Chapter Seven, PS

[sassafras-root.livejournal.com]

*They’re finally at school. Yay.

*The entrance hall is bigger than the Dursley’s house, just like the Knight Bus is bigger than paltry Muggle double deckers and the Quidditch World Cup Stadium can fit in “several cathedrals”. I’m starting to get the idea that we’re supposed to find the wizarding world more special because bigger is better or something. Just a hunch.

*McGonagall mentions that the Sorting is serious business because one’s house will be like their family. It also serves to tell apart the good guys from the ebil Slytherins and boring Hufflepuffs. Whatever would they do without their beloved House stereotypes?

*McGonagall then proceeds to say “Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. Unless you’re in Slytherin, in which case you are by default fat and ugly, clearly a manifestation of the evil within.” Quite possibly she neglected to mention that one.

*All Ron knows of the Sorting is that Fred said that it hurts? With all his older siblings, nobody felt like setting it straight? Aw, scaring the crap outta Ron, a favorite pastime of Fred and George’s-touching, isn’t it?

*Of course the Hufflepuff ghost is the fat one (it’s even part of his name, lovely, really) and is the one willing to give Peeves a second chance. Damn liberal commies.

*Okay, I actually think the enchanted ceiling is a pretty cool bit of magic, but I’m an astronomy geek.

*Whoa, the Hat really tried to cram in every possible synonym for bravery when extolling the virtues of Gryffindor. No doubt about it, that’s definitely Godric’s hat.

*The descriptions of Hufflepuffs as “just and “loyal” isn’t so awful. But then again, I forgot that being loyal is identical to being a wuss, therefore making Hufflepuff the house where all the losers go to.

*Slytherin’s decription doesn’t sound so horrible, either. Interesting how it’s “where you’ll make your real friends”-after all, why should any of their friendships be less than those of any other house. Yes, I do think Draco is friends with Crabbe and Goyle.

*ZOMG, Lavender in Gryffindor ? How can this be-girly-girls can’t be brave, ohnoes. Quick, add her to the list of people some of fandom thinks is not “good” enough for Gryffindor, along with Percy and Pettigrew! She’s going to steal Hermione’s man and must be a scarlet woman!

*Draco is made a Slytherin the moment the hat touches his head, making him just as bad as Voldermort (also sorted there quickly, iirc). It couldn’t possibly be because he also desired to go there and the hat takes that into account. I really can’t see the hat forcing anyone into a house they really don’t want to be in.

*Harry chose Gryffindor over Slytherin, which we soon find out DD thinks makes Harry a much better person in COS for choosing the right house. It’s our choices that make who we are, don’t forget!

*DD says gibberish at a speech-yup, he’s the epitome of goodness and this proves it! He said “nitwit”!

*Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning the House Cup and everyone’s sick of Slytherin winning! But they would never be sick of Gryffindors winning-they deserve it!

*Seamus’s mother didn’t tell his dad she was a witch until they were married-silly Muggles, teehee. Isn’t it just so much fun to laugh at their expense?

*I’m guessing pushing your kid off a pier is a pretty common practice among wizards-*gasp* their child could be non-magical! Or is it just something Neville’s family does? Damn, no wonder he’s always so nervous.

*I can see why they’d be disappointed if a child’s not magical, but it almost seems like some wizarding families would prefer the deadbeat wizarding kid who cleans thestral poo for a living over their non-magical child who might be an accountant (omg how mundane). None of the Squib characters are supposed to be seen as cool here, just loser who talk to their cats. Mrs. Figg, despite probably being the only person in the neighborhood who was nice to Harry, is discounted by him :/

*Fred and George are the last ones singing. Of course. They do it for the lols, not the attention, those lovable scamps.

*Harry has a foretelling dream, meaning that he has to forget it the next morning. Still, yay for dreaming about Malfoy and Snape!

