text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 16

Synopsis
Ron is stunned that the greatest Quidditch Seeker in the world, Victor Krum, is still in school. Many Hogwarts students struggle to get into the Great Hall to get his autograph. Inside, the Beauxbatons representatives seat themselves at the Ravenclaw table, and, despite Ron's hopes, the Durmstrang students prefer to sit with Slytherin. Harry wonders why Filch is setting out four extra chairs, as there are only the two visiting Headmasters. Professor Dumbledore welcomes the guest schools, and the feast begins.

The House-elves have produced more dishes than usual, including some French ones which Hermione recognizes and recommends. Ron refuses to try any, preferring English cooking instead. A Beauxbatons girl asks if they are finished with the bouillabaisse. Ron is unable to answer, but Harry tells her to go ahead. As she leaves, Ron remarks that she must be part Veela. Hermione, somewhat nettled, disagrees, but Harry notes that many Hogwarts boys seem similarly affected by her. Hermione notices that the two additional chairs at head Table are now occupied by Ludo Bagman and Bartemius Crouch.

After dinner, Professor Dumbledore rises to explain the Triwizard Tournament rules, then introduces Bagman and Crouch as two of the judges. Filch brings in an ornate wooden chest containing the Goblet of Fire, a large, roughly-hewn wooden cup, "full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames." Anyone wishing to enter the competition should submit their name to the Goblet within twenty-four hours. At the Hallowe'en Feast, the three champions will be selected. An Age Line surrounding the Goblet will prevent anyone under 17-years-old from entering. Before dismissing them, Dumbledore warns the students to be absolutely sure they are prepared to compete in such a challenging and dangerous tournament, as the rules state that anyone chosen cannot change his or her mind.

As he is leaving, Professor Karkaroff spots Harry and stares in amazement. Professor Moody approaches Karkaroff from behind, telling him he is blocking the doorway. Karkaroff, shocked and apparently frightened at seeing Moody, quickly leaves.

The next morning, the Durmstrang students have already entered their names into the Goblet, but no one from Hogwarts has yet. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan appear and try to fool the age line with an aging potion, but they fail; the age line throws Fred and George across the hall and gives them long white beards. Dumbledore witnesses them, and gently chides them for their attempted stunt. He then sends the two up to Madam Pomfrey, mentioning that other two other students attempted the same thing, although Fred and George obtained the fullest beards from it. Throughout the day, many eligible students enter their names, including Angelina Johnson, Warrington all the Beauxbatons students, and Cedric Diggory.

Hermione gathers her box of badges, and, accompanied by Harry and Ron, heads to Hagrid's hut to ask him to join S.P.E.W.. Along the way, they notice that the Beauxbatons students are lodging inside their giant carriage. Hagrid is quite the sight. In an apparent attempt to tame his wild hair, he has applied massive quantities of grease, and is wearing his best, horribly hairy suit. Stunned by Hagrid's finery, Hermione, nearly speechless, asks about the Skrewts. They have begun killing each other, but Hagrid has saved about twenty and is keeping them in separate boxes. They discuss the Tournament. Hagrid knows something about the tasks but is unable to say anything. He gently declines Hermione's offer to join S.P.E.W., explaining that it is House-elves' nature to serve wizards, and they are happy as they are; it would be a disservice to free them. Hagrid glimpses Madame Maxime heading to the castle and hurries off to join her, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione to speculate that he must be sweet on her.

Following the feast, the Goblet of Fire selects the three Triwizard Champions. Viktor Krum is chosen for Durmstrang. The Beauxbatons champion is Fleur Delacour, the girl Ron suspects is part Veela. The Hogwarts' champion is Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff. Just as Dumbledore starts to speak, the Goblet unexpectedly ejects a fourth name. Dumbledore is hesitant to read it, but finally reads out... Harry Potter.

Analysis
Dumbledore's intent in championing the return of the Triwizard Tournament would seem to be integration of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang with Hogwarts students to foster lasting friendships and alliances. The plan, however, may not be going exactly as planned: divisions are already forming as Durmstrang, which has an affinity for the Dark Arts, mostly fraternizes with Slytherins, while the rather snobbish Beauxbatons align themselves with the intellectual (and presumably more cultured and aloof) Ravenclaws. The visitors appear to take little interest in either the Hufflepuff or Gryffindor Houses, despite Ron's overtures to Durmstrang to join their table, and the famous Harry Potter being a Gryffindor. Considering that Voldemort supporters are mostly former Slytherins and Karkaroff may have Death Eater ties, Durmstrang's affiliation with Slytherin House seems inevitable and could potentially benefit Voldemort by recruiting new followers rather than opponents. With this possible connection, it is curious why Durmstrang was invited to compete in the Triwizard competition, though it may not entirely have been Dumbledore's decision. The Ministry, firmly convinced Voldemort is dead, would believe that this particular school poses no threat. Dumbledore must also have a particularly strong faith that Karkaroff has fully renounced any Death Eater ties he may have had, in order to include Durmstrang, which reportedly still teaches the Dark Arts, into his school. We don't yet know if Dumbledore's hopes for some measure of cooperation between the schools will be fulfilled.

While most everyone is surprised that Viktor Krum is a Durmstrang student, readers should perhaps note that Karkaroff seems equally amazed that Harry attends Hogwarts. While this has never been kept secret, it may not be general knowledge outside Great Britain, and Durmstrang is far more isolated and clandestine than other schools. Karkaroff is also stunned to discover "Mad Eye" Moody is at Hogwarts, and, judging from his fearful reaction, it can be assumed that Moody, a former Auror, may be an old nemesis and that Karkaroff may have a Death Eater past.

Even as tension mounts over the Tournament and a possible plot against Harry, it appears that love, or at least infatuation, is running rampant at Hogwarts. While little is known about the Hogwarts teachers' personal lives, and all have apparently remained unattached, it seems that the lonely Hagrid may have found love when he becomes smitten with Madame Maxime. And though Madame Maxime is similarly sized to Hagrid, her refined elegance may be at odds with Hagrid's rather uncouth nature, though it appears he is attempting to make a good impression. We are also seeing budding romantic feelings in Harry, Ron, and Hermione, among others.

Hagrid's refusal to join S.P.E.W. is interesting for two reasons. First, Hagrid shows that many wizards believe House-elves are treated well and generally are happy with their station in life. And secondly, Hagrid says that it is in House-elves nature to serve wizards. This could imply that House-elves may have freely entered into servitude, but at some point in history, wizards somehow gained an advantage that allowed them to gradually transform elves into slaves. This may have been achieved through selective breeding and/or magical mind manipulation. Elves may also have become domesticated naturally over time. It would seem that if House-elves are so naturally inclined to serve wizards and are steadfastly loyal to one family, then it would be unnecessary to enslave them. However, as wizards closely guard their private business, enslaving elves would help ensure that those secrets remain within the family. And as elves are only viewed as "property", they can also be freely abused by cruel masters. Despite how this relationship evolved, we will see in later chapters that House-elves seem genuinely happiest when they have masters to serve, which apparently confirms what Hagrid is saying here. It is debatable then as to how well House-elves could, or would, adapt to sudden and unexpected freedom that they apparently do not desire.

Fred and George's attempts to by-pass the Tournament's age limit are futile, but their continual attempts to experiment with and create new magic shows just how talented, powerful, and resourceful these clever young wizards actually are, despite their poor academic record. They have already invented many new and innovative spells, charms, and jinxes, and they are well on their way to opening their own unique joke shop, if they can secure the financing. The Twins are a stark contrast to Harry and Ron, who, to date, have tended only to study the required O.W.L.-level curriculum and have not yet shown the initiative or ability to create new magic. This does not mean they are incapable or lack talent, however. Harry, being a latecomer to the Wizarding world, still has much general knowledge to learn that most wizard children have been exposed to since birth. He has also had to cope with many calamities in his life, particularly since he started at Hogwarts. However, his natural ability in Defensive Arts is already apparent and will likely inspire him to experiment once he becomes more proficient in general magic; we are told he has already learned more defensive spells than most students know when they leave Hogwarts. Hermione, a latecomer like Harry, also shows little inclination to experiment; instead, she concentrates on mastering traditional spells that are within prescribed academic boundaries while nurturing her inquisitive mind with books, although this will likely change as she matures. Ron, meanwhile, still feels too intimidated and overshadowed by his magically accomplished family, even Ginny, who is already developing into a powerful witch.

Review

 * 1) What might account for Ron's attraction to Fleur Delacour?
 * 2) Why has Hagrid suddenly changed his appearance?

Further Study

 * 1) Why would Karkaroff have such a strong reaction to seeing "Mad Eye" Moody at Hogwarts?
 * 2) It is no secret that Harry is a Hogwarts student. Why does Karkaroff seem so surprised to see him there?
 * 3) How could Harry's name have been placed into the Goblet of Fire? Why would this have happened?
 * 4) Why does Hagrid decline Hermione's request to join S.P.E.W.?
 * 5) Why do Beauxbatons students prefer to sit at Ravenclaw's table while Durmstrang students seat themselves with Slytherin in the Great Hall? What does this say about the foreign students and also about the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Houses?
 * 6) Why does Ron hope Durmstrang students will sit with Gryffindor? Why would he ignore the Beauxbatons students?
 * 7) Why does Ron feel it is permissible for him to be attracted to Fleur, but becomes upset when he suspects Hermione notices someone?

