GOF Chapter 12: The Triwizard Tournament
Mar. 19th, 2011 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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deathtocapslockPeeves splashes the kids with waterballoons. Of course Ron fares worse than Harry and Hermione. And Minerva is helpless to stop Peeves. Is the drying spell Albus uses on Harry in HBP so advanced these incoming 4th years don't know it yet?
Harry hopes the Sorting would end soon. The oldest among this year's new students were born 10 months after the end of VoldWar 1. If British wizards had a post-war Baby Boom, this cohort is its first, so I hope Harry finds the patience.
Can someone please tell me why Dennis Creevey is in the story? Is it just to frustrate any attempt to understand the inheritance of magic in Rowling's world? But since he is here we are reminded of Parvati's twin sister, who will be needed as a date to the ball - and then forgotten.
Yes Harry, Severus' hatred (or resentment, or something) intensified the night of Sirius' escape, but not necessarily for the reason you think. Don't forget that Severus shut up immediately when he realized Sirius' escape was orchestrated by The Twinkly Headmaster. And Severus recovered the wand that Sirius used that night. Which means that once he got to his rooms, and recovered from the events of the night (which included sustaining a concussion), Severus must have arranged to PI his wand (just to know to what use Sirius had put it) and discovered that Sirius was the one who banged his already injured head against the walls of the tunnel, but also that Peter was alive and a rat Animagus (via the spell that forced him into human form). Which means Peter was the traitor - and also that this traitor escaped. IOW Severus is angry with the trio for attacking and injuring him that night, and thus setting up the events that led to Peter's escape. Of course he is also angry with Sirius for still believing Severus deserved to be eaten by a werewolf at 16 and for aggravating his injuries in the shack. (BTW we have no evidence to suggest Severus needed a new wand after being disarmed by the trio and being injured with his own wand by Sirius. In case you were wondering.)
The first years are soaking wet. The drying spell, Minerva! No such luck. Maybe it really is advanced magic.
The Sorting Hat claims to have never been wrong. Yet it sometimes Sorts people 'too soon'.
MALcolm BADdock, the boy with the most ominous name ever, joins Slytherin House, to the brave and bold hissing of the twins. Harry wonders if the boy knows he is joining the House that produced more Dark witches and wizards than the others. And what do you think do Slytherins think when Dennis Creevey is Sorted to Gryffindor? The House of bullies, jerks and vain peacocks?
Nearly-Headless-Nick performs his third-most significant plot function by bringing the Hogwarts house-elves to Hermione's attention.
Dumbledore makes sure students break the rules all year by telling them it was Filch who forbade the various assault-toys. (Thanks, Terri, for this observation!)
Oh no! No Quidditch this year! Good thing we had the World Cup to remind us of the who-has-the-better-broom contest!
Aha! This year's villain makes a dramatic entrance! Why doesn't anyone pay attention to the sound effects?
Albus and Hagrid are the only ones to applaud 'Moody'. Does this make him an 'interesting creature'? Looks like even those familiar with Moody's record don't appreciate him becoming DADA teacher. Or perhaps it's because of that familiarity?
'Moody' drinks from his hip-flask, but eats the food served in his plate. Has the wizarding world not invented the ability to deliver poisons in food?
So, the Triwizard Tournament was started around 1300, give or take a few years, held every 5 years for a while, then disbanded for centuries but for an occasional failed attempt to restore it. So whose idea was to hold it at Hogwarts now? Especially when the very same departments were involved in hosting the QWC? I used to think it was Dumbles' reaction to Peter's escape and Sybil's second prophecy, but obviously if Bertha knew so much about it before leaving for Albania the planning must have started much earlier. Was this Ludo Bagman's idea of creating more venues for gambling? Or Fudge's idea of distracting the populace from the failed hunt for Sirius Black?
I know: The mastermind of it all was Ludo Bagman! After all Bertha Jorkins had been working in his department. He initiated the renewal of the Triwizard tournament specifically in order to bring Voldemort back. He then gave Bertha the idea to visit Albania so that Voldemort would capture her and use her information. And yes, he got Arthur the tickets in order to give Barty Jr a chance to observe Harry from close-up. The whole business with the goblins was just a cover.
