Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Twenty-Four:
Rita Skeeter's Scoop

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

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 433 - 457
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 377 - 397
U.K. paperback edition: pages 473 - 498
Timeframe: 26 December 1994 [Y14] - Saturday xx January, 1995 [Y15]

In which past arguments are forgotten, and Hagrid is replaced as Care of Magical Creatures teacher when Rita Skeeter writes a defamatory article about him. HRH try but fail to visit him. HRH encounter Bagman in Hogsmeade, where Harry rejects his offer of help with the Tournament. Rita arrives and is verbally assaulted by Harry and Hermione, who then go to Hagrid's cabin, finding Dumbledore there. Together they persuade Hagrid to return to work.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

Here we see more serious effects of Rita's unethical conduct, though not yet to the depths to which the Daily Prophet will begin to sink six months from now, after Rita is silenced.

There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January.

He still had five weeks to work out that egg clue, after all...

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Grubbly-Plank, Wilhelmina

• (names unknown) several goblins

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Bagman, Ludo

• Chang, Cho

• Crabbe, Vincent

• Crookshanks

• Diggory, Cedric

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Fang

• Finnegan, Seamus

• Goyle, Gregory

• Granger, Hermione

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Krum, Viktor

• Longbottom, Neville

• Malfoy, Draco

• Patil, Parvati

• Potter, Harry

• Skeeter, Rita

• Thomas, Dean

• Weasley, Ron

• (surname unknown) Bozo

• (surname unknown) Rosmerta, Madam

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Binns, Professor

• Black, Sirius

• Crouch, Bartemius

• Dumbledore, Aberforth

• Dursleys, the

• Fridwulfa

• Hagrid (Rubeus' father)

• Jorkins, Bertha

• Maxime, Olympe

• Moody, Alastor "Mad-Eye"

• Potter, James

• Potter, Lily

• Voldemort (as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who)

• Weasley, Percy

• (name unknown) Bertha Jorkins' aunt

• (name unknown) Bertha Jorkins' cousin

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

  • greenhouses

  • Gryffindor Tower - common room

  • Hagrid's cabin

• Three Broomsticks, the

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Albania

• Bulgaria

Exceptional character moments:

• Rita Skeeter's uncritical acceptance of the Slytherins' slanders of Hagrid, some of which could be refuted by anyone who'd taken a couple of years of Care of Magical Creatures.

Spells:

• charms (mentioned)

• conjuring a tea-tray and a plate of cakes

Links and Resources:

• Bestiary, the

  • Abraxan winged horses

  • fire-crabs

  • flobberworms

  • giants

  • manticores

  • skrewt, blast-ended

  • werewolves

  • unicorns

• essays

  • Prejudice: A Great Theme of the Books

Memorable lines:

• "Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!"

  "An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery..."

Strictly British:

• Boxing Day

• cow

• sack

Timelines/Calendar: