COS Chapter Nine: "The Writing on the Wall"

[for-diddled.livejournal.com]

* Ooh, we’re half-way through the book! :)

 

* Lockhart’s looking “excited and important”, which is the sort of description usually reserved for Percy. Is this foreshadowing for Percy’s evilness in OOTP?

* I like the idea of Picture!Lockharts curling their hair so much that I won’t bother asking where they got the rollers from or why they needed them.

* I wonder why Snape’s trying not to smile. He doesn’t seem to have any particular grudge against Filch – in fact, he’d probably sympathise with him as a fellow outcast – so maybe it’s Lockhart’s behaviour he finds amusing?

* Harry feels sorry for Filch, but “not nearly as sorry as he felt for himself”, continuing the long tradition of self-pity in these books.

* Love Lockhart’s backtracking here, BTW. “Ah! I thought so!”

* Filch seems to be ashamed of the fact that he’s a Squib, whereas Hermione’s never been ashamed of her Mudblood status (and nor, as far as we know, have any Muggleborns), suggesting that Squibs have lower status than Muggleborns. Insulting people for being Squibs is still worse than insulting them for being Muggleborns, though.

* Harry’s sure that nothing Snape has to say will do him any good. Even though Snape’s spent most of last year saving Harry’s life.

* Snape’s logic may be leading him to the wrong conclusion, but at least he’s using logic, which is more than we can say for most characters in the books.

* Contrary to what Professor McGonagall says, there is evidence that Harry’s done something wrong. It may be circumstantial evidence, but it’s evidence nonetheless.

* So is Dumbledore reading Harry’s mind here? Because I have to say that the idea of the epitome of goodness going around violating people’s privacy like that seems a bit disturbing.

* “Hearing voices no-one else can hear isn’t a good sign, even in the wizarding world.” Erm, how do you know, Ron? This is, after all, a world with time travel, teleportation and transfiguration. For all you know, there might be some obscure bit of magic that only allows certain people to hear a sound.

* Ron’s laughing at Filch being a Squib, thereby teaching readers the value of tolerance.

* Ron seems happy that Filch is a Squib because Filch is such a bitter jerk. Apparently it doesn’t occur to him that Filch is such a bitter jerk because he’s a Squib, and that, if he were a normal wizard, he might be quite a nice person.

* No, Harry, Snape hasn’t tried to frame you for anything; he’s merely made a reasonable (if incorrect) deduction from the evidence available to him.

* I hope that at least one of the teachers tried to “Sourgify” the writing away before setting Filch on it with the mess remover.

* Aww, Filch’s portrayal here is so sad. :’(

* Ron doesn’t think Ginny should worry about Mrs. Norris being petrified, because she’s not very nice. Remember, kids, it’s OK for someone to be attacked if they annoy you in some way!

* As per usual, Ron’s is a few inches shorter than everyone else’s.

* Someone should tell Hermione that writing far more than you’re meant to is not a sign of intelligence. Learning to write briefly/choose only the most important points to include is a valuable skill to learn. If I’d handed in an essay that was ¼ over the word limit, my teachers would not have been happy.

* Hey, Hermione’s refusing to help Ron cheat with his homework. Maybe she should do this more often; he might actually learn something then.

* I don’t know what subject it was that JKR used to teach, but I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t History.

* So why is Dumbledore letting Binns teach? Hogwarts is, after all, the only wizard school in Britain; for DD to hire a bad teacher is, therefore, even worse than for a normal headmaster to hire one. He could well be putting literally every single wizarding child off studying history for life.

* Or maybe it’s just a cunning plan to stop them from investigating his own rather… interesting childhood.

* It seems that mediaeval wizarding society was so advanced, they all had surnames several centuries before they were introduced into Muggle society.

* I can’t help but wonder how Gryffindor and Slytherin managed to work together for so long; who to admit is, after all, a pretty fundamental disagreement. Perhaps Slytherin was initially OK with the idea of accepting Muggleborns, but them something happened (maybe one of them tried to betray the school?) that changed his mind.

