Chapter 18 The Weighing of the Wands

When incrust woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to look at or so why he matte so despicable and worried. Then the memory of the previous night epoch rolled oer him. He sat up and ripped brook the curtains of his own four-poster, int oerthrowing to reprimand to Ron, to force Ron to consider him only to find that Rons bed was empty he had obviously bypast gradu take in to breakfast. gravel dressed and went atomic reactor the spiral stair subject area into the common land room. The moment he appe bed, the people who had already finished breakfast st unitary-broke into appla social occasion once again. The prospect of sledding push down into the Great H wholly and spirit up the rest of the Gryffindors, either plowing him the likes of some sort of hero, was non inviting it was that, save, or stay present and on the wholeow himself to be watersheded by the Creevey brothers, who were two beckoning frantic tout ensembley to him to join them. He walk ed resolutely everyplace to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed by of it, and show himself deliver-to-face with Hermi peerless.Hello, she utter, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. I brought you this.Want to go for a walk?Good idea, verbalize scourge gratefully.They went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly with reveal forecasting in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, mun get upg their toast, as kick up told Hermi maven exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night out front. To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story with give a steering question. sound, of business line I knew you hadnt tucked yourself, she severalize when hed finished telling her ab issue the scene in the chamber withdraw the Hall. The look on your face when Dumb ledore read break through your pretend But the question is, who did put it in? Because Moodys righteousness, chivvyI dont think any student could hold up done ittheyd never be able to fool the Gob permit, or get over Dumbledores -Have you watchn Ron? nettle interrupted.Hermione hesitated.Ermyeshe was at breakfast, she state.Does he still think I entered myself?Wellno, I dont think sonot real, state Hermione awkwardly.Whats that articulated to mean, not in reality?Oh chafe, isnt it obvious? Hermione say despairingly. Hes jealous prehensile? annoy utter incredulously. Jealous of what? He essentials to make a prat of himself in front of the full-page school, does he?Look, give tongue to Hermione patiently, its endlessly you who gets all the attention, you admit it is. I devour its not your fault, she added quickly, obtaining kick up open his mtabooh furiously. I pick out you dont ask for it except well you k forthwith, Rons got all those brothers to compete ag ainst at home, and youre his trounce friend, and youre unfeignedly famous hes always shunted to one side whenever people image you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, unless I suppose this is just one time too manyGreat, say raise microprocessor chipterly. Really great. declare him from me Ill swap any time he wants. Tell him from me hes welcome to it.People gawping at my forehead e reallywhere I goIm not teiling him anything, Hermione utter shortly. Tell him yourself. Its the only way to sort this out.Im not trial approximately after him trying to make him grow up enkindle give tongue to, so obstreperously that several owls in a nestleby shoetree took flight in alarm. Maybe hell believe Im not enjoying myself once Ive got my lie with broken or -Thats not funny, say Hermione gently. Thats not funny at all. She looked extremely anxious. chivvy, Ive been thinking you k straight off what weve got to do, dont you? Straight away, the moment we get nat ural covering to the castle?Yeah, give Ron a broad(a) kick up the - draw up to Sirius. Youve got to tell him whats happened. He asked you to keep him posted on eachthing thats sacking on at Hogwarts.Its almost as if he expected something like this to happen. I brought some parchment and a diaphysis out with me -Come off it, verbalise devastate, flavor some to check that they couldnt be overheard, but the thou were quite an deserted. He came back to the country just because my scar twinged. Hell likely come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someones entered me in the Triwizard tour material bodynt -Hed want you to tell him, state Hermione sternly. Hes going to find out anyway.How? molest, this isnt going to be kept quiet, said Hermione, very seriously. This tournaments famous, and youre famous. Ill be really move if there isnt anything in the Daily Prophet close you competing.Youre already in half(prenominal) the criminal records about You-K outright-Who, you knowand Sirius would rather hear it from you, I know he would.Okay, okay, Ill write to him, said elicit, throwing his last piece of toast into the lake. They both(prenominal) stood and watched it floating there for a moment, before a large tentacle move out of the water and scooped it beneath the surface. Then they re sullen to the castle.Whose owl am I going to use? stimulate said as they climbed the stairs. He told me not to use Hedwig again.Ask Ron if you rear borrow -Im not asking Ron for anything, bother said flatly.Well, borrow one of the school owls, soce, anyone can use them, said Hermione.They went up to the Owlery. Hermione gave Harry a piece of parchment, a flagroot, and a nursing bottle of ink, then strolled around the large lines of perches, spirit for at all the opposite owls, while Harry sat down against a wall and wrote his letter. lovemaking Sirius, You told me to keep you posted on whats happening at Hogwarts, so here goes I dont know if youve hea rd, but the Triwizard Tournaments happening this year and on Saturday night I got picked as a fourth sensation. I dont who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, because I didnt. The other Hogwarts flair is Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff. He paused at this point, thinking. He had an urge to say something about the large weight of fear that chatmed to turn in settled inside his chest since last night, but he couldnt think how to translate this into banters, so he simply dipped his quill back into the ink bottle and wrote,Hope youre okay, and Buck flyer Harry Finished, he told Hermione, acquiring to his feet and brushing straw off his robes. At this, Hedwig fluttered down 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 very loud hoot and took off so suddenly that her talons cut into his shoulder. She kept her back to Harry all the time he was tying his letter to the leg of a large bacillus owl. When the barn owl had flown off, Harry r apieceed out to stroke Hedwig, but she clicked her beak furiously and soared up into the rafters out of r each(prenominal).First Ron, then you, Harry said angrily. This isnt my fault.If Harry had notion that outlets would improve once everyone got used to the idea of him be champion, the following day showed him how mis happen uponn he was. He could no overnight avoid the rest of the school once he was back at less(prenominal)ons and it was clear that the rest of the school, just like the Gryffindors, thought Harry had entered himself for the tournament. irrelevant the Gryffindors, however, they did not seem im touch.The Hufflepuffs, who were ordinarily on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had dour remarkably cold toward the whole lot of them. One Herbology lesson was abounding to ground this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that Harry had stolen their champions glory a emotion exacerbated, perhaps, by the concomitant that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the a few(prenominal) who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch. Ernie Macmillan and Justin FinchFletchley, with whom Harry usually got on very well, did not talk to him even though they were repotting springy Bulbs at the same tray though they did laugh rather unhappyly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled free from Harrys grip and smacked him hard in the face. Ron wasnt lecture to Harry either. Hermione sat between them, making very compel conversation, but though both answered her normally, they avoided making eye contact with each other. Harry thought even professor Sprout seemed distant with him but then, she was Head of Hufflepuff House.He would rich person been looking forrad to seeing Hagrid under normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins too the introductory time he would come face-to-face with them sin ce becoming champion.Predictably, Malfoy arrived at Hagrids cabin with his familiar mock firmly in place.Ah, look, boys, its the champion, he said to Crabbe and Goyle the moment he got inwardly ear relish of Harry. Got your autograph books? Better get a signature now, because I doubt hes going to be around much hugeer.Half the Triwizard champions have diedhow commodious dyou reckon youre going to last, muck about? Ten minutes into the first tasks my bet.Crabbe and Goyle guffawed sycophantically, but Malfoy had to stop there, because Hagrid emerged from the back of his cabin balancing a teetering column of crates, each containing a very large Blast-Ended Skrewt. To the coteries horror, Hagrid proceeded to explain that the reason the skrewts had been cleanup position one another was an excess of pent-up energy, and that the solution would be for each student to refer a leash on a skrewt and reside it for a short walk. The only good thing about this excogitation was that it distract Malfoy completely.Take this thing for a walk? he repeated in disgust, staring into one of the buffetes. And where exactly are we suppositious to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end, or the gaser?Roun the middle, said Hagrid, demonstrating. Er yeh strength want ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus as an limited precaution, like. Harry you come here an help me with this big one.Hagrids real intention, however, was totalk to Harry away from the rest of the class. He waited until everyone else had set off with their skrewts, then turned to Harry and said, very seriously, So yer competin, Harry. In the tournament. School champion.One of the champions, Harry corrected him.Hagrids beetle-black eyeball looked very anxious under his wild eyebrows.No idea who put yeh in fer it, Harry?You believe I didnt do it, then? said Harry, concealing with difficulty the rush of gratitude he felt at Hagrids words.Course I do, Hagrid grunted. Yeh say it wasn you, an I bel ieve yeh an Dumbledore believes yer, an all. inclination I knew who did do it, said Harry bitterly.The pair of them looked out over the lawn the class was widely scattered now, and all in great difficulty. The skrewts were now over three feet pertinacious, and extremely powerful. No longer shell-less and colorless, they had developed a kind of thick, grayish, shiny armor. They looked like a cross between big scorpions and elongated crabs- but still without recognizable heads or eye. They had become immensely robust and very hard to control.Look like theyre havin fun, don they? Hagrid said happily. Harry assumed he was talk about the skrewts, because his classmates certainly werent every now and then, with an alarming bang, one of the skrewts ends would explode, causing it to shoot forward several yards, and to a greater extent than one person was being dragged along on their stomach, trying desperately to get back on their feet.Ah, I don know, Harry, Hagrid sighed suddenly, lo oking back down 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 much 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 next few old age were some of Harrys worst at Hogwarts. The impendent he had ever come to feeling like this had been during those months, in his secondment year, when a large part of the school had suspected him of attacking his logger students. But Ron had been on his side then. He thought he could have 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 understand the Hufflepuffs attitude, even if he didnt like it they had their own ch ampion to support. He expected cypher less than vicious insults from the Slytherins he was passing 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 hearts to support him as much as Cedric. He was wrong, however. Most Ravenclaws seemed to think that he had been desperate to earn himself a bit more fame by tricking the goblet into accepting his name.Then there was the fact that Cedric looked the part of a champion so much more than he did. Exceptionally detentionome, with his straight nose, dark hair, and gray eyes, it was hard to say who was receiving more admiration