Deathly Hallows, chapter 5

[anehan]

Fallen Warrior

* Well, that was boring.

...

All right, all right, I'll do it properly.

* Hagrid is alive. Damn. For a moment, I got hopeful there.

* The Order has placed protective charms on the Tonkses' houses. These charms seem to be able to keep Voldemort away, so why aren't all crucial places protected like this? How come the Death Eaters can get to the Ministry, Hogwarts, the Weasleys, you name it? Why did Amelia Bones die in her home if this kind of protective charms existed?

* Harry wallows in guilt. If something happened to anyone else, it would be his fault for endagering them, never mind that the plan wasn't his idea. Am I the only one who thinks JKR put this charming little display of guilt there so that the readers could assure themselves that of course Harry wasn't guilty of anything wrong, no indeed?

* If JKR wanted to convince me of Harry's ability to feel guilt, maybe she should have made him feel guilty when he really was guilty. Like when he, say, cast the Cruciatus Curse.

* Ted calls Andromeda Dromeda. My, what a hideous nickname. It's a bit too close to "dromedar" for my comfort; it makes me think that Andromeda looks like a camel.

* You know, it just occured to me to wonder why the Order permitted Hermione and Ron take part in this rescue mission. Previously, they've been all about protecting them, even to absurd lenghts. What's changed now?

* Harry is sure no one in the Order would have betrayed him. Considering the fate of his parents, his trust is touching. And by "touching" I mean "naïve".

* George's ear can't be restored, because it's been cursed off. Sounds like something JKR came up with just to make her heroes' life more difficult.

* Molly says she can't make George's ear to grow back, which seems to suggest that in ordinary circumstances she'd be able to do it. I always thought something like growing body-parts back would be a Healer's job.

* Aha! So Sectumsempra is Dark Magic. It still doesn't tell us what this ever-so-dangerous Dark Magic is. The distinction between ordinary and Dark magic has always seemed quite stupid to me. Even the most innocuous charm can be used harmfully.

* "Always the tone of surprise," Ron said. If only he could keep this up he'd be a much more interesting character. Unfortunately JKR seems to find it necessary to make him as stupid as she can, probably to make Harry look better. A guy's got to be really dumb to be dumber than Harry.

* Mad-Eye's dead. Why, of why couldn't it have been Hagrid.

* I really hate Fleur's pseudo-French accent. She's been in England for two years now. One would think she had lost most of it by now.

* "'Ear, 'ear." Very funny. Not.

* "The suddenness and completeness of death was with them like a presence." Now this, this is funny.

* Harry's histrionics are rather amusing as well. Yes, Harry, you've got to leave because your presence puts the others in danger. Never mind that they have chosen to fight this far. Not everything is about you, you know.

* Such a drama-queen, Harry is. One more thing he has in common with Voldemort, in addition of both being orphans, Parselmouths and addicted to the Cruciatus Curse, among other things.

* No one has heard of a wand performing magic on its own. They just haven't met Harry's wand. It's pretty much got to be special since Harry is so dumb he can't tie his shoelaces. Someone's got to know what to do.

* After an obligatory Cruciatus scene (one would think Harry would have enjoyed that, but no, Harry only enjoys Cruciatus Curses he himself casts) the chapter ends. Finally.

* See, I told you. It was boring.



Box Picture:
Harry Potter is The Tortured Hero.

Ken and Andrew's Rule of Plotholes:
Why isn't every place protected by the Order's protective charms?

Selling Wood:
Oh Harry, how tortured you are.

Final score: 3 Why, oh why does nothing happen in these chapters? I'm going crazy here.

Comments

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

When reading DH, boredom is always with us - like a presence.

If you knew someone called Andromeda, wouldn’t you call her Annie? Andi? Or even Meda? But a three syllable nick-name? Hell, what am I complaining about, that’s the least of my problems with this chapter.

There was no earthly reason why Ronnikins and Hermione would be allowed on this mission. I know they’re of age, but they’d only become members of The Order on the say-so of the other members, and Mrs Weasley wuld die before letting anyone over 30 grow up - no doubt why they move to Egypt/Romania/abandon the family all together

You’re right, re-growing an ear does seem like a Healers job. So why didn’t JKR write that they suspected that St Mungos had been infiltrated and they didn’t want to use it except in life threatening circumstances, with no other options? Then George could get his ear back at the end of the book, (small substitute for Fred I know). On the other hand, it took me 5 seconds to come up with that once I read your comments, and JKR wasn’t about to give this story that much thought.

