PoA Chapter Nine

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

And by grim defeat we mean one of those times where Harry's unconscious and the team loses without him.

All the students are taken into the Great Hall to sleep. Dumbledore conjures sleeping bags for them, and they’re purple because he’s gay.

The Trio discusses how it’s lucky Sirius tried to break in when they weren’t there, which is really a careful clue that he wasn’t trying to get them at all.

Can’t help but wonder if Dumbledore is having a conversation somewhere even half as intelligent as the one the kids are having about how Sirius could have gotten in. I conclude that no, of course he isn’t. He’s just walking around looking amused and twinkling and everyone assumes he’s got it all under control.

Filch can restore paintings? Why doesn’t this guy have a better job?

Dumbledore’s just sure that nobody in the castle could have helped Black. Because he loves thinking that the threat of his disappointment would be enough to deter anybody.

I will always like Lupin for the way he actually is helping Black in a small way, even if he’s presumably doing it out of cowardice because that’s the kind of guy he is. Teddy’s probably lucky he’s not around to raise him. Though then again, cowardice is often in the blood.

Hannah Abbott tells everyone Sirius can maybe turn into a flowering shrub. Somehow nobody seems to hit on "maybe he’s an Animagi" even though that’s kind of an obvious possibility. As is Polyjuice. Sure, I didn’t think of it, but I’m not a wizard.

Like, the reverse equivalent would be like…if we were Wizard readers of a book set in the Muggle world. And when students’ grades got changed the Muggle student characters all came up with ideas like people breaking into the student office with axes instead of wondering if anybody hacked into the system.

Really, it’s not that there’s no way Black could have gotten in, it’s that there’s no end of ways he could have gotten in. That castle’s about as secure as…well, it's as secure as a big drafty castle when you’re a person with magical powers.

Hannah’s the one Neville marries right? Because see, she’s talking about plants. Soulmates!

Sir Cadogan becomes the password portrait, and he makes up complicated passwords that he changes twice a day. Yeah, it’s totally Neville’s fault that he needs to write them down.

Percy trails Harry everywhere to protect him. I can see why Harry hates the guy. Stop caring, Percy!

Wood announces to the team that they’ll be playing Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin. He says the reason is their Seeker’s arm’s still injured, but really it’s that Harry’s going to pass out during the game and since that’s going to result in everybody describing Harry as being "beaten" at Quidditch, it obviously can’t be Malfoy. Harry can only be fake-beaten by his moral equal.

Cedric is described as strong and silent, which Fred translates as too thick to string two words together. Our heroes, ladies and gentlemen.

Lupin’s not teaching class, which Harry assumes must be because of the Potion Snape gave him days before. Instead of the illness Lupin said he was taking the Potion for.

Can anyone explain why a class who chomps at the bit at anything the slightest bit violent is grumbling resentfully because Snape wants to skip to the werewolf chapter?

Snape is totally Team Edward.

Wow. Moment of dizziness as fictional worlds collide around strong and silent Cedric and Robert Pattinson.

It certainly is a mark of how much the class loathes Snape that they glare at him for his snapping at Hermione. Calling her a know-it-all is out of line, but it is a little embarrassing that she can’t control herself. Well, we had this whole discussion last chapter.

And Ron does pretty much go too far with that line. I don't usually see Snape as just defensively reacting to students who are out of line, but the class is being a bit ridiculous here, and since they’re doing it on behalf of Lupin it must drive Snape even more crazy.

Btw, Ron gets all mad at someone else insulting Hermione. Soulmates! Only he gets to call her a know-it-all!

Ron has to scrub the bedpans by hand. How often are kids so injured at this school they’re using bedpans?

The Twins probably think stealing peoples’ kidneys is hilarious or something.

As sad as it is that Snape never grows beyond adolescence (not that anyone else does either), I can see why he throws himself so into this Lupin/Black thing. The guy’s got all of 5 people who were important to him in his life and finally after 20 years two of them are in the building.

Quidditch matches aren’t called for trifles like thunderstorms. Wizards are now officially too dumb to come in out of the rain.

