The fourth book opens as Frank Bryce, the Riddle manor's elderly caretaker, sees lights inside the abandoned house. Investigating, he overhears Lord Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew (Wormtail) plotting Harry Potter's death. Frank is discovered and killed; at that same moment, Harry awakes with his scar hurting and having seen the murder in his dream.

Soon after, Harry departs for the Quidditch World Cup with Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, the Weasley family and Amos and Cedric Diggory. Following the match, Death Eaters, Lord Voldemort's servants, storm the camp, creating panic and mayhem. The trio flee into the forest where they see the Dark Mark, Lord Voldemort's sign, shot into the night sky. Barty Crouch, the head of the Department Of International Magical Co-operation, arrives and accuses the trio of Ron, Harry and Hermione of conjuring it, but upon investigating, Crouch's house elf, Winky, is found clutching Harry's stolen wand. Crouch is furious and fires Winky.