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！
s 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 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