Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 12
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Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Triwizard Tournament
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[edit] Synopsis
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are greeted at the Entrance Hall with water balloons courtesy of Peeves. Professor McGonagall shoos him away, and the Trio enter the Great Hall where Colin Creevey excitedly tells Harry that his brother Dennis is starting his first year at Hogwarts. Harry asks 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.
Scanning the head table, Harry notices many empty chairs, but he does not think about who is missing until Hermione wonders who is teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry realizes that there does not seem to be a teacher for that subject, but, almost immediately, the First Years enter and the Sorting ceremony commences. Once the Sorting has ended, the feast begins. Nearly Headless Nick informs Harry and Ron that there nearly was not a feast because Peeves, upset he was uninvited, was wreaking havoc in the kitchens, disrupting the House-elves. Hermione, distraught to discover that there are over one hundred House-elves at Hogwarts providing for the residents' needs, refuses to eat any more, claiming slave labour produced the feast.
After the feast, Professor Dumbledore rises to make several announcements. First, the inter-house Quidditch championship is canceled, but before he can explain further, a man with a prosthetic leg, a magical false eye, and a badly damaged face enters the Hall. He speaks with Professor Dumbledore, who introduces him as Professor Moody, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry asks Ron if this is the same Moody that his father had bailed out that morning, and Ron believes it is. They watch as Moody eats and notices that he only drinks from a hip flask. Dumbledore continues, and 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 compete. Dumbledore says that 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 not notice if they take an Aging Potion. Harry, dreaming about the Tournament, imagines himself as the champion, admired by Cho Chang.
[edit] 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 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 action 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 the cancellation of Quidditch, an activity he dearly loves and one that provides him a means to reduce 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, although 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 be in Gryffindor that prompted the Sorting Hat to place him there, rather than Slytherin. This could also be why Fred and George were both put in 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.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why might the Triwizard Tournament have been revived after so many years? Why was it disbanded, and has it changed?
[edit] Further Study
- Can Hermione boycotting food prepared by Hogwarts House-elves help free them? If not, why? What might be an alternative solution?
- 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?
- Why might the Sorting Hat have placed the identical Patil twins into separate Houses, while Fred and George were both sorted into Gryffindor?
- What might Mad Eye Moody be drinking from his hip flask? Why does no one investigate or seem suspicious?
[edit] Greater Picture
Despite the Weasleys being traditionally sorted into Gryffindor, Ron, and also Neville Longbottom, seem ill-suited to a House known for bravery. Initially, it appears that they would likely do better in Hufflepuff House. Both boys seem to lack courage and have not demonstrated any outstanding magical ability; Neville, in fact, is 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 others. By the series end, each boy will prove they are true Gryffindors and show that bravery comes in many forms. They overcome their fears and inabilities to help battle Voldemort, and both, mostly under Harry's guidance, develop into strong, capable 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 and unanswered questions regarding Voldemort and Harry's unproven claims that the Dark Lord 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.