Greater Picture
Initially it may seem that Harry and Krum, who are equally famous in the Wizarding world, would consider each other rivals. For Harry, though, having someone as well-known as himself at Hogwarts actually helps lessen the unwanted spotlight that constantly shines on him. And though Krum may relish fame while Harry shuns it, Krum is secure enough as a person, as well as being a gracious guest, that he never attempts to undermine Harry. Although Harry and Krum generally ignore one another, at least initially, there appears to be no animosity or resentment between them, and they will eventually establish a friendly relationship. It should be noted that Harry and Krum's celebrity is quite different and almost opposite from one another. Destiny forced fame upon Harry as an infant, and ever since, his life has been dictated by that fate rather than from his own deliberate actions or desires. He has, despite his desire to avoid the lime-light, learned to make choices from within that pre-determined scenario. In contrast, Krum, a gifted athlete, consciously chose his own path and made calculated decisions that led to his becoming a world-class Quidditch player. He also did so, presumably, from an age when he better understood the realities and consequences of achieving his goals. While it is a safe assumption that his intent was to play Quidditch to a world-class level, he was well aware of the adulation that this would bring; and indeed, in a later book, we see that he is not averse to using his fame to get things that he wants. It is perhaps these differences that allow Harry and Krum to become friendly competitors rather than bitter rivals.

As the story progresses, a plot against Harry gradually emerges. Karkaroff, a former Death Eater who some suspect remains loyal to Voldemort, will seem the likely culprit behind it. However, Karkaroff's genuine surprise upon seeing Harry at Hogwarts would indicate otherwise, and the elaborate preparation needed to orchestrate the deadly trap requires knowing beforehand that Harry is a student at Hogwarts. We will discover during the course of this book that Snape was also a Death Eater, and we cannot be sure that he is not involved. Of course, it will turn out that neither of them is part of the plot; with her usual skill, the author will present the true villain, out of her sleeve as it were, in the final chapters of this book, having held him under our noses for much of the story.

Also, students are struggling with romantic dilemmas, many for the first time, and their initial awkward attempts at romance are both amusing and painful. Harry, naive about girls in general, experiences his first crush when he is attracted to Cho Chang, who seems to reciprocate his interest but is currently dating someone else. Ginny Weasley, still harboring unrequited feelings for Harry, has apparently accepted that Harry will probably never be interested in her and is moving on. Much to Hermione's irritation, Ron is attracted to Fleur Delacour, who he suspects is part Veela and which may partially account for his interest in her. And though Ron apparently feels entitled to notice other girls, he becomes resentful and sullen when he suspects Hermione is interested in Cedric Diggory (as she briefly appears to be in this chapter) or any other boy (as will be seen later in this book), though he apparently is unable to interpret his feelings as jealousy.

We should note how Dumbledore worded his instructions when the Goblet is initially presented. While he says here that placing one's name in the Goblet constitutes a binding contract, in the next chapter, Crouch will claim that having one's name ejected from the Goblet constitutes a contract. Though Crouch is present at Dumbledore's speech, he does not contradict him. There will be additional commentary on this wording in the next chapter's analysis.

Ron's character is also illuminated a bit here. Though he usually lags behind Harry and Hermione in ability and maturity, and is generally content to follow their leads, he can oftentimes be the most observant among the three. He surmises, quite correctly, that the Beauxbatons girl is part Veela. Fleur Delacour, we will find out later, is one-quarter Veela; in the Weighing of the Wands ceremony, she will state that her wand's magical core, a Veela hair, came from her grandmother.

Connections

 * Fleur Delacour will end up falling in love with Bill Weasley, and will marry him at the start of the seventh book. In the meanwhile, she will cause significant discomfort for Ron, who never becomes immune to her glamour.
 * Viktor Krum, despite having virtually the entire female population of Hogwarts to choose from, will try to establish a romantic relationship with Hermione. While he does not stand a chance with her, neither he nor Ron recognizes this, and Ron will react with jealousy long before he realizes that he has romantic feelings for Hermione himself.
 * The relationship between Hagrid and Madame Maxime will continue through the remainder of the series, to some extent.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 18

Synopsis
Hermione suspects Umbridge caused Hedwig's injury attempting to intercept Harry's mail. She suggests Umbridge's interest in Harry's mail is the real reason Filch had earlier tried to confiscate Harry's letter when he was in the Owlery.

Angelina announces that the Gryffindor Quidditch team has been allowed to reform. Practice starts that evening.

Hermione, despite having been one of the major forces driving its creation, is having second thoughts about Harry's private Defence class, possibly because Sirius supports it. She feels Sirius is somewhat immature and attempts to live through Harry. Her opinion only gets an angry rebuttal from Harry and Ron.

The weather is dreadful, and Fred and George debate skipping Quidditch practice by using a Skiving Snackbox product, but Angelina knows about them. Testing their latest item, Fever Fudge, has given them pus-filled boils in rather private places. Due to this and the bad weather, practice lasts only an hour. When Harry's scar pains him after practice, he tells Ron that Voldemort is angry. Something he wants done is happening too slowly. This feels differently than when he was in Umbridge's office—Voldemort was happy then. And the time before that, he was furious.

Later that evening, Harry falls asleep over his homework in the Common Room, and has the familiar dream about the windowless corridor. He is awakened by Dobby the House-elf returning the healed Hedwig. Dobby is wearing all of Hermione's hidden knitted elf hats and socks. He has been collecting them from Gryffindor tower because the other House-elves find the items insulting and refuse to clean in there anymore. Harry decides not to tell Hermione. When Harry mentions needing a secret meeting place, Dobby tells him about the Room of Requirement, a place he takes Winky to dry her out. Dobby offers to show Harry how to summon the room, and says it will appear fully equipped with whatever is needed.

The next day, Harry passes the word that the first meeting is that evening. Hermione is doubtful, remembering how Dobby's other schemes have failed, but Harry tells her that Dumbledore mentioned this room once. That night, Harry, Ron, and Hermione summon the room; it is perfect, with cushions to catch Stunned students, Dark detectors which Harry thinks were in the false Moody's office the year before, and, most reassuring to Hermione, a full library of Defence Against the Dark Arts reference books. The other students file in, awed by the space's perfection, and the first session begins.

Harry is unanimously elected as the group's leader. Cho Chang suggests naming the group "Defence Association," or D.A. for short. Ginny Weasley notices the initials could also stand for "Dumbledore's Army," and the members choose that, mostly to mock paranoid Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, who fears Dumbledore is secretly organizing a wizard army against the Ministry of Magic. Hermione writes "Dumbledore's Army" at the top of the parchment with the students' names on it and attaches it to the wall. Harry begins the first lesson – the Disarming charm, though Zacharias Smith complains it is too simple. Harry says it served him well enough against Voldemort, but Zacharias is free to leave if he chooses.

Practice goes well, though Cho fumbles her charms whenever Harry is watching. Harry, evaluating the spell-casting, is glad he started with something so simple. The session ends, and the next meeting is Wednesday, a time that does not conflict with Harry's Quidditch practice.

Analysis
The school Houses' separate identities have created (mostly) friendly rivalries, although Gryffindor and Slytherin have traditionally been more antagonistic. As is so common, an external threat creates an alliance among these more-or-less disparate groups. With the exception of Slytherin, the Houses become united over a common cause: opposing Umbridge and the Ministry. While Umbridge does seem to show obvious favoritism towards Slytherin House, it would seem that they were not deliberately excluded from the DA. Recruiting for the DA was by word of mouth, and so there could not have been any specific exclusion of Slytherin; we assume that those students who were recruiting for the DA simply felt that any Slytherin house members that they knew were untrustworthy. As Voldemort's power grows, this initial bonding between Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff could prove significant later on.

Also, the name, Dumbledore's Army (or D.A.), that the students have chosen for their secret group not only reflects their defiance and willingness to oppose Umbridge and mock Fudge, but it reinforces their loyalty to Dumbledore and Hogwarts. Fudge's ongoing paranoia that Dumbledore is secretly building a wizard army to take over the Ministry is ridiculous; there is simply nothing to support this, and significant evidence against it — we were told by Hagrid in the first book that Dumbledore had been offered the post and declined it — but it shows just how warped Fudge's reasoning now is. Dumbledore's Army becomes an extreme example of Fudge "creating what he fears." Fudge suspecting that an army is being built, for which he has no proof, is in stark contrast to his unbending claims that, despite concrete evidence, Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew are still dead and Sirius Black is indeed guilty. Umbridge supports Fudge's stance, of course, though she has a different agenda.

Dumbledore's once mentioning the Room of Requirement, that Harry alludes to to calm Hermione's fears, was an extremely fleeting moment: at the Yule Ball the previous year, Dumbledore, conversing with Professor Karkaroff, mentioned discovering, and then losing, a room filled with chamber pots. That Harry, based on Dobby's description, recognized it as the Room of Requirement, is rather astute and reflects his growing intellect and logic, even though Harry may have read more into the wink that Dumbledore tipped him at the time than was meant.

Returning to Gryffindor tower, Harry only half listens to Hermione and Ron discussing the meeting; he is also thinking about Cho admitting that she is nervous whenever he is nearby. Harry sees this as the beginnings of the romance he has dreamed about the past year. However, this being tied to Cedric Diggory's death, for which he feels partially responsible, leaves Harry unsure of himself.