Anyway, everyone agrees that's the best way to establish ties between students of traditionally rival schools who know nothing about each other. Just look how well the House Cup competition does this kind of thing at Hogwarts!
Dumbledore will ensure personally that no underage student will get hirself selected. We'll see how hard he's going to work on that. Anyway, it seems Albus believes that once a wizard is of age it is completely up to hir choice to go and risk hir life for fame and riches (or just walk to death to weaken an enemy).
Fred wants to enter the tournament because he might be able to do forbidden magic and get 1000 Galleons.
Ron wants to have a chance at the money too.
Neville wants to enter to appease his grandmother. He also reminds us of the existence of the trick stair.
Dean adds a Quidditch poster to his football one. Maybe some Muggle-raised wizards do not completely disown the world of their birth? (Though 3 years from now he will be camping with runaway wizards and goblins, not staying with Muggle family and friends.)
Once more Harry dreams of being a star despite already being one for 3 years running.
Harry hopes the Sorting would end soon. The oldest among this year's new students were born 10 months after the end of VoldWar 1. If British wizards had a post-war Baby Boom, this cohort is its first, so I hope Harry finds the patience.
Can someone please tell me why Dennis Creevey is in the story? Is it just to frustrate any attempt to understand the inheritance of magic in Rowling's world? But since he is here we are reminded of Parvati's twin sister, who will be needed as a date to the ball - and then forgotten.
Yes Harry, Severus' hatred (or resentment, or something) intensified the night of Sirius' escape, but not necessarily for the reason you think. Don't forget that Severus shut up immediately when he realized Sirius' escape was orchestrated by The Twinkly Headmaster. And Severus recovered the wand that Sirius used that night. Which means that once he got to his rooms, and recovered from the events of the night (which included sustaining a concussion), Severus must have arranged to PI his wand (just to know to what use Sirius had put it) and discovered that Sirius was the one who banged his already injured head against the walls of the tunnel, but also that Peter was alive and a rat Animagus (via the spell that forced him into human form). Which means Peter was the traitor - and also that this traitor escaped. IOW Severus is angry with the trio for attacking and injuring him that night, and thus setting up the events that led to Peter's escape. Of course he is also angry with Sirius for still believing Severus deserved to be eaten by a werewolf at 16 and for aggravating his injuries in the shack. (BTW we have no evidence to suggest Severus needed a new wand after being disarmed by the trio and being injured with his own wand by Sirius. In case you were wondering.)
The first years are soaking wet. The drying spell, Minerva! No such luck. Maybe it really is advanced magic.
The Sorting Hat claims to have never been wrong. Yet it sometimes Sorts people 'too soon'.
MALcolm BADdock, the boy with the most ominous name ever, joins Slytherin House, to the brave and bold hissing of the twins. Harry wonders if the boy knows he is joining the House that produced more Dark witches and wizards than the others. And what do you think do Slytherins think when Dennis Creevey is Sorted to Gryffindor? The House of bullies, jerks and vain peacocks?
Nearly-Headless-Nick performs his third-most significant plot function by bringing the Hogwarts house-elves to Hermione's attention.
Dumbledore makes sure students break the rules all year by telling them it was Filch who forbade the various assault-toys. (Thanks, Terri, for this observation!)
Oh no! No Quidditch this year! Good thing we had the World Cup to remind us of the who-has-the-better-broom contest!
Aha! This year's villain makes a dramatic entrance! Why doesn't anyone pay attention to the sound effects?
Albus and Hagrid are the only ones to applaud 'Moody'. Does this make him an 'interesting creature'? Looks like even those familiar with Moody's record don't appreciate him becoming DADA teacher. Or perhaps it's because of that familiarity?
'Moody' drinks from his hip-flask, but eats the food served in his plate. Has the wizarding world not invented the ability to deliver poisons in food?