I agree that Dark Magic needed better definition. I’ve always thought that a majority of Dark Magic was only dark in the way it was used. 700 years ago, I can imagine Avada Kevadra being used as a means of execution - more humane then the Dementors Kiss? Also, I had little trouble with Harry/Hermione using the Imperius simply to protect themselves/escape from an exceptional (and bad situation.) It’s truly appalling when used to force someone to act against their will/as a puppet with no self determination (Hermione wiping her parents minds - now that was dark)

I’m fine with them being Unforgiveables, but can see how their use could be interpreted differently. The Cruciatus, however, is 100% dark magic. To cause total agony, to torture - no justification at all, under any circumstances. And which one does Harry use when some git spits at his teacher? What about ‘scourgify’? Harry was long dead to me, but how dare JKR ruin McGonagall? Gallant, my arse! Sorry, got distracted there.

Why would the son of two appallingly betrayed characters, betrayed by their best friend no less, have such an undeveloped sense of self-preservation? I hoped the spy was Hermione - unwittingly passing information on to Death Eater Krum. That’d wipe the smug smile off her suddenly lovely face. Run Ron run! But then I also hoped that Percy was spying on the Ministry for Dumbledore. We now know DD was more than cold enough. How else did he find out that Harry’s Trial in Phoenix had been moved forward? Didn't happen sadly - too much camping to write about to have time to include such things.

Harry breezily ignored his culpability over Sirius’ death, but on every other occasion he’s distraught? His total self absorption, self pity and ‘guilt’ as a means of attracting sympathy get right on my tits. If Molly didn’t inexplicably love him like her own, she could have pointed out to the little punk that she had lost both of her brothers to this cause - before he was even born. The Order, inadequate though they were, would have kept on fighting, because some people always do, no matter how bad the odds.

Why oh why was Harry not the Fallen Hero? The horcrux-lite would be destroyed. It’s not as if he did anything else - name me something essential to the ’plot’ that needed Harry. I’m sure Ron could run Voldie through with the sword of Gryffendor as revenge for Ginny’s brutal, graphic and violent death.

But no, we lose Moody - a character I quite liked, and keep the ‘had run his course’ Hagrid and unbearable Harry. Damn. Farewell Moody, your memory will always be with us - like a presence…..

That phrase, along with the flammable owl, will never get old. Unlike the rest of this nonsense.

[beatnikspinster.livejournal.com]

I agree that Dark Magic needed better definition.
I totally agree. It should start by actually defining magic. I don't think any structure has been applied to magic in these books. No consistent laws. No limitations. No relationship to other natural phenomena. It exists as a plot device and branding. "That's Wizards chess." Uh-huh. That's like "They're Designer shoes." Dark magic can be whatever it's needed to be, because there's nothing to measure it against.

Magic, for all it's used to justify genocide and power struggles, is not taken seriously. Which is sad, especially in light of how it's used to make, then bash, "Muggles".

[sunnyskywalker]

I was so disappointed that Percy apparently never used his Ministry position to pass information or something. I mean, I could understand just fine if he didn't want to pass information to Dumbledore, but why couldn't there be a third side, against Voldemort and Umbridge-types but not Order members either? Heck, why not a parallel, informal organization run by Aberforth, or some Department of Mysteries employees, or heck, why not Snape? I guess that would be too complicated...

[luwanda26.livejournal.com]

Because then it wouldn't be good guys vs bad guys. It would be good guys vs bad guys vs slightly less bad guys because the only way you can be totally good is to believe in Dumbledore.

[cressida0201.livejournal.com]

(sarcasm)

Except you shouldn't believe in Dumbledore either, because he's all Flawed and Edgy and Complex (he's complex, I tell you)! But you totally shouldn't go back and start doubting whether the people who didn't believe in him in earlier books were really evil after all.

