Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire does an amazing job at setting up the tone of the movie from the very beginning. Voldemort’s presence hangs over the wizarding world, even if they are distracted by the Triwizard Tournament and foreign schools that are participating alongside Hogwarts. Some of the best moments from the movie range from comedic to terrifying, so let’s refresh our memories with ten of the best scenes from the fourth installment of the franchise.
10. The Dark Mark
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Death Eater attack and Morsmordre (HD)
From the very beginning, the fourth movie doesn’t hide that it has taken an even darker approach to the wizarding world than the previous one.
After the Quidditch World Cup celebration is interrupted by an attack from Death Eaters, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and his family flee the area, along with hundreds of other wizards. Unfortunately, Harry is knocked out during the stampede. He wakes up to find a mark in the sky- a skull with a snake inside its mouth.
While dark, this scene is one of the best because it does a great job at setting up the ominous tone of the movie. After not hearing much about Voldemort in the Prisoner of Azkaban, it seems fitting that we would be given such a strong reminder. Casting Voldemort’s mark in the sky is metaphorical as well, since the Dark Lord’s presence hangs over them.
Barty Crouch Jr. casting the dark mark in the sky.
9. Foreign Schools Arrive at Hogwarts
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Foreign Visitors Arrive
So far, we have only heard of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and nothing about any other schools.
This changes when students from other schools arrive at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. The students of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, who are from France, put on a beautiful display upon their arrival, showing off their elegance and magic. Durmstrang Academy is located in northern Sweden and Norway, and their performance displays dominance and strength.
While there are not many words spoken during this scene, seeing the way different magical schools dress, perform, and use magic is a testament within itself to the different cultures. Seeing other wizarding schools expands the scope of the wizarding world greatly, making it one of the best scenes.
The students from Beauxbatons arriving at Hogwarts.
8. Fred and George Grow Old Together
Submitting the Names - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire [HD]
Leave it up to Fred and George to try and challenge Dumbledore.
Being in their sixth year at Hogwarts, the twins can’t participate in the Triwizard Tournament and they won’t get the chance to ever again. They cleverly devise an aging potion so they can get past the spell Dumbledore has placed around the Goblet of Fire. They managed to get past the spell, put their name’s into the goblet, and then their spell backfires.
They age far more than they intended, growing gray beards, and they blame one another for the spell going wrong.
This scene sticks out so much because it is funny and, when rewatching the series, it’s bittersweet. The twins get to grow old together, even if they are not happy about it in the moment. Their bickering and fighting has always been one of the best things about the series.
Fred and George’s aging spell goes wrong and they grow old.
7. Moody Transfigures Draco
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Alastor Moody v.s. Draco Malfoy (HD)
Moody may be breaking the moral rules set in place at Hogwarts, but it’s worth it.
Draco has always been the annoying bully ready to pick on Harry and his friends at a moment's notice. After hearing him call Hermione “mudblood” so many times throughout the series, we’ll take whatever humitation comes his way. This time, it’s in the form of a ferret.
Moody notices Draco about to cast a spell on Harry after he turns his back. Seeing this as a cowardly act, Moody transfigures Malfoy into a ferret, tosses him around a little bit, and sticks him down one of his friend’s pants.
This is, by far, one of the best moments in the Goblet of Fire. Everyone loves seeing cute animals, but watching Draco get humiliated is a close contender. While the ferret, aka Draco, is unharmed, we know he will carry with him the moment he ended up in someone else’s pants as a small animal for the rest of his life.
Draco turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody.
6. Harry Chased by Dragon
The First Task (Part 3) | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The moment we’ve all been waiting for.
As the first trial begins, we already know Harry is at a disadvantage. The Hungarian Horntail is said to be vicious, and Harry is not as skilled as his peers. While powerful and clever, he doesn’t have the extra three years of schooling that the other contenders have.
Luckily for him, all he needs is Accio and his broomstick. Summoning his broom, Harry has to flee the dragon that has broken from its chain. It chases him away from the stadium and all the way to Hogwarts.
