Chapter Discussion: Chapter Eighteen: The Goblet of Fire: The Weighing of the Wands

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 192297

SUMMARY

As the chapter opens, Harry is dealing with the results of somebody
putting his name into the Goblet of Fire. Hermione believes that he
didn't do it himself and explains to him that Ron is jealous of him and
that is part of the reason he is reacting the way he is. Harry doesn't
see why he has to be the one to try and make things up between them.
Hermione convinces Harry to write to Sirius to ask for advice. With
virtually everybody believing Harry put his own name into the Goblet,
things become quite miserable for him - he is seen as trying to take
some sort of undeserved glory for himself. While little excuse is needed 
  for a fight with Draco Malfoy, one results, turning into a magical 
duel in which Goyle and Hermione are the ones who are injured. 
Hermione's teeth grow to an unnatural length, and Professor Snape seems
particularly cruel in dealing with this - telling her that he sees no
difference from her normal appearance. Harry and Ron are punished for
reacting to this cruelty with a loss of housepoints and a detention
each. Harry finds himself being interviewed by Rita Skeeter along with
the other three Champions, and asks him some very personal questions and 
seems to make up her own answers to tell the story she wants to tell, 
rather than anything resembling the truth. Ollivander weighs the wands 
of each of the Champions, and when Harry returns to his dormitory, he 
discovers there is a letter waiting for him from Sirius setting up a 
fireplace meeting. Sirius does appear to be worried about what has happened.

QUESTIONS

(1) When you first read the book what were your theories or thoughts
about who had put Harry's name into the Goblet? Or why somebody might
have done so?

(2) We are told, through Hermione, that Ron is jealous of Harry. What is 
your reaction to this revelation? What do you think of Ron's behaviour 
towards Harry? Assume for a moment, that Harry had put his name into the 
Goblet - would you consider Ron's anger to be justified in that situation?

(3) What did you make of Snape's reaction to Hermione's teeth? Did you
consider this was simply a normal part of Snape's overall nastiness or
did it seem to you to be unusually cruel, even for him?

(4) Rita Skeeter - what were your impressions of her? Considering that,
by the time of Goblet of Fire, JKR had become a major public figure and
the subject of numerous media pieces, do you think that Rita might tell
us something about JKR's own reaction to certain types of journalism and 
journalist?

(5) The chapter's title is 'The Weighing of the Wands' and we are told
about the characteristics of each of the Champion's wands. As the 'Wand
Chooses the Wizard', do you think this information gives us any insight
into the four champions?

(For ready reference:

Fleur Delacour: Rosewood. Nine and a half inches. Inflexible. Contains
the hair of a Veela - Fleur's grandmother. This wand was not made by
Ollivander, but the maker is not named.

Cedric Diggory: Ash. Twelve and a quarter inches. Pleasantly springy.
Contains a single hair of a particularly fine male unicorn. Made by
Ollivander.

Viktor Krum: Hornbeam. Ten and a quarter inches, and thicker than
normal. Quite rigid. Contains a dragon heartstring. Made by Gregorovitch.

Harry Potter: Holly. Eleven inches.Nice and supple. Contains a phoenix
feather from Fawkes - the only other feather Fawkes gave to a wand is
that contained in Voldemort's wand. Made by Ollivander.)