Comments

[kirabana.livejournal.com]

*I can see why they’d be disappointed if a child’s not magical, but it almost seems like some wizarding families would prefer the deadbeat wizarding kid who cleans thestral poo for a living over their non-magical child who might be an accountant (omg how mundane).

srsly

[(Anonymous)]

*The entrance hall is bigger than the Dursley’s house, just like the Knight Bus is bigger than paltry Muggle double deckers and the Quidditch World Cup Stadium can fit in “several cathedrals”. I’m starting to get the idea that we’re supposed to find the wizarding world more special because bigger is better or something. Just a hunch.

Think they're compensating for something?

[saraswathi-rani.livejournal.com]

*I’m guessing pushing your kid off a pier is a pretty common practice among wizards-*gasp* their child could be non-magical! Or is it just something Neville’s family does? Damn, no wonder he’s always so nervous.

D'you think she's trying to emulate Roald Dahl and failing? I always had the impression that she was trying to make the wizarding world a sort of larger-than-life place at the beginning of the series, but then it didn't work out very well so she tried to make it "realistic", which also didn't work out very well.

*Fred and George are the last ones singing. Of course. They do it for the lols, not the attention, those lovable scamps.
And they sang a funeral dirge! I'm pissing my pants right now because dead people so so funny! LOL!

*The descriptions of Hufflepuffs as “just and “loyal” isn’t so awful. But then again, I forgot that being loyal is identical to being a wuss, therefore making Hufflepuff the house where all the losers go to.
You know, I don't know what JKR was trying to do when creating Hufflepuff, but no one uses "loyal" to describe another person. Ever. I mean, you use "loyal" to describe dogs, maybe, but it just sounds so condescending when applying it to people. It's basically saying "Oh, s/he's a total loser and I can't think of anything better to say about him/her."

more tomorrow

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

The entrance hall is bigger than the Dursley’s house

Such a burn on the Dursleys! Their house for 3 people is less ostentatious than an ancient castle that fits 800.
I bet Hogwarts is bigger than Godric's Hollow, too. (Although I'm sure that was just because GH had a homely, non-pretentious feel.)

Aw, scaring the crap outta Ron, a favorite pastime of Fred and George’s-touching, isn’t it?

This is nothing like what Dudley did when he told Harry how new students at Stonewall get their heads flushed. The twins are just real jokers!

and is the one willing to give Peeves a second chance.

LOL. Isn't Nick the Gryffindor the one making sure to note '(Peeves) is not really even a ghost' (keep to your caste!) and that enough's enough? Big surprise.
I like the Friar because he's the only one who acknowledges the kids and hopes they'll be in his house (Nick's probably sizing them up silently. 'You're okay, you're too fat.')

Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning the House Cup and everyone’s sick of Slytherin winning! But they would never be sick of Gryffindors winning-they deserve it!

Also, your longest not-winning streak being 6 years in a competition that's been running 1000 makes you underdogs.

[artystone.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who sees Seamus' whole life as an extended episode of Bewitched?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

*They’re finally at school. Yay.

Though the prize for "they're finally at school. Yay" still goes to OotP, the book of "They're never going to get there!"

All Ron knows of the Sorting is that Fred said that it hurts? With all his older siblings, nobody felt like setting it straight? Aw, scaring the crap outta Ron, a favorite pastime of Fred and George’s-touching, isn’t it?

Well, Ron's just stupid. Super!Ginny surely didn't believe them, or welcomed the pain.

*Slytherin’s decription doesn’t sound so horrible, either. Interesting how it’s “where you’ll make your real friends”-after all, why should any of their friendships be less than those of any other house. Yes, I do think Draco is friends with Crabbe and Goyle.

Me too. And I always thought that description was kind of interesting. If a little strange the way they assume you'll have to make your real friends in your own house.

Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning the House Cup and everyone’s sick of Slytherin winning! But they would never be sick of Gryffindors winning-they deserve it!

Yes, how long have both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw gone without winning at this count? Twelve years? Oh, I forgot. They consider a win for Gryffindor a win for themselves too. Even when they get to lose to the suckiest team in school.

*Fred and George are the last ones singing. Of course. They do it for the lols, not the attention, those lovable scamps.

