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第120部分

jkrowling.hp&theorderofphenix-第120部分

小说: jkrowling.hp&theorderofphenix 字数: 每页4000字

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   'You have to keep him tied up?' said Hermione faintly。
   'Well: yeah:' said Hagrid; looking anxious。 'See … it's like I say … he doesn' really know 'is own strength。'
   
   Harry understood now why there had been such a suspicious lack of any other living creature in this part of the Forest。
   'So; what is it you want Harry and Ron and me to do?' Hermione asked apprehensively。
   'Look after him;' said Hagrid croakily。 'After I'm gone。'
   
   Harry and Hermione exchanged miserable looks; Harry unfortably aware that he had already promised Hagrid that he would do whatever he asked。
   'What … what does that involve; exactly?' Hermione enquired。
   'Not food or anythin'!' said Hagrid eagerly。 'He can get his own food; no problem。 Birds an' deer an' stuff: no; it's pany he needs。 If I jus' knew someone was carryin' on tryin' ter help him a bit: teachin' him; yeh know。'
   
   Harry said nothing; but turned to look back at the gigantic form lying asleep on the ground in front of them。 Unlike Hagrid; who simply looked like an oversized human; Grawp looked strangely misshapen。 What Harry had taken to be a vast mossy boulder to the left of the great earthen mound he now recognised as Grawp's head。 It was much larger in proportion to the body than a human head; and was almost perfectly round and covered with tightly curling; close…growing hair the colour of bracken。 The rim of a single large; fleshy ear was visible on top of the head; which seemed to sit; rather like Uncle Vernon's; directly upon the shoulders with little or no neck in between。 The back; under what looked like a dirty brownish smock prised of animal skins sewn roughly together; was very broad; and as Grawp slept; it seemed to strain a little at the rough seams of the skins。 The legs were curled up under the body。 Harry could see the soles of enormous; filthy; bare feet; large as sledges; resting one on top of the other on the earthy Forest floor。
   'You want us to teach him;' Harry said in a hollow voice。 He now understood what Firenze's warning had meant。 His attempt is not working。 He would do better to abandon it。 Of course; the other creatures who lived in the Forest would have heard Hagrids fruitless attempts to teach Grawp English。
   'Yeah … even if yeh jus' talk ter him a bit;' said Hagrid hopefully。 〃Cause I reckon; if he can talk ter people; he'll understand more that we all like 'im really; an' want 'im ter stay。'
   
   Harry looked at Hermione; who peered back at him from between the fingers over her face。
   'Kind of makes you wish we had Norbert back; doesn't it?' he said; and she gave a very shaky laugh。
   'Yeh'll do it; then?' said Hagrid; who did not seem to have caught what Harry had just said。
   'We'll:' said Harry; already bound by his promise。 'We'll try; Hagrid。'
   
   'I knew I could count on yeh; Harry;' Hagrid said; beaming in a very watery way and dabbing at his face with his handkerchief again。 'An' I don' want yeh ter put yerself out too much; like: I know yeh've got exams: if yeh could jus' nip down here in yer Invisibility Cloak maybe once a week an' have a little chat with 'im。 I'll wake 'im up; then … introduce yeh …'
   
   'Wha… no!' said Hermione; jumping up。 'Hagrid; no; don't wake him; really; we don't need …'
   
   But Hagrid had already stepped over the great tree trunk in front of them and was proceeding towards Grawp。 When he was about ten feet away; he lifted a long; broken bough from the ground; smiled reassuringly over his shoulder at Harry and Hermione; then poked Grawp hard in the middle of the back with the end of the bough。
   The giant gave a roar that echoed around the silent Forest; birds in the treetops overhead rose twittering from their perches and soared away。 In front of Harry and Hermione; meanwhile; the gigantic Grawp was rising from the ground; which shuddered as he placed an enormous hand upon it to push himself on to his knees。 He turned his head to see who and what had disturbed him。
   'All righ'; Grawpy?' said Hagrid; in a would…be cheery voice; backing away with the long bough raised; ready to poke Grawp again。 'Had a nice sleep; eh?'
   
   Harry and Hermione retreated as far as they could while still keeping the giant within their sights。 Grawp knelt between two trees he had not yet uprooted。 They looked up into his startlingly huge face that resembled a grey full moon swimming in the gloom of the clearing。 It was as though the features had been hewn on to a great stone ball。 The nose was stubby and shapeless; the mouth lopsided and full of misshapen yellow teeth the size of half…bricks; the eyes; small by giant standards; were a muddy greenish…brown and just now were half…gummed together with sleep。 Grawp raised dirty knuckles; each as big as a cricket ball; to his eyes; rubbed vigorously; then; without warning; pushed himself to his feet with surprising speed and agility。
   'Oh my!' Harry heard Hermione squeal; terrified; beside him。
   The trees to which the other ends of the ropes around Grawp's wrists and ankles were attached creaked ominously。 He was; as
   
   Hagrid had said; at least sixteen feet tall。 Gazing blearily around; Grawp reached out a hand the size of a beach umbrella; seized a bird's nest from the upper branches of a towering pine and turned it upside…down with a roar of apparent displeasure that there was no bird in it; eggs fell like grenades towards the ground and Hagrid threw his arms over his head to protect himself。
   'Anyway; Grawpy;' shouted Hagrid; looking up apprehensively in case of further falling eggs; 'I've brought some friends ter meet yeh。 Remember; I told yeh I might? Remember; when I said I might have ter go on a little trip an' leave them ter look after yeh fer a bit? Remember that; Grawpy?'
   