(/sarcasm)

Actually, a horrible thought just occurred to me. Dumbledore hands off the title of Coolest Wizard and Best Person Evah to Harry in the King's Cross scene, right? So does this mean that in a few decades, people's goodness or badness will be judged all over the WW by whether or not they trust in Harry Potter?

[luwanda26.livejournal.com]

Oh that's right. I forgot Dumbledore is gay Flawed now.

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

So does this mean that in a few decades, people's goodness or badness will be judged all over the WW by whether or not they trust in Harry Potter?
Ahahahaha! You're kidding, right? There is no need to either wait several decades or be sarcastic, it's canon that peoples' worth depends on their blind trust in anything Harry chooses to say or not to say. Remember Seamus?

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, Percy as Ministry mole would have been great. The trial in Phoenix, information on the infiltration of the Ministry (beginning in HBP, not this suddenness crap), all sorts of things, and yet another Weasley hero (although unsung through most of the books) for Rowling's favorite family. You have to wonder why she didn't go there.

[anehan]

That phrase, along with the flammable owl, will never get old. Unlike the rest of this nonsense.

By the time I'm through with this book, you'll have become sick of that phrase. :D

But then I also hoped that Percy was spying on the Ministry for Dumbledore.

Yes! It would have made so much sense. Alas, it was not to be. The reconciliation scene between Percy and his family was vomit-inducing. Yuck. Poor Percy.

[savagedamsel10.livejournal.com]

I really should not be answering this, since the Percy issue annoyed me so much (Oh, why did I have to develop an affection for the Least Likeable Weasley?) it has become my wanky and rambling single issue wonk in this comm but I can try to answer this succinctly.

The reason why it was never considered is because it would have made Percy too interesting and JKR isn't necessarily someone who considers the minor details or possibilities. You see, JKR has always set him up as the inferior Weasley and really, his storyline was really meant to highlight that he was the inferior one who should realise the extreme superiority of his family and especially the twins. (I know I'm evil but I cheered when Fred bit the dust).

Any possibility of irony (Arthur immediately thinking of Percy becoming the traitor by spying on him when he would actually be in a prime position to watch over Fudge and Co.), of making Ministry employees being more proactive, of exploring the possibilities of forcing Harry and Co. look at people and their own beliefs more differently and in a more proactive manner, of not judging people immediately and making rash judgements because you simply dislike them, of following the precedent set in the early books about the family not entirely knowing Percy's motivations (COS!), of possible sacrifices and the things you do that you hate but do them because you care etc. were never going to be part of the equation. Heck, he wasn't even allowed to do anything in the last book within the Ministry on his own terms because it would have made him too interesting.

Basically, every bad thing ever said and thought about Percy by practically everyone in the book (a lot of it was before OotP too) was there to show that they are prophets, never mind that you can't expect loyalty from someone you treat with utter contempt.

Ok, that's it for now. I'll shut up. ;)

[cressida0201.livejournal.com]

Any possibility of irony (Arthur immediately thinking of Percy becoming the traitor by spying on him when he would actually be in a prime position to watch over Fudge and Co.), of making Ministry employees being more proactive, of exploring the possibilities of forcing Harry and Co. look at people and their own beliefs more differently and in a more proactive manner...

All of these things, I think, are trumped by JKR's attitude toward governmental authority and her stated intention to write a book stressing the need to challenge that authority. Percy, in her mind, is bad because he loves the Ministry. But we didn't really know that until the spate of post-DH interviews, or at least, I didn't.

[savagedamsel10.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's quite true. It's also strongly linked to the fact that JKR also doesn't like the idea of severely challenging her designated loved characters in order for character development. To me, I've always believed that if you're writing a story that has the protagonist and their closest mates grow and develop in a coming of age story they are the ones who need to be forced to evaluate themselves. To have all sorts of minor and secondary characters bend willingly to the hero as an excuse for development is unforgivably lazy.

Besides, JKR doesn't even explore the issue with any sort of depth. Like if we shouldn't trust the government authority then why should Harry and Co. blindly follow Dumbledore even after his death? Or if the government is so bad, why the hell should anyone listen to Harry and his mates when they essentially become the government? Or if Percy shouldn't blindly follow government authority, why should he blindly follow family authority instead of going his own way? etc.