jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第31节

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body　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　was　moving　ceaselessly；　without　blinking；　and　was　rolling　up；　down；　and　from　side　to　side；　quite　independently　of　the　normal　eye…and　then　it　rolled　right　over；　pointing　into　the　back　of　the　man's　head；　so　that　all　they　could　see　was　whiteness。
　　　The　stranger　reached　Dumbledore。　He　stretched　out　a　hand　that　was　as　badly　scarred　as　his　face；　and　Dumbhedore　shook　it；　muttering　words　Harry　couldn't　hear。　He　seemed　to　be　making　some　inquiry　of　the　stranger；　who　shook　his　head　unsmilingly　and　replied　in　an　undertone。　Dumbledore　nodded　and　gestured　the　man　to　the　empty　seat　on　his　right…hand　side。
　　　The　stranger　sat　down；　shook　his　mane　of　dark　gray　hair　out　of　his　face；　pulled　a　plate　of　sausages　toward　him；　raised　it　to　what　was　left　of　his　nose；　and　sniffed　it。　He　then　took　a　small　knife　out　of　his　pocket；　speared　a　sausage　on　the　end　of　it；　and　began　to　eat。　His　normal　eye　was　fixed　upon　the　sausages；　but　the　blue　eye　was　still　darting　restlessly　around　in　its　socket；　taking　in　the　Hall　and　the　students。
　　　〃May　I　introduce　our　new　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　teacher？〃　said　Dumbledore　brightly　into　the　silence。　〃Professor　Moody。〃
　　　It　was　usual　for　new　staff　members　to　be　greeted　with　applause；　but　none　of　the　staff　or　students　chapped　except　Dumbledore　and　Hagrid；　who　both　put　their　hands　together　and　applauded；　but　the　sound　echoed　dismally　into　the　silence；　and　they　stopped　fairly　quickly。　Everyone　else　seemed　too　transfixed　by　Moody's　bizarre　appearance　to　do　more　than　stare　at　him。
　　　〃Moody？〃　Harry　muttered　to　Ron。　〃Mad…Eye　Moody？　The　one　your　dad　went　to　help　this　morning？〃
　　　〃Must　be；〃　said　Ron　in　a　low；　awed　voice。
　　　〃What　happened　to　him？〃　Hermione　whispered。　〃What　happened　to　his　face？〃
　　　〃Dunno；〃　Ron　whispered　back；　watching　Moody　with　fascination。
　　　Moody　seemed　totally　indifferent　to　his　less…than…warm　wele。　Ignoring　the　jug　of　pumpkin　juice　in　front　of　him；　he　reached　again　into　his　traveling　cloak；　pulled　out　a　hip　flask；　and　took　a　long　draught　from　it。　As　he　lifted　his　arm　to　drink；　his　cloak　was　pulled　a　few　inches　from　the　ground；　and　Harry　saw；　below　the　table；　several　inches　of　carved　wooden　leg；　ending　in　a　clawed　foot。
　　　Dumbledore　cleared　his　throat。
　　　〃As　I　was　saying；〃　he　said；　smiling　at　the　sea　of　students　before　him；　all　of　whom　were　still　gazing　transfixed　at　Mad…Eye　Moody；　〃we　are　to　have　the　honor　of　hosting　a　very　exciting　event　over　the　ing　months；　an　event　that　has　not　been　held　for　over　a　century。　It　is　my　very　great　pleasure　to　inform　you　that　the　Triwizard　Tournament　will　be　taking　place　at　Hogwarts　this　year。〃
　　　〃You're　JOKING！〃　said　Fred　Weasley　loudly。
　　　The　tension　that　had　filled　the　Hall　ever　since　Moody's　arrival　suddenly　broke。　Nearly　everyone　laughed；　and　Dumbledore　chuckled　appreciatively。
　　　〃I　am　not　joking；　Mr。　Weasley；〃　he　said；　〃though　now　that　you　mention　it；　I　did　hear　an　excellent　one　over　the　summer　about　a　troll；　a　hag；　and　a　leprechaun　who　all　go　into　a　bar。
　　　Professor　McGonagall　cleared　her　throat　loudly。
　　　〃Er…but　maybe　this　is　not　the　time。。。　no。。。〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃where　was　I？　Ah　yes；　the　Triwizard　Tournament。。。　well；　some　of　you　will　not　know　what　this　tournament　involves；　so　I　hope　those　who　do　know　will　forgive　me　for　giving　a　short　explanation；　and　allow　their　attention　to　wander　freely。
