text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 34

Synopsis
As ordered, Wormtail removes Harry's gag and cuts his bonds. Harry considers running, but his leg, injured by the giant spider in the maze, is too weak, and Death Eaters are closing in. Wormtail retrieves Harry's wand, as Voldemort explains dueling etiquette, forcing Harry to bow. Then Harry feels unbelievable pain as Voldemort casts the Cruciatus curse. Voldemort then casts the Imperius curse and is impressed when Harry resists it. As Voldemort raises his wand again, Harry ducks behind Tom Riddle Senior's gravestone.

Voldemort asks if Harry wants to end it quickly. Harry, refusing to die while crouched subserviently, rises and casts the Disarmament jinx, as Voldemort hurls the killing curse. The wands' streams connect in mid-air, fusing into a single, golden beam. Harry and Voldemort are lifted into the air and set down some distance away. A dome of golden light surrounds them. Voldemort, taken aback by this, orders the Death Eaters to do nothing. Harry hears a familiar sound: a Phoenix song. It reminds Harry of Dumbledore and seems to say Don't break the connection. Beads of golden light appear on the wands' connection. As one approaches Harry, he feels his wand heat up and fears it will explode. Concentrating, he forces the bead away, moving it towards Voldemort. As a bead reaches Voldemort's wand, screams are heard, and a smoky replica of Wormtail's silvery hand appears. Another bead is forced into Voldemort's wand, and amid screams, Cedric's ghostly image emerges from Voldemort's wand.

Harry grips his wand tightly as, amidst more screams, Cedric is joined by an old man that Harry saw in a dream, and Bertha Jorkins. Harry's father and mother appear next; Voldemort grows fearful as his victims prowl around him. Lily Potter quietly tells Harry that when the wands' connection is broken their spirit echoes can only remain a few moments to protect him; he must use the time to escape to the Triwizard Cup Portkey. Cedric requests that his body be returned to his parents. At his father's command, Harry breaks the connection. The golden dome disappears as the spirits converge on Voldemort. Dodging curses, Harry sprints to Cedric's body and Summons the Triwizard Cup. As it touches his hand, he is pulled from the graveyard, hearing Voldemort's furious screams as he is whisked to Hogwarts.

Analysis
Themes of life, death, and rebirth are seen throughout the series as Harry is confronted by, and struggles with, not only loss and grief, but a tantalizing hope that magic can restore dead loved ones to him, just as it has resurrected Voldemort. This hope to be reunited with his parents is reborn by Harry's encounter with their spirit echoes, released from Voldemort's wand. For the first time, Harry is able to communicate directly with James and Lily, and they, in turn, are able to protect their son. Even though their powers may be limited, the shades are unafraid – Voldemort can no longer harm them, though he apparently fears them. He also now fears Harry who, by force of will, forced the interlocking magical streams backwards into Voldemort's wand, a feat Voldemort never anticipated. The Potters and the other spirits disgorged from Voldemort's wand were, collectively, able to protect Harry long enough for him to escape as they perpetrated their retribution upon Voldemort for having stolen their lives.

Throughout the series, Ghosts have mostly been seen as benign but ineffectual spirits floating through Hogwarts, seemingly limited to observing the living world, occasionally providing important information, but unable to actively participate in human affairs. Here it is shown that spirits actually can play a more significant role by directly influencing events from beyond the grave. Harry may also have been aided by a living person – Dumbledore is mentioned in the Phoenix song. If Dumbledore is somehow communicating with Harry, then it is logical to conclude that it was Fawkes' song that Harry heard. Could Fawkes have detected Harry's danger, just as he did in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? This may be what occurred here, though there could be an additional reason why it was Fawkes' song that was heard, one that may be tied to something that both Harry and Voldemort possess.

It is unclear yet if these spirit echoes are actually Ghosts or something else. Also, the order in which Voldemort's victims appear from the wand is slightly wrong. Harry's father died first, and therefore should have emerged last from Voldemort's wand. The author has stated that she had originally written it that way, but her American editor, who was almost always right about such details, had questioned it at the end of a marathon editing session, and short on sleep, she had agreed to change it. Later editions correct this mistake, and the canon order is that James appears last.

This is the first time that Harry and Voldemort actually duel. Before this, the disembodied Voldemort had ordered others to fight for him. Also, Voldemort has, presumably, killed more people with his wand than is shown here. Dumbledore states later in the novel that more victims would have appeared had the connection between the wands been held for longer.

Review

 * 1) Why does Voldemort fear the spirits? Does he also fear Harry? If so, why?
 * 2) Why are Harry and Voldemort's wands considered "brothers"?

Further Study

 * 1) Why does Harry hear the Phoenix song? Why does it remind him of Dumbledore?
 * 2) What causes the streams from Harry and Voldemort's wands to interconnect? Who and what are the images that spill out from Voldemort's wand?

Greater Picture
Why does Harry hear the Phoenix song? Recall what lies within his wand's core: one of only two tail feathers from a particular Phoenix. The other feather is within Voldemort's wand, making them "brothers." The Phoenix who gave the feathers, as will be revealed shortly, is Fawkes. We will also learn that the effect that Harry experienced, the so-called "priori incantatem" effect, is triggered by two wands, having the same origin for their cores and thus being "brothers," dueling. The effect is similar to that caused by the Prior Incantato charm.

The images seen during the Priori Incantatem are not actually Ghosts, but the "spirit echoes" or shades of victims killed with Voldemort's wand, though each person's essence is retained somewhat. A wand records the former spells that it has performed, and under certain circumstances, those spells can be shown in the reverse order they were cast. In this case, the wand's retrieved spell is the killing curse, which separates soul from body, so the spell's echo represents the separated soul.

Harry was able to force the beads of light back into Voldemort's wand because he is the stronger wizard. Much later, Dumbledore will tell Harry that Voldemort was weaker in that instance because he feared death, while Harry was prepared for it. He will also tell Harry that at this encounter, Harry's wand had taken some of the power inherent in Voldemort's wand. The exact effect that this would have, however, was unsure; it is the deepest sort of wand lore, something that was nearly impossible to study or predict.

Voldemort does not expect, and is clearly taken aback, by the Priori Incantatem effect. This is a very unusual event, as holders of "brother" wands seldom duel with each other, so his, and the Death Eaters', unfamiliarity with it is not surprising. To Voldemort, it is impossible that Harry could be the stronger wizard; nobody except Dumbledore could possibly be stronger than he is. So Harry's being able to force this effect must be due to something else; as Harry stands alone at this moment, it must be his wand. This idea will prey on Voldemort for two years. In the final book, after torturing the facts of the matter out of Mr. Ollivander, he will state that it is Harry's wand that is the source of Harry's power, and will devote himself to finding a wand that will work against it. Harry will, for most of the book, believe the same thing, and will be distraught when his wand is accidentally broken.

This is the first time Harry duels Voldemort directly, but it is not the last; while he has fought Voldemort before, once it was through the medium of another wizard, Professor Quirrell, and once it was the young Tom Riddle, via the Horcrux. He will duel Voldemort again in the next book, and once (though encountering him twice without actually dueling him) in the final book.

Connections

 * This is the point where Voldemort begins to fear, not Harry, but his wand. Voldemort will continue to believe, apparently, that Harry is merely lucky; but starting with this occasion, Voldemort will come to believe that it is Harry's wand that he must somehow counter.
 * The provenance of the core of Harry's wand, first alluded to in the first book, here plays a major role in the battle. The exact provenance will be mentioned two chapters ahead, and awareness of that linkage will inform much of Voldemort's actions in the final book.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 36

Synopsis
Stunned, Harry is unable to believe that Sirius is dead. Lupin, restrains Harry as he attempts to reach the archway and save Sirius. Meanwhile, Dumbledore has rounded up most of the Death Eaters, though Kingsley still duels Bellatrix.

Jinxing Shacklebolt, Bellatrix exits the amphitheatre. Enraged, Harry chases her into the Atrium, vowing to kill her. Voldemort suddenly appears, angry that his Death Eaters have failed him again. He fires a killing curse at Harry, but the now-headless wizard from the Fountain of Magical Brethren leaps and blocks the spell.

Dumbledore enters the atrium and manipulates the stone figure to protect Harry, while the witch statue pins Bellatrix to the floor. Dumbledore and Voldemort fiercely duel while Harry can only watch. Voldemort hurls a killing curse directly at Dumbledore, but Fawkes flies between them, swallowing the curse whole and falling to the floor. Voldemort seemingly vanishes, but then enters Harry's mind and, using Harry's voice, demands that Dumbledore kill him by killing Harry. Harry, hearing his own voice, is filled with thoughts of Sirius: if Dumbledore kills him, he will be able to see Sirius again. Voldemort suddenly exits Harry's body.

Cornelius Fudge, other Ministry officials, and Aurors begin arriving from the fireplaces; several, including Fudge, see Voldemort as he physically reappears, grabs Bellatrix, and Disapparates. Dumbledore tells a stunned Fudge what has happened and that Death Eaters are under guard in the Death Chamber. Fudge seems ready to arrest him, but Dumbledore points out that Fudge saw Voldemort himself. Fudge sends the Aurors Dawlish and Williamson to the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore demands that Umbridge be removed from Hogwarts and the Aurors stop pursuing Hagrid. He says he will explain everything, but first gives Harry a Portkey, transporting him to Hogwarts.

Analysis
Like the previous chapter, this one is largely action, with little analysis necessary or possible. A few points are worth mentioning, however.

During the duel, Harry attempts to cast the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix, only to find it rather ineffective. Bellatrix asks if that is his first time using an Unforgivable Curse, and says that to use them properly, you must hate your target. One wonders how the false Alastor Moody mustered sufficient hatred for spiders, in order to demonstrate the curses in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. While Bellatrix suggests that hatred is necessary for all Unforgivable Curses to work, there is actually a quite significant difference between the Cruciatus and Killing curses, and the Imperius curse; the first two curses' sole effect is to damage the target, while the third involves imposing control. It seems reasonable to suppose that the Cruciatus and Killing curses, then, require hating the victim, while the Imperius curse instead requires a belief in your aims being superior to the target's.