Dobby's comments about House-elves' opinions regarding the scattered clothing is quite telling. We understand how House-elves feel about their work and their masters; Dobby's reiteration strongly reinforces that House-elves are deeply devoted to providing for their masters' comfort, in this case the school. Hermione's efforts, as we can see here, would be doomed even if they could be effective: she is powerless to free the House Elves, as she is not their master. But we also see here, from Dobby's comments, that they would refuse freedom if it were offered, and are offended when trickery is attempted.

Review

 * 1) Why does Hermione suspect it was Umbridge who attempted to capture Hedwig? What does she think about Filch?
 * 2) Why does Hermione express second thoughts about starting the defensive group? Is she justified?
 * 3) What does Harry think is the reason his scar hurts during Quidditch practice?
 * 4) Why do the House-elves avoid Hermione's gifts of clothing? Why would they find them insulting?
 * 5) How does Harry learn about the Room of Requirement? What are Hermione's thoughts about it?
 * 6) What do the defensive magic group call themselves? Why is that name agreed on?
 * 7) Why does Cho fumble her charm whenever Harry is watching?
 * 8) Why is Harry glad he started the students off with such a simple spell?

Further Study

 * 1) Could repercussions result from the name the group chooses for themselves? If so, what might they be?
 * 2) Is Sirius, as Hermione believes, trying to "live through" Harry? If so, how and why?
 * 3) What is behind Zacharias Smith's current attitude towards Harry and the D.A.? What might cause it to change?
 * 4) By mocking paranoid Cornelius Fudge, the students show that they are loyal to Harry. However, do you think some of the kids in the D.A. are still siding with the Ministry? Why or why not?

Greater Picture
What Voldemort wants done that is not happening quickly enough could be extracting the Prophecy from the Ministry, although, equally, it could be recruiting the Dementors to his side, and the associated jail break. Whatever it is, is never clear, though most likely it is retrieving the Prophecy. Evidence for this is Harry's recurring dream: the passageway he sees will be revealed shortly after Christmas to be the hallway that leads to the Department of Mysteries, where the Prophecy is stored, and the dream represents Voldemort's desires. As Malfoy was tasked with putting Bode under the Imperius Curse, that may be taking too long to suit Voldemort and it may presage the Malfoy family's downfall within the Death Eaters. Alternately, as it was a little over a week earlier that Harry's scar had seemingly reacted to Umbridge, and as we now discover Voldemort was then happy about something, it is quite possible that the earlier event was Voldemort learning that Bode had been put under the Imperius curse, and this could be the occasion of his receiving a report of Bode's continuing resistance. The earlier instance, when Voldemort was furious, occurred before the start of school, and there were actually two. One occurred during the party after Harry's return from the Ministry; the timing of that one seems to have been right for Voldemort's learning from Lucius Malfoy that the attempt to have Harry prosecuted had failed. The second occurred shortly after Harry had left the party which was thrown in part to celebrate Ron's becoming a prefect; that would correspond to Voldemort's receiving news of Sturgis Podmore's failure to break into the Department of Mysteries and his arrest. This latter event was brushed off by Harry, and was not witnessed by anyone else, so we believe that the "earlier event" Harry mentions to Ron was the one witnessed and commented on by Hermione, rather than the later one which Harry experienced essentially alone.

We note that the author is exhibiting a great deal of skill in the off-stage character management. She is determining when Voldemort is likely to learn things that will drive him to emotional peaks and valleys, and is careful to have Harry's scar react correctly at those times. As communication through that channel will become critical to the story, the reader must be convinced of the validity of the channel. Our increasing awareness of the reliability of Harry's scar in detecting Voldemort's emotions, as this book proceeds, is largely responsible for our trust in information received by this method in the final book.

It is curious that Hermione should make the elementary mistake of believing that she could free House Elves by giving them clothes. She should be aware, as the reader is, that dismissal from service can only be done by having the elf's master give him clothes. Harry quite clearly knew this, as he arranged to have Lucius Malfoy give Dobby one of Harry's socks, rather than giving it to Dobby directly. Hermione has also seen Winky's reaction to being threatened with clothes. Why can she not generalize this to recognize that, in their current mental state, most House-elves are frightened of freedom and would refuse it if offered? We believe that the author is using this as a teaching moment, showing the reader that many easy-sounding solutions simply won't work, and that apparently straightforward issues (in this case, "freedom is good for everyone") can actually be quite complex once they are fully understood.

It is Fudge's paranoid belief that Dumbledore is creating a secret wizard army, and the resulting appointment of Umbridge as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, that leads to the D.A. being formed. It, perhaps ironically, becomes the core of the army that helps to battle Voldemort and his Death Eaters, after they have taken control over the Ministry of Magic, as well as Hogwarts, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the meanwhile, when the group is exposed, Fudge will use the group's name as "proof" that Dumbledore was organizing his own private army; this will result in Dumbledore's attempted arrest and dramatic escape.

We note that the specific character who will betray Dumbledore's Army remains concealed at this point, though our suspicion is again focused on Zacharias Smith. The student should take careful note of Cho's friend, and specifically how attention is drawn away from her and towards Zacharias Smith in this meeting of Dumbledore's Army.

As a very small side note, we mention that the effect of the Skiving Snackbox that the Twins are testing in this chapter will reappear. The Twins' friend, Lee Jordan, will receive detention from Professor Umbridge. Harry, knowing what that entails, will recommend the solution of Murtlap tentacles that Hermione had provided in the aftermath of his own detention. Lee will pass this information on to the Twins, who will use Murtlap tentacles in later versions of their Fever Fudge to resolve the problem of boils in private places. We comment elsewhere that Hermione likely would be appalled to know that she was helping the Twins with their efforts, even indirectly.

The Room of Requirement will play a significant role in the next two books. Throughout this book, it becomes the secret meeting place for Dumbledore's Army; in the next book, Malfoy will secretly work on Voldemort's dark task inside it, and in the final book, it will once again be used by Dumbledore's Army. It will also be where Lord Voldemort once hid something quite valuable to him.

Connections

 * The Room of Requirement, first mentioned the previous year, will prove central to this book. It will also be a running plot element in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and will prove important in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
 * The pain in Harry's scar is part of the series-long magical connection between Harry and Voldemort.

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text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 17

Synopsis
The first three Champions' announcements were received with applause, but Harry's name is met with stunned silence. To Professor Dumbledore's repeated summons, Harry joins the other champions, Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour, and Cedric Diggory in the other room. When they see Harry, Fleur assumes Harry is merely there to deliver a message to return to the Hall. Before anyone can ask or explain further, Ludo Bagman bursts in and introduces Harry as the fourth Triwizard champion. Krum is angry, while Cedric seems nonplussed. Fleur Delacour claims it must be a joke, he is too young, but Bagman replies that the age restriction was never in the previous rules and because his name was selected by the Goblet, he is required to compete.

Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Madame Maxime, Professor Karkaroff, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape enter. Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff immediately tax Professor Dumbledore as to how this could have happened. Snape accuses Harry of cheating, saying he has been breaking school rules ever since he arrived at Hogwarts. Dumbledore asks Harry if he entered his own name into the Goblet of Fire, or asked an older student to do so for him, and Harry denies it. Madame Maxime, convinced he is lying, suggests Dumbledore made a mistake with the age line, which McGonagall disputes. Karkaroff appeals to the impartial judges, Crouch and Bagman. Crouch says the rules are specific, anyone whose name comes from the Goblet is magically bound to compete. Karkaroff demands that they resubmit names into the Goblet until each school has two Champions, but Bagman points out that the Goblet is now extinguished, and it will not reignite until the next Tournament. Karkaroff is threatening to withdraw when Professor Moody enters and reminds Karkaroff that the same rules bind the Durmstrang Champion to compete. He suggests that someone used powerful magic to hoodwink the Goblet into believing Harry was the lone competitor from a fourth school, solely to kill him. Karkaroff accuses Moody of looking for plots where none exist.

Dumbledore interrupts the heated debate, saying their path is clear; all four Champions must compete. Madame Maxime protests, but when Dumbledore asks for alternatives, she has none. Looking rather wearied, Mr. Crouch tells the Champions that as the first task will test their daring, they will not be told what it is. It takes place the 24th of November, they are forbidden to ask for or accept help from their teachers, and can only use their wands. Champions are excused from end-of-year exams, as the Tasks are so difficult.

Concerned by Crouch's appearance, Dumbledore invites Mr. Crouch to spend the night at the castle, but he declines. Dumbledore also asks Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, but they are already departing with their respective Champions. Dumbledore suggests Harry and Cedric head to their Houses.

Harry considers Moody's words; someone entered him into the Tournament to kill him. The obvious candidate is Voldemort, and Harry remembers from his dream that Voldemort is apparently plotting his death. Harry enters the Common room amid a grand celebration, but his repeated denials that he did not enter the Tournament are ignored. He quickly retreats to his dormitory where he finds Ron. Ron wonders if he used the Invisibility Cloak to cross the age line, and is affronted that Harry refuses to tell him the "truth." Harry is then left facing Ron's closed bed curtains.