* No, Ron, no-one’s said anything about Slytherin starting all this Pureblood stuff, simply that he agreed with it. There’s no evidence that this was a particularly rare view back in the tenth century.

* Also, in his haste to condemn Salazar as a “twisted old loony”, Ron seems not to have considered what it would say about Godric Gryffindor if he’d decided to start a school with such a man.

* Plus, of course, wishing to exclude Muggleborns is quite reasonable in an age when Muggles will literally kill you if they ever find out you’re a wizard.

* Maybe that explains all the Pureblood supremacy stuff: back in the old days, when Muggles were out to get magical people, wizards with Muggle relatives could well have divided loyalties, and so would naturally be seen as potential fifth columnists. The most trustworthy wizards would, therefore, be the ones with no Muggle relatives, and who would consequently be loyal only to the wizarding world. By the time Muggles stopped persecuting wizards and the danger of betrayal went away, the whole “Pureblood = best” thing was so heavily ingrained in wizarding culture that it is still present today.

* Considering Ron’s condescending attitude towards Muggles, I’d be a bit more cautious about getting on my high horse if I were him. He’s really a bit like a BNP member criticising a Nazi for being a racist.

* Am I the only one for whom “I wouldn’t be in his House if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I’d’ve got the train straight back home…” brought flashbacks to “Imagine being in Hufflepuff. I think I’d leave, don’t you?”

* The sad thing is, all this “You could have been great in Slytherin” stuff could have been an excellent opportunity to show that “Slytherin” and “evil” are not synonymous. As it is, though, it comes across as a moral test that Harry has passed. The sign of true goodness = hating Slytherin House.

* Hermione’s really got a high opinion of old Dumbles, hasn’t he? Dumbledore couldn’t cure Mrs. Norris, ergo Mrs. Norris’ attacker can’t be human. What was it I said about elementary logic and the Hogwarts curriculum?

* Nice to see that Fred was already showing strong bullying tendencies by the age of five. And a remarkable control of magic, too, if he was able to turn a teddy bear into a spider without any training or a wand. Remind you of anyone?

* Hermione’s laughing at Ron’s obvious trauma, which, given what we now know about JKR’s views on love, is probably meant to be A Clue for their eventual marriage.

* So Hogwarts can buy golden plates for all its pupils, but not keep its toilets in good order. Clearly, Dumbledore’s been diverting funds from the sanitation department into the crockery-buying department.

* Percy’s noticed how upset Ginny is, whereas neither Ron, Harry nor Hermione have. Remember this when she tells everybody about Percy’s girlfriend.

* “You don’t care about Ginny,” says Ron, even though all the evidence in the books points to him being the only one of his family who actually cares about her.

* Given the rudeness of Ron’s remark, five points from Gryffindor is quite a mild punishment.

* Gosh, the Percy-hate’s really coming strong here, isn’t it? Now the trio are reluctant to even sit near him in the common room.

* “‘Let’s think,’ said Ron in mock puzzlement. ‘Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?’” The correct answer is “No-one, because JKR can’t write a convincing racist.”

* It’s a bit like if, when Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, instead of being a poor labourer, was a respected teacher or something like that. And instead of framing him for rape, Bob Ewell had called him a “nigger”. And instead of doing this pretty much every time he met him, Bob had used this insult maybe one or two times a year. And instead of doing this to every black person he met, Bob only insulted Tom. And if instead of being motivated by blind prejudice, Bob had a perfectly understandable reason for disliking him. And instead of agreeing with Bob’s insults, everyone just ignored him. And instead of being poor and oppressed, Maycomb’s black population were well-integrated and treated as equals with the town’s white people. And instead of being a common insult, “nigger” was rare enough that Tom had to ask one of his friends what it meant. And then the audience are expected to react as if Bob’s an evil bigot making Tom’s life hell, instead of just a minor irritant which any reasonably well-balanced person would ignore.

