GOF Chapter 10: Mayhem at the Ministry

[oryx_leucoryx]

Arthur is confident Mr Roberts will be alright, though at the moment he doesn't know which day it is, and worse. And Arthur knows that based on the extensive time he spent with Muggles, learning all about them and their culture? I doubt there is any long-term follow up on victims of Obliviation. How does Arthur know they don't develop some form of early-onset dementia later? Heck, maybe Mad Cow Disease is a front for Obliviation side-effects.

Molly is worried because of scary headlines in The Prophet. That's because she totally forgot to look at the living room clock where she could see that no family member was in mortal danger (or if any were for a while the danger was long over by the time she got the paper).

Rita Skeeter criticized the Ministry's lax security at the game. Last week she criticized Percy's cauldron project. And as we shall see later, earlier in the summer she called Dumbledore an obsolete dingbat. Does she have an agenda or is she an equal opportunity trouble-rouser? (Or perhaps she is in the process of upgrading from the latter to the former.)

Arthur keeps insisting nobody was hurt, but I can't forget those green flashes.

Molly tries to object to Arthur's going to the office to take care of the crisis when he is supposed to be on holiday. Percy doing the same is met with no reaction whatsoever.

Harry finally tells his friends about his dream, though as he expected they offer no help. Hermione disses Trelawney and her prophecy. Little does she know.

Sorry madderbrad (and other H/Hr shippers out there) but here we have evidence Hermione doesn't understand Harry all that well - not as well as Ron, at least. He does prefer playing Quidditch with the boys (Ginny? Who's that?) than going to bed early to worry.

Percy's help was in fact needed after all. (He reports no change in Crouch's behavior, though we know that by now Crouch has been placed under Imperius. Perhaps because at this point his instructions were 'act naturally'.) And kudos to Percy for catching Mundungus in his lie. This is the second mention of Mundungus before we learn he is an Order member. He gets a lot more foreshadowing than Sirius Black, though his role is significantly more minor.

Percy makes accusations against Arthur, Bill defends him citing his own run-in with Rita, but is countered by Molly who actually agrees with Rita's criticism of his hairstyle. Looks like Ms Skeeter has a talent for sowing discord that puts Voldie to shame.

Fred and George have already started their campaign to get Bagman to pay them with real money.

Bertha Jorkins' disappearance is finally serious business, once Rita found out about it (how dare she?). Now Arthur claims to have told Ludo to send someone to look for her. Hmm, he just asked him if there was any news of her and quickly shut up when Ludo said there wasn't. Can't afford to get on the bad side of the one who got you the tickets. It was Crouch who repeatedly asked for a search party.

You know, while Rita's style is annoying, she does catch instances of improper conduct at the Ministry. Maybe if she and her likes had better access to the goings-on people would be scared-straight and start doing things right. Though they'd probably only intensify the covering-up.

Hermione isn't of age yet so it is Molly who washes the socks.

Didn't Molly go shopping while the rest were at the match? So why is it that the first time either boy sets eye on the acquisitions it is the last night of vacation, 6 nights later?

I can understand Molly buying Harry more expensive robes than she bought Ron, since she was using his money for that, but that's still not a reason to buy Ron robes that were in bad taste, in a bad state, in the color he hates - and do nothing to improve them after the purchase. She did have 6 days for that. Any wonder locket-influenced!Ron believed his mother preferred Harry to him? (Now that I'm thinking about this - Molly treats Ron almost as badly or incompetently as Eileen treated Severus. Well, on the one hand, other than the dress robes Ron doesn't look visibly neglected, but on the other Severus seems to have been better informed about Hogwarts and magic than Ron. So perhaps it's a wash.)

Comments

[600ants.livejournal.com]

Haha, I know what clich you hint at, but now I can't but suspect that this really was his plan. After all, he doesn't come across nearly as proud and noble as the fanfics like to make him, and I can easily see him living off some rich missy. At any rate, his only redeeming quality (except for loving James as a brother) were his good looks, and if he ever had to make living on his own, it would probably have to do with them. :p

[600ants.livejournal.com]

I mean, what exactly did Lupin plan on being/doing when he graduated Hogwarts? Or his parents, for that matter. Knowing he was screwed for life since he was a little kid, you'd think they'd make plans for him early on. The might have opened a small business themselves, so that it would be waiting for him after he graduates/is expelled from Hogwarts, whichever comes first. What were they thinking? The only thing I can think of is that Dumbles promised them he'd take care of Remus, not to worry, and then he didn't, because the war ended sooner that expected, and he didn't need him anymore.

