More flashback fun!
Nov. 30th, 2005 05:23 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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deathtocapslockI'm off to see GoF later tonight. In the meantime, here's more Harry Potter, with flashbacks and whatnot!
*More about how Harry et al are the only people to know what's right and what's wrong when it comes to rumours. They never truly get it wrong, and when they do, all that happens is that they're a bit surprised. Since there's only one book left, I despair of any of the three fucking up so royally that it has disastrous consequences. Except possibly Ron, but it's far more likely that anything that happens to him will be the result of some outside evil.
*Hermione and Ron continue not to listen to Harry re. Draco. We know Harry is RIGHT, as we've already read the book, but even his friends wish he'd shut the fuck up and stop grasping for attention.
*New Dumbledore lesson! Our beloved headmaster has been off doing something supa-clever, but is now back and "looking unusually tired" with his hand looking "as black and burned as ever". The klaxon horn of foreshadowing sounds in the distance.
*Why did Professor Snape, Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, have anything to do with an horrible accident involving the Dark Arts? I don't know, Harry. It is a mystery!
*The triumphant return of Phineas Nigellus Black (the last name appears in the book, honest), bitchy painting of doom! Here, he scolds Harry for questioning how Hogwarts is run. This is an obvious sign of his ridiculous Slytherin nature - since when was Harry anything less than the most important person alive?
*He also reveals that Mundungus Fletcher is a half-blood. *strokes tiny plot-bunnies*
*Harry has a little inner whine about Draco and why Dumbledore DOESN'T CARE, but memories are more important right now.
*Dumbledore suggests it is possible that despair sapped Merope of her powers. Has this ever happened to a man? Inquiring minds need toscoff and make loud snorty noises know. Although this might explain the presence of emoTonks, but I still find Tonks utterly surplus to requirements.
*"She wouldn't even stay alive for her own son!" No, Harry, no mother was as wonderful as yours. And she had a choice, oh yes! Not like your mum, who wasn't offered the chance to step aside or anything. Let me see, what's that choice again? Live in misery and poverty with a small child and nobody on earth to help you care for the little beast, or suffer the pain of dying? Do you think you'd choose so easily, under the circumstances?
*Dumbledore says, yes, Lily was offered a choice. However, she was OMG SO BRAVE and took the correct path in order that her son might grow up to be a sexy hero, rather than a psychopath. Woo-hoo.
*Albus takes time to describe his own memory as "rich in detail and satisfyingly accurate". Oh shut up.
*His younger-self suit does sound the business, mind. Probably looked pretty peculiar in 1930s London, but still. Plum velvet, eh? I'm imagining a Vivian Stanshall look-alike now. It's just a shame such a cool get-up had to be a Dumbledore one, really.
*Oh yes, brainwash the orphanage staff to get your plum velvet mittens on Tom Riddle. Very brave there, Albus. Okay, so I know you can't let people know about Hogwarts, but even so...it's all a bit iffy, really. Especially with the gin as well.
*Tom Riddle was born on New Year's Eve, apparently. Was it snowing in London on 31st of December, 1927? Mrs. Cole says it was. Hmm.
*Also, baby!Tom was supposedly "funny" in that he rarely cried. Even from birth etc. Not that he was born that way or anything *cough*. And then he got older and started hanging rabbits from rafters and doing odd things to his peers.
*Oh dear. There've been suggestions that young Tom ought to be in the asylum, but we're going to ignore that and instead give him a place in our fabulous school, with every resource he could wish for. And we're going to prove that it's a magical school by setting fire to his wardrobe. Well, there's good child management for you.
*"Oh yes and, while we do not tolerate bad use of magic here at Hogwarts, I'm still going to let you wander off and do what you like on your own, even though you are clearly barking mad and ought to be accompanied everywhere by some big men and a pint of sedative". Well done, Albus.
*Tom doesn't like his name anyway, even though he doesn't know if it's a Muggle name or not. He wants to be special and different and exciting. Well, don't we all? Doesn't Harry, for that matter?
