Back from the Dead!

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

At long last, another chapter review :)

We begin the chapter with a cringe-inducing exposé of inter-Trio relations as of sixth year. On the surface not much has changed – Harry's still in charge, Hermione's useful for brainwork (or just plain work, really!) and Ron provides an intangible form of moral support. But this chapter lays bare the dysfunctions that uphold and maintain the facade of their "friendship", and it's...disturbing.

Harry knows he has to get that memory out of Slughorn, who's done an excellent job of evading him all chapter. He's been "wracking his brains" all week in fact, and keeps looking over the Half-Blood Prince's Potions textbook in hopes a cunning plan will suddenly appear in the margins. Hermione is deeply aggrieved that Harry isn't automatically coming to her for help & problem-solving, so she nags & bitches at him about how her competition that textbook isn't any good. The first mention of Sectumsempra occurs here – Harry sees it and makes a mental note to try it out sometime. Thank goodness the HPB noted that Sectumsempra was "FOR ENEMIES", or Harry might have used it on Hermione at this juncture!

Ron enters the fray, doing his best to defuse tensions by playing the Helpless Male card to the utmost – he's unable to Apparate, he's having trouble with his DADA essay on Dementors, his quill won't write properly, and he simply can't figure out a way to get rid of Lavender. This behavior works to mollify (pun intended!) Hermione's bruised ego; since she finally feels "needed", she bends over backwards to do Ron's work for him. Ron tells her he loves her, yet given the circumstances it feels more like a Pavlovian reward than a romantic statement. (Funny how Lavender shows a keen interest in Divination, yet she hasn't been able to predict Ron's flagging interest!)

Thank fuck for Kreacher, who bursts into the Gryffindor Common Room with Dobby in hot pursuit. Despite his awareness of Hermione's discomfort with the use of house elves as servants, Harry rubs it right in her face anyway. (I'm reminded of the confrontation between Dumbles and Voldemort in the previous chapter, where Albus tells Tom his "friends" seem more like servants.) What's a Muggleborn girl to do when she's upstaged by two elves and a secondhand textbook??? It's a good thing Ron spills ink on his DADA paper, so she can go clean it up!

"Master Malfoy moves with a nobility that befits his pure blood. His features recall the fine bones of my mistress and his manners are those of..."

Hang on – MISTRESS? Does this mean Harry's not actually in charge of Kreacher? Now I'm really wondering what went down between Severus & Narcissa in Chapter Two as they were giving each other the eye, and how much involvement Dumbles had in that scenario!

Kreacher doesn't give away any pertinent information, but Dobby informs Harry that Draco's been spending lots of time on the 7th floor. Harry's ickle brain finally kicks into gear, and he deduces not only that Draco's been spending time in the Room of Requirement, but that the various students Dobby's seen him with are actually Crabbe & Goyle under the influence of Polyjuice potion. While the idea of C&G as eleven-year-old girls gets used for comic relief here, there's something quite wonderful about the trust they put in Draco, and their willingness to experience such fluidity in outward appearance.

Hermione doesn't want to hear any of this, since she didn't think of it in the first place, and leaves Harry to commence The Solitary Stalking of Draco:

"I need to see what Malfoy's doing in here..."
"I need to see the place where Malfoy keeps coming secretly..."
"I need you to become the place you become for Draco Malfoy..."
"I need to see what Draco Malfoy is doing inside you..."

You need a man-sized Kleenex, Harry darling.

Another DADA class with Professor Snape...there's an interesting parallel between this scene and his DADA class in POA. Inferi aren't like Ghosts – not due to any transparency/solidity issues, but because of a lack of personal willpower. Ghosts are still whoever they were in life, they retain their own personality despite losing corporeal form. Inferi are no longer "themselves", their bodies are controlled from outside. Animagi are still considered human despite their ability to change into an animal form, and they can shift shape at will – their OWN will. Werewolves are considered beasts because they cannot control their change of shape – they are subject, like Inferi, to an outside influence.

