Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapter 31 Summary.
The Third Task
Chapter 31 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, titled ‘The Third Task’ deals with the final task of the Triwizard Tournament, the Maze.
Theories, Theories, Theories
The moment Harry returns from Dumbledore’s office, he shares everything he saw in the pensieve with Ron and Hermione. He also sends a letter with the information to Sirius.
Ron wonders why Dumbledore trusts Snape so much. Hermione, on the other hand, realizes what Rita Skeeter meant when she said she knows all about Ludo’s dark secrets. Winky too had called him a bad wizard, perhaps for this very reason.
A few seconds later Hermione looks at her watch and asks Harry to sleep. As Harry lies in the dormitory listening to Neville snore, he feels a rush of anger towards the people who tortured his parents.
The next day, Harry wakes up and resumes his curse practice. He has now mastered the Impediment curse that slows down attackers, the Reductor curse that blasts solid objects out of the way, and the four-point spell that points his wand North. However, he was still having some trouble with the shield charm.
Ron stands near the window and observes Malfoy talking into his hand, while Crabbe and Goyle keep a lookout. Harry theorizes he is talking into a walkie-talkie, but Hermione angrily reminds him that muggle technology does not work inside Hogwarts.
Disturbed and Dangerous
Sirius has started to write daily, and advises Harry to train for the last task more than anything else. He assures him that Voldemort cannot hope to lay hands on Harry while he is in Hogwarts. However, he still has to get through the last task himself.
On the morning of the third task, breakfast is a noisy affair at the Gryffindor table. Harry gets a good luck note from Sirius, and Hermione gets her usual delivery of the prophet. She opens the newspaper, and something she wouldn’t like awaits her.
Rita Skeeter has struck again, and this time has painted Harry as a disturbed and dangerous boy. She talks about how Harry collapses regularly at school and complains about his scar hurting. According to her, a specialist from St. Mungo’s Hospital says he might be deeply confused or pretending for attention.
A quote from Draco reveals that Harry can speak Parseltongue; which is considered a Dark Art. Further, he is friends with werewolves and giants, implying he would do anything for power.
The trio cannot figure out how she learned about Harry’s scar since she was not present during Divination. Suddenly, Hermione seems to have a realization and rushes to the library. Ron calls out behind her since their History of Magic exam is about to begin, but she doesn’t stop. Powerless, he goes alone since Harry is exempt from writing exams.
Arrival of the Weasleys
Before the final task, McGonagall invites Harry to the Chamber off the Hall after breakfast. All the champions are gathering there since their families are invited to watch the task, and it is a chance for Harry to greet his own. The other champions start to leave, but Harry stays to finish his breakfast.
Harry hesitates and lingers in the hall even after breakfast, since he has no family to go to. However, Cedric pops back in and tells Harry that everyone is waiting for him. Perplexed, Harry goes to the hall expecting to see the Dursleys, but is pleased to find Mrs. Weasley and Bill instead.
Mrs Weasley kisses him on the cheek as Fleur eyes Bill with great interest. Bill asks Harry for a tour and they set out. Amos greets Harry rather cockily, but Cedric asks Harry to ignore him.
Harry has a very enjoyable morning walk with the Weasleys. Mrs Weasley tells him that Percy is under a lot of strain since he was the only person in contact with Crouch before his disappearance.
After the exam, Ron and the others join the Weasleys at the Gryffindor table for lunch. Mrs Weasley acts cold towards Hermione initially, but when Harry calls her out for it, she becomes considerably warmer. Harry, feeling nervous, doesn’t eat much. Soon, it is time for the final task to begin.
The Final Task
The Champions all walk outside towards the Quidditch field. The field is completely unrecognizable, as a twenty-foot hedge runs all the way around the edge of it.
Professor McGonagall announces that the professors will be patrolling outside the maze, and if they need anything they can shoot red sparks into the air.
Bagman marks the beginning of the third task with the current scoreboard. As Harry and Cedric are both at the top, they get a headstart. They walk inside the maze together for fifty yards, then split at a fork. Harry hurries along his path, but it is completely deserted.
Suddenly, Cedric pops out in front of him. He tells Harry that he was attacked by Hagrid’s Blast-Ended Skrewts, and barely just got away. Shaking his head, he dives out of sight along another path. Harry hurries off again, and comes face to face with a Dementor.
Harry’s insides go cold, but he defends himself with a Patrons charm. The Dementor falls backward, and Harry realizes it is just a Boggart and deals with it accordingly.
Inside The Maze
After a few dead ends, Harry comes across a strange golden mist. He debates internally whether or not he should cross it when he hears Fleur scream in the distance.
Harry takes a deep breath and runs into the mist. Out of nowhere, his world turns upside down. He hangs from the ground, and his glasses threaten to fall into the endless sky. For a minute he panics and contemplates giving up, but then takes a step and the world corrects itself.
Harry thinks about what could have happened to Fleur. He also realizes that one champion is down, the cup is close by, and that he could actually win the tournament.
Harry continues navigating the maze. He runs into an enormous Blast-Ended Skrewt, but manages to freeze it using Impedimenta. A few minutes later, he hears something in the path parallel to his own.
It is Cedric. He seems to be yelling at Krum, who casts a Crucio at him. Harry hurries towards Cedric and stuns Krum with a Stupefy. Cedric and Harry discuss what to do with him, and decide to send out sparks. With this, the boys head on their separate ways.
Harry goes on for a few minutes using his four-point spell, and comes across an extraordinary creature; a sphinx.
It had the body of a lion, great clawed paws, a long yellow tail, and the head of a woman. The Sphinx tells Harry that he is very near to his goal, and the quickest way to reach it is through the Sphinx.
The Sphinx announces that Harry will have to answer a riddle for it to give him way. It will attack Harry if he gives. the wrong answer, but will let him leave if he chooses to remain silent.
The Sphinx announces its riddle, and Harry guesses it correctly. The Sphinx lets him pass, and he dashes towards a gleaming light ahead.
The Triwizard Cup
The Triwizard Cup sat a hundred yards from him. Suddenly, Cedric hurled out onto the path in front of him. Harry thought Cedric would get the cup first, but realized that Cedric was being chased; by a huge spider.
Harry asks Cedric to look out, but he trips. As the spider begins tearing down at Cedric, Harry hits it with a Stupefy. It does absolutely nothing, apart from distracting the spider and making Harry its new target.
There is a brief scuffle between Harry, the spider and Cedric, at the end of which the boys manage to hit its underbelly with a Stupefy each, stunning the creature. It leaves Harry injured though, as he falls on his already hurt leg.
Harry asks Cedric to take the Cup, but Cedric refuses. He cites that Harry has helped him multiple times throughout the tournament, and hence he deserves the victory. They go back and forth on who should be the winner but finally decide that they can tie for it.
Cedric helps Harry up and they reach for the cup on three. However, the second they touch it, his feet leave the ground.
The chapter ends as the cup pulls them upwards in a howl of wind and a swirl of color.
