HBP Chapter Two

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

HBP Chapter Two



*Many people think Spinner’s End is Snape’s childhood home. In fact he only recently moved to Spinner’s End from his old place at Red Herring Antagonist Curve. Snape would like to thank Kathy at Meta Realty, for finding him his new house. Meta Realty: Where you are, and where you’re going!

*I must remember to post that essay explaining why Spinner’s End is actually located in Bayonne, New Jersey, off exit 14A on the Turnpike.

*Aww. I love the fox. In my head he’s the descendent of Tolkien’s fox who sniffed at the hobbits. Industry has made him sickly and reduced to nosing at fish & chip wrappers.

*Bellatrix makes a louder pop—that’s bad, right? Like her craziness makes it harder to Apparate, or she’s just upset.

*Cissy—how much do I love that Narcissa is called Cissy. I wonder if when she calls her Narcissa she’s trying to be nice.

*Bellatrix is horrified that Snape lives in a Muggle dunghill. Actually, Bella, Bayonne homes are among the best urban housing stock in the state, with residents actively maintaining and improving their homes and property. The city is set to begin a new era of economic development with new technology, new shopping malls and a civilianized ocean terminal.

*Also, since wizards have only ever managed to produce one village in all of England you can step off, bitch or we’ll turn off all the streetlamps and you can stumble around in total darkness.

*See the towering Dickensian Mill Chimney! Narcissa knocks aside two flower sellers and a chimney sweep in her mad dash to get to Snape.

*Hee! I love the idea of Snape opening the door a little and peeking out. Is it the pizza he ordered, or something more sinister?

*Does anyone else imagine when Snape and Bellatrix greet each other (“Snape.” “Bellatrix.”) they sound like Jerry and Newman on Seinfeld? Helloooo Snape.

*We’re told the place looks like a padded cell, but it seems quite cozy, though apparently without any modern conveniences. (Perhaps Snape literally lives in the 19th century?)

*On November 13th Peter Pettigrew was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his Dark Lord…. Can two Death Eating men share a house without driving each other crazy? Doo doot doo doot do dooooooo doot doo doo doot doo doo dooooo

*We will now pause while I hum the entire Odd Couple theme to myself and imagine Snape and Peter acting out the opening credits.

*Sometimes you totally have to remind yourself that Peter was supposed to be the Gryffindor’s friend and not just another Slytherin.

*Elf-made wine. Now I’m seeing Dobby and Kreacher wrestling in a vat of grapes. Ew.

*Snape pours out three glasses of blood red wine. I’m just going to say it: Slytherins have style. No matter what they’re doing, they’ve always got an eye towards the aesthetic. Snape’s sallow-skinned greasy-haired look is daring, but it’s intentional.

*Death Eater Snape is amused and cool. Much cooler than Sirius was, much cooler than James would be had he lived—and I like James and Sirius.

*Snape might as well turn to the camera at this point and say, “I’m sure you in the audience have all been wondering about exactly what I’m supposed to be doing here. With the help of my friend Bellatrix, I will now give you a quick overview of Severus Snape and the Philosopher’s Chamber of Secrets Stone of Azkaban’s Goblet of Fire, featuring the Order of the Phoenix."

*I love Snape’s line about Bella’s Azkaban gesture. You know he’s thought it to himself about every stupid Gryffindor stunt since the beginning of time. Yes, your death was wonderfully dramatic. Now I’ll go back to trying to do some actual practical good, shall I?

*What useful information has Snape passed, Bella wants to know. As this information doesn’t really exist, it will just have to remain vague and important sounding, just like all the stuff Snape does for the Order, and all the stuff the Order does when they’re not guarding Harry.

*I love Narcissa sticking up for Lucius. Oh Narcissa, if you only knew what an idiot your sister was at the MoM…

*Which reminds me, what happened to that Bellatrix? She’s surprisingly lucid in this chapter. Did she forget to take her medication before going to the MoM?

*Snape mentions Dumbledore “noticing” if he’d joined forces with the DEs against the Order of the Phoenix. Seems the same could be said on the Tower, where many people think Snape should have gone Matrix on all the bad guys at once while also curing Dumbledore of the poison.