Too bad Harry didn't look around and see all the students rolling their eyes at the twins' painful attempt to suck up and be funny.

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

The descriptions of Hufflepuffs as “just and “loyal” isn’t so awful.

I kept trying to think of a time a Hufflepuff (or really, any member of any house) had insisted on justice, equality or fairness, ever. Zilch. Then I realised that

I forgot that being loyal is identical to being a wuss, therefore making Hufflepuff the house where all the losers go to.

LOL, the Hufflepuffs are okay when they're being loyal to the DA. It's all this dodgy stuff like closing ranks against Harry that

I really can’t see the hat forcing anyone into a house they really don’t want to be in.

Pretty much - Hermione, Ron and Draco all state their preferences and get in exactly where they want. Plus it accounts for people like Crabbe and Goyle, who'd seem to be natural Hufflepuffs what with their loyalty to Draco, with not much cunning that we've seen; who sort Slytherin, exactly where they'd want to. (Presumably.)

DD thinks makes Harry a much better person in COS for choosing the right house.

Dun forget he's also great for being loyal to Dumbledore personally!1!! Deciding to reject the house of your parent's killer in favour of your parent's house, and slavishly devoting oneself to the first kindly authority figure in one's life are clearly huge intellectual decisions that only one with Harry's pure heart could make.
In comparison 'saving younger student's life' is pretty much ignored. (Mind you, it is just Future Womb Ginny's...)

Whatever would they do without their beloved House stereotypes?

They'd be forced to negotiate and non-retaliate, that's what! Now no more commie talk out of you.

Quick, add her to the list of people some of fandom thinks is not “good” enough for Gryffindor, along with Percy and Pettigrew!

Frankly, I wonder about Lavender (and Parvati, for that matter) being in Gryffindor myself. Where's that killer instinct? I really need them to step on someone's face or hex them blind before I can truly accept them as worthy.

She’s going to steal Hermione’s man and must be a scarlet woman!

Scarlet womanhood seems a failing in women generally (you're one, you'll know what that's like) rather than any particular house. Look at Romilda. (And of course, the girls in Beauxbatons.)

Seamus’s mother didn’t tell his dad she was a witch until they were married-silly Muggles, teehee. Isn’t it just so much fun to laugh at their expense?

Seamus' mum seems to be taking kind of a risk that her husband wouldn't just walk out, after she essentially tricked him into that. (I love the old-fashioned mindset here - once you're married, that's it. No divorce or separation in this world except of course, for the couple who brought forward the ultimate evil in baby Tom Riddle.) I'd be pretty pissed off if I married someone who then said 'Oh, btw, I have this huge secret life that I never told you about until after we married, since you could have backed out up until then. Now you're stuck with it - surprise!'

Interesting how it’s “where you’ll make your real friends”

Yeah, I hope that ties in with the whole 'It wants us to be friends with the Slytherins?' bit in OotP.

Or is it just something Neville’s family does?

I think it was AjHall who pointed out that the fact the same uncle was allowed close enough to then drop Neville out of a window (which if he strongly suspects Neville's a Squib, could be considered a murder attempt) doesn't say much for the rest of Neville's family, either.

it almost seems like some wizarding families would prefer the deadbeat wizarding kid who cleans thestral poo for a living

Well, sure. None of that evil ambition!

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

*Whoa, the Hat really tried to cram in every possible synonym for bravery when extolling the virtues of Gryffindor. No doubt about it, that’s definitely Godric’s hat.

Yes, the Falstaff of his year.

The descriptions of Hufflepuffs as “just and “loyal” isn’t so awful. But then again, I forgot that being loyal is identical to being a wuss, therefore making Hufflepuff the house where all the losers go to.

Remember Cedric Diggory!

I’m guessing pushing your kid off a pier is a pretty common practice among wizards-*gasp* their child could be non-magical! Or is it just something Neville’s family does? Damn, no wonder he’s always so nervous.

Oh, Oh, oh its magic...you know. Pushing your kid out the window is the same as ripping someone apart in the bathroom. It means nothing. Not when You have magic to save your homicidal ass.