Book #29: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I have a question, first off: Why is this book called "Goblet of Fire"? The goblet really doesn't play that much of a role in the book; it only shows up in one chapter. I guess it does sound catchier than "The Triwizard Tournament" but that would be much more accurate to describe what happens in this book.

Let's just do some bullet points here:
-The Weasleys picking up Harry and the Ton-Tongue Toffee. So hilarious and such a great sketch of all the Dursleys (Petunia trying to pull out Dudley's tongue and Vernon throwing things at Mr. Weasley, hahah).
-I love the Quidditch World Cup scene (up until all the Death Eaters and Dark Mark stuff). Any time Harry is with the Weasleys I am super happy for him and it is so fun to learn about international wizards and more of the wizarding world at large.
-The blast-ended skrewts. I totally forgot about them and they are hilarious, not to mention Hagrid loving them.
-Malfoy, the magical bouncing ferret! Go Moody!
-I don't really love the whole Triwizard Tournament, honestly. The challenges themselves and Harry's preparation for them aren't the most compelling part of the book.
-I like that finally Ron and Harry get in a big fight and Hermione is the one sticking by Harry. Ron is so great and real in this book--he finally falls prey to his jealousy with both Harry AND Hermione (with the Yule Ball) and does things that best friends really shouldn't do. I also love their apologies to each other and how they wrap up a several-month-long dispute with just saying "Don't worry about it." BOYS.
-I LOVE Viktor falling in love/like with Hermione. Objectively speaking, Hermione is clearly the superior and most under-appreciated character in the series (always the third one out of the trio and neither Harry nor Ron even consider asking her to the ball for MONTHS--now, really?), and finally, finally, she gets a moment of glory. Viktor seems like a good guy, and it's just pretty awesome that she gets to go to the ball with the most famous and popular guy there. Ron and Harry totally are jerky fourteen-year-olds in that whole situation (towards Hermione), although it totally makes me laugh to see how scared they were to talk to girls and ask them to the dance. I love how they are suddenly acting their age in some ways.
-Hermione and Rita Skeeter--SO AWESOME. Hermione comes through again! Seriously, without Hermione, WHAT WOULD ANYONE DO? Also, Rita Skeeter is totally the WORST and I wish Hermione would just keep her in that jar in her beetle form forever.
-I very vividly remember being so scared and sad during the climax-graveyard-Voldemort-reincarnation scene when I read this the first time. I had to close the book and take a few deep breaths several times during that scene. SERIOUSLY, how crazy freaky terrifying is that? I was so sad that Cedric died (I mean, he is a pretty boring character to us, but we know that he is decent and good and kind and it sucks that he is killed). I take this scene for granted now, but it's basically everyone's worst nightmares thrown into one, and Harry is there for it. I can't even imagine it. (I would totally not be in Gryffindor. I am not brave, unfortunately. Probably Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, because OBVIOUSLY NOT SLYTHERIN.)

I had a few questions from this read-through. How is it freaking possible that no one suspected that Moody was an impostor? Not even Dumbledore noticed that this guy he's known for DECADES is someone else completely? I don't buy that now. And what's this whole thing about entering your name in the goblet as being a magically binding contract? Why couldn't they just say, "Nope, sorry, we don't do four champions, and Harry doesn't even want to do this anyways. So never mind, you're off the hook." (Obviously why not--because then the story would involve Harry being an observer instead of a participant and that Harry DOES NOT DO!)

I am super excited to re-read the last three books.