OotP Chapter Twenty-Two
Mar. 20th, 2008 07:07 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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deathtocapslockI don't know if anybody here is participating in the strike. I figured since we do this on Friday and it's a re-post I might as well do it on Thursday night either way.
*I wonder exactly what maladies get you put in St. Mungo’s. Of the characters who have to go to St. Mungo’s it seems like McGonogall, Lockhart and the Longbottoms are sent here (the latter three patients seemingly incurable), while Montague stays at school—and I get the feeling the Slytherin 3 don’t wind up here despite seeming to be more badly “magically injured” than any other people we’ve seen. ETA: Katie will go there, though. I think Ron stays in the infirmary.
*I like that Harry keeps thinking of the snake as having “his” fangs.
*Harry’s understandably irritated by Dumbledore not looking at him—though somehow I suspect he probably gives off a similar air of disrespect to other people.
*So Dumbledore thinks his own “love” (blech) of Harry will be used against him, so turns off any show of interest in Harry—gee, can’t imagine how that might end badly. Could he not write Harry a note or something? Or would Voldemort see that? Can Voldemort see everything, or just stuff it’s cool for him to see? ETA: A note probably wouldn't have done it. Harry needs to know you LOVE him, dammit!
*ETA: Seriously Dumbledore, it was never your love that was the weakness. It was always your arrogance and lust for power. It amazes me that in 150 years he never figured that out.
*ETA: However, it does start to explain why Dumbledore thinks Harry has this amazing power of love. He thinks he himself loves too much when he care about basically nobody that much ever in his life. Besides which, the only love that was the problem, even in his own eyes, was his "infatuation" with Grindelwald. If he'd loved his sister more, like the way his brother did, things would probably have gone better, right?
*Do you really bleed a lot when you’re bitten by a snake? It seems more like you get a puncture that swells up. I know fangs can tear, but the way Harry’s describing the injury sounds completely wrong for a snake bite. But then, snakes can’t hear either. Or blink. So…
*McGonogall conjures up straight-backed chairs while Dumbledore makes squishy armchairs. Dumbledore’s chairs remind me of Monty Python’s “comfy chair”—which was, of course, a tool of evil. ETA: The chairs are like the purple suit.
*ETA: Ah, Dumbledore. So manipulative and creepy. "Look Harry, I make more comfy, squishy, huggable chairs. Aren't I the greatest?
*Wonder what that silver instrument’s for—I assume the “essence” that is divided is Harry and Voldemort? Or the parts of Voldemort in Harry? It’s seeming more and more clear Harry ought to be given a clue here. But if Dumbledore actually explained to him information that’s pretty obvious but Harry still hasn’t gotten we might not get another 16 chapters. Much better for him to mutter cryptically into little clouds of steam and make Harry more nervous than he already is.
*ETA: So was that supposed to be Dumbledore just starting to figure out the incredibly obvious Harry!Horcrux theory? I guess the machine was showing they were in essence divided: and here's where Harry's behavior is all Voldemort's fault (the bad stuff) and here's where it's Harry's own wonderful self.
*Dumbledore says Molly may already know what happened due to her “excellent clock,” which makes me wonder where that thing was pointing when Ginny was possessed. It’s another one of those “cute magical touches that are too powerful for their own good.”
*ETA: This would be the "excellent clock" that becomes useless when they need it most in the next book.
*ETA: So where's Fred's hand pointing now? Is there a new section for DEAD or is his hand just hanging limply like a corpse? Maybe it's stuck on "mortal danger" forever so Molly can be tortured by wondering if that's just his last moment frozen forever, or a sign he's in hell.
*And here's Phineas with his pointy pointy beard.
*And he’s about as good a drama-queen as our other Slytherins—everybody can tell he’s faking being asleep. What was that about cunning again?
*Apparently Dumbledore sent Phineas to Number 12, but where was his other portrait self there? Why did the portrait look empty? Shouldn't there be two of him?
*Didn’t JKR say something about portraits just sort of saying catch-phrases from their life or something? Isn’t Phineas obviously a character living fully in the present and responding to current events? What would his real self be doing differently?
*ETA: And doesn't Dumbledore continue to give orders to Snape via his portrait? I'm not sure if that proves that Dumbledore's amazingly controlling or Snape amazingly pathetic. I think both. Somebody in the WW should write a psychology book analyzing that one relationship.
*Phineas says no, he won’t go give Sirius a message, but agrees when one of the other wizards draws a wand on him, which he eyes with “mild apprehension.” Nice to see nothing changes: the Slytherin shows fear at wand point, the others go for their wand when he doesn’t do what Dumbledore says. If the portraits are magically bound to obey the headmaster, Phineas is showing some amazing independence here.
*Also, it's a portrait. Can it do a spell? I guess Phineas is just showing of echoes of the cowardly Slytherin instinct he had when he was alive.