Dragons are a big deal in many fantasy movies, and getting to see a fully grown one is terrifying and exciting. More so terrifying for Harry. This scene is action packed and suspenseful, making it one of the best.
The Hungarian Horntail Harry has to face during the first trial.
5. The Yule Ball
Yule Ball | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It is common for schools to have dances, like prom, and plenty of us were probably wondering what a dance at a wizarding school would look like.
After Hermione’s eye-catching entrance, the celebration begins. Unfortunately for Harry and Ron’s dates, the two boys have other things on their minds and don’t care much to enjoy it. Sticking with typical school dance fashion, there is a little bit of drama mixed in and Hermione ends up crying by the end.
Getting to see the character’s we’ve watched grow up over the last few movies dress up is cool and all, but getting to see the emotions between characters gradually start to build and shift is another thing. While it’s obvious Harry has a crush on Cho, we can’t help but wonder where exactly Ron’s concern for Hermione stems from. Is it friendship, or the first sign of his romantic feelings for her?\
Harry and Ron at the Yule Ball.
4. The Merpeople
The Second Task (Part 2) | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The second trial, of course, has to amp it up. What better way than to put the people you love in danger?
The second trial, which is an underwater timed competition that requires the participants to save their friends, gives us more insight on the wizarding world. We are introduced to the merpeople who reside in the Black Lake. While not much is known about them before, in this one trial we get to see that they are not like the Disney mermaids we are used to.
This scene had us waiting with bated breath to see if Harry could save both his friends and it does a great job at introducing a whole new society of people quickly. We see that the merpeople are harsh, violent, but allies of the wizards, otherwise they wouldn’t have participated in the trial. The ever expanding world of wizards and witches keeps growing.
One of the merpeople stopping Harry from saving two people during the second trial.
3. The Pensive
Karkaroff's Trial | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Leave it up to Harry to fall into someone else’s memory by accident.
Harry’s curiosity gets the better of him and he investigates the pensive in Dumbledore’s office, a basin that holds a magical water where memories can be relieved. The memory in question is one of Dumbledore’s and it shows Barty Crouch when he was still alive, holding a trial for Igor Karkaroff, the current headmaster of Drumstrangm who came with his students to Hogwarts. However, the trial takes a turn and Barty Crouch Jr. reveals his allegiances.
The pensive is an important part of one of the upcoming movies, which makes this a memorable scene. It's filled with a great deal of foreshadowing, especially since we haven’t seen the last of Barty Crouch Jr. Dumbledore knows the enemy is inside Hogwarts, and he is so close to the truth.
Barty Crouch during Karkaroff’s trial in the memory Harry finds in the pensive.
2. Voldemort’s Return
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Lord Voldemort returns part 1 (HD)
Fourteen years of peace comes to an end.
Voldemort has haunted the wizarding world, figuratively and literally, since the very beginning of the series. He was a shadow that Harry only crossed paths with in the first movie, but after all this time, his allies have found a way to revive him.
The snake-like human that comes to life is a terrifying reflection of evil incarnate. As sad as this scene is, from a beloved character dying to the Dark Lord’s resurrection, it is also one of the best. Voldemort’s return was inevitable, and the way in which he returns will haunt us.
Voldemort awakening in his physical body.
1. Mad-Eye Moody
Barty Crouch Jr Revealed | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
If you thought Voldemort’s return was the last shocking part of the movie, then you’re in for another surprise.
Mad-Eye Moody, considered one of the best dark wizard hunters, begins acting strange when he takes Harry away from the maze. He begins to show signs that he might not be who Harry, and everyone else, thought he was this entire time. As the polyjuice potion wears off, Barty Crouch Jr. is revealed.
Luckily, the professors and Dumbledore show up in time to capture him and save Harry. It is revealed that the real Mad-Eye is at the bottom of a magical trunk and the last of the missing puzzle pieces come together.
This last scene is one of the best, because it really gets us thinking. Every interaction since “Mad-Eye” showed up at Hogwarts was not the real Mad-Eye. Even the moments where he and Harry were bonding, Harry was unknowingly bonding with a Death Eater.
Barty Crouch Jr. revealing he was pretending to be Moody the whole time.