This segues nicely into the scene with Myrtle in the bathroom. Myrtle is quite a willful ghost, venturing forth beyond her U-bend and sticking up for the underdog - or in this case the sensitive, bullied fellow who's "not afraid to show his feelings and cry". Harry might have figured out the mystery boy's identity, were it not for Ron's need to take the piss out of Myrtle to make himself feel better. I can't help but notice that Draco is the bullied one – by Voldemort of course, although Harry is clearly stalking him as prey in this chapter – in absentia, while Ron, usually the weakest one, is acting the bully here. (Some idiot is bound to comment that Ron is doing "what any normal teenage boy would do!" by being a nasty little shit; I'd think that the "normal" response of a teenage boy to finding a ghost in a public loo would be brown trousers, but there you go.)

Harry gives the Room of Requirement another go, but finds only that his theory about Polyjuice!Goyle is correct, and that Tonks always seems to show up when he's in a compromised position with regards to Draco. She's picking at her sleeve, which brought up many a Polyjuice!Draco/Polyjuice!Narcissa theory after HPB was released. I'm more partial to Tonks being in thrall to the Blacks, either via Imperius or due to some bloodline-related Black Family Business situation, myself – but I'll survive if that ends up not happening in Book 7! :D

Anyway, Tonks is a mess, she's looking for Dumbedore where he clearly isn't and she's asking Harry if he's heard from any Order Members. Harry wonders if she was in love with Sirius (Would that count as Blackcest?), while Ron figures she's losing her nerve after the Ministry Incident. "Women – they're easily upset!", says Ron; we've certainly had enough unhappy females in this chapter to almost lend that theory some credit.

Comments

[jollityfarm.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness the HPB noted that Sectumsempra was "FOR ENEMIES", or Harry might have used it on Hermione at this juncture!

Hey, I've no idea what it does, but that's not going to stop me! Awesome. Next book, Harry drinks the curious bottle of juice he finds on a bench in Hogsmeade to see what happens.

This behavior works to mollify (pun intended!) Hermione's bruised ego; since she finally feels "needed", she bends over backwards to do Ron's work for him.

I await an essay on how this is the most feminist thing in the entire world. Despite Hermione seeming to exist only to serve her men in these instances, this is probably rly feminist because, um, it proves that Hermione is smrt! Anyway, Hermione totally does her own thing and doesn't let other people dictate what she thinks, like when, um...

Hang on – MISTRESS?

I think he may just have meant the late Mrs. Black, Sirius' mother. Who was, after all, Draco's great-aunt. I may be addled by tiredness here, though *falls asleep*

While the idea of C&G as eleven-year-old girls, gets used for comic relief here, there's something quite wonderful about the trust they put in Draco, and their willingness to experience such fluidity in outward appearance.

I agree. You wouldn't normally expect to see big hulking chaps like Crabbe and Goyle changing sex like that so willingly. More to them than meets the eye? Probably not. I can imagine asking Rowling about it, and having her disappoint the world as she reveals that she thought the idea of Crabbe and Goyle in skirts was t3h lulz. Anything else would be too intriguing! Can't have that!

Some idiot is bound to comment that Ron is doing "what any normal teenage boy would do!" by being a nasty little shit

"What any normal teenage boy would do" is defined as absolutely anything done by Harry, Ron or certain other "good" male characters in any situation. Things that Hermione or Ginny do are, of course, what any normal teenage girl would do.

I'm more partial to Tonks being in thrall to the Blacks, either via Imperius or due to some bloodline-related Black Family Business situation, myself – but I'll survive if that ends up not happening in Book 7! :D

As I've said many a time, if Tonks does anything remotely relevant to the plot in book seven, I'll be surprised.

(Would that count as Blackcest?)

She's Sirius' first cousin once removed. I guess it would count technically, but it wouldn't be illegal or really significantly more "dangerous" in terms of inbreeding/birth defects. Besides, I imagine the Black family is full of cousin pairings :)

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

I think he may just have meant the late Mrs. Black, Sirius' mother.

