|
Finally, Dumbledore singles out the [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Beauxbatons Academy of Magic|Beauxbatons]] and [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Durmstrang Institute|Durmstrang]] students, and says that in light of Voldemort's return, anyone now in the Hall is welcome to return to Hogwarts any time. Discord is Voldemort's main weapon, and Dumbledore asks that when given a choice between what is right, and what is easy, that they remember Cedric, who died because he strayed across Voldemort's path.
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione prepare to leave Hogwarts the next day, [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Fleur Delacour|Fleur]] runs up to say goodbye to Harry; she says she is hoping to get a job in England to improve her English. When Ron says that it is very good already, Hermione scowls. As Fleur leaves, Ron wonders aloud how the Durmstrang students will get back withwithout Karkaroff missing. [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Viktor Krum|Krum]], coming up behind him, says that Karkaroff did not steer the ship, the students did the work. He then asks Hermione for a private word with Hermione. After they return, Krum says that he liked Cedric, and shakes Harry's hand, and then Ron's.
On the Hogwarts Express, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have a compartment to themselves, and Harry finally feels free to talk aboutshare what happened. They talk uninterrupted, until the lunch trolley arrives. Returning from the trolley, Hermione drops a copy of [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/The Daily Prophet|the ''Daily Prophet'']]. Hermione, sayssaying there willare not beany anythingHarry about himstories in it, andother the only recentthan news was about him winning the Tournament. She thinks [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Cornelius Fudge|Fudge]] is putting pressure on them. When Ron suggests that [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Rita Skeeter|Rita Skeeter]] would never miss a story like that, Hermione revealsadmits that she discovered how Rita was getting her stories. Harry gave her thea clue when he was talking about electronic bugging. She then produces a jar containing a large beetle. It is Rita Skeeter, an unregistered [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Animagus|Animagus]]. Hermione spotted her in the Hospital Wing the night Cedric died and trapped her in the jar. Ron and Harry recall that with every story Rita wrote, a large beetle had been nearby during their private conversations. Hermione will release her when they reach London, but if she writes any stories for one year, Rita will be reported to the Ministry of Magic.
Draco barges in, saying how clever Hermione is trapping a journalist. He tells Harry he has picked the wrong side; Voldemort is back, and Cedric is only the first to die. Wand-flashes suddenly fill the compartment, and Draco, [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Vincent Crabbe|Crabbe]] and [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Gregory Goyle|Goyle]] are suddenly lying, unconscious and disfigured, on the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione each used a different hex on them, in addition to ones fromfired by [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Fred and George Weasley|Fred and George]]. After dumping Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the corridor, Fred and George join the Trio for the trip's remainder of the trip.
Harry asks who Fred and George were blackmailing. Fred responds it was [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Ludovic Bagman|Ludo Bagman]], but they have given up. Ludo paid offtheir his debts to themwinnings with vanishing [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Leprechaun|Leprechaun]] gold. When they demanded real money, he became virtuous, telling them boys their age should not be gambling anyway. Apparently, he also cheated [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Lee Jordan|Lee Jordan]]'s father. Ludo wagered on the [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Major Events/Quidditch World Cup|Quidditch World Cup]] with the [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Goblin|Goblins]] and lost heavily. He was betting on Harry to win the Triwizard Tournament, which is why he was always trying to help Harry. When Harry and Cedric touched the cup simultaneously, the Goblins claimed it was a draw, and Ludo had to run.
As they reachReaching King's Cross Station, Hermione and Ron maneuver their trunks past the still-stunned Draco and his cronies. Harry privately calls George and Fred aside and gives them his Triwizard prize. George exclaims that he must be mental, but Harry insists he does not want or need it. He wants the Twins to finance their own joke shop with it, but there is one condition: they must buy Ron new dress robes. After bidding goodbye to Hermione and Ron, and receiving Fred and George's fervent thanks, Harry leaves with [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Vernon Dursley|Uncle Vernon]], awaiting whatever may happen next.
== Analysis ==
|
