GOF Chapter 3: The Invitation

[oryx_leucoryx]

This is the obligatory Dursley chapter, in which we are treated to the home life of this family and learn how inferior they are to wizard families.

Dudley takes up a whole side of the square kitchen table. Ahem, I doubt a square kitchen table (as opposed to a dining room table) was designed to seat 8 people, 2 on a side. His parents excuse away his teachers' accusations of bullying. As opposed to the Weasleys who never receive reports making such heinous accusations against the twins (we'll see the school does occasionally owl their parents, but I don't see any awareness that some of what the twins do is bullying behavior). (This starts the theme of parents dealing with wayward sons in this book.) Dudley is forced into a diet of fruit and vegetables rather than his favorites. From the descriptions we get of the food Harry eats at Hogwarts I get the feeling Harry's favorites are closer to Dudley's than to the health foods, nor does he limit his intake. But somehow Harry remains thin, regardless of whether he gets starved by Petunia or stuffed by Molly or the House-elves.

Changing the food choices of the entire family is a good thing! However adjusting Harry's serving size to Dudley's (perceived?) emotional needs isn't. I don't begrudge Harry for working around a diet he doesn't need, but then I also sympathize with Dudley who does. Changing eating habits of years is hard.
This is also the place to say Dudley must have grown up as an emotional wreck. Knowing that his parents were capable of such physical and emotional deprivation of someone in their care - what if he ever failed to please them? I think a big part of his misbehavior is both making sure his parents know he *isn't* Harry as well as wanting the reassurance that they still love him, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Of Harry's 4 sources of help only one sends food he appreciates. Odd that even Hagrid managed to send an edible birthday cake. But how edible is it (or any of the others) 3 weeks later?

Harry is surprised that the Weasleys wrote directly to the Dursleys. Vernon is embarrassed that they didn't know how many stamps to use. But really, how hard is it to find out? Didn't they go to the post office to buy the stamps? What does it say about the exchange rate between Galleons and pounds that a family so poor finds it reasonable to spend on so many stamps for one letter? Molly's letter sounds as if she is trying too hard to make the Quidditch World Cup sound special and to make Arthur sound important. And of course she doesn't have enough imagination to realize that sending a letter by owl isn't normal for the Dursleys.

Harry is offended on Molly's behalf when Vernon calls her 'dumpy'. Since Molly likes Harry nobody is allowed to notice she is overweight.

I must say that the scene where Harry threatens Vernon with Sirius looks a lot less humorous now that I have seen Harry enjoy torturing a man for punishment, and Sirius engaging in Muggle-baiting.

If I am correct in my understanding that Ron is claiming that he and Molly wrote their respective letters at about the same time, then I am impressed with the UK post. Molly's letter arrived on Saturday morning. Pig arrived the same morning. Considering the speed of owls elsewhere, it looks as though Ron's letter was sent earlier that morning. So a letter got delivered the morning it was sent?

I am less impressed with the Weasleys. They plan on taking Harry regardless of the Dursleys' consent. One could argue that eventually Molly and Arthur realized their sons were not exaggerating when they said Harry had been imprisoned and starved, but seeing how Arthur views the treatment of Muggles, both in this book and in COS, I doubt this made a difference.

Harry is happy specifically because Dudley is suffering and he isn't. The seeds of the bully of HBP and war criminal of DH.

Comments

[charlottehywd.livejournal.com]

Clearly you have put more thought into Dudley's character and personality than Rowling ever did. But then, he's just a muggle. *sigh*

Good point on the Weasley's finances- is it me or does it seem like their poverty never really inconveniences them other than by having the kids have to wear hand-me-downs or similar frivolities?

Sirius engages in muggle-baiting? When did this happen? That makes me feel better about the fact that even when I was an HP fan I was never really affected by his death scene.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Sirius engages in muggle-baiting? When did this happen?

The prequel - James and Sirius' treatment of the policemen. Who were Muggles. And fat. So they totally deserve to be made fun of, and left at the mercy of whoever it was that James and Sirius were escaping from.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Clearly you have put more thought into Dudley's character and personality than Rowling ever did.

I read way too many fandom posts and essays. Most of my observations were already made by others before me.

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

Re: stamps: Maybe Molly went to a Muggle post office, said she wanted to send a letter, and was sold a book of stamps -- since stamps generally aren't sold by the each. Molly might have simply assumed that all of those stamps were necessary to send a single letter. I can see how it might be perfectly natural for her not to ask, not to know that there's a question to be asked.

After all, if you rent an owl at a wizarding post office, you presumably only pay for the single use, rather than paying for other uses upfront. Which makes sense in that case, because the whole point there is that you're renting an owl that you don't keep at home, so you'd need to go to the post office anyway. Buying stamps in advance enables you to avoid going to the post office yourself, an option that wizards who don't own owls don't have.