Analysis
Harry is stunned, but also fearful, when his name is mysteriously selected by the Goblet of Fire, and he once again finds himself mired in unwanted attention and activities. The Goblet has determined that Harry must compete in the Tournament, disregarding his wishes and overriding the careful precautions and strict rules implemented by the Ministry of Magic, showing how little control they occasionally have over magical matters. Nearly everyone suspects Harry cheated to enter, although reactions are mixed. At this chapter's end, it seems Dumbledore is the only Tournament official who outwardly believes that someone other than Harry entered him, though Moody, who suspects there is a dark plot to murder Harry, and probably McGonagall, seem to share his opinion. Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, the foreign outsiders, are certain that Dumbledore and the Ministry rigged the Tournament in Hogwarts' favor, while Mr. Crouch only seems concerned about following the rules. Ludo Bagman apparently views the upheaval as vastly amusing. Harry may have other concerns; although he is a talented young wizard, he is several years younger than the other champions and lacks the experience and advanced training they have. He will have to work hard to master new spells they likely already know. Meanwhile, Ron, who continues to fawn over Viktor Krum, grows increasingly resentful over Harry's celebrity. Ron, perhaps bothered more by his own perceived inability to stand out in any significant way, is convinced that Harry somehow bypassed the age restriction line and, unconcerned whether or not Harry cheated, instead feels betrayed because he believes Harry never confided in him. Despite Harry's unfaltering friendship and confidence in him, Ron convinces himself that Harry is only concerned with seeking even more fame and attention, further straining their friendship.

Bartemius Crouch's odd behavior should be noted. He appears to be acting woodenly and unable to display even the minimal fluidity that he normally has. In particular:

 * Mr. Crouch states that if someone's name is ejected from the Goblet, he is required to compete in the Tournament. The rule-book wording almost certainly states that any person entering his name into the Goblet must compete if he is selected. The previous evening, Professor Dumbledore had mentioned to the students that, "The placing of your name in the Goblet constitutes a binding magical contract"; however, Mr. Crouch neglects to mention this.
 * Mr. Crouch avoids firelight, possibly to prevent people from seeing him acting differently than usual, and he says almost nothing; when he does step into the light, he looks old and tired, possibly ill, to the point where Dumbledore is concerned.
 * Mr. Crouch declines a drink, making a thin excuse to leave Hogwarts.
 * Professor Moody appears in the room very quickly, in theory to keep a closer eye on Karkaroff, but quite possibly to keep a better handle on the situation unfolding with Mr. Crouch.

It should also be mentioned that Karkaroff is, at least in Moody's eyes, a suspicious character. Though Harry has not yet had this confirmed, he is beginning to suspect that Karkaroff was, or still is, a Death Eater. In the previous chapter, Karkaroff was stunned to see Harry at Hogwarts; Moody seems to think that there might be buried hatred, or perhaps not buried so deeply.

It may be worth noting that despite his apparent paranoia, Professor Moody is the only person there to suggest any way that the Goblet of Fire could have been made to add a fourth Champion to what is supposed to be a three-way competition. It may also be of interest that the technique he suggests is also certain to produce a single wizard, Harry, as that champion.

By a coincidence (that probably is not really such), as we have seen Durmstrang associate with Slytherin and Beauxbatons with Ravenclaw, in a sense we have now one Champion for each of the Houses of Hogwarts.

Review

 * 1) Why are some Tournament officials (Snape, Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, etc.) convinced Harry cheated or refuse to consider that he might be an innocent victim?
 * 2) Why does Ron believe that Harry really entered his own name in the Goblet? Has Harry ever lied to Ron before?
 * 3) Why aren't the Champions told what the first task will be?

Further Study

 * 1) Professor Dumbledore is very careful in his questions: he asks if Harry put his own name into the Goblet, or had an older student do it for him. Why did he not ask him if a non-student did this?
 * 2) Why did Dumbledore not comment when Mr. Crouch gave a different interpretation of the rules than Dumbledore had the previous evening?
 * 3) Why is Mr. Crouch only concerned with following the rules, rather than investigating that the Tournament may have been tampered with or there could be a plot against Harry?
 * 4) Why does Ludo Bagman seem unconcerned about Harry being mysteriously entered into the Tournament?

Greater Picture
The next chapter will show us that not only Dumbledore and Moody believe Harry was forced into this contest. Hagrid and Hermione also are convinced that he was railroaded into it. The reason for their conclusion: Harry's expression revealed utter shock when his name was called. Ron, watching Harry at the same time, failed to perceive what Hermione did; this is another indication, if one is needed, of Ron's jealousy and resentment adding to his already deficient emotional sensitivity and general immaturity. Moody believes Harry from the very beginning, with what will turn out to be a very good reason.

Ludo Bagman has no involvement in the plot to enter Harry into the Triwizard Tournament, but he immediately uses the upset as an opportunity to make money by betting heavily on Harry to win. It is probable that Ludo hopes to win enough to pay off his gambling debts from the Quidditch World Cup. And though Ludo will continually offer Harry advice to help win each challenge, Harry always refuses. Unknown to Harry, however, others are secretly working to ensure his victory, at any cost.

It is also interesting how easily "Moody" stays in character. Barty probably had little time to study the real Moody before overpowering him and assuming his identity; yet he always acts in an extremely convincing manner and knows things that only Moody would. Additionally, he is, to a certain extent, controlling the real Moody while in character. The reader may suspect that there is some Legilimency going on here; however, this does not seem to be borne out by events. Notably, at the book's conclusion, Barty is easily captured, and if he were a Legilimens, he would likely have been reading Harry's mind to discover the truth of what had happened in the cemetery, and seen what Harry saw in the foe-glass. It is much more likely that, whether he has the real Moody under the Imperius curse, or is using some other technique to keep him subdued, he is periodically dosing the real Moody with Veritaserum and quizzing him on what he knows.

Not only does Barty remain in character as Moody extremely well, he continually shows a rather twisted sense of humor while doing it. As Moody, he theorizes that there is a "dark plot" against Harry, while knowing that even though everything he says is the actual truth, everyone will either write him off as being over-reactive and paranoid, or unable to prove anything. A large clue is that it is Moody who suggests how the Goblet was hoodwinked, since, as it turns out, it was he who had charmed it. Knowing that, it is safe to assume that Moody's "guess" at what happened was very likely the actual technique used.

Bartemius Crouch's behaviour, noted above, is actually caused by his being under the Imperius curse. We will later discover that this is something of a literal reversal of fortune for Bartemius, who had kept his son Barty under the same curse for many years before the events in this book. We believe that Crouch's "woodenness" is due to his being controlled, his general poor appearance likely is due to his fighting that control, and his unwillingness to stay overnight or to be seen in the light is almost certainly due to his controller being unwilling to subject him to scrutiny and perhaps have the fact of the control discovered.

It should be noted that both the real Moody and Barty would suspect Karkaroff, Moody because Karkaroff is a former Death Eater, and Barty because, once captured, Karkaroff had named other Death Eaters to save his own skin. Thus Moody distrusting Karkaroff is an easy part for Barty to play.

Connections
While this chapter is rich with connections to events occurring later in this book, there is little here that connects to events in other books in the series.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 19

Synopsis
Harry is pleased with the D.A.'s progress, and he takes great pleasure in flouting Umbridge's regulations. With various team Quidditch practices, it is difficult to have a regular night for Dumbledore's Army to meet, but Hermione has a solution: she gives everyone fake Galleons that transmit messages. Harry can use them to summon them for the next meeting. Terry Boot is impressed, saying this is a Protean Charm, and it is NEWT-level magic.

The first Quidditch match is approaching, and Ron is a nervous wreck. Their opponent is Slytherin, and the students are wearing badges reading, "Weasley is our King". It is a cruel effort to undermine Ron's confidence by implying he will win the game for Slytherin with his poor Keeping skills. During the game, Slytherin students sing, "Weasley is our King" to further unnerve him. It apparently works, as Ron plays badly, missing several shots, but Harry catches the Snitch, winning the game for Gryffindor.

After the game, Harry (already angry after Crabbe hit him with a bludger after the final whistle) and George Weasley jump Malfoy and his cronies for mocking Ron, only to be forcefully restrained from them. McGonagall hauls them into her office and assigns each a week's detention. However, Umbridge barges in with another Decree in hand, declaring she now has sole authority over all student discipline. Over McGonagall's protests, she permanently bans Harry and George from Quidditch. She also bans Fred Weasley, even though he was never involved in the incident. Umbridge also confiscates their brooms.

In the Common room, Angelina frets over losing her team Beaters and Seeker, then goes to bed. Only Harry, Hermione, and Ginny are left in the common room when Ron arrives, still wearing his Quidditch robes. He threatens to quit the team, saying he never should have thought he could be a Keeper. When he hears about Umbridge's permanent bans, Ron says it is the worst he has ever felt, to which Harry agrees. Hermione, looking out the window, tells them something that cheers them up: Hagrid is back.

Analysis
Just as Harry's unhappy mood was improving, Umbridge squashes it yet again. She grows more dictatorial by the day, and it seems she constantly passes new decrees solely to increase her power. She obviously favours Slytherins. Although Crabbe was involved in the fight, he only had to write lines as his punishment, while Harry, Fred, and George were permanently banned from Quidditch. That Fred was included, even though he was uninvolved in the incident, shows how biased and vicious Umbridge truly is. Harry had previously asked Sirius if he thought Umbridge was a Death Eater. Sirius does not believe she is, and her actions seemingly support this. Rather, they indicate a growing addiction to, and abuse of, power.

