GOF Chapter 10: Mayhem at the Ministry
Mar. 5th, 2011 07:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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deathtocapslockArthur 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.)
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.)
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no subject
Date: 2011-03-08 02:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-08 02:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-08 06:59 pm (UTC)More those texts are believable.
But the whole "Hermione the evil seductress" thing was fabricated and makes Rita look like scandalmongering, tabloid reporter.
Beside, JKR wanted to present Rita as an epitome "evil cow" reporter but she fails at that too.
For example, the report about Triwizard champions is utterly absurd.
Rita ignores Cedric Diggory and writes only a few lines about Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour. Her "Triwizard champions" texts end up being "All about Harry "Tragic Hero" Potter."
The stupid part is, if she wanted to make Harry look tragic and to make the readers cheer for him she should have written more about the other champions.
She only needed to make a lot of insinuations like :
It's well known the Amos Diggory who works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (Historic examples of use of Magical Creatures in Triwizard Tournament on page 6.) is very proud and even boastful of his son.
One have to wonder will he drop some hints about creatures that will be used, or even spells to subdue them, to Cedric.
International quidditch star Viktor Krum will be Durmstrang champion. Will the differences in Durmstrang's curriculum give him an edge over the other champions? (Durmstrang's reputation for teaching the Dark Arts on page 7.)
Lovely and talented Fleur Delacour will represent Beauxbatons. Miss Delacour is one-quarter Veela and it shows in her stunning good looks.
Indeed, the number of Hogwarts students following her around like lovesick puppies is astounding!
Ron Weasley the best friend of Harry Potter is not immune to her charms. Will his obvious interest in Miss Delacour damage his friendship with Harry? (Veela influence on wizards on page 8.)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-11 02:20 am (UTC)O.k. there are no professional wizards (not like Harry Dresden would talk with her XD ) so she couldn't have asked anybody abut magic but reporters?
After the third book was published she could have had asked pretty much any reporter about the way to write a believable "muckraker".
But nope. We get Jo's amateurish muckraker instead. *roll eyes*
no subject
Date: 2011-03-11 12:21 am (UTC)This.
On Viktor, too, being the international Quidditch star, who will help him under the table for autographs or endorsements? Who's in his pocket? Ludo Bagman's a has-been glad-hander and, btw, where has Bagman been?
This sounds more like a fail of Rowling's understanding of effective writing when you put all those unused examples out there. Didn't she do the same thing overall, give us All Harry, All The Time to the point where it was detrimental to a sympathetic portrayal?
no subject
Date: 2011-03-11 02:50 am (UTC)After the first "Triwizard champions" text she could have done a followup or even a series of texts / reports all about Triwizard tournament.
In the second she could have written more about how "poor" Harry is such an underdog compered to others. With all examples of charms, spells and so on that Harry (who is only the forth year! think of the children!) haven't learned yet and all the others have.
After that it could have been how both HP's best friends are being seduced by Triwizard champions (Is Hermione under a Dark cures? Dosed with a love potion? What does Viktor, a grown man beloved by many fans (witches older and more beautiful then underage Miss Granger) wants from her? Is he after her brains or does he want her to spy on Harry for him?
And what about Ron Weasley who won't even talk with his, supposedly, best friend since Miss Delacour arrived at Hogwarts? Is she using her Veela influence on him? Not only him but all boys following her? Even the Ravenclaw's (House full of intelligent and studious youths) captain is bewitched by her beauty. Will he (and his house) help her find answers for the upcoming challenges?
Like all of that is not enough to trouble young Harry it looks like Cedric Diggory turned all Hogwarts students against him! Why, one can't wall down the Hogwarts corridors without seeing those horrible, "Support Cedric! Potter stinks!" badges!
Can you imagine the horror of all the Smothers? The ones with sons on Hogwarts would worry about evil, half Veela charms (btw. isn't it strange that a society with so much prejudice against half-anything accepts part Veela's without blinking? :/ ) and the ones with girls would worry about potions and dark art using pedophile.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-11 03:18 am (UTC)It's 'cause Veela are pretty, of course! Beauty=goodness!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 02:40 am (UTC)That would have eaten up the time between challenges with at least half the parents threatening to withdraw their children until these "threats" were contained!