Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Goblet of Fire/Chapter 7
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Chapter 7 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Bagman and Crouch
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, the twins, Mr. Weasley, Cedric Diggory, and Amos Diggory arrive in what looks like a deserted misty moor. Two tired and grumpy looking wizards are there. Mr. Weasley greets one as "Basil", and hands him the Portkey, which is tossed into a large box with other Portkeys. Basil tells them where their campsite is; the Diggorys are at a different camp site. The campsite owner, a Muggle named Roberts, mentions that the people renting the spaces seem odd. As he expounds on this, a harassed-looking wizard pops in and modifies his memory. Roberts dreamily gives Mr. Weasley his change and a map of the campsite. The wizard comments that Mr. Roberts needs to be charmed ten times a day, and that Ludo Bagman is not helping by bouncing around and talking about Bludgers and Quaffles.
The Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione head for their campsite. On the way, Ginny comments that if Bagman is head of Magical Games and Sports, he should certainly know better than to talk about magical things near Muggles. Mr. Weasley agrees, Bagman has always been rather lax about security. It seems to be a common failing, though, as on their way through the campground, they pass numerous tents far more spectacular than anything sold in Muggle stores. Mr. Weasley remarks that when large group of wizards are together, they cannot resist showing off a little. They find their campsite, and Mr. Weasley asks Harry's advice on how to proceed. Harry, of course, has never been camping, but manages to figure things out, eventually setting up a pair of shabby two-man tents. Harry wonders how they will all fit, but when he enters one, the tent opens into a large, three-room apartment complete with a kitchen, and furnished like Mrs. Figg's house, right down to the cat smell.
Mr. Weasley sends Ron, Harry, and Hermione for water. On the way they meet some fellow students. Oliver Wood drags them off to meet his parents and tells them he has just been signed to the Puddlemere United Quidditch team. They also see Ernie Macmillan and Cho Chang. Harry notices some strange teenagers and asks where they are from. Ron says they must be from some other Wizarding school. There are several in Europe, and Charlie has been corresponding with someone in Brazil. Back at the campsite, Mr. Weasley finally manages to light the fire. They have just started cooking breakfast when Percy, Charlie, and Bill walk in from the woods where they just Apparated.
Arthur Weasley greets Ministry people as they walk by. Ludo Bagman, a blond, fat wizard wearing brightly colored (and over-tight) Quidditch robes, appears, and Arthur flags him down. Bagman is overjoyed at the game's prospects, and offers a little wager on the outcome. Arthur puts a Galleon on Ireland. Fred and George bet all their savings (thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and three Knuts) on Ireland to win, but Viktor Krum (the Seeker for Bulgaria) will get the Snitch. Over Arthur's protests, Bagman accepts the bet. Mr. Weasley asks Ludo whether there has been any word of Bertha Jorkins yet. Ludo says no, but expects she will appear in October. Mr. Crouch shows up, looking for Ludo. He accepts a cup of tea from Percy but cannot remember his name. Shortly, Crouch and Bagman depart to respond to a crisis. Before they leave, Bagman mentions that something will be happening at Hogwarts. Fred asks what, but Mr. Weasley and Percy only say that they will find out when the time is right.
The evening brings the souvenir sellers, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione go out to buy stuff. Harry purchases Omnioculars for himself, Ron, and Hermione, at ten Galleons each. Ron, upset because Harry has money and he is always poor, protests, but when Harry says it will be his Christmas present for the next ten years, Ron accepts. Finally, as dusk falls, a deep, booming gong sounds in the nearby wood; it is time to enter the stadium.
[edit] Analysis
To date, Harry's interaction with the Wizarding community has been rather limited, mostly confined to Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and short trips to Diagon Alley. Now Harry meets foreign wizards in an international setting for the first time, although it seems he has given little consideration to magical realms outside Britain. Indeed, Harry seems surprised to encounter teen-aged wizards unknown to him, or that other wizarding schools even exist. Although the Quidditch World Cup is a global competition among rival teams, it is meant to serve another function: to help build solidarity and cooperation among the world's wizards. This same opportunity will soon be brought to Hogwarts on a smaller scale, although Harry and most other students are as yet unaware.
This chapter highlights the rather flamboyant Ludo Bagman and the bureaucratic Barty Crouch, Sr. Their personalities, personal interactions, and mannerisms could not be more different, although both work for the Ministry of Magic and are heavily involved in running the Quidditch World Cup. Bagman is not averse to what the English call "having a little flutter", and he is apparently engaging in a sideline (and probably illegal) gambling racket. Readers may know that a "bagman" is a dishonest official, someone who collects racketeering money. It is also a traveling salesman who makes calls to his customers. The name certainly fits. From his reaction when the Twins place their bet, it can be seen that Ludo is perhaps not making as good odds as he expected and may even have doubts regarding his own abilities. It is possible that this will get him into trouble shortly. And where Bagman is open and friendly, although it is mostly a façade for his clients' benefit, Crouch remains tense, aloof, and guarded, always interacting with others in a professional but brusque manner. Crouch is so lacking in interpersonal skills that he continually fails to recognize his own employee, Percy Weasley. Crouch appears to be concealing much about his personal self, while Bagman seems to hide little, although perhaps he should. Even Ginny Weasley notices that Bagman freely dispenses too much information to too many people.