As is common in public edifices, the art works in a building's public areas tend to reflect the stated aims or beliefs of the organization residing there. In this case, Harry has previously commented on the Fountain of Magical Brethren, saying that excepting the subservient House-elf, the syrupy, adoring expressions worn by the other non-human magical beings for the Wizard in the tableau seemed ridiculously overdone. Yet, this seems to reflect the Ministry's belief structure, that human wizards are rulers over all other magical races. Now that this sculpture has been destroyed, it will be interesting to see what will replace it.

Review

 * 1) What happens when Voldemort hurls a killing curse at Dumbledore?
 * 2) Who arrives just before Voldemort disapparates? What is the reaction?
 * 3) What does Voldemort do just before disapparating?
 * 4) Who, besides Voldemort, escapes?
 * 5) What is the full name of Dumbledore?

Further Study

 * 1) Who summoned the Minister and the Aurors, and how?
 * 2) Why did Voldemort so abruptly depart from Harry's mind? What did Dumbledore do to cause that departure, if anything? What did Harry do, if anything?

Greater Picture
Voldemort possesses Harry's mind, but overcome by Harry's myriad memories and intense feelings for his friends, Sirius, and his parents, the Dark Lord quickly vacates it. Voldemort demanded that Dumbledore kill Harry, death being the worst thing that can happen. Harry, however, would welcome death here, as it would re-unite him with his parents and Sirius, and free him from the excruciating pain radiating from his scar. As Dumbledore will shortly explain, the power Harry possesses that Voldemort never can is love, which among other things makes Harry's mind an intolerable place for Voldemort to occupy. Additionally, we will find that, as Voldemort fears death more than anything, Harry's yearning to die at that point must have terrified him.

In the next book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Professor Dumbledore asks Harry if his scar has been hurting. Harry replies, with some surprise, it has not hurt all year, though he would have expected it to. Dumbledore explains that when Voldemort possessed Harry's mind, he found it such an inhospitable place to be in that he likely has been shielding his own mind from Harry's since then. In the series' final two books, Voldemort never attempts to possess Harry again, though as the final book progresses, Harry gains more and more ability to see what is happening inside Voldemort's mind. This actually is quite interesting as Voldemort, throughout the final book, is intent on capturing and killing Harry, a mission that he seems quite willing to leave to his subordinates despite the amount of useful information he could glean by trying to see through Harry's eyes.

Though Harry loses his godfather and fails to kill or capture Bellatrix Lestrange, the battle at the Ministry of Magic yields some benefit as Voldemort's presence is exposed and many Death Eaters are apprehended. Now the Wizarding world will know that Harry was telling the truth, and the Ministry will be forced to cease its smear campaign to discredit Harry and Dumbledore. It is expected that the Ministry will now take action against Voldemort and his followers. Additionally, the much-despised Umbridge will be removed from Hogwarts, and Dumbledore and Hagrid can return to their posts. While Dumbledore's reinstatement to his other previous posts will be announced in the Daily Prophet, it will be Harry's image that undergoes the most significant rehabilitation. Throughout this book, we have seen that the Daily Prophet was using Harry as a figure of ridicule, but now that his claims have been proven true, he will suddenly be titled "the Chosen One", the one hope against the returned Dark Lord. Harry will be perhaps more dismayed at being singled out for praise than he was to be reviled, but will find that he can manipulate the positive publicity.

Dumbledore here is seen as doing very advanced magic throughout the duel, but one extremely powerful charm is passed off with barely a note: the statues from the Fountain of Magical Brethren are each individually animated and given tasks to carry out independently. The wizard protects Harry and keeps him out of the battle, the centaur acts to deflect spells from Voldemort, the witch traps Bellatrix, and the goblin and house elf somehow are sent to summon the Ministry staff, including the Minister himself. As the main access route to the Ministry seems to be fireplaces and the Floo network, one wonders whether the animate statues were actually able to use them, or whether there was instead some form of alarm caller that they were able to locate and activate, is unknown.

Fawkes intercepts Voldemort's Avada Kedavra curse, but as the Phoenix is immortal, this merely ends this cycle of his life. For all its power, the killing curse is ordinary magic, and the Phoenix is, of course, extraordinary, as we've already heard. Dumbledore will later bring him back to the bed of ashes under his perch.

Connections

 * Harry will remember what Bellatrix said about the Unforgivable Curses when he successfully casts Imperius and Cruciatus for the first time.
 * Harry's mind proves so inhospitable to Voldemort that Voldemort will never again attempt to possess Harry, despite the value of the information that Voldemort could gain by such possession, particularly through the course of the final book.

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text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 35

Synopsis
Reappearing at the maze's edge, still clutching the Triwizard cup and Cedric's body, Harry finds himself overwhelmed by noise. Amidst the confusion and shouts that Diggory is dead, the Minister for Magic claims that Cedric is only injured, while Professor Dumbledore tells Harry to stay put. Harry, dazed, is lifted and guided by Professor Moody to his office. Once inside, Moody questions him about Voldemort's return. Harry remembers that he must tell Dumbledore that a Death Eater at Hogwarts, Karkaroff, put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire. Moody, however, states that he placed Harry's name in the Goblet, stunning Harry. It was Moody who entered Harry's name, nudged Hagrid into showing Harry the dragons, and gave Harry the hint on how to beat them. Moody gave Neville the Herbology book containing information Harry needed for the Second Task, and when that failed, had made sure Dobby passed it on. It was Moody who Stunned Fleur Delacour in the maze and put Krum under the Imperius curse in an attempt to eliminate Cedric.

Three approaching figures appear in the Foe-Glass behind Moody. As Moody is about to fatally curse Harry, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape burst in and Stun Moody. At Dumbledore's request, Snape leaves to fetch truth serum and Winky, while McGonagall is dispatched to take the large black dog in Hagrid's pumpkin patch to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore opens Moody's trunk, revealing multiple compartments within. The real Alastor Moody is trapped inside the last one. Stunned and under the Imperius curse, he is weak but still alive. The impostor's hip flask contains Polyjuice Potion; as its power runs out, the false Moody transforms into his true identity—Barty Crouch Jr.

Snape arrives with the serum and Winky, who immediately confirms that the impostor is Barty. When McGonagall returns, Dumbledore administers the Veritaserum to Barty, then resuscitates him. Crouch confesses his part in the past year's events. It was Bartemius Crouch, Sr. and his wife who instigated Barty Jr.'s escape from Azkaban. Mrs. Crouch was terminally ill, and as her dying wish, asked Bartemius to free Barty from prison. While visiting their son in prison, she and Barty Jr. switched identities using Polyjuice potion. Mrs. Crouch died soon after (that is who Sirius saw the Dementors burying). Barty Jr. was confined to his father's home, concealed under an Invisibility Cloak and controlled by the Imperius curse to prevent him returning to Voldemort. Winky, the Crouch's House-elf, helped care for him. When Bertha Jorkins, who worked for Bartemius, unexpectedly visited the Crouch home while Bartemius was gone, she discovered Barty Jr. hidden there. Bartemius charmed Jorkins' memory, erasing what she knew. She was later transferred to Ludo Bagman's department, but the charm caused continuing memory problems.

Winky persuaded Bartemius Crouch Sr. to allow Barty to attend the Quidditch World Cup, hidden under an Invisibility Cloak. There, he escaped, stole a wand (Harry's), and cast the Dark Mark. Bartemius, as a result, dismissed Winky and recaptured Barty, returning him to the Crouch home and restraining him more forcefully. Bertha Jorkins, earlier, had run into Wormtail while vacationing, and was forcibly brought to Voldemort. Voldemort unlocked the memory charm and discovered that Barty Jr. was captive in his father's home. He also learned about the Triwizard Tournament and devised the plot to capture Harry. After murdering Jorkins, Wormtail and Voldemort traveled to London. They freed Barty Jr. and placed Barty Sr. under an Imperius spell, forcing him to continue working as normal. Barty Jr. and Wormtail then captured the real Mad-Eye Moody and placed him under the Imperius spell; Barty Jr. used Polyjuice Potion to assume Moody's identity, while Moody was kept alive to supply raw materials for more potion, and to provide Barty with information. Barty procured potion ingredients from Snape's office, claiming he (as Moody) was under orders to search it. When Voldemort judged it was no longer safe to allow people to see Bartemius Crouch, he imprisoned Crouch Sr. in his own home. The Ministry of Magic, meanwhile, believed Crouch Sr. was home sick and sending instructions by owl post to his assistant, Percy Weasley. When Crouch Sr. was able to break Wormtail's Imperius spell (because Wormtail "neglected his duty") and escape to Hogwarts to warn Dumbledore, Barty Jr. tracked his father using the Marauder's Map he had previously borrowed from Harry, murdered him, and hidden the body.

Finally, Barty admits that, while he was placing the Triwizard Cup inside the maze, he had charmed it into a Portkey that transported Harry to the Dark Lord; Voldemort will now honor him above all other wizards.

Analysis
The Veritaserum, as Snape had promised when threatening Harry, has revealed many truths. And while this chapter solves many mysteries regarding Harry and Voldemort, it also reveals just how vulnerable Harry actually is. The comforting notion throughout the series that Harry is protected as long as he is within Hogwarts's secure walls has been forever dispelled by Barty Crouch's clever deception that allowed him direct access to Harry. From here on, Harry will have difficulty finding a completely safe haven. Now that Voldemort has fully regained his body, Harry expects he will execute another attack as soon as possible. Voldemort's power, we expect, will begin spreading as well, quietly and methodically seeping into nearly all Wizarding areas, taking hold in key institutions until he has gained total control.

Also, Harry's earlier wish to compete as a Triwizard Champion came to fruition, but the experience was far from what he could have imagined. Now Harry must cope with the tragic aftermath, forever haunted by knowing that rather than being the celebrated hero, he was instead duped and manipulated into a bogus victory that cost Cedric Diggory his life. Harry had also placed his trust and admiration in (the fake) Alastor Moody, but having been so horribly deceived, he may never again ever fully trust anyone to be who or what they seem. Harry's relationship with Dumbledore may also be affected. Dumbledore has always seemed invincible, but his failure to detect Barty Crouch and to fully protect Harry exposes a chink in his otherwise infallible power. As the newly reborn Voldemort gains strength, is Dumbledore growing weaker with age? It is unclear if that is what is happening here, but Dumbledore failing to anticipate someone being able to breach Hogwarts' tight security is surprising, especially considering how both Sirius Black (on multiple occasions in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and, more recently, Rita Skeeter, both so easily slipped into the castle undetected. In fact, Harry has never truly been completely safe at Hogwarts, only safer than outside its walls.

