Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Twenty-Two:
The Unexpected Task

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

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 385 - 402
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 336 - 350
U.K. paperback edition: pages 421 - 439
Timeframe: Thursday 10 December - Friday 18 December, 1994 [Y14]

In which the Yule Ball is announced, and Harry learns that he is expected to have a dance partner. Harry tries to get up the nerve to ask Cho to the dance, but when he finally does finds that she already has a date with Cedric, so Harry arranges to go with Parvati Patil instead.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

In a way, the "unexpected task" - asking a girl to the Yule Ball as a dance partner - really could be considered an unofficial Triwizard task, since the Yule Ball is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• (names unknown) a dozen or so girls walking past the boys

• (name unknown) a second-year girl

• (name unknown) a curly-haired third-year Hufflepuff girl

• (name unknown) a good-looking fifth-year girl a foot taller than Harry

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Brown, Lavender

• Chang, Cho

• Finnigan, Seamus

• Granger, Hermione

• Longbottom, Neville

• McGonagall, Minerva

• Patil, Parvati

• Potter, Harry

• Thomas, Dean

• Weasley, Ginny

• Weasley, Ron

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Delacour, Fleur

• Dursley, Petunia

• Dursley, Vernon

• Krum, Viktor

• Midgen, Eloise

• Padma, Parvati

• Weasley, Fred

• Weasley, George

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• corridors

• History of Magic classroom

• Transfiguration classroom

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Privet Drive

Exceptional character moments:

• McGonagall, who yells at the boys for having a sword fight with fake wands in her class when they should be listening to her, but doesn't punish them.

Spells:

• Cross-Species Switches

• Transforming Spell (guinea fowl into guinea pig)

Links and Resources:

• dragon, Hungarian Horntail

• essays

  • D'you Really Think They're Suited?

  • Ginny Weasley, Why?

  • Parallels, Shipping, and Betrayal

  • Partners and Friends: The Developing Relationship Between Harry and Hermione

  • The Number Twelve

• History of Magic

• items and devices, magical

  • dress robes

  • fake wands

• Triwizard Tournament

Memorable lines:

• A week ago, Harry would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch compared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail. But now that he had done the latter, and was facing the prospect of asking a girl to the ball, he thought he'd rather have another round with the Horntail.

• "Why do they have to move in packs?" Harry asked Ron, as a dozen or so girls walked past them sniggering and staring at Harry. "How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?"
  "Lasso one?" Ron suggested.

Strictly British:

• fifth-year

• fourth-year

• queuing up

• second-year

• third-year

Timelines/Calendar:

This chapter begins on the Thursday after the end of the previous chapter.