Ah, that makes sense in a delightfully necrophiliac way. The Once & Future Mistress – None More Black! Yet I wouldn't be surprised if Kreacher also had a connection with Narcissa, which Dumbledore made use of somehow.

I guess it would count technically, but it wouldn't be illegal or really significantly more "dangerous" in terms of inbreeding/birth defects. Besides, I imagine the Black family is full of cousin pairings :)

I was teasing! – but you are of course right. Obviously the benefit of hindsight has shown us where Tonks' romantic interests seem to actually lie, for better or worse. We'll no doubt find out in Book 7 how that particular scenario ends – and whether it's a straightforward love match or if things are in fact not as they seem with Nymphadora and her shaggy companion.

[flyingskull.livejournal.com]

Yet I wouldn't be surprised if Kreacher also had a connection with Narcissa, which Dumbledore made use of somehow.

Kreacher went to Narcissa with the info about Sirius and Harry, didn't he? I think he may not like Bellatrix much, or not trust her - deranged - mind to use the info intelligently. I think Dumbles said that Bella would inherit as she's the senior sister, but it still sounds unconvincing to me. Having disinherited Sirius, wouldn't Mrs Black - did she off her hubby for giving her a rebel son? - change her will in favour of her two remaining acceptable nieces?

Oh, well. Decent worldbuilding is too much to ask of our Glorious Authoress, obviously.

P.S. Ah, that makes sense in a delightfully necrophiliac way. The Once & Future Mistress – None More Black!... Too witty for words!

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

Kreachur idolozes Bellatrix.

But old Walbugba hadn't any say in the inheritance of the property. Her father-in-law, Orion's dad, outlived her by six hears, only dying the year Harry (and Draco) started Hogwarts.

I suspect that by then, when the choice came down to a disavowed son of the primary line, a blood-traitor, one of the monster's followers, and a female married to another of the monster's followers, old Arcturus (who wanted no part of Lord Voldemort) said "screw it" and reinstated Sirius as his heir after all.

I don't think the family ever bought the Ministry spin that Sirius had somehow switched alliegance and was Voldemort's 2nd-in-command.

[trobadora]

Hey, I've no idea what it does, but that's not going to stop me! Awesome. Next book, Harry drinks the curious bottle of juice he finds on a bench in Hogsmeade to see what happens.

Don't be silly! Obviously he's going to feed it to Neville. Harry's far too important to try things out - he knows that as a leader he has to delegate!

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you'll note even the Twins try out their new potions and tricks on themselves and willing (even paid? I can't check, I'm allergic to OotP, but I think so...) volunteers at least sometimes. (Or fat, helpless Muggles, that's just as funny!)
For Harry to be lower on the moral scale than Fred and George is really pretty embarrassing, especially since he has one book still left to pull his magical powers of love out of his ass.

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

Harry sees it and makes a mental note to try it out sometime. Thank goodness the HPB noted that Sectumsempra was "FOR ENEMIES", or Harry might have used it on Hermione at this juncture!

He was so excited about that spell that he dog-eared the page and scrawled a note for it in all CAPS!!!!!!!

Harry might have figured out the mystery boy's identity, were it not for Ron's need to take the piss out of Myrtle to make himself feel better.

Those Weasely plot points, always getting in the way of important exposition.

I'm more partial to Tonks being in thrall to the Blacks, either via Imperius or due to some bloodline-related Black Family Business situation, myself

If only! Everything Tonks in book 6 made me cringe and I wasn't too fond of her in book 5. Why did we need her at all except as an 11th hour warm body to accompany Lupin. Hey, that could be said for Ginny too. Whatever.

"Women – they're easily upset!", says Ron
Ahhh, Ron, that font of wisdom. You know, it seems Ron and Hermione changed places in this book. Ron was giving the advice and Hermione was the comic relief.

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

Everything Tonks in book 6 made me cringe and I wasn't too fond of her in book 5. Why did we need her at all except as an 11th hour warm body to accompany Lupin.

I've no real strong opinions about Tonks as a character; my only interest in her lies in her Black lineage, and the potential for interesting narratives that Rowling never really seems to actualize. Harry has to deal with being James' son, and Draco has to deal with being Lucius' son; Does Tonks have to deal with being Andromeda's daughter? Does she pay a present price for her mother's actions? Does her choosing Lupin as a mate reflect Andromeda's choosing Ted Tonks – an attraction to outsiders, to going beyond the expected cultural norms?

Also, Tonks and Draco are the last members of the Black line, and they come from seemingly opposite ends of the Wizarding World cultural spectrum. Will they meet in the middle and if so, will blood prove to be thicker than cultural mindset? What part – if any – would Regulus have to play in this, if he is indeed RAB?

There's a lot that could have been done with Tonks in OOTP and HPB, and could yet be done in Book 7; her character's a missed opportunity, more questions than answers. Whether or not JKR can be bothered, or has the time/skills to properly flesh her out, is another question.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Frankly, daughters often seem to only matter in so far as they can catch a man like their mother. The Fathers/Sons seem to have a totally different dynamic than mother/daughter. Tonks and Ginny both seem more "modern" than their mothers (Molly's domestic and Tonks' mother knew all these cleaning spells), but I don't know if they're important in themselves. Mothers in general are mostly important for how they show love for their sons--Narcissa, Lily, Alice, Mrs. Crouch...

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

I never expected Tonks to be anything other than a plot mover. She was an example of a new ability in book 5 and now in book 6 she is just the love interest. I think she has reached the end of her run as a useful character.

But I agree, she could be a missed opportunity. I don't think Rowling is as interested in the Black family as most of fandom seems to be.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

You actually made me feel much better about Ron in this chapter--you're right, I think that he is automatically playing the helpless male to even out Hermione.

I remember the first time I read this I totally thought there was some Black family curse Draco and Tonks were both suffering from. Like you, my main interest in Tonks is as a Black.

There is something so funny about Crabbe and Goyle as girls in a book that's all about the hormones. It's just so...gosh, imagine agreeing to that! It may just be done because JKR thinks of them as more pets than people, but damn if they're not going into some great gender-bending territory there and trusting Malfoy to keep them dressed well while they do it at least.

welcome back! :)

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

Ron provides an intangible form of moral support.

LOL. I think his failures at everything bolsters Harry and Hermione's not-inconsiderable egoes, personally.

But this chapter lays bare the dysfunctions that uphold and maintain the facade of their "friendship".

Nice work by Harry here at pretending to have morals and making out that his loyalty to the HBP has been proved by the book saving Ron's life. Which is why when the book is to blame for nearly killing someone, Harry instantly burns it. Or runs, still covered in blood while Malfoy's skin is probably knitting, to save it. I forget which.
As well as Hermione's dismissive 'blah blah teh HBP is Snape hints'. Um, the guy who's apparently your heart's desire nearly died, and it gets a casual off-hand reference?

Harry knows he has to get that memory out of Slughorn, who's done an excellent job of evading him all chapter.

I really love how we find out Sluggy's avoiding Harry (he leaves after class 'too fast' despite being the size of an oil tanker - what, faster than a star Seeker?) and the great line: 'He can tell I've been trying to get him alone, and he won't let it happen!' LET ME LOVE YOU, HORACE! Harry's such a stalker in this book.

Hang on – MISTRESS? Does this mean Harry's not actually in charge of Kreacher?

I thought he was talking in the past-tense, maybe? Since he's saying how Draco reminds him of Mrs. Black. (Technically Bellatrix is Kreacher's rightful mistress now, yes? According to Dumbledore earlier, anyway. I wonder if Kreacher's aware of it.)