[cured4life.livejournal.com]

But wouldn't Molly have asked how much to mail the letter and not know to ask for an entire book? Maybe it's different in the UK but we can buy as many or as few as we want/need.

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

As can we, but it's usually more convenient to buy books of stamps, and she may have copied other customers (no explanation as to how she got the right money and knew how to pay for them, given how clueless the Weasleys are about Muggle culture).

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

(shrug) It depends on how the conversation went. If it went like this:

Molly: Hello, I'd like to send a letter.
Clerk: Uh, okay. (guessing at the problem) You don't have any stamps?
Molly: Stamps? No.
Clerk: Okay, here's a book of them for you. That'll be _____.

...would Molly think to ask anything more?

The conversation certainly could have gone other ways, but I think that could explain the envelope we saw.

Alternatively, maybe some wizarding post offices sell stamps and delivery Muggle mail to Muggle post offices, but don't have enough customer support.

[harpsi-fizz.livejournal.com]

Harry's victories are only sweet if they are seasoned with the bitter tears of those he triumphed over. Which isn't surprising considering the abuse he suffered at the hands of Dudley when he was younger. It's annoying that this little trait isn't examined more by the fans. It's such a dark part of Harry's personality, a deliciously dark part.

I love how it could be played up like a tic or a quirk- Harry starts living a normal life, but every time someone suffers and he's happy, he does a little gloating smile or chuckles a little and someone notices it and calls it out. Of course, that'd require JK to write outside of Harry's head. It'd be delicious, especially if Hermione and Ron would point it out to him or remark on it or even one day have to grab him and hold him back from extracting the sweet bitter tears from his enemy which he so dearly craves.

"Harry, mate... I think you need help." Great opportunity for Ron.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes! Instead we have Twinkly telling him how amazingly full of love he is. Which comes across as either the words of someone who doesn't know Harry much or who is manipulating Harry for his own purpose.

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

Or of someone whose notion of love is - uh - debatable.

[ladyhadhafang.livejournal.com]

I'm actually reminded a bit of Palpatine and Anakin's relationship in ROTS when you say that. Seriously, if that were the case...well, yeah. Go with it where you will. :)

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

the abuse he suffered at the hands of Dudley when he was younger. It's annoying that this little trait isn't examined more by the fans. It's such a dark part of Harry's personality, a deliciously dark part

It's annoying this isn't explored more by JKR. It seems his abuse/neglect is just for something to point to so Harry can be praised for showing the ability to love, despite the crappy way life has treated him, rather than something that actually informs his character. I don't think it's very believable that Harry is the person he is and acts the way he does if he'd been suffering systematic abuse for all those years. And I don't mean to say that there's one right way for abused kids to behave, it's just hard to reconcile his behavior/personality with that history, that's all.

I do like your idea about the others picking up on his malicious pleasure in other's suffering. The only problem is that they're just as likely to take pleasure in it as well.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

But somehow Harry remains thin, regardless of whether he gets starved by Petunia or stuffed by Molly or the House-elves.

Surely the mystery is how RON can stay thin on Hogwarts food! :-)

Harry is offended on Molly's behalf when Vernon calls her 'dumpy'. Since Molly likes Harry nobody is allowed to notice she is overweight.

Well, Harry *really likes* Molly, you know. That's one reason he likes Ginny, because her eyes look just like her mother's. Hmmmm ... :-)

Harry is happy specifically because Dudley is suffering and he isn't. The seeds of the bully of HBP and war criminal of DH.

Ouch. Schadenfreude is perfectly understandable for a fourteen year old boy in Harry's position, I think. This just shows that he's no saint.

I know Ginny was the bully of Hogwarts in HBP, what did Harry do other than approve of her own thuggish behaviour?

[oryx_leucoryx]

I know Ginny was the bully of Hogwarts in HBP, what did Harry do other than approve of her own thuggish behaviour?

Practice the Prince's hexes on Crabbe and Filch to general laughter of others.

[detritius.livejournal.com]

If I am correct in my understanding that Ron is claiming that he and Molly wrote their respective letters at about the same time, then I am impressed with the UK post. Molly's letter arrived on Saturday morning. Pig arrived the same morning. Considering the speed of owls elsewhere, it looks as though Ron's letter was sent earlier that morning. So a letter got delivered the morning it was sent?

Maybe it was all those stamps.

[for-diddled.livejournal.com]

"His parents excuse away his teachers' accusations of bullying. As opposed to the Weasleys who never receive reports making such heinous accusations against the twins (we'll see the school does occasionally owl their parents, but I don't see any awareness that some of what the twins do is bullying behavior)."

