HBP: Chapter 7: Karma is a Bitch

[pacoman.livejournal.com]

In Which Arthur and Draco are smarter than most people will credit them for.


- I guess that somewhere over the week between the Diagon Alley visit and the trip to King's Cross Station, Ron and Hermione realized that Harry's concerns about Malfoy weren't just about what he was planning, because why else would they lose interest about what one of their enemies might be up to?

- This reminds how some of the canon "scholars" like fernwithy predicted that Harry would dismiss Draco completely throughout HBP, only to get bit in the ass by his arrogance at the end of the book. Granted, that's where things seemed to be heading after OotP, but it's kind of funny how the Draco subplot did a 180 on the most likely predictions.

- Why would Ron think that Draco got a Hand of Glory? Did that happen in the CoS movie, or did he get it sometime later and the narrative voice never mentioned it?

- And why wouldn't Voldemort mark an underage wizard? I know there's a debate over whether or not Draco was a Death Eater in this book (I'm going for "he would have received the Mark had he succeeded), but it's still a valid question.

- I'm going to assume that Harry is smiling at Ginny's propensity for silly nicknames, and not because he thinks the nickname itself is clever (now if the nickname were something like Flounce Descheveux...).

- Here is a brief moment that showcases Fleur's kindness: most women in her situation would put their sister-in-law in the most horrid bridesmaid dress and be completely justified for it.

- Ginny shows once again how wrong Fleur is in treating her like a little girl, by tripping her brother. Ron lets it go, of course, because He So Pathethic.

-Harry forgets that Ron and Hermione are Prefects. I would accuse him for being self-centered, but by the end of the book most people will have forgotten that those two are Prefects, so I'll let it pass.

- "Harry, please. You're talking to the man who raised Fred and George." Like that wasn't the reason why Harry was surprised about Arthur showing a decent amount of common sense.

- Molly gets to echo Ginny circa PS/SS, which is JKR's way of showing that the hints were there all along. I think it says something that a lot of people saw H/G coming and still hated it all the same.

- Given how people were staring at Harry on the train last book, you'd figure he was at least glad that they were staring in a more positive light this time around. But I guess I just can't understand the sorrows of Famous People.

- Rather than sticking with Harry and finding a compartment together (HAWT), Ginny takes her leave of him so she can spend the trip with her boyfriend. Given that she also had a boyfriend the previous year and yet stayed with Harry all the same, the obvious conclusion to make is that she's trying to make him jealous. And succeeding, from the looks of it.

- Or maybe she took her leave because she had noticed Neville and Luna before Harry did. There's Fanwank Theory #1 for Ginny Defenders.

- For a bright, shining moment, Harry considers Neville and Luna to be as worthy of their newfound attention as he is. The way the rest of the scene is played out, one would conclude that Luna subtly wants Harry to recognize the Power of Teamwork(TM), given how she also brings up the DA, while Neville's self-deprecating unintentionally feeds Harry's ego, making them look more like also-rans.

- Neville proudly pulls out his wand and shows it to Harry. The innuendo, she is thick.

- Harry won't be continuing the DA this year, since there's no longer a tyrannical teacher interested purely in theory. Since he doesn't change his mind on this matter, we are left to assume that he admits Snape did a good job on the DADA position.

- Oh, and that decision will be coming back to bite Harry in the arse later on. Not that he won't take the blame for that.


To be continued... eventually.

Comments

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I guess that somewhere over the week between the Diagon Alley visit and the trip to King's Cross Station, Ron and Hermione realized that Harry's concerns about Malfoy weren't just about what he was planning, because why else would they lose interest about what one of their enemies might be up to?

I'd love to hear those conversations because you know Harry was all about how Malfoy wanted to be like his father and all that, which Ron and Hermione couldn't understand.

This reminds how some of the canon "scholars" like fernwithy predicted that Harry would dismiss Draco completely throughout HBP, only to get bit in the ass by his arrogance at the end of the book. Granted, that's where things seemed to be heading after OotP, but it's kind of funny how the Draco subplot did a 180 on the most likely predictions.

I thought that was a possiblity too--but then, my favorites are of course the people who thought Harry would just be right to dismiss Malfoy because clearly he couldn't have anything to do with the main plot, being totally not connected to Death Eaters, Voldemort, Snape, the Blacks...

Why would Ron think that Draco got a Hand of Glory? Did that happen in the CoS movie, or did he get it sometime later and the narrative voice never mentioned it?

This is such a weird flint. Rowling seems to think that having Draco ask to look at the Hand in CoS tells us he's got it, even though in the scene Lucius clearly says NO and he walks out without it.

And why wouldn't Voldemort mark an underage wizard? I know there's a debate over whether or not Draco was a Death Eater in this book (I'm going for "he would have received the Mark had he succeeded), but it's still a valid question.

Funny that nobody thinks to even ask Snape about this. I lean towards Draco not being Marked, though I could go either way, but since Voldemort has called out a 16-year-old as his number 1 adversary, why wouldn't he use a 16-year-old for a minion?

Here is a brief moment that showcases Fleur's kindness: most women in her situation would put their sister-in-law in the most horrid bridesmaid dress and be completely justified for it.

