按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cast the merrily dancing flames a dark look； and Harry distinctly heard her mutter 〃Slave labor〃 before bidding them good night and disappearing through the doorway to the girls' dormitory。
Harry； Ron； and Neville climbed up the last； spiral staircase until they reached their own dormitory； which was situated at the top of the tower。 Five four…poster beds with deep crimson hangings stood against the walls； each with its owner's trunk at the foot。
Dean and Seamus were already getting into bed； Seamus had pinned his Ireland rosette to his headboard； and Dean had tacked up a poster of Viktor Krum over his bedside table。
His old poster of the West Ham football team was pinned right next to it。
〃Mental；〃 Ron sighed； shaking his head at the pletely stationary soccer players。
Harry； Ron； and Neville got into their pajamas and into bed。 Someone … a house…elf； no doubt … had placed warming pans between the sheets。 It was extremely fortable； lying there in bed and listening to the storm raging outside。
〃I might go in for it； you know；〃 Ron said sleepily through the darkness； 〃if Fred and George find out how to。 。 。 the tournament。 。 。 you never know； do you？〃
〃S'pose not。 。。 。〃
Harry rolled over in bed； a series of dazzling new pictures forming in his mind's eye。 。
。 。 He had hoodwinked the impartial judge into believing he was seventeen。 。 。 he had bee Hogwarts champion。 。 。 he was standing on the grounds； his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school； all of whom were applauding and screaming。 。 。 he had just won the Triwizard Tournament。 Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd； her face glowing with admiration。。。。
Harry grinned into his pillow； exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN … MAD…EYE MOODY
The storm had blown itself out by the following morning； though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy； heavy clouds of pewter gray swirled overhead as Harry； Ron； and Hermione examined their new course schedules at breakfast。 A few seats along； Fred； George； and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of aging themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament。
〃Today's not bad。。 。 outside all morning；〃 said Ron； who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule。 〃Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures。。。 damn it； we're still with the Slytherins。 。 。 。〃
〃Double Divination this afternoon；〃 Harry groaned； looking down。
Divination was his least favorite subject； apart from Potions。 Professor Trelawney kept predicting Harry's death； which he found extremely annoying。
〃You should have given it up like me； shouldn't you？〃 said Hermione briskly； buttering herself some toast。 〃Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy。〃
〃You're eating again； I notice；〃 said Ron； watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too。
〃I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights；〃
said Hermione haughtily。
〃Yeah。 。 。 and you were hungry；〃 said Ron； grinning。
There was a sudden rustling noise above them； and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail。 Instinctively； Harry looked up； but there was no sign of white among the mass of brown and gray。 The owls circled the tables； looking for the people to whom their letters and packages were addressed。 A large tawny owl soared down to Neville Longbottom and deposited a parcel into his lap …Neville almost always forgot to pack something。 On the other side of the Hall Draco Malfoy's eagle owl had landed on his shoulder； carrying what looked like his usual supply of sweets and cakes from home。 Trying to ignore the sinking feeling of disappointment in his stomach； Harry returned to his porridge。 Was it possible that something had happened to Hedwig； and that Sirius hadn't even got his letter？
His preoccupation lasted all the way across the sodden vegetable patch until they arrived in greenhouse three； but here he was distracted by Professor Sprout showing the class the ugliest plants Harry had ever seen。 Indeed； they looked less like plants than thick； black； giant slugs； protruding vertically out of the soil。 Each was squirming slightly and had a number of large； shiny swellings upon it； which appeared to
be full of liquid。
〃Bubotubers；〃 Professor Sprout told them briskly。 〃They need squeezing。
You will collect the pus …〃
〃The what？〃 said Seamus Finnigan； sounding revolted。
〃Pus； Finnigan； pus；〃 said Professor Sprout； 〃and it's extremely valuable； so don't waste it。 You will collect the pus； I say； in these bottles。 Wear your dragon…hide gloves； it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted； bubotuber pus。〃
Squeezing the bubotubers was disgusting； but oddly satisfying。 As each swelling was popped； a large amount of thick yellowish…green liquid burst forth； which smelled strongly of petrol。 They caught it in the bottles as Professor Sprout had indicated； and by the end of the lesson had collected several pints。
〃This'll keep Madam Pomfrey happy；〃 said Professor Sprout； stoppering the last bottle with a cork。 〃An excellent remedy for the more stubborn forms of acne； bubotuber pus。 Should stop students resorting to desperate measures to rid themselves of pimples。〃
〃Like poor Eloise Midgen；〃 said Hannah Abbott； a Hufflepuff； in a hushed voice。 〃She tried to curse hers off。〃
〃Silly girl；〃 said Professor Sprout； shaking her head。 〃But Madam Pomfrey fixed her nose back on in the end。〃
A booming bell echoed from the castle across the wet grounds； signaling the end of the lesson； and the class separated； the Hufflepuffs climbing the stone steps for Transfiguration； and the Gryffindors heading in the other direction； down the sloping lawn toward Hagrid's small wooden cabin； which stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest。
Hagrid was standing outside his hut； one hand on the collar of his enormous black boarhound； Fang。 There were several open wooden crates on the ground at his feet； and Fang was whimpering and straining at his collar； apparently keen to investigate the contents more closely。 As they drew nearer； an odd rattling noise reached their ears； punctuated by what sounded like minor explosions。
〃Mornin'！〃 Hagrid said； grinning at Harry； Ron； and Hermione。 〃Be'er wait fer the Slytherins； they won' want ter miss this … Blast…Ended Skrewts！〃
〃e again？〃 said Ron。
Hagrid pointed down into the crates。
〃Eurgh！〃 squealed Lavender Brown； jumping backward。 〃Eurgh〃 just about summed up the Blast…Ended Skrewts in Harry's opinion。 They looked like deformed； shell…less lobsters； horribly pale and slimy…looking； with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads。 There were about a hundred of them in each crate； each about six inches long； crawling over one another； bumping blindly into the sides of the boxes。 They were giving off a very powerful smell of rotting fish。 Every now and then； sparks would fly out of the end of a skrewt； and with a small phut； it would be propelled forward several inches。
〃On'y jus' hatched；〃 said Hagrid