Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======The Triwizard Tasks====== =====Task Information===== * **Type:** Magical Challenge, [[Triwizard Tournament]] Component * **Purpose:** To test the courage, daring, magical prowess, and powers of deduction of the competing school [[champion]]s. * **Frequency:** Three distinct tasks are held over the course of the school year when a [[Triwizard Tournament]] is active. * **Judges:** A panel typically composed of the heads of the participating schools and senior [[Ministry of Magic]] officials. The 1994 panel included [[Albus Dumbledore]], [[Igor Karkaroff]], [[Olympe Maxime]], [[Ludo Bagman]], and [[Barty Crouch Sr.]]. =====Structure and Judging===== The three tasks of the [[Triwizard Tournament]] are dangerous and designed to be spectacular. They are spaced several months apart, occurring in November, February, and June during the 1994-1995 school year at [[Hogwarts]]. Before each task, the [[champion]]s are given a clue to help them prepare for the challenge ahead, which tests their problem-solving abilities as much as their magical skills. After each task, the judges award points to each [[champion]] on a scale of one to fifty. These points are cumulative. The [[champion]] with the highest score after the first two tasks is given a head start in the third and final task. The first [[champion]] to overcome the final challenge and seize the [[Triwizard Cup]] is declared the winner of the tournament. =====The 1994-1995 Triwizard Tasks===== =====The First Task: The Dragons===== Held on 24 November 1994, the first task required each [[champion]] to retrieve a golden egg from a nesting mother dragon. The dragons were specifically chosen to guard the eggs, which contained the clue for the second task. Each [[champion]] faced a different species of dragon: * **[[Cedric Diggory]]:** [[Swedish Short-Snout]] * **[[Fleur Delacour]]:** [[Common Welsh Green]] * **[[Viktor Krum]]:** [[Chinese Fireball]] * **[[Harry Potter]]:** [[Hungarian Horntail]], considered the most dangerous of the four. [[Harry Potter]], advised by [[Barty Crouch Jr.]] (disguised as [[Alastor Moody]]), used an [[Accio|Summoning Charm]] to call his [[Firebolt]] broomstick and out-fly the [[Hungarian Horntail]] to retrieve his egg. For their performances, the judges awarded [[Viktor Krum]] and [[Harry Potter]] a tied first place with forty points each. =====The Second Task: The Lake===== The second task took place on 24 February 1995 in the [[Great Lake]]. The golden egg's clue, a song audible only when opened underwater, revealed that the [[champion]]s had one hour to rescue something precious that had been taken from them and hidden within the [[merpeople]]'s village. These "hostages" were people important to each [[champion]], placed in an enchanted sleep: * **[[Cedric Diggory]]:** [[Cho Chang]] * **[[Fleur Delacour]]:** [[Gabrielle Delacour]] * **[[Viktor Krum]]:** [[Hermione Granger]] * **[[Harry Potter]]:** [[Ron Weasley]] Harry used [[Gillyweed]], given to him by [[Dobby]], to breathe underwater. He arrived at the village first but waited to ensure all hostages were safe. After rescuing his own hostage, he also brought [[Fleur Delacour]]'s sister to the surface when Fleur was forced to retire after an attack by [[Grindylow]]s. Although he finished outside the time limit, the judges awarded him high marks for his "moral fibre," placing him in a tie for first place in the tournament's overall standings with [[Cedric Diggory]]. =====The Third Task: The Maze===== The final task, on 24 June 1995, was to navigate a vast, enchanted maze constructed on the [[Hogwarts]] [[Quidditch pitch]]. The [[Triwizard Cup]] was placed at its center, and the first to reach it would win. The maze was filled with numerous obstacles, including a [[Blast-Ended Skrewt]], a [[Boggart]] that took the form of a [[Dementor]], an enchanted golden mist, and a [[Sphinx]] that posed a riddle. This task was heavily manipulated by [[Barty Crouch Jr.]], who was determined to deliver Harry to [[Lord Voldemort]]. Crouch patrolled the maze's perimeter, removing obstacles from Harry's path while impeding the other [[champion]]s. He stunned [[Fleur Delacour]] and placed [[Viktor Krum]] under the [[Imperius Curse]], forcing him to attack Cedric. [[Harry Potter]] and [[Cedric Diggory]] reached the [[Triwizard Cup]] together and, in a show of sportsmanship, agreed to claim it simultaneously. However, the cup had been turned into a [[Portkey]], which transported them both to a graveyard in [[Little Hangleton]]. This led directly to Cedric's murder and the rebirth of [[Lord Voldemort]]. =====History===== Historically, the [[Triwizard Task]]s were notoriously dangerous and resulted in numerous deaths. This high mortality rate was the primary reason the [[Triwizard Tournament]] was discontinued for several centuries. The 1994-1995 tournament was intended to be safer, with rules preventing underage wizards from entering. However, the interference of [[Barty Crouch Jr.]] and [[Lord Voldemort]] ensured that the event once again ended in tragedy, marking the beginning of the [[Second Wizarding War]]. =====Role in the Story===== In //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//, the three tasks provide the central structure for [[Lord Voldemort]]'s complex plan to capture [[Harry Potter]] and return to power. Each task was subtly influenced by [[Barty Crouch Jr.]] to guide Harry towards victory, ensuring he would be the one to touch the [[Portkey]] in the maze. The challenges forced Harry to develop his magical skills, courage, and resilience under extreme pressure, while also highlighting his reliance on friends like [[Hermione Granger]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Dobby]]. The conclusion of the final task serves as the novel's climax and a major turning point for the entire series. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//, the tasks are portrayed differently. The first task is an extended aerial chase across the [[Hogwarts]] castle and grounds, not contained within an enclosure. (film) * The third task in the film omits the magical creatures like the [[Sphinx]] and the [[Blast-Ended Skrewt]]. Instead, the maze itself is the primary antagonist, with its hedges shifting and attacking the [[champion]]s. (film)