*I like that Phineas describes Sirius as doing away with most of the family. Phineas talks about him like the difficult adolescent relative--again, as if he totally knows him even though he didn't, so how do portraits work?
*Dumbledore says Sirius knows not to destroy Phineas (you’re working for us, therefore you may live), but I wonder what other possibly helpful portraits are gone now.
*Anyway, this is yet another instance of Gryffindors and Slytherins working together. Or perhaps more accurately, of Slytherins doing things for Gryffindors, and being threatened by them. ETA: Yes, I guess this really was all leading up to Snape.
*Dumbledore says, “You’ve all used a portkey before?” and I am shocked Harry does not look affronted and remind him the last time he used a portkey it was to go to THE SCENE OF CEDRIC’S MURDER AND HIS OWN HORRIBLE ORDEAL!!
*Upon meeting Phineas, Harry does not start thinking about Sirius’ dismissal of his great great grandfather and wonder if Sirius is entirely objective. I find the guy such a relief compared to other characters I almost expect Harry to as well. ETA: This of course means that Phineas will turn out to be just one of those "not totally evil" Slytherins, the highest height he can reach.
*Sirius has a Mundungus smell of stale drink about him when they get to the house. I’m sure Ginny will be happy to see him, then. She could use a good giggle. (Sirius is also unshaved—which is shocking given that it’s the middle of the night!)
*So are the “accusing” looks in the Weasleys eyes just Harry’s paranoia or are they in any way real?
* Sirius is correct in pointing out how the kids’ attitude makes them unfit for the Order, but one, “You’re sitting around here not risking your neck!” makes him go pale. Dude, there’s nothing shameful about a day spent not risking your life, especially when you’re living in your own private hell. Even after Sirius proves this by getting himself killed I don’t think anybody rethinks that attitude. Harry remembers Snape taunting Sirius, but not this line from a Weasley which hits him much harder because he cares what he thinks.
*Just want to point out here that Ron is my favorite in this scene. He’s not being an idiot, he’s not rushing off into anything, he’s not puffing up his own importance, he’s not arguing with anybody. He seems to just get things in ways his family members don’t. I hope that’s the way I’m supposed to see Ron’s persistently ashen face in these scenes, at least, and not a sign of cold feet and possible lack of Gryffindor fire (heaven forfend). Or…well, let’s face it, I’d love it if it was that but I’m sure it's just Ron not being able to get it together as usual. *cue Wah wah waaaaaah Ron music*
*Continuing in the study of pain in the series, Mr. Weasley is of course in danger of dying and suffering terribly. There’s nothing funny about getting slashed by the fangs of a snake if you’re Arthur Weasley. ETA: To be fair, nobody laughs when Snape gets it either. They stand there and watch him die but they don't actually laughing.
*The adults in this book really do have a knack for being as unreassuring as possible. And making it seem like any wrong-headed ideas the kids have are correct, knowing that any wrong-headed ideas the kids have they tend to act on. Essay topic: What was Dumbledore’s motive in orchestrating Sirius’ death?
*We know Harry is possessed by Voldemort because he suddenly feels towards Dumbledore a slightly more extreme version of what he usually feels towards a host of other people. I’m almost surprised we aren’t told, “Harry didn’t think he could hate anybody more than he hated Snape/Umbridge/Malfoy/Dudley/Vernon, but that was before he looked into the twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore after being snubbed.”
*Tonks asks if there is any Seer blood in Harry’s family. Seer blood. Because a person’s blood determines important things about them, even if we occasionally pretend otherwise. Yes, I realize one might think that type of talent is inherited, but you'd think the non-blood side would be more about talking about talent as an individual thing. If magical talent is in the blood, why is Hermione so talented? Exactly.
*Also I love that Harry’s offended at the idea. Jeez, Tonks. He’s got Seeker’s blood, hero’s blood, and Gryffindor blood. He’s inherited a talent for flying, DADA, warding off Imperius and aversion to Dark Wizards. He was blessed with an incredible and undetectable ability to love. His Parseltongue and Seer powers come from Voldemort along with the resultant angst. Please keep Harry’s speshul powers straight, if you please.
*Excellent entrance to St. Mungos. Also, it really is convenient that Harry is Muggle-raised so even 5 books in we can be surprised along with him. Convenient, but not always consistent.
*The people in the hospital are sporting “gruesome disfigurements” like elephant trunks or extra hands sticking out of their chest. Not one of them looks as bad off as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle will look at the end of the book.
*Ron treats us to more Weasley Wizarding Ignorant Bigotry™ by referring to doctors as “Muggle nutters who cut people up.” Harry, naturally, does not correct him. Stupid Muggle doctors.
*I love the sign directing people, especially those who can’t speak or can’t remember why they’re there.
*There’s a vicious-looking person on the wall honored for inventing an entrail-expelling curse. And it’s called a curse, so it doesn’t seem like it’s an autopsy procedure. Isn’t that kind of like having a portrait of the guy who invented the electric chair up in a hospital? Anyway, I’m sure the curse is very useful when used as a counter-hex.
*Honestly, it doesn't seem like they do any surgery, so I wonder what the entrail curse is for.
*Actually, the whole "inventing" of curses is kind of ridiculous because there's nothing really required for it. What did Snape have to do for his own made-up curses except think of something to do and attach a word to it? The entrails-expelling curse is just the bat-bogey hex with different body parts. In fact, kind of makes you wonder why somebody doesn't just "invent" whatever curse would be useful at any moment. As long as they could imagine it hard enough, with the right emotion, it seems like it should work within limits.
*I hope Harry's learned this curse since leaving Hogwarts. That would probably put those Dark Wizards in their place! (I'm just kidding of course--obviously Harry doesn't need to learn anything else past HBP.)
*Yes, the werewolf sounds like an AIDS patient. Wonder if Hagrid’s ever been in here after having been bitten by something. Nah. I’m sure that woman was annoying whatever illegal animal attacked her. Hagrid is never annoying.
*Nice little tie-in to earlier in the book with Willy Widdershins being arrested. I notice Arthur had nothing to do with catching the guy whatsoever. Damn that evil prejudice keeping him from getting the promotions he deserves.
*Luckily, as consolation, Arthur may get to gawk at some Muggles he failed at protecting. Maybe he didn’t protect them from their toilet, but he’s protected them from Muggle doctors!
*Arthur suggests darkly that Willy got off because “gold changed hands,” because gold is not his method of choice when it comes to getting off—because he has no gold. To review: He and his people get off for most things, but they're shocked when evil people can do the same thing via gold as they can do via favors. Or at least when they assume they did.
*With no adult around to keep Harry from hearing what he really should know, Harry will keep himself from hearing it. He yanks the Extendable Ear out as soon as he hears, “If Voldemort’s possessing him…” so he can get a head start on stewing about it. Harry would have done really well on Three’s Company.
IITS
Harry, you’ve spent so much time in this book trying to listen in on adult conversations. Do you really want to yank the thing out of your own ear the moment they start telling you what you want to know?
Exploitation Filmmakers’ Credo
Harry's already learned that he’s seeing things or feelings things because Voldemort is feeling them. So why not attempt to fit this new experience of the dream into that instead of reaching for the possession idea when, as he himself says, it’s not like he physically did anything to Arthur or Dumbledore?
McGuffin
We’ve just got to do something about that weapon everybody is pretending to be guarding.
Misdirected Answering
This is acknowleged in the book as a distraction, but I think Willy Widdershins would count, since nobody was really hanging on to find out who was blowing up those toilets.
Nut o’ Fun
What is that thing on Dumbledore’s desk? Though really it’s not a nut o’fun, because it serves a purpose. I just doubt it really has to be that Willy-Wonka-esque to serve whatever purpose that is. ETA: It serves no purpose, it turns out.
POV Shots
SnakeCam!Harry becomes even more important in this chapter. So much so that Dumbledore asks about Harry’s and Harry lies about it.
Final Jabootu score: 5.5
*I wonder exactly what maladies get you put in St. Mungo’s. Of the characters who have to go to St. Mungo’s it seems like McGonogall, Lockhart and the Longbottoms are sent here (the latter three patients seemingly incurable), while Montague stays at school—and I get the feeling the Slytherin 3 don’t wind up here despite seeming to be more badly “magically injured” than any other people we’ve seen. ETA: Katie will go there, though. I think Ron stays in the infirmary.
*I like that Harry keeps thinking of the snake as having “his” fangs.
*Harry’s understandably irritated by Dumbledore not looking at him—though somehow I suspect he probably gives off a similar air of disrespect to other people.
*So Dumbledore thinks his own “love” (blech) of Harry will be used against him, so turns off any show of interest in Harry—gee, can’t imagine how that might end badly. Could he not write Harry a note or something? Or would Voldemort see that? Can Voldemort see everything, or just stuff it’s cool for him to see? ETA: A note probably wouldn't have done it. Harry needs to know you LOVE him, dammit!
*ETA: Seriously Dumbledore, it was never your love that was the weakness. It was always your arrogance and lust for power. It amazes me that in 150 years he never figured that out.
*ETA: However, it does start to explain why Dumbledore thinks Harry has this amazing power of love. He thinks he himself loves too much when he care about basically nobody that much ever in his life. Besides which, the only love that was the problem, even in his own eyes, was his "infatuation" with Grindelwald. If he'd loved his sister more, like the way his brother did, things would probably have gone better, right?
*Do you really bleed a lot when you’re bitten by a snake? It seems more like you get a puncture that swells up. I know fangs can tear, but the way Harry’s describing the injury sounds completely wrong for a snake bite. But then, snakes can’t hear either. Or blink. So…
*McGonogall conjures up straight-backed chairs while Dumbledore makes squishy armchairs. Dumbledore’s chairs remind me of Monty Python’s “comfy chair”—which was, of course, a tool of evil. ETA: The chairs are like the purple suit.
*ETA: Ah, Dumbledore. So manipulative and creepy. "Look Harry, I make more comfy, squishy, huggable chairs. Aren't I the greatest?
*Wonder what that silver instrument’s for—I assume the “essence” that is divided is Harry and Voldemort? Or the parts of Voldemort in Harry? It’s seeming more and more clear Harry ought to be given a clue here. But if Dumbledore actually explained to him information that’s pretty obvious but Harry still hasn’t gotten we might not get another 16 chapters. Much better for him to mutter cryptically into little clouds of steam and make Harry more nervous than he already is.
*ETA: So was that supposed to be Dumbledore just starting to figure out the incredibly obvious Harry!Horcrux theory? I guess the machine was showing they were in essence divided: and here's where Harry's behavior is all Voldemort's fault (the bad stuff) and here's where it's Harry's own wonderful self.
*Dumbledore says Molly may already know what happened due to her “excellent clock,” which makes me wonder where that thing was pointing when Ginny was possessed. It’s another one of those “cute magical touches that are too powerful for their own good.”
*ETA: This would be the "excellent clock" that becomes useless when they need it most in the next book.
*ETA: So where's Fred's hand pointing now? Is there a new section for DEAD or is his hand just hanging limply like a corpse? Maybe it's stuck on "mortal danger" forever so Molly can be tortured by wondering if that's just his last moment frozen forever, or a sign he's in hell.
*And here's Phineas with his pointy pointy beard.
*And he’s about as good a drama-queen as our other Slytherins—everybody can tell he’s faking being asleep. What was that about cunning again?
*Apparently Dumbledore sent Phineas to Number 12, but where was his other portrait self there? Why did the portrait look empty? Shouldn't there be two of him?
*Didn’t JKR say something about portraits just sort of saying catch-phrases from their life or something? Isn’t Phineas obviously a character living fully in the present and responding to current events? What would his real self be doing differently?
*ETA: And doesn't Dumbledore continue to give orders to Snape via his portrait? I'm not sure if that proves that Dumbledore's amazingly controlling or Snape amazingly pathetic. I think both. Somebody in the WW should write a psychology book analyzing that one relationship.
*Phineas says no, he won’t go give Sirius a message, but agrees when one of the other wizards draws a wand on him, which he eyes with “mild apprehension.” Nice to see nothing changes: the Slytherin shows fear at wand point, the others go for their wand when he doesn’t do what Dumbledore says. If the portraits are magically bound to obey the headmaster, Phineas is showing some amazing independence here.
*Also, it's a portrait. Can it do a spell? I guess Phineas is just showing of echoes of the cowardly Slytherin instinct he had when he was alive.
*I like that Phineas describes Sirius as doing away with most of the family. Phineas talks about him like the difficult adolescent relative--again, as if he totally knows him even though he didn't, so how do portraits work?
*Dumbledore says Sirius knows not to destroy Phineas (you’re working for us, therefore you may live), but I wonder what other possibly helpful portraits are gone now.
*Anyway, this is yet another instance of Gryffindors and Slytherins working together. Or perhaps more accurately, of Slytherins doing things for Gryffindors, and being threatened by them. ETA: Yes, I guess this really was all leading up to Snape.
*Dumbledore says, “You’ve all used a portkey before?” and I am shocked Harry does not look affronted and remind him the last time he used a portkey it was to go to THE SCENE OF CEDRIC’S MURDER AND HIS OWN HORRIBLE ORDEAL!!
*Upon meeting Phineas, Harry does not start thinking about Sirius’ dismissal of his great great grandfather and wonder if Sirius is entirely objective. I find the guy such a relief compared to other characters I almost expect Harry to as well. ETA: This of course means that Phineas will turn out to be just one of those "not totally evil" Slytherins, the highest height he can reach.
*Sirius has a Mundungus smell of stale drink about him when they get to the house. I’m sure Ginny will be happy to see him, then. She could use a good giggle. (Sirius is also unshaved—which is shocking given that it’s the middle of the night!)
*So are the “accusing” looks in the Weasleys eyes just Harry’s paranoia or are they in any way real?
* Sirius is correct in pointing out how the kids’ attitude makes them unfit for the Order, but one, “You’re sitting around here not risking your neck!” makes him go pale. Dude, there’s nothing shameful about a day spent not risking your life, especially when you’re living in your own private hell. Even after Sirius proves this by getting himself killed I don’t think anybody rethinks that attitude. Harry remembers Snape taunting Sirius, but not this line from a Weasley which hits him much harder because he cares what he thinks.
*Just want to point out here that Ron is my favorite in this scene. He’s not being an idiot, he’s not rushing off into anything, he’s not puffing up his own importance, he’s not arguing with anybody. He seems to just get things in ways his family members don’t. I hope that’s the way I’m supposed to see Ron’s persistently ashen face in these scenes, at least, and not a sign of cold feet and possible lack of Gryffindor fire (heaven forfend). Or…well, let’s face it, I’d love it if it was that but I’m sure it's just Ron not being able to get it together as usual. *cue Wah wah waaaaaah Ron music*
*Continuing in the study of pain in the series, Mr. Weasley is of course in danger of dying and suffering terribly. There’s nothing funny about getting slashed by the fangs of a snake if you’re Arthur Weasley. ETA: To be fair, nobody laughs when Snape gets it either. They stand there and watch him die but they don't actually laughing.
*The adults in this book really do have a knack for being as unreassuring as possible. And making it seem like any wrong-headed ideas the kids have are correct, knowing that any wrong-headed ideas the kids have they tend to act on. Essay topic: What was Dumbledore’s motive in orchestrating Sirius’ death?
*We know Harry is possessed by Voldemort because he suddenly feels towards Dumbledore a slightly more extreme version of what he usually feels towards a host of other people. I’m almost surprised we aren’t told, “Harry didn’t think he could hate anybody more than he hated Snape/Umbridge/Malfoy/Dudley/Vernon, but that was before he looked into the twinkling blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore after being snubbed.”
*Tonks asks if there is any Seer blood in Harry’s family. Seer blood. Because a person’s blood determines important things about them, even if we occasionally pretend otherwise. Yes, I realize one might think that type of talent is inherited, but you'd think the non-blood side would be more about talking about talent as an individual thing. If magical talent is in the blood, why is Hermione so talented? Exactly.
*Also I love that Harry’s offended at the idea. Jeez, Tonks. He’s got Seeker’s blood, hero’s blood, and Gryffindor blood. He’s inherited a talent for flying, DADA, warding off Imperius and aversion to Dark Wizards. He was blessed with an incredible and undetectable ability to love. His Parseltongue and Seer powers come from Voldemort along with the resultant angst. Please keep Harry’s speshul powers straight, if you please.
*Excellent entrance to St. Mungos. Also, it really is convenient that Harry is Muggle-raised so even 5 books in we can be surprised along with him. Convenient, but not always consistent.
*The people in the hospital are sporting “gruesome disfigurements” like elephant trunks or extra hands sticking out of their chest. Not one of them looks as bad off as Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle will look at the end of the book.
*Ron treats us to more Weasley Wizarding Ignorant Bigotry™ by referring to doctors as “Muggle nutters who cut people up.” Harry, naturally, does not correct him. Stupid Muggle doctors.
*I love the sign directing people, especially those who can’t speak or can’t remember why they’re there.
*There’s a vicious-looking person on the wall honored for inventing an entrail-expelling curse. And it’s called a curse, so it doesn’t seem like it’s an autopsy procedure. Isn’t that kind of like having a portrait of the guy who invented the electric chair up in a hospital? Anyway, I’m sure the curse is very useful when used as a counter-hex.
*Honestly, it doesn't seem like they do any surgery, so I wonder what the entrail curse is for.
*Actually, the whole "inventing" of curses is kind of ridiculous because there's nothing really required for it. What did Snape have to do for his own made-up curses except think of something to do and attach a word to it? The entrails-expelling curse is just the bat-bogey hex with different body parts. In fact, kind of makes you wonder why somebody doesn't just "invent" whatever curse would be useful at any moment. As long as they could imagine it hard enough, with the right emotion, it seems like it should work within limits.
*I hope Harry's learned this curse since leaving Hogwarts. That would probably put those Dark Wizards in their place! (I'm just kidding of course--obviously Harry doesn't need to learn anything else past HBP.)
*Yes, the werewolf sounds like an AIDS patient. Wonder if Hagrid’s ever been in here after having been bitten by something. Nah. I’m sure that woman was annoying whatever illegal animal attacked her. Hagrid is never annoying.
*Nice little tie-in to earlier in the book with Willy Widdershins being arrested. I notice Arthur had nothing to do with catching the guy whatsoever. Damn that evil prejudice keeping him from getting the promotions he deserves.
*Luckily, as consolation, Arthur may get to gawk at some Muggles he failed at protecting. Maybe he didn’t protect them from their toilet, but he’s protected them from Muggle doctors!
*Arthur suggests darkly that Willy got off because “gold changed hands,” because gold is not his method of choice when it comes to getting off—because he has no gold. To review: He and his people get off for most things, but they're shocked when evil people can do the same thing via gold as they can do via favors. Or at least when they assume they did.
*With no adult around to keep Harry from hearing what he really should know, Harry will keep himself from hearing it. He yanks the Extendable Ear out as soon as he hears, “If Voldemort’s possessing him…” so he can get a head start on stewing about it. Harry would have done really well on Three’s Company.
IITS
Harry, you’ve spent so much time in this book trying to listen in on adult conversations. Do you really want to yank the thing out of your own ear the moment they start telling you what you want to know?
Exploitation Filmmakers’ Credo
Harry's already learned that he’s seeing things or feelings things because Voldemort is feeling them. So why not attempt to fit this new experience of the dream into that instead of reaching for the possession idea when, as he himself says, it’s not like he physically did anything to Arthur or Dumbledore?
McGuffin
We’ve just got to do something about that weapon everybody is pretending to be guarding.
Misdirected Answering
This is acknowleged in the book as a distraction, but I think Willy Widdershins would count, since nobody was really hanging on to find out who was blowing up those toilets.
Nut o’ Fun
What is that thing on Dumbledore’s desk? Though really it’s not a nut o’fun, because it serves a purpose. I just doubt it really has to be that Willy-Wonka-esque to serve whatever purpose that is. ETA: It serves no purpose, it turns out.
POV Shots
SnakeCam!Harry becomes even more important in this chapter. So much so that Dumbledore asks about Harry’s and Harry lies about it.
Final Jabootu score: 5.5
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Date: 2008-03-21 12:58 am (UTC)Is there a strike? What strike?
*Dumbledore says Molly may already know what happened due to her “excellent clock,” which makes me wonder where that thing was pointing when Ginny was possessed. It’s another one of those “cute magical touches that are too powerful for their own good.”
*ETA: This would be the "excellent clock" that becomes useless when they need it most in the next book.
*ETA: So where's Fred's hand pointing now? Is there a new section for DEAD or is his hand just hanging limply like a corpse? Maybe it's stuck on "mortal danger" forever so Molly can be tortured by wondering if that's just his last moment frozen forever, or a sign he's in hell.
I have another question. When did this clock ever do anything in the books? It shows up in three different books and not once does it actually make any difference that it's there.
One of my favorite parts of Quality of Mercy is when Malfoy tells Molly that the clock is "stupid." Then he fixes it. Then it has signficance twice (which I won't spoil for anyone by saying how). Geez. No wonder the editors wanted to shorten this book. The number of spells, characters, and gadgets that get stuck in here and never get used. It's like the room of requirement!
*Just want to point out here that Ron is my favorite in this scene. He’s not being an idiot, he’s not rushing off into anything, he’s not puffing up his own importance, he’s not arguing with anybody. He seems to just get things in ways his family members don’t. I hope that’s the way I’m supposed to see Ron’s persistently ashen face in these scenes, at least, and not a sign of cold feet and possible lack of Gryffindor fire (heaven forfend). Or…well, let’s face it, I’d love it if it was that but I’m sure it's just Ron not being able to get it together as usual. *cue Wah wah waaaaaah Ron music*
You know, I loved Ron pretty much all through OotP. I thought th insecure!Ron plot was a fine development, and there were plenty of quiet indications of him being thoughtful towards Harry and Hermione. A lot of hints that he was worrying about Harry's nightmares without being annoying about it. Just... subtle stuff. Even the part at the end when he gets all protective about Ginny dating was kind of cute.
Which was why it was sort of horrifying when Ron got lobotomized in HBP. When we had to go through insecure!Ron-squared and teaspoon-emotional-range!Ron-cubed. Remember how people theorized that Ron would develop some brains after being attacked by brains? Guess it was the opposite.
*Didn’t JKR say something about portraits just sort of saying catch-phrases from their life or something? Isn’t Phineas obviously a character living fully in the present and responding to current events? What would his real self be doing differently?
*ETA: And doesn't Dumbledore continue to give orders to Snape via his portrait? I'm not sure if that proves that Dumbledore's amazingly controlling or Snape amazingly pathetic. I think both. Somebody in the WW should write a psychology book analyzing that one relationship.
I think we need to forget that interview comment about the catch-phrases, because it makes absolutely no sense. Although, perhaps a catch-phrase might explain the hare-brained Seven Potters scheme. I have this snippet of a scene in my head where Snape is in that office being tormented by Dumbledore's anal-retentive portrait and he throws himself against the opposite wall in despair.... whereupon Armand Dippet whispers to him to go turn Dumbledore's portrait around to face the wall. Snape does and all the other portraits sigh with relief and they all have a party.