* Even if we accept for argument’s sake that Draco is a racist, that still isn’t very good evidence for him being Slytherin’s heir. There are, after all, lots of racists in the world; and besides, there’s always the possibility that Slytherin Jnr. would be hiding his racism so as not to draw suspicion on himself.

* Oh, wait, silly me, that’s not the only evidence Ron has. Draco’s also ugly. Because ugliness is a sure sign of badness, obviously.

* Oh, and his father’s “evil” (bear in mind that, so far, about the worst he’s done is insult Mr. Weasley, which is unpleasant, certainly, but not evil). Because Slytherin was so evil, all his descendants would be, too.

* Not that blood’s important in any way, or anything like that.

* And upon this foundation of spurious conjecture, Ron goes on to build a whole edifice of even more spurious conjecture, suggesting that the Malfoys have been handing the key down, father to son, throughout the centuries.

* Yeah Ron, try presenting that evidence in court, and see how far it gets you.

* And by “court”, I mean a proper Muggle one with juries and presumptions of innocence and all the various other safeguards designed to prevent wrongful imprisonment, not one of the kangaroo courts that pass for justice in the wizarding world.

* It is, as Hermione says, “possible”. But, in the absence of any other evidence, it’s no more possible than any of the other thousands of possibilities. (Hey, perhaps it’s Lockhart, and that idiot façade is just a way to throw suspicion. Or perhaps it’s one of the other rich, Pureblood children whose ancestors have all been in Slytherin. Or perhaps the whole thing’s just a practical joke by Fred and George…)

* Ron and Hermione seem to be getting irritated at each other remarkably quickly. Cue Can You Feel the Love in the background.

* “But that’s impossible,” says Harry, apparently forgetting that he’s a wizard in a school of magic in a society that has magic for just about everything, so asking Draco questions without them realising who they are shouldn’t be impossible.

* A lot of people think that Malfoy would be unable to keep his mouth shut if he was the heir, but I disagree. He doesn’t tell anyone about Norbert in PS, after all, and in OOTP he doesn’t seem to blab about Harry’s “remedial Potions” lessons. He’s quite capable of keeping secrets when the plot requires it he wants to.

* “‘Oh come on, no teacher’s going to fall for that,’ said Ron. ‘They’d have to be really thick…’” Can you guess who it is yet? :)

 

Comments

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Oh. Well, then, I guess my complaint wasn't justified then, I didn't realize schools worked like that. Wow. Write a LETTER to the principal? Gosh. Not that I ever really bothered to see him (except when I was selling lollies to raise funds for the school production and hit him up for cash, lol) but I was on good terms with the assistant principals. Hogwarts doesn't have that- well, I suppose Minerva kind of fits that role, but she's still a regular teacher and Gryffindor Head, so yeah.

Damn it, you've removed one thing from my list of things I hate about Dumbledore! Now I gotta find something else to replace it... *ponders*

[ioanna-ioannina.livejournal.com]

I never had a problem with Minerva being a Deputy. In my school(s), the Deputies are teaching just like everybody else. Even the Headmaster(s) use to teach, even if only a few hours per week.
Students here can come to any Professor who teaches them for an advice with their subject; to their Head of Class with any personal problems; to any Professor they trust enough with personal problems (the Professors usually ask them, what is wrong, if the students are behaving strangely, they don´t wait for them to come); they have to come to the Deputy when there is a formal problem with class (the teacher didn´t come to class, mostly). They can come to Headmaster, but it is quite rare. You don´t bother the Headmaster with things you can resolve easier and more quickly with a Professor.
The same applies for the Professors. Where is a problem with a student, they go to the student´s Head of Class. Where is a problem with a place to have class in, time, the teacher´s future absence, they go to the Deputy. When they want to make an excursion or have a class outside of the school premise, they go to the Deputy and then to the Headmaster.
Just to give you another perspective from another country, and from both sides, the student´s as well as the teacher´s.

[koi-no-soshan.livejournal.com]

You can still hate that about him! After all, schools where the principals aren't accessible to the students don't also have authorial voices trying to tell us how wonderful the principals are and how the students all admire them and would mourn their loss.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

authorial voices trying to tell us how wonderful the principals are and how the students all admire them and would mourn their loss.

