HBP Chapter Seven

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

*Honestly, you’d think if Slughorn was such a master of networking he’d think to find a more attractive name for his club. Though I guess given Wizarding humor the name is probably a plus.

*I can understand why Harry’s slightly annoyed at Ron and Hermione getting bored at discussing the possible meaning of Malfoy’s behavior after only a few days. These are the people who discussed Harry’s encounter with Barty Crouch Senior an entire night only to come up with “Either Mr. Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody attacked both of them when Viktor wasn’t looking.” After a few days I’d expect them to only have figured out, “Malfoy needs something fixed…”

*My guess is Hermione and Ron are disinterested because they firmly believe Malfoy is just a school antagonist for Harry to grow beyond. They’re just impatiently awaiting the arrival of Good Slytherin Theodore Nott.

*Ron tells us Malfoy’s got a shriveled up hand, the Hand of Glory, though I’m not sure where he would have seen it. I thank Ron for mentioning it, though, since last I saw of the Hand of Glory Malfoy specifically didn’t have it.

*ETA: This is such a weird little Flint--I truly think it is. I remember JKR did some interview where she, too, referred to the Hand as something that Malfoy already owned, as if we all saw him buy it. I think it's a pitfall off that essential Slytherin conflict. He has to be humiliated by not getting what he wants, but also be resented for getting everything he wants.

*Poor Harry’s had to go through the slow deductive process on his own, revealing to Ron that Borgin’s got another one of the object Malfoy wants in his store. He gets no points for this from Ron or Hermione, but I like to encourage Harry’s basic skills of comprehension when I can.

*I admit, I love it when Harry and Malfoy connect over the only thing they can connect over, that little kids can have great big plans for revenge. Stupid plans, but plans.

*On first reading I was all proud of myself for remembering that Harry’s version of the events at Madam Malkins was wrong, that Malfoy did not jerk his arm away when she went to roll up his sleeve, but jerked his arm away when she stuck him with a pin, which she already had. However, since this issue was never actually resolved, I could totally be wrong. It still doesn’t make much sense to me. It’s not like Malfoy wouldn’t know what to expect from a robe fitting when he went in there. Especially since it’s not like she’d be rolling his sleeve up to his elbow. She’s just putting a cuff on the wrist. And Malfoy pulls off the robe himself a second later which would flash even more arm skin.

*ETA: I still don't know what the answer is. I guess it's really supposed to be that he had a Dark Mark, but this remains stupid for all these reasons. And also because while I do like to give Harry props for figuring things out, this is more like Harry make a wild leap of logic based on nothing and having it turn out right.

*Anyway, the Dark Mark at least makes more sense than the damn werewolf bite theory.

*Harry shows how at home he feels at the Weasleys by acting like Molly’s very own slob of a teenaged son. She’s urged him to not leave his washing and packing until the last minute, by which I assume he shouldn’t bring *her* the washing at the last minute.

*ETA: Or else he shouldn't bring *Hermione* the washing at the last minute because she apparently looks after that too.

*ETA: Btw, how does one even do washing? The very fact that we're talking about "the last minute" kind of implies modern washing machines, doesn't it?

*Harry runs into Ginny in the hall and she’s her usual charming self, reminding him that as an honorary member of the I HATE FLEUR Club he’s got to call her