{{Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Intermediate Spoiler}}
Note that Mr. Crouch's son having died while imprisoned in Azkaban is being mentioned here again. However, we will learn shortly that it was someone other than [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Barty Crouch Jr.|Barty]] who actually died in Azkaban. TheThis reiterationmistaken ofbelief thisbeing mistakenreiterated beliefhere is almost certainly meant to heighten our surprise atwhen theit discoveryis ofdiscovered what Barty has been doing since his supposed death.
Sirius herenow admits that he believes someone at the school may be trying to kill Harry; likely Dumbledore does also, but neither suspects it is Barty Crouch, believing he is dead and unaware that the real Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody has been kidnapped. Given this belief, though, it is odd that Sirius is ordering Harry to stay at the school and play out the Tournament. It would seem that ifIf someone has entered Harry in the Tournament in ordersolely to get him killed, it would seem to be advantageous to Harry'sadvantageif tohe deliberately fail onfailed the three Tasks in such a way as to avoid any risk. Harry, however, seems to be unable to give any mission less than his full effort. Sirius' opinion here is faulty, and it may be an early indication that his still-fragile mental state is deteriorating, affecting his judgment. This becomes more apparent in the next book.
Draco is talking to his hand because he is holding Rita Skeeter, who is in her beetle [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Animagus|Animagus]] form. Draco has been passing information to her about Harry and others that she then uses in her articles. She was in her beetle formtransformed when Harry had his nightmare in the Divination tower, and she sawwitnessed that event directly. Hermione, because of the repetition ofBecause the word "bugged", has comefrequently tobeen therepeated, conclusionHermione has concluded that RitaSkeeter canis transforman illegal Animagus and may be transforming into an insect,. andHermione presumably goes to the library to research whether thatsuch a transformation is even possible. Though she has confirmed her conclusionthis by the time we see her at lunch, the author has managedarranged to arrange thingsevents so that Hermione cannotis unable to discuss her discovery with either Harry or Ron then, and presumably Hermioneshe is too concerned with the Third Task after herthat day's final exam of the day to discuss RitaSkeeter with Ron.
Harry thinks to himself that the Maze is easier to pass throughnavigate than he had expected. Barty Crouch will admitadmits later that he had deliberately eased Harry's path through the mazeit, and hadattempted to eliminate Harry's competition by [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Imperio|controlledcontrolling]] Krum to try and eliminate Harry's competition. Barty, like Ludo, had intended Harry to win the TriwizardTournament specifically so that he wouldand be the first to reach and touch the Cup, anda soPortkey, thatto the Cup would then carrytransport Harry away to an as-yet unknown destination.
