Chapter Summaries

Hermione explained why she had been reading with Viktor Krum in the Library after skipping class because Ron had upset her. Harry and Ron found her there, and Harry sensed hostility whose source he could not identify.

• Hermione left Krum and went over to Harry and Ron, who questioned why she was with him.
• Ron asked Hermione if she had skipped class because she was angry with him, and she denied being petty.
• Hermione recalled that she had skipped class to research fire dragons and planned to use the weekend competition as an excuse.
• Krum had approached Hermione in the Library, introduced himself, and asked her about Ancient Runes.
• Hermione had enjoyed answering Krum’s questions, while Harry wondered whether Krum or the nearby girls were the source of the hostility he sensed.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed Hagrid after midnight to meet Charlie, expecting to find dragons hidden in the Forbidden Forest. Instead, they discovered Hagrid and Madame Maxime were secretly going together, and followed the pair toward the forest.

• Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at Hagrid's Hut and asked whether Charlie was there.
• Hagrid told them to become invisible, put Fang inside, and led them away from the hut.
• Hagrid went to the Beauxbatons carriage instead of heading directly into the Forbidden Forest.
• Madame Maxime came out of the carriage, and she and Hagrid walked hand in hand toward the Forbidden Forest.
• Ron privately wondered why Hagrid was showing off his new relationship while Harry and Hermione followed them invisibly.

Charlie brought Hagrid and Madame Maxime to see the dragons gathered for the Triwizard Tournament’s First Task, while Harry and Ron listened nearby. Charlie speculated that the Champions would have to get past a dragon, and Harry and Ron admitted they were unprepared.

• Charlie told Hagrid that the dragons had been gathered from several sanctuaries and listed the breeds they had brought.
• Madame Maxime asked to inspect the dragons, and Charlie warned Hagrid that Champions were not supposed to see them before the task.
• Charlie explained that the Tournament Committee had requested brooding female dragons and guessed that the Champions would need to get past one rather than defeat it.
• Hagrid asked whether the dragons had eggs, and Charlie said their eggs were counted twice each day.
• Charlie quietly asked Harry and Ron whether they were ready, and both admitted they were not.

Harry and Ron sought Professor Lupin’s advice about facing a Fire Dragon in the First Task, and Professor Moody joined their discussion. The professors concluded that the champions only needed to stay safe for a while, and Harry asked whether the Disillusionment Charm could help.

• Harry and Ron went to Professor Lupin’s office before breakfast to ask how they could safely face a Fire Dragon.
• Harry and Ron hinted that Fire Dragons were involved in the First Task, and Professor Lupin and Professor Moody realized what they meant.
• Professor Lupin and Professor Moody discussed the limits of spells against dragons and concluded that the champions needed only to protect themselves temporarily.
• Harry said he and Ron had mastered the Fireproofing Charm and were practicing the Fire-Control Charm.
• Harry asked Professor Lupin whether the Disillusionment Charm would work.

Harry and Ron prepared to survive the First Task by summoning their Flying Broomsticks, while Hermione searched for other plans. On the morning of the task, Hermione warned them that two visiting Champions had been studying fire dragons.

• Hermione agreed that Harry and Ron could use the Summoning Charm to call their Flying Broomsticks during the task.
• Harry and Ron tested the spell, confirmed they could summon their brooms from a distance, and practised in the Room of Requirement.
• Harry and Ron slept uneasily before the First Task, then received encouragement from Neville, Dean, and Seamus.
• Hermione told Harry and Ron that she had seen Corvinus and Blanco in the Library carrying several books about fire dragons.
• Ron stopped grinning and took Hermione's warning seriously.

Harry and Ron entered the First Task with a plan for facing the dragons, and Professor McGonagall reassured them before leading them to the champions’ tent. Ludo Bagman revealed that they had to retrieve a golden egg, while the Nagudinnaf champions remained unaware of what awaited them.

• Professor McGonagall collected Harry and Ron after lunch and reassured them that wizards would be standing by to protect them.
• Harry and Ron entered the champions’ tent, where the other schools’ champions looked tense and the Nagudinnaf champions seemed bewildered.
• Ludo Bagman explained that each champion would draw a creature from his purple silk bag and had to retrieve a golden egg.
• Markov Horton asked what a golden egg was.

Harry drew the Hungarian Horntail as his First Task opponent and refused Bagman’s offer of help. After being searched and made to remove his protective gear, he entered the arena and faced the enormous dragon.

• After all seven female Champions finished, Krum took his turn and returned in under three minutes, apparently impressing Bagman.
• Harry drew a moving model of the Hungarian Horntail from Bagman’s silk bag and realized he would face the most aggressive dragon breed.
• Bagman offered Harry ideas based on watching the other Champions, but Harry refused the help.
• Two wizards searched Harry at the arena entrance and made him remove his dragon-hide wrist guards and Black’s vest.
• Bagman led Harry onto the packed Quidditch pitch, where Harry saw the Hungarian Horntail across the arena.

