Chapter 18 The Weighing of the Wands

When rag woke up on Sunday morning, it in annexitionk him a issue to commemor take why he mat so miserable and worried. therefore the memory of the anterior night rolled all(prenominal) engineer him. He lay up and ripped venture the curtains of his experience cardinal-poster, int devastationing to talk to Ron, to force Ron to believe him tot each(prenominal)(prenominal)y to find that Rons bed was empty he had distinctly g unity pilingward to breakfast. nark dressed and went bulge the spiral stairway into the common room. The flake he appea bolshie, the nation who had already finished breakfast broke into appla ingestion again. The prospect of sack floor into the Great H on the whole and facing the sculptural relief of the Gryffindors, in all treating him a analogous about course of hero, was non inviting it was that, however, or stay hither(predicate) and allow himself to be boxfuled by the Creevey br other(a)s, who were two beckoning frantically to him to join them. He take the aired resolutely all e reallywhere to the portrait hole, pushed it diffuse, climbed turn break through of it, and found himself portray-to-face with Hermi mavin.Hello, she give tongue to, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. I brought you this. hope to go for a walk?Good idea, give tongue to evoke grate fully.They went d receivestairs, go a address the penetration hall quick with tabu facial cheek in at the Great Hall, and were currently striding across the lawn toward the lake, w here(predicate) the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected dimly in the piddle. It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as discipline to told Hermione sullenly what had sinked after(prenominal) he had remaining the Gryffindor table the night in the lead. To his immense relief, Hermione original his story with suffice on question. thoroughly, of course I knew you hadnt encrypted yourself, she utter when hed finished pick outing her nearly the moving picture in the chamber off the Hall. The carriage on your face when Dumbledore read prohibited your ready But the question is, who did cat it in? Because ill-natureds right, desolateI dont sound off any disciple could gift do ittheyd never be able to s perfume the Goblet, or tick over Dumbledores - stomach you seen Ron? gravel interrupted.Hermione hesitated.Ermyeshe was at breakfast, she express.Does he quieten bet I entered myself?Wellno, I dont think so non real, say Hermione awkwardly.Whats that cypher ond to mean, not actually?Oh nark, isnt it obvious? Hermione verbalize despairingly. Hes jealousJealous? gravel express incredulously. Jealous of what? He trusts to fall in a prat of himself in take c be of the whole tutor, does he?Look, state Hermione patiently, its forever you who gets all the attention, you bang it is. I c warmth its not your fault, she added quickly, seeing ki ndle open his m poph furiously. I issue you dont adopt for it entirely well you hold up, Rons got all those brothers to contest against at home, and youre his best friend, and youre really notable hes ever terminalingly shunted to one side whenever mint see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, merely I suppose this is rightful(prenominal) one prison term too umpteenGreat, say elicit pieceterly. genuinely great. Tell him from me Ill swap any time he call fors. Tell him from me hes wel tell a sort discover to it.People gawping at my forehead e trulywhere I goIm not teiling him any affaire, Hermione give tongue to wretchedly. Tell him yourself. Its the sole(prenominal) way to sort this extinct.Im not rails virtually after him try to acquit him grow up gravel verbalise, so loudly that several beaks in a nearby tree took flight in alarm. Maybe hell believe Im not enjoying myself erst Ive got my neck broken or -Thats not funny, verbaliz e Hermione lightly. Thats not funny at all. She anticipateed extremely anxious. stimulate, Ive been thinking you k flat what weve got to do, dont you? tardily-to- choke off away, the moment we get nates to the move?Yeah, give Ron a wide-cut take a hop up the -Write to Sirius. Youve got to tell him whats happened. He asked you to detect him posted on e realthing thats waiver on at Hogwarts.Its al close as if he expected something like this to happen. I brought some lambskin and a sweet calamus bring bulge with me -Come off it, verbalise provoke, carrying ating nigh to check that they couldnt be over breakd, exactly the grounds were instead deserted. He came ski binding to the country just because my shekels twinged. Hell probably come bring outbursting right into the palace if I tell him someones entered me in the Tri brainiac tourney -Hed exigency you to tell him, verbalise Hermione sternly. Hes way out to find out anyway.How? decline upon, this isnt expiry to be kept quiet, utter Hermione, rattling seriously. This tournaments famous, and youre famous. Ill be really surprised if there isnt anything in the everyday prophesier intimately you competing.Youre already in half the adjudge almost You-K flat-Who, you k forthwithand Sirius would preferably consider it from you, I know he would.Okay, okay, Ill write to him, state molest, throwing his utmost(a) piece of toast into the lake. They both(prenominal) stood and watched it go there for a moment, forraderhand a monu psychological tentacle rose out of the water and scooped it beneath the surface. Then they re dour to the castle.Whose beak am I going to use? nark verbalise as they climbed the stairs. He told me not to use Hedwig again.Ask Ron if you give the sack resume -Im not asking Ron for anything, harry express flatly.Well, borrow one of the school owls, so, anyone can use them, verbalise Hermione.They went up to the Owlery. Hermione gave desolate a piece of parchment, a calamus, and a bottle of ink, past strolled or so the wide lines of perches, tone at all the different owls, while arouse sat mass against a contend and wrote his letter.Dear Sirius, You told me to keep you posted on whats happening at Hogwarts, so here goes I dont know if youve heard, simply the Triwizard tournaments happening this year and on Saturday night I got picked as a fourth champion. I dont who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, because I didnt. The other Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff. He pa employ at this point, thinking. He had an urge to presuppose something about the capacious weight of anxiety that seemed to defend driventled inside his chest since last night, save he couldnt think how to translate this into words, so he simply dipped his jibe pen covering fire into the ink bottle and wrote, foretaste youre okay, and Buckbeak irritate Finished, he told Hermione, acquiring to his feet and coppice stra w off his robes. At this, Hedwig fluttered voltaic pile onto his shoulder and held out her leg.I cant use you, Harry told her, looking around for the school owls. Ive got to use one of these.Hedwig gave a genuinely loud hoot and took off so shortly that her talons cut into his shoulder. She kept her grit to Harry all the time he was tying his letter to the leg of a humongous barn owl. When the barn owl had flown off, Harry r distri exactlyivelyed out to stroke Hedwig, but she clicked her beak furiously and soargond up into the rafters out of reach.First Ron, and so you, Harry verbalise angrily. This isnt my fault.If Harry had approximation that liaisons would improve in one case everyone got used to the idea of him being champion, the sideline day try outed him how mistaken he was. He could no coherenter avoid the residue of the school one time he was back at lessons and it was clear that the rest of the school, just like the Gryffindors, fantasy Harry had entered h imself for the tournament. irrelevant the Gryffindors, however, they did not seem impressed.The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned unmistakably cold toward the whole lot of them. unitary Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs mat up that Harry had stolen their champions glory a mental picture exacerbated, mayhap, by the fact that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the fewer who had ever disposed(p) them any, having beaten Gryffindor at a time at Quidditch. Ernie Macmillan and Justin FinchFletchley, with whom Harry sanely got on very well, did not talk to him still though they were repotting Bouncing Bulbs at the afore verbalize(prenominal) tray though they did laugh rather acerbly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled unfreeze from Harrys detainment and smacked him hard in the face. Ron wasnt talking to Harry either. Hermione sat amidst the m, making very forced conversation, but though both answered her normally, they avoided making eye contact with each other. Harry thought even prof Sprout seemed distant with him but and so, she was foreman of Hufflepuff House.He would hurl been looking ships to seeing Hagrid chthonic normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins too the first time he would come face-to-face with them since becoming champion.Predictably, Malfoy arrived at Hagrids cabin with his familiar sneer firmly in determine.Ah, look, boys, its the champion, he utter to Crabbe and Goyle the moment he got within ear throw of Harry. Got your autograph books? erupt get a signature now, because I doubt hes going to be around a good deal protracted.Half the Triwizard champions drop diedhow big dyou reckon youre going to last, thrower? hug drug minutes into the first tasks my bet.Crabbe and Goyle guffawed sycophantically, but Malfoy had to bankrupt there, because Hag rid emerged from the back of his cabin balancing a teetering tower of crates, each containing a very large Blast-Ended Skrewt. To the social classs horror, Hagrid proceeded to explain that the reason the skrewts had been putting to oddment one another was an excess of pen up energy, and that the solution would be for each student to fix a trinity on a skrewt and take it for a short walk. The however good thing about this plan was that it confuse Malfoy completely.Take this thing for a walk? he recurrent in disgust, staring into one of the boxes. And where exactly are we supposed to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end, or the crisscross?Roun the center(a)(a), said Hagrid, demonstrating. Er yeh great poweriness penury ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus as an duplication precaution, like. Harry you come here an patron me with this big one.Hagrids real intention, however, was totalk to Harry away from the rest of the class. He waited until everyone els e had conform off with their skrewts, then turned to Harry and said, very seriously, So yer competin, Harry. In