It is interesting that both Harry and Krum seem to want to be liked for themselves. Harry says it explicitly (well, he thinks it -- that they would not have wanted to go with him if he weren't a champion), and that must be one of the reasons why Krum pursues Hermione: the knowledge that if she likes him it won't be because she is starstruck.


I must say I sympathise with Ron and Harry's plight when it comes to getting date for the ball. I am supposed to be a grown-up, but I would be horrified if I was put in that situation. Although I like to think I'd have the presence of mind to ask Hermione.

I also sympathise with Harry's procrastination. We know it is wrong, but it is so tempting to put it off just a little bit longer.

Cho: she is very tactful. I cannot help wondering whether she had been waiting for Harry to ask her, but then he delayed and Cedric came along.

Ron's Fleur encounter is hilarious.

Ginny: she stops smiling when Harry mentions that he has asked Cho. Her crush is old news, of course, but the fact that it is still going strong is interesting. It is clear that she regrets having said yes to Neville now that Harry is so clearly after a partner.


Regarding Hermione and Ron: her reaction to his comment about trolls suggests she is aware of feelings for Ron, or at least that she is worried that he finds her unattractive and that that is why he has not asked her to go with him.

There is then the moment when he is described as seeing her in a new light, which I suppose is the turning point for Ron. He has been protective of her before this, but I think that has been less of a conscious matter. His inability to believe she is going with someone else is interesting. I cannot bring myself to I think that it is down to him believing that no one else would have her. The alternative is that he cannot imagine her with someone else.

Once they get to the ball, he asks where Hermione is while completely ignoring instructions on where to find his date. It could be simple curiosity (who is she going with?), but the way it is written leads me to my usual conclusion. The same is repeated as he actually meets his date: he asks where Hermione is.

I cannot make up my mind whether Ron's walking right past Hermione is due to him being angry or because he is still looking for Hermione and hasn't recognised her. The narrowed eyes later suggests the first explanation, but I prefer the second for some reason. At any rate, the anger shows up later on, very explicitly. He glares and yells at her and the whole shebang. Very bad form. His anger is of course another example of his insecurity. He finds he has been superseded by another famous guy. This is the same old issue all over again, except this time it is not his best friend (who he has to be lenient towards), and all the issues are allowed to flow freely.

And Hermione, of course, cutting to the heart of the issue: ``ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort''. I like it.

And clearly Ron's maiming of Krum's figurine and wishing he'll be taken by a giant squid is not entirely on Harry's account.

Karkaroff: he cannot be too happy with his favourite student running around with a mudblood.

Fleur: she is the British stereotype of a French person. Did I mention that?

Neville: he keeps stepping on Ginny's feet. I confess at this point I prefer the film Neville. It may be out of character, but I like the idea that he can dance very much.

Hermione: I love her treatment of Malfoy when he tries to bully her. ``Twitchy little ferret''. It is gold. Textbook on how to treat a bully.

Madamme Maxime and Hagrid: I understand why she is refusing to acknowledge her parentage. She has much more to lose than Hagrid. She is the headmistress of a whole school. He is a teacher protected by Dumbledore. But the whole issue is an example of how misplaced bigotry only serves to make the lives of the discriminated against very difficult.

I cannot help wonder how it even happened. I mean, a giant and a human. The sheer…. I suppose one of the strange things about the magical world is that inter-species breeding is not a problem. Hmm.

Cedric: his clue to Harry is very cryptic. He could at least have told him to hold the egg under water.

Dumbledore: did I mention I love the man? His treatment of Hagrid had just the same excellence as his treatment of Dobby and Winky. And I really like how the Dursleys are used in the conversation regarding bad blood. This is a nice reversal of Aunt Marge's ramblings in the beginning of book 3. We also get the first mention of Aberforth.