pauraque_bk | GoF 16

In Chapter 15 I greatly enjoyed the debate on the Hagrid-Snape parallels (or lack thereof, as you like). It made me clap my hands in analytical glee.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire

Welcome to the department of redundancy department.

Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked -- 'Oh, I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me --' 'D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?'

[...]

'I'm getting [Krum's] autograph if I can,' said Ron, 'you haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?' (219)

'Yeah, that's right, smarm up to him, Malfoy,' said Ron scathingly. 'I bet Krum can see right through him, though ... bet he gets people fawning over him all the time ... where d'you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory, Harry ... I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp-bed.' (220)

'Where is he?' said Ron, who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation, but looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. 'Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?' (226)

*rolls about laughing*

I swear, Ron's boycrush on Krum is one of the best things in this book. I love how it's juxtaposed with the girls, and then his jealousy that Draco's talking to Krum, and then his intense concern about where he'll be sleeping... Oh man. Where's all the Ron/Krum, people? Where?

The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. (219)

Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table. (220)

The Beauxbatons kids are distant and beautiful, like Cho. The Durmstrang kids are associated with the Dark Arts. (Nice of someone to fill them in on this stuff so that they'd pick the right seats.)

[Dumbledore:] 'I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable.'

One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head gave what was unmistakeably a derisive laugh.

'No one's making you stay!' Hermione whispered, bristling at her. (221)

sistermagpie pointed out last chapter, Hermione gets defensive about the snooty French Beauxbatons girls. I'm not really sure why.

At that moment, a voice said, 'Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?'

It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during Dumbledore's speech. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth.

Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.

'Yeah, have it,' said Harry, pushing the dish towards the girl. (222)

Another instance of Harry being less affected by Veela magic than Ron. I'd also say that Harry is a bit of a late bloomer compared to Ron; in this book Harry's sexual awareness is just beginning, whereas Ron is already crushing on everything that moves.

Remembering [Mr Crouch] in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard's robes. (224)

Mr Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored. (236)

Does he look strange to Harry because he's in different clothes, or because something else seems off about him? He's not bored, he's under the Imperius! Harry seems to have a vague sense of something amiss, but can't put his finger on it.

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore, carrying a great wooden chest, encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. (224)

[Dumbledore:] 'The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector ... the Goblet of Fire.'

Dumbledore now took out his wand, and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbleodre reached inside it, and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable, had it not been full to the brim with dancing, blue-white flames. (225)

I'd forgotten that the Goblet was plain-looking. Something about these descriptions put me in mind of the Holy Grail.

Any theories on how the Goblet works, or where it came from? Do you think it'll be important later?

Also: Goblet/Hat OTP.

'Back to the ship, then,' [Karkaroff] was saying. 'Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?' (226)

Karkaroff is always very solicitous of Krum, his star pupil. Krum seems uninterested in Karkaroff's attentions. I like Krum, I like that he's down-to-earth.

Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang Headmaster.

The colour drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over his face.

'You!' he said, staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him. (227)

Back in Chapter 14

pilly2009 wondered why Karkaroff wasn't more afraid of Moody. It seems clear here that he is afraid; his later nonchalance with Snape may have been pretense.

[Hagrid was] arguing with Hermione about house-elves -- for he flatly refused to join S.P.E.W. when she showed him her badges.

'It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione,' he said gravely[...] 'It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' insultin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em.'

'But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it!' said Hermione. 'And we heard he's asking for wages now!'

'Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed. I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it -- no, nothin' doin', Hermione.' (233)

Hermione still hasn't talked to the elves yet, but this is the first time she's (unknowingly) brought up elf welfare to a non-human, and he's very opposed to her ideas. Again, I don't know if we're meant to agree with Hagrid or not. I find the house elf plotline immensely frustrating; I just can't tell where it's going.

'He fancies [Madame Maxime]!' said Ron incredulously. 'Well, if they end up having children, they'll be setting a world record -- bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton.' (235)

Before HBP, Hagrid was the only adult character canonically shown to pursue a romantic relationship.

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