Cornelius Fudge, meanwhile, ineptly attempts to implement damage control, claiming Cedric is not dead, merely injured. While he may be attempting to shield the Diggorys, feeling it would be inappropriate to inform them their son has been killed when such a large audience is present, he is also protecting his and the Ministry's public image. This attempt to either spin or minimize bad news is classic behaviour for a politician, and we can expect more of it in upcoming chapters.

It is also interesting that Barty Jr., as Professor Moody, taught students how to repel an Imperius curse, which he presumably mastered while detained in his father's house. As reprehensible and evil as Crouch Jr. was, he was apparently a good Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, though almost certainly some of his Defence information was forced from the real Alastor Moody, who was kept captive in his office.

Some readers have been troubled that Voldemort's plan seems extremely convoluted, with multiple points of failure, to achieve one objective: Harry Potter's solo arrival in the Little Hangleton cemetery at a specific time. Having won Dumbledore's trust, the bogus Moody could have, at any time, given Harry a Portkey. Clearly, this would have caused some problem for the author, as the series quite plainly is designed to cover the seven years of Harry's education, with a climax happening at or near the end of each school year. The author must have determined a logical reason why Voldemort would have chosen so involved a plan for such a simple outcome in order to make her story timing work while also entertaining readers with a more sophisticated and exciting plot. While her reasons are never revealed, we can speculate. Voldemort seems to be a particularly vindictive sort; we have seen him torturing his followers for many real or imagined slights. It seems entirely plausible that Voldemort would be amused by bringing Harry to defeat and death immediately after he won a major competition, particularly if Harry was informed that his "victory" had been engineered, rather than achieved by his own efforts. In this light, what is perhaps most surprising is that it was not Voldemort who told Harry this, but Moody/Barty. However, considering this may be Voldemort's only opportunity to resurrect his body using Harry's blood, that reasoning seems risky and self-indulgent. Of course, we also know that Voldemort believes himself infallible; it is possible that he simply cannot comprehend that there is a possibility of failure, unless some underling fails him. We will also note that potion preparation can take significant time, as we saw with the Polyjuice Potion in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; the delay in getting Harry to Little Hangleton may well have been specifically to allow time for Wormtail to finish the preparation for the potion that restores Voldemort to his body.

The student of writing should pay attention to Professor Snape through the course of this episode, and particularly the techniques used by the author to draw attention away from his behaviour.

Review

 * 1) Why did Crouch, Sr. keep Barty Jr. hidden and forcibly restrained in his home? How was the situation later reversed?
 * 2) Why does Moody immediately take Harry to his office?
 * 3) Is Barty Crouch's confession truthful? Explain.
 * 4) Why was Sirius (in his Animagus dog form) in Hagrid's pumpkin patch?

Further Study

 * 1) What prompts Fudge to claim that Cedric Diggory is only injured and not, in fact, dead?
 * 2) How did Professor Dumbledore know that Moody was an impostor and that Harry was in danger?
 * 3) Why did Bartemius Crouch, Sr., a powerful and trustworthy Ministry official who disowned his son, Barty, Jr. for being a Death Eater and sentenced him to life in Azkaban, later help him escape from prison? Who else was involved and why?
 * 4) Why did Winky want Mr. Crouch to take Barty Jr. to the Quidditch World Cup? Why would he have agreed to such a risky venture?
 * 5) How did Dumbledore know to send for Winky before the impostor Moody turned back into Barty Jr?

Greater Picture
As a side note, it is interesting that Jorkins' memory problems seem somewhat similar to Neville Longbottom's. Is it possible that he could have been likewise charmed as a small child? If he was, why or by whom is unknown. One possibility is that his grandmother Augusta could have charmed him to prevent what happened to his parents from haunting him. If that is the case, it is also worth noting that Professor McGonagall later mentions that Augusta failed her Charms O.W.L. exam. Considering Neville's increasingly important role in the later books, it seems possible he may unknowingly hold important information someone wants to remain concealed, though this is only speculation. It may be that his memory and magical abilities were affected by the extreme trauma in his life, resulting in his development in these areas being stunted. Regardless, Neville constantly struggles to break through an ever-present fog that clouds his memory and affects his magical powers. If his memory has been tampered with, it may be nearly impossible to break the charm without causing permanent damage, as was the case with Bertha Jorkins.

Neville's memory problems will plague him throughout the series, though, with Harry's help, he gradually surmounts this handicap, as well as his magical impairment, to develop into a capable wizard. However, the source of his memory problems is never actually explained, and whether it was from early childhood trauma, a dark spell, his family's overly applied attempts to erase traumatic memories, or some other cause remains unknown, nor does it play a significant role in the story's eventual outcome.

In considering Fudge's motives for minimizing Cedric's condition, it should be remembered that Fudge is the consummate politician, interested in retaining power for power's sake only. It is only natural that he would "spin" any situation into something less negative to protect his chances for retaining his office. When Harry first returns with Cedric's body, Fudge maintains that Cedric was only injured, not only to protect Cedric's parents, but partly to prevent mass panic, and mostly to protect his own interests. Fudge desperately wants to avoid the Triwizard Tournament, which he was instrumental in reviving, being remembered as resulting in a student's death.

Adding further insult both to Cedric's memory and Harry's heroism, the Ministry will later claim that Diggory's death was nothing more than a tragic accident. We will see shortly that Fudge has basically turned the Ministry into a mouthpiece for himself, and directly or otherwise is now the source of almost all of the Ministry's statements. Like many politicians, Fudge has lost the long view, forgetting that no matter what he says here, Cedric's death will be always be remembered. Fudge will also dispute Harry's claims that Voldemort has returned. Again, Fudge is unable to face being known as the Minister who was in power when Voldemort returned, so he must deny, first, that Voldemort has returned, second, that Voldemort killed Cedric, and finally, that Voldemort was involved in Mr. Crouch's mysterious illness. This refusal to believe, and then to act, will prove important in the next book, resulting in repercussions against Harry, Professor Dumbledore, and Hogwarts. The Ministry's continued inactivity, combined with Voldemort's determination to remain hidden, will also make it easier for the Dark Lord to regroup his Death Eaters' core members.

The reader should note that Dumbledore has chosen McGonagall and Snape to assist him against the false Moody. We also note that Snape is quite clearly on Dumbledore's side, rather than Barty's. The revelations in the cemetery two chapters before, and the ongoing drama of this chapter's sudden revelations, will either prevent the casual reader seeing this, or will allow him to dismiss it as Snape dissimulating because he is under Dumbledore's eye. This is another instance of this author's skill at misdirection.

Connections
There is surprisingly little in this chapter that will tie in to other books in the series. The drama of this chapter largely stands on its own, referring back as it does only to events in this book.

 * Veritaserum, first mentioned earlier in this book, will appear in the next book; at that time, it will be implied that an attempt had been made to use it on Harry somewhat earlier.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 37

Synopsis
The Portkey delivers Harry to Dumbledore's office, which has been repaired since Dumbledore's spectacular escape. Harry, deeply grief-stricken over Sirius' death and blaming himself for falling for Voldemort's deception, rejects friendly overtures from the portraits on the walls, and tries without success to escape the office. Dumbledore soon arrives, to cheering and applause from the portraits, and places Fawkes tenderly on the ashes under his perch. He tells Harry that Madam Pomfrey is tending the other students. Tonks was also injured, but she has been taken to St. Mungo's hospital and will recover.

Harry completely rages at Dumbledore and smashes things in his office, but when Dumbledore claims responsibility for Sirius' death, he is subdued somewhat. Dumbledore admits that if he had been more open, Harry would have realized that Voldemort was luring Harry into a trap. When Voldemort gave Harry his scar, it left a mental connection between the two. Voldemort discovered this gateway after Mr. Weasley was attacked, and then began deliberately intruding into Harry's thoughts. That is why Dumbledore insisted Harry study Occlumency and why he remained aloof all year, fearing Voldemort could use the link to gain valuable information about the Order through Harry.

Dumbledore then explains that Kreacher, being bound magically only to the Black family, had lied to Harry when he tried to contact Sirius, who was actually upstairs tending to Buckbeak. After Harry warned Professor Snape in Umbridge's office, Snape checked to see that Sirius was safe. It was only when Harry failed to return from the Forbidden Forest that he had alerted the Order, who then went to the Ministry. Snape wanted Sirius to remain at Headquarters, but instead, Sirius ordered Kreacher to tell Dumbledore what happened, then went to the Ministry himself. Dumbledore seems slightly abashed at the measures he had been forced to take to get Kreacher to admit that he lied to Harry about Sirius, and that Kreacher's instructions came from Narcissa Malfoy, the last Black family member that Kreacher respected. Sirius' orders had prevented Kreacher from betraying the Order to Narcissa directly, but he was able to reveal enough information to Narcissa to lead Harry into a trap.

Dumbledore defends Snape, saying he had to behave as if he disbelieved Harry's warning while in Umbridge's presence to protect his position within the Order. Dumbledore also discounts Harry's accusation that Snape used Occlumency to open Harry's mind to Voldemort and reiterates his complete faith in Snape's loyalty. He regrets not being able to teach Harry himself, as he had feared Voldemort could access his thoughts, and was concerned about the use Voldemort would make of knowledge of the connection between Harry and Dumbledore. His selection of Snape was made because of Snape's mastery of the skill, but he had underestimated Snape's deep, lingering resentments towards Harry's father.

Even though many Wizarding families would have offered to adopt the orphaned infant, Harry was placed with the Dursleys for a particular reason. Lily Potter's sacrificing herself to save her child created a magical shield that has safeguarded Harry from Voldemort. However, Harry must live in his mother's blood relatives' home to maintain the protection until he turns 17—that relative is Aunt Petunia. Convinced Voldemort would return, Dumbledore's priority was to keep Harry safe. The Howler Petunia received was Dumbledore's stern reminder that she was obligated to protect Harry.

The prophecy Voldemort sought was originally made shortly before Harry's birth. It is why Voldemort wants to kill Harry. Voldemort, however, never knew the entire prophecy, and was trying to retrieve the stored copy to learn its contents. The prophecy is known to Dumbledore, however, because it was originally told to him. Sixteen years ago, Dumbledore interviewed Sybill Trelawney for the Divination position, meeting her at a pub in Hogsmeade. Although she was descended from a gifted Seer, she herself seemed minimally talented and Dumbledore declined her the post. As he was about to leave, Trelawney fell into a trance.

