The Triwizard Tournament

Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Triwizard Tournament

Synopsis

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are greeted at the Entrance Hall with water balloons courtesy of Peeves. As they enter the Great Hall where Colin Creevey excitedly tells Harry that his brother Dennis is starting his first year at Hogwarts. Harry wonders if brothers and sisters are always sorted into the same House, like the Weasleys, but Hermione points out that Parvati Patil is a Gryffindor, but her twin sister, Padma, was sorted into Ravenclaw.

Harry notices many empty chairs at the head table while Hermione wonders who is teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, as it seems there is no teacher for that subject. The First Years enter and the Sorting ceremony commences. Nearly Headless Nick informs Harry and Ron that Peeves, upset he was uninvited to the feast, was wreaking havoc in the kitchens, disrupting the House-elves. Hermione, distraught that over one hundred Hogwarts House-elves provide for the residents' needs, refuses to eat, claiming slave labour produced the feast.

After the feast, Professor Dumbledore has several announcements. First, the inter-house Quidditch championship is canceled. Suddenly, a man with a prosthetic leg, a magical false eye, and a badly damaged face enters the Hall. Professor Dumbledore introduces him as Professor Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. It is apparently the same Moody that Mr. Weasley bailed out that morning. Harry and Ron notice that he only drinks from a hip flask. Dumbledore also announces that Hogwarts is hosting the inter-school Triwizard Tournament. A one thousand Galleon prize will be awarded to the winner. Only students 17 years and older can enter, causing Fred and George to protest; they do not turn 17 until April and want to enter. Representatives from the competing Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools are arriving shortly and will stay at Hogwarts during the Tournament.

Heading to their dormitory, Fred and George are already plotting ways to bypass the age rule and enter the competition, assuming the judges will fail to notice if they take an Aging Potion. Harry, dreaming about the Tournament, imagines himself as the champion, admired by Cho Chang.

Analysis

Ever since entering the Wizarding world, Harry has learned to expect the unexpected. However, when he was prematurely extricated from the unpleasant Dursley household, he anticipated an enjoyable time with the Weasleys and Hermione at the Quidditch World Cup before returning to Hogwarts' familiar and comfortable routine. Since departing Privet Drive, however, life has been anything but peaceful, starting with the upheaval at the World Cup. Even returning to Hogwarts will be different this year, what with the Triwizard Tournament and foreign students spending the academic year at the school. The Tournament is creating much excitement and anticipation, however, and it is an opportunity for one student to win glory and a substantial prize. And though Harry is underage and usually prefers to avoid putting additional attention on himself (nor does he need the prize money), he is, nonetheless, intrigued by the prospect of competing in such a difficult challenge and being proclaimed a hero. Even though Harry is already famous and considered a "hero" in the Wizarding world, he may feel that this title was bestowed by fate, rather than by his own deliberate actions or design; Harry was a mere infant when Voldemort met his demise, and Harry remembers little about that night's events. And though he has since confronted Voldemort, the general Wizarding community is either unaware or simply refuses to believe that the Dark Lord has returned. The Tournament would provide an opportunity to achieve glory and renown on his own terms, and there would be no lingering doubts or unanswered questions after its conclusion. Harry also considers the Tournament as a missed opportunity to impress Cho Chang, his first major crush. Adding to the quandary, not only is Harry barred from entering the Tournament, he must also cope with Quidditch being canceled. Quidditch is an activity Harry dearly loves and one that provides a means to reduce his stress and excess energy, as well as earning him recognition; it is also an interest he shares with Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker.

Dumbledore was probably instrumental in reviving the long-suspended (and very dangerous) Triwizard Tournament with a specific purpose in mind. With Voldemort apparently regaining strength and re-organizing his Death Eaters, Dumbledore knows it is imperative that the differing Wizarding populations unite in order to fight the Dark Lord. Like the Quidditch World Cup, bringing students together in a long-term competition is an opportunity to create lasting ties and friendships, as well as build strong international cooperation.

Hermione's determination to free House-elves shows little sign of abating. Though her intention is noble, refusing to eat meals prepared at Hogwarts seems a childish and ineffective way to achieve her objective. Hermione will need a more concrete and organized method to promote her cause.

Harry and Hermione's conversation regarding how siblings are sorted into their Houses, while unimportant to the overall plot, is interesting. The Patil sisters are identical twins, but the Sorting Hat obviously detected enough differences to sort them into different Houses. The same could be said about Fred and George who, despite their closeness, have many contrasts to their personalities. Fred is more aggressive and outgoing than George, who tends to be quieter and more cerebral, making him a possible candidate for Ravenclaw (if he were able to discipline himself academically). However, the Sorting Hat takes many factors into consideration when sorting new students, including an individual's own preference. It was Harry's strong desire to not be sorted into Slytherin that prompted the Sorting Hat to place him in Gryffindor. This could also be why Fred and George were both sorted into Gryffindor and the Patil twins were not. And while it would seem that, given her intellect, Hermione should have been placed in Ravenclaw, she is better suited to Gryffindor in many other ways.

Questions

Review

1. Why might the Triwizard Tournament have been revived after so many years? Why was it disbanded, and has it changed?

Further Study

1. Can Hermione boycotting food prepared by Hogwarts House-elves help free them? If not, why? What might be an alternative solution?
2. Why might Harry, already considered a "hero" in the wizarding world, want to compete in the Triwizard Tournament? What reasons might he not want to enter, other than being underaged?
3. Why might the Sorting Hat have placed the identical Patil twins into separate Houses, while Fred and George were both sorted into Gryffindor?
4. What might Mad Eye Moody be drinking from his hip flask? Why does no one investigate or seem suspicious?

Greater Picture

Once again, we touch on the Sorting Hat and the criteria for being sorted into the various Houses. Despite the Weasleys being traditionally sorted into Gryffindor, we learn that there is no intent to keep families together in the sorting, so Ron in particular must have entered Gryffindor on his own merits. However Ron, and also Neville Longbottom, both certainly noble, initially seemed ill-suited to a House also known for bravery. It appeared that both would likely do better in Hufflepuff House. Each boy is generally more timid than courageous, and neither has yet demonstrated any outstanding magical ability; Neville, in fact, seems nearly incompetent in magic. Why then were they placed in Gryffindor? It is likely the Sorting Hat can detect deeply hidden and untapped qualities within students, even if they are not yet visible to the individual or to others. Neville has shown he was brave enough to object to and confront the Trio in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, while Ron has become increasingly courageous in each book, bravely following Harry into dangerous situations he would never have entered on his own. By the series end, each boy will prove himself a true Gryffindor and show that bravery comes in many forms. By overcoming their fears and inabilities, they help battle Voldemort, and both, mostly under Harry's tutelage, develop into strong, capable, and brave wizards.

One reason Harry wants to compete in the Triwizard Tournament is, if victorious, he will be proclaimed a hero as a result of his own efforts, without anyone doubting the outcome. Harry will get his wish to compete, but his "triumph" will be disputed and create even more doubts, controversy, and unanswered questions regarding Voldemort, Harry's unproven claims of the Dark Lord's return, and Dumbledore's support of that claim. Even Harry will deny he was victorious, though, despite public ridicule, he and Dumbledore both remain steadfast that Voldemort has returned.

Winky's mistreatment at the World Cup has so stirred Hermione's outrage over the injustice meted out to House-elves that she will forever champion rights and ethical treatment for non-human magical creatures. It also becomes the foundation for S.P.E.W., the organization she will start.