*Interesting to note that "there are parselmouths amongst the great and good too". I hope Albus isn't just talking about Harry, and that we really aren't putting any value judgement onto snakes. I don't hold out much hope here, though.
*"Do you hear me, Harry? Tom Riddle liked to COLLECT TROPHIES!!!!!" Why not just tell him about horcruxes right off the bat? Does he need all the extraneous guff that goes with it. Blah. Still, at least Harry notices about the ring. Soon, he may make the connection between rings that go on hands and Dumbledore's manky...hand. But what could the connection be???
Also, how dumb am I for not realising that this was actually chapter thirteen until ten days later? Really? :([/9th December edit]
*More about how Harry et al are the only people to know what's right and what's wrong when it comes to rumours. They never truly get it wrong, and when they do, all that happens is that they're a bit surprised. Since there's only one book left, I despair of any of the three fucking up so royally that it has disastrous consequences. Except possibly Ron, but it's far more likely that anything that happens to him will be the result of some outside evil.
*Hermione and Ron continue not to listen to Harry re. Draco. We know Harry is RIGHT, as we've already read the book, but even his friends wish he'd shut the fuck up and stop grasping for attention.
*New Dumbledore lesson! Our beloved headmaster has been off doing something supa-clever, but is now back and "looking unusually tired" with his hand looking "as black and burned as ever". The klaxon horn of foreshadowing sounds in the distance.
*Why did Professor Snape, Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, have anything to do with an horrible accident involving the Dark Arts? I don't know, Harry. It is a mystery!
*The triumphant return of Phineas Nigellus Black (the last name appears in the book, honest), bitchy painting of doom! Here, he scolds Harry for questioning how Hogwarts is run. This is an obvious sign of his ridiculous Slytherin nature - since when was Harry anything less than the most important person alive?
*He also reveals that Mundungus Fletcher is a half-blood. *strokes tiny plot-bunnies*
*Harry has a little inner whine about Draco and why Dumbledore DOESN'T CARE, but memories are more important right now.
*Dumbledore suggests it is possible that despair sapped Merope of her powers. Has this ever happened to a man? Inquiring minds need to
*"She wouldn't even stay alive for her own son!" No, Harry, no mother was as wonderful as yours. And she had a choice, oh yes! Not like your mum, who wasn't offered the chance to step aside or anything. Let me see, what's that choice again? Live in misery and poverty with a small child and nobody on earth to help you care for the little beast, or suffer the pain of dying? Do you think you'd choose so easily, under the circumstances?
*Dumbledore says, yes, Lily was offered a choice. However, she was OMG SO BRAVE and took the correct path in order that her son might grow up to be a sexy hero, rather than a psychopath. Woo-hoo.
*Albus takes time to describe his own memory as "rich in detail and satisfyingly accurate". Oh shut up.
*His younger-self suit does sound the business, mind. Probably looked pretty peculiar in 1930s London, but still. Plum velvet, eh? I'm imagining a Vivian Stanshall look-alike now. It's just a shame such a cool get-up had to be a Dumbledore one, really.
*Oh yes, brainwash the orphanage staff to get your plum velvet mittens on Tom Riddle. Very brave there, Albus. Okay, so I know you can't let people know about Hogwarts, but even so...it's all a bit iffy, really. Especially with the gin as well.
*Tom Riddle was born on New Year's Eve, apparently. Was it snowing in London on 31st of December, 1927? Mrs. Cole says it was. Hmm.
*Also, baby!Tom was supposedly "funny" in that he rarely cried. Even from birth etc. Not that he was born that way or anything *cough*. And then he got older and started hanging rabbits from rafters and doing odd things to his peers.
*Oh dear. There've been suggestions that young Tom ought to be in the asylum, but we're going to ignore that and instead give him a place in our fabulous school, with every resource he could wish for. And we're going to prove that it's a magical school by setting fire to his wardrobe. Well, there's good child management for you.
*"Oh yes and, while we do not tolerate bad use of magic here at Hogwarts, I'm still going to let you wander off and do what you like on your own, even though you are clearly barking mad and ought to be accompanied everywhere by some big men and a pint of sedative". Well done, Albus.