Extracting a memory, Dumbledore places it in the Pensieve. Sybill Trelawney's veiled image rises, and in a familiar harsh voice recites, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

According to Dumbledore, two boys fit the prophecy: Harry and Neville Longbottom, born just one day apart. Both Harry's and Neville's parents, who were Order of the Phoenix members, defied Voldemort three times. Voldemort probably attacked Harry because he is a half-blood like himself, and therefore considered him more dangerous than Neville, a pureblood. By deliberately choosing Harry, Voldemort "marked" him as his equal, leaving the lightning scar on Harry's forehead. But Voldemort was only told the prophecy's first half. The second part predicted that the marked child would have powers that the Dark Lord could never know, and that one must die at the hand of the other, for both cannot live while the other survives. The power Harry possesses and Voldemort does not is love. It is what protected Harry from Voldemort's killing curse while ripping the Dark Lord's soul from his body. Dumbledore confirms that the prophecy means that either Voldemort or Harry must kill the other.

Finally, Dumbledore explains why Harry was not chosen to be a Prefect: "I must confess . . . that I rather thought . . . you had enough responsibility to be going on with."

During the conversation, there is a contrast between Harry and Dumbledore: After his godfather's death, Harry is in deep depression and in his lowest point so far, throwing and smashing things in Dumbledore's office in a rage and remains constantly agitated during the entire conversation, while Dumbledore remains very calm, never moving from his chair or raising his voice, and not even stopping his student from tearing his office apart. Halfway through the conversation, he hides his face in his hands, ashamed of what his actions had caused, as he never told Harry about his destiny because he was too fond of him and didn't want to put such a heavy burden on him after all he's been through, yet his attempt to distance himself from him ended up making things worse, and when the conversation is over, he cries right in front of Harry, even shedding a tear.

Analysis
Much that has been hidden in the series is now revealed. First and foremost is the Prophecy; this one item explains why Voldemort has singled Harry out as his main target. It also explains why Harry is the hero in this series; if the Prophecy is true, and the wizards generally believe it is, then Harry alone can defeat the Dark Lord, and the Wizarding world's sole hope rests with him. We also see Dumbledore's love for Harry, his fear for what would happen if Harry learned too soon about the burden the prophecy has placed on him, and to some small extent the efforts that Dumbledore has made to protect Harry and, as much as possible, nurture him.

As a side note, Dumbledore's revelation of the Prophecy also teaches us several things: first, that thoughts can be preserved in crystal spheres; second, that it is possible to extract a copy of a thought from a wizard's mind while retaining the original; and, as we saw the recording of the prophecy after the sphere was broken, that a Pensieve is not necessary to replay these extracted thoughts. We surmise that the crystal spheres in the Ministry, used to store prophecy recordings, are charmed in a manner similar to the Pensieve, but we have as yet no way to be certain. One thing that the reader should pay attention to is that this information about the nature of Wizarding thought is presented organically; it is all the more easily understood because it is simply presented. This exemplifies the prime rule of writing: show, don't tell.

The prophecy, and Voldemort's attempt to recover it, of course, have affected the course of the series so far, and likely will also affect the final two books. We also learn exactly why Dumbledore had acted aloof towards Harry, and why he had wanted Harry to learn Occlumency. Additionally, we learn that Snape acted correctly when Harry warned him. This seems to reinforce Dumbledore's opinion of, and trust in, Snape. Harry, however, believes Snape had somehow engineered matters such that Sirius died, and he cannot be convinced otherwise. Examining what Dumbledore says, and the sequence of events, we can see that Snape believed Sirius was safe at Grimmauld Place. It is unknown whether Snape goaded Sirius into going to the Ministry, or whether Sirius decided this; Dumbledore believes it was solely Sirius' decision, but Harry, if he chooses to contemplate this, refuses to believe it was. However, considering Sirius' reckless and impulsive nature, his pent up frustration at being confined and feeling useless, as well as his paternal need to protect his godson at any cost, it seems nothing could have compelled him to remain at Grimmauld Place while the Order rushed to the Ministry.

We also learn that Dumbledore can make serious mistakes. Until now, Dumbledore had seemed largely infallible. Aloof as he always was, and somewhat unknowable, his pronouncements were invariably accurate. Here, we see Dumbledore admitting his failures in not telling Harry sooner what was prophesied for him, of attempting to have Snape teach Harry Occlumency, and in a somewhat backhanded manner, of failing to properly explain why Harry must bar Voldemort's thoughts. These latter two errors have fairly major consequences. Snape's attempts to teach Occlumency to Harry, surrounded as they were with Snape's bias against Harry, and Harry's distrust and dislike of Snape, only strengthened the link between Harry and Voldemort. And being unaware that Voldemort could plant fake images into his mind resulted in Harry being lured to the Ministry, and in Sirius' death.

One interesting and nearly hidden point occurs late in this chapter. Dumbledore tells Harry that the power he has that Voldemort cannot understand is love. It was that deep love, for his parents and Sirius, that protected Harry from Voldemort possessing him. Voldemort fled Harry's mind because "he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests." This could be a factor in later books.

Harry, meanwhile, is roiling in turmoil—simultaneously experiencing rage, grief, and guilt at Sirius' death. Although Dumbledore explains why he withheld vital information and reveals the entire prophecy, it does little to console Harry. He now understands his ties to the Dursleys, and though his relationship with Petunia will likely never change, he now realizes that it is she, through their blood connection, who stands between him and Voldemort. And though Petunia has no love for her nephew, she continues to fulfill her obligation to protect him; Harry knows he must continue to endure living in her home until he comes of age. And now Harry has a new burden to bear: either he or Voldemort "must die at the hand of the other".

Review

 * 1) Why didn't Dumbledore teach Harry Occlumency himself? Was this a mistake?
 * 2) Why does Harry have to return to the Dursleys each summer?
 * 3) Why did Voldemort "mark" Harry as his equal rather than Neville Longbottom?
 * 4) What is the powerful force that can be used against Voldemort, and why is the Dark Lord incapable of possessing it?

Further Study

 * 1) The prophecy never mentioned Harry's name. Two boys fit Trelawney's description, and either could have been marked by Voldemort: Harry or Neville Longbottom. Therefore, is it possible that Neville, who might have been chosen by Voldemort, could also have retrieved the orb from the Department of Mysteries? Explain why he could or could not.
 * 2) How might Harry and Neville's relationship change now that Harry knows that Neville could have been "The Chosen One"?
 * 3) Should Harry tell Neville about this connection between them? Why or why not?
 * 4) What might have been the result if Dumbledore had instructed Harry in Occlumency, rather than Snape teaching him?
 * 5) Why does Aunt Petunia continue to protect Harry, even though she does not love him?
 * 6) Who could have repaired Dumbledore's office?

Greater Picture
It is interesting that, when Harry is yelling at Dumbledore, he says that Dumbledore cannot possibly know the pain he is suffering. Harry blames himself for Sirius' death by having allowed Voldemort to penetrate his mind, and then falling for the ruse that lured him into the Department of Mysteries. In fact, Dumbledore does know how Harry feels, more so than many others would. As discussed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore's sister Ariana was killed during a three-way duel between Dumbledore, his brother Aberforth, and the Dark wizard, Grindelwald. While it is never known whose spell actually fatally struck her, there is no doubt in Dumbledore's mind that he is responsible for his sister's death. Indications are that he carries this regret and remorse for his remaining life, and Harry muses, near the series' end, that what Dumbledore desires the most and sees in the Mirror of Erised is his family, including his sister and mother, whole and together again. This pain is also seen in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Dumbledore drinks the potion in Voldemort's secret Sea Cave, though the reasons behind it are unknown until Aberforth's explanation in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Dumbledore says Voldemort wanted the orb because he never heard the entire prophecy. While the Hog's Head, where the prophecy was made, is known for its eavesdropping population, Voldemort's informant apparently only heard the prophecy's first half. In a later book, Harry learns that when Trelawney returned from her prophecy-induced trance, Severus Snape was present. Harry leaps to the conclusion that Snape was Voldemort's informant. Dumbledore, confronted by Harry, does nothing to dispute this, and this fact is actually confirmed much later. However, if he was present at the end of the prophecy, why does Dumbledore say that he had only heard the first part? If we look at the prophecy itself, and the earlier one, we will see that Trelawney's prophecies seem to repeat the first part at the conclusion; so someone hearing the end of the prophecy would hear a repetition of the prophecy's beginning.

As suggested, Harry being filled with love, for his parents and for Sirius, makes him a particularly unpleasant place for Voldemort to occupy. As a result, Voldemort never again re-enters Harry's mind, though Harry will experience Voldemort's thoughts in the final book, as he has in this one, when Voldemort is feeling strong emotions. We know already that Dumbledore's aloofness over the past year has been from his worry that Voldemort would perceive and make use of the connection. In this chapter, that aloofness has vanished; Dumbledore not only speaks directly to Harry, but admits to caring more about him than would be expected of a headmaster. In the next book, Dumbledore notes that Harry has had no further episodes of pain in his scar, indicating that Voldemort has not tried to re-enter Harry's mind. It seems from Dumbledore's behaviour in this chapter that he expects this avoidance of Harry by Voldemort to have already begun; he does not expect Voldemort to learn about the openness he exhibits in his office, despite Voldemort having been in full possession of Harry's mind only an hour before.

It is never made clear who repaired the damage done to Dumbledore's office on his escape. We know that the office had sealed itself against Umbridge on Dumbledore's departure, and we see here that Dumbledore can return to the office despite that seal presumably still being in effect. We don't know who else would have had the ability to enter, though we suspect Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, or perhaps Professor Dumbledore himself, would have been able to clean up the office in preparation for Dumbledore's eventual return. We note that the portraits on the walls seem to believe it has been a while since Dumbledore was there, so if he did clean up his own office, we would suspect it was done shortly after his nominal departure from the school, possibly at the same time as the office first sealed itself. Of course, it could be that Dumbledore sealed the office at the same time.