Thank you. What is Ginny's problem, exactly? To me having someone say, "Well, you can't wear pink because that would be horrible with red hair" is actually a way of treating her like an adult. She could totally have chosen horrible clothing for her and pretending she didn't notice. I think we're probably supposed to see it as insulting that Fleur suggests that something would look terrible on Ginny that would look nice on her, but it just doesn't work for me, having had a freshman year redheaded roommate. That coloring *does* clash with a lot of things and the people who have it are usually perfectly open about that. It's not like saying they're ugly.

Rather than sticking with Harry and finding a compartment together (HAWT), Ginny takes her leave of him so she can spend the trip with her boyfriend. Given that she also had a boyfriend the previous year and yet stayed with Harry all the same, the obvious conclusion to make is that she's trying to make him jealous. And succeeding, from the looks of it.

Yeah, why wasn't Ginny with Dean going home in OotP? Did they just write love letters to each other over the summer so now they've moved up to actually speaking to each other?

Btw, do you notice the way Harry is completely aware of how the whole school is talking about him and Ginny going out yet manages to be totally unaware of Ginny dating Michael or Dean until somebody tells him? Does he just not listen to gossip unless he hears his name?

Neville proudly pulls out his wand and shows it to Harry. The innuendo, she is thick.

That would be the cherry wood unicorn hair "Never Been Kissed" special, right?

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Why would Ron think that Draco got a Hand of Glory? Did that happen in the CoS movie, or did he get it sometime later and the narrative voice never mentioned it?
This is such a weird flint. Rowling seems to think that having Draco ask to look at the Hand in CoS tells us he's got it, even though in the scene Lucius clearly says NO and he walks out without it.


Things did come to a screeching halt here for me too. As in, Whaaa? Is this the same HOG that Lucius clearly denied earlier? Even if Draco came about it later--was "the trio" once again spying on his shopping spree?

Thank you. What is Ginny's problem, exactly?
That it's been suggested that she wouldn't look stunning in anything including maroon rags with moldy lace, I suppose. After all, she has that aura of GirlPowah about her--she should be able to march down the aisle--or through the faerie glen--at the wedding and outshine the bride just because of that.

Does he just not listen to gossip unless he hears his name?
Is that a real question?

[teratologist.livejournal.com]

Things did come to a screeching halt here for me too. As in, Whaaa? Is this the same HOG that Lucius clearly denied earlier? Even if Draco came about it later--was "the trio" once again spying on his shopping spree?

Well, maybe Lucius actually remembered what his kid wanted once Christmas came around, since he does appear to be the only normal, present father in canon.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

That's officially what I think now, especially because I love the idea of 12-year-old Draco opening a polka-dot present and pulling out a dead shrivelled hand. "Wow Dad, thanks!"

Or maybe it was sticking out of his Christmas stocking. It's like Christmas with the Addams family.

[teratologist.livejournal.com]

That's adorable.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Has to be. Lucius and Narcissa, being involved parents who actually care about their offspring, would have considered it a wonderful surprise. What evil parents! They should have gotten him something that he not only didn't want, but would make him a laughingstock. Like a badly knit jumper with EVOL! on it in blinking yarn.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Getting your kids something they actually like for Christmas=spoiling. That's how come the Weasleys are so great, because everything they own is rubbish. Except Ginny, because we can't have our 7th daughter of a 7th daughter looking bad--not after we changed the definition of "7th daughter" for her and everything.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

I really don't understand at all why the Malfoy's aren't monstrously fat.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

If they wind up redeemed it will just be too funny for that reason. See, they couldn't be too bad. At least they were fit!

[go-back-chief.livejournal.com]

Does he just not listen to gossip unless he hears his name?

Probably not. And people wonder why some fans see him as self-centered...

[playscape.livejournal.com]

Not sure how Ron thinks Draco has a Hand of Glory, though he could just be saying that. But it also begs the question: How does Ron even know what a Hand of Glory is? Come on, it's Ron. The kid who knew nothing about Unforgiveables in GoF.

I also don't know why people rule out Draco being a Death Eater because he's too young and Voldemort wouldn't want an under-aged person having a Mark/serving him. Or is he afraid the Dark magic on an under-aged will go detected by the totally inept Ministry of Magic or something?

Does he just not listen to gossip unless he hears his name?

Oh, Harry listens to the gossip. It's just that there is no such thing as non-Harry gossip. It just doesn't exist.

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

It's just that there is no such thing as non-Harry gossip.

Well, there's whatever superficial girls giggle about, in between the inevitable fancying of Harry. Probably just lipstick and boys, though. And spreading inaccurate gossip, because they're just too silly to see what's really important.

[pacoman.livejournal.com]

I went for Fern's prediction because she's one of the more prominent canon purists, though I've also heard about how Draco's importance in the books would quickly vanished. It's just that, you know, it's not surprising when idiots are proven wrong.

Neville proudly pulls out his wand and shows it to Harry. The innuendo, she is thick.

That would be the cherry wood unicorn hair "Never Been Kissed" special, right?

Poor Neville, his only chances at getting some are Harry (who deep down considers him inferior) and Luna (who the author won't let into a romantic relationship).