When Harry walked out to face his dragon in the first task
This was the moment when the Triwizard tournament truly became real. We can’t begin to imagine just how terrified Harry would have been to walk out into that crowd… coming face to face with a giant dragon wouldn’t have helped things either.
He saw everything in front of him as though it was a very highly coloured dream. There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands which had been magicked there since he’d last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, leaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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When Harry took to the skies
It was exhilarating when we realised that Harry’s Summoning Charm had worked. Suddenly, he was able to play to his strengths on the back of a broomstick. This was the moment we knew that he had a real chance as a competitor in the tournament – if he could just harness those excellent Seeker skills of his.
He swung his leg over the broom, and kicked off from the ground. And a second later, something miraculous happened...
As he soared upwards, as the wind rushed through his hair, as the crowd’s faces became mere flesh-coloured pinpricks below, and the Horntail shrank to the size of a dog, he realised that he had left not only the ground behind, but also his fear... he was back where he belonged...
This was just another Quidditch match, that was all... just another Quidditch match, and that Horntail was just another ugly opposing team...
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Harry successfully retrieved the golden egg (and in the quickest time too)
Harry had a hard time before the first task. Many of his fellow Hogwarts students weren’t exactly rooting for him (even Ron). Therefore, when he managed to snatch the golden egg from the clutches of an angry Hungarian Horntail, it was brilliant. What made this moment even better, was that he finally seemed to have won over the rather hostile crowd.
And then she reared, spreading her great black leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small aeroplane – and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding towards the ground as fast as he could go, towards the eggs now unprotected by her clawed, front legs – he had taken his hands off his Firebolt – he had seized the golden egg –
And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up – for the first time, he became properly aware of the noise of the crowd, which was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup
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When Harry and Ron made up
It was awful when Harry and Ron weren’t speaking to one another. Fuelled by Ron’s jealousy, they spent a good few weeks giving each other the silent treatment – and it probably drove poor Hermione up the wall. We were absolutely ecstatic when they buried the hatchet after the first task… and in such a typically teenage way too.
‘Harry,’ he said, very seriously, ‘whoever put your name in that Goblet – I – I reckon they’re trying to do you in!’
It was as though the last few weeks had never happened – as though Harry was meeting Ron for the first time, right after he’d been made champion.
‘Caught on, have you?’ said Harry coldly. ‘Took you long enough.’
Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Harry knew Ron was about to apologise and, suddenly, he found he didn’t need to hear it.
‘It’s OK,’ he said, before Ron could get the words out. ‘Forget it.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Harry grew gills
Harry had real trouble figuring out how he was going to hold his breath for an hour underwater. Despite his and Hermione’s research, it seemed like he was never going to solve that puzzle. Even when Dobby presented Harry with Gillyweed, we were still rather sceptical that it would work out. In that brief moment, after the task had started and he’d waded into the water, we were worried he was about to face a humiliating defeat. However, as soon as the Gillyweed kicked in and Harry sprouted gills, we knew he was back in the game.
The first gulp of icy lake water felt like the breath of life. His head had stopped spinning; he took another great gulp of water and felt it pass smoothly through his gills, sending oxygen back to his brain. He stretched out his hands in front of him and stared at them. They looked green and ghostly under the water, and they had become webbed. He twisted around and looked at his bare feet – they had become elongated and his toes were webbed, too; it looked as though he had sprouted flippers.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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When we met the merpeople for the first time
The lake at Hogwarts was something of a mystery before the second task. We knew there was a giant squid that lurked there, but we didn’t know what else was beneath the surface. It was incredibly cool to see what else dwelled in those waters – and it was fascinating to meet the merpeople and see how and where they lived.
The merpeople had greyish skins and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. They leered at Harry as he swam past; one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better, their powerful, silver fishtails beating the water, spears clutched in their hands.
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When Harry tried to save Ron and Hermione
We liked that Harry wanted to save both of his best friends. His determination to free them both showed that he didn’t really value one above the other. While Ron was the person he was supposed to rescue, it didn’t stop Harry from putting up a good old fight to free Hermione too.