Seekers are usually light and speedy, Harry thinks, but Harry growing tall and gorgeous won’t be hurting him in the coming years.

LOL! I can just see JKR trying desperately to come up with a way to make Quidditch different this time. "I’ve got it! Rain!"

It doesn’t say much about Harry that he needs Hermione to look up the spell to make his glasses repel water. Wouldn't anyone who wore glasses have that spell memorized?

Sirius is watching Harry play and that’s kind of adorable.

So everyone’s flying in gale winds and Harry’s knocked unconscious by a crowd of Dementors who shouldn’t even be on the field. But Malfoy’s not playing because his arm’s a bit sore. Am I to understand that if one person on this team swallowed their pride enough to say they should postpone it all of this would be avoided?

You’d think the Slytherins might have an advantage in the rain, them being the water house.

Everyone’s worried about Harry’s near-death fall of 50 feet. I’m a little suspicious about it being so dangerous to fall off a broom when part of the game involves trying to knock people off their brooms. Either wizards bounce or they don’t.

Everyone says Cedric won fair and square, because we all know he didn’t. It’s physically impossible to beat Harry fair and square at any event like this, really. Ron doesn’t even beat him fair and square for Prefect.

I know I just said this but I can’t get over Harry lying there thinking how he’s lost a Quidditch match for the first time ever. Because not only has he never lost before, but he didn’t lose now.

If only Nu!Ginny had been here she would have leapt out of the stands, grapped Harry's broom and caught the Snitch herself. Soulmates!

Hermione describes how Dumbledore shooed away the Dementors. Note that even with the things swarming the school Dumbledore still doesn’t think the kids should learn to make a Patronus. That’s only for Dumbledore’s buddies. And, randomly, Umbridge.

Oh no. More tragedy as Harry’s lost his faithful broomstick. Where will he ever get another? Except by going to the store and buying a new one with his piles of gold? Or maybe another one will just fall out of the sky for him like this one did.

Things used more than once:
First mention of Apparition! Strangely, it’s mentioned as if it’s some sort of rare skill instead of something everyone would assume Sirius was doing all over the place.
Naturally this is also the first mention of how you can’t Apparate inside Hogwarts. Thanks, Hermione.
You know, we probably could have easily just met Sir Cadogan when he took over for the Fat Lady. But probably introducing him first in a neutral way is to make it seem like the world really does spill out around the actual story.
Second use of a Patronus.
Psst. You know how it looks like Snape wants Lupin dead? He’s actually protecting him!
Until DH I might have thought the conversation between Snape, Percy and Dumbledore about Black was the most egregious example of convenience in eavesdropping.

It’s a gun. No it isn’t! It’s Chekov! No it isn’t!
You can’t Apparate inside Hogwarts. (Except House Elves.)
Status: Tragically misfired on Montague. And God knows people get in every which other way.

How did Dumbledore shoo away the Dementors?
Status: We’ll find out all right.




Informed Attributes
Woe! Harry has lost a Quidditch match fair and square! Unless you don’t consider being hit with a tranquilizer dart as you’re running for a goal fair.

Misdirected Answering
Since this is one of those books where the central drama has nothing to do with Harry, the whole story is misdirected answering. In this case it’s discussions of why Snape is poisoning Lupin.

Jabootu Score: 2

Comments

[oryx_leucoryx]

Another good recap.

Can’t help but wonder if Dumbledore is having a conversation somewhere even half as intelligent as the one the kids are having about how Sirius could have gotten in.

Well there's the overheard conversation with Severus:

SS: "Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?"
AD: "Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

But what is so unlikely about 'maybe he knows a secret passage we don't know about', with the possible addition of using some kind of magical disguise or method for invisibility? Isn't at least the former likely knowing Sirius and James' history?

Filch can restore paintings? Why doesn’t this guy have a better job?

But he is serving the greatest wizard of their time while having an opportunity to annoy (almost) all magical children between ages 11 and 18!!

Percy trails Harry everywhere to protect him. I can see why Harry hates the guy. Stop caring, Percy!