Umbridge's implementing the Ministry's agenda is further seen. She, along with Cornelius Fudge and other Ministry officials, continues a public smear campaign against Harry and Dumbledore, in an attempt to refute their claims that the Dark Lord has returned. Close-minded and paranoid, they still suspect, according to Sirius, that Dumbledore is recruiting Hogwarts students for a secret wizard army with which to overthrow the Ministry. Umbridge was, we believe, placed at Hogwarts solely as Fudge's spy and to deliberately meddle in its operations; nothing so far changes that belief, and she fully utilizes her ever-increasing and Ministry-backed authority to prevent Harry or Dumbledore from becoming what is perceived as an even greater threat. Banning Harry from Quidditch seems designed to demoralize, and thus further discredit, Harry publicly. It is uncertain why she chooses to also ban Fred, despite her "explanation"; the obvious reason appears to be spite, in retaliation for his (and George's) support of Harry, and, "because I can."

Review

 * 1) Why did Crabbe receive such a light punishment for the same offense as Harry and the Twins?
 * 2) Why would calling Ron a "King" be insulting and what effect does it have on him? Who is doing it?
 * 3) Why would Umbridge ban both Weasley twins from Quidditch when only one was involved in the incident with Malfoy?
 * 4) Why would Umbridge confiscate the students' brooms?

Further Study

 * 1) Why does Umbridge like Slytherin students?
 * 2) Why is McGonagall angry at Umbridge? What does this indicate?

Greater Picture
Umbridge will shortly demonstrate her unreasoning hatred of what she terms "half-breeds": magical creatures who are either part-human (like Hagrid) or have human characteristics. We will see this in how she treats Hagrid, and later her reaction to the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest. This actually suggests that Umbridge will create more difficulties for Harry. With his broom confiscated and his Quidditch ban, Harry's only enjoyment will be teaching Dumbledore's Army and his friends, notably Hagrid. Hagrid's return is heartening, but with Umbridge threatening to sack him, yet another pleasure and security in Harry's life is threatened.

The Galleons that Hermione hands out in this chapter will reappear in somewhat different context in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There is actually a bit of a problem here; we don't know enough about the Protean Charm to be certain how it works. Presumably, all the Galleons will echo what is done to the one issued to Harry, and we are led to believe that all they can do is change the date to indicate the time of the next meeting. However, in the final book, Neville will use them to summon the members of Dumbledore's Army who are no longer at Hogwarts. It is never explained either how Neville has claimed control of the galleons from Harry, or how he manages to make them say something other than a date and time. It is possible that, like the Dark Mark, what is done to one is echoed to all; but if that were the case, a possible scheduling war could break out between people trying to change dates for the next meeting.

Ron lacking confidence in his own Keeping abilities will be a recurring thread in this book and the next. He finally hits his stride in time for the year's final match, which will be won, and the Quidditch Cup with it, thanks to his efforts. However, he loses faith in himself again by the next book. This is likely meant to illuminate Ron's still emerging and vacillating maturity; he tries out for Keeper but lacks the inner strength to keep at it, and, after disappointments on the field, he wants to quit. It is only external influences that convinces him to keep trying. This behavioral pattern is quite realistically rendered; one can see the author's awareness of how boys venture into new and complicated endeavors.

Connections

 * The Galleons that Hermione hands out in this chapter will be used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Neville will use them to summon graduated members of Dumbledore's Army to assist in the defence of Hogwarts.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 18

Synopsis
Harry wakes up feeling miserable and wanting to talk with Ron, who has already left the dormitory. Everyone in the Gryffindor Common room cheers when Harry enters, so, embarrassed, he heads off for breakfast. Hermione meets him at the portrait bearing toast, and asks him to take a walk. Dreading the crowd in the Great Hall, Harry accepts. As they stroll around the lake, Hermione tells Harry that she knew from his shocked expression when his name was announced that he did not enter himself into the Tournament. Ron's reaction is due to his being jealous over Harry's fame. Hermione suggests Harry write to tell Sirius what has happened. Harry thinks it is too dangerous, but Hermione says Sirius will learn about it anyway, and the Daily Prophet may have already reported his being a Champion.

Harry does write a note to Sirius, and takes it to the Owlery to send it off. Hedwig is too recognizable, so Harry instead uses a school owl. As the offended Hedwig turns her back and stalks away, Harry feels that all of his friends, except Hermione, have rejected him.

During lessons, Harry is unable to avoid other students, and Herbology with the Hufflepuffs is particularly tense. A rather pedestrian house when compared to the other three, Hufflepuff seldom receives any glory, and they feel Harry is stealing what little they had. In Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, Draco Malfoy is his usual insulting self, but he is interrupted by Hagrid. The Skrewts need exercising, and each student is given one on a leash. The creatures are now so large that they drag the students. Hagrid takes Harry aside to ask if he knows who entered his name. Harry, relieved Hagrid believes him, admits he does not.

Draco's taunts are becoming extremely pointed, and his attacks peak when he starts distributing lapel buttons that alternately display slogans reading, "Support Cedric Diggory – the Real Hogwarts Champion" or "Potter Stinks". When a duel erupts between Harry and Draco, their spells collide in mid-air, hitting Hermione and Goyle. Ron is left aghast at Hermione's injury – her front teeth have enlarged to an incredible extent. Professor Snape appears, demanding to know what is going on. He sends Goyle to the Hospital Wing, but claims to see nothing wrong with Hermione, who runs off sobbing. Harry and Ron both shout at Snape over his indifferent treatment towards Hermione. When the echoes die away, Snape penalizes Gryffindor House fifty points, and Harry and Ron each receive a detention.

During Snape's Potions lecture about antidotes, Colin Creevey enters to escort Harry to where the Champions are having their pictures taken. Harry finds Ludo Bagman, a photographer, a witch Harry has never seen before, and the other Champions are waiting for the Wand Weighing ceremony. Mr. Ollivander will verify that their wands are in good working order. The witch is Rita Skeeter, a reporter for the Daily Prophet. Rita pulls Harry into a broom closet and, producing a Quick-Quotes Quill, starts interviewing him. Harry notices that the Quill is recording his comments inaccurately, but before he can do anything about it, Professor Dumbledore interrupts to announce that the wand weighing is about to start.

The five judges – Bagman, Mr. Crouch, Igor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor Dumbledore, and the four Champions are introduced to Mr. Ollivander. Ollivander examines the four Champions' wands. First up is Fleur, whose wand is rosewood and contains a Veela hair in its core, which Fleur says is her grandmother's. Ollivander goes on to test Cedric's wand (ash and Unicorn tail hair), Krum's (hornbeam and Dragon heartstring), and Harry's (holly and Phoenix feather). Ollivander declares all are in perfect working order.

When Harry returns to the dormitory after dinner, Ron informs him he has received an owl and that their detentions are set for the next night in Snape's dungeon. As Ron leaves, Harry wants to chase after him, but Sirius' letter is a greater lure. Sirius has more to say than is safe by owl post, and has set a time to meet Harry at the Gryffindor fireplace. Sirius believes Harry's participation in the Tournament is risky and someone probably intends to harm him, but Sirius thinks he should be safe as long as Dumbledore and Moody are there.

Analysis
Harry has become a near outcast among many students, especially Hufflepuff, who seldom excel in anything and now feel that Harry has deliberately undermined their Champion, Cedric Diggory, thus lessening their House's chances for glory. About the only student who believes someone else entered him in the Tournament is Hermione. Harry feels alienated, just as he did during his second year when many believed he was the Heir of Slytherin and responsible for the attacks on Muggle-borns. At least Ron, as well as Hermione, was on his side then, but without Ron's support now, his peers' disdain is almost unbearable.

Ironically, even though most Gryffindor students believe Harry cheated to enter the Tournament, some are ecstatic to have a Champion represent their House, contentedly basking in Harry's reflected glory and unperturbed with how or why he was entered. They also seem unconcerned or oblivious that Harry could be in mortal danger. Even though Harry is uncomfortable at having more unwanted attention heaped on him and upset over being called a cheater, especially by Ron, he is nonetheless excited about competing in the Tournament; it is an opportunity to impress Cho Chang.

Like Hagrid and Hermione, Sirius believes Harry was railroaded into the Tournament, but his opinion that Harry should be safe seems overly optimistic, as someone has already penetrated Hogwarts' security by planting Harry's name into the Goblet. And though Sirius feels relatively assured that Dumbledore and Moody can protect Harry during the Tournament, Dumbledore's powers seem somewhat less than invincible to us.

While Hagrid and Sirius's belief in Harry's innocence stems from loyalty and trust, Hermione's reason is more analytical: she observed from Harry's shocked expression when his name was announced that it was an utter and unwelcome surprise. Ron, also watching Harry, failed to perceive what Hermione did; this is another indication, if one is needed, of Ron's immaturity and his lack of emotional sensitivity and awareness.

The widening rift with Ron actually brings Harry closer to Hermione, who he has always considered a close friend, but never quite the same as Ron. This is hardly surprising, as Harry would naturally feel more at ease among his own gender. Now, however, Hermione helps fill a void while assuming a new role, demonstrating her unwavering loyalty, trust, and support. Hermione has never doubted Harry's word, and despite her somewhat overbearing and bossy nature, she is always concerned with Harry and Ron's well-being, and she has always offered solid and logical, if overly cautious, advice. Harry and Ron have tended to be dismissive of her counsel in the past, especially if it interfered with their (sometimes prohibited) activities. Without Ron's presence, however, Harry is more receptive to her input. Hermione and Harry also have much in common: both were raised as Muggles, learning about their magical abilities late in childhood and having to adapt to a strange, new world. Also, each being an only-child creates a stronger bond between them, and they gradually, and perhaps unknowingly, become as brother and sister, whereas Ron, who has many siblings, mostly considers Harry his "best friend."