Connections

 * The prophecy which we hear in this chapter drives much of the series. Dumbledore alluded to its existence in the first book, and the orb containing a copy of it was broken a very short while ago. This is the first of the two real prophecies that Professor Trelawney has made, according to Dumbledore two years earlier. We will revisit this prophecy and the events surrounding its revelation in the next book.
 * We are finally told why Dumbledore insisted, over Professor McGonagall's protests and to Aunt Petunia's dismay, to place Harry with the Dursley family at the beginning of the story. As Harry's mother's death had protected him, his living in Petunia's home would also shield him from Voldemort. It is only in the final book that we will learn what hold Dumbledore had over Petunia to force her to accept Harry.
 * The mental link between Harry and Voldemort, first appearing as a pain in Harry's scar in the first book, is here explained, along with the fact that it had been involuntary until recently. Once Voldemort had discovered its existence. he made use of the linkage to attempt to trap Harry; but he has now closed that link and will not voluntarily re-enter Harry's mind. Harry, on the other hand, will be able to perceive Voldemort's thoughts and surroundings, as Voldemort's emotions grow stronger and his power wanes in the final book.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 36

Synopsis
At Professor Dumbledore's orders, Professor McGonagall is left to guard the bound Barty Crouch, while Professor Snape arranges for the real Alastor Moody to be sent to the Hospital wing, and then will fetch Cornelius Fudge to interrogate Barty. Professor Dumbledore and Harry head to the Headmaster's office where, over Sirius Black's protest that Harry is exhausted, Dumbledore requires that Harry recount what happened in the cemetery. Fawkes' Phoenix song gives Harry strength.

Dumbledore and Sirius seem shocked that Wormtail used Harry's blood for the charm, giving Voldemort the ability to touch Harry. Surprisingly, we see a brief triumphant gleam in Dumbledore's eyes when he hears this, but he only comments that Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier.

Dumbledore explains that Harry's and Voldemort's wands connecting was the Priori Incantatem effect. Harry's and Voldemort's wands both contain Fawkes' tail feathers, and when wands sharing a common magical core are forced to duel, one wand will disgorge its most recent spells. Harry confirms that Cedric appeared, as well as an old man, Bertha Jorkins, and his father and mother. These figures, says Dumbledore, are not Ghosts, but only the spirit echoes or shadows that were created by Voldemort's victims when Voldemort's wand killed them.

When Harry is unable to continue, Fawkes flutters to the floor next to him, shedding healing tears onto the wound in Harry's leg. Dumbledore praises Harry for showing exceptional bravery against Voldemort. Sirius then transforms into a dog and accompanies Harry and Dumbledore to the infirmary. There, Mrs. Weasley, Bill Weasley, Ron, and Hermione are waiting. Moody is resting in a bed. Insisting Harry needs sleep, Dumbledore says all questions can wait until morning. He informs Madam Pomfrey that the dog will stay with Harry. Harry is given a purple potion and falls asleep even before he can finish it.

Loud voices awaken Harry as Cornelius Fudge, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape burst in. McGonagall is berating Fudge as he demands to speak to Dumbledore. Dumbledore enters, surprised that McGonagall left Barty Crouch Jr. unguarded. McGonagall shouts that the Dementor Fudge brought sensed Barty and has sucked out his soul. Fudge claims Crouch was no loss, though Dumbledore points out Barty is now unable to testify or verify that Voldemort has returned. Fudge denies that the Dark Lord has been resurrected, claiming Harry is a less than reliable witness and suffers from hallucinations. Fudge also discounts that Harry can identify Death Eaters, claiming the names are public record. Announcing that Voldemort has returned would only undermine everything the Ministry has been working towards the past thirteen years.

Dumbledore avers that if Fudge accepts that truth and acts now, they may be able to salvage the situation. First, the Dementors must be removed from Azkaban. Next, envoys have to be sent to the Giants. Fudge refuses Dumbledore's suggestions, as he would be voted out immediately. Dumbledore believes Fudge is blind to reality, and says if they have reached an impasse, then they must part ways.

Fudge claims Dumbledore is working against him, but Dumbledore replies he is only fighting Voldemort. Even Snape showing Fudge the now black Dark Mark on his arm and saying that this is why Karkaroff bolted does nothing to change Fudge's mind. Fudge places Harry's Tournament winnings on the table and leaves.

After Fudge departs, Dumbledore begins assigning missions, starting by asking Mrs. Weasley if he can depend on her and Mr. Weasley. At her confirmation, Bill Weasley volunteers to tell his father and leaves. Dumbledore dispatches Professor McGonagall to fetch Hagrid and Madame Maxime to his office. He sends Madam Pomfrey to tend to Winky, who is still with Crouch. Dumbledore tells Sirius to return to his human shape, then requires that he and Snape put aside their dislike for each other and cooperate. Dumbledore sends Sirius to alert the "old crowd": Mundungus Fletcher, Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, and to then lay low at Lupin's. Dumbledore then sends Snape on a mission they previously discussed.

After Dumbledore leaves, Harry frets about the Tournament prize, blaming himself for Cedric's death and wanting to give the Diggorys half. Mrs. Weasley tells him not to worry about it, but she is interrupted by a loud slamming. Next to the window, Hermione apologizes for the noise. Harry takes the remaining sleeping potion and finally falls asleep.

Analysis
As many questions are answered, new ones arise, and the characters must now deal with the dire aftermath that Voldemort's return has created. To prepare for the impending war he knows is coming and cannot be stopped, Dumbledore's only recourse, given the Ministry's total lack of cooperation, is to quickly regroup his former allies. Reiterating the book's theme that evil can only be defeated through mutual cooperation, Dumbledore requests that Snape and Sirius set aside their hatred and work together to fight Voldemort. They grudgingly agree, but whether they can maintain a truce seems much less certain to the reader than to Dumbledore. The handshake he forces from them is, at least to the reader, a declaration of an armed truce rather than any actual cessation of hostilities. We also have no concrete evidence yet that Snape truly is loyal to Dumbledore, though Dumbledore's faith in him never seems to waver. Dumbledore's unawareness of the continuing hostility between Snape and Sirius, in fact, seems to suggest that Snape could easily mislead him as to his actual allegiance.

As mentioned, Dumbledore's efforts to defeat Voldemort are stymied by the complete lack of cooperation from Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry of Magic. We can see that Fudge is preparing to vehemently deny publicly that the Dark Lord has returned, an action that will only aid Voldemort's rise to power. Fudge allowing (or perhaps ordering) the Dementor to administer the Kiss to Barty Crouch is not only shocking and likely illegal, but it suggests he could be a Voldemort accomplice or that he is in such extreme denial about unfolding events that he will use any means to protect himself and the Ministry, including using a Dementor to suck out Crouch's soul so he is unable to corroborate Harry's claims, as well as hurling accusations that Harry hallucinated everything. Even if Harry is administered Veritaserum, the Ministry might then argue that Harry actually believes his hallucinations are the truth. Fudge's action, we can already see, will result in an acrimonious and irreparable split between him and Dumbledore, and also between Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic.

Though it is not explicitly called out in the text, it seems that it is during Fudge's argument with Dumbledore about the truth of Harry's accusations that Harry's perspective of the Ministry of Magic first starts to change from belief in its benevolence to distrust of its motivation. Despite Hagrid's comments about Ministry bungling in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry seems to retain a belief in the Ministry having the good of wizards as its primary motive up to this point. In Fudge's struggles to keep power in the face of danger, Harry now perceives that it is politics that rules the Ministry, and that their supposed concern for the Wizarding world is, at best, a veneer. We can expect that this mature distrust of the Ministry and its motives will increase through the next few books.

Dumbledore's comments about the Dementors and Giants may, on initial reading, seem to be guesses. However, a re-reading of the earlier chapter where Voldemort was telling the Death Eaters his plans will show that in fact Voldemort explicitly mentioned them in front of Harry. We don't hear them mentioned in Dumbledore's office, but the author skips over Harry's recounting of the events that took place in the cemetery, as they happened so recently. This is actually a strength in the writing; why tell your readers what they already know? The reader who is studying the books will note that the author has done this before; one of her strengths is in picking out, and explicitly telling us, what we need to know while eliding the unnecessary.

The "gleam of triumph" in Dumbledore's eyes when he learns that Harry's blood was used in Voldemort's reanimation has been endlessly discussed by fans. Of course, this blood tie creates yet an additional connection between Harry and Voldemort, and it can be assumed from Dumbledore's reaction that it may actually somehow weaken the Dark Lord. However, this is still speculation, and it is yet unknown just how it will affect the story's outcome. All that is known is Voldemort claiming that his greatest enemy's blood will make him stronger; it is debatable, however, as to just who his greatest enemy actually is: Harry or Dumbledore.

Fawkes is relatively central to the scene in Dumbledore's office. We learn that this is the Phoenix who donated the tail feathers that lie within Harry and Voldemort's wands; additionally, it is Fawkes who gives Harry the strength to retell his story, and provides the tears to heal his injured leg.

It is unknown just what Hermione was doing by the hospital window at this chapter's conclusion, but it will prove to be meaningful later.

Also, while Harry feels guilty and responsible for Cedric's death, it is probable that he would have been doomed anyway. Cedric would have reached the Triwizard Cup first, but, grateful for Harry's help, wanted Harry to take it. Harry instead insisted they grab it together because they helped each other equally throughout the Tournament. If Cedric alone had grasped it, he would have been transported to the cemetery rather than Harry, and, being useless to Voldemort's rebirth, likely would have been instantly murdered on Voldemort's command, rather than returned to the maze or allowed to live. Harry had no way to know that touching the trophy was intended to be fatal, but we can clearly see that it was Voldemort's intent to murder Harry, and that Voldemort would have ordered Pettigrew to kill anyone who happened to either replace Harry or accompany him.

Review

 * 1) Why would Fudge allow a Dementor to administer the Kiss to Barty Crouch? Were his actions legal?
 * 2) What is the significance of the mark on Snape's forearm?
 * 3) Why does Harry feel he is responsible for Cedric's death? Is he justified in believing so?
 * 4) Cedric would have reached the Triwizard Cup first. What would have happened if he alone had grabbed it?
 * 5) Why does Fawkes only sing a single note to Harry when he is in Dumbledore's office? How does it affect Harry? What else does Fawkes do that helps Harry?
 * 6) Why is Harry given a potion for "dreamless" sleep?