Poor Percy, believing in conventional values like studying well and helping people in trouble or danger. He would have been a Hufflepuff if it weren't for his need to be appreciated.

Wood announces to the team that they’ll be playing Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin. He says the reason is their Seeker’s arm’s still injured, but really it’s that Harry’s going to pass out during the game and since that’s going to result in everybody describing Harry as being "beaten" at Quidditch, it obviously can’t be Malfoy. Harry can only be fake-beaten by his moral equal.

Yes, a better writer would have had him losing to Draco at least once.

Can anyone explain why a class who chomps at the bit at anything the slightest bit violent is grumbling resentfully because Snape wants to skip to the werewolf chapter?

Because it is Severus so he must have an evil motive for it. Hermione must be doubly resentful because she already did the reading on hinkypunks and now she lost another chance to show off.

BTW the fact that Severus asks them the same question that appeared on his OWLs about distinguishing a werewolf from a true wolf implies British Wizards support what is known as the sabertooth tiger curriculum - teaching no longer relevant skills out of adherence to tradition. When were true wolves last seen in Britain? BTW Severus must have really enjoyed himself with "I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one."

Btw, Ron gets all mad at someone else insulting Hermione. Soulmates! Only he gets to call her a know-it-all!

And a nightmare. (PS)

Wizards are now officially too dumb to come in out of the rain.

LOL

Everyone says Wood won fair and square, because we all know he didn’t.

Should be Cedric.

Hermione describes how Dumbledore shooed away the Dementors. Note that even with the things swarming the school Dumbledore still doesn’t think the kids should learn to make a Patronus. That’s only for Dumbledore’s buddies. And, randomly, Umbridge.

Despite the spell being performed in the open Hermione does not recognize the form of the Patronus, though perhaps the weather had something to do with it. And yes, why not teach at least the older students how to perform a Patronus? (One could try with everyone, I don't see any downside. It won't work for many but at least they'd have a chance.)

First mention of Apparition! Strangely, it’s mentioned as if it’s some sort of rare skill instead of something everyone would assume Sirius was doing all over the place.

In my edition of COS it is mentioned there already (Ron explains his parents can Apparate home from the station, so it's OK to take the car, they only bother with floo powder because of the kids) but I am told the first edition didn't have it. I suppose Rowling thought up Apparition when she wrote POA, made it a hard but common-enough skill in GOF (many wizards don't bother with it because of the risk of splinching, it is a big deal for Percy to have gotten his license) and eventually all relevant characters manage it to varying levels of success.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Thanks for catching that typo--have fixed!

In my edition of COS it is mentioned there already (Ron explains his parents can Apparate home from the station, so it's OK to take the car, they only bother with floo powder because of the kids) but I am told the first edition didn't have it. I suppose Rowling thought up Apparition when she wrote POA, made it a hard but common-enough skill in GOF (many wizards don't bother with it because of the risk of splinching, it is a big deal for Percy to have gotten his license) and eventually all relevant characters manage it to varying levels of success.

Interesting! I wonder if my edition honestly didn't have it or if I just forgot--either is possible. By HBP it like it's like getting your Driver's license. All the kids take the class and seem really eager for it.

I was completely surprised when Harry didn't lose to Draco in OotP only because it seemed to go along with the "worst year ever!" theory. That should have been my warning that I was never going to get that learning and growing ending I was expecting!

Ha! Snape totally must have loved saying that werewolf line.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

No, the first editions doesn't have that exchange.

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

Yes, a better writer would have had him losing to Draco at least once.

Definitely. Although I do kinda like the fact that he lost to Cedric, when the next book has him and Cedric competing more directly. Still, there's no need for an either/or; it would be perfectly realistic for Harry to lose twice in six years. At least.

Hermione must be doubly resentful because she already did the reading on hinkypunks and now she lost another chance to show off.

Nah, she already did the reading on werewolves, too, or at least some of it. That's how come she can answer Severus' question, after all.