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Date: 2008-03-21 01:23 am (UTC)Some people are striking/boycotting lj for 24 hours tomorrow--I'm not sure what time it starts. So I figured I'd just post this a few hours early.
The clock is a total thing that's there for characterization like it's cute and then it's just far too powerful to ever be able to help.
Btw, speaking of the RoR, was anyone else floored when Neville came through his "secret passage"? Didn't that completely negate the entire Cabinet Storyline in HBP? I've fanwanked it to say that somehow the extra security in HBP would have made Neville's tunnel impossible then, but it seemed like it was supposed to be a big deal that Malfoy had done that and then it turned out you could just say to the RoR "I need a secret tunnel into and out of the school."
I thought Ron's insecure plotline pretty much worked in this book too. It's a shame nobody can really develop. He could have skipped being ont he Quidditch team entirely and just saved himself the grief.
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Date: 2008-03-21 04:33 am (UTC)I was about to say, "You go to St. Mungo's if you deserve help," but then I realized Lockhart's there. So, given Lockhart's relentless boasting, self-righteous attitude, and obsession with his public image, I think we have to assume that you go to St. Mungo's if you're in Gryffindor. Unless you're Ron, in which case it doesn't count because all your injuries are funny.
sistermagpie: *ETA: And doesn't Dumbledore continue to give orders to Snape via his portrait? I'm not sure if that proves that Dumbledore's amazingly controlling or Snape amazingly pathetic. I think both. Somebody in the WW should write a psychology book analyzing that one relationship.
I want to read that book. I love the way Dumbledore is like, "Oh, my god, you're still in love with Lily?" Like, "This isn't about adoring me yet? Well, when will it be?"
sistermagpie: * Sirius is correct in pointing out how the kids’ attitude makes them unfit for the Order, but one, “You’re sitting around here not risking your neck!” makes him go pale. Dude, there’s nothing shameful about a day spent not risking your life, especially when you’re living in your own private hell. Even after Sirius proves this by getting himself killed I don’t think anybody rethinks that attitude.
There was no need to rethink it. Sirius died and went to Sto-vo-kor.
Also, maybe the entrail-expelling curse is for cleaning out one's entrails—i.e., expelling the content and not the entrails themselves—like a super-strong, super-fast laxative. It has just the right mix of questionable word choice and potty humor to be intentional on the part of the author.
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Date: 2008-03-21 05:08 am (UTC)Honestly, it doesn't seem like they do any surgery, so I wonder what the entrail curse is for.
I'd say divination, only JKR's spent the best part of five books telling us how useless divination is (except when it's a prophecy about the Chosen One, of course), so I doubt they'd be honouring anyone for that.
So where's Fred's hand pointing now? Is there a new section for DEAD or is his hand just hanging limply like a corpse?
I figured it just fell off. I doubt that would have the requisite angst, though.
Essay topic: What was Dumbledore’s motive in orchestrating Sirius’ death?
It was all done out of love! Dumbles knew Sirius had to die before DH chapter 34 and wanted to give him a brave Gryffindor-worthy death on-screen.
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Date: 2008-03-21 06:03 am (UTC)I can't tell you how many times it was pointed out to me on SQ that Sirius is terribly mature because he only goes pale when Fred takes that swipe at him. Whereas Snape is so horribly immature when he gets into hysterics in the Shrieking Shack. Or something like that. :)
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Date: 2008-03-22 01:08 am (UTC)But yeah, he probably meant, "Isn't it about me yet? And haven't you figured out that she didn't give a damn about you get?"
I like the entrail curse idea. I'm surprised the Twins didn't use it on Slytherins. Just imagine the hilarity if every time somebody got Sorted into Slytherin they expelled their bowels on the stool.
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Date: 2008-03-22 01:09 am (UTC)Sirius probably thanked Dumbledore when they saw each other in Gryffindor heaven.
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Date: 2008-03-22 04:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-22 04:34 am (UTC)Totally both. In which case Phineas' main personality trait that passed into his portrait was obviously his awesomeness and intelligence. I theorize that if you're intelligent you get a thinking portrait, if you're anything else, you get a creepy broken record. Who needs to make sense in this world?
*The people in the hospital are sporting “gruesome disfigurements” like elephant trunks or extra hands sticking out of their chest.
This stood out as weird to me, because how many times do we see students screw up spells and end up with similar ailments, like Neville switching his ears for bits of cactus? Apparently if it happens during class (or at least the class of a teacher we're supposed to like) it's curable by a five-minute visit to the hospital wing, but if it happens outside of class, welcome to permanent disfigurement.
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Date: 2008-03-22 08:07 pm (UTC)I've been kicking around the theory that the Headmaster's portraits are generated by the castle; as in off-loading the castle's own memories of the person into a form that can be accessed by his successors. Kind of like the castle off-loading its memories into a Pensieve.