Also unlike Mr. Malfoy, who has high standards for his son and doesn't hesitate to point out when they aren't met, even in the presence of strangers. Or unlike Dumbledore, who insists that Harry is a fount of love and forgiveness, even when that's clearly not the case.

"But really, how hard is it to find out? Didn't they go to the post office to buy the stamps?"

And doesn't Mr. Weasley work in a department which deals specifically with Muggles and Muggle objects?

"What does it say about the exchange rate between Galleons and pounds that a family so poor finds it reasonable to spend on so many stamps for one letter?"

As we said on a previous thread, the Weasleys are poor enough to angst about it and come across as poor woobie underdogs, but not poor enough to actually be inconvenienced in any serious way. That's a very specific level of poverty.

"Harry is happy specifically because Dudley is suffering and he isn't. The seeds of the bully of HBP and war criminal of DH."

Maybe he's got to save up all his love to defeat Voldemort at the end of DH, and can't afford to waste any on Muggles like Dudley? :p

[condwiramurs.livejournal.com]

Also unlike Mr. Malfoy, who has high standards for his son and doesn't hesitate to point out when they aren't met, even in the presence of strangers.

Thank you. For all his failings, I maintain that Mr. Malfoy is in many respects a decent parent (not perfect, but decent, he tries), and this is one of those times. Although I'm not exactly a fan of the Amy Chua approach to parenting, setting clear (and reasonable) standards and holding children to them is IMHO an important part of parenting. This is part of Dudley's problem: his parents have never given him a clear, coherent standard to live up to, so he acts out but is also insecure.

Word about Arthur's job. And the Weasley's poverty level is indeed quite specific: just enough to induce sympathy from (Good(TM)) characters and the reader, without actually posing a blatant enough symptom of societal ills that the heroes could be taken to task for not thinking about it or for the claim at the end that everything is hunky-dory now that Voldie is gone to immediately ring hollow to even the most uninvolved reader. It's there to gain them sympathy, not to point to any flaws in the WW.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Lucius...is not going to win any awards for altruism. But that has nothing to do with his parenting abilities. People are too quick to equate being a DE with being a completely foul and worthless human being with no redeeming qualities. You can have criminals who love their family and would do anything for them. But people either talk about how Lucius must be an abusive father (because they love the woobie!abused!Draco trope) or he's just a failure because of the values and work ethic he taught him.

You'll note that Lucius never got Snape to put Draco on the first year quidditch team- apparently only Gryffindors disregard the rules like that. (or long-entrenched tradition; even if it wasn't a hard-and-fast rule, it was accepted that first years cannot join the team)

And he refused to indulge the boy's whims and buy him what he wanted, telling him to instead pull his socks up and work harder if he wanted a reward.

And to Draco's credit, he wound up knowing the difference between right and wrong and being unable to kill someone- while Harry blithely Crucios Amycus.

doesn't Mr. Weasley work in a department which deals specifically with Muggles and Muggle objects

What a joke. He still doesn't know how to pronounce electricity, obviously he's not trying hard enough. If he really was putting in the effort to learn his field, he'd be questioning Muggle-borns. Sure, Hermione doesn't volunteer that much info, but if he specifically asked her to put aside an hour or so to help him with stuff, she'd be happy to help. And there have to be other Muggle-borns at the Ministry. But I guess it doesn't occur to him to ask them to help him understand their own culture. Or they're too ashamed of their background. That's def plausible.

ETA. I read this secret the other day in the HiH Owl Secret Post ostensibly from Draco saying he 'teases Weasley because I wish my family loved me as much'- and I'm like, wtf? O.o If Draco's wand broke, you can be sure he wouldn't go the rest of the year without a functioning wand. And I love when Harry notes Draco's weekly care package from his parents! And Lucius isn't the one setting a crappy example for his kid and showing that violence is the way to solve conflict, that bashing someone is a first resort. *shakes head*

[https://me.yahoo.com/a/gNLVidA.xeLuPiOU_2B_USM.HYNFjA--#b0b6b (from livejournal.com)]

As we said on a previous thread, the Weasleys are poor enough to angst about it and come across as poor woobie underdogs, but not poor enough to actually be inconvenienced in any serious way. That's a very specific level of poverty.

Which is further evidence to me of what a self-pitying brat Ron is. He gets a mountain of Christmas presents every year, and he certainly doesn't starve at home. He has his own bedroom, decorated just how he likes, and he seems to have quite a few personal possessions. And yet he hates "being poor".
Ron comes across to me as being just as petty and shallow as Draco in this respect. For him, money = status. Being content with what he has must never have crossed his mind.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

the Weasleys are poor enough to angst about it and come across as poor woobie underdogs, but not poor enough to actually be inconvenienced in any serious way. That's a very specific level of poverty.

