Chapter Nine - Summary

[heidi]

No: HPFGUIDX 1043

(sorry it's a day late - blame labor day!)
The chapter begins on a perfectly chipper note, with the exuberant Ireland
supporters and other spectators returning to their campsites.
Then, things get mad, bad, and dangerous to know about.
Evil masked Death Eaters make sport out of Mr Roberts (the campsite manager)
and his family, several tents get set afire, the Ministry (and the older
Weasley boys) go after the Death Eaters, almost halfheartedly, as Harry,
Hermione and the younger Weasleys are sent to wait it out in the woods.
There, they run into Draco, who acts like a prejudiced git, get separated
from the twins & Ginny, have their first meeting with a Beauxbatons student
(and see some older boys and Veelas), see Winky, the Crouch House Elf
fleeing, notice Ludo Bagman looking very stressed and out of the loop, and
realize that Harry has lost his wand.
Then, the Dark Mark illuminates the sky for the first time in over a decade,
causing mass hysteria. And Harry's wand was used to do it. And after Harry
is briefly accused of being the one to conjure it, Winky is blamed, as she
was found holding Harry's wand
Amos Diggory, Cedric's father, interrogates her, and she claims she found it
in the trees and picked it up right before being Stunned. Mr Crouch, upset
that a member of his household is associated, publicly, with the Dark Mark,
tells Winky that she will be fired (he says he will give her clothes, and as
we remember from Book II, a house elf who has been given clothes is freed);
she is very upset about this.
The group disperses, the Weasleys, Harry & Hermione return to the campsite.
Percy sticks up for Mr Crouch, Hermione becomes evangellical on the subject
of Elf Rights, and we get a little history of the Death Eaters and the Dark
Mark.
The Chapter ends with Harry thinking about the pain in his scar, only three
days before.

THOUGHTS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Is this chapter written Rashamon-style, so that in rereading it, after
reading Chapter Thirty Five, the dialogue and actions of Mr Crouch and Winky
made a lot more sense?
2. Do you think that Draco quite understands what it means to be evil and a
Death Eater, or is he just meandering down a path his father has created
without thinking about where that path really leads?
3. Does Percy really think the way he speaks, or is he a big phony?
4. Guys, what would you say to get a Veela to go out with you?