*Speaking of dangers, you were facing six teenagers, were you not? Ooh, burn!

*Yes Snape, Harry Potter. You could have killed him at any point in the past five years. You have not done it. Why? And after that, why didn’t the Fellowship just get the eagles to fly the ring to Mount Doom and drop it into the Volcano. Hmmmm?

*I’d love to know the Dark Wizard Harry stories. I’m surprised they haven’t just gotten stronger over the years as the kid’s temper revealed itself.

*Just for the record, to me it seems like Snape’s clearly avoiding all the important truths that we know. Not seeing ESE!Snape here.

*Snape turns to Narcissa—finally, we can go on with the story we’re actually in. We’ve already had TWO recaps of the previous books from different points of view.

*This is what bugs me about the “Snape doesn’t know what Draco’s task is, he takes the vow to trick the information out of Narcissa.” She’s about to tell it to him and he stops her. He doesn’t have to trick it out of her. And btw, he doesn’t trick it out of her because once she thinks he knows the task she never mentions it.

*So, to tally up the water imagery so far, we’ve got the dirty river you can smell at Snape’s house, Narcissa looking like a drowned person and now Snape’s words making her react as if she’s been doused in cold water. Also she’s got tears sliding down her face. Oh, and they’re drinking wine that looks like blood. If Gryffindors were half as enamored with their element as Slytherins are they’d all have spontaneously combusted by now.

*Bella is so 8 years old. I guess it’s not that surprising she can be beat by teenagers. You know about the plan? You? Nyuh-uh!

*I love how Bella couldn’t care less if Narcissa’s son dies. She’ll get her a puppy. Cheer her right up.

*Awww. When Narcissa says Snape’s always been Draco’s favorite teacher I can’t help but think of CoS!Draco—Why don’t you apply for headmaster sir? You’d be the best! And Snape not being able to hide a smile.

*Gasp! It doesn’t matter to the Dark Lord whether Draco is killed! Honestly, what kind of people are they letting become Dark Lords nowadays if they don’t care about the Draco Malfoys of the world?

*Bellatrix offers up her nonexistent sons to the Dark Lord’s service. It’s very touching.

*More wine, more tears, both spilling on Narcissa.

*Okay, I’ve been reading lots of stuff about Snape being trapped into the bond by Bellatrix. Coming to the close of the chapter I’m seeing Snape completely in control where Bellatrix is concerned. No way he agreed to a vow to get her off his back.

*It also seems like Snape knew what was coming with that third vow, and was already prepared to take care of that twitch.

*Also, I knew what Draco’s task was the first time reading this scene. Didn’t seem like there could be anything it could be besides kill Dumbledore.



Cricket Rule
Day-for-Night
This scenes cry out for this stuff, even in a city.

Hero’s Death Battle Exemption
A lot of Snape’s exposition about his plans could boil down to this one. Harry’s not dead because of the Hero’s Death Battle Exemption.

Idiot World
Now that we’ve seen Voldemort’s biggest supporter, is there any doubt this is an idiot world? When they talk about the DEs it sounds like they’re talking about the bunch of people they used to share a cabin with in the mountains or something. Therefore…

Informed Attributes
We’ll just have to take the book’s word for it that they’re scary.

James Bond Exposition Rule
Oh man, now we have to hear the exposition before he’ll even start the plan, much less finish it! I’m giving a pass on the Plot Hole one since we haven’t really seen the end of things yet.

Misdirected Answering
I don’t know about anyone else, but I kind of got the whole “Snape returned to Voldemort a little late” thing at the end of GoF when he made his dramatic exit. There are a lot of things I’d really rather know in this story other than that.

Nut O’ Fun
Confession: I spent most of the time Snape was telling his story of the past five years checking out the bookcases. Big Anne Rice fan, is Snape.

Final score: 8

Water level: Tears, a river, drowned people, cold water, spilled wine that looks like blood.

Comments

[anehan]

And further evidence that hate is not required to cast an Avada Kedavra. In the MOM Bellatrix was mad as an hatter but still able to deceive Harry.

Is it said anywhere that you need hate to cast the Killing Curse? I'm seriously asking here, because I can't remember it, but it's entirely possible I've just tuned it out.