LOOOOL! IKR? How random that everyone was so in love with him and then so griefstricken at his loss! Like, 95% of the school wasn't even involved with the war, so they only ever saw/heard him at the Opening Feast and End of Year Feast, otherewise, he was a total nonentity! When did they have time to get to care about him?

And it's kind of random how much Harry loves him, considering he only sees him in private like once a year. Mentor/protege relationship that was NOT. Even in HBP, the one book where they meet relatively frequently, Bumblemore is still keeping him in the dark and being irritatingly close-mouthed and treating him like a child.

PS. Thank you for that comment, I feel better now!

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

I think that the most frustrating parts of Dumbledore's meetings with Harry in HBP are when Harry tries to warn him about Draco and Snape and all that Dumbledore has to say on the matter are patronizing quips such as "I have been tolerant enough," "I do not think that it is a matter of great importance," "I trust Severus Snape" (without telling Harry the reason why), etc. He promises Harry that he'll be more open with him, but he's anything but. He doesn't tell Harry that he already knows about Draco's mission, he doesn't tell Harry about the Master Plan, he doesn't reassure Harry that Snape is definitely on their side or tell him the reason why, and he doesn't tell Harry about the other Horcruxes or the Deathly Hollows.

And the way that he treated Harry in OotP was just shameful.

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

After all, schools where the principals aren't accessible to the students don't also have authorial voices trying to tell us how wonderful the principals are and how the students all admire them and would mourn their loss.

As I previously mentioned, in my school you usually had to make an appointment via the principal's secretary...but in practical day-to-day operations, I don't think most students ever went to see him, anyways.

Mr. Dustin was nearing retirement, deaf if one ear, and to put it kindly, somewhat befuddled...

He was a sweet old dear, and I'm sure if some student showed up at his office without a prior appointment, and Mr. Dustin was in, and if he wasn't already meeting with another student, that he'd have made time to see and listen to the student.

But really, if a student actually wanted to accomplish something, they first dealt with the teacher in question. If that didn't resolve it, they then went to the department head, then to their guidance counselor, then to a Vice Principal.

The Vice Principals actually ran our school; Mr. Dustin was just the kindly figurehead! LOL

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize schools worked like that. Wow. Write a LETTER to the principal?

It probably depends on the size of the school; when I was in high school, just my class alone numbered over 1100 students...total student body was over 4000 (the school went on double-sessions the year after I graduated)...

Didn't have to write a letter to the principal of my school to get to see him, but you did have to make an appointment via his secretary, which really doesn't seem all that unreasonable.

But that's totally different than needing to know a security code to get to see the guy!

:-P

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

IKR? If there was an emergency, what are you supposed to do? Just stand there guessing frantically? (which Harry does at one point, I think)

And a secretary is reasonable, but a gargoyle which can't be reasoned with...yeah, no.

[oryx_leucoryx]

If there's an emergency most official adults should be a suitable address. Except at Hogwarts where we know most adults aren't suitable.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they're either evil or dangerously incompetent or totally useless. *eyeroll*

Still cannot get over the FORBIDDEN FOREST being an acceptable detention- especially sending two kids off on their own without any protection except a cowardly dog.

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of punishing the kids for wandering after-hours...if the detention is making them wander after-hours. Unless it's like Principal Trunchbull's punishment of a gluttonous schoolboy in "Mathilda." In order to punish him for eating her slice of cake, she forces him to consume an *entire* cake in front of the whole school.

Besides, with names like the "Forbidden Forest" and the "Restricted Section," Hogwarts is just tempting the kids to try to find out what's so special about them. Why have a restricted section in a school library at all? Is it only supposed to be for the staff to use?

[oryx_leucoryx]

Students could use the Restricted Section if they had a permission note signed by a teacher.

Restricted Section

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

Also, Hermione's approach to Lockhart makes it seem that the teacher's permission note has to specify what topic is being researched.