Harry experiences his first encounter with Rita Skeeter, a reporter he already knows by her less-than-stellar reputation. She immediately isolates Harry for an interview, rendering him virtually powerless as she pumps him for information and purposely misquotes him, despite his protests. Even before interviewing Harry, she has apparently prefabricated just how he will be portrayed in her embarrassingly inaccurate article. While she is supposedly interviewing all the Champions, we can already see that her article will be embarrassingly centered on Harry. Skeeter not only shows here how a single individual can abuse the truth, causing immense personal damage, but she also represents how easily a powerful entity like the news media can insidiously manipulate the general public's opinions and perceptions with calculated lies and manufactured misconceptions on a much grander scale.

The wand weighing ceremony should also be noted, and though it plays little significance to the plot, it is interesting for other reasons. As readers learned in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the wand chooses the Wizard, though it is never explained why. Wands are made from nearly every tree type, and the author has chosen the wood for each character's wand based on its symbolic connotation. Harry's wand, for instance, is holly, which is believed to repel evil. Holly also represents protection, joy, happiness, masculinity, and overcoming anger. Christians also believe that the holy cross was made from holly. The word holly is derived from "holy". Krum's wand is hornbeam, a wood that represents strength, stubbornness, passion, moral fibre, ethics, and loyalty. It is also associated with a person who is considered the "salt of the earth" or a "common man". Rosewood, which is what Fleur's wand is made from, represents inner beauty, kindness, and gratitude, while Cedric's ash wand symbolizes adaptability, prudence, modesty, sacrifice, and sensitivity.

Wood alone is unable to empower a wand. Presumably, its core material magically fuses with the wood it is embedded into, activating the wand's power. It also seems to become somewhat sentient, allowing it to bond to a wizard who shares similar qualities. Magical creatures provide the core material; Mr. Ollivander's wands only contain Unicorn hair, Phoenix feather, or Dragon heartstring, though other wandmakers use additional substances. Harry's wand contains a Phoenix feather. A Phoenix is a mythical bird that continually dies by bursting into flames and is then reborn from its own ashes, an act symbolizing resurrection and purity. Krum's wand contains Dragon heartstring, and though a Dragon is often associated with evil and destruction, in many cultures it represents qualities such as strength, wisdom, purification, renewal, and power. The Unicorn hair in Cedric's wand represents purity, innocence, loyalty, and moral virtue. Unicorns are sometimes seen as guardians. Fleur's wand confirms Ron's suspicions that she is part Veela. The hair forming its core belonged to her Veela grandmother, making Fleur one-quarter Veela. This wand's core is apparently unusual and may reflect the Veelas' more temperamental and volatile natures. As seen earlier in this book, the Veelas' real appearance is far different than the images they can project. The Veela hair may also represent transformation, adaptability, and even deception and seduction. Being that the hair belongs to someone closely related to Fleur, it may also symbolize family power, generational legacy, unity, and loyalty.

There is additional information about magic wands and their characteristics, along with some other points of Wand lore, in the main article on Wands.

Review

 * 1) Why does Hermione encourage Harry to write to his godfather, despite the risk to Sirius?
 * 2) Why is Hufflepuff House particularly angry that Harry is a Triwizard Champion?
 * 3) Why are the wands weighed and inspected?
 * 4) Why does Sirius think it is safe for Harry to compete in the Tournament, even though he believes someone wants to harm him? Is Harry actually safe?
 * 5) Why does Hermione believe Harry's story?

Further Study

 * 1) Why are Gryffindor students so ecstatic that Harry is a Champion, even though they believe he cheated to enter the Tournament? Why do most other Hogwarts students treat him as an outcast?
 * 2) Considering her reputation, why is Rita Skeeter allowed to interview the Champions?
 * 3) Why does Snape send Goyle to the Hospital Wing, but not Hermione? Why is she so upset about it?

Greater Picture
The author once again draws the reader's attention to Snape teaching about antidotes. Though Harry dislikes Potions, mostly because Snape makes it so miserable for him, his knowledge about this subject will prove crucial in the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

It should be noted that though a rift developed between Harry and Hermione following Harry's Firebolt being confiscated in Prisoner of Azkaban, it was entirely Harry's decision to avoid her; Hermione has stayed a true friend to Harry throughout, and will continue to do so until the series' end. Ron has allowed jealousy to create a rift between him and Harry, and it continues until Ron realizes Harry's life really is at risk. During their secret mission in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ron will desert Harry and Hermione, on what might be considered petty matters, keeping the Trio separated for some months. It is reasonable to assume that Ron's behavior is intended to reflect his character and immaturity relative to Harry and Hermione.

Connections

 * We have already seen that Ron is susceptible to the charms of the Veela, and we now understand why Fleur has such an effect on him. Fleur will end up marrying Ron's brother Bill, but at least until that wedding, Fleur will continue to have the same effect on Ron. It is uncertain whether Bill is equally susceptible to Fleur's glamour.
 * This chapter includes our first direct exposure to Rita Skeeter's style of journalism. Rita's sensationalistic brand of writing will torment Harry shortly, but will also be focused on Hermione and Hagrid in this book, and on Dumbledore posthumously.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 20

Synopsis
Harry fetches his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, and covering himself, Ron, and Hermione, leads the group to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid greets them but his battered appearance shocks the Trio. Hermione correctly guesses he had visited the Giants. Hagrid refuses to tell of his adventures. Harry counters by mentioning that he had encountered Dementors just outside the Dursley house, and refusing to say anything more until he's heard Hagrid's story.

Hagrid says he and Madame Maxime, the Beauxbatons Academy Headmistress were on a secret mission for Dumbledore to recruit the Giants against Voldemort. Their negotiations stalled when the chief Giant was overthrown. The new chief was less receptive, and Hagrid and Madame Maxime used magic to escape. They also had to avoid Macnair and other Death Eaters, who were also recruiting Giants for Voldemort.

When asked about his mother, Hagrid replies she died long ago. Before he can explain who battered him and why it took so long to return after the mission failed, there is a loud knock on the door; Harry, Hermione, and Ron dive under the Cloak, and Professor Umbridge strolls into Hagrid's hut.

Umbridge speaks loudly and slowly. She has noticed three sets of footsteps going to the hut, but none leaving, flustering Hagrid. Umbridge seems skeptical when Hagrid says he was away for his health, given his current battered state. Umbridge glances around, apparently searching for students hiding, and passes within inches of the cloaked Trio. She informs Hagrid that she will be inspecting his class, as the Ministry is determined to weed out unsatisfactory teachers, then leaves.

Once Hagrid confirms Umbridge has returned to the castle, Harry strips off the Cloak. Hermione, worried, asks what Hagrid plans to teach. Hagrid says only that it will be good. Hermione warns him that Professor Trelawney is on probation, and she recommends that Hagrid follow the boring, Ministry-recommended procedures. Hagrid brushes off her concerns, saying he is tired, and they need to get back to the castle.

As the Trio heads back under the Cloak, Hermione works an Obliteration Charm to hide their footprints. Ron says that he thinks Hermione's warning failed to get through to Hagrid. Hermione vows to do anything she can to prevent Umbridge from firing Hagrid.

Analysis
Although Hagrid and Madame Maxime failed to enlist the Giants as allies, their mission's importance should not be under-emphasized. Dumbledore knows that Voldemort is actively recruiting many dangerous non-human magical creatures, specifically the Giants and Dementors. Voldemort has also approached the Werewolves, Centaurs, and others who have historically been repressed, ostracized, and even enslaved by the Wizarding world. We can safely assume that Centaur pride and their distaste for all human affairs will ensure their continued neutrality. For the Werewolves, Dementors, and Giants, however, there is no such assurance. No matter how evil and violent Voldemort's reign will likely be should he prevail, he can offer these denizens more rewards and freedom than most currently have under the present social order. If Voldemort entices these outcasts to join him, it could tilt the war in his favor. Whether or not he actually intends to honor any promises that were offered to lure them to his side is unknown.

It also appears that Hagrid and Madame Maxime's mission ended some time ago. Hagrid's delayed return and his injuries may have some cause apart from the mission, though Hagrid remains secretive about what that might be.

Umbridge's condescending treatment of Hagrid indicates that she considers him vastly inferior and of low intelligence, and it may reflect an underlying prejudice towards all partially-human or non-human races. We see the same sort of treatment of non-human creatures in many other wizards who profess to believe in the superiority of the pure-blood wizard. While we don't yet know that Umbridge believes the theory of blood purity, her obvious bias towards Slytherin House certainly suggests she does. We also see it in the way Sirius treats Kreacher, though there we believe it may be either learned behaviour or a reaction to Kreacher's idolization of Sirius' mother. We cannot know whether this additional prejudice was something that the author specifically added to the pure-blood character, or whether it was simply consistent with how she perceived the pure-blood world view, but it is worth examination to see how consistently she has kept this characteristic in Voldemort and his followers.