*thumbs up*

Although we have Ron being inconvenienced severely in GoF! Apparently Molly didn't know any charms to change the color of his robes! Couldn't even remove the lacy stuff to save him some humiliation. O.o I can buy a guy not wanting to rip stuff off- heck, I have no sewing skills or anything, I wouldn't even do that myself, for fear the garment would fall apart after- but Molly, house-wife extraordinaire, can't at least do that for him?

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

Lol, all this talk about cheating (damn, look at that page explode with comments!)- I'm in the camp that it was dishonest and he should not have been taking credit for another kid's work...but then I realized, hey, it's not like this is new ground for Harry. Hermione's been writing essays for him and Ron since forever! Not just correcting them, but full-on doing his work for him.

All that day she seemed to be in a particularly good mood, and that evening in the common room she even consented to look over (in other words, finish writing) Harry's Herbology essay

I honestly don't know how nobody could realize what's going on, Hermione must have a distinctive style of writing that her teachers would remember, and yet nobody notices three similar essays with similar facts written in a similar style?

Anyway, I think that's definitely not right. Academic dishonesty for sure, though in this case, Hermione's also at fault for doing it for them and letting the boys pass off her work as theirs- Snape didn't get a say with his potions book at all. I'm really quite aggravated at Harry getting all this prestige and favoritism and good grades by using Snape's hard work, that little rotter. I don't think it's that wrong to use the book, but not to admit that his success in potions is due to another student's hard work is wrong. He's getting credit for showing creativity and innovation he doesn't possess- if he was like, 'Yes, I did this because this book showed me how', he'd get marked well like all the other students who succeed through following instructions, but he wouldn't get the extra praise and rewards that he hadn't fairly earned.

On another level, if the books are that outdated and there are easier, more efficient ways to make potions, then it's a shame he's hoarding that information instead of helping his peers, but that's just my nitpick, it's not a serious criticism, because there are a lot of kids who wouldn't care and anyway, Harry's not a teacher, it's not his responsibility to make sure the kids are getting the best possible education (and the dude whose responsibility it is doesn't really seem to care about that).

But I'm surprised Hermione didn't insist on Harry teaching a secret Potions group, to make up for the shoddy education they're receiving. You know she would've killed to get her hands on that book- or at least, learn some of the Half-Blood Prince's secrets! Should've pushed Harry to make a new club- Potions Anonymous or something, lol.

[for-diddled.livejournal.com]

"On another level, if the books are that outdated and there are easier, more efficient ways to make potions,"

I'm surprised Snape didn't draw on his research to publish a revised edition of the book, rather than keep all these discoveries to himself.

"You know she would've killed to get her hands on that book- or at least, learn some of the Half-Blood Prince's secrets!"

You'd have thought so, but then, didn't she refuse to use the Prince's instructions because they weren't Ministry-approved? Which seems a bit inconsistent with her attitude towards Umbridge and the government in the previous book, and her portrayal as the intellegent, intellectually curious one of the trio.

[borg-princess.livejournal.com]

could argue that eventually Molly and Arthur realized their sons were not exaggerating when they said Harry had been imprisoned and starved

Yet they don't argue with Dumbledore sending him back there and demand something be done about the Chosen One, or at least, good friend of their son's, being forced to live in such conditions.

The blood protection thing is totally bogus. Why does Harry need it if he's going to be staying with the Weasleys for part of the holidays? Why does he need it if he can just stay at Hogwarts? How does the stupid thing protect him if he goes out to the shops or the park? And it wouldn't even protect him against DEs knocking at the door, I assume, since it's specific to Voldy. (although I thought someone suggested it might be a more general charm, which doesn't really make sense to me, but then my previous point stands that as soon as Harry leaves the house, he's vulnerable)

[condwiramurs.livejournal.com]

Oh gods, the blood protection thing is so stupid and ill-thought-out on JKR's part. I've seen it discussed to death elsewhere, and nobody can make real sense out of it.

My sense of it is: it works only while he's in the house or maybe on the grounds belonging to the house (though would it protect against a spell cast or a rock thrown from outside the land's boundaries? What about ricochets?) and it is good only against Voldie, not the DEs or random other people. And indeed, why does he have to stay there when he is far better protected at Hogwarts? (Answer: Dumbledore wants him to be reminded of why he loves the WW so much that he'll die for it, and wants him manipulable, and Harry is too stupid to get it.)

Good point about the Weasleys never raising a stink about the Dursleys. (Maybe they did go to Dumbles, and he told them he'd take care of it and warned them not to talk about it? Fic idea...)