Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Chapter 31 Summary

Chapter Thirty-One

The Third Task

 

The summer holidays are fast approaching, and Harry spends all of his leisure time learning defensive spells in order to do well in the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Harry feels fairly confident until Rita Skeeter strikes again with yet another story in the Daily Prophet.  Harry is shocked to read that Skeeter knew Harry had collapsed with a hurting scar in Divination class, describing Harry in the title as “Disturbed and Dangerous.” Hermione is incredibly angry, but suddenly has an epiphany about how Rita Skeeter might be obtaining her information. As usual, Hermione runs immediately to the library to do some research. Harry and Ron simply sit at the breakfast table looking confused.

Because of Harry’s previous practice of defensive spells, Harry does not feel too nervous about this last task of the Triwizard Tournament. In fact, Harry’s spirits are boosted even more when Mrs. Weasley and Ron’s brother, Bill, arrive to watch him perform the third task. 

At the beginning of the third task, Harry does very well. He manages to get through lots of obstacles in the maze (including a fake Dementor that Harry removes with a simple spell, an upside-down world that Harry rights with disbelief, a huge Blast-Ended Screwt, and a sphinx bearing riddles); however, it is not long before Harry has to rescue Cedric because Viktor Krum performs one of the Unforgivable Curses to stop his opponent. Cedric is thankful, but both he and Harry take different routes to the center of the maze. Both Harry and Cedric get to the center at the same time and, together, fight a large and magical spider that is guarding the Triwizard Cup. The two defeat the spider and then touch the Cup together in order to share the win of the Triwizard Tournament.  uddenly, Harry feels jerked out of the maze with the howl of wind swirling all around him.