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[ellecain.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the irregularity folks. I'll try to keep up as best as I can.

*Despite the fact that Harry almost borders on rudeness in his interaction with him, Colin is still up at the Crack of Dawn when he hears Harry's name mentioned.
Forget fanboy, Colin's looking more like a creepy stalker at this point!

*Harry's exasperated greetings don't seem to get Colin down. What Harry? No social charity for the lesser mortals, hmm?

*And Harry does the exposition for a change! Usually it's Hermione's job, but she couldn't handle this one because she'll only embarrass herself if she talks about Quidditch.

*Too bad Ginny didn't explain it to Colin, what with her being mad about Qudditch and stealing her brother's brooms since the age of six. Oh, wait, that Ginny isn't in this book.

*Twenty minutes Oliver Wood takes to explain one board and Harry falls into a stupor. Strategy, even in games, is not Harry's strong point.

*Of course, it's only dirty houses like Slytherin who implement strategy in sports. Gryffindors win on sheer athletic skill alone, without any mental effort. Planning how to play is a disgusting Slytherin practice.

*Wood talks about failing due to "circumstances beyond our control" and Harry feels guilty. It was all his fault. He was unconscious, and the team couldn't possibly win without him.

*Gryffindor had been one player short.... What, no replacements? Not even a single Seeker (inferior to Harry, of course) in a school that JKR claims has 400+ students? Not even broom-stealing-at-the-age-of-six Ginny with her Awesome Quidditch Skillz?

*Forget replacements; playing without a Seeker makes as much sense as playing a World Cup soccer match without a goalkeeper for one of the teams! And if both the Seekers of the two teams are injured, and the show must go on without replacements, how the hell does the game end???

*Oh, and Slytherin played with one extra player? OMG the CHEATERS!

*At least Colin has his photography as a side interest. I hope he catches Harry doing something illegal in future (preferably of a dirty nature), promptly takes snaps and sends them to the Daily Prophet to make big bucks.

*Wood is paranoid about Colin taking pictures as a spy for Slytherin. Because only Slytherin would resort to underhanded sneaky methods such as spying! Wait. Didn't Messrs Fred and George Weasley of the Noble House of Gryffindor do that only a few books later?

*It's funny how fandom thinks that line about the Slytherin team having no girls makes them sexist. I mean, these couldn't possibly be the genuinely best players on offer...

*Of course you could argue that Millicent Bulstrode would be on the team if they weren't sexist and wanted a size-over-skill lineup. Looks like they might care about talent after all...

*As Draco makes his entrance, Fred's first comment is: "Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" and looking at him with dislike. Remember kids, it's the Slytherins who judge you based on your family.

*Flint is actually quite smooth here. Focus more on the "cunning" part in "trollish cunning". I guess his extra year made him more suave.

*Malfoy's joke about the Cleansweeps is actually funny, proving that the Slytherin sense of humour is sometimes better than the Gryffindor version. (Think Ginny's "hilarious" Quidditch jokes and impressions that had the team in giggles in HBP)

*Hermione accuses Draco Malfoy of buying his way on the team. . Then, 4 books later, Hermione sabotages another player so her best friend/romantic interest can get on the team. Pot. Kettle. Black.

*For plot purposes, everybody is shocked and horrified when Draco uses "Mudblood". After this though, all reactions to the word are mildly hostile. It's a bit of an anti-climax really. Enjoy it while it lasts folks.

*And Ron, as the Designated Whipping Boy starts puking up slugs. Colin takes pictures. This does not mean he is a paparazzo: it's the kid's first week at Hogwarts and this is probably the first curse he's seen. He wants to record it for scientific perusal dammit! < /impassioned defense of Colin >

*The reason Lockhart does all that showing off and giving his own books away? He doesn't trust the distributors. It's business, you know.

*How does Hagrid know Lockhart was the only man for the job? I assume applications would be accessible only to higher staff members? And Hagrid is still some sort of servant gamekeeper at this point.

* 'spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Funny how that never happened despite Draco getting hexed and punched thoroughly for the entire the series (Let's not even mention Sectumsempra).

*And of course Hagrid approves of it. At least yer not in trouble, he says. I hope that alchemical red phase is coming up in HP and the DH.....

*Hagrid's plucking a half dead rooster and Ginny's already visited him. She began killing roosters one week into term? That explains why it took her so long to make friends, try out for the Qudditch team and find her inner superpowers!

*Hermione's torn between amusement and disapproval at the Engorgement Charm on the pumpkins. Any bets her mind went straight to the gutter there? (Seeing how she rarely shows a sense of humour as the books progress)

*Judging from all the fanmail Lockhart receives, one thing is clear. Wizards may have teh wonderful magical powers, but they are still as fixated by celebrity as their Muggle counterparts.

