Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

Rita Skeeter publishes a colorful, highly fabricated article about Harry, which ignores the other champions, starts a rumor that Harry and Hermione are in love, and invites the mockery of the other students. Harry agrees to go into the nearby village of Hogsmeade with Hermione, but he insists on wearing his Invisibility Cloak. They run into Hagrid and Mad-Eye Moody, and Harry learns that Mad-Eye’s magical eye can see through Harry’s cloak. Hagrid tells Harry to meet him at his cabin at midnight.

That night, Harry sneaks out of Gryffindor Tower and meets Hagrid at his hut. Hagrid leads Madame Maxime and an invisible Harry far away from the castle and reveals four dragons. Charlie Weasley explains that each champion must get past one of the dragons for the first task. He comments that he “[doesn’t] envy the one who gets the Horntail” because it is a “vicious thing” with “long, bronze-colored spikes” (133) all over its body. Harry returns to the castle and runs into Karkaroff, who was hiding in the woods and saw the dragons. Harry meets with Sirius, who talks to him through the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius tells Harry that Karkaroff was a Death Eater who spent time in the Wizarding prison Azkaban, and Mad-Eye Moody was the one who caught him. Sirius implies that Karkaroff is not to be trusted, and neither is the Durmstrang champion.

Sirius also believes that “someone tried to stop [Moody] from getting to Hogwarts” (135) and that the Death Eaters have been more active lately. Harry hears someone coming, and Sirius flees, but it is only Ron. Harry lashes out at Ron for interrupting his talk with Sirius, and the boys go to bed, still angry with one another.

Harry tells Hermione about the dragons. They begin to research every possible spell Harry could use but with little success, and Harry is filled with dread as the first task approaches. Harry realizes that Madame Maxime and Karkaroff probably told their champions about the dragons, so he decides to tell Cedric. Moody overhears, and he is impressed and tells Harry that he did a “decent thing” by warning his opponent about the dragons. Moody encourages Harry to use a spell to help him fly on his broomstick. Harry realizes that Summoning Charms are the answer, and he practices all night. On the day of the first task, the champions gather in a tent, and the entire school assembles to watch. The champions draw miniature dragons from a bag, and Harry pulls the Hungarian Horntail. The champions must get past their dragons and retrieve a golden egg, and Harry is slated to go last. When he faces his dragon, he uses the Summoning Charm to call his Firebolt broomstick down from the castle.

As soon as Harry is on his broomstick, he feels like he is “back where he belong[s]” (143), and the dragon is “just another ugly opposing team” (143) in a Quidditch game. Harry manages to retrieve the golden egg, and the crowd goes wild. Harry is flooded with relief and joy, and Ron finds Harry and apologizes for accusing Harry of volunteering to do something so wildly dangerous. The judges give their scores, and Harry and Krum are tied for first place. Bagman tells the champions that the second task will take place in February, and the champions “need to solve the clue” (146) inside the golden egg they got from the dragons to prepare for the second task.

Harry writes to Sirius and tells him about his success in the first task. The Gryffindor students throw a huge party in the common room, and Harry opens the golden egg, which engulfs the room in a “loud and screechy wailing” (147). Still, Harry is relieved that he doesn’t have to think about the second task for a few months. During Care of Magical Creatures class, Rita Skeeter appears and asks to set up an interview with Hagrid under the pretense of learning more about the Blast-Ended Skrewts, although Harry is sure that Rita will “twist everything [Hagrid] says” (150). One night, Hermione reveals that she has found the entrance to the Hogwarts kitchens where the house-elves work. Harry and Ron come along, and Harry is greeted by his old friend Dobby, the house-elf he freed during his second year at Hogwarts. Dobby and Mr. Crouch’s former house-elf Winky have both been hired at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore is even paying Dobby, who is delighted. However, Winky is miserable and wants to return to her old master. Hermione tells Winky that Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman are both judging the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave, Dobby asks to visit Harry sometime, and Harry agrees.

As Christmas approaches, Professor McGonagall announces the Yule Ball: a “traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for [Hogwarts] to socialize with [the] foreign guests” (155). The champions historically open the ball, and Harry is told that he needs to find a dance partner: in other words, a date. Following his success with the dragon, Harry is being treated a little better by the other students, and he is asked to the Yule Ball by a few girls, but he says no each time. Harry wants to ask Cho Chang but has difficulty mustering up the nerve. Hagrid has his interview with Rita Skeeter, but he tells Harry that she “jus’ wanted [Hagrid] ter talk about [Harry],” and she seemed to want Hagrid to say that Harry is a “mad delinquent” (157). Hermione scolds Harry for not trying to figure out the riddle of his golden egg, but he assures her that he’s got months until he has to worry about it. As Hogwarts prepares for the Yule Ball, Harry finally musters up the courage to ask Cho Chang to be his date, but she tells him that she is already going with Cedric Diggory. Harry is overwhelmed with jealousy, and as Harry and Ron scramble to find last-minute dates for the ball, Hermione tells them that she, too, has a date, although she doesn’t say who it is. Finally, Harry breaks down and asks Parvati Patil to be his date, and she agrees to set her twin sister Padma up with Ron.