deathtocapslock | COS Chapter Fifteen: "Aragog" (Reply)

* So we’re expected to believe that the entire school is in shock at the dismissal of Dumbledore, a man whom most pupils probably only see at mealtimes, whereas four years later nobody will care about three attempted murders? Or is it just that Harry’s guilty of projecting his own mental state onto everybody else?

* “Most of the students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by their teachers, but Harry found it very irksome.” That’s right, Harry, security’s for losers! Never mind that this might end up saving someone’s life, if it makes it harder for you to sneak off and break rules, it’s not worth doing!

* For all that JKR would probably protest otherwise, I’m betting that Draco’s view on DD’s departure is the majority opinion among the non-Gryffindor students. (Apart from the bit about not wanting the Chamber closed.)

* I’ve known several people with rather, erm, traditional views on race relations during my time, and none of them went off randomly wishing that people of ethnicity X would all get killed. Mostly, they just made casual use of racist terms (“So, I bumped into a couple of Pakis the other day…”). Which may be why Racist!Draco’s never really worked for me – he just seems too OTT, like he’s trying to ape his father’s views without really believing them.

* Draco and Snape are just so cute here. You can tell that they really do like each other. :)

* Is Ron’s attempted assault on Draco foreshadowing his later love for Hermione? Maybe, but to me it just seems like it’s foreshadowing his “act now, think later” philosophy from HBP onward. (“Hey, look, Malfoy said something nasty. Get him!”) It’s such a shame Ron had to be turned into a useless jerk.

* So if the Gryffs and Slyths go off to separate classes after Potions, how does Snape escort both groups? Or are all the teachers expected to look after the Gryffindors first, and leave the others to their fate?

* Hey, Ernie’s prepared to admit that he made a mistake and apologise for it. No wonder he’s with those pussies in Hufflepuff, rather than the noble Gryffindors.

* I like the way Harry just says “No” without any explanation whatsoever, and expects them to believe it despite the complete lack of any supporting evidence. Methinks I see the malign influence of Dumbledore’s example at work here.

* I’m no medical expert, but hitting someone over the head with a pair of pruning shears sounds quite dangerous to me. Maybe Gryffindors are just impervious to physical harm, or something.

* So why’s Snape escorting them from Herbology as well as from Potions? Doesn’t he have his own class to do? Or does each teacher have one class whom they escort everywhere? But then wouldn’t Snape, as Head of Slytherin, be given a Slytherin class?

* Ron’s really not coming off well in this chapter, is he? First we’re treated to the sight of him worrying about going into the forest (because Heaven forbid that he should seem as brave as Harry!), now he almost lets slip that they were present at Hagrid’s arrest.

* Way to go, Harry, gluing your dog’s teeth together so that it can’t attack/defend itself against any monsters you find, or bark and alert you when there’s danger.

* If Ron’s wand isn’t working, I can’t see how he’ll be much use in the Forest.

* Why would enchanting a car to fly make it sentient? We don’t get any indication that other flying objects (e.g., broomsticks) ever develop consciousness, so why this car?

* God, what is it with the magical world and not saying your enemies’ names? Even the spiders are at it! Is this some sort of cultural difference, or are they just not as brave as they like to think?

* Pity Harry never learned how to make fire from Hermione. A well-done wall of flames would keep the spiders away no problem.

* Hagrid must be unique in the HP series, in that he’s the only good guy whose flaws are acknowledged and drawn attention to in the books.

* Of course, I’m sure Aragog’s information would be enough to get Hagrid acquitted, if they could find some way of presenting it in court. Alas, though, Aragog probably won’t be able to testify, and who’d believe a pair of twelve-year-old schoolkids? *sighs* If only there were some kind of magical object which let you see into someone else’s memories, conveniently located somewhere in the school – in, say, the Headmaster’s Office – which they could use to see what Aragog told Harry and Ron. If only…