At once, several pairs of strong grey hands seized him. Half-a-dozen mermen were pulling him away from Hermione, shaking their green-haired heads and laughing.
‘You take your own hostage,’ one of them said to him. ‘Leave the others...’
‘No way!’ said Harry furiously – but only two large bubbles came out.
‘Your task is to retrieve your own friend... leave the others...’
‘She’s my friend, too!’ Harry yelled, gesturing towards Hermione, an enormous silver bubble emerging soundlessly from his lips. ‘And I don’t want them to die, either!’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Harry showed ‘moral fibre’
It’s hard to argue that Harry doesn’t have a bit of a hero complex. While we all know that there was no way any of the hostages would have been allowed to die, Harry didn’t seem to grasp that. Yet, despite his antics, which saw him rescuing Fleur’s sister Gabrielle, it still seemed to work out for him. He certainly impressed most of the judges if their comments and scores were anything to go by…
‘Mr Harry Potter used Gillyweed to great effect,’ Bagman continued. ‘He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Mer-chieftainess informs us that Mr Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own.’
Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half- commiserating looks.
‘Most of the judges’ – and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look – ‘feel that this shows moral fibre and merits full marks. However… Mr Potter’s score is forty-five points.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Bill and Mrs Weasley came to wish Harry luck in the first task
Ok, so while strictly speaking this was before the third task, it was such a heart-warming moment we had to include it. When the champions were told that family members would be there to wish them luck before the final task, Harry didn’t expect anyone to come and cheer him on – there’s no way the Dursleys would ever have done that. To find that he had Bill and Mrs Weasley in his corner was especially moving, and a sign that he was part of the Weasley clan.
‘Surprise!’ Mrs Weasley said excitedly, as Harry smiled broadly, and walked over to them. ‘Thought we’d come and watch you, Harry!’ She bent down and kissed him on the cheek.
‘You all right?’ said Bill, grinning at Harry and shaking his hand. ‘Charlie wanted to come, but he couldn’t get time off. He said you were incredible against the Horntail.’
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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When we saw one of Hagrid’s beloved Skrewts again
Hagrid’s Blast-Ended Skrewts really were unappealing beasts, and we can imagine that the last thing Harry wanted to do was face this faceless monster. Though at least they finally seemed to have some kind of purpose…
Cedric was right – it was enormous. Ten feet long, it looked more like a giant scorpion than anything. Its long sting was curled over its back. Its thick armour glinted in the light from Harry’s wand, which he pointed at it.
‘Stupefy!’
The spell hit the Skrewt’s armour, and rebounded; Harry ducked just in time, but could smell burning hair; it had singed the top of his head. The Skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end, and flew forwards towards him.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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When Harry met a sphinx
This was a moment where Harry proved that he had logical thinking skills to rival Hermione’s (well… almost). Coming up against this impressive creature must have been rather intimidating, but Harry held his own and managed to solve the riddle set by this imperious beast.
It was a sphinx. It had the body of an overlarge lion; great clawed paws, and a long yellowish tail ending in a brown tuft. Its head, however, was that of a woman. She turned her long, almond-shaped eyes upon Harry as he approached. He raised his wand, hesitating. She was not crouching as if to spring, but pacing from side to side of the path, blocking his progress.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When Harry and Cedric decided to win the Triwizard Tournament together
This moment is so bittersweet – especially as we know what happened after they picked up the Triwizard Cup. Harry and Cedric had both helped each other out at various points throughout the tournament, so it was lovely when they both decided to share the glory and bring home a joint Hogwarts victory. It undoubtedly showed the strength of both of their characters.
‘Both of us,’ Harry said.
‘What?’
‘We’ll take it at the same time. It’s still a Hogwarts victory. We’ll tie for it.’
Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. ‘You – you sure?’
‘Yeah,’ said Harry. ‘Yeah... we’ve helped each other out, haven’t we? We both got here. Let’s just take it together.’
For a moment, Cedric looked as though he couldn’t believe his ears; then his face split in a grin.
‘You’re on,’ he said. ‘Come here.’
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