Meanwhile, Hermione, knowing that Umbridge is targeting weaker teachers, particularly (given the comments we've just overheard) non-human ones, cautions Hagrid. Unfortunately, Hagrid seems unconcerned and downplays Hermione's warning, though just why is unclear. Hagrid, whose absence has isolated him from the school's recent ongoing upheavals, may simply believe Dumbledore will protect him. And while it has been suggested that Hagrid may actually feel he has little defence against Umbridge's possibly dismissing him, his reaction seems more complacent than resigned—he simply fails to perceive that Umbridge is a significant threat, despite Hermione's counsel. This seems in tune with Hagrid's character, as he had also considered Dragons or Blast-Ended Skrewts as being harmless.

Umbridge also seems suspicious regarding Hagrid's whereabouts during his absence and could possibly know something about his mission if Hagrid and Madam Maxime had been spotted while they were away. If they were spotted, and it has been mentioned that Madame Maxime would be rather hard to miss, we expect that it would have been Ministry agents who reported their presence. We know that Death Eaters were talking to the Giants at the same time Hagrid and Madame Maxime were there, so it is possible that news of their mission has made it back to Voldemort; but there is as yet no clear pathway for that information to make its way from Voldemort to the Ministry.

We note that despite his promise to tell Hagrid of his summer adventures, Harry leaves before he has a chance to describe what happened. Clearly, a recap of the story which we have already read would be somewhat tedious, which is probably why the author elided it. The technique she uses to prevent the reader from noticing the story's absence may be worth examination by the student.

Review

 * 1) What was Hagrid's secret mission? Who sent him, and why is it so important?
 * 2) Why was Madam Maxime also sent on the mission?
 * 3) What was the outcome of Hagrid and Madam Maxime's secret mission? Why?
 * 4) Why is Umbridge so interested in where Hagrid has been? She asks if Hagrid had been vacationing in the mountains – does she possibly know anything about the mission and where he went?
 * 5) If Umbridge does know where Hagrid might have been, how could she have found this out?
 * 6) Why does Umbridge speak to Hagrid in such a deliberately slow and loud manner?
 * 7) What does Hermione warn Hagrid about and why?

Further Study

 * 1) If Hagrid and Madam Maxime were on the mission together, why might Hagrid have returned much later than she did?
 * 2) What could have caused Hagrid's battered appearance? Why won't he say how he was hurt?
 * 3) Why might Umbridge suspect that Hagrid and Madame Maxime were on a secret mission?
 * 4) What would motivate magical creatures like Werewolves, Goblins, Centaurs, and others to support Voldemort?
 * 5) What might Umbridge's definition of "unsatisfactory teachers" actually mean?
 * 6) Why would Hagrid shrug off Hermione's serious warning, and what does that say about his character in general?

Greater Picture
It is mentioned above that Umbridge denigrating Hagrid suggests a deeper disdain for half-Human and non-Human races, and Hermione seems to believe this to be the case given the extra effort she is making to get Hagrid to teach the Ministry-approved curriculum. While this remains unconfirmed until nearly the end of this book, it is strongly suggested that Umbridge is generally biased against "half-breeds" by the comments she makes while "examining" Hagrid's teaching. Umbridge's hatred of what she terms "half-breeds" will later be seen to extend to the Centaurs, a proudly pure-bred race, although her rude condescension there will have serious consequences.

Even though he is back on nominally safe ground, Hagrid will continue to sport various new injuries throughout the year. Much later, we learn what is causing these injuries: Hagrid located his half-brother, Grawp, living with the giants, and brought him home. Grawp's intransigence, which will continue into the summer, slowed Hagrid's return, and is now resulting in the injuries Hagrid repeatedly suffers. Hagrid, mindful that Grawp is all the family he has left, is trying to civilize him. There will be several incidents where Hagrid alludes to "family", meaning Grawp, but it will be significantly later in the year before we meet him.

Hagrid is hiding Grawp in the Forbidden Forest while he attempts to make him fit for society. This, while it would normally be a safe hiding place, will result in the Centaurs falling out with Hagrid, and eventually will result in Hagrid being barred from the Forest. One centaur, Firenze, will allude to this problem in private conversation with Harry, but when the message is passed on, Hagrid dismisses it.

In passing, it may be interesting to note that while the Centaurs refuse to support Voldemort, neither do they aid his opponents, instead remaining neutral until, in the last chapter of the final book, they are goaded into action by Hagrid. The Werewolves, led by Fenrir Greyback, join Voldemort, as will the Dementors and at least two Giants, although Grawp remains loyal to Hagrid.

Connections

 * Voldemort will prove to have been successful in his attempt to bring the Giants over to his side. We will be told later that the West Country hurricane was actually a Giant attack on Muggles; and in the final book there will be two Giants attacking Hogwarts.
 * Hagrid's attempt to civilize Grawp will gradually work, to the point where he is able to sit quietly in a chair at Dumbledore's funeral. We will also see Grawp defending Hogwarts in the final book.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 19

Synopsis
After the shock of being a Champion wears off, Harry starts worrying about the first task. It is comforting that he can soon talk with Sirius; he and Hermione figure out ways to clear the common room before 1:00 a.m., the time Sirius has said he would talk to Harry a few days hence. But things become more difficult after Rita Skeeter's story about the Tournament is published. Unfortunately, it mostly contains embarrassing and false information about Harry, including that he and Hermione are in love. Harry hopes to reconcile with Ron during detention with Professor Snape, but the article comes out the same day, fueling Ron's belief that Harry is seeking more publicity. About the only high point is when Cho Chang stops by to wish him luck, though Harry is snappish because he mistakenly thinks she is teasing him.

Harry is still having difficulty mastering the Summoning charm, and he practices it with Hermione in the library. Curiously, and to Hermione's annoyance, Victor Krum is frequently there, along with a clutch of girls following him about, hoping for an autograph.

Hermione suggests going to the next Hogsmeade weekend. When pressed, she admits she is hoping to meet up with Ron in the Three Broomsticks. Harry vetoes that particular idea, and will only go under his Invisibility Cloak. Hermione protests but agrees, and once in Hogsmeade, Harry is delighted he can travel without people hurling snide remarks. Hermione thinks he can remove the cloak without being bothered, but Harry points out that Rita Skeeter and her photographer just left the Three Broomsticks. It appears she is staying in the village. Harry suggests she is there to watch the first task.

Hermione steers them into The Three Broomsticks, telling Harry he can avoid Ron, who is sitting with Fred, George and Lee Jordan. Hermione brings Harry a Butterbeer, then spreads her S.P.E.W. notes to avoid looking silly sitting by herself. Hagrid is talking to Professor Moody. Harry waves, then realizes Hagrid cannot see him. Moody pokes Hagrid, and they both come over. Moody, whose magical eye can apparently penetrate Invisibility Cloaks, mutters, "Nice cloak, Potter." Before leaving, Hagrid tells Harry to be at his hut at midnight with his Cloak. This is the night that Harry is meeting Sirius by the Gryffindor fireplace at 1:00 a.m., but he decides he can quickly visit Hagrid and be back in time.

At midnight, Harry, cloaked, slips down to Hagrid's. Hagrid leads Harry to the Beauxbatons carriage where Madame Maxime is waiting. Harry, confused, trails behind Hagrid and Madame Maxime around the Forbidden Forest's edge, finally arriving at a large corral containing four full-grown Dragons. Wizards have to Stun the Dragons to calm them. Charlie Weasley, Ron's older brother, comes over. He is concerned about Madame Maxime seeing the Dragons, but Hagrid says he just thought she would be interested. Harry heads back to the castle, bumping into Professor Karkaroff, who is checking out the tumult. Evidently, assuming Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff will inform their respective Champions, Cedric is the only competitor who knows nothing about the Dragons.

Returning to an empty common room, Harry finds Sirius' head floating in the fireplace flames; he has broken into a wizard house to contact Harry. Harry relates everything to Sirius, who feels there are other concerns. Karkaroff, for one, was a Death Eater, but was released from Azkaban, possibly because he provided the Ministry with names. That could be why Moody is at Hogwarts; it was Moody who arrested Karkaroff. Sirius contradicts Skeeter's article about Moody, which had suggested that events had been overstated; Sirius suspects the attack at his house had happened, and was intended to scare him away from taking the job. And Bertha Jorkins, the Ministry official believed missing in Albania, which is where Voldemort was last thought to be, would have known about the Tournament and could have somehow tipped off Voldemort. Sirius tells Harry that Stunning spells are ineffective against Dragons, but before he can suggest what to use in their place, Harry hears someone coming and Sirius vanishes. Ron appears, and a quarrel erupts, causing Harry to storm off to bed.

Analysis
In his conversation with Sirius, Harry learns that Karkaroff was a Death Eater who revealed other Death Eaters' names to avoid Azkaban. Moody apparently believes he never fully recanted, and abandoned Dark magic only because he feared severe punishment. According to Sirius, Moody suspects Karkaroff secretly remains devoted to the Dark Lord and would willingly rejoin Voldemort given the opportunity. When Moody first suggested that someone may have entered Harry into the Tournament solely to kill him, the ensuing silence was possibly because there is an unspoken accusation against Karkaroff. However, Karkaroff's being genuinely surprised that Harry was even a student at Hogwarts indicates that he is unlikely to be involved in a pre-planned plot.