So, the Triwizard Tournament was started around 1300, give or take a few years, held every 5 years for a while, then disbanded for centuries but for an occasional failed attempt to restore it. So whose idea was to hold it at Hogwarts now? Especially when the very same departments were involved in hosting the QWC? I used to think it was Dumbles' reaction to Peter's escape and Sybil's second prophecy, but obviously if Bertha knew so much about it before leaving for Albania the planning must have started much earlier. Was this Ludo Bagman's idea of creating more venues for gambling? Or Fudge's idea of distracting the populace from the failed hunt for Sirius Black?
I know: The mastermind of it all was Ludo Bagman! After all Bertha Jorkins had been working in his department. He initiated the renewal of the Triwizard tournament specifically in order to bring Voldemort back. He then gave Bertha the idea to visit Albania so that Voldemort would capture her and use her information. And yes, he got Arthur the tickets in order to give Barty Jr a chance to observe Harry from close-up. The whole business with the goblins was just a cover.
Anyway, everyone agrees that's the best way to establish ties between students of traditionally rival schools who know nothing about each other. Just look how well the House Cup competition does this kind of thing at Hogwarts!
Dumbledore will ensure personally that no underage student will get hirself selected. We'll see how hard he's going to work on that. Anyway, it seems Albus believes that once a wizard is of age it is completely up to hir choice to go and risk hir life for fame and riches (or just walk to death to weaken an enemy).
Fred wants to enter the tournament because he might be able to do forbidden magic and get 1000 Galleons.
Ron wants to have a chance at the money too.
Neville wants to enter to appease his grandmother. He also reminds us of the existence of the trick stair.
Dean adds a Quidditch poster to his football one. Maybe some Muggle-raised wizards do not completely disown the world of their birth? (Though 3 years from now he will be camping with runaway wizards and goblins, not staying with Muggle family and friends.)
Once more Harry dreams of being a star despite already being one for 3 years running.
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no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 04:57 pm (UTC)The Tournament really doesn't seem like a good way to get the kids to like each other, does it? Now, if the Champions had to work together on the tasks, that would be another story.
It seems odd that they haven't invented magical security cameras to keep an eye on the Great Hall just in case the age line fails. It's almost like they wanted underage kids to cheat to get in...
I like your Ludo Bagman speculations! Maybe unbeknownst to everyone he's the "most devoted servant" :D
no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 05:23 pm (UTC)Like they can't hold the wizarding equivalent of a science fair? Or hold intramural dances?
Or why not have the best Quidditch teams from the schools then meet for matches against each other, to determine which school has the best team? Granted, there'd be rivalry between the schools, but also a chance for interaction with foreign students, and you'd also have a reason for all houses in Hogwarts to join together to root for the home team...
no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 05:31 pm (UTC)The only time in 6 years Hogwarts has a dance is for the Yule ball which is part of the Triwizard Tournament tradition. I wonder how wizards even know how to dance, they have so few opportunities for it.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 05:36 pm (UTC)Oh, no, that would entail acceptance of evul Slytherin by the other houses.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 08:26 pm (UTC)The first years are soaking wet. The drying spell, Minerva! No such luck. Maybe it really is advanced magic.
Nope, not advanced magic. Just not something the teachers will use on some unimportant, random characters. Who cares if they are wet (and since it is September probably cold)!
The extra effort is only reserved for Harry.
I know: The mastermind of it all was Ludo Bagman! After all Bertha Jorkins had been working in his department. He initiated the renewal of the Triwizard tournament specifically in order to bring Voldemort back. He then gave Bertha the idea to visit Albania so that Voldemort would capture her and use her information. And yes, he got Arthur the tickets in order to give Barty Jr a chance to observe Harry from close-up. The whole business with the goblins was just a cover.
That would have been interesting and surprising. But we can't have somebody Arthur likes be truly evil. /bitter
no subject
Date: 2011-03-19 08:33 pm (UTC)-Yeah, JKR, Malcolm Reynolds called; he's sick of his name being tarnished. And River Tam also called, saying to stop stealing her material.
And yeah, regarding Gryffindor...*this*. :/
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 02:00 am (UTC)I always liked the fanon version of Padma; someone truly beautiful - it's canon that the sisters are the "prettiest girls in Harry's year", right? - but clever too. A more serious, solid, respectable version of Parvati. Someone for Harry to fall in love with if Hermione wasn't available. Right now I'm not sure if that 'serious' demeanour is completely a fanon construct, or if there was a sentence or two somewhere in the books which gave rise to it.
