a　frog　by　tomorrow　morning。。。〃
　　　〃Oh　this　is　no　use；〃　Hermione　said；　snapping　shut　Weird　Wizarding　Dilemmas。　〃Who　on　earth　wants　to　make　their　nose　hair　grow　into　ringlets？〃
　　　〃I　wouldn't　mind；〃　said　Fred　Weasleys　voice。　〃Be　a　talking　point；　wouldn't　it？〃
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　looked　up。　Fred　and　George　had　just　emerged　from　behind　some　bookshelves。
　　　〃What're　you　two　doing　here？〃　Ron　asked。
　　　〃Looking　for　you；〃　said　George。　〃McGonagall　wants　you；　Ron。　And　you；　Hermione。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　said　Hermione；　looking　surprised。
　　　〃Dunno　。。。she　was　looking　a　bit　grim；　though；〃　said　Fred。
　　　〃We're　supposed　to　take　you　down　to　her　office；〃　said　George。
　　　Ron　and　Hermione　stared　at　Harry；　who　felt　his　stomach　drop。　Was　Professor　McGonagall　about　to　tell　Ron　and　Hermione　off？　Perhaps　she'd　noticed　how　much　they　were　helping　him；　when　he　ought　to　be　working　out　how　to　do　the　task　alone？
　　　〃We'll　meet　you　back　in　the　mon　room；〃　Hermione　told　Harry　as　she　got　up　to　go　with　Ron…both　of　them　looked　very　anxious。　〃Bring　as　many　of　these　books　as　you　can；　okay？〃
　　　〃Right；〃　said　Harry　uneasily。
　　　By　eight　o'clock。　Madam　Pince　had　extinguished　all　the　lamps　and　came　to　chivvy　Harry　out　of　the　library。　Staggering　under　the　weight　of　as　many　books　as　he　could　carry；　Harry　returned　to　the　Gryffindor　mon　room；　pulled　a　table　into　a　corner；　and　continued　to　search。　There　was　nothing　in　Madcap　Magic　for　Wacky　Warlocks。。。　nothing　in　A　Guide　to　Medieval　Sorcery。。。　not　one　mention　of　underwater　exploits　in　An　Anthology　of　Eighteenth…Century　Charms；　or　in　Dreadful　Denizens　of　the　Deep；　or　Powers　You　Never　Knew　You　Had　and　What　to　Do　with　Them　Now　Youve　Wised　Up。
　　　Crookshanks　crawled　into　Harrys　lap　and　curled　up；　purring　deeply。　The　mon　room　emptied　slowly　around　Harry。　People　kept　wishing　him　luck　for　the　next　morning　in　cheery；　confident　voices　like　Hagrid　s；　all　of　them　apparently　convinced　that　he　was　about　to　pull　off　another　stunning　performance　like　the　one　he　had　managed　in　the　first　task。　Harry　couldn't　answer　them；　he　just　nodded；　feeling　as　though　there　were　a　golfball　stuck　in　his　throat。　By　ten　to　midnight；　he　was　alone　in　the　room　with　Crookshanks。　He　had　searched　all　the　remaining　books；　and　Ron　and　Hermione　had　not　e　back。
　　　It's　over；　he　told　himself。　You　can't　do　it。　You'll　just　have　to　go　down　to　the　lake　in　the　morning　and　tell　the　judges。。。
　　　He　imagined　himself　explaining　that　he　couldn't　do　the　task。　He　pictured　Bagman's　look　of　round…eyed　surprise；　Karkaroffs　satisfied；　yellow…toothed　smile。　He　could　almost　hear　Fleur　Delacour　saying　〃I　knew　it。。。　'e　is　too　young；　'e　is　only　a　little　boy。〃　He　saw　Malfoy　flashing　his　POTTER　STINKS　badge　at　the　front　of　the　crowd；　saw　Hagrid　s　crestfallen；　disbelieving　face。。。
　　　Forgetting　that　Crookshanks　was　on　his　lap。　Harry　stood　up　very　suddenly；　Crookshanks　hissed　angrily　as　he　landed　on　the　floor；　gave　Harry　a　disgusted　look；　and　stalked　away　with　his　bottlebrush　tail　in　the　air；　but　Harry　was　already　hurrying　up　the　spiral　staircase　to　his　dormitory。。。　He　would　grab　the　Invisibility　Cloak　and　go　back　to　the　library；　he'd　stay　there　all　night　if　he　had　to。。。
　　　〃Lumos；〃　Harry　whispered　fifteen　minutes　later　as　he　opened　the　library　door。
　　　Wand　tip　alight；　he　crept　along　the　bookshelves；　pulling　down　more　books…books　of　hexes　and　charms；　books　on　merpeople　and　water　monsters；　books　on　famous　witches　and　wizards；　on　magical　inventions；　on　anything　at　all　that　might　include　one　passing　reference　to　underwater　survival。　He　carried　them　over　to　a　table；　then　set　to　work；　searching　them　by　the　narrow　beam　of　his　wand；　occasionally　checking　his　watch。。。
　　　One　in　the　morning。。。　two　in　the　morning。。。　the　only　way　he　could　keep　going　was　to　tell　himself；　over　and　over　again；　next　book。。。　in　the　next　one。。。　the　next　one。。。
　　　
　　　The　mermaid　in　the　painting　in　the　prefects'　bathroom　was　laughing。　Harry　was　bobbing　like　a　cork　in　bubbly　water　next　to　her　rock；　while　she　held　his　Firebolt　over　his　head。
　　　〃e　and　get　it！〃　she　giggled　maliciously。　〃e　on；　jump！〃
　　　〃I　can't；〃　Harry　panted；　snatching　at　the　Firebolt；　and　struggling　not　to　sink。　〃Give　it　to　me！〃
　　　But　she　just　poked　him　painfully　in　the　side　with　the　end　of　the　broomstick；　laughing　at　him。
　　　〃That　hurts…get　offouch…〃
　　　〃Harry　Potter　must　wake　up；　sir！〃
　　　〃Stop　poking　me…〃
　　　〃Dobby　must　poke　Harry　Potter；　sir；　he　must　wake　up！〃
　　　Harry　opened　his　eyes。　He　was　still　in　the　library；　the　Invisibility　Cloak　had　slipped　off　his　head　as　he'd　slept；　and　the　side　of　his　face　was　stuck　to　the　pages　of　Where　There's　a　Wand；　There's　a　Way。　He　sat　up；　straightening　his　glasses；　blinking　in　the　bright　daylight。
　　　〃Harry　Potter　needs　to　hurry！〃　squeaked　Dobby。　〃The　second　task　starts　in　ten　minutes；　and　Harry　Potter…〃
　　　〃Ten　minutes？〃　Harry　croaked。　〃Ten…ten　minutes？〃
　　　He　looked　down　at　his　watch。　Dobby　was　right。　It　was　twenty　past　nine。　A　large；　dead　weight　seemed　to　fall　through　Harry's　chest　into　his　stomach。
　　　〃Hurry；　Harry　Potter！〃　squeaked　Dobby；　plucking　at　Harry's　sleeve。　〃You　is　supposed　to　be　down　by　the　lake　with　the　other　champions；　sir！〃
　　　〃It's　too　late；　Dobby；〃　Harry　said　hopelessly。　〃I'm　not　doing　the　task；　I　don't　know　how…〃
　　　〃Harry　Potter　will　do　the　task！〃　squeaked　the　elf。　〃Dobby　knew　Harry　had　not　found　the　right　book；　so　Dobby　did　it　for　him！〃
　　　〃What？〃　said　Harry。　〃But　you　don't　know