Dress robes. Poor Ron.

And the possibility of only putting one body part through the floo network.

And mention of Moody's new job.

Mad-Eye Moody's night of attacking dustbins is of course him being attacked and locked in the chest. I like how Rowling buries that event in character drawing.That is the best plotting in this section, I think. The others are just indications of what is to come.

Like Charlie's hint that he will see them all soon. Or Draco's talk of entering.

Of course this gleeful anticipation makes it seem like the challenges and mysteries at Hogwarts this year will be a good experience. Which is wildly misguiding. And I suppose that is good.

Oh, and Durmstrang is introduced, as Legolas said it would be. And framed in the Dark Arts comments from Draco. We are set up to think Karkaroff might be the bad guy. I think that is part of the problem of this book. It sets up too many red herrings. It gets confused.

More recap. I was annoyed by the whole scene with Peeves and McGonnagall (short as it was) because it was clearly there only to introduce the character, when we know them already. It is followed by another recap. This is chapter 12. I hatehatehate the recaps. There. Done. No, really.

Also, Harry's Cho obsession continues.

And Moody is drinking from his hip flask.


We also get a resolution to the main enigma of the preceding chapters. All that nudging and winking: The Triwizard Tournament.

Everyone keeps saying there may be deaths, and we don't believe it. Well, we do, because we have read the books before. But I didn't when I read it the first time, and I don't when I read now, until I remember.