This is what Bella says in the MoM:

'Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?' she yelled. She had abandoned her baby voice now. 'You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain — to enjoy it — righteous anger won't hurt me for long — I'll show you how it is done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson — '

She doesn't mention hatred. Does that bit come from some other passage? If it isn't mentioned anywhere, then we have no reason to believe that Bella decceived Harry. You need to mean the Killing Curse to cast it succesfully, yes, but it doesn't necessarily translate to feeling hatred.

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

She doesn't mention hatred. Does that bit come from some other passage?

No, no other passage about it. I was just pointing out this because according to fanon one can only cast Avada Kedavra out of a very strong negative emotion; so of course Harry could not, since he can only summon 'righteous anger'.

Even if the first and second victim of an Avada Kedavra - old Frank Bryce and Cedric Diggory - were killed by Peter at first sight and were unknown to him - and Harry witnessed both killing.

Bella 'deceived' Harry telling him that his Unforgivable was weak and he could not cast a better one. Harry believed her and stopped using Crucio on her. As a matter of fact his first Crucio was a rather good one; better than his first attempt at Accio, for example.

[anehan]

Bella 'deceived' Harry telling him that his Unforgivable was weak and he could not cast a better one.

That's not actually true. She says nothing about weak, and she doesn't say Harry is incapable of casting the Cruciatus Curse. She merely says that one needs to mean it, and that what Harry is feeling right at that moment isn't enough to cast a lasting Cruciatus. From what we see, she's perfectly right. Harry's Cruciatus isn't a fully-fledged one, even though you're right that it isn't exactly weak either.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

What's fanon got to do with it?

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

Ehm... nothing.

Only, Bella's words at the MoM are hold as the ultimate truth on Unforgivables, despite the fact that a) she is only talking about Cruciatus and b) all the Avada Kedavra we see do not comply with the alleged 'need for a strong hate or other negative emotion' (save perhaps Snape's on Dumbledore).

I keep reading meta stating that Harry never could cast a succesful Unforgivable for this very reason, so I pointed out that canon state things differently.

Maybe I'm exaggerating the importance of this particolar point according to my personal experience.

[anehan]

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm harping on this, but I'm genuinely baffled by your views on the AK, because, as I see it, your interpretation isn't compliant with what Bella actually says (and it's of course possible to say that Bella is misleading Harry, like you did, but IMO the text doesn't support this):

a) she is only talking about Cruciatus

She's talking about the Unforgivables, even though she focuses on the Cruciatus.

b) all the Avada Kedavra we see do not comply with the alleged 'need for a strong hate or other negative emotion'

I know the 'need for a strong hate or other negative emotion' is a widespread view in fandom (it has never been mine), but it seems to me like you're saying that Bella implies this, too. I don't see that she does.

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

She's talking about the Unforgivables, even though she focuses on the Cruciatus.
True; I was misreading.

I know the 'need for a strong hate or other negative emotion' is a widespread view in fandom (it has never been mine), but it seems to me like you're saying that Bella implies this, too. I don't see that she does.

I got the impression that it _was_ a quite widespread reading of Unforgivables and the possibility of Harry casting them successfully. I keep tripping on it. -_-
I always thought it was a wrong one, and that Bella's words at the MoM that are used as evidence of this are misleading (for Harry and, it seems, for many readers).

I'm sorry for dragging attention to one of my favorite pet peeves. It really rattles me.

[anehan]

Heh, considering it's one of my pet peeves too, I'm not complaining! :-)

I got the impression that it _was_ a quite widespread reading of Unforgivables and the possibility of Harry casting them successfully. I keep tripping on it.

I think it is. At least, I seem to be tripping on it in fics and discussions, and it really annoys me, because it's not something that I see as logical (although apparently many other people do). Another pet peeve of mine is the insistence that Harry's Cruciatus 'failed' because his heart is too 'pure'. I mean, WTF?

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

Another pet peeve of mine is the insistence that Harry's Cruciatus 'failed' because his heart is too 'pure'. I mean, WTF?

Well, Dumbledore Says So. Harry is pure and full of love.

