pauraque_bk | GoF 22

Well, now that I've joined the ranks of the unemployed, I should be able to pick up the pace with these. Must finish my

merry_smutmas, too. Now fandom really IS my life.

I haven't had time to catch up with Chapter 21, though I do highly recommend the Life of Brian thread. XD

GoF 22: The Unexpected Task

'The Yule Ball is approaching -- a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialise with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth-years and above -- although you may invite a younger student if you wish --'

Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she, too, fought not to giggle. (337)

I don't know if this is what they're laughing about (neither does Harry), but it does seem a little strange to have a rule like that, doesn't it?

Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel. 'Dance partners?'

He felt himself going red. 'I don't dance,' he said quickly.

'Oh, yes, you do,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball.'

Harry had a sudden mental image of himself in a top hat and tails, accompanied by a girl in the sort of frilly dress Aunt Petunia always wore to Uncle Vernon's work parties.

'I'm not dancing,' he said.

'It is traditional,' said Professor McGonagall firmly. 'You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of this school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter.'

'But -- I don't --' (338)

I'm too old! Too dangerous! Too gay! Wait, wrong book.

This is actually adorable. Totally in character and age-appropriate. One thing I will say for GoF is that the romance is handled much more sanely than in HBP. It doesn't overpower the main storyline, nor does it turn the characters into simpering idiots. They are quite shallow in GoF, but... they're also fourteen.

[I]t was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; he had never quite noticed that before. (338)

Behold, the sexual awakening of Harry Potter! (Or maybe it's that he never noticed the girls because he was too busy ogling Cedric.)

'[Rita] wants a new angle, Hagrid,' said Ron wisely[...] 'You were supposed to say Harry's a mad delinquent!'

'But he's not!' said Hagrid, looking genuinely shocked.

'She should've interviewed Snape,' said Harry grimly. 'He'd give her the goods on me any day[...]' (340-341)

Well, she really should have asked Snape if she wanted to play that angle. She's not a very good reporter if she couldn't work out which teachers liked him and which didn't.

It seemed to be fact, however, that [Dumbledore] had booked the Weird Sisters. Exactly who or what the Weird Sisters were Harry didn't know, never having had access to a wizard's wireless, but he deduced from the wild excitement of those who had grown up listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) that they were a very famous musical group. (341)

*bzzzzzzzzz* No, I'm sorry Jo, one wizarding musical group is not an adequate representation of magical youth culture. Thanks for playing our game.

Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday, and spent most of it talking to Harry about the perfect Summoning Charm he had used during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. (341)

I've had teachers like this -- loved them. You'd think Harry et al would feel more warmly towards Flitwick, since he seems to be the "cool" teacher.

'Who're you going with, then?' said Ron.

'Angelina,' said Fred promptly, without a trace of embarrassment.

'What?' said Ron, taken aback. 'You've already asked her?'

'Good point,' said Fred. He turned his head and called across the common room, 'Oi! Angelina!'

Angelina, who had been chatting to Alicia Spinnet near the fire, looked over at him.

'What?' she called back.

'Want to come to the ball with me?'

Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look.

'All right, then,' she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting, with a bit of a grin on her face. (343)

This reads to me like Angelina and Fred were already a couple, and Harry just didn't know. Interracial couples sure are common in the HP books, and GoF is no exception. Fred/Angelina, Cedric/Cho, Harry/Parvati and Ron/Padma of course, and Seamus/Lavender (if you think of Lavender as black, as she is in the films).

I think it's nice and not overdone, though I know there are those who find something fishy in the way that Ginny and Harry start out with SOs of different races, but find True Love with one another.

He found it hard to concentrate in Snape's Antidote test, and consequently forgot to add the key ingredient -- a bezoar -- meaning that he received bottom marks. (345)

A reminder of Snape's association with bezoars, which is supposed to be a clue in HBP.

So, Harry gets up the nerve to ask Cho, but Cedric has already asked her. I notice that unlike at my high school, people are very reluctant to ditch a person once they've agreed to date if someone "better" comes along.

He had been starting to quite like Cedric -- prepared to overlook the fact that he had once beaten him at Quidditch, and was handsome, and popular, and nearly everyone's favourite champion. Now he suddenly realised that Cedric was in fact a useless pretty-boy who didn't have enough brains to fill an eggcup. (347)

Aww! Well, they could always go the fandom route and make it a threesome. Might make the dancing awkward, though.

Ron [was] sitting ashen faced in a distant corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice.

[...]

'He -- er -- just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him,' said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically. (347)

Wow. I sort of didn't believe/recall it when folks mentioned that Ginny used to have a perfectly good personality but... here it is. Would HBP!Ginny comfort Ron after he embarrassed himself? HELL no.

'I asked [Cho] to go with me just now,' Harry said dully, 'and she told me [she was going with Cedric].'

Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling. (348)

She wanted to go with Cho! No, wait, I guess this is her being upset that Harry asked someone other than her. Even though she already has a date. Maybe.

'This is mad,' said Ron, 'we're the only ones left who haven't got anyone -- well, except Neville. Hey -- guess who he asked? Hermione!'

'What?' said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news. 'Yeah, I know!' said Ron, some of the colour coming back into his face as he started to laugh. 'He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff -- but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville ... I mean, who would?' (348)

And Ron/Neville takes a crushing blow! (Actually, I don't know that anyone's ever written that pairing. Prove me wrong!)

Given the following "Hey, Hermione's a girl!" conversation, this reads like a simultaneous dis of both Neville and Hermione. Why would she want him? Why would he want her?

Neville/Hermione, now that's a pairing I could get behind. They're friends in PS/SS! It's rather heartbreaking that he seems to miss her here.

Also, why would Neville tell Ron he asked Hermione and she said she already had someone? It's not like Ron and Neville are friends. Perhaps Neville wanted to spare Ron the embarrassment of asking her and being turned down.

'Don't!' said Ginny, annoyed. 'Don't laugh--'

Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole.

'Why weren't you two at dinner?' she said, coming over to join them.

'Because -- oh, shut up laughing, you two -- because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!' said Ginny.

That shut Harry and Ron up. (348)

She's going with Neville, and Hermione is her friend at this point, so I wouldn't call this a Lily-esque "Don't mock people, it's wrong" thing exactly, it's more that she's taking it personally. Still, they are being jerks, so her mean comment here seems quite forgivable compared to the nasty stuff she says in HBP.

'I've already told you!' Hermione said, very angrily. 'I'm going with someone else!'

And she stormed off towards the girls' dormitories again.

'She's lying,' said Ron flatly, watching her go.

'She's not,' said Ginny quietly.

'Who is it, then?' said Ron sharply.

'I'm not telling you, it's her business,' said Ginny. (349)

There's the Ginny-Hermione friendship again, which we so rarely see direct evidence of.

If this is all supposed to be about Ron/Hermione, I don't think I get it. Ron's astounded that Hermione can even get a date, which doesn't sound like Sekrit Longing to me.

'Right,' said Ron, who looked extremely put out, 'this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just --'

'I can't,' said Ginny, and she went scarlet too. 'I'm going with -- with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought ... well ... I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year.' She looked extremely miserable. (349)

Aw, Neville gets no love. I'd go with him! Better him than any of these jerks.

But her misery is really supposed to indicate that she's desperate for Harry's sweet sweet lovin', but has been tragically stymied. HBP!Ginny would probably just ditch Neville and go with Harry instead. (HBP!Harry probably wouldn't have a problem with that.)

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