I'd think that the "normal" response of a teenage boy to finding a ghost in a public loo would be brown trousers

Isn't there some bit in this chapter where first years run away from Harry in his cloak since they think he's a swearing ghost? Like, guys, you're wizards.

I can't help but notice that Draco is the bullied one – by Voldemort of course, although Harry is clearly stalking him as prey in this chapter

LOL. When I read about this line, through spoilers, I didn't know the whole plot and who Draco's referring to, and my immediate default assumption was that it would be Harry.

Harry wonders if she was in love with Sirius (Would that count as Blackcest?)

LOL, I think it's still legal to marry cousins here, let alone in the WW where everyone's inter-related.
I love the reference to how feelings/love is Hermione's department, though. You're a girl, you know what that's like.

Kreacher doesn't give away any pertinent information.

I love Kreacher here. 'He's pretty, he looks like his great-aunt, he sleeps and eats and goes to school...' Anything so as not to be of any use to Harry or put out a Black.

Tonks always seems to show up when he's in a compromised position with regards to Draco.

If it was any other character, I'd almost take the 'why did she always have to find him on the floor?' (because you're always being a douche, Harry) line as interest in the 'she', except this is Harry, so it can be chalked up to the usual embarrassment of someone seeing him looking insufficiently heroic and applause-worthy.
I'd have liked a reaction from Tonks on the mention of her cousin's name in the post-nose break scene, though. C'mon, Nymphadora, your family is the only interesting thing about your character at this point!

Inferi aren't like Ghosts – not due to any transparency/solidity issues, but because of a lack of personal willpower.

LOL. I imagine if we see any more Inferi in B7, they'll be only of particularly dislikeable corpses - Slytherins, perhaps, so we can further the implied judgement of that phrase. Can't imagine James and Lily submitting to puppethood, dead or not! *eyeroll*

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

Harry might have figured out the mystery boy's identity

How hard can it be to find a boy who's 'not afraid to show his feelings'? They're pretty thin on the ground in the Potterverse! Eliminate Gryffindor, first, and you've narrowed it down already.

Despite his awareness of Hermione's discomfort with the use of house elves as servants, Harry rubs it right in her face anyway.

He got over those SPEW sympathies awfully quickly, no?

"Women – they're easily upset!", says Ron; we've certainly had enough unhappy females in this chapter to almost lend that theory some credit.

It's pathetic, but almost every instance of sexism in this books (which is to say usually the signposted ZOMG that CAD!11! lines by Ron - obviously no-one could hold Fred, George or Harry's women issues against them, that's just what can be expected by normal teenage boys - or girls hating other girls for having vaginas and not being properly ashamed of it) is usually backed up by the text elsewhere.
Like how Rita's bitchy for writing about scarlet women when the narrative has no end of contempt for any females, young or old, who show signs of sexual aggression.
Or how Ron's judging by appearances and wanting to date the hottest girl he can get in GoF is criticised, but the resolution isn't that he ends up giving up on this idea because he realises he likes Hermione whatever she looks like, it's that he's right - the hottest girl is the best girl, it's just that he was wrong in not noticing that she was Hermione.

Funny how Lavender shows a keen interest in Divination, yet she hasn't been able to predict Ron's flagging interest!

Oh, I think she has - I thought this was the reasoning behind her clinging harder. It's pretty funny how Ron's more put off by her slagging off people who are mean to him, whereas of course, this is the best way to appeal to Harry.

"I need to see what Draco Malfoy is doing inside you..."
You need a man-sized Kleenex, Harry darling.

LOL!

Ron tells her he loves her, yet given the circumstances it feels more like a Pavlovian reward than a romantic statement.

The 'I love you, you do stuff for me!' sentence pretty much encapsulates Hermione's entire friendship with both boys.

Myrtle is quite a willful ghost, venturing forth beyond her U-bend and sticking up for the underdog.

Heh, no wonder she couldn't survive at Hogwarts!

Ron, usually the weakest one, is acting the bully here.

Always the way in this series, though, innit?