I rather find that he has a knack for the Dark Arts; he always got curses right in one. And he fantasized casting Crucio long before effectively casting it.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

The way I read what Dumbledore would be referring to there is that Harry can't muster up enjoyment for causing pain. He's got a foul, wicked temper, we've seen that again and again and has no trouble imagining his enemies suffering from all sorts of torment (as you've mentioned above), but he's just "too good" according to DD (although I haven't gone back and reread the lines involved recently) to, when push comes to shove, enjoy causing the sort of pain cruciatus inflicts. We're supposed to believe his heart's not in it, despite what his mind, and imagination are telling him.

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

We're supposed to believe his heart's not in it, despite what his mind, and imagination are telling him.

Yes, and that's what Dumbledore asks Harry to believe and what Rowlings asks us to believe, but I find this a little hard. If his mind, will and imagination are quite eager to try, what the heck is this 'heart' of him? Sure it is not his 'conscience', a part of him sorely missed.

And he fantasize of using Cruciatus and hope for some people to die. Can he fantasize to do something he does not want to do?

Also, Dumbledore will tell Harry that he will be able and willing to kill Voldemort just because he is so full of love. But not enjoying it! Thinking of England, then?

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Thinking of England, then?

ROFL!! That must be it. Damn you, you've spoiled me!


he fantasize of using Cruciatus and hope for some people to die. Can he fantasize to do something he does not want to do?

This is a problem, I agree. I beleive we're supposed to get the idea that his inherent goodness is supposed to triumph over his dismally flawed personality (or something) because Nobility Will Out in the end. Or something. Honestly, I don't think Rowling knows either. I suppose we're supposed to see it as sort of Road Rage, where you sit and seethe and think "I want to run this guy off the road" but never do. IMHO though, Rowling blew that take on it out of the water the minute she had Harry actually cast cruciatus, whether it was effective or not. Also, don't forget he had no trouble at all with Sectumsempra (albiet that's not an unforgivable) knowing full well it was "for enemies".

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

Also, don't forget he had no trouble at all with Sectumsempra (albiet that's not an unforgivable) knowing full well it was "for enemies".

Harry running through Hogwarths drenched in water and blood just after having almost killed someone, so he could hide his preciouss precious textbook, friend, and warfare consultant is to me one of the less endearing moments on the whole series.

Also I like to point out that he tried Sectumsempra on Draco, but before "he was considering trying it out on McLaggen next time he came up behind him unawares."

In his reading of HBP, Mark Smith used the words 'depraved indifference'.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Depraved Indifference should be Gryffindor's house motto.

[xerox78.livejournal.com]

Also I like to point out that he tried Sectumsempra on Draco, but before "he was considering trying it out on McLaggen next time he came up behind him unawares."

Even more upsetting than the spell is the fact that Harry planned to sneak up on him and use it. I guess "fair fight" is not a Gryffindor trait, but I'm sure JKR would just say that people like MacLaggan don't deserve a fair fight.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

What's hilarious is the way people often think of course Gryffindors never do this sort of thing because it's bad. So you've got the idea that Gryffindors: never outnumber people, never fight anyone not their size or larger, never strike from behind, never strike unless it's in defense, pull their punches...

This after six books of anything but.

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know who deserves a fair fight, the Trio aside.

McLaggen is a Gryffindor, after all. This must mean that he is an idiot but a good one, surely? Does he not deserve a fair fight?

By the way, Harry sneaked at the back of unaware people in the hallways all the year, to test the Half Prince's hexes (just like his daddy! He hexes people because he can! Sirius would be so proud). Only Sectumsempra was clearly labeled 'for enemies' so what exactly was he thinking of?

[malafede.livejournal.com]

I had some nice fantasies about Draco pointing this all out to him in the next book. To some extent, he *is* a truth-teller: he does point out anything that's hurtful and that Harry doesn't like to hear. So it seemed to me that Draco could fill up the role of the One Who Calls The Hero On His Bullshit (once properly redeemed or the way I prefer to see it, transformed).

But the curious thing about Draco is that while he has no problem calling Harry on minor and sometimes imagined flaws, he *never* uses this talent of his to take him down a peg over the serious stuff. He gets beaten to a pulp for being a sore loser? No complaints. He gets split open from a nasty curse for enemies? No complaints.