Harry provoked the Hungarian Horntail into taking flight, then swooped past its nest and seized the Golden Egg. He escaped through the arena exit with his robes singed and learned that his quick finish might be questioned under the rules.

• Harry dodged the Hungarian Horntail's fire and repeatedly taunted it from just beyond the reach of its breath.
• Harry struck the dragon's head with a jet of water, finally provoking it to take flight.
• Harry accelerated past the dragon and snatched the Golden Egg from its nest.
• Harry raced through the exit as the Horntail's flames singed his robes, and two wizards extinguished the fire and healed him.
• Bagman praised Harry's minute-and-a-half time but said Barty would decide whether his use of a Summoning Charm and Flying Broomstick complied with the rules.

Castelobruxo Champion Carlos Blanco faced a Hungarian Horntail and struggled to find a way past it. After his spells failed, he charged the dragon’s nest and grabbed an egg, leaving the arena with the Horntail behind him.

• Carlos Blanco entered the arena and faced a Hungarian Horntail, despite knowing the task involved dragons.
• Blanco used Mist Magic, a Conjunctivitis Curse, and a Tongue-Tying Curse, but the Horntail detected him and blasted him with fire.
• Ryan Moning Meng mocked Blanco’s confused tactics, while Shen Yalan reacted coldly and Harry suspected she had tried something similar.
• Blanco’s curses failed to hit the Horntail, and repeated fire blasts ruined his robes despite his Fireproofing Charm.
• Blanco cast more protective and speed-enhancing spells, charged the dragon’s nest, grabbed a dragon egg, and ran toward the exit.

Lei Kaiming carefully gauged the Ukrainian Ironbelly’s fire range and dodged its attacks to retrieve the Golden Egg without injury. After he compared his performance with Krum’s, the next dragon entered the arena, with Ron, Corvinus, and Horton still waiting to compete.

• Lei Kaiming tested the Ukrainian Ironbelly’s attack range by stepping toward it and retreating from its dragon breath.
• Lei Kaiming cast protective and speed-enhancing spells, then dodged repeated blasts with precise rolls and acrobatic movements.
• Lei Kaiming seized the Golden Egg and escaped the arena along an S-shaped route, suffering only a singed patch on his clothes.
• Yi Qianqian told Lei Kaiming that Krum had used a similar approach, and Krum said he had attacked a dragon but might lose points because it crushed dragon eggs.
• The Ukrainian Ironbelly left the arena, a Catalonian Fireball arrived, and Ron, Corvinus, and Horton remained to compete.

Jacob Corvinus faced a Wales Green Dragon in the Triwizard Tournament, carefully testing its range and revealing more of his magic than the sparse reports about him had suggested. He summoned jackals to distract the dragon, but its lack of aggression left his tactic ineffective.

• Jacob Corvinus entered the arena cautiously and narrowly dodged the Wales Green Dragon's breath.
• Ryan Moning Meng laughed at Jacob's close call and told Harry she was confident he could stay safe.
• Harry recalled that Jacob had received little newspaper coverage and was the only champion with a Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test certificate.
• Jacob summoned several jackals to draw the dragon's attention, but it barely reacted to them.
• Elizabeth Xilieikesi remarked that the dragon's calmness had become an obstacle for Jacob.

Ron dazzled the crowd with his flying and won the Golden Egg without a scratch, leaving Krum eager to recruit him for the Northern Europe League. Ron declined for now, saying he would consider it when he was sixteen.

• Harry felt jealous as Ron's spectacular flying drew cheers from the crowd.
• Krum praised Ron's flying and wondered whether he could recruit him for his professional team.
• Ron easily took the Golden Egg, played with the dragon once more, and reached the exit unharmed.
• Harry congratulated Ron and hugged him, while Ron said he had calmed down once he was in the air.
• Krum asked Ron to play in the Northern Europe League, and Ron said they could discuss it when he was sixteen.

Harry watched the first-round scores after kissing Qiu, who had hurried back to the Castle. The scores for the first four Champions were announced, and Ryan Moning Meng’s results remained pending.

• Qiu ran back to the Castle after kissing Harry, while Harry stayed to watch the scores.
• The Tournament Committee displayed the scores, and Julianne Sirtute received forty-three points after the highest and lowest votes were discarded.
• Elizabeth Xilieikesi received fifty-one points, outscoring Sturt as several spectators criticized Weir Hallen for giving her only seven.
• Yi Qianqian received forty-four points, with Karkaroff and Weir Hallen again giving her low scores.
• Bagman described Ryan Moning Meng’s Dragon-Hunting Magic, and Hermione explained that her spells lost their effect when she approached the fire dragon.

The Champions’ First Task concluded with the scores announced, and Bagman revealed that the next task would take place six weeks later. Each Champion had to solve the clue inside their Golden Egg before January twenty-first.