In the interaction between Arthur Weasley and the campground owner, we see plainly that despite the adjuration from the Ministry for Wizards to act like Muggles, much magic is leaking through the seams. The Ministry's need to frequently modify the poor man's memory, even in the match's early stages, might lead one to wonder as to just how he will remember this episode. Also, Mr. Weasley's difficulty using Muggle camping gear is played largely for entertainment value; however, it also contrasts the differences between Ron's purely magical family and Harry's entirely Muggle home. Interestingly, when Mr. Weasley has a question about how to do Muggle things, he asks Harry, rather than Hermione. Perhaps he does not realize that Harry's home life could possibly be as constricted as the Dursleys have made it. On the other hand, there is a common Muggle bias that girls are less interested or capable in recreational activities like camping. If this same belief is present in the Wizarding world, this may explain why Mr. Weasley assumes Harry to be the outdoors expert, rather than Hermione, who may have camping experience.
Meanwhile, Ron's reaction to Harry buying the Omnioculars seems minor, but it is actually revealing. Even though Harry is his closest friend, Ron struggles with occasional jealousy and resentment towards him. The constant attention and celebrity surrounding Harry often pushes Ron into the shadows, although Harry has never relished or sought the spotlight, and his fame has also caused Harry anguish. The Weasleys' financial difficulties also take a toll on Ron's psyche, causing him to feel menial and an object of scorn among some wizarding families, particularly the Malfoys. He resents his brothers' hand-me-downs, having to buy everything second-hand, or going without altogether—Harry's wealth only reinforces his sense of deprivation and social inferiority.
Bertha Jorkins' continued absence reinforces the suggestion that Harry's "dream" in Chapter 1 was actually a true vision. It also establishes her association with the Department of Magical Games and Sports and that this might be a way that Voldemort could be aware of upcoming events throughout the book.
As an interesting side note, among the magical citizens attending the World Cup are American wizards from Salem, Massachusetts, the site of the infamous 1692 witch trials in which nineteen men and women were condemned and hanged for witchcraft.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why might the tent smell like Mrs. Figg's house?
- Why does Mr. Weasley ask Harry for advice about Muggle camping, but not Hermione?
- Why can't Mr. Crouch ever remember Percy's name?
- Why does Mr. Weasley permit the Twins to bet all their savings on the World Cup, even though he disapproves of what they're doing?
- Why does Ron object to Harry buying him the Omnioculars as a gift?
[edit] Further Study
- Harry heard Bertha Jorkins' name before—she was mentioned by Voldemort in what Harry thought was a dream as someone who had been killed, and again in a conversation at the Weasley's house as being missing. Ludo Bagman also mentions that Bertha Jorkins is still missing. Why didn't Harry draw an obvious connection?
- Ludo Bagman mentions something that might be happening at Hogwarts. What might that be?
- Why does Ludo Bagman openly talk about Wizarding matters when Muggles can overhear, especially when he knows he should not? What results from his carelessness?
- Why is Harry so surprised to learn that there are students from other Wizarding schools?
- Compare and contrast Mr. Crouch and Ludo Bagman's personalities and how they each handle their World Cup duties.
[edit] Greater Picture
Though Mrs. Figg will play a significant, and unexpected, role later in the series, Harry noticing that the tent's interior looks and smells much like her house may or may not be incidental. There is a certain odour that seems common to older peoples' homes, particularly those owning cats, and, despite the similarity, it is unlikely that the author is trying to tell us that Mrs. Figg was the tent's former owner. We are told that it previously belonged to a Ministry wizard who gave up camping due to his lumbago. Among other things, it is also doubtful that a wizard would marry a Squib, although they are known to wed Muggles. Dumbledore once mentioned that wizards probably would have died out if they had not inter-married with non-magical humans. On the other hand, though Mrs. Figg is a Squib, she was raised among wizards and knows their ways; she likely uses goods, merchandise, and decorations in her home that are similar to those in wizarding households. Harry had previously noticed the peculiar smell in Mrs. Figg's residence, and the familiar odour in the tent may be a subtle clue to readers that Mrs. Figg is tied to the magical community. Readers should take note, although Harry will not, when Dumbledore later mentions someone named Arabella Figg.
Mr. Crouch's continual failure to recognize Percy Weasley, his own employee, may have some magical reason. However, the author never fully answers this. We will find out later that Mr. Crouch is labouring under the effects of a spell that could cause this effect. However, this chapter of the book precedes that spell being invoked. Given that, it is more likely that it is simple absent-mindedness coupled with a total lack of regard for subordinates; Crouch simply fails to notice his underlings, in this case "Weatherby".
Ludo's "little flutter" will, indeed, turn out to be ill-advised. Ludo will end up owing more than he has, and will later try to recoup his losses by making more bets with the Goblins who are his major creditors. That bet will be on Harry to win the Triwizard Tournament, and throughout the book Ludo, a Tournament judge, will unethically be trying to better his chances of winning by secretly offering Harry hints. Harry, believing that accepting assistance from a Tournament judge is cheating, steadfastly refuses Ludo's proffered advice, though he does accept help from others.
Mr. Weasley's asking Harry, rather than Hermione, for help with the camping gear will be even less well-advised than we had previously expected. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Hermione mentions that the places she takes the Trio to are actually camping sites she has visited with her family; of course, Harry has never been camping, as the Dursleys would dislike the untidiness of an unmanicured outdoors, nor would Harry likely have been fully included even if they did engage in such activities.