Further Study

 * 1) Who and what might the "old crowd" be that Dumbledore is referring to?
 * 2) Harry shows no reaction when Dumbledore mentions someone named Arabella Figg. Should he?
 * 3) What missions might Dumbledore assign to Hagrid and Olympe Maxime? What sort of mission will Snape be sent on?
 * 4) Why might Hermione be making such a commotion next to the hospital window? Why does she say nothing about it?
 * 5) Snape and Sirius loathe each other. Is it possible that they can suppress their mutual hatred and work together as Dumbledore has requested?
 * 6) Why does Dumbledore have a "gleam of triumph" in his eyes after Harry tells him Voldemort used some of Harry's blood for his reanimation?

Greater Picture
It is mentioned above that this would seem to be the point where Harry starts to distrust the motivation of the Ministry. This distrust will be brought to a head by the actions of the Ministry in the opening chapters of the next book, actions culminating in a hearing at the Ministry which seems to have aspects of a show trial. At the opening of the sixth book, it will become apparent that a change of helm at the Ministry has, theoretically, aligned them more closely with Harry's world-view, but he will remain skeptical. It will eventually culminate in Harry refusing a request from the Ministry to be seen to endorse the current hard-line policy, a policy that Harry feels has resulted in imprisonment of innocents.

After Fudge's departure, Dumbledore begins dispatching various people on separate missions. The missions, only hinted at here, are fully explained in later books. Bill Weasley updates his father, Arthur Weasley, as to what has happened. Mr. Weasley, along with Mrs. Weasley, will be working within the Ministry of Magic. Hagrid and Olympe Maxime will seek out and parley with the Giants in an attempt to persuade them to join Dumbledore, or at least remain neutral. During Voldemort's previous reign, Dumbledore headed the Order of the Phoenix, a group outside the Ministry who opposed Voldemort; Sirius has been sent to alert former Order of the Phoenix members, including Remus Lupin, Mundungus Fletcher, and Arabella Figg to reactivate that group. Lupin later infiltrates and spies on a Werewolf pack headed by the particularly vicious Fenrir Greyback, who has formed an alliance with Voldemort. And Snape is apparently sent to re-establish contact with Voldemort, though this is unknown to us until two books later.

It is hardly surprising that Harry fails to recognize Arabella Figg's name; neither he, nor most readers, have yet to connect her with batty, old Mrs. Figg with all her cats back in Privet Drive. She is later revealed to be a Squib, and she has been guarding Harry since he first arrived at the Dursleys.

Hermione has just discovered how Rita Skeeter is able to "bug" so many private conversations; she is, in fact, an unregistered Animagus, transforming into a beetle – almost a literal fly on the wall, an enviable ability for any journalist. The commotion Hermione was making next to the infirmary window was her trapping Skeeter in a jar. Hermione will use this knowledge to effectively blackmail Skeeter out of writing scurrilous pieces about Harry in the next book, and will also use it to compel Skeeter to write an honest interview with Harry about Harry's experience in the Cemetery in February of that year.

It is learned in the final book that the "triumphant gleam" in Dumbledore's eyes is when he realizes that Harry's blood that now flows within Voldemort's body will actually protect Harry from Voldemort, a fact unknown to the Dark Lord when he reanimated himself. Dumbledore explains that when Voldemort used Harry's blood, he also transferred the protection that had been conferred on Harry by Lily's sacrifice; thus, Harry now cannot die, at least not at Voldemort's wand, as long as this embodiment of Voldemort is alive. We believe that this is the point where Dumbledore gave Snape the job of reinforcing, in Voldemort's mind, the idea that Voldemort had to kill Harry himself. We will see Snape reiterate this belief to other Death Eaters a number of times; clearly, in this book, it had not yet become gospel, or Barty Crouch Jr. would not have believed that his murdering Harry would have made him Voldemort's most trusted lieutenant.

At the same time, Dumbledore revisits the duel in the cemetery and the Priori Incantatem effect. While it is never stated here, and the implication is masked by the ongoing revelations, Dumbledore later indicates that the stronger wizard can force the weaker wizard's wand to disgorge its most recent spells. This leads us to believe that Harry is, in fact, a stronger wizard than Voldemort, a belief the reader may have already arrived at in seeing the Priori Incantatem effect in the earlier chapter. Dumbledore will confirm this, saying that Harry was the stronger because he was prepared for death, while Voldemort feared it. It cannot be mentioned in this chapter, however, that Harry is the stronger, because Harry is not prepared to believe it. If Harry did believe himself to be the stronger wizard, it is uncertain how he would continue, though we expect that overconfidence would likely doom him. It could certainly make him a less sympathetic hero, and so would badly weaken the book.

Connections

 * Harry providing the blood for Voldemort's reanimation spell, which occurred earlier in this book, will provide Harry with ongoing protection against spells cast by Voldemort. While Dumbledore recognizes this immediately on hearing of it, it will remain unknown to Harry and Voldemort, only being revealed near the end of the final book.
 * This is the first time that any connection between the Wizarding World and old Mrs. Figg is hinted at. While she is first mentioned early in the first book, her connection to the Wizarding world will only be made explicit at the start of the next book.
 * It is here that Hermione traps the Transformed Rita Skeeter. Her knowledge of Skeeter's status as an unregistered Animagus will allow her to reign in Skeeter's scurrilous writing about Harry, and also will allow her to force an honest, unslanted interview out of Skeeter at one point.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Order of the Phoenix/Chapter 38

Synopsis
Dumbledore is officially reinstated as Hogwarts' Headmaster, and the Ministry of Magic publicly acknowledges that Lord Voldemort has returned. The students who had accompanied Harry have largely recovered from their injuries, though Hermione and Ron are still in the Hospital Wing. Harry goes to visit them, finding Luna, Ginny, and Neville also visiting. Dolores Umbridge is in the Hospital Wing as well, as a patient. Dumbledore personally went into the Forbidden Forest to retrieve her from the Centaurs. Deeply traumatized by her experience, she is barely able to speak. Ron torments her by making soft "clip clop" hoof noises with his tongue, causing the frightened woman to bolt upright in bed, frantically looking around. Hermione and Ginny can barely suppress their giggles.

Hermione laments that the Prophecy was lost; Harry, aware of its importance, says nothing about knowing its content. Finding their continuing speculation about it too difficult to bear, he heads to Hagrid's hut. Along the way, a vengeful Draco Malfoy threatens to curse him in retaliation for his father's imprisonment in Azkaban. Harry, quicker on the draw, has Draco at wandpoint, but Snape intervenes before either can jinx the other. Snape is about to penalize Gryffindor ten points, but sneeringly comments that there are no House points left. Just then, Professor McGonagall arrives from St. Mungo's Hospital, largely recovered but using a walking stick. Seeing that all of Gryffindor's House points were deleted, she awards Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and also Luna (of Ravenclaw), fifty points each for alerting the Wizarding world about Voldemort, then subtracts Snape's ten points.

Harry finds no relief at Hagrid's, despite Hagrid pointing out that everyone now knows Harry was telling the truth. With Sirius gone, it feels meaningless to Harry, who finally heads to the lake seeking solitude.

A few days later, Professor Umbridge leaves Hogwarts, but not before getting harassed by Peeves. Professor McGonagall is heard to lament being unable to assist Peeves, as he was using her walking stick to chastise Umbridge.

Rather than attend the Leaving Feast, Harry packs his trunk. He finds the unwrapped Christmas present from Sirius. Inside it is an old mirror, along with a note from Sirius explaining that Harry can contact him with it. Harry thinks it could be a link to Sirius in the afterlife, but only sees his own reflection. Realizing that Sirius did not have its twin with him when he went through the Veil, Harry angrily tosses it into the trunk, shattering it. A thought suddenly occurs to him, and he seeks out Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. He asks Nick if Sirius could also have become a ghost, but Nick explains that very few wizards choose to remain earthbound as spirits. Nick did so only because he feared moving on to the next world, while Sirius would not.

In the hall, Harry runs into Luna, who is searching for her belongings that other students have hidden. Harry offers to help, but Luna declines, saying everything always turns up eventually. Remembering that she is able to see the Thestrals, Harry asks who it was that she witnessed dying. She says her mother was killed in an accident, but claims she knows she will see her mother again. She believes the voices from behind the veiled archway in the Department of Mysteries are the dead, just lurking out of sight. As Luna heads for the Leaving Feast, Harry surprisingly feels better.

On the Hogwarts Express, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle attempt to attack Harry, but Dumbledore's Army members intervene, jinxing them until they are unrecognizable. Cho Chang walks past in the corridor outside Harry's compartment; she blushes but does not stop. Ron asks if there is anything still going on between them, and Harry truthfully responds there is not. Hermione tactfully mentions that Cho is dating Michael Corner, but Harry is unaffected, feeling it is in his past. Ron is concerned, though, as he recalls Ginny was seeing Michael Corner. Ginny explains that when Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw, Michael had gone to comfort Cho rather than celebrating with Ginny, so she dumped him. With a sideways glance at Harry, Ron suggests that she can now find someone better. Ginny responds she is already dating Dean Thomas.

They are greeted at the station by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, Lupin, and "Mad Eye" Moody who tell Harry they intend to have a stern talk with his aunt and uncle regarding their treatment of him. The Twins, decked out in new clothes, are also there and say their new joke shop is doing well. The whole group confronts Uncle Vernon, demanding that he improve Harry's comfort over the summer, warning they will be in touch. Harry bids Ron and Hermione goodbye, and Ron promises that they will be seeing Harry very soon.

Analysis
As the series progresses, the books are getting darker. While Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ended with the death of Cedric Diggory and the re-embodiment of Lord Voldemort, the plot did resolve on something of an upbeat note with Harry's win of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry's escape from Voldemort, and the unmasking of Barty Crouch. Quite plainly, the death of Sirius, a father figure for Harry and one of the few links he has to his parents, is a much greater and more disturbing event. And while we readers can take some comfort both in the defeat of the Death Eaters in the Ministry, and in the vindication of Harry and Dumbledore in the public eye, clearly this provides little comfort for Harry in the face of his loss. Students should note, particularly in this chapter, the methods used to portray both the fact of the victory, and the hollowness of that victory in the lead character's eyes. Note in particular the way interactions with Draco Malfoy and Vernon Dursley are used to show that hope remains for Harry, despite the gloom; and note how these interactions, along with the events surrounding the departure of Umbridge, are used to lighten the atmosphere of this final chapter, to inspire the reader to continue with the next book in the series.