The drying spell, Minerva! No such luck. Maybe it really is advanced magic.
Ha ha ha! Yes, advanced magic that needs the power of THE ELDER WAND!!
"Are you a witch or not, Minerva?" :-)
The Sorting Hat claims to have never been wrong. Yet it sometimes Sorts people 'too soon'.
Well, it's technically not wrong at the time it does the sort, then!
'Moody' drinks from his hip-flask, but eats the food served in his plate. Has the wizarding world not invented the ability to deliver poisons in food?
Hee, nice one. That excuse really didn't hold up, did it? Heaps of wizards and not an ounce of logic between them. Hermione was right! (Again)
I know: The mastermind of it all was Ludo Bagman! ...
Uhm, okay, Oryx, if you say so ...
*backs away slowly*
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 02:04 am (UTC)So that's your "magical security camera" - Rowling's magically sentient paintings.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 02:05 am (UTC)Maybe that's why McGonagall conducts dancing lessons in the movie version of this book?
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 02:42 am (UTC)My god! Hairdryers are the gift of Death himself!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 03:44 am (UTC)I wonder - are we supposed to believe that with portraits all over Hogwarts, there aren't any in the Great Hall? Or were they asleep (or Confunded)?
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 06:09 am (UTC)Invisibility cloak
Date: 2011-03-20 10:36 am (UTC)Food and Moody
Date: 2011-03-20 10:38 am (UTC)But there is so much about this series that makes no sense at all.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 01:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 04:18 pm (UTC)Rowling hints at this kind of understanding when she has other characters describe young Tom Riddle, but when she actually shows him as a child, it's like she can't bear to have readers think for a moment that he might not be the most evil ill-begotten bastard who ever lived. We were supposed to be impressed with Dumbledore for seeing through Riddle when we first heard about him in CoS, but then Rowling felt the need to beat us over the head with his undisguised nastiness, presumably so that slower readers could feel as smart and superior as Dumbledore. Or maybe she was just afraid Riddle would acquire fangirls, which she seems to have taken it upon herself to reeducate. I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks it her public duty.
In a mature, realistic story, Harry would feel uneasy about Hagrid and the Weasley's polite bigotry and truly wonder if his prejudice against Slytherins didn't make him a bigot himself. He would have learned that Evil is not a snake-faced monster, but something that exists in him and people he loves, who are otherwise decent and normal.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 06:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 06:19 pm (UTC)*backs away slowly*
It annoys me we are never given a reason why the Tournament was revived at this time. We are given reasons (even if inadequate) why Quirrell went traveling, or why Lucius released the diary just then or why Sirius broke out of Azkaban when he did after 12+ years. But the Tournament comes out of nowhere and its timing is never explained. It would have worked better to simply have it an event that still takes place every x years with the 3 schools taking turns hosting (so the previous time it was hosted at Hogwarts was 3x years previously).
Oh dear maths
Date: 2011-03-20 06:58 pm (UTC)Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 08:20 pm (UTC)I really do love this theory. Question, though. Why was it necessary to revive the triwizard tournament in order to bring Voldemort back? It's hard enough to explain why they even included it at all in their plot.
Oh... maybe that's the plot-hole she fell into, and that's why Bagman's story-line was dropped.
Re: Invisibility cloak
Date: 2011-03-20 08:22 pm (UTC)Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 08:25 pm (UTC)Re: Food and Moody
Date: 2011-03-20 09:25 pm (UTC)It *might* be easier to add a potion to another fluid as a last-minute thing, but if you're paranoid, that isn't enough of a difference.
Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 10:05 pm (UTC)It wasn't, but it provided a continuous source of drama all year, a host of red herrings (Igor, Ludo, maybe Viktor) and all the romantic shenanigans.
