Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Eighteen:
The Weighing of the Wands

Synopsis by William Silvester
Notes and links by Michele L. Worley

US hardcover edition: pages 288 - 312
UK paperback edition: pages 316 - 343
Timeframe: Sunday, 1 November - Friday, 13 November 1994 [Y14]

In which Hermione tries to help Harry, persuading him to write to Sirius. The other Houses (Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw) are no longer friendly to Harry, but he finds an ally in Hagrid. As the situation in the school grows worse, Malfoy taunts Harry into throwing a curse; Malfoy responds, the curses clash, and hit Goyle and Hermione. Harry is called out of Potions for the Weighing of the Wands and meets Rita Skeeter, who is covering the ceremony for the Daily Prophet. Later in the day, an owl arrives from Sirius asking Harry to meet him.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

The chapter title is using "weighing" in the figurative sense of "evaluating".

He had already struggled through one Friday's worth

crocodile-skin handbag

He was very fond of his wand, and as far as he was concerned its relationship to Voldemort's wand was something it couldn't help - rather as he couldn't help being related to Aunt Petunia.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Skeeter, Rita

• (surname unknown) Bozo, Rita's photographer

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Bagman, Ludo

• Crabbe, Vincent

• Creevey, Colin

• Creevey, Dennis

• Crouch, Bartemius (junior) (as "Mad-Eye Moody)

• Crouch, Bartemius (senior)

• Delacour, Fleur

• Diggory, Cedric

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Finch-Fletchley, Justin

• Flitwick, Filius

• Goyle, Gregory

• Granger, Hermione

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Hedwig

• Karkaroff, Igor

• Krum, Viktor

• Longbottom, Neville

• Macmillan, Ernie

• Malfoy, Draco

• Maxime, Olympe

• Ollivander

• Potter, Harry

• Snape, Severus

• Sprout, Pomona

• Trelawney, Professor

• Weasley, Ron

• (names unknown) gang of sixth-year girls susceptible to fame and glamour

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Black, Sirius

• Buckbeak

• Dursley, Petunia

• Fawkes (as the phoenix who supplied the tail feathers at the cores of Harry's and Voldemort's wands)

• Gregorovich

• Pigwidgeon (not named)

• Riddle, Tom Marvolo (as Lord Voldemort)

• Weasley, Bill (as one of Ron's brothers)

• Weasley, Charlie (as one of Ron's brothers)

• Weasley, Fred (as one of Ron's brothers)

• Weasley, George (as one of Ron's brothers)

• Weasley, Percy (as one of Ron's brothers)

• (name unknown) Fleur's veela grandmother

• (names not given) the remaining Gryffindor and Slytherin students in Harry's Care of Magical Creatures class and his Potions class

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

  • Great Hall

  • greenhouses

  • lakeside

  • Owlery

  • Potions dungeon

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Burrow, the (as Ron's home)

• hospital wing, Hogwarts School

• room off the Great Hall, Hogwarts School

Exceptional character moments:

• none

Spells:

• Avis

• Densaugeo

• Orchideous

• Summoning Charm

• wand sparks

• (name unknown) fountain of wine

Links and Resources:

• Bouncing Bulbs

• Blast-Ended Skrewts

• Mrs. Skower's Magical Mess Remover

• Quick-Quotes Quill

• veela

• wands

Memorable lines:

• He was very fond of his wand, and as far as he was concerned its relationship to Voldemort's wand was something it couldn't help - rather as he couldn't help being related to Aunt Petunia.

Strictly British:

• cupboard

• prat

Timelines/Calendar:

The chapter begins on Sunday morning, the morning after the Hallow'een feast, which dates it as Sunday, 1 November 1994 [Y14]. The Weighing of the Wand takes place on the second Friday after that, which dates the end of the chapter as Friday, 13 November.