For Harry, Sirius' death creates yet another deep void in his life, as it is the first time he has lost a loved one that he actually knew and had a substantial relationship with. Not only is he filled with grief, but also guilt over his rash behavior and the mistakes he made, which led to the tragedy and nearly cost his other friends their lives as well. Although Harry blames himself for Sirius' death, he fails to recognize that his godfather's reckless behavior also significantly contributed to his own demise. He also blames Dumbledore for withholding information, and Snape, who he believes deliberately waited too long to warn the Order of the Phoenix, despite Dumbledore's unwavering faith. Harry's attempts to contact Sirius in the afterlife indicates his unwillingness to accept that his godfather is truly gone, though Luna's words provide some comfort and bolsters his hope that he may eventually rejoin Sirius.

Throughout this book, Harry has been aware that Voldemort had returned and that he was a great danger to the Wizarding world in general, and to Harry in particular, but he also now knows why Voldemort is singling him out. The prophecy will likely not receive general publication, though we may see Harry pushed forward into the public eye as being the Wizarding world's only hope against Voldemort, possibly purely on the strength of his having survived the killing curse cast on him as a toddler. Indications that this will happen are appearing already in this chapter. At this point, Harry knows that he has allies in the fight against Voldemort, but having seen the injuries his friends sustained in that skirmish, he may be reluctant to involve others in what he now has even more reason to believe is his battle alone.

Harry now knows that returning to Privet Drive each year sustains his mother's protective magical charm, though this understanding provides little comfort as he prepares to endure yet another cheerless summer with the Dursleys. Harry will have time to reflect on what has happened and hopefully learn from his mistakes, though his path to maturity has been more traumatic than most. Mourning Sirius' death will cause him more loneliness, and he may isolate himself, as he often does during stressful times. As a result, he might overlook or shut out those who care for and support him. As he grieves his lost godfather, Ron, Hermione, Lupin, Dumbledore, and others will, we expect, try to draw closer to him; they are his true "family."

We note in passing the progress of Ginny's romantic affairs, and that Ron seems to have hopes that she will settle on Harry as a romantic partner. We note that as early as the second book, Ginny had been romantically interested in Harry. The reader can see, from the way the relationship with Cho Chang proceeded and ended, that Harry is not yet ready for romance, and so Ginny's settling on Dean Thomas seems more reasonable. The student should note how the sequence of romances in the series seems organic, and study how the writing makes the romance an integral part of the story.

Review

 * 1) Why does Harry offer to help Luna find her belongings? Why does she decline?
 * 2) Why does Harry seek Nearly Headless Nick's advice? What does Nick tell him?
 * 3) What does Luna mean when she tells Harry that she will see her deceased mother again? How does that affect Harry?

Further Study

 * 1) Why did Harry wait so long to open Sirius' present? Why does he toss it aside?
 * 2) Did Harry's delay in opening the present from Sirius contribute to Sirius' death? If so, how?
 * 3) Why does Harry blame himself for what happened to Sirius? Is he right?
 * 4) Who else does Harry blame for Sirius dying and why?
 * 5) How might Sirius have contributed to his own demise?

Greater Picture
Ron's statement that they will be seeing Harry very soon is actually prophetic, though he perhaps does not realize it, and Harry does not believe it. In fact, Dumbledore will collect Harry from the Dursleys' after only two weeks, and Harry will spend the rest of the summer vacation in The Burrow. Harry, not believing that Dumbledore could be taking him away so soon, will not be ready to leave when Dumbledore arrives at Privet Drive.

Luna tells Harry that the voices they heard from behind the veiled arch are of those who have died and are merely waiting in the shadows. She believes they will be seen again, she fully expects to eventually be re-united with her mother, and that Harry will be re-united with Sirius. This foreshadows Harry's experience as he walks to his impending death in the final book.

The broken mirror will also play an important role in the last novel. While some fan sites have speculated that the bits of mirror, rattling around in the bottom of Harry's trunk, will be mended by Harry or Hermione at some point, this does not actually happen. However, Harry finds a mirror shard while cleaning out his trunk, and keeps it with him while he searches for Voldemort's Horcruxes (soul fragments), in the final book. On several occasions he glimpses someone's blue eye staring at him in the reflection—an eye that could be Albus Dumbledore's.

Harry's interpretation of the Prophecy is reasonably accurate, but he has missed a loophole. The part of the prophecy which has left Harry feeling like a marked man is, and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. Harry, given what he knows, understands that this must mean that either he must kill Voldemort or be killed by him. As it turns out, while Harry will be the instrument of Voldemort's destruction, the actual fatal spells will be cast by Voldemort himself, and Harry will not have to murder anyone in the course of the seven books. We note a small error in the prophecy: while Voldemort does twice cast a Killing Curse at Harry, at the end of the final battle that curse will be reflected onto, and will kill, Voldemort. As he had done when Harry was one year old, Voldemort will again die at his own hand; but this time his death will be permanent.

Because this series is nominally written for children, the nature of Umbridge's illness is somewhat glossed over in this chapter. Older readers may want to examine the mythology surrounding interactions between centaurs and human females as part of their studies of this chapter. As Umbridge and her fate are very much a side light to this story, what actually happened to her while she was a captive of the centaurs will not be discussed here, except to note that the author clearly has some understanding of the seamier side of this particular myth.

Connections

 * We see here the magic mirror that Harry received from Sirius at Christmas. Harry will painfully find a broken shard of that mirror in his trunk in the final book. Thinking he sees something in the mirror that looks like Dumbledore's eyes, he will elect to carry it with him on his travels, as a reminder of Sirius and of Dumbledore. Harry will be able to use the mirror shard to summon help later in that book, and it will be revealed finally that the eye Harry saw in the mirror was Aberforth's.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 37

Synopsis
Harry's worst memory from the few days he spends in the Hospital Wing is of Cedric Diggory's parents. They never seemed angry, and instead thanked Harry for returning Cedric's body. They expressed relief that Cedric did not suffer, and died only after winning the Tournament. Harry offered them the Tournament winnings, saying Cedric would have reached the Cup first, but they had refused.

After Harry returns to Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Hermione tell him that Professor Dumbledore has instructed the school to avoid asking Harry any questions about the Tournament. Harry, Ron, and Hermione reach their own tacit agreement to avoid discussing it. Ron says his mother has invited Harry to stay at The Burrow for the summer, but Dumbledore told her Harry must first spend time at Privet Drive. Mrs. Weasley assumes Dumbledore has his reasons.

The only person Harry feels he can confide in is Hagrid, who is pleased to see him, Ron, and Hermione. When Harry notices a second bucket-sized teacup on the table, Hagrid admits Madame Maxime was there. Hagrid tells Harry he knew Voldemort would eventually return, and that Harry did as much as his father would have, and there is no higher praise than that. Harry smiles for the first time in days. Hagrid is unable to reveal anything about Dumbledore's mission, though Hagrid has nearly convinced Madame Maxime to join him. He jokingly invites the Trio to visit the last Skrewt.

The Leaving Feast is a sad affair; the Great Hall is draped in black. Professor Karkaroff is still missing, but the real Alastor Moody is there, looking jumpy, and Professor Snape has returned from his mission. Harry remembers from the Pensieve that Professor Dumbledore told the Wizengamot that Snape became a spy at great personal risk before Voldemort's fall, and wonders what Snape's mission could have been. Dumbledore rises to address the school, starting with a tribute to Cedric Diggory. Dumbledore believes students have the right to know that Lord Voldemort murdered Cedric, though the Ministry denies that. Dumbledore then toasts Harry, as do most in the Great Hall, though Draco and his cronies do not.

Finally, Dumbledore singles out the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students, saying that due to Voldemort's return, they are welcome at Hogwarts at any time. Discord is Voldemort's main weapon, and Dumbledore asks that when given a choice between what is right, and what is easy, that they remember Cedric, who died because he strayed across Voldemort's path.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione prepare to leave Hogwarts the next day, Fleur runs up to bid Harry goodbye; when she says she is hoping to get a job in England to improve her English, Ron responds that it is very good already, causing Hermione to scowl. Ron wonders how the Durmstrang students can return without Karkaroff, but Krum, overhearing, explains that the students sail the ship. Krum asks Hermione for a private word before bidding everyone farewell.

On the Hogwarts Express, Harry finally shares what happened with Ron and Hermione. Hermione then shows them the Daily Prophet, saying the only Harry news in it is about him winning the Tournament. She thinks Fudge is putting pressure on them. Ron wonders about Rita Skeeter missing a story like that. Hermione admits she discovered how Rita was getting her stories, then produces a jar containing a large beetle—Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. Hermione spotted her in the Hospital Wing the night Cedric died and trapped her in the jar. Ron and Harry recall seeing a large beetle nearby during their private conversations. Hermione will release Rita after reaching London, but if she writes any stories for one year, Hermione will report her to the Ministry of Magic.

Draco suddenly barges in, telling Harry he has picked the wrong side; Voldemort is back, and Cedric is only the first to die. Wand-flashes suddenly fill the compartment, and Draco, Crabbe and Goyle are lying unconscious and disfigured on the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each cast a different hex on them, in addition to ones fired by Fred and George. After dumping Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the corridor, Fred and George join the Trio.

Fred tells Harry that the discussions Harry had heard about "possible blackmail" were because he and George were trying to get money from Ludo Bagman. Ludo paid them their Quidditch World Cup winnings with vanishing Leprechaun gold. Apparently, he also cheated Lee Jordan's father. Ludo also wagered on the Quidditch World Cup, and lost, with the Goblins; they had been considerably harder to placate when some of their winnings vanished. Because of that, he was also betting with the Goblins on Harry to win the Triwizard Tournament, which is why he was always trying to help Harry. When Harry and Cedric touched the cup simultaneously, the Goblins claimed it was a draw, and Ludo, owing more than he owned, had run.

Reaching King's Cross Station, Harry privately tells an astonished George and Fred that he is giving them his Triwizard prize to finance their own joke shop. There is, however, one condition: they must buy Ron new dress robes, and without letting him know where the money came from. After bidding Hermione and Ron goodbye, and receiving Fred and George's fervent thanks, Harry leaves with Uncle Vernon, awaiting whatever may happen next.

