Chapter Nine: The Dark Mark
In chapter nine of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Muggles are tormented when we get our first real look at Death Eaters, Winky gets treated like dirt, and Malfoy might have an agenda.
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
The aftermath of the Quidditch final starts out super jovial, and it’s here I’ve got to squee about these super cute limited edition pops I got recently because I’m OBSESSED
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But things quickly turn very sour when it’s revealed a group of drunken bigoted losers–excuse me, “Death Eaters”– have gathered together to torment a family of two adult Muggles and two Muggle children by suspending them in the air and flipping them about.
I think it’s a subtly but brutally effective way for JKR to show us the depravity of the Death Eaters, the gross injustices they believe in, and how believing magical people are better than Muggles leads to this sort of thing. Because while it’s not like the Muggles are being hurt, per se, it’s a humiliating way to show dominance and control for fun.
So I might joke about Bill’s fang earring or wax on about #JusticeforPercy but dead serious, it’s a completely badass moment that should show why the elder Weasley’s were all sorted into Gryffindor when Arthur, Bill, Charlie, and Percy IMMEDIATELY haul ass over to the Death Eaters to save the Muggles like the selfless BAMFS they are, and WEASLEY FAMILY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
Our trio manages to get separated from Fred, George, and Ginny right away because of course they do, and that’s when they have an intriguing encounter with Malfoy that I’ve wondered about for years.
‘Language, Weasley,’ said Malfoy his pale eyes glittering. ‘Hadn’t you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn’t like her spotted, would you?’
He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ said Hermione defiantly.
‘Granger, they’re after Muggles,’ said Malfoy. ‘D’you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air? Because if you do, hang around … they’re moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh.’
‘Hermione’s a witch,’ Harry snarled.
‘Have it your own way, Potter,’ said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. ‘If you think they can’t spot a Mudblood, stay where you are.’
‘You watch your mouth!’ shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that ‘Mudblood’ was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage.
‘Never mind, Ron,’ said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron’s arm to restrain him as he took a step towards Malfoy.
There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard. Several people nearby screamed.
Malfoy chuckled softly. ‘Scare easily, don’t they?’ he said lazily. ‘I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What’s he up to – trying to rescue the Muggles?’
‘Where’re your parents?’ said Harry, his temper rising. ‘Out there wearing masks, are they?’
Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling. ‘Well .. if they were, I wouldn’t be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?’
‘Oh, come on,’ said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, ‘let’s go and find the others.’
‘Keep that big bushy head down, Granger,’ sneered Malfoy.
On the surface, this looks like Malfoy is being his usual asshole self: taunting Hermione about being Muggleborn, sneering about the Weasley’s rescuing Muggles, bragging about his parents. But is it? If you look closely enough, you can start to wonder if he isn’t warning them to get away before something happens to Hermione. First he tells them to hurry along, or else Hermione will get spotted. When they don’t seem to get what he’s saying, he clarifies that Hermione might get flipped upside down like the Muggles. Then for good measure, he adds another dig about how a Death Eater will spot Hermione as Muggleborn, and yells after them to keep Hermione’s head down. It’s…intriguing. Especially when we know in later books that Malfoy joins the Death Eaters, but regrets it soon afterwards. Does he actually care about Hermione’s safety here? Or is he just being a bully, like always?
Either way our trio sets off and encounter a bunch of people like Bagman acting shading (take a shot) Winky acting odd, Veela, French students, and a wizard who conjures the Dark Mark, sending a bunch of magical people totally apeshit over a glittery skull instead of laughing at Voldemort, a grown ass man who is into the Hot Topic aesthetic as a terror tactic.
The Ministry shows up, and it’s here we get our first official look at how corrupt they are in handing legal matters when they interrogate a bunch of teenagers like they’re guilty, interrogate an elf like she’s trash, and then don’t take her in for questioning because her boss, a Ministry bigwig, asks for them not to.
Great job as usual, government!
Hermione, much like the elder Weasley’s earlier, demonstrates to all the #HermioneIsARavenclaw people that no, she’s really a Gryffindor when she speaks up in front of a big group of adult Ministry employees repeatedly in defense of Winky. I don’t care how much people give her shit for S.P.E.W., she’s got her heart in the right place and it’s impressive to watch.
So poor Winky is freed because Barty Crouch sucks, no Death Eaters are caught, and all the fun of the book is sucked right out of it with these dark events, setting us up for the tonal change of the series.
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How come the Death Eaters aren’t caught in this chapter?
What exactly is going on with Malfoy in that scene with the trio?
Would you have spoken up for Winky?
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