pauraque_bk | GoF 24

Dark Horizons interviews Ralph Fiennes:
Fiennes read the novel Goblet of Fire when cast in the film version, but laughingly concedes "I was only interested in my scene, and I had to go through thousands and thousands of other scenes which I did, dutifully, until I got to my scene and I read it many, many, many, many, many times and that was my research."

Me too, Ralph. Meeee toooooo.

Oh, I almost forgot.

sistermagpie provided a far superior analysis of Ron's behavior at the Yule Ball to my Chapter 23. (I never plan to link to her as much as I do; I've rarely found myself agreeing with a person so often and so strongly!)

GoF 24: Rita Skeeter's Scoop

[Rita's article:] [Hagrid] admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed 'Blast-Ended Skrewts', highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. (381)

Aha! I'd forgotten what the Skrewts really were. As is frequently the case in this chapter, I find myself resistant to siding with Hagrid in this matter.

'What d'you mean, "We all hate Hagrid"?' Harry spat at Malfoy. 'What's this rubbish about him' -- he pointed at Crabbe -- 'getting a bad bite off a Flobberworm. They haven't even got teeth!'

Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself. (382)

I wonder if that detail was Crabbe's idea. (In the article, Draco is quoted as repeating it, but that doesn't mean he made it up.)

Also, more on the idea that Hagrid is to Draco what Snape is to Harry: If Harry had the opportunity to get Snape fired, don't you think he'd take it? And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

'Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career,' said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. 'Half-giant... and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a botle of Skele-Gro when he was young ... none of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all ... they'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha...' (382)

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant, but it seems obvious to the Muggleborn (Hermione).

'I hope she stays, that woman!' said Parvati Patil, when the lesson had ended, and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. 'That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like ... proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters...' (383)

'That was a really good lesson,' said Hermione, as they entered the Great Hall. 'I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us[...]' (383)

And Rita notes that Hagrid was given the job over other qualified candidates, though she doesn't name them. Professor Grubbly-Plank is presented quite positively (I like her, at least). As usual, JKR doesn't make it too easy for Harry (or us) to side with Hagrid -- she continuously uses Hagrid to test Harry's compassion (and ours).

As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms and dived, right into the lake. (385)

...Dude. That's hot. I'm sorry, what were we talking about?

Oh yes. Viktor's speedo-clad swan dive is not merely an opportunity for further ogling; it indicates that he's already figured out the egg.

[Bagman:] '[...]This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook ... and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickaxe'[...]' (387)

Gobbledegook being the language of goblins. Like with Avada Kedavra/abracadabra, JKR drops in a hint of Muggles' cultural memory of certain things about the magical world. ("Gobbledegook", for non-native speakers or anyone else who doesn't know the word, means "nonsense".)

As we know, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages. Not Latin, the basis of their spells, nor the languages of any magical creatures they might have to deal with in life. Seems silly, really, though I guess the idea is that they don't think interspecies communication is worthwhile.

[Bagman:] '[Mr Crouch has] sort of ... stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone, Harry? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work Barty's illness up into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins.' (388)

[Rita:] '[...]And what's [Bagman] doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights ... what nonsense ... he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Sports, Ludo Bagman ... snappy start to a sentence, Bozo -- we just need to find a story to fit it--' (391)

Bozo is apparently the name of her photographer. Don't ask me, I have no idea. (Perhaps I should add that Bozo was the name of a TV clown in the US, and is also slang for a buffoon.)

None of this is really helping me come to the conclusion that Rita is a despicable person, since she's right that something is fishy with Bagman and the goblins (he's in gambling debt to them), and if she did decide that Crouch's absence was "something sinister, like Bertha Jorkins", she would again be right! (Very like Bertha Jorkins, in fact, since they were both taken captive by Voldemort.)

[Hermione:] 'Funny, goblins looking for Mr Crouch ... they'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.'

[...]

[Ron:] 'Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?'

'Ha, ha, ha,' said Hermione sarcastically. 'Goblins don't need protection. [...] They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves.' (390)

I wonder how the goblins, who are presumably sentient, feel about being subject to Regulation and Control by wizards.

'Hagrid!' Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. 'Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being--'

The door opened. Hermione said 'About t--!' and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face to face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore. (392-393)

'Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid,' said Dumbledore[...] 'I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that, if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it--'

'Not all of 'em,' said Hagrid hoarsely. 'Not all of 'em wan' me ter stay.'

'Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time,' said Dumbledore[...] (394)

Well, this is very decent of Dumbledore, really, coming down here and giving Hagrid kindly advice. I hardly know what to say! Can this possibly be an example of Dumbledore being a sweet old dude without any sort of ulterior motive?

'Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!' Harry said furiously. 'Look at the Dursleys!'

'An excellent point,' said Professor Dumbledore. 'My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat[...]' (394)

After several attempts, I have decided that there is nothing I can say that would increase the hilarity of this sentence. I do invite the rest of you to try.

'Yeh know wha', Harry?' he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright. 'When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it ... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!'

He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, 'Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all ... yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?'

'Great,' said Harry. 'Really great.'

[...]

Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. [...] The incomprehensible egg weighed more heavily than ever on Harry's conscience that evening, and by the time he had got into bed, he had made up his mind -- it was time to shelve his pride, and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything. (396-397)

So, I guess we primarily spent the last twelve pages trying to arrive at this point, since nothing else in the chapter is new. (Even the Ron/Hermione subplot is explicitly put on the back burner and ignored.) Harry starts out turning up his nose at Cedric's advice, and then Hagrid's crise de géant occurs so that Harry can be emotionally blackmailed into swallowing his pride.

It's not that I think lying to people should feel good or anything, but it seems to me that Harry's reaction here has more to do with Hagrid's rather horrifying "You have to win in order to prove that I am worthy and did I mention my dad died tragically?" than anything else.

It's not hard to prove that Hagrid is off-base here, either: Harry isn't a Champion because he's more worthy than (pure-blood) Cedric, and he doesn't win. I'm sorry, but this is, in my humble opinion, crap.

Well, that all felt a bit pointless. But be sure to tune in next time for your favorite chapter and mine: ~~PAJAMA PARTY!~~ Er, "The Egg and the Eye".

Previous GoF posts are saved in memories here.