   But Grawp merely gave another low roar; it was hard to say whether he was listening to Hagrid or whether he even recognised the sounds Hagrid was making as speech。 He had now seized the top of the pine tree and was pulling it towards him; evidently for the simple pleasure of seeing how far it would spring back when he let go。
   'Now; Grawpy; don' do that!' shouted Hagrid。 'Tha's how you ended up pullin' up the others …'
   
   And sure enough; Harry could see the earth around the tree's roots beginning to crack。
   'I got pany for yeh!' Hagrid shouted。 'pany; see! Look down; yeh big buffoon; I brought yeh some friends!'
   
   'Oh; Hagrid; don't;' moaned Hermione; but Hagrid had already raised the bough again and gave Grawp's knee a sharp poke。
   The giant let go of the top of the tree; which swayed alarmingly and deluged Hagrid with a rain of pine needles; and looked down。
   This;' said Hagrid; hastening over to where Harry and Hermione stood; 'is Harry; Grawp! Harry Potter! He migh' be in' ter visit yeh if I have ter go away; understand?'
   
   The giant had only just realised that Harry and Hermione were there。 They watched; in great trepidation; as he lowered his huge boulder of a head so that he could peer blearily at them。
   'An' this is Hermione; see? Her…' Hagrid hesitated。 Turning to Hermione; he said; 'Would yeh mind if he called yeh Hermy; Hermione? On'y it's a difficult name fer him ter remember。'
   
   'No; not at all;' squeaked Hermione。
   This is Hermy; Grawp! An' she's gonna be in' an' all! Is'n' tha' nice? Eh? Two friends fer yeh ter … GRAWPY; NO!'
   
   Grawp's hand had shot out of nowhere towards Hermione; Harry seized her and pulled her backwards behind the tree; so that Grawp's fist scraped the trunk but closed on thin air。
   'BAD BOY; GRAWPY!' they heard Hagrid yelling; as Hermione clung to Harry behind the tree; shaking and whimpering。 'VERY BAD BOY! YEH DON' GRAB … OUCH!'
   
   Harry poked his head out from around the trunk and saw Hagrid lying on his back; his hand over his nose。 Grawp; apparently losing interest; had straightened up and was again engaged in pulling back the pine as far as it would go。
   'Righ';' said Hagrid thickly; getting up with one hand pinching his bleeding nose and the other grasping his crossbow; 'well: there yeh are: yeh've met him an' … an' now he'll know yeh when yeh e back。 Yeah: well:'
   
   He looked up at Grawp; who was now pulling back the pine with an expression of detached pleasure on his boulderish face; the roots were creaking as he ripped them away from the ground。
   'Well; I reckon tha's enough fer one day;' said Hagrid。 'We'll …er … we'll go back now; shall we?'
   
   Harry and Hermione nodded。 Hagrid shouldered his crossbow again and; still pinching his nose; led the way back into the trees。
   Nobody spoke for a while; not even when they heard the distant crash that meant Grawp had pulled over the pine tree at last。 Hermione's face was pale and set。 Harry could not think of a single thing to say。 What on earth was going to happen when somebody found out that Hagrid had hidden Grawp in the Forbidden Forest? And he had promised that he; Ron and Hermione would continue Hagrid's totally pointless attempts to civilise the giant。 How could Hagrid; even with his immense capacity to delude himself that fanged monsters were loveably harmless; fool himself that Grawp would ever be fit to mix with humans?
   
   'Hold it;' said Hagrid abruptly; just as Harry and Hermione were struggling through a patch of thick knotgrass behind him。 He pulled an arrow out of the quiver over his shoulder and fitted it into the crossbow。 Harry and Hermione raised their wands; now that they had stopped walking; they; too; could hear movement close by。
   'Oh; blimey' said Hagrid quietly。
   'I thought we told you; Hagrid;' said a deep male voice; 'that you are no longer wele here?'
   
   A man's naked torso seemed for an instant to be floating towards them through the dappled green half…light; then they saw that his waist joined smoothly into a horse's chestnut body。 This centaur had a proud; high…cheekboned face and long black hair。 Like Hagrid; he was armed; a quiverful of arrows and a longbow were slung over his shoulders。
   'How are yeh; Magorian?' said Hagrid warily。
   The trees behind the centaur rustled and four or five more centaurs emerged behind him。 Harry recognised the black…bodied and bearded Bane; whom he had met nearly four years ago o

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