Chapter Twenty: The First Task
In chapter twenty of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry faces off with a dragon, helps Cedric cheat with the rest of them, and makes up with Ron.
(Please be advised that this is a reread and I will be discussing book and movie spoilers.)
Hermione is the greatest friend, part six billion in a neverending tale, when she helps Harry research endlessly how he can get by the dragon, even when Krum is distracting her with either his sexiness or his twittering horde of girls that follow him everywhere, take your pick on what’s needling Hermz.
Harry’s trying not to barf all over himself with nerves until he thinks of Dudley and being trapped with the Dursleys and is like “nah fighting a death dragon and failing is still better then that shit” and he’s not wrong. He then proves yet again how decent a human he is even after being raised by humanoid hobgoblins when he spots Cedric and tells him what they’re facing in the first task. Cedric, like any reasonable human, is suspicious of this behavior, but really it’s just Harry being noble and awesome, and go with it, C-Diggs ok? “Moody” overhears them, brings Harry into his office, and somehow resists the urge to brain him with his broken sneakoscope since Harry’s nobility has made Moody’s mission to help him win a lot harder.
Demon Barty secretly brags about his dark detectors and Moody being in his trunk, pretends to praise Harry for this heartwarming moment with Cedric, and insists he won’t help Harry cheat all while doing this
When Harry’s still not catching on, Barty Beezelbub is like
For real, how mad is Barty “Dr. Evil” Crouch that the kid that defeated his all powerful master is a dense as a brick? So finally, after he’s like “So POTTER heard you’re good at SOMETHING maybe it involves BROOMS I dunno and maybe you could use a CHARM you’ve not learned RECENTLY to get that BROOM or something, just spitballing here” and Harry’s like
Hermione solidifies her trophy for Best Friend Ever when she spends a solid twelve hours helping Harry learn a Summoning Charm, and then it’s time for Harry to face a freaking dragon, but first Bagman’s gotta be shady and try to help him cheat with even less subtlety then Fake-Eye Moody.
Now. . . Harry. . . could I have a quick word? Outside?”
“Er. . . yes,” said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked him a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face.
“Feeling all right, Harry? Anything I can get you?”
“What?” said Harry. “I – no, nothing.”
“Got a plan?” said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Because I don’t mind sharing a few pointers, if you’d like them, you know. I mean,” Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, “you’re the underdog here, Harry. . . . Anything I can do to help. . .”
“No,” said Harry so quickly he knew he had sounded rude, “no – I – I know what I’m going to do, thanks.”
“Nobody would know, Harry,” said Bagman, winking at him.
“No, I’m fine,” said Harry, wondering why he kept telling people this, and wondering whether he had ever been less fine. “I’ve got a plan worked out, I -“
A whistle had blown somewhere.
“Good lord, I’ve got to run!” said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off.
-JK Rowling,Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Now, I know Bagman is an idiot, but really, how could he have even helped Harry at this late date with the task?! Teach him a spell in one second?!
So poor Harry’s gotta go last, stewing in his nerves, and then he faces the dragon, which in the movies is an absurd and very long scene that maybe ends with the dragon dying (?!??) and which could’ve been better used to, oh, I dunno, flesh out the actual plot? Explain anything? But no, death dragons broom chase, guys!
Harry flies like a boss and gets his egg without getting eaten or burnt to a crisp, and when he gets back to Earth Ron is there with Hermione, and all is forgiven. In the book, the apology and make up is handled really well, but for once I’ve got to praise the movie (yes I know, who am I?!) because this scene from about .50 on is highly amusing and I won’t apologize for loving it.
After Harry gets his scores, and Ron fills him in on all the details from the rest of the champions, Rita Skeeter jumps out of a bush like the loser she is to ask Harry for an interview and he does this:
“As Harry and Ron rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them.
It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them.
“Congratulations, Harry!’ she said beaming at him. “I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How do you feel now about the fairness of the scoring?”
“Yeah, you can have a word,” said Harry savagely. “Goodbye!”
-JK Rowling,Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Marry me, Sassy Harry!
<—Previous Chapter Next Chapter —>
Join in with your thoughts below, on twitter, or instagram with #ReadHarryPotterWithMe. Follow me on my twitter @HSecretLibrary, pinterest, and my instagram @hermionessecretlibrary
Would you have told Cedric if you were Harry?
What exactly does Bagman think he can do to help Harry at this point?
Do you prefer the Ron/Harry apology in the books or the movie?
What would you have traded the long dragon scene screentime for? (Personally, I’d add the Bellatrix pensieve scene/Barty Crouch backstory!)
Picture taken in Rome, Italy. Send me/tag me in your pics of you reading Harry Potter!