Without the Tournament Peter would have still encountered Bertha in Albania, she would have still yielded the info on Barty, who would have still showed up as impersonator of whoever the DADA instructor would have been (but Moody works best). He would have taught Harry nifty DADA tricks to earn his trust. Would have still tormented sons of DEs and Severus because he still hates DEs who walked free (and to buy Harry's undying love, of course). Let's assume that normally Hogwarts is protected from Portkeying, so his plan would have been to send Harry to Tom from Hogsmeade. He would try to get Harry alone each Hogsmeade weekend under some excuse or other but something would turn up until the plan finally works in late spring. Severus would be suspicious and try to interfere but Harry would think it's because he is jealous of the DADA teacher or because the DADA teacher is causing trouble to Slytherins.
Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 10:12 pm (UTC)Right, I get that. But what would be the Watsonian explanation for why Ludo would revive the tournament as part of bringing back Voldemort?
Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 10:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-20 10:52 pm (UTC)And the Stan Shunpike thing is incredibly badly handled. If it was known that; yes, he was a DE by choice and he truly was evil it would have been much better.
That way Harry could think about everyday, pleasant to him, people that turn out to have dark natures. But we can't have our hero thinking about things or people he likes truly bad.
Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-20 10:56 pm (UTC)I was thinking that maybe the tournament has some kind of significance that's long been forgotten, like it's some kind of magic ritual, or something, and so that's why Voldemort wanted Harry to go through it before facing him.
But there's not really anything within canon to support that.
Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-21 12:51 am (UTC)Re: Bagman and the Triwizard Tournament
Date: 2011-03-21 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 03:54 am (UTC)And yet it would have been so easy for her to put in a single sentence to make it fit properly.
But this is the woman who wrote six books with Harry defiantly saying Voldemort's name ... only to stop, never say it ONCE, after Ron begged him not to in the 7th book. Even for the weeks/months during Ron's desertion when he, Harry, was upset and angry about that desertion and not particularly disposed to grant any wish of the boy who abandoned him.
And it's the woman who had Ron justify his asking Harry not to 'say the name' because ... let me look it up ... ah, here it is:
“I’m sorry,” Ron said, moaning a little as he raised himself to look at them, “but it feels like a – a jinx or something.
Rowling really really REALLY didn't care about things like plot consistency or integrity.(I still laugh when I read that line. It reminds me of the weekend that I read DH. When Ron made that statement I just *knew* there had to be *something* behind it. Some magical ability? A skill at divination? A super-power? WHEN WOULD IT BE REVEALED? WHEN WOULD IT BE EXPLAINED?
Because, if it wasn't explained, if there was nothing *behind* this sudden 'feeling' ... but no. There had to be something behind it.
But there wasn't. Rowling just has Ron have a 'feeling' because she needed a reason for Harry not to mention the name. And that's it.
So help me gosh, I feel *embarrassed* for her when I think of this amateurish writing!)
I'm starting to see why you say the rot started to show with GoF. Still, we can fix up this particular problem of yours, thusly:
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly.
"Why NOW?" asked Harry.
"Because," said the grand old wizard, beaming down at them, "it felt like a - a good thing to do. Right now. Yes. Quite."
no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 08:53 am (UTC)Yes, Tom Riddle's back-story was interesting, but it was also disappointing. He just *had* to be born evil. What a let-down.
/We were supposed to be impressed with Dumbledore for seeing through Riddle when we first heard about him in CoS, but then Rowling felt the need to beat us over the head with his undisguised nastiness, presumably so that slower readers could feel as smart and superior as Dumbledore./
And what does it say when most of the wizards that knew Tom couldn't figure out that he was evil, but "stupid" and "ignorant" Muggles could? Mrs. Cole told Dumbledore that the orphanage was ready to ship Tom off to an asylum. They had a better sense of him than the wizarding world ever did.
/Or maybe she was just afraid Riddle would acquire fangirls, which she seems to have taken it upon herself to reeducate./
Ha! XD Maybe so. But if that's true, then I'm sorry to inform her that Tom Riddle already had fangirls before HBP. And considering how many times she described his looks in HBP, I don't think that he's going to lose fangirls anytime soon.
/I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks it her public duty./
Given what she's said about Draco and Snape, I wouldn't be surprised. *sighs*
no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 03:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 05:36 pm (UTC)Even the Quidditch World Cup's presence in the novel could well be playing to fan expectations without including more than one game.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-21 05:44 pm (UTC)