*Tom doesn't like his name anyway, even though he doesn't know if it's a Muggle name or not. He wants to be special and different and exciting. Well, don't we all? Doesn't Harry, for that matter?
*Interesting to note that "there are parselmouths amongst the great and good too". I hope Albus isn't just talking about Harry, and that we really aren't putting any value judgement onto snakes. I don't hold out much hope here, though.
*"Do you hear me, Harry? Tom Riddle liked to COLLECT TROPHIES!!!!!" Why not just tell him about horcruxes right off the bat? Does he need all the extraneous guff that goes with it. Blah. Still, at least Harry notices about the ring. Soon, he may make the connection between rings that go on hands and Dumbledore's manky...hand. But what could the connection be???
Also, how dumb am I for not realising that this was actually chapter thirteen until ten days later? Really? :([/9th December edit]
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-02 04:05 am (UTC)"Phineas Little Black Black"? *resists urge to mention department of redundancy department*
I still find Tonks utterly surplus to requirements
It's especially strange in light of the frequent Polyjuice and Animagus transformations. Why was Tonks given the OMG AWZUMEST!! transforming ability of all if she's not going to use it to advance the plot? Okay, there's still a chance her morph powers will save the day in Book 7. But odds are she was specifically created as the perfect LI for Lupin. Someone who'll never be at risk during his time of the month because, yeah. Instant she-wolf. Unless of course they've had a bad fight and she's depressed...
while we do not tolerate bad use of magic here at Hogwarts, I'm still going to let you wander off and do what you like on your own
Pop quiz for Hogwarts teachers!
You encounter a magically powerful kid with "obvious instincts for cruelty, secrecy and domination". You choose to:
- Strip him of his magic as a preemptive measure.
- Keep a close eye on him. Try to teach him about right and wrong.
- Show him how he'll be able to do undreamed-of amounts of damage if he chooses the dark side, but don't give him any moral guidance whatsoever. In fact, leave him to his own devices entirely. When he does eventually become the new Dark Lord, pat yourself on the back for having always suspected he was a wrong 'un.
I mean, clearly little Tom was a Very Bad Seed Indeed. But as
-L
no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 07:04 am (UTC)It's especially strange in light of the frequent Polyjuice and Animagus transformations. Why was Tonks given the OMG AWZUMEST!! transforming ability of all if she's not going to use it to advance the plot? Okay, there's still a chance her morph powers will save the day in Book 7. But odds are she was specifically created as the perfect LI for Lupin. Someone who'll never be at risk during his time of the month because, yeah. Instant she-wolf. Unless of course they've had a bad fight and she's depressed...
My personal theory is that when writing OotP, JKR decided she needed some "strong female girl-power" characters, so she created Tonks, gave her the transforming ability and Black family connections to make her interesting, and made her a young, brand-new Auror as to show how "strong" she is, yet "kewl" enough for Harry and co. Then HBP came along and JKR had no idea what to do with Tonks, so she had Tonks roaming around acting strange and droopy and making the readers wonder if she is acting suspicious for war reasons or even mourning Sirius. Nope, she's just pining for Lupin! What a waste.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 06:57 pm (UTC)If she had been acting suspiciously because there was something interesting up, that might have been worth it. But no, she's pining for a love who doesn't appear to pine for her back. Besides the barking mad shippers, who the hell cares?
no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 08:11 pm (UTC)as opposed to icky feminismis everywhere. And ITA that if JKR did intend Lupin/Tonks all along and planned it so cleverly as to leave no clues whatsoever in OotP, then she shot herself in the foot. The Lupin-lurve revelation is just a giant WTF moment.I liked the idea that Tonks was grieving for Sirius. It would have been a great twist, unexpected but plausible. Sirius was supposed to be the babe magnet of his generation, after all.
-L
no subject
Date: 2005-12-17 05:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-21 04:51 am (UTC)Thank you! It squicked me that no one in the books seemed to think it was weird if Tonks was in love with her cousin.