BTW the fact that Severus asks them the same question that appeared on his OWLs about distinguishing a werewolf from a true wolf implies British Wizards support what is known as the sabertooth tiger curriculum - teaching no longer relevant skills out of adherence to tradition. When were true wolves last seen in Britain?

Exactly. Which means two things:

1) Pettigrew was not an idiot for not doing well on that question on his OWLs. Sure, he'd seen a werewolf tons of times, but had he ever seen a *real* wolf? To be able to list the differences, you have to know what *both* are like.

2) Severus may not have needed to emphasize recognizing werewolves in his homework assignment. He could probably have just told them, "there are no true wolves in Britian, so if you see a wolf headed for you, it's a werewolf. Now go study how to survive the situation."

Although I suppose it could be a wolf animagus, or something else. And students might hesitate if they weren't sure that it was definitely out to get them. (shrug)

[oryx_leucoryx]

2) Severus may not have needed to emphasize recognizing werewolves in his homework assignment. He could probably have just told them, "there are no true wolves in Britian, so if you see a wolf headed for you, it's a werewolf. Now go study how to survive the situation."

That approach might have helped more with the immediate situation but it deviates from what the Ministry wants them to learn and what is asked on OWLs. To some degree teachers do have to teach to the test so as not to fail their students.

BTW if dark creatures is 3rd year material did he have a chance to do a werewolf lesson in other years without raising suspicion? The NEWT students should have covered the topic for OWLs already, though I suppose they too could do with some repetition. Of course the current 4th years had Lockhart as their 3rd year teacher so their knowledge is iffy.

[octopuspatronus.livejournal.com]

Yes, a better writer would have had him losing to Draco at least once.

Draco is like the Daffy Duck to Harry's Bugs Bunny-- he's got to lose to Bugs because that's just how it is, Doc. Which might be why I root for both Draco and Daffy. And would have thought it was awesome if Harry and Draco had to team up against Elmur Fudd I mean Voldemort (well, he's about as effective and scary as Fudd, right?).

Imagining the character response to that (Draco beating Harry at Quidditch), I can only imagine that Draco would either brag about it for the rest of their lives and maybe for a bit of the afterlife, or he'd have his victory and proceed to ignore an increasingly infuriated Harry a la the beginning of HBP and then Harry slices him up in a bathroom.

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

And would have thought it was awesome if Harry and Draco had to team up against Elmur Fudd I mean Voldemort...

As Bugs and Daffy said, "Be vewy, vewy quiet - we're hunting Elmers!"

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

Yes, a better writer would have had him losing to Draco at least once.

It's a standard school-story trope for the hero to be forced to face failure, or to examing him/herself for flaws. Harry doesn't really do either.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

All the students are taken into the Great Hall to sleep. Dumbledore conjures sleeping bags for them, and they’re purple because he’s gay.

I guess I missed this huge clue to Dumbledore's sexual orientation because when I first read this book, I was still assuming that all wizards were gay.

I will always like Lupin for the way he actually is helping Black in a small way, even if he’s presumably doing it out of cowardice because that’s the kind of guy he is. Teddy’s probably lucky he’s not around to raise him. Though then again, cowardice is often in the blood.

I liked this too. I think most people liked that about Lupin. What I thought was that Lupin was the kind of person who really wanted to believe the best about others--and it was a sign of how very badly Peter screwed up that Lupin was ready to go along with killing him. Ah, Lupin. How many fics were written where the other marauders were beating up students right and left and only Lupin was too noble to join in! (Heh. Wrote one of those myself!)

Now of course we know it was cowardice. A specific kind of cowardice, because Lupin's willing to risk his life. He's cowardly because he's not willing to risk... um... disappointing people? Oh, well. Something like that.

Hannah’s the one Neville marries right? Because see, she’s talking about plants. Soulmates!

I figured she thought of plants because she's in Hufflepuff and those kids have plants on the brain... Hmm. I wonder. Do the Hufflepuffs spend all their free time getting stoned in the greenhouses? That might help explain their "duffer" reputation.

Make you wonder why all the fics focus on the Slytherins as having the best parties.