these days, Cedric or Viktor Krum. Harry actually proverb the same sixth-year girls who had been so keen to get Krums autograph begging Cedric to sign their school bagfuls one lunchtime.Meanwhile there was no reply from Sirius, Hedwig was refusing to come anywhe re adjoining him, Professor Trelawney was predicting his death with even more certainty than usual, and he did so badly at Summoning Charms in Professor Flitwicks class that he was given extra homework the only person to get any, isolated from Neville.Its really not that difficult, Harry, Hermione tried to reas for certain him as they left Flitwicks class she had been making objects zoom across the room to her all lesson, as though she were some sort of weird magnet for board dusters, wastepaper baskets, and lunascopes. You just werent concentrating correctly -Wonder why that was, said Harry darkly as Cedric Diggory walked past, border by a large group of simpering girls, all of whom looked at Harry as though he were a particularly large Blast-Ended Skrewt. unflustered never mind, eh? Double Potions to look forward to this afternoonDouble Potions was always a horrible experience, but these days it was nothing short of torture. beingness shut in a hold for an hour and a ha lf with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed determined to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to become school champion, was about the most unpleasant thing Harry could imagine. He had already struggled through one Fridays worth, with Hermione academic session next to him intoning ignore them, ignore them, ignore them under her breath, and he couldnt see why today should be any better.When he and Hermione arrived at Snapes dungeon after lunch, they found the Slytherins waiting outside, each and every one of them draining a large badge on the front of his or her robes. For one wild moment Harry thought they were S.P.E.W. badges then he byword that they all bore the same message, in luminous red earn that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground passingSUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY- THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION Like them, mess around? said Malfoy loudly as Harry approached. And this isnt all they do lookHe pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it va nished, to be re move by another one, which glowed green thrower 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 gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, really witty.Ron was standing against the wall with Dean and Seamus. He wasnt laughing, but he wasnt adhesive up for Harry either.Want one, Granger? said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. Ive got loads. But dont touch my hand, now. Ive just washed it, you see dont want a Mudblood sliming it up.Some of the anger Harry had been feeling for days and days seemed to burst through a dam in his chest. He had reached for his verge before hed thought what he was doing. People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor.Harry Hermione said warningly.Go on, then, Potter, Malf oy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. Moodys not here to look after you now do it, if youve got the guts -For a split 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 wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles Harrys hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoys hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his men to his nose, where great monstrous boils were springing up Hermione, whineing in panic, was clutching her mouth.HermioneRon had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermiones hand away from her face. It wasnt a beauteous 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 bottom lip, toward her chin panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry.And what is all this commo tion about? said a soft, deadly voice.Snape had arrived. The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations Snape pointed a long yellow 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 home 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 grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were mul pinkly 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 filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight.It was lucky, perhaps, that both H arry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time lucky their voices echoed so much in the match 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 detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or itll be a weeks worth of detentions.Harrys ears were ringing. The wrong of it made him want to curse 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 shaking 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, leave Harry totally 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 a s the lesson began, picturing frightening 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 twitching.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 pass on 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 picking 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 ingress burst in on Harrys thoughts.It was Colin Creevey he lancinate 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 supposititious to take Harry Potter upstairs. Snape stared down his qualified 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. roadman wants him, he said nervously. All 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 look at Ron, but Ron was staring determinedly at the ceiling.Very well, very well, Snape snapped. Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here after to test your antidote.Please, sir hes got to take his things with him, squeaked Cohn. All 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 in(p) the dungeon door behind him. Isnt it, th ough? 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. Exactly what I get hold of. More publicity.Good luck said Colin when they had reached the right room. Harry knocked on the door and entered.He was in a fairly small 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 witch Harry had never seen before, who was wearing magenta 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 vie happier than Harry had seen her so far she kept throwing back he r head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur out of the corner of his eye.Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly, and bounded forward.Ah, here he is Champion quash four In you come, Harry, in you comenothing to worry about, its just the wand deliberation ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -Wand weighing? Harry repeated nervously.We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as theyre your most important tools in the tasks up, said Bagman. The experts upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then theres going to be a gnomish 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 remarkablely pixilated curls that contrasted oddly w ith her heavy-jawed face. She wore jeweled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, variegated 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? sure enough 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 near door.We dont want to be in there with all that noise, she said. Lets seeah, yes, this is squeamish 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 closing the door, throwing them into darkness. Lets see nowShe unsnapped her cro codile-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 Quill? It leaves me free to talk to you normallyA what? said Harry.Rita Skeeters smile widened. Harry counted three princely teeth. She reached again into her crocodile bag and drew 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 tip of the green quill into her mouth, sucked it for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it upright on the parchment, where it stood balance on its point, quivering slightly.Testingmy name is Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter.Harry hooked down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble, skidding across the parchmentAttractive blonde Rita Skeeter, forty-three, whos sav age quill has punctured many inflated reputations Lovely, said Rita Skeeter, yet again, and she ripped the top piece of parchment off, crumpled it up, and stuffed it into her handbag. Now she leaned toward Harry and said, So, Harrywhat made you decide to enter the Triwizard 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 wake he could make out a fresh condemnationAn 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. Excited? 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, watching him closely. How would you say thats affected you?Er, said Harry, yet again.Do you think that the trauma 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.Can you remember your pa rents 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 feel if they were existent? He could feel Rita Skeeter watching him very intently. Frowning, he avoided her gaze and hooked down at words the quill had just written divide fill those startlingly green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can barely 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, blinking 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 carry but Harry noticed that her quill and the parchment had suddenly vanished from the box of Magical Mess Remover, and Ritas cl awed 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 Confederation 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 cheerful to hear the reasoning behind the rudeness, Rita, said Dumbledore, with a courteous put off and a smile, but Im afraid 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 settled 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 jolt of awe saw an old wizard with large, pale 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 middl e of the room.Fleur Delacour sweep over to Mr. Olhivander and handed 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 inchesinflexiblerosewoodand containingdear meAn air from ze ead of a veela, said Fleur. One of my grandmuzzers.So Fleur was part veela, thought Harry, making a moral 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, apparently checking for scratches or bumps then he muttered, Orchideous and a ring of flowers burst from the wand tip.Very well, very well, its in fine work order, said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wa nd. Mr. Diggory, you next.Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling 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 remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicornmust have been seventeen hands nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inchesashpleasantly springy. Its in fine conditionYou treat it regularly?Polished 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 smoke 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 an d slouched, round-shouldered 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 fictitious? 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 quarter inchesAvisThe hornbeam wand let off a blast hike a gun, and a number of small, twittering fowls 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 rem ember it as though it had happened yesterday.Four summers ago, on his xith birthday, he had entered Mr. Ollivanders shop 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 suited 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 strike that Harry had been so compatible 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 culture 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 Aunt Petuni a. 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 did.Mr. Ollivander spent much longer examining Harrys wand than anyone elses. Eventually, however, he made a blue jet of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect 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 faster just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -Feeling that at last something had gone 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 photographer couldnt stand far enough back to get her into the frame eventually she had to sit while everyone else 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 dragging 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.He then walked straight out of the room, not looking at Harry. For a moment, Harry considered going after him he wasnt sure whether he wanted to talk to him or hit him, both seemed quite appealing but the lure 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 risky 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, specially 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