GoF Chapter Sixteen

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

*Hey, Chapter 16 is named with the title of the book in both CoS and GoF! Fun fact, if you're ever on a game show and that comes up.

*Hermione immediately starts proving herself superior to all the girls who care about Krum as a Quidditch player. This will, of course, make Krum fall in love with her. That totally happens in real life all the time. Jocks love girls like her.

*Okay, why does it seem so natural that the Beauxbatons students sit with Ravenclaw (even if their Frenchness is sniffed at by Hermione because they're complaining about the cold--yes, she really is Molly) and Durmstrang sits with Slytherin? Would they really all get sorted into those houses or what?

*Crabbe and Goyle look smug. I wouldn't have known they were capable of smug expressions. That makes, what, two expressions they can make now?

*The Durmstrang students are impressed with the golden goblets. Being from Eastern Europe in the 12th century, they eat with their fingers and have wooden cutlery.

*Err…I think Narcissa was wise to veto the Durmstrang idea for Draco. Is it me, or does he actually seem far more suited to Beauxbatons with the fashion and the thin-blood and the pale and the blue-blooded complaining?

*I picture him with these Durmstrang guys and he reminds me of that ship in the SNL parody "Miles Copperthwaite" where they just sail around all the time looking for manly pirates to be captured by.

*Hermione mentions her holiday, year before last. Is that the same holiday she references in OotP? Is that the last time she spent time with her parents, when they went to France? And was she as defensive in dealing with French people there as she is here?

*Why must Ron be this stupid? He's never heard of bouillabaisse? So wizards are just very isolated? Has he heard of spaghetti?

*Again Harry shows a marked resistance to Veela--he can't even tell Fleur is one. Is this part of his badass anti-Imperio power, signs that whatever Rowling thinks Ron is actually more sexually mature than Harry, a sign that Harry is more commanding sexually than Ron or, my favorite, more proof that Harry likes boys?

*Why does Gryffindor seem to be getting all the French food when the French kids are all sitting with Ravenclaw? In fact, why don't they all get the same food?

*Oh, so that Fleur has a reason to walk across the room. Sorry, Fleur.

*Harry reacts automatically to the word "casket" because he's naturally sensitive to anything having to do with death. He's kind of Goth that way.

*So, what would happen if somebody didn't participate in the tournament once they're picked? DD says it's a binding magical contract, but…what? Do you die? Could Harry have just showed up for the competitions but intentionally thrown each one? Like could he have waded into the lake and then waded out? Do they ever discuss this method?

*I would totally not be surprised to find out that Wizards could die from taking somebody else's seat after the other person had "called it."

*Seriously, this is the kid the entire wizarding world is counting on to save them from the evil wizard. Is it really a good idea to risk his being eaten by a dragon in a school game?

*Harry does kind of wish he could be in the contest (so he can learn what it's like to be the kind of celebrity he is right now). This will not stop him from going all "But I would never have intentionally put my name in the goblet!" later. Harry always gets to have his cake and eat it too, that way. He gets to long for a chance to be the champion, but also be put-upon and say he never asked for it when it happens over and over.

*I imagine Krum isn't too popular at Durmstrang the way he's treated as opposed to the other students. People write Draco/Krum porn, but somebody should write Draco/Poliakoff where they both complain about special treatment and favorites who aren't them.

*It's just old home week for Death Eaters, isn't it? Good job Crouch could be Moody, who hates and strikes fear into them all.

*Here Dumbledore proves again that his big flaw is not seeing good in people, but underestimating them. He's so sure he's made it impossible for any underage person to enter their name he's got no way out when someone manages it on Harry's behalf. Even though that's kind of a no-brainer, isn't it? If the goblet doesn't know the age of the name, couldn't any 17-year-old, purposefully or not, enter someone underage? Yes, all of Dumbledore's security comes down to something about as difficult as getting an adult to buy you beer.

*Do these extra students have classes while they're here? Seems kind of ridiculous for them to wait around. Otoh, it seems kind of unfair their schools don't get to watch the Tournament. Though I guess that doesn't matter given that two out of three events you can't see anyway.

*Hagrid won't join SPEW, because it's against House Elf nature to not serve. You'd think that understanding would keep him from making pets of wild animals, but no. His personal whims trump nature. Hermione's do not.

*Remember that thing about Gryffindors always getting the babe? Well, Hagrid is not only unfashionable and silly-looking, but he smells horrible. Yet he gets a babe. Just mentioning.

* The Beauxbatons are the ones sobbing and being emotional in this chapter. Seriously, Beauxbatons!Draco would probably have chucked the DE idea and be planning a career as a famous artist in Paris by now or something.

*Not to mention they wear powder blue robes, which would suit his coloring more than blood red, I think. He seems like a summer, rather than a winter, to me. When we hear he's pale it always seems like he has a tendency to look washed out.

*You know, everybody gets all sympathetic for Harry being shunned and everything, but can't you imagine how annoyed you'd be if you were one of these students? It's like--oops, forgot whose book we were in. Of course Potter is a champion. If somebody like Malfoy had bought his way into the tournament non-Slytherins would be furious, and this really isn't that different. It's just fame as currency, from their pov.





Idiot Picture
If it's important that the champion be 17, why isn't there a provision if a person gets past the age line so that the person can still be removed from the tournament? Especially knowing that people are going to be all the time trying to get past the age line? Magic people, that is?

Idiot World
And wouldn't you all have felt stupid if Harry had drowned, gotten burned or eaten during this tournament and so was unable to fight Voldemort?

Misdirected Answering
Here's proof we're trying to keep underage people out. Don't ask why we've got no way to get them out after the fact.

MacGuffin
The whole tournament is just about getting Harry to touch a cup, which he could have done at any time and any place. Hitchcock would be proud. Or not.

I'm kind of surprised there's no Jabootu entry for bad fake accents!

Final score: 4