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！
ds do； Karkaroff…as you ought to remember。。。
〃Alastor！〃 said Dumbledore warningly。 Harry wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to； but then realized 〃Mad…Eye〃 could hardly be Moody's real first name。 Moody fell silent； though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction…Karkaroff's face was burning。
〃How this situation arose； we do not know；〃 said Dumbledore； speaking to everyone gathered in the room。 〃It seems to me； however； that we have no choice but to accept it。 Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to pete in the Tournament。 This； therefore； they will do。。。
〃Ah； but Dumbly…dorr…〃
〃My dear Madame Maxime； if you have an alternative； I would be delighted to hear it。〃
Dumbledore waited； but Madame Maxime did not speak； she merely glared。 She wasn't the only one either。 Snape looked furious； Karkaroff livid； Bagman； however； looked rather excited。
〃Well； shall we crack on； then？〃 he said； rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room。 〃Got to give our champions their instructions； haven't we？ Barty； want to do the honors？〃
Mr。 Crouch seemed to e out of a deep reverie。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃instructions。 Yes。。。 the first task。。。〃
He moved forward into the firelight。 Close up； Harry thought he looked ill。 There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin； papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup。
〃The first task is designed to test your daring；〃 he told Harry； Cedric； Fleur； and Viktor； 〃so we are not going to be telling you what it is。 Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard。。。 very important。
〃The first task will take place on November the twenty…fourth； in front of the other students and the panel of judges。
〃The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to plete the tasks in the tournament。 The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands。 They will receive information about the second task when the first is over。 Owing to the demanding and time…consuming nature of the tournament； the champions are exempted from end…of…year tests。〃
Mr。 Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore。
〃I think that's all； is it； Albus？〃
〃I think so；〃 said Dumbledore； who was looking at Mr。 Crouch with mild concern。 〃Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight； Barty？〃
〃No； Dumbledore； I must get back to the Ministry；〃 said Mr。 Crouch。 〃It is a very busy； very difficult time at the moment。。。 I've left young Weatherby in charge。。。 Very enthusiastic。。。 a little overenthusiastic； if truth be told。。。
〃You'll e and have a drink before you go； at least？〃 said Dumbledore。
〃e on； Barry； I'm staying！〃 said Bagman brightly。 〃It's all happening at Hogwarts now； you know； much more exciting here than at the office！〃
〃I think not； Ludo；〃 said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience。
〃Professor Karkaroff…Madame Maxime…a nightcap？〃 said Dumbledore。
But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room。 Harry could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall。 Karkaroff beckoned to Krum； and they； too； exited； though in silence。
〃Harry； Cedric； I suggest you go up to bed；〃 said Dumbledore； smiling at both of them。 〃I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you； and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise。〃
Harry glanced at Cedric； who nodded； and they left together。
The Great Hall was deserted now； the candles had burned low； giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie； flickering quality。
〃So；〃 said Cedric； with a slight smile。 〃We're playing against each other again！〃
〃I s'pose；〃 said Harry。 He really couldn't think of anything to say。 The inside of his head seemed to be in plete disarray； as though his brain had been ransacked。
〃So。。。 tell me。。。〃 said Cedric as they reached the entrance hall； which was now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire。 〃How did you get your name in？〃
〃I didn't；〃 said Harry； staring up at him。 〃I didn't put it in。 I was telling the truth。〃
〃Ah。。。 okay；〃 said Cedric。 Harry could tell Cedric didn't believe him。 〃Well。。。 see you； then。〃
Instead of going up the marble staircase； Cedric headed for a door to its right。 Harry stood listening to him going down the stone steps beyond it； then； slowly； he started to climb the marble ones。
Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe him； or would they all think he'd put himself in for the tournament？ Yet how could anyone think that； when he was facing petitors who'd had three years' more magical education than he had…when he was now facing tasks that not only sounded very dangerous； but which were to be performed in front of hundreds of people？ Yes； he'd thought about it。。。 he'd fantasized about it。。。 but it had been a joke； really； an idle sort of dream。。。 he'd never really； seriously considered entering。。
But someone else had considered it。。。 someone else had wanted him in the tournament； and had made sure he was entered。 Why？ To give him a treat？ He didn't think so； somehow。。。
To see him make a fool of himself？ Well； they were likely to get their wish。。
But to get him killed？
Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self？ Couldn't someone have put Harry's name in the goblet as a trick； a practical joke？ Did anyone really want him dead？
Harry was able to answer that at once。 Yes； someone wanted him dead； someone had wanted him dead ever since he had been a year old。。。 Lord Voldemort。 But how could Voldemort have ensured that Harry's name got into the Goblet of Fire？ Voldemort was supposed to be far away； in some distant country； in hiding； alone。。。 feeble and powerless。。。
Yet in that dream he had had； just before he had awoken with his scar hurting； Voldemort had not been alone。。。 he had been talking to Wormtail。。。 plotting Harry's murder。
Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already。 He had barely noticed where his feet were carrying him。 It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame。 The wizened witch who had flitted into her neighbor's painting when he had joined the champions downstairs was now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady。 She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before him。 Both she and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with the keenest interest。
〃Well； well； well；〃 said the Fat Lady； 〃Violet's just told me everything。 Who's just been chosen as school champion； then？〃
〃Balderdash；〃 said Harry dully。
〃It most certainly isn't！〃 said the pale witch indignantly。
〃No； no； Vi； it's the password；〃 said the Fat Lady soothingly； and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry into the mon room。
The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked him backward。 Next thing he knew； he was being wrenched inside the mon room by about a dozen pairs of hands； and was facing the whole of Gryffindor House； all of whom were screaming； applauding； and whistling。