Analysis
As the book ends, the final chapter's title ("The Beginning") indicates that Lord Voldemort's second rise to power has begun. Knowing that far worse times are fast approaching, Dumbledore realizes that Voldemort's evil plan will likely include conquering Wizarding realms outside Britain. During his tribute, Dumbledore appeals to all Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang students to not only remember Cedric Diggory, but to embrace the international ties they have built and to unite as allies against the Dark Lord, offering an open door to Hogwarts to anyone needing help. He warns that Voldemort uses discord to create divisions and disharmony, allowing him to build strength by gaining footholds within the many Wizarding realms and recruiting the discontented within to his side.

Harry's refusal to keep the Tournament prize money and instead offer it to the Diggorys (who also refuse) shows Harry's honesty and integrity. He will not accept anything unless he earned or won it fairly, which could be considered a Hufflepuff characteristic. Instead, he uses it to finance Fred and George's joke shop enterprise, believing in their magical abilities, trusting them to spend the money responsibly, and knowing they will honour his condition to buy new dress robes for Ron – Harry knows Ron would not accept dress robes that he knew Harry had bought. We don't immediately know why Harry had insisted on having the arrangement stay confidential; perhaps he is worried that it would get him in trouble with Mrs. Weasley if she learned that he had been instrumental in allowing the Twins to thwart her wishes.

The subplot which saw Fred and George writing potentially threatening letters to someone unknown, trying to corner Ludo Bagman and Ludo's avoidance of them, and Ludo's repeatedly attempting to assist Harry in the Tournament are all here explained. We also now understand why we had seen Ludo in conversation with goblins earlier, why Ludo seemed more worried about his own affairs than the rioting at the Triwizard Tournament, and possibly why Harry noticed goblins chuckling over their winnings in the forest at that same riot. Looking back on the story, we can see Ludo as an increasingly desperate failed gambler. The only really surprising thing about this episode is how gently the Twins were treating him in their attempt to get the Galleons he had swindled from them.

Review

 * 1) How did Hermione discover that Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus? How did Harry unintentionally give her a hint?
 * 2) Why were Fred and George dunning Ludo Bagman, and what was the outcome?
 * 3) How and why does Harry help the Twins out of their situation, and why does he want it kept secret? Why does he place a condition on this help, and what is that condition?
 * 4) Why does Dumbledore tell the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students that they are now always welcome at Hogwarts?

Further Study

 * 1) What does Dumbledore mean when he says Voldemort uses discord as a weapon? Give examples of that.
 * 2) Why does Harry wait to tell Ron and Hermione what happened in the maze and immediately after?
 * 3) Why is Harry able to talk to Hagrid about what happened, but not to anyone else?
 * 4) Why did the Diggorys refuse the prize money, even though Cedric (technically) won the Tournament?
 * 5) Can Rita Skeeter be trusted to keep her word that she will not write any stories about Harry for one year, despite Hermione's threat? How might Skeeter overcome this?
 * 6) What does Dumbledore mean when he says it is only right to tell students how Cedric actually died?
 * 7) Why might Dumbledore insist that Harry spend time at the Dursleys before staying with the Weasleys for the summer?

Greater Picture
Dumbledore's refusal to allow anyone to speak with Harry about the events in the graveyard, and the limited information he provides at the Leaving Feast, seems adequate to the reader, who witnessed the entire sequence. For Harry, and also Dumbledore, the information Dumbledore provides should be enough to continue with. For the student body, however, there is too little information available to be certain whether Harry or Dumbledore is telling the truth. The unanswered questions, and Harry's later reluctance to share details, will cause many students to doubt Harry's story. Harry will have to fight this disbelief, which will be supported by the Ministry's attack on his and Dumbledore's credibility, throughout the next book.

Dumbledore and Harry are not only battling Voldemort, but also the Ministry of Magic, who deny that Voldemort has returned, and will mount their own attack against Harry and Dumbledore, publicly renouncing their claims and undermining their credibility. We have already seen the start of this campaign, as Fudge, denying all evidence he is presented, says the Ministry will fight Dumbledore if he persists in claiming that Voldemort has returned. This is, presumably, why Dumbledore states here that the Ministry does not want him to tell the students that Voldemort has returned. In the next book, the Ministry carries this denial policy to nearly incredible lengths, abandoning it only when Fudge and other witnesses see Voldemort in the Ministry atrium.

Harry recalls from the Pensieve that when Dumbledore vouched for Snape's loyalty, saying he become a Ministry spy at "great personal risk," he did so while in Karkaroff's presence. Karkaroff, who has gone into hiding, is a weak and cowardly character, as shown when he divulged Death Eaters' names in exchange for his release from Azkaban. If a Death Eater finds him, he may again attempt to barter information for his life, and Snape turning informant is a huge bargaining chip. It will be revealed that Karkaroff is killed about a year after disappearing, his body found in a hut with the Dark Mark floating overhead. Assuming the Ministry had previously left his memory intact, could Karkaroff have revealed Snape's defection to his murderer? If so, and the Death Eater passed on this information, would an arrogant Voldemort believe it rather that his own Legilimency that Snape is loyal? As it turns out, Voldemort mentioned in the cemetery that he believed that Snape (who he did not name) had left his service. However, Voldemort's trust in Snape's loyalty is restored by the mission Snape has just completed, and is apparently never again in doubt, despite anything Karkaroff might have revealed, as by the beginning of the final book, Snape is Voldemort's right-hand man.

It will be mentioned in the next book that Harry's protection, which he received when his mother died to save him, will remain in force only as long as he has a place that he can call home, where his mother's blood (Aunt Petunia) remains. It is because of this that Dumbledore is taking pains to ensure that the house at Privet Drive will remain a home for Harry, despite Harry's patent dislike for the place, and his own dismay at the Dursleys' treatment of Harry.

Connections

 * As part of the plot arc, it will be necessary for the Ministry to revile Harry and Dumbledore, and place Hogwarts under tighter controls. In this chapter we see Dumbledore mentioning that the Ministry is opposed to the students knowing what is going on, which presumably is an early salvo in this battle. The battle will be truly joined in the next book.
 * Also as part of the plot arc, it will be necessary for Hermione to exert some sort of control over Rita Skeeter's writings. Her capture of Skeeter in her Animagus form, and the threat of exposure of the existence of that form, will give her that control. She will use that control in the next book.
 * Harry's giving the Twins the money they need to start their joke shop will result in their inventiveness getting freer reign than it would have otherwise. Products of the joke shop will prove useful to Harry throughout the sixth and seventh books.
 * Professor Karkaroff will be found dead at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It would seem that he had run in fear of retribution, as suggested, but not well enough.
 * Fleur Delacour will remain in England to "practice her English," as suggested here. She will end up marrying Bill Weasley, who she had met at the beginning of the Third Task, earlier in this book.


text:
Cookbook:Pohe (Spiced Flattened Rice)

| Cuisine of India | Vegan cuisine

Pohe is a very popular breakfast dish in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Ingredients

 * 200 g thick pohe (flattened rice)
 * 2 tbsp oil
 * 1 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
 * ¼ tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
 * 2 Indian green chiles, finely chopped
 * ½ medium-size onion, finely chopped
 * 2 sprigs of cilantro (coriander)
 * Salt to taste

Procedure

 * 1) Moisten the pohe with cold water by putting in a bowl and holding under a slow running tap. Mix by hand, then drain excess water and set aside (take care not to soak too long or the pohe would turn pasty).
 * 2) Heat the oil in a frying pan until medium hot. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds
 * 3) Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida and fry for a few seconds (take care not to burn the turmeric).
 * 4) Add the green chillies and fry for a few seconds.
 * 5) Add the chopped onion and lower the heat. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. The onions should turn soft but not brown.
 * 6) The pohe that was kept aside should have absorbed the excess moisture by now.
 * 7) Mix the pohe by hand so that the flakes do not stick together and add to the frying pan.
 * 8) Add salt to taste and stir the contents of the fry pay so that the yellow color of the turmeric is spread evenly through the pohe.
 * 9) Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Do not uncover during this time, as the pohe must cook in the steam.
 * 10) Stir and cook for another 1 minute uncovered.
 * 11) Serve in a bowl garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * When adding onions, you may also add fresh green peas and or peanuts. If adding peanuts, take care to fry them well with the onions.
 * For garnishing, sprinkle some grated or dry coconut along with coriander. For colourful garnish try adding small amount of grated carrot and or beet, but don't add too much, as it will be overpowering.

title: Cookbook:Pohe (Spiced Flattened Rice)


text:
Wikijunior:New Book of the Quarter/2006-4th Quarter Vote

Voting for the Wikijunior New Book of the Quarter is open from now until October 1st, 2006 00:01 UTC. The winning New Book of the Quarter will become the next Wikijunior project and will influence the future direction of Wikijunior.

Fifth Grade Math
Votes:
 * 1) Karl Wick 23:53, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) Klingoncowboy4 02:02, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) Dorioakes 14:00, 28 August 2006
 * 4) Konstable 02:57, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * 5) Mcgill 03:13, 28 September 2006 (UTC)
 * 6) xixtas 23:47, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

Comments: This book is a chance to make a Wikijunior book that doubles as a textbook that could actually be used in classrooms, while maintaining its "fun" factor.

The Elements
(Renominated with 3 votes in the 3rd Quarter)

Votes: Comments:
 * 1) Nathan8225 21:45, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) Master  mind  007  08:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) --Gray Porpoise 18:39, 8 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 4) Lincher 15:29, 14 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 5) Klingoncowboy4 04:15, 20 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 6) Xixtas 23:40, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
 * 7) Mcgill 03:13, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

World Religions
(Renominated with 3 votes in the 3rd Quarter)

Votes: Comments:
 * 1) Master  mind   007  08:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) Gray Porpoise
 * 3) Xixtas 18:05, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

World War II
(Renominated with 4 votes in the 3rd Quarter)

Votes: Comments:
 * 1) Klingoncowboy4 04:15, 20 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) Visanoven 17:20, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) Urbane User 14:13, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

Alphabet
(Renominated with 3 votes in the 3rd Quarter)

Votes:
 * 1) Klingoncowboy4 01:59, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Comments:

Programming for Kids
(Renominated with 3 votes in the 3rd Quarter)

Votes:
 * 1) Klingoncowboy4 04:15, 20 July 2006 (UTC)
 * 2) Gray Porpoise 21:15, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
 * 3) Whiteknight (talk) (projects) 22:25, 24 August 2006 (UTC)
 * 4) Nithin 16:46, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Comments:
 * I, myself, would be able to learn a lot from this! --Gray Porpoise 21:15, 12 August 2006 (UTC)