Sir Cadogan becomes the password portrait, and he makes up complicated passwords that he changes twice a day. Yeah, it’s totally Neville’s fault that he needs to write them down.

Sir Cadogan is sort of the Dobby of PoA. Makes you wonder if JKR was under contractual obligation to create at least one super-annoying character per book.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Reading fanfic would give you the impression all wizards are gay. It's true.

Ah, Lupin's cowardice. You're telling me the guy would rather confront the crazy wizard who murders everyone than stay home with his wife. And that's when I, for the first time, I thought Lupin was gay.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Makes you wonder if JKR was under contractual obligation to create at least one super-annoying character per book.

You've made me realise that not even Rowling created a character more annoying than the ultimate in super!annoying!want-to-punch-him-SO-HARD characters ... one Jar-Jar Binks!

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Percy trails Harry everywhere to protect him. I can see why Harry hates the guy. Stop caring, Percy!

It's Percy, so I'm sure that the only reason he's trailing Harry is because it makes him look important. Actually, I wrote a micro-story about Percy losing faith in Dumbledore after what happens to Ginny in CoS, which is why Percy becomes so obsessively pro-Ministry and anti-Dumbledore. Once the veil was lifted and Percy realized that Dumbledore wouldn't or couldn't adequately protect his students, Percy transferred his loyalty and faith to the Ministry.

Snape is totally Team Edward.

The reason we never see Snape in full daylight is because his skin would sparkle.

And Ron does pretty much go too far with that line. I don't usually see Snape as just defensively reacting to students who are out of line, but the class is being a bit ridiculous here, and since they’re doing it on behalf of Lupin it must drive Snape even more crazy.

Heh. I saw Snape as totally playing the students in this scene, just for the pleasure of giving them all detentions and deducting points.

LOL! I can just see JKR trying desperately to come up with a way to make Quidditch different this time. "I’ve got it! Rain!"

She did come to hate Quidditch. There's a quote about how relieved she was to write the last Quidditch match in HBP and know that she was done with them. I'll bet she was delighted to have the Tri-Wizard tournament in GoF so she didn't have to write a game in that book.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Actually, I wrote a micro-story about Percy losing faith in Dumbledore after what happens to Ginny in CoS, which is why Percy becomes so obsessively pro-Ministry and anti-Dumbledore. Once the veil was lifted and Percy realized that Dumbledore wouldn't or couldn't adequately protect his students, Percy transferred his loyalty and faith to the Ministry.

Add to that the way Dumbledore aids the escape of the mass-murderer who threatened Ron with a knife and broke his leg. And in GOF Percy (looking very white and somehow much younger than usual) runs into the lake when he sees that Ron was one of the hostages. I think Percy had good reasons to believe Dumbles was bad news in general and to the Weasleys in particular.

The reason we never see Snape in full daylight is because his skin would sparkle.

He did referee that Quidditch match in PS. And watch a Quidditch match later this year.

I'll bet she was delighted to have the Tri-Wizard tournament in GoF so she didn't have to write a game in that book.

Well, she did write the QWC.

[elanor-x.livejournal.com]

Once the veil was lifted and Percy realized that Dumbledore wouldn't or couldn't adequately protect his students, Percy transferred his loyalty and faith to the Ministry.

It goes well with Percy being the one to ask "Didn't they want to help, sir?", when DD said he would inform dementors after completing the search, and being "coldly" told "no dementor will cross the threshold ... while I am headmaster". I thought I was strangely overreacting by thinking this exchange was a hint of Percy's future, but now the connection is clearer - he's not trusting DD to solve things himself.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

It's Percy, so I'm sure that the only reason he's trailing Harry is because it makes him look important.

*** It's part of the reason, at least. But even when Percy is genuinely caring he comes over as pompous and overbearing.

[elanor-x.livejournal.com]

I guess "grim" hints at the black dog's appearance, even though Sirius is neither defeated nor causes Harry's defeat?

