Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Chapter Notes

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

Chapter 11: Aboard the Hogwarts Express

• I think this book is really interesting when it comes to unreliable narrators. The story of course is in large parts told from Harry’s perspective, and therefore limited by the access of information Harry has, and judged by his own perception. But we have two characters where we are told they are unreliable narrators – first Bertha Jorkins, who we are told is oblivious, which led to a huge delay in the investigation about her disappearance. And second we have Mad-Eye Moody, and the first thing we learn about him is that he is paranoid and therefore his accusations should be taken with caution. And both are abused by Voldemort and his servants, who take advantage of these people and their public image. Nobody looks for Bertha because she already seemed confused. Nobody pays too much attention to Moody (even when he straight out tells the truth) because of his paranoia. And next year it is Harry who is publically branded as a liar, who only seeks attention. Voldemort’s plan only works because people dismiss Moody’s odd behaviour as part of his paranoia. Nobody believes he got actually attacked. He only drinks from his flask (that as we later learn contains Polyjuice Potion), but people think it is because he is afraid to get poisoned. Nobody questions this narrative because it simply confirms what they already know/suspect of him.

• I also wonder how Voldemort learned that Moody would be a teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts the next year. Did Bertha Jorkins knew about this as well? They knew they needed access to Hogwarts and Harry and the Tournament in order to fulfil their plan, and Moody was the perfect choice. For once it took out the real Moody and therefore someone who could have become very dangerous for them. Second, as mentioned, Moody’s paranoia could be used to explain away any kind of odd behaviour and to make other people question anything he says and does.

• Look, if there is a ruin that says “DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE”, you can bet some people will enter, and I wonder what happens then. I think it is completely possible for Muggles to enter Hogwarts, they are just not supposed to. Though I bet there are more charms to keep them away than just letting Hogwarts look less appealing.

• I also wonder how legal it is to teach Dark Arts like Durmstrang does. Or to not allow Muggleborns to enter the school. Aren’t there any discrimination laws in the Wizarding World? What defines Dark Arts? Is it legal to learn them as long as you don’t use them? And how are students chosen for each wizarding school? We simply assume Harry attempts Hogwarts because it is geographically the school nearest to him, but if Lucius Malfoy wanted to send his son to Durmstrang he could have done it. So do parents choose the school? We know Victor Krum is Bulgarian but evidence suggests Durmstrang is in the north, so did his parents decide he would go there? Did he had to learn a different language? How does any of this works?