[karentheunicorn.livejournal.com]

Haha, I know what clich you hint at, but now I can't but suspect that this really was his plan.

Oh no, I was making fun of myself actually. June would know what I'm talking about, I was poking fun at my own fanfic. She's read my fic so she'd know what I meant.

After all, he doesn't come across nearly as proud and noble as the fanfics like to make him, and I can easily see him living off some rich missy.

Yea, I always saw him as the sort of rogue guy. He's not always nice, he says good things but his actions sometimes seem stupid or poorly planned. As, he can talk the talk but does he really walk the walk? I think Sirius was probably a good guy but he also has some major issues that make him a pretty flawed individual. His words don't always line up with his actions.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

Oh right, then. I thought you were talking about all the "Sirius and his ameri-sue" stories. Forgive the assuming sporker in me. :)

His words don't always line up with his actions. Do they ever? I think he's the sort of a guy who knows what is right and what should be done, but doesn't mind making an exception for himself. As in, you should treat your inferiors with respect, Harry, but I can abuse Snape all I please. Because he's a slimy git. Or, you shouldn't let your girlfriend support you, but I can, because it suits me better than working and anyway, she wants me to. :)

[600ants.livejournal.com]

Nice idea!
Is Mrs. Weasley some sort of timepiece-magic expert? That would be pretty cool, actually! Sadly, JK decided having seven kids is career enough for a woman.

There was another clock in CoS, one that had things like "Time to make tea" and "Time to feed the chickens" instead of numbers. :D Do they really need such clock? Because it reminds me of when I was going to kindergarten for forenoons and I couldn't tell time and ma used to tell me I'll be back for you when the big hand covers the small hand and they both point up here. Now I imagine Arthur leaving for work and instructing his wife, who also can't tell time: don't forget to feed chicken when the hand points at the pretty picture of the hen here, dearie. :)

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

Don't bother the Author or her Heroes with logic, now.

Or history, math, or science, oh my!

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

At any rate, his only redeeming quality...were his good looks, and if he ever had to make living on his own, it would probably have to do with them.

Sirius Black:

          GQ model, or

          Gigolo, or

          Street-hustling prostitute

Take your pick.

Maybe I should make a poll for the above... ;-)

[karentheunicorn.livejournal.com]

Oh right, then. I thought you were talking about all the "Sirius and his ameri-sue" stories. Forgive the assuming sporker in me. :)

Is okay, I get that if you have an American in your HP fanfic it usually gets you the marysue lable - it's sort of like if you've got that in your story you get points deducted even before people read it =)

Do they ever? I think he's the sort of a guy who knows what is right and what should be done, but doesn't mind making an exception for himself. As in, you should treat your inferiors with respect, Harry, but I can abuse Snape all I please. Because he's a slimy git. Or, you shouldn't let your girlfriend support you, but I can, because it suits me better than working and anyway, she wants me to. :)

I think Sirius had some good things about him, I just think he ended up being the other extreme to his parents. He wanted to hate anything that reminded him where he came from. That includes someone like Severus who actually choose Slytherin. Sirius never took time to judge his own behavior but he was fine telling other people how to act when he should have looked at himself more closely and what he was saying and doing.

Because his need to bully someone like Severus just shows he was no better than what he claimed to be against.

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

Do they really need such clock? Because it reminds me of when I was going to kindergarten for forenoons and I couldn't tell time and ma used to tell me I'll be back for you when the big hand covers the small hand and they both point up here. Now I imagine Arthur leaving for work and instructing his wife, who also can't tell time: don't forget to feed chicken when the hand points at the pretty picture of the hen here, dearie.

To be fair, perhaps the clock was made for the Weasley children for when they were too small to tell time by a regular clock.

Of course the children now are all old enough to tell time, but the old clock is kept as a sentimental memento, just like kids' old toys, drawings, etc.

[karentheunicorn.livejournal.com]

His personality fits the 'dog'

He's loyal but he's also a wanderer who likes a good time and doesn't want to be tied down. He's fun, friendly, but he barks a lot and makes a mess.

Yea, he's a dog.

[sunnyskywalker]

It might also have some limited ability to shift automatically for changes in schedule, like keeping slightly different hours during holidays or if they're home late (we don't know whether wizards do Daylight Savings Time, but if so, I bet it adjusts for that on its own). It's when your schedule is thrown off that you're most likely to forget what you're supposed to be doing, so it could be handy that way.

