How It All Goes Down
Hermione's Helping Hand
- Harry discovers that Stan Shunpike, a trustworthy bus driver and friend, has been arrested by the Ministry of Magic for being a Death Eater. Harry refuses to believe that Stan could be working for Voldemort.
- Harry holds Quidditch tryouts and realizes right away how hard it is to be a leader.
- Katie Bell, Demelza Robins, and Ginny Weasley all make the team.
- Cormac McLaggen, a brawny seventh year, goes toe to toe with Ron Weasley for the Keeper position on the team, but Ron wins out in the end, saving more goals.
- McLaggen is furious and nearly takes Harry out.
- Harry did notice something funny about McLaggen's performance – it was almost as if he had been Confounded.
- Harry realizes that Hermione used a Confundus charm on McLaggen in order to ensure that Ron would become Keeper.
- Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit Hagrid who is very cold and hurt at first, knowing that each one of them has dropped his class this year.
- Soon, things warm up between the four, and Hagrid returns to his more normal self.
- What's really been bothering Hagrid is that his long-time friend Aragog, a giant spider who lives in the forest, is dying.
- Later on, Harry asks Hermione about the Confundus charm and why she intervened with the tryouts. Hermione is defensive, arguing that Harry wouldn't have wanted the hot-tempered McLaggen on the team anyway.
- Harry receives an invitation to a party Slughorn is throwing, but he is saved by the fact that he has to go to detention with Snapey-Snape.