I mean it's obvious that the castle is almost sentient on its own account, and that it recognizes its Headmaster. But even a castle has limited memory storage, so when it is finished with the memories of that person, it off-loads them where they may still be of use, but won't be in its way.
Portraits created by other people are more hit-or-miss as to what degree of personality or independence they end up containing depending on the charm work of the person who animated them, and if they are animated by charm work alone the charms may wear off over time. (In which case the charms on the portrait of Madam Black were pretty shoddy. She'd only been dead a decade.)
I also suppose that any Headmaster portrait can send its consiousness into that of any other extant portrait of the same subject, however shoddily produced.
I also theorize that the Healers' portraits in St Mungos are a related issue, since from its description, St Mungos Hospital in its current locality isn't likely to have existed much before the mid-19th century. Yet we are told that it was originally founded in the late 16th century by Mungo Bonham. I've been proposing for years that before it moved to London in search of larger quarters, the hospital had shared the castle with Hogwarts School.
After all, as the *only* hospital, it would be, perforce, a *teaching* hospital. And that would also explain minor oddities such as Dyllis Derwent promoting directly from being a Healer at St Mungos to being Headmistress of Hogwarts (in mid 18th century).
In which case, the older Healer portraits in St Mungos are also castle "pensieve" portraits, although more recent ones are generated by charmwork, and some such as Dyllis's are probably charmwork duplicates, since the castle only generated one portrait of the person, and that one is is the Headmaster's office.
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Date: 2008-03-23 04:51 am (UTC)Perhaps it's easier to fix magic that happens accidentally than a purposeful curse? Accidental stuff - Neville messing up, Lockhart de-boning Harry - is fixed without much difficulty, but there is a pattern of purposeful harm being difficult to undo: Marietta, Montague, the Longbottoms, etc. I wouldn't put it past Wizards to continue magically mutilating each other when they get pissed off even after they've left Hogwarts.
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Date: 2008-03-23 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-24 12:52 am (UTC)Literal institutional memory; very useful if the current occupants pay any attention to the voices of the past. Also, the portraits give the buildings mouths through which to speak (probably filtered through the personality of the portrait's original, as in Sir Cadogan or Phineas).
After all, as the *only* hospital, it would be, perforce, a *teaching* hospital.
Augustus Pye is a "Trainee Healer"; this could be the equivalent of an intern or resident, but if Hogwarts is the only educational institution St Mungo's probably is responsible for Healers' and Mediwizards's complete training.
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Date: 2008-03-24 07:25 pm (UTC)The whole catch phrases explanation is such bullshit. I mean, even the Fat Lady reacts to things happening to her (like Sirius attack in PoA) or Mrs. Black, who recognizes that non-family members have entered her house. So obviously every portrait can react to what is happening around them. It's the same kind of rubbish she sprouted when asked about wizard photography.
*The adults in this book really do have a knack for being as unreassuring as possible. And making it seem like any wrong-headed ideas the kids have are correct, knowing that any wrong-headed ideas the kids have they tend to act on. Essay topic: What was Dumbledore’s motive in orchestrating Sirius’ death?
Short answer: To get Harry away from Sirius influence and remove the last person that could stand between him and Harry. Somebody else did a great essay on Dumbledore as a narcist here. (http://asylums.insanejournal.com/snapedom/91172.html) It's mostly about Snape and Dumbledore, but also talks about Sirius.
I'm still wondering what Dumbledore actually did all those years since he doesn't seem to actually get into action until HBP with the Horcruxes and the memories, even though he had this information for quite some time.
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Date: 2008-03-25 05:35 am (UTC)He was waiting for JKR's OK signal ;)
This is something that has been annoying me lately, since I'm in the slow process of figuring out why exactly the later HP books disappointed me. While the action in the earlier books seems to sort of move at an almost logical pace (although the foolhardy Idiot Plot in GoF was a clear turning point and warning sign), Books 5,6 and 7 just involved characters waiting around for JKR's OK signal and being jerked around by her plot demands, even if it wasn't thematically or plotwise necessary or effective. It was essentially a waiting game to fufill the necessary number of books and a lot of the time it wasn't even a fun waiting game but more of a hard slog so you can get the resolution, damn the effectiveness.
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Date: 2008-03-25 03:27 pm (UTC)Throughout books 1-7, Ginny's hand on the clock was pointing to "unmarried". After book 7 it was pointing to "married".
What do you mean, you might need to know something else about her?
- Dan Hemmens
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Date: 2008-03-25 09:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-26 06:59 pm (UTC)Arthur knows that real deals can't involve gold, too traceable.
They should involve expensive sporting box seat tickets for the whole family (and friends) next to some of the most powerful people in the WW.
REALLY! These things should be done right.
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Date: 2008-03-27 01:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-24 08:48 pm (UTC)