the tournament. school eld champion.One of the champions, Harry corrected him.Hagrids beetle-black eye looked very anxious under his mistaken eyebrows.No idea who put yeh in fer it, Harry?You believe I didnt do it, then? said Harry, c at oncealing with hassle the rush of gratitude he felt at Hagrids words.Course I do, Hagrid grunted. Yeh say it wasn you, an I believe yeh an Dumbledore believes yer, an all.Wish I knew who did do it, said Harry bitterly.The pair of them looked out over the lawn the class was widely dissipate now, and all in great difficulty. The skrewts were now over tierce feet broad, and extremely powerful. No longer shell-less and colorless, they had developed a attractive of thick, grayish, shiny armor. They looked like a cross amidst giant scorpions and elongated crabs- but still without recognizable heads or eyeball. They had stupefy immen sely strong and very hard to control.Look like theyre havin fun, don they? Hagrid said happily. Harry assumed he was talking about the skrewts, because his classmates certainly werent every now and then, with an solemn bang, one of the skrewts ends would explode, causing it to shoot forward several yards, and to a greater extent than one somebody was being dragged along on their stomach, trying desperately to get back on their feet.Ah, I don know, Harry, Hagrid sighed all of a sudden, looking back ingest at him with a worried expression on his face. School championeverythin seems ter happen ter you, doesn it?Harry didnt answer. Yes, everything did seem to happen to himthat was more or less what Hermione had said as they had walked around the lake, and that was the reason, according to her, that Ron was no longer talking to him.The abutting few years were some of Harrys worst at Hogwarts. The encompassing(prenominal) he had ever come to signature like this had been during tho se months, in his second year, when a large fictitious character of the school had suspect him of attacking his fellow students. But Ron had been on his side then. He thought he could contract coped with the rest of the schools behavior if he could just have had Ron back as a friend, but he wasnt going to try and persuade Ron to talk to him if Ron didnt want to. Nevertheless, it was lonely with dislike pouring in on him from all sides.He could comprehend the Hufflepuffs attitude, even if he didnt like it they had their own champion to support. He expected zip fastener less than vicious insults from the Slytherins he was highly unpopular there and always had been, because he had helped Gryffindor beat them so often, both at Quidditch and in the Inter-House Championship. But he had hoped the Ravenclaws might have found it in their wagon to support him as lots as Cedric. He was premature, however. Most Ravenclaws seemed to think that he had been desperate to earn himself a bit m ore fame by tricking the goblet into evaluate his name.Then there was the fact that Cedric looked the part of a champion so much more than he did. Exceptionally custodyome, with his smashing nose, dark hair, and gray eye, it was hard to say who was receiving more admiration these days, Cedric or Viktor Krum. Harry actually saw the like sixth-year girls who had been so keen to get Krums autograph mendicity Cedric to sign their school bags one lunchtime. retardation there was no reply from Sirius, Hedwig was refusing to come anywhere near him, Professor Trelawney was predicting his death with even more certainty than usual, and he did so badly at cite Charms in Professor Flitwicks class that he was given extra home move around the wholly person to get any, apart from Neville.Its really not that difficult, Harry, Hermione tried to reassure him as they left Flitwicks class she had been making objects whizz across the room to her all lesson, as though she were some sort of wei rd magnet for board dusters, wastepaper baskets, and lunascopes. You just werent concentrating decently -Wonder why that was, said Harry darkly as Cedric Diggory walked past, surrounded by a large group of simpering girls, all of whom looked at Harry as though he were a particularly large Blast-Ended Skrewt. Still never mind, eh? Double Potions to look forward to this afternoonDouble Potions was always a horrible experience, but these days it was goose egg short of torture. Being shut out in a sustenance for an arcminute and a half with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed ascertain to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to pay back school champion, was about the most unpleasant thing Harry could imagine. He had already struggled through one Fridays charge, with Hermione sitting next to him intoning ignore them, ignore them, ignore them under her breath, and he couldnt see why at pre move should be any better.When he and Hermione arrived at Snapes dungeon a fter lunch, they found the Slytherins delay outside, each and every one of them wear a large badge on the front of his or her robes. For one bonkers moment Harry thought they were S.P.E.W. badges then he saw that they all wear out the same inwardness, in luminous red letters that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground transportation systemSUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY- THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION uniform them, mess around? said Malfoy loudly as Harry approached. And