• Carlos Blanco received thirty-two points after charging into a dragon’s breath and suffering severe burns.
• Lei Kaiming scored fifty-two points, while Horton received forty-two and Corvinus earned forty-four because their performances showed little courage.
• Ron scored fifty-one points, while Harry and Delacour tied for fifth with forty-nine each.
• Bagman announced that the Second Task would take place on January twenty-first and that clues to it were hidden inside the Champions’ Golden Eggs.
• Bagman declared the First Task concluded, and the spectators and students left the arena.

Harry and Ron’s performances in the Triwizard Tournament won them admirers and brought Ron offers from Quidditch clubs, while Harry’s relationship with Qiu grew closer during a visit to Hogsmeade. Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry found Hermione sitting listlessly beside Ron as he beat another chess challenger.

• Harry and Ron’s tournament performances earned widespread praise, and Krum said he wanted Ron on his team as Keeper.
• Quidditch club owners showed interest in Ron, and the Chudley Cannons’ owner arranged for him to try out after his Ordinary Wizarding Levels.
• Harry invited Qiu to Hogsmeade, and she replied that she wanted to visit Honeydukes.
• Harry held Qiu’s hand, put an arm around her waist, and kissed her forehead before escorting her to the Ravenclaw Common Room.
• Harry returned to the Gryffindor Common Room and found Hermione sitting listlessly while Ron played wizard’s chess against a first-year girl.

Professor McGonagall announced that Hogwarts would hold a Yule Ball on Christmas night, and Harry and Ron began worrying about finding partners. Harry hurried to ask Cho Chang, while Ron considered inviting a beautiful silver-haired student.

• Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball rules, including that Triwizard Champions had to lead the opening dance.
• Ron asked whether the school would arrange partners, drawing laughter from the class.
• Harry told Ron he planned to invite Cho Chang and left after remembering their kiss.
• Ron considered asking a beautiful silver-haired student but was left alone when his classmates went to find partners.
• Harry ran toward the greenhouses to find Cho during her Herbology lesson.

Harry prepared for the Yule Ball by learning to dance after arranging to go with Cho Chang, while Ron struggled to find a partner. The chapter left Ron still considering his options as more students paired off with the champions.

• Harry realized he could not dance properly and began reading a book to learn the steps after arranging to attend the ball with Cho Chang.
• Ron revealed that Ginny had accepted Neville’s invitation, while avoiding Harry’s questions about which girl he wanted to ask.
• Harry and Ron began receiving invitations from students after the Yule Ball was announced, but Harry politely rejected them because he had already chosen Cho.
• Ron declined invitations from several girls, including a tall girl from Castelobruxo, saying he wanted to improve his dancing first.
• Yi Qianqian confirmed she would attend the ball with Cedric Diggory, disappointing the Hufflepuff girls who had hoped to ask him.

Harry spent the day studying beside Cho and returned to the common room eager to share some gossip, only to find Ron devastated after Fleur Delacour rejected his invitation to the Yule Ball. Harry decided to tell Ron that Hermione was going to the ball with someone, while Ginny wondered who had asked her.

• Harry accompanied Cho to the library while she studied for her exams, and he picked up some gossip.
• Harry returned to the common room and found Ron despondent, with Ginny, the twins, and Lee Jordan trying to comfort him.
• Ginny explained that Ron had publicly asked Fleur Delacour to the Yule Ball and been rejected.
• Harry recalled Ron's earlier romantic embarrassment and decided to tell him that Hermione was going to the ball with someone.
• Ginny asked who had asked Hermione, or whether Hermione had asked someone herself.

With the Yule Ball fewer than three days away, Ron panicked because he had no partner after Delacour rejected him and other girls stopped inviting him. Harry also noted that several other Champions remained without partners, including Xilieikesi, Meng, and Corvinus, whose attempt to invite Hermione had been thwarted by Krum.

• Ron realized the Yule Ball was less than three days away and he still had no partner after Delacour rejected him and the girls who had previously invited him found other partners.
• Harry heard that Delacour had paired with Roger Davies, and Qiu explained that girls no longer wanted to be seen as accepting Ron after Delacour rejected him publicly.
• Harry observed that Xilieikesi had not found a partner because Beauxbatons had few available boys and students were intimidated by her family name.
• Meng had invited Harry, but he had already arranged to go with Qiu; Meng had not accepted any other invitations, while Corvinus still had no partner.
• Corvinus invited Hermione after Krum had already asked her, while Hermione was still considering Krum's invitation.

As Christmas Eve brought snow and a schoolwide snowball fight, Ron finally found a partner for the ball in Lavender Brown but panicked because he could not dance. On Christmas morning, Harry woke to a pile of presents beside his bed.

• Harry learned that Lavender Brown had no partner for the ball, giving Ron a chance to ask her.
• Heavy snowfall sparked a snowball fight that grew into a battle involving students from nearly all seven houses, and Harry joined in while Ron stayed out of it.
• Harry overheard Delacour complain that Hogwarts food had made her gain weight and struggle to fit into her dress.
• Ron secured Lavender as his partner but worried that he had never learned to dance, and he asked Fred and George for help.
• Harry woke on Christmas morning to a large pile of presents beside his bed.