Fourth year

A fourth year is a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who is in their fourth year of magical education. Fourth Years are typically 14 to 15 years of age. The fourth year is almost identical in its structure to the third; Students sit two or more elective courses in addition to the core classes, and are allowed in Hogsmeade during selected weekends. Fourth year classes consist of Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astronomy, Charms, and two or more electives. Although, fourth years typically get more work than third years, to prepare for their O.W.L.s.

Timetable

Monday
- Herbology (morning)
- Care of Magical Creatures (third period)
- Arithmancy and Double Divination (fourth and fifth period)
Tuesday
- History of Magic (morning)
- Potions (third period)
Wednesday
- Charms (morning)
Thursday
- Transfiguration (morning)
- Double Defence Against the Dark Arts (fourth and fifth period)
Friday
- History of Magic (morning)
- Charms (third period)
- Double Potions (fourth and fifth periods)

Harry's fourth year

Gobletoffirecover — The cover of the *Goblet of Fire* book, which chronicles Harry's fourth year

With the start of the new school year, Professor Dumbledore announces that a very special event is going to take place at Hogwarts this year: The Triwizard Tournament. The Tournament calls for a single champion from each of the three largest wizarding schools in Europe to compete in a series of trials for the glorious prize of one thousand Galleons. Before long, hosts from the two other schools,the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute arrive, and it is announced that the three champions will be decided by the Goblet of Fire, an enchanted artifact that chooses the most worthy entrants from those students who submit their names. An age limit on entrants prevents all underage wizards from entering the tournament, excluding Harry, Ron and Hermione from submitting their names.

The champions are soon announced: Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff is to represent Hogwarts, Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, and Viktor Krum, the Seeker for the Bulgarian Quidditch World Cup team, representing Durmstrang. But then a fourth name is thrown from the Goblet of Fire: Harry Potter. Since Harry did not submit his name, nor could he have due to the age restriction, the assembly is dumfounded, none moreso than Harry himself. Although protests issue from the heads of the other schools against two Hogwarts champions, it is decided that the Goblet of Fire has spoken and that changes must be made accordingly. While many think Harry has somehow gotten around Dumbledore's age restricting barrier, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, an ex-Auror named Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, suggests that perhaps someone entered Harry's name under a fourth school to ensure he would be included in the competition, hoping he might not survive the perilous tasks that awaited the other champions.

HarryGOF — Harry in his Triwizard Tournament gear

Harry's entry into the competition strains his relationship with Ron, who feels once again left in the shadow of his friend, the great Harry Potter. Ron is not alone in shunning Harry; a great many of the students from all three schools assume he somehow cheated his way into the tournament, making Harry's life miserable. As if that weren't enough, Harry develops a hopeless crush on Ravenclaw Seeker Cho Chang.

Though Ron refuses to speak to Harry, he does pass on a message via Hermione that Hagrid wants to see him. The Gamekeeper sneaks Harry into a meeting with Madame Olympe Maxime, Beaxbaxton's Headmistress, through which he reveals that the first task will involve dragons. Harry is also given advice from Moody on how to approach the task. Realising the other schools' champions know about the dragons, Harry tips off Cedric to make sure the contest is fair.

Harry, with a little help from Moody and Hermione, manages to survive the dragon task, despite being up against the most violent of the four dragons, the Hungarian Horntail. Harry manages to summon his broom and fly, using flying strategy he'd learned as a Quidditch player to lure the dragon off the eggs long enough for him to zoom in and snatch the golden egg, the prize of the task.

Harry is told that opening the egg will give him the clue for the next task, but when it opens, only a screeching noise can be heard. With a hint from Cedric Diggory, in return for warning him about the dragon, Harry opens the egg underwater and realizes he must save someone he loves from under the water. Even with help from Hermione and Ron, who has now forgiven him, Harry struggles to think of a way to breathe underwater for a hour. With a little help from Dobby, Harry discovers gillyweed, and manages to save Ron from under the water. He was, however, slightly side-tracked by making sure all the other captured loved-ones were saved, and when Fleur Delacour's sister is not saved, he drags her to the surface as well, Although this means he is over the time limit, his bravery and valor earn him extra points from the judges.

MermaidHP1 — Merpeople in the lake during the Second Task

Later, Harry and the other champions are informed the next task will be in a maze, filled with magical obstacles, and while Victor Krum and Harry are discussing this, a rather mad looking Barty Crouch Sr. emerges from the forest, asking for Dumbledore. Harry goes to retrieve Dumbledore, but when he returns, they find Krum has been stunned and Crouch is nowhere to be seen.

Not long later, Harry looks into Dumbledore's pensieve and into his memories, not only discovering the Barty Crouch's son was sent to Azkaban but that Snape was in fact, a Death Eater at the time of the First War.

At the third task, Harry successfully makes it through the maze, aided by Diggory, and they decide to grab the Cup simultaneously. Unknown to them, the Cup is actually a portkey that transports them to an old cemetery, in the village of Little Hangleton. Awaiting them is Peter Pettigrew, who is carrying what appears to be a deformed infant. This creature orders Wormtail to kill Diggory, who abolishes, leaving Harry in shock and anger. Harry is then stunned and tied to a tombstone. Here, his blood is taken by Wormtail, who also cuts off a hand and places both these things into a cauldron at the creatures command. The creature is revealed to be Lord Voldemort, and the potion made by Wormtail, has brought him back, with the new ability to touch Harry. This also means the magic of his mother has also been lifted, since now the same blood runs through both their veins.

The maze in the Third Task

Voldemort reveals that he has a servant at Hogwarts who has ensured that Harry would win the tournament and be brought to the graveyard. After summoning his Death Eaters (Including Lucius Malfoy), Voldemort challenges Harry to a duel. However, his wand and Harry's are "brothers". As the wands' streams interlock, a Priori Incantatem effect occurs, causing the spirit echoes of Voldemort's victims, including Harry's parents, to spill out from his wand. The echoes momentarily protect Harry, allowing him to grab the portkey and escape to Hogwarts with Diggory's body.

When he arrives back at the school, many of the students begin to cheer before they see the body of Cedric. Harry is then ushered away by Moody, and taken to his office where he sits in shock. As Moody probes Harry for information, he reveals he knows that Harry was taken to the graveyard. Realising that Moody is in fact the servant at Hogwarts, Moody attempts to kill Harry. Before he has the chance, the teaching staff burst in and slip Moody veritaserum where he reveals he is in fact Barty Crouch Jr., who was secrectly released by his mother from Azkaban, and has been using the Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as Alastor Moody all year. Before Crouch can repeat his confession to the authorities, however, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, who refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned, arrives at Hogwarts, along with a Dementor which sucks out Crouch's soul. Dumbledore quickly reinstates the Order of the Phoenix, and a memorial feast for Cedric is held, where Dumbledore tells the school what has happened in the graveyard.

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Hogwarts years
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Fourth year

Timetable

Harry's fourth year

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