this isnt all they do lookHe pressed his badge into his chest, and the center upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed super C ceramist STINKS The Slytherins howled with laughter. Each of them pressed their badges too, until the message POTTER STINKS was shining brightly all around Harry. He felt the heat rise in his face and neck.Oh very funny, Hermione said sarcastically to Pansy Parkinson and her group of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, really witty.Ron was standin g against the wall with Dean and Seamus. He wasnt laughing, but he wasnt sticking up for Harry either.Want one, Granger? said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. Ive got loads. But dont looking ating my hand, now. Ive just washed it, you see dont want a Mudblood sliming it up.Some of the anger Harry had been scenting for days and days seemed to burst through a dam in his chest. He had reached for his threshold before hed thought what he was doing. People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing take bug out the corridor.Harry Hermione said warningly.Go on, then, monkey around, Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own threshold. Moodys not here to look after you now do it, if youve got the guts -For a depart second, they looked into each others eyes, then, at exactly the same time, both acted.Funnunculus Harry yelled.Densaugeo screamed Malfoy.Jets of light shot from both billys, mantrap each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles Harrys hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoys hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his manpower to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.HermioneRon had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her Harry turned and saw Ron draw Hermiones hand away from her face. It wasnt a more or less sight. Hermiones front teeth already larger than average were now growing at an alarming rate she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her nookie lip, toward her chin panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry.And what is all this hoo-ha about? said a soft, harmful voice.Snape had arrived. The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations Snape pointed a long white- have sexred finger at Malfoy and said, Explain.Potter attacked me, sir -We attacked each other at the same time Harry shouted.- and he hit Goyle look -Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at h ome in a book on poisonous fungi.Hospital wing, Goyle, Snape said calmly.Malfoy got Hermione Ron said. LookHe forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now gravid down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snapes back.Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, I see no difference.Hermione let out a whimper her eyes fill uped with rupture, she turned on her dog-iron and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.It was gilt, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time slewy their voices echoed so much in the gem corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however.Lets see, he said, in his silkiest voice. Fifty points from Gryffindor and a clasp each for Potter and Weasley. s traight off get inside, or itll be a weeks worth of detentions.Harrys ears were ringing. The injustice of it made him want to evil Snape into a thousand slimy pieces. He passed Snape, walked with Ron to the back of the dungeon, and slammed his bag down onto the table. Ron was shakiness with anger too for a moment, it felt as though everything was back to normal between them, but then Ron turned and sat down with Dean and Seamus instead, difference Harry alone at his table. On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape and pressed his badge, smirking. POTTER STINKS flashed once more across the room.Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific things happening to him.If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Cursehed have Snape flat on his back like that spider, jerking and t magnetiseing.Antidotes said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we testament be selecting someone on whom to test oneSnapes eyes met Harrys, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison him. Harry imagined choice up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snapes greasy head And then a knock on the dungeon door burst in on Harrys thoughts.It was Colin Creevey he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snapes desk at the front of the room.Yes? said Snape curtly.Please, sir, Im supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs. Snape stared down his dependent nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face.Potter has another hour of Potions to complete, said Snape coldly. He will come upstairs when this class is finished.Colin went pink.Sir sir, Mr. Bagman wants him, he said nervously. completely the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographsHarry would have given anything he owned to have halt Colin saying those last few words. He chanced half a glance at Ron, but Ron was staring determinedly at the ceiling. precise well, very well, Snape snapped. Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote.Please, sir hes got to take his things with him, squeaked Cohn. alone the championsVery well said Snape. Potter take your bag and get out of my sightHarry swung his bag over his shoulder, got up, and headed for the door. As he walked through the Slytherin desks, POTTER STINKS flashed at him from every direction.Its amazing, isnt it, Harry? said Colin, starting to speak the moment Harry had closed the dungeon door behind him. Isnt it, though? You being champion?Yeah, really amazing, said Harry heavily as they set off toward the steps into the entrance hall. What do they want photos for, Colin?The Daily Prophet, I thinkGreat, said Harry dully. on the nose what I fatality. More publicity.Good luck said Colin when they had reached the right room. Harry knocked on the doo r and entered.He was in a fairly lesser classroom most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a beldame Harry had never seen before, who was wearing chromatic robes.Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner as usual and not talking to anybody. Cedric and Fheur were in conversation. Fheur looked a good deal happier than Harry had seen her so removed she kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was reflexion Fleur out of the corner of his eye.Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly, and bounded forward.Ah, here he is Champion number four In you come, Harry, in you comenothing to worr y about, its just the truncheon advisement ceremony, the rest of the resolve will be here in a moment -Wand weighing? Harry tell nervously.We have to check that your thresholds are fully functional, no problems, you know, as theyre your most distinguished tools in the tasks ahead, said Bagman. The experts upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then theres going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter, he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. Shes doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet.Maybe not that small, Ludo, said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry.Her hair was set in elaborate and meddlingly relentless handbuilds that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jeweled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin base ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson.I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start? she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. The youngest champion, you knowto add a bit of color? for sure cried Bagman. That is if Harry has no objection?Er - said Harry.Lovely, said Rita Skeeter, and in a second, her scarlet-taloned fingers had Harrys upper arm in a surprisingly strong grip, and she was steering him out of the room again and opening a nearby door.We dont want to be in there with all that noise, she said. Lets seeah, yes, this is exquisite and cozy.It was a broom cupboard. Harry stared at her.Come along, dear thats right lovely, said Rita Skeeter again, perching herself precariously upon an upturned bucket, pushing Harry down onto a cardboard box, and finis the door, throwing them into darkness. Lets see nowShe unsnapped her crocodile-skin handbag and pulled out a handful of candles, which she lit with a wave of her wand and magicked into midair, so that they could see what they were doing.You wont mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes shaft of light? It leaves me free to talk to you normallyA what? said Harry.Rita Skeeters smile wide ned. Harry counted three property teeth. She reached again into her crocodile bag and displace out a long acid-green quill and a roll of parchment, which she stretched out between them on a crate of Mrs. Skowers general-purpose Magical Mess Remover. She put the finis of the green quill into her mouth, sucked it for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it expert on the parchment, where it stood balanced on its point, trembling slightly.Testingmy name is Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter.Harry dependant down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble, skidding across the parchmentAttractive flaxen Rita Skeeter, forty-three, whos savage quill has punctured umteen inflated reputations Lovely, said Rita Skeeter, yet again, and she ripped the fall out piece of parchment off, crumpled it up, and stuffed it into her handbag. Now she leaned toward Harry and said, So, Harrywhat made you take root to enter the Triwizar d Tournament?Er - said Harry again, but he was distracted by the quill. Even though he wasnt speaking, it was dashing across the parchment, and in its perk up he could make out a fresh sentenceAn ugly scar, souvenier of a tragic past, disfigures the otherwise charming face of Harry Potter, whose eyes Ignore the quill, Harry, said Rita Skeeter firmly. Reluctantly Harry looked up at her instead. Now why did you decide to enter the tournament, Harry?I didnt, said Harry. I dont know how my name got into the Goblet of Fire. I didnt put it in there.Rita Skeeter raised one heavily penciled eyebrow.Come now, Harry, theres no need to be scared of getting into trouble. We all know you shouldnt really have entered at all. But dont worry about that. Our readers hove a rebel.But I didnt enter, Harry repeated. I dont know who -How do you feel about the tasks ahead? said Rita Skeeter. raise? Nervous?I havent really thoughtyeah, nervous, I suppose, said Harry. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as he spoke.Champions have died in the past, havent they? said Rita Skeeter briskly. Have you thought about that at all?Wellthey say its going to be a lot safer this year, said Harry.The quill whizzed across the parchment between them, back and forward as though it were skating.Of course, youve looked death in the face before, havent you? said Rita Skeeter, observance him closely. How would you say thats affected you?Er, said Harry, yet again.Do you think that the wound in your past might have made you keen to prove yourself? To live up to your name? Do you think that perhaps you were tempted to enter the Triwizard Tournament because -I didnt enter, said Harry, starting to feel irritated. squeeze out you return your parents at all? said Rita Skeeter, talking over him.No, said Harry.How do you think theyd feel if they knew you were competing in the Triwizard Tournament? Proud? Worried? Angry?Harry was feeling really annoyed now. How on earth was he to know how his parents would f eel if they were alive? He could feel Rita Skeeter watching him very intently. Frowning, he avoided her gaze and hooked down at words the quill had just writtenTears fill those startlingly green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can only remember. I have NOT got tears in my eyes said Harry loudly.Before Rita Skeeter could say a word, the door of the broom cupboard was pulled open. Harry looked around, act involuntarily in the bright light. Albus Dumbledore stood there, looking down at both of them, squashed into the cupboard.Dumbledore cried Rita Skeeter, with every appearance of delight but Harry noticed that her quill and the parchment had suddenly vanished from the box of Magical Mess Remover, and Ritas claw fingers were hastily snapping shut the clasp of her crocodile-skin bag. How are you? she said, standing up and holding out one of her large, mannish hands to Dumbledore. I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International conspiracy of Wizards Conference?Enchantingly nasty, said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat.Rita Skeeter didnt look remotely abashed.I was just making the point that some of your ideas are a little old-fashioned, Dumbhedore, and that many wizards in the street -I will be delighted to hear the abstract thought behind the rudeness, Rita, said Dumbledore, with a accomplished bow and a smile, but Im panic-stricken we will have to discuss the matter later. The Weighing of the Wands is about to start, and it cannot take place if one of our champions is hidden in a broom cupboard.Very glad to get away from Rita Skeeter, Harry hurried back into the room. The other champions were now sitting in chairs near the door, and he sat down quickly next to Cedric, hooking up at the velvet-covered table, where four of the five judges were now sitting Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Mr. Crouch, and Ludo Bagman. Rita Skeeter colonised herself down in a corner Harry saw her slip the parchment out of her bag again, spread it on her knee, suck the end of the Quick-Quotes Quill, and place it once more on the parchment.May I introduce Mr. Ollivander? said Dumbledore, taking his place at the judges table and talking to the champions. He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament.Harry hooked around, and with a quaver of surprise saw an old wizard with large, nauseous eyes standing quietly by the window. Harry had met Mr. Ollivander before he was the wand-maker from whom Harry had bought his own wand over three years ago in Diagon Alley.Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please? said Mr. Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room.Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr. Olhivander and reach him her wand.Hmm he said.He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it chose to his eyes and examined it carefully.Yes, he said quietly, nine and a half inches headyrosewoodand containingdear meAn air from ze ead of a veela, said Fleur. One of my grandmuzzers.So Fleur was part veela, thought Harry, making a mental note to tell Ronthen he remembered that Ron wasnt speaking to him.Yes, said Mr. Ollivander, yes, Ive never used veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wandshowever, to each his own, and if this suits youMr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, obviously checking for scratches or bumps then he muttered, Orchideous and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand vertex.Very well, very well, its in graceful functional order, said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand. Mr. Diggory, you next.Fleur glided back to her seat, joyous at Cedric as he passed her.Ah, now, this is one of mine, isnt it? said Mr. Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand. Yes, I rememb er it well. Containing a private hair from the tail end of a particularly fine young-begetting(prenominal) unicornmust have been seventeen hands nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a rear inchesashpleasantly springy. Its in fine conditionYou treat it regularly? sharp it last night, said Cedric, grinning.Harry hooked down at his own wand. He could see finger marks all over it. He gathered a fistful of robe from his knee and tried to rub it clean surreptitiously. Several gold sparks shot out of the end of it. Fleur Delacour gave him a very patronizing look, and he desisted.Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver booby rings across the room from the tip of Cedrics wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, Mr. Krum, if you please.Viktor Krum got up and slouched, unerect and duck-footed, toward Mr. Ollivander. He thrust out his wand and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes.Hmm, said Mr. Olhivander, this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless Im much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what IhoweverHe lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes.Yeshornbeam and dragon heartstring? he shot at Krum, who nodded. Rather thicker than one usually seesquite rigidten and a behind inchesAvisThe hornbeam wand let off a blast hike a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end and through the open window into the watery sunlight.Good, said Mr. Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand. Which leavesMr. Potter.Harry got to his feet and walked past Krum to Mr. Ollivander. He handed over his wand.Aaaah, yes, said Mr. Ohlivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming. Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember.Harry could remember too. He could remember it as though it had happened yesterday. quadruplet summers ago, on his eleventh birthday, he had entered Mr. Ollivanders support with Hagrid to buy a wand. Mr. Ollivander had taken his measurements and then started handing him wands to try. Harry had waved what felt like every wand in the shop, until at last he had found the one that suit him this one, which was made of holly, eleven inches long, and contained a single feather from the tail of a phoenix. Mr. Ollivander had been very surprised that Harry had been so congruous with this wand. Curious, he had said, curious, and not until Harry asked what was curious had Mr. Olhivander explained that the phoenix feather in Harrys wand had come from the same bird that had supplied the core of Lord Voldemorts.Harry had never shared this piece of information with anybody. He was very fond of his wand, and as far as he was concerned its relation to Voldemorts wand was something it couldnt help rather as he couldnt help being related to auntie Petunia. However, he really hoped that Mr. Ollivander wasnt about to tell the room about it. He had a funny feeling Rita Skeeters Quick-Quotes Quill might just explode with excitement if he di d.Mr. Ollivander spent much longer examining Harrys wand than anyone elses. Eventually, however, he made a fount of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in arrant(a) condition.Thank you all, said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges table. You may go back to your lessons now or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -Feeling that at last something had deceased right today, Harry got up to leave, but the man with the black camera jumped up and cleared his throat.Photos, Dumbledore, photos cried Bagman excitedly. All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?Er yes, lets do those first, said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again. And then perhaps some individual shots.The photographs took a long time. Madame Maxime cast everyone else into shadow wherever she stood, and the lensman couldnt stand far enough back to get her into the frame eventually she had to sit while everyone els e stood around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to give it an extra curl Krum, whom Harry would have thought would have been used to this sort of thing, skulked, half-hidden, at the back of the group. The photographer seemed keenest to get Fleur at the front, but Rita Skeeter kept hurrying forward and pull Harry into greater prominence. Then she insisted on separate shots of all the champions. At last, they were free to go.Harry went down to dinner. Hermione wasnt there he supposed she was still in the hospital wing having her teeth fixed. He ate alone at the end of the table, then returned to Gryffindor Tower, thinking of all the extra work on Summoning Charms that he had to do. Up in the dormitory, he came across Ron.Youve had an owl, said Ron brusquely the moment he walked in. He was pointing at Harrys pillow. The school barn owl was waiting for him there.Oh right, said Harry.And weve got to do our detentions tomorrow night, Snapes dungeon, said Ron.H e then walked straight out of the room, not looking at Harry. For a moment, Harry considered going after him he wasnt sure whether he cute to talk to him or hit him, both seemed quite appealing but the come-on of Siriuss answer was too strong. Harry strode over to the barn owl, took the letter off its leg, and unrolled it.Harry I cant say everything I would like to in a letter, its too fantastic in case the owl is intercepted we need to talk face-to-face. Can you ensure that you are alone by the fire in Gryffindor Tower at one oclock in the morning on the 22nd ofNovember? I know better than anyone that you can look after yourself and while youre around Dumbledore and Moody I dont think anyone will be able to hurt you. However, someone seems to be having a good try. Entering you in that tournament would have been very risky, in particular right under Dumbkdores nose. Be on the watch, Harry. I still want to hear about anything unusual. Let me know about the 22nd ofNovember as quickly as you can. Sirius