The Pensieve (GF)

From UnknowableWiki

Harry leaning over the Pensieve.

The Pensieve is the thirtieth chapter of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Interruption

The door to the Headmaster's office opens, and Harry enters the place for the second time in his life (CS11). It is a beautiful, circular room with walls lined with pictures of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom are usually asleep.

Fudge happily greets Harry, who decides it is pointless to pretend that he hadn't overheard their conversation (OP29) and says that he did not see Madame Maxime anywhere near Barty Crouch, Sr..

Somewhat embarrassed, Cornelius suggests that the boy return to his classroom, but Harry states that he has to talk to Dumbledore. The Headmaster agrees and instructs him to wait at the office while he, Moody and Fudge examine the grounds for a short while.

Harry is left alone in the office. He greets Fawkes, who is standing on his golden perch beside the door, and sits in a chair before Dumbledore's desk for several minutes, staring at the walls and running his fingers over his scar, which has stopped hurting.

Behind the desk there is a shelf on top of which the Sorting Hat is; beside it, in a glass case, a silver sword with rubies set into the hilt (CS17). He then notices a sliver of silver-white light coming from a black cabinet behind him, and goes to it, opening the door.

The Pensieve

A shallow stone basin is inside, with odd carvings of runes and symbols on its edges. The light comes from the contents of the basin, which stupefy Harry: it is something between liquid and gas, moving nonstop; its surface is ruffled, then smooth or separated; it changes constantly, and the boy is fascinated. He longs to touch the swirly gaslike substance, but he knows better than to stick his hand inside, and prods it with his wand instead.

The surface begins to swirl very fast. Harry bends closer to look at the basin; its contents are now transparent but, instead of the bottom of the basin, he peers into an enormous circular room as seen from above (see: Courtroom Ten). It is dimly-lit, and rows of adult witches and wizards seat around every wall in benches rising in levels. An empty chair is in the middle of it, with chains encircling its arms. The spectators all seem to be looking in the same direction, expecting something or someone; no one is talking to each other.

Suddenly, the tip of Harry's nose touches the substance inside the basin, and the office gives a lurch; Harry is thrown headfirst into the basin and he falls through something ice-cold and black. He abruptly finds himself sitting on a bench raised high above the others; the seats are arranged to give viewers a clear perspective on the chair.

There are at least two hundred witches and wizards in the dungeon-like room, and no one noticed his arrival. Harry turns to the wizard next to him and is startled to see that it is Albus Dumbledore; he starts whispering a confused apology, only to realise that the Headmaster can neither see nor hear him. He remembers his experience in Tom Riddle's Diary (CS13), and understands the similarities between the two experiences: he is once more inside a memory, but not one from that long ago. This Dumbledore already has silver hair, unlike Tom Marvolo Riddle's auburn-haired Transfiguration teacher.

The first trial

Footsteps echo, and a man enters the room with a Dementor on either side of him, each holding one of his hands. The man looks as though he is about to faint as the two creatures place him on the chair; the pair then leaves, and the door swings shut.

Harry then sees that the man sitting in the chair is Igor Karkaroff, looking much younger, shaking, and wearing ragged robes. The chains on the chair glow gold and wrap themselves around his arms.

"Igor Karkaroff," a curt voice to Harry's left calls.

This chapter summary is not done yet. Please be patient.