It was impossible to care about losing the game or identify with Harry suffering because of it, when he heard "Not Harry! Please... have mercy" again and almost died himself. Interesting how many kids were mainly curious about Harry's mom and the mysterious dog instead of Quidditch, like I would have been (in childhood too).

I know JKR didn't think it out and it's smth small, but hearing Filch "has done the dungeons" in Snape's report to DD sounded jarring. What was the squib, more vulnerable than the worst 1-st year student, supposed to do, if he found a mad wizard murderer? Be cut to pieces without any chance to raise the alarm?

You’d think the Slytherins might have an advantage in the rain, them being the water house.
I'd think Slytherin team would be glad to play in bad conditions, with Harry's glasses being additional, confined only to him disadvantage, since they would understand that in perfect visibility Harry would see and catch the Snitch first, but in the storm Malfoy would have a better chance of seeing it 10 cm away and winning for once.

Even girls on the Gryffindor (!) Quidditch team sound girlish in Lavender-like, scorned by the narrator, way, giggling at the mention of Cedric and calling him "strong and silent". Is it only me that I can't remember those giggling girls from school?

Interesting whether JKR first wanted to remind somehow of the Whomping Willow, so made Harry's broom hit it and then invented Sirius sending Firebolt subplot or in the opposite direction.

RE: Things used more than once
Also this is the first(?) mention of Ministry's dementors disobeying by coming onto the field despite being forbidden inside the grounds. Seems like an escalating process - in PoA they merely frighten Good Guys, in OoTF attack Harry still on the order of a Ministry worker and in HBP revolt, aka "the mist".

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

HBP revolt, aka "the mist"

Which came to nothing. No Dementor babies -- wouldn't it be great if they were really cute and sweet, a la Mogwai/Gremlins?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Wow, I never thought of that. Yes, exactly what was Filch supposed to do when he was looking in the dungeons? He's more vulnerable to danger than the kids are!

Good question about the Willow. It does seem like something she wanted to set up--it's a gun, really, that I missed. We're reminded of it before it gets important again. And also yes, the Dementors rushing the field is a sign of tihngs to come. Really, parents would probably have started complaining about the things after a while, you'd think. They're at the school the entire year.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

Is it only me that I can't remember those giggling girls from school?

*** Did you go to a boy's school?

[the-bitter-word.livejournal.com]

What was the squib, more vulnerable than the worst 1-st year student, supposed to do, if he found a mad wizard murderer?

Know that Harry would name his fourth kid after him as perhaps the bravest man Harry ever knew?

Seems like an escalating process - in PoA they merely frighten Good Guys, in OoTF attack Harry still on the order of a Ministry worker and in HBP revolt, aka "the mist".

And in DH, they work for Umbridge! and float around the battlefield with little seeming effect. It just goes to show how hard depression is to control, unless you can blast it away with a happy thought.

I wonder what Lupin's Patronus was, and whether, if a stag or dog, it could have fooled Dumbledore about his prevaricating nature.

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

I particularly enjoyed this recap. (Of course, I enjoy them all.)

I will always like Lupin for the way he actually is helping Black in a small way, even if he’s presumably doing it out of cowardice because that’s the kind of guy he is.

I kinda like Lupin for this, but because he's actually defying Dumbledore. How many people do we see do that without being bad guys? Lupin, Percy? Anyone else?

Sir Cadogan becomes the password portrait, and he makes up complicated passwords that he changes twice a day. Yeah, it’s totally Neville’s fault that he needs to write them down.

Yeah. This could have been used as a joke about organizations that require people to change their e-mail passwords too often, but instead, it becomes a joke about Neville.

Percy trails Harry everywhere to protect him. I can see why Harry hates the guy. Stop caring, Percy!

I'd overlooked that bit, before. Poor Percy.


Actually, there's something else odd about the defense class in this chapter that I hadn't noticed, before. Severus first tells the class to turn to a given page, presumably the beginning of the section on werewolves. Then he asks a question...

[...] And I am telling you all to turn to page 394.” He glanced around again. “All of you! Now!”

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

“Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?” said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.