　　　〃The　Triwizard　Tournament　was　first　established　some　seven　hundred　years　ago　as　a　friendly　petition　between　the　three　largest　European　schools　of　wizardry：　Hogwarts；　Beauxbatons；　and　Durmstrang。　A　champion　was　selected　to　represent　each　school；　and　the　three　champions　peted　in　three　magical　tasks。　The　schools　took　it　in　turns　to　host　the　tournament　once　every　five　years；　and　it　was　generally　agreed　to　be　a　most　excellent　way　of　establishing　ties　between　young　witches　and　wizards　of　different　nationalities…until；　that　is；　the　death　toll　mounted　so　high　that　the　tournament　was　discontinued。〃
　　　〃Death　toll？〃　Hermione　whispered；　looking　alarmed。　But　her　anxiety　did　not　seem　to　be　shared　by　the　majority　of　students　in　the　Hall；　many　of　them　were　whispering　excitedly　to　one　another；　and　Harry　himself　was　far　more　interested　in　hearing　about　the　tournament　than　in　worrying　about　deaths　that　had　happened　hundreds　of　years　ago。
　　　〃There　have　been　several　attempts　over　the　centuries　to　reinstate　the　tournament；〃　Dumbledore　continued；　〃none　of　which　has　been　very　successful。　However；　our　own　departments　of　International　Magical　Cooperation　and　Magical　Games　and　Sports　have　decided　the　time　is　ripe　for　another　attempt。　We　have　worked　hard　over　the　summer　to　ensure　that　this　time；　no　champion　will　find　himself　or　herself　in　mortal　danger。
　　　〃The　heads　of　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang　will　be　arriving　with　their　short…listed　contenders　in　October；　and　the　selection　of　the　three　champions　will　take　place　at　Halloween。　An　impartial　judge　will　decide　which　students　are　most　worthy　to　pete　for　the　Triwizard　Cup；　the　glory　of　their　school；　and　a　thousand　Galleons　personal　prize　money。〃
　　　〃I'm　going　for　it！〃　Fred　Weasley　hissed　down　the　table；　his　face　lit　with　enthusiasm　at　the　prospect　of　such　glory　and　riches。　He　was　not　the　only　person　who　seemed　to　be　visualizing　himself　as　the　Hogwarts　champion。　At　every　House　table；　Harry　could　see　people　either　gazing　raptly　at　Dumbledore；　or　else　whispering　fervently　to　their　neighbors。　But　then　Dumbledore　spoke　again；　and　the　Hall　quieted　once　more。
　　　〃Eager　though　I　know　all　of　you　will　be　to　bring　the　Triwizard　Cup　to　Hogwarts；〃　he　said；　〃the　heads　of　the　participating　schools；　along　with　the　Ministry　of　Magic；　have　agreed　to　impose　an　age　restriction　on　contenders　this　year。　Only　students　who　are　of　age…that　is　to　say；　seventeen　years　or　older…will　be　allowed　to　put　forward　their　names　for　consideration。　This〃…Dumbledore　raised　his　voice　slightly；　for　several　people　had　made　noises　of　outrage　at　these　words；　and　the　Weasley　twins　were　suddenly　looking　furious…〃is　a　measure　we　feel　is　necessary；　given　that　the　tournament　tasks　will　still　be　difficult　and　dangerous；　whatever　precautions　we　take；　and　it　is　highly　unlikely　that　students　below　sixth　and　seventh　year　will　be　able　to　cope　with　them。　I　will　personally　be　ensuring　that　no　underage　student　hoodwinks　our　impartial　judge　into　making　them　Hog…warts　champion。〃　His　light　blue　eyes　twinkled　as　they　flickered　over　Fred's　and　George's　mutinous　faces。　〃I　therefore　beg　you　not　to　waste　your　time　submitting　yourself　if　you　are　under　seventeen。
　　　〃The　delegations　from　Beauxbatons　and　Durmstrang　will　be　arriving　in　October　and　remaining　with　us　for　the　greater　part　of　this　year。　I　know　that　you　will　all　extend　every　courtesy　to　our　foreign　guests　while　they　are　with　us；　and　will　give　your　whole…hearted　support　to　the　Hogwarts　champion　when　he　or　she　is　selected。　And　now；　it　is　late；　and　I　know　how　important　it　is　to　you　all　to　be　alert　and　rested　as　you　enter　your　lessons　tomorrow　morning。　Bedtime！　Chop　chop！〃
　　　Dumbledore　sat　down　again　and　turned　to　talk　to　Mad…Eye　Moody。　There　was　a　great　scraping　and　banging　as　all　the　students　got　to　their　feet　and　swarmed　toward　the　double　doors　into　t