OotP Chapter Eleven

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

*Harry "doesn't want to tell anyone he and Luna were having the same delusion." So he doesn't tell anyone about the Thestrels. Kind of interesting given that it implies a) that Harry thinks he's delusional and b) he seems to have decided that Luna's crazy and therefore doesn't want to be associated with her. Though presumably if people think Luna is crazy for seeing Thestrels, Harry's saying he sees them would help her out--two crazy people don't independently share delusions. If you both see them, it's real.

*Besides which, given you live in a magical world, what's so crazy about these things? It's really funny how JKR is always running up against this, where Harry and Hermione's life as Muggles somehow don't ever affect their perception of the Wizarding World at all. They automatically know what could be true by Wizard standards.

*Luna endears herself to me by saying Hagrid's not a very good teacher and not backing down (because she didn't say anything bad) even when everyone is rather brutish about it. The Gryffindors look really foolish, but Luna will still be their best friend because IITS.

*This is a totally small, weird point, but it just struck me as interesting that Harry refers to himself as "seeing something Ron could not" in the Mirror of Erised. I'm sure it's just to compare that situation to the Thestrels, but a more accurate description would be that they both saw different things, and neither could see what the other could. It just fits in with the tight Harry pov that he'd phrase it as Ron not being able to see his parents, as if that was what was really there, or that Harry's seeing that was something special about Harry.

*People at the feast are waving to friends in other houses--funny, being in Harry's pov you'd think nobody ever spoke to anyone in any other house.

*Ginny is "hailed by fellow fourth years" when they get to the hall. No doubt they were just miserable before she finally arrived! Woo-Hoo!

*From all the heavy hints it seems clear Hagrid not being there is supposed to be a Great and Terribly Ominous thing. I get it already, and I'd prefer if we didn't have to talk about him every two sentences so I could enjoy his not being there.

*The hat sings. Hufflepuff is re-defined as the "all the rest" house (the one where the Professor and Mary Ann were Sorted).

*More importantly, the founders were *all* fighting, according to the hat, and Slytherin's leaving made peace, but also caused the sorry state of today--three against one. Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like Slytherin made a sacrifice for others there. Which maybe made him almost good enough to be friends with them but not quite.

*It seems a lot of people read the song as being halfway followed throught he DA, since it has kids of different houses, but it seems pretty clear that the division between Gryff, Puff and Claw hasn't been an issue since Slytherin left. That's just the status quo, guys.

*"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" says Ron. LOL Ron!

*"He felt his return to Hogwarts, so long anticipated, was full of unexpected surprises, like jarring notes in a familiar song." Author's joke about long-awaited "dark" OotP? You be the judge.

*At the idea of "all the houses being friends" Harry looks over to Draco, who is "holding court." This has to be heavy foreshadowing of Harry having to get a new attitude about this kid, doesn't it? Nick's suggestions about "friendly ties" (as opposed to being bff) with Slytherin's ghost meet with reactions that offend him to the point of floating away. ETA: So what the hell was the point of this? I'm frankly amazed that it turned out that Harry's "I'll never work with Draco" was not an opinion that would ever be challenged.

*Ron and Hermione bicker and then spend the night sitting in huffed silence, like a bitter, middle-aged couple. Cute. Not.

*Harry may wear glasses, but he has tremendous eyesight. Not only can he see Ernie Macmillan's prefect badge, which I always imagine as quite small, GLEAMING on his chest from across the hall, but he notices Umbridge's teeth are quite pointed. Did he get those glasses from the back of a comic book?

*Given that I now know what's going to happen, I note there's no specific description of Slytherin's reaction to Umbridge, so I assume they don't have any more knowledge than anyone else--I mean, I think Umbridge and Lucius know each other, but it doesn't seem like Draco has some clue what she plans to do yet.

*Hermione scolds Ron for calling first year's midgets, then "commandingly" yells, "First years!" Personally, I think most all of them would have far preferred Ron.

*Harry handles Seamus' doubts with incredible grace.

*Dean defends himself with the fact that his parents are muggles and he's "not stupid enough" to tell them about deaths at school (good for you, Dean--we all know telling your parents would be traitorous).

*Seamus angrily points out he can hardly do that, given his mother. I think he was pretty open to Harry's side before Harry yelled at him--presumably when Harry was an asshole Seamus suddenly felt a "rush of affection" for his mother, and so declared Harry was mad just like the paper said.

*Yeah, I'd love to be a Gryffindor student and show up fifth year to learn that prefect duties now include keeping Harry Potter from having to deal with students he doesn't want to. Poor Harry hates being ignored, but hates being stared at, hates that he didn't get to tell his side of the story, but when asked his side of the story, refuses to tell. A good person would be able to tell what was going on! Nobody knows what it's like! Nobody!

*Proving Harry's point, Neville naturally announces that his gran has sussed out exactly the correct attitude: It's the Prophet that's going downhill, of course Voldemort's back and "we" believe Harry. The light from Neville's blessed pure soul briefly lights up the room, then dims to a quiet glow.

*"We believe Harry" btw. It's not an individual thing, it's families that have different beliefs. Seamus, as a halfblood, eventually comes to his own conclusion (though Harry makes it difficult). The Weasleys and the Longbottoms display virtue by knowing to believe Harry. Harry feels a rush of affection for Neville for this, much like his rush of affection for Sirius for also agreeing with him out of nowhere.

*ETA: And you know, the moment I know H/G was going to happen already in HBP was the moment Ginny agreed with Harry out of nowhere and smacked down Hermione. Think about what that says about the great love Harry feels for her.

*A few more offerings to the Church of Saint Harry and Neville might almost become a real boy! The kind who grows up to do three different jobs you imagine when you're six all at the same time.

*Now Harry's all, "Dumbledore and I are in this together! He believed me!" and "I wonder if he's angry with me for making him lose his special positions!" Harry, you dimwit, Dumbledore couldn't care less about losing his stupid positions, and he made no sacrifice at all in backing you. When you figure out you're his pawn and not his bff, let us know. Maybe in the now suddenly possible Book 8.

*Harry worries how many "attacks" like Seamus he will have to endure. Well Harry, if you're going to ignore your own part in any argument, I suppose it might be legion.



Designated Hero
How many attacks will ours face? How can Seamus be stopped?? What can Harry do, short of actually trying to talk to anyone or making any effort whatsoever, to make them know what's really going on?

IITS Wait, why is Harry giving an encouraging grin to a strange boy? Harry never notices anyone but himself, and if he does he certain doesn't grin in a reassure...oh, I see he's grinning so he can be wounded when the he sees the other kid whispering about him. IITS.

Nut o’ Fun It's not, really, but damn those must be some fragile bedcurtains!

Misdirected Answering
ETA: The Sorting Hat's New Song: No more relevent than Michael Caine's British accent!

Final score: 4

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Simiral thing is with HBP book. Harry is rewarded for rejecting the authority of regular textbook and following supposed non-authority of Prince.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Now for the first time I understand the bizarre linking of textbooks with the government in that book--the way Hermione, who's supposed to be the intellectually curious one, won't try out better formulas in a decades-old textbook because they're not "Ministry approved."

[(Anonymous)]

Harry Potter: The boy who follows written instructions!

-- Dan Hemmens