“Anyone?” Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. “Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn’t even taught you the basic distinction between —”

“We told you,” said Parvati suddenly, “we haven’t got as far as werewolves yet, we’re still on —”

Apparently, no one in the class thought to, you know, look in the book, for the answer. Hermione already read the book and knows the answer; the rest of the class is sitting motionlessly. They aren't flipping through the book for the information.

I don't know exactly what's going on, there. Are they just too angry with Severus to cooperate with his running the class? Are they reacting to the fact that Hermione already has the answer? Or did it honestly not occur to them that if they haven't done something yet, and the teacher knows that and tells them to turn to a page, and then asks a question, they should look at the book? I'd hate to think it was the last one.

Also...

“D’you know what that —” (he called Snape something that made Hermione say “Ron!”) “— is making me do? I’ve got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic !” He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. “Why couldn’t Black have hidden in Snape’s office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!”

This is a little reminiscent of Draco's wishing, in CoS, that the monster would kill Hermione. (Another candidate for things that happen twice?)

[oryx_leucoryx]

This is a little reminiscent of Draco's wishing, in CoS, that the monster would kill Hermione. (Another candidate for things that happen twice?)

Thanks for the comparison! So by wishing the monster would kill Hermione Draco proved himself as evil and future DE material, but by wishing Sirius would kill Severus Ron was being - what? Oh, but Severus is a mean teacher who gives unpleasant detentions so he fully deserves it, right? (And Minerva gives insane detentions in PS and a publicly humiliating one later in POA so she deserves - er what?)

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I love about Lupin's actions too. He totally defies Dumbledore! And he never truly feels like he's part of his inner circle for the rest of the series either. I always got the feeling Dumbledore didn't trust the Marauders enough--even before the true depths of Dumbledore's nature were shown. I think he was always put off by the bonds they had with each other. With Harry he didn't have to worry about Harry choosing Ron and Hermione over him. There either wasn't a conflict or he'd be with Dumbledore and they'd support him.

Now that you mention it yes, it totally does sound like the answer to Snape's question might be on that page he told them to open to--it is very weird that they're so stubborn about it instead of just looking for the answer.

It is like what Draco said--only strangely Ron never got labelled a murderer because of the remark!

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

THIS IS THE SOULMATE POLICE.

YOU ARE OVERDOSING ON THE WORD 'SOULMATE' - THREE TIMES IN THIS POST.

IF YOU CONTINUE OVERUSING THE WORD IN THIS MATTER IT WILL BE DEVALUED, SUCH THAT CALLING ANY COUPLE 'SOULMATES' WILL HAVE ZERO MEANING, AS IF ONE CAN CALL A COUPLE 'SOULMATES' WITH ABSOLUTELY ZERO EVIDENCE, AND THIS CANNOT --

Oh.

Okay then. Carry on!

He’s just walking around looking amused and twinkling and everyone assumes he’s got it all under control.

That's *really* irritating, now that we know what a shambles the series ended up as, isn't it? The contrivances to allow the plots to work the way Rowling wanted them to work were way back here even. :-(

Remember, folks, Dumbledore said in DH:

"We have protected him because it has been essential to teach him, to raise him, to let him try his strength --"

So this is a case, then, of allowing Harry to 'try his strength'. Even though Dumbledore means for Harry to be ultimately sacrificed. But only after seven books, mind you! Even though there's no reason to drag things out that long. Other than his saying it's 'essential' that this be the case. With no supporting reasons as to why it's 'essential'. Just because Dumbledore/Rowling said so.

Pfah.

Somehow nobody seems to hit on "maybe he’s an Animagi" even though that’s kind of an obvious possibility. As is Polyjuice.

Shhhhh!!! Soon you'll be wanting the Ministry, the #1 government building, to have security aimed at preventing seventeen year old children from invading and doing whatever they like while polyjuiced as employees!!

Seekers are usually light and speedy, Harry thinks, but Harry growing tall and gorgeous won’t be hurting him in the coming years.

Heh, nice one. No-one would DARE suggest Harry be spilled from HIS position, no matter how 'fanciable' he becomes!