One does wonder what goes through Draco's mind and why he has this odd relationship with violence. It's not fanon! It's in the text! It's weird to get accusations of fangirlism when you explore an obvious side like this. It seems like I'm supposed to think this is another property of Harry's "purity of heart": his opponents back up and shamefully go quiet in front of the righteous passion of his (violent) rage???

[courtaud.livejournal.com]

I had some nice fantasies about Draco pointing this all out to him in the next book.
Yes, yes, yes! But will Harry listen to him? (And how do you think that Draco will be redeemed or transformed?)

One does wonder what goes through Draco's mind and why he has this odd relationship with violence.
Ehm... wery low-brow answer: because he is a Gemini?
The kind of person to whom a) words are mightier than swords, and cut deeper, so he really thinks that being on the receiving side of a nasty repartee is worse that being punched, and who does not understand that has some weird mental problem, and b) because pointing out loud that something is flawed is to give a service to everyone interested, but being punched flat or almost cut in two is intensely personal, and We Don't Talk Of Personal Things, Ever. (He has no problem about talking of what happened to Montague.)
I guessed that he should have be a Gemini just for this (and his love for histrionics), but then everybody seemed to believe that he was a cruel Scorpio, so I kept my silence. I could have be a prophet!

It's weird to get accusations of fangirlism when you explore an obvious side like this.
Being accused of fangirlism for pointing to something like this sounds weird to me. How can it be?

this is another property of Harry's "purity of heart": his opponents back up and shamefully go quiet in front of the righteous passion of his (violent) rage?
That's what Harry believe, no doubt about it.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

As usual, she does it better when she sticks to the Slytherins. She did the "his heart's not in it" with Draco, who presumably imagined "killing people" plenty of times. Only the real thing was something different. Harry casts bad curses and even when it goes badly, as with Sectumsempra, he gets over it. I remember mike_smith being amazed at Harry having this huge scary scene and then, instead of learning to avoid the curse, he just adds Sectumsempra to his arsenal.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

he just adds Sectumsempra to his arsenal.

I have no doubt we'll see that one flung again with no pangs of concience.

it's good to be the Elect

[malafede.livejournal.com]

Does Harry even ever show he has a coscience? I like to think of HBP as the book of Draco's coscience, but what about the Chosen One? I'm seriously trying to remember. Usually every conflict gets solved with people going to apologize to him, or when bad stuff happens he's in the middle of somehow, someone provides an excuse for any spark of shame he might be feeling, and off he goes, relieved that he doesn't have to feel the silly guilt!

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

I have no doubt we'll see that one flung again with no pangs of concience.

Perhaps it'll be flung right back at Harry, so he actually understands why this spell is so very dangerous and fucked up.

Dumbledore is DEAD – his reign is over, and his enemies' gloves are off. Harry now has to face the reality of his place in the Wizarding World without the protection Dumbledore's tyranny (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny) afforded him. (I'm using that word in the neutral sense, although most peeps know what I think of Dumbles!)

We won't actually know until Book 7 which way the wind will blow, but the persistent cold shoulder/disrespect shown to Hermione by wizards in HPB suggest it might not be smooth sailing for the trio – especially if Ron kicks the bucket.

sorry, i had to get harry's face off my icon

[malafede.livejournal.com]

See, see, this is the deal with Draco and the AT scene. He learns. (Or you can see him starting to learn, or shifting to a completely different mental/emotional place where he clearly is going to learn). There's no pretending he's 1) born nice and 2) he doesn't need to progress, so she can allow motivation for bad deeds in the writing: he was a "child" who actually didn't know what he was doing -- because she allows him to do it.

Harry never has this sort of growth because he's supposed to have started already with "love" in his "heart".

In conclusion: the Slytherins being not so nice is their saving grace as characters, also because JKR apparently can't write genuinely nice people. (Except Ron. I don't know what's up with Ron. Wait: maybe he's just not "nice".)

Re: sorry, i had to get harry's face off my icon

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

I think Ron being written as "nice" is just serendipity. Jo's trying to write him as stupid, but since he's not fat she just can't get that to click and he comes out, compared to the overwhelming population of sociopaths in the series, as simply "nice".