And if it is mostly for kids, that's also the sort of thing that might be popular to owl-order from catalogs :D The mortal-peril clock sounds more like something she would have wanted after her brothers died in the first war.

[sunnyskywalker]

Or he could go the Lockhart route! Publish amazing stories about himself while winning Witch Weekly's Best Smile award or whatever that was for publicity.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

It's just that there is so many badfic with American OCs it's hard not to be suspicious. :) Hope I didn't offend you or anything!

I think Sirius had some good things about him, I just think he ended up being the other extreme to his parents. He wanted to hate anything that reminded him where he came from. That includes someone like Severus who actually choose Slytherin.
This makes good sense and I'm sure it's how things were, to a certain extent. But I'm still getting that 'common bully' vibe, too. For example we never see the Marauders bother any other Slytherins but Snape – the one who a) James has a personal problem with because of Lily b) is an unpopular loner, and probably the easiest target available.

Sirius never took time to judge his own behavior but he was fine telling other people how to act when he should have looked at himself more closely and what he was saying and doing. Word.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Well, we have the detention files, as well as Lily's accusations at James that they hexed anyone that was on their path because they could. Severus was the only one James still hexed after he supposedly straightened out for Lily.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

That's true, and I forgot about it. But it still speaks more for 'indiscriminative bullies' than 'a group of students persecuting another selected group because of opposite political and philosophical views'. :)))

[600ants.livejournal.com]

I bet there are fanfics out there for all three possibilities.

Maybe he'd manage to grow up into a sensible adult with a boring, normal personality and a boring, normal life, if he didn't go to Azkaban, but these theories are so much fun! :) And the poll should be made, definitely! :D

[600ants.livejournal.com]

Yes, both of these clocks would be good sellers, IMO. The first kind for kids and adults both – even if you know how to tell the time, you can still use a clock that reminds you what to do and when, and the other would be good to have simply because it spares you a lot of worries about your loved ones. Btw. does the clock only say someone is in danger, or does it also give other information, such as his or her whereabouts etc.? [It's been some time since I read the books, and my memory is weak... :( ]

WWSD? (What Would Sirius Do?) Poll

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

And the poll should be made, definitely! :D

DTCL won't let me make a poll here, so I did it on my own blog here:

http://majorjune.livejournal.com/28816.html

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

It mentions "travelling" and possibly "work", IIRC.

[oryx_leucoryx]

There are assorted locations, such as traveling, school, work, but also hospital, prison and maybe some unmentioned others. The weakness of the system is that 'mortal danger' overrides everything but travel, so if you don't know where someone was when hir situation became dangerous all you can do is fret.

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

It's a shame that Rowling didn't have a character who was a good, competent investigative reporter, rather than the caricature of a muckraking hack working for a scandal sheet that she gave us.

Are we really so sure she gave us a muckraker? We never see Rita outside the "Harry filter." Harry likes the Weasleys; Rita has something against Arthur. She also has a lot to say about Dumbledore, little if any of it good; she writes critically about the same "heroes" we do when we criticize the series. Arthur takes bribes and covers up for his cronies, Dumbledore was an emotionally detached manipulator of the first water and, Harry's had some emotional issues (and why doesn't he have more, given his upbringing? Or is it just that we don't see those either, being stuck in his mind?) that she called him on, the same way we do.

Since all we ever see of her is from the viewpoint of someone she's gone after and who is friends (ultimately family) with someone she goes after, we don't get an unbiased view of her. One man's muck is another man's investigation.

[majorjune.livejournal.com]

One man's muck is another man's investigation.

"Muckraking" has nothing to do with the truth or fallacy of what is being reported on, but on the style of that reporting.

It doesn't matter that ultimately most of what Skeeter reported was indeed true -- Rowling doesn't present her as a serious investigative reporter, but as little more than a scandal mongerer...

What I'm saying is that it would have been nice to have had an intelligent, serious investigative journalist whom the author presented as a positive character.

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

Red Hen speculates that he Dumbledore was paying him to keep an eye on the werewolves even between the wars.

I've also seen theories that he was working in the muggle world as a teacher.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

I've also seen theories that he was working in the muggle world as a teacher.

Seriously? As far as Muggle authorities are concerned, his formal education ended by the age of eleven. The problem is, in canon Lupin isn't quaified for any Muggle world profession - except those that require no qualification at all. :)

[dracasadiablo.livejournal.com]

So, a large bunch of unkillable, happiness eating, soul sucking monsters are roaming the world?
All was well, indeed.