It seems contradictory that Sirius tells Harry that dragons are unaffected by Stun spells, and yet the wizard dragon keepers use stun spells to control the beasts. However, a quick glance back at the dragon compound will reveal that each dragon is, in fact, taken down by three to five wizards firing synchronized Stunners. The dragon's tough hide will repel a single stun blast, so several must be simultaneously cast to have any effect; and Harry, being only a single wizard, would find his single stun bolt ineffective.

Cedric Diggory being the only Champion who is unaware that the first task involves dragons is in keeping with his character, and also with the traits of Hufflepuff House. This House, while seldom receiving much glory or producing many notable students, is known for valuing hard work, honesty, and fairness. It appears, however, that these virtues have put Diggory at a disadvantage here, as the other Champions, including Harry, have uncovered valuable information that make them more competitive. While Karkaroff seems to have gone seeking this information, we do not know whether Madame Maxime influenced Hagrid to that end, or whether she, like Harry, was shown this simply because Hagrid thought they would like to see the dragons. The author seems to be suggesting that Hagrid, being smitten with Madame Maxime, is perhaps being even a bit more impetuous than usual, and may be using this as a means to help win Madame Maxime's affection. This would make Hagrid susceptible to suggestions, of course, making it easier for Madame Maxime to convince Hagrid to show her what he knew of the First Task.

As Sirius mentions, the supposed attack on Moody at his home, which the Ministry and the Daily Prophet wrote off as a false alarm, actually did occur the night before his departure for Hogwarts and, knowing his paranoid nature, was probably meant to scare him away from there. As this has been brought up a few times now, we expect that it will be revisited in the story.

There is now a suggestion that Bertha Jorkins' disappearance could be tied to Voldemort, and that he could have somehow extracted information from her (either willingly or unwillingly on her part) about the Triwizard Tournament being held at Hogwarts. Ministry officials, meanwhile, have still not taken any action regarding "poor Bertha's" whereabouts, continuing to pass it off to her simply "forgetting" to return from her holiday. While these facts are presented, more or less baldly, by Sirius, there are no real conclusions drawn from them. Remembering Harry's dream from the first chapter of this book, however, we understand that Sirius' guesses are more accurate than Harry currently believes.

Looking at Bertha's absence and the attack on Moody in isolation this way, we can see that the Ministry is taking the easy course, not hunting for Bertha and dismissing the attack on Moody, rather than actively investigating these occurrences. The younger reader may see something sinister in the Ministry's apparent refusal to search out the facts behind these occurrences, but the adult reader likely will recognize the pattern of civil service behaviour, doing what is necessary to the job rather than what is right.

On a side note, we suggest that the reader should remember Hermione's comment that Viktor Krum seems to be spending a lot of time in the library, and that this annoys her. It may be worth remembering that Hermione is not annoyed by Viktor, but by the bevy of giggling girls that seems to be following him around.

Review

 * 1) Why is Cedric Diggory the only Champion who is unaware that the first event involves dragons? What does this say about his character and also about Hufflepuff House in general?
 * 2) Why did Harry think Cho Chang was teasing him? Was she?
 * 3) Why does Viktor Krum spend so much time at the library? Who does it annoy and why?
 * 4) Why does the Ministry believe that the attack at Moody's home was only a "false alarm," while Sirius thinks it was not?
 * 5) Could there be a link between Bertha Jorkins' disappearance and Voldemort's last known whereabouts? Explain.
 * 6) Why does Sirius think Moody was hired as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?

Further Study

 * 1) Why is Harry having so much trouble learning an apparently simple spell like the Summoning Charm?
 * 2) Why, after such a long absence, does the Ministry continue to believe that Bertha Jorkins simply "forgot" to come back to work?
 * 3) Could Bertha Jorkins' disappearance be tied to Harry and the Triwizard Tournament, or are false clues misleading readers?  Explain.

Greater Picture
Although Sirius correctly speculates that the incident at Moody's house is somehow tied to Voldemort, he could not know that rather than it being an attempt to scare Moody away from Hogwarts, it was actually a kidnapping plot to replace the real Moody with the impostor, Barty Crouch, Jr. We have now learned that Karkaroff was a Death Eater, and see that Moody may still suspect him of having Dark proclivities. It actually turns out to be important to the story, in a small way, that Karkaroff betrayed other Death Eaters in order to save his own skin. If he had not done so, Barty likely would have been tempted to trust him with the secret of the impersonation in order to gain at least one ally at Hogwarts. Voldemort, however, does not forgive, and so Barty will not either. The suspicion Barty has of Karkaroff comes through his impersonation, but is explained away by Moody's distrust of anyone who was a Death Eater. Curiously, Barty never reveals his opinion about Snape, except for the single remark "Another old friend".

We have heard that the Triwizard Champions are supposed to perform all tasks without any outside assistance, and cheating is strictly prohibited, but despite these injunctions, there seems to be an unspoken tradition and expectation that some underhandedness occurs. Harry, despite being a talented wizard, is the youngest and least experienced contestant. He knows he needs help and freely uses what Hagrid shows him, listens to the (interrupted) advice from Sirius, uses Moody's hint in the next chapter, and will be coached by Hermione, all to help him develop a strategy, though it could be argued that, with the possible exception of Hagrid's invitation and Moody's rather pointed hint, this is not technically cheating. And though he accepts help from Sirius, Hagrid, Moody, and Hermione, he steadfastly refuses any assistance from Ludo Bagman, considering it unethical for a Tournament official to offer a Champion advice. Cedric, meanwhile, apparently does little or nothing to prepare while patiently awaiting the first event, completely clueless regarding what it entails. Even though Hufflepuff's traits are admirable, their integrity can also breed complacency and naivete, as well as shows a certain lack of ingenuity and initiative, thus allowing their more resourceful (and perhaps somewhat devious) opponents to seize the advantage. Cedric is certainly portrayed as being an admirable match for Hufflepuff's stated house characteristics.

As noted, Harry's being shown the Dragons was not his own scheme; he had no idea where Hagrid was taking him or why, any more than Madame Maxime seemed to. It is possible that showing Harry the dragons was an idea Moody planted into Hagrid's mind; it is less likely that Madame Maxime would have suggested this to Hagrid, as she apparently knew nothing about it, though we can safely assume that having seen the Dragons, she likely ignores the rules and freely shares this information with her student, Fleur Delacour.

We will discover that Moody has an ulterior motive, just as Bagman does, to ensure that Harry completes the third and final Challenge. Moody's assistance, however, is far better concealed than Bagman's, and Harry can reject Bagman's proffered help, but is unable to reject Moody's, as he fails to notice it is being given to him. Harry also inherently trusts Moody, a Hogwarts teacher, and to some extent Harry's mentor. Bagman is an outsider, and Harry has no reason to place any trust in him.

Moody's magical eye being able to see through Harry's invisibility cloak will prove important later in this book. Harry, on an expedition to determine the secret of the Egg for the Second Task, will end up trapped in a trick staircase; Moody will rescue him from Snape when the Egg, screeching as it does when it is opened, attracts them both.

Early on, Cedric Diggory, a decent and honest young wizard, seems to lack initiative and inventiveness, though this changes as he competes in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry, aware that Cedric alone has not benefited from early knowledge of the First Task, and wanting to be fair, tips off Cedric about the Dragons; but their situations are reversed before the second challenge when Harry needs another helpful push. A magical Egg, captured by each Champion during the first event, holds a vital clue to completing the next task. However, Harry, who often procrastinates until he is prodded, does little to decipher its hidden meaning, while Cedric quickly solves the riddle. In gratitude for Harry's previous help, Cedric gives him a valuable hint, though Harry will again procrastinate in utilizing this information, driven somewhat by his jealousy over Cedric's relationship with Cho Chang. In this case, Cedric's honesty and fairness are not a disadvantage and shows that Hufflepuff's attributes can be used effectively. It is likely that, given time, Cedric's talents would have far exceeded Hufflepuff's usual standards. Unfortunately, this opportunity will tragically be cut short.

We have commented, in the Analysis, about Viktor spending time in the library. We will find out at the Yule Ball that Viktor actually is trying for a romantic relationship with Hermione. This will upset Ron, who is jealous but does not yet recognize the fact. Viktor is quite persistent and will keep trying to get Hermione to be his girlfriend at least until early in the final book of the series. Hermione, who has silently set her sights on Ron, will prove resistant to his attempts, but will not send him away, feeling perhaps that having friends in other magical schools might prove useful.

Connections

 * In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Muggle Prime Minister recalls that the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had earlier reported that they were importing three dragons and a sphinx, who we see later in this book. Whether this was before or after Harry had become a Champion is never made clear, but we note that the fourth dragon is a Common Welsh Green, a domestic dragon, meaning that of the four dragons we see here, only three are imports.
 * Viktor hanging about in the library is the first indication we have that he has set his romantic sights on Hermione. Hermione and Viktor will be seen together a few times in this book, and will communicate by Owl Post throughout the next two. Viktor will finally have his hopes dashed in the final book of the series, when Ron declares himself as Hermione's boyfriend.
 * There is some development of the relationship between Hagrid and Olympe Maxime in this chapter. Hagrid was, as we recall, smitten with Madame Maxime as soon as he first saw her, just before Hallowe'en; this relationship will continue, in its uneven way, until at least Dumbledore's funeral.