Comments

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

*Too bad Ginny didn't explain it to Colin, what with her being mad about Qudditch and stealing her brother's brooms since the age of six. Oh, wait, that Ginny isn't in this book.

I'm surprised that Riddle didn't try to relive his glory days thru Ginny.

*At least Colin has his photography as a side interest. I hope he catches Harry doing something illegal in future (preferably of a dirty nature), promptly takes snaps and sends them to the Daily Prophet to make big bucks.

Good for Colin! Its all about the filthy lucre. Now that is a kid with a head on his shoulders. LOL. He was going to make his connection to Potter pay and pay big.

*Malfoy's joke about the Cleansweeps is actually funny, proving that the Slytherin sense of humour is sometimes better than the Gryffindor version. (Think Ginny's "hilarious" Quidditch jokes and impressions that had the team in giggles in HBP)

Her most serene highness, JKR, states that it is only funny when Ginny does anything. She is feisty, sarcastic and nasty but in a compassionate way.

*How does Hagrid know Lockhart was the only man for the job? I assume applications would be accessible only to higher staff members? And Hagrid is still some sort of servant gamekeeper at this point.

Wanna make bets that Hagdrip morphs into this hidden strategist in book 7? I bet it was Hagrid calling the shots all along. Oh my stars, help us all.

*Hagrid's plucking a half dead rooster and Ginny's already visited him. She began killing roosters one week into term? That explains why it took her so long to make friends, try out for the Qudditch team and find her inner superpowers!

Hmmmm, I wonder how different this is to Ginny's regular stalking of Harry. At least Colin tries to get some monetary reward from it.

[pacoman.livejournal.com]

Wanna make bets that Hagdrip morphs into this hidden strategist in book 7? I bet it was Hagrid calling the shots all along. Oh my stars, help us all.

Actually, that would explain a lot.

Dumbledore: So, Hagrid, young Harry needs to learn Occlumency, and our options for that job are myself, Remus and Severus. What do you think we should do?
Hagrid: Blimey, Professor Dumbledore sir, I think this could be the chance to let 'Arry and Professor Snape bond through their shared 'istory of abuse.

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

Good for Colin! Its all about the filthy lucre. Now that is a kid with a head on his shoulders. LOL. He was going to make his connection to Potter pay and pay big.

Just like the Weasley twins. They smelled a meal ticket, and ordered Ron to befriend Harry Potter, no matter how much of a dick he was.

[q-spade.livejournal.com]

For plot purposes, everybody is shocked and horrified when Draco uses "Mudblood".

It's also worth noting that the Slytherin team do not laugh when he says this, or egg him on. Flint dives to save him from the twins, but that dosn't mean he approves of Draco's commentary so much as he is trying to protect a younger, smaller teammate. The next time a reference is made to their collective laughter is when Ron's puking up slugs.

'spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Funny how that never happened despite Draco getting hexed and punched thoroughly for the entire the series (Let's not even mention Sectumsempra).

Well, there isn't much The Azkaban One!!1! could have done about the Sectumsempra incident, eh? And he did give Dumbles some grief both in COS and in POA...

I'd hypothesize that Lucius' waning interest in Hogwarts matters -- and by extension his lessened ability to keep up with who's doing what to Draco -- is directly related to Voldemort's return, and having to put Voldie's desires & choices for action over his own.

Judging from all the fanmail Lockhart receives, one thing is clear. Wizards may have teh wonderful magical powers, but they are still as fixated by celebrity as their Muggle counterparts.

Hence "The Boy Who Lived", "The Chosen One", ad nauseam. Lockhart is actually in a position to teach Harry quite a bit about that particular fixation and how to use it, if only Harry could be bothered to listen:

The minutes snailed by. Harry let Lockhart's voice wash over him, occasionally saying "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah". Now and the he caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry", or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that".
--COS (Scholastic papaerback), pg 120

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

*Gryffindor had been one player short.... What, no replacements? Not even a single Seeker (inferior to Harry, of course) in a school that JKR claims has 400+ students? Not even broom-stealing-at-the-age-of-six Ginny with her Awesome Quidditch Skillz?

She wasn't in school at the time (although she could have flown to Hogwarts, caught the Snitch and then everyone cheers for Jo - I mean, Ginny)


*Oh, and Slytherin played with one extra player? OMG the CHEATERS!

It was Ravenclaw, actually.


*It's funny how fandom thinks that line about the Slytherin team having no girls makes them sexist. I mean, these couldn't possibly be the genuinely best players on offer...

I don't see why the teams should be mixed. Boys would be far better at swinging a bat and throwing a ball, I'd say it would be unusual to have any girls on a team.