Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 16
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Chapter 16 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Goblet of Fire
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[edit] Synopsis
Ron is stunned that the greatest Quidditch Seeker in the world, Victor Krum, is still in school. The students struggle to get into the Great Hall to get his autograph. The Beauxbatons representatives are seated at the Ravenclaw table. Despite Ron's efforts, the Durmstrang students sit with Slytherin. Harry wonders why Filch is setting out four extra chairs, as only two Headmasters have arrived, but the Headmasters enter the hall, interrupting his thoughts. Professor Dumbledore welcomes each guest and the feast begins.
The House-elves have produced a larger variety of dishes than usual, including some French ones which Hermione recognizes and recommends. Ron refuses to try any, preferring English cooking instead. A Beauxbatons girl with long blonde hair asks if they are finished with the bouillabaise. Ron is unable to answer, but Harry says she can go ahead. As she leaves, Ron remarks that she must be part Veela. Hermione disagrees, but many Hogwarts boys seem affected by her the way Ron is. Hermione notices that the two extra chairs at head table are now occupied by Ludo Bagman and Bartemius Crouch.
When dinner is over, Professor Dumbledore rises to explain the Triwizard Tournament rules. He then introduces Bagman and Crouch as the judges. Filch brings in an ornate wooden chest containing the Goblet of Fire, a large, roughly-hewn wooden cup that is "full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames." Dumbledore says that anyone wishing to enter the competition should submit their name to the Goblet within twenty-four hours. At the Hallowe'en Feast, the three champions will be selected. He also says there will be an Age Line surrounding the Goblet preventing anyone under 17-years-old from entering. As they leave the Great Hall, Professor Karkaroff spots Harry and stops and stares in amazement. While he and the Durmstrang students stare at Harry, Professor Moody comes up behind Karkaroff, telling him he is blocking the doorway. Karkaroff is shocked and apparently frightened at seeing Moody and hurries back to the Durmstrang ship.
In the morning, Harry and Ron go early to the Entrance Hall to see the Goblet. A third-year girl says the Durmstrang students have already entered their names but no one from Hogwarts has yet. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan arrive and try to fool the age line, but fail, Fred and George growing white beards in the process. According to Professor Dumbledore, others have similarly tried and been unsuccessful. Many students place their names in the Goblet throughout the day, including Angelina Johnson, all the Beauxbatons students, and Cedric Diggory.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to visit Hagrid. Hermione wants to ask Hagrid to join S.P.E.W., so she gathers up her box of badges, and trailing the Beauxbatons students who have just placed their names into the Goblet, they head to Hagrid's hut. Along the way, they discover that the Beauxbatons students are lodging in their giant carriage. Hagrid is quite the sight. He has apparently attempted to tame his wild hair with massive quantities of what looks like axle grease, and he is wearing his best suit. Stunned by Hagrid's finery, Hermione, at a loss for words, asks about the Skrewts. They have begun killing each other, but Hagrid has saved about twenty and is keeping them in separate boxes. They discuss the Tournament. Hagrid knows something about the tasks but can say nothing. He gently declines Hermione's offer to join S.P.E.W., explaining that it is House-elves' nature to serve wizards, and they are happy as they are; it would be a disservice to free them. For the Hallowe'en feast, Hagrid has put on some eau de cologne, but he has rather overdone it. While washing it off in the rain barrel outside, he glimpses Madame Maxime and her students heading to the castle. He hurries off to join her, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone in his hut to speculate that he must be sweet on Madame Maxime.
Following the feast, the Goblet of Fire selects the three Triwizard Champions. The Goblet has chosen Viktor Krum for Durmstrang. The Beauxbatons champion is Fleur Delacour, the girl Ron suspects is part Veela. The Hogwarts' champion is Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff. And then, only a few moments later, the Goblet unexpectedly ejects a fourth name . . . Harry Potter.
[edit] Analysis
Dumbledore's intention to integrate Beauxbatons and Durmstrang with Hogwarts students to foster lasting friendships and alliances may not be going exactly as planned; divisions are already forming as Durmstrang, which has an affinity for the Dark Arts, mostly fraternizes with Slytherins, while the rather snobbish Beauxbatons align themselves with the intellectual (and presumably more cultured and aloof) Ravenclaws. The visitors appear to take little interest in either the Hufflepuff or Gryffindor Houses, despite Ron's incessant overtures to Durmstrang to join their table and the famous Harry Potter being a Gryffindor. Considering that Voldemort supporters are mostly former Slytherins and Karkaroff may have Death Eater ties, Durmstrang's affiliation with Slytherin House seems inevitable and could potentially benefit Voldemort by recruiting new followers rather than opponents. With this possible connection, it is curious why Durmstrang was invited to compete in the Triwizard competition, although it may not entirely have been Dumbledore's decision, and the Ministry still believes Voldemort is dead and therefore poses no threat. Regardless, Dumbledore must also have a particularly strong faith that Karkaroff has fully renounced any Death Eater ties he may have had. However, it may take some effort on Dumbledore's part to persuade the students to step outside their familiar "comfort zones" and interact with others different from themselves.
Although most everyone is surprised that Viktor Krum is a Durmstrang student, Karkaroff seems just as amazed that Harry attends Hogwarts. While this has never been kept secret, it may not be general knowledge outside Great Britain. Durmstrang, however, is far more clandestine. Karkaroff is equally stunned to discover "Mad Eye" Moody at Hogwarts, and, judging from his fearful reaction, it can be assumed that Moody, a former Auror, may be an old nemesis and that Karkaroff, like Snape, has a Death Eater past.
It appears that love, or at least infatuation, is running rampant at Hogwarts. Although little is known about the Hogwarts teachers' personal lives, and all have apparently remained unattached, it seems that the lonely Hagrid may have found love when he becomes smitten with Madame Maxime. And though Madame Maxime is similarly sized to Hagrid, her refined elegance may be at odds with Hagrid's rather uncouth nature, although he is attempting to make a good impression. We are also seeing budding romantic feelings in Harry, Ron, and Hermione, among others.
Hagrid's refusal to join S.P.E.W. is interesting for two reasons. First, Hagrid shows that many wizards believe House-elves are treated well and generally are happy with their station in life. And secondly, Hagrid says that it is in House-elves nature to serve wizards. This could imply that House-elves may have freely entered into servitude, but at some point in history, wizards could have gained an advantage that allowed them to turn elves into slaves. This may have been achieved through selective breeding and magical mind manipulation. It is also possible Elves became domesticated naturally over time. Despite how this relationship evolved, we will see in later chapters that House-elves seem genuinely happiest when they have masters to serve, which apparently confirms what Hagrid is saying here. It is debatable then as to how well House-elves could, or would, adapt to sudden and unexpected new-found freedom.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- What might account for Ron's attraction to Fleur Delacour?
- Why has Hagrid suddenly changed his appearance?
[edit] Further Study
- Why does Karkaroff have such a strong reaction to seeing "Mad Eye" Moody at Hogwarts?
- It is no secret that Harry is a Hogwarts student. Why is Karkaroff so surprised to see him there?
- How could Harry's name have been placed into the Goblet of Fire? Why would someone want to enter him?
- Why does Hagrid decline Hermione's request to join S.P.E.W.?
- Why do Beauxbaton students prefer to sit at Ravenclaw's table while Durmstrang seats themselves with Slytherin in the Great Hall? What does this say about the foreign students and also about the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Houses?
- Why does Ron invite Durmstrang students to sit with Gryffindor but ignores Beauxbatons?
- Why does Ron feel it is permissible for him to be attracted to Fleur, but becomes upset when he suspects Hermione notices someone?
[edit] Greater Picture
While initially it may seem that Harry and Krum, who are equally famous in the Wizarding world, would consider each other rivals, for Harry, having someone as well-known as himself at Hogwarts actually helps lessen the unwanted spotlight that constantly shines on him. And though Krum may relish fame while Harry shuns it, Krum is secure enough as a person, as well as being a gracious guest, that he never attempts to undermine Harry. Although Harry and Krum generally ignore one another, at least initially, there appears to be no animosity or resentment between them, and they will eventually establish a friendly relationship. It should be noted that Harry and Krum's celebrity is quite different and almost opposite from one another. Destiny forced fame upon Harry as an infant, and ever since, his life has been dictated by that fate rather than from his own deliberate actions or desires. He has, however, learned to make choices from within that pre-determined scenario. In contrast, Krum, a gifted athlete, consciously chose his own path and made calculated decisions that led to his becoming an idolized world-class Quidditch player. He also did so from an age when he better understood the realities and consequences of achieving his goals. It is perhaps these differences that allow Harry and Krum to become friendly competitors rather than bitter opponents.
Students are struggling with romantic dilemmas, many for the first time, and their initial awkward attempts at romance are both amusing and painful. Harry, naive about girls in general, experiences his first crush when he is attracted to Cho Chang, who seems to reciprocate his interest but is actually dating someone else. Ginny Weasley, still harboring unrequited feelings for Harry, has apparently accepted that Harry will probably never be interested in her and is moving on. Much to Hermione's irritation, Ron is attracted to Fleur Delacour, who he suspects is part Veela and which may account for his interest in her. And though Ron apparently feels entitled to notice other girls, he becomes resentful and sullen when he suspects Hermione is interested in Cedric Diggory or any other boy, although it is unlikely that he interprets his feelings as jealousy. Unknown to Hermione, someone other than Cedric has cast his amorous eye upon her.
We should note how Dumbledore worded his instructions when the Goblet is initially presented. While he says here that placing one's name in the Goblet constitutes a binding contract, in the next chapter, Crouch will claim that having one's name ejected from the Goblet constitutes a contract. Though Crouch is present at Dumbledore's speech, he does not contradict him. There will be additional commentary on this wording in the next chapter's analysis.
