First Task
From UnknowableWiki
The first task of the Triwizard Tournament of 1994/1995 took place on November 24, 1994. Each of the four champions had to get past a nesting mother dragon to retrieve a golden egg that was hidden between the real eggs (GF20). Although the champions were not to know the nature of the task beforehand, all of them found out about it in advance (GF19). All champions got past their dragon successfully; however, they were awarded different marks from the judges for their performance. Harry Potter and Viktor Krum received the highest marks and were tied in first place (GF20).
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Events leading up to the task
Preparations
The Triwizard Tournament was co-organized by the Department of Magical Games and Sports and the Department of International Magical Cooperation (GF, GF12). Also, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures was involved in the transportation of the dragons to Hogwarts. They informed Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge that he needed to inform the Muggle Prime Minister that they were importing dangerous magical creatures into the country. Fudge did so in a hurried manner when he visited the Prime Minister after the attack on a Muggle family after the final of the Quidditch World Cup (HBP1).
Announcement
After the Goblet of Fire had announced the champions and the commotion about Harry Potter being chosen as the fourth champion had subsided, Barty Crouch, Sr. announced the first task to the champions in the chamber behind the Great Hall. He told them that the task was designed to test their courage in the face of the unknown and that the its nature would therefore not be revealed beforehand. The champions had to perform in front of the judges and the students, armed only with their wands (GF17).
Mr. Crouch looked ill and unfocused while announcing the task, a consequence of the Imperius Curse he was under (GF35).
Finding out about the dragons
The task
Location
Champions' preparations for the task
Cedric Diggory
Cedric Diggory was the first champion to leave the tent and enter the stadium. To get past the Swedish Short-Snout, he transfigured a stone into a Labrador to divert it, but the dragon changed its mind half-way and Cedric got burnt before he took his egg. The judges revealed their marks silently,so that the other champions would not know how well Cedric had done. Points were deducted for the burn so that Cedric's score was 38 points out of 50 (GF20, GF26).
Fleur Delacour
After Cedric's marks were revealed silently, Fleur Delacour went to face the Welsh Green. She put it into a trance with a charm and it became sleepy, but just when she tried to pass it, it began to snore and shot a flame at her skirt. She put out the flame with water from her wand and got the egg. Fleur received less than 40 points for this task; the exact number is unknown (GF20).
Viktor Krum
Viktor Krum encountered his Chinese Fireball after Fleur. He blinded it with a spell, which worked well to stop the dragon from attacking him, but had the negative side-effect that it trampled around and squashed half of its own eggs. Karkaroff awarded ten points to his school's champion, but the other judges deducted points because of the broken eggs. Krum's total score was forty points (GF20).
Harry Potter
Harry Potter was the last champion to leave the tent and face his dragon. Following his professor's advice, he Summoned his Firebolt as soon as he entered the stadium and dodged the Horntail's flames and tail until it took off to hunt him. Then he dived down and took the egg. The Horntail hit him once with its spiked tail, but the cut was not too deep. Harry received forty points for this task and was tied in first place with Viktor Krum.
Harry's perfomance in first task triggered the reunion between him and Ron Weasley, who had been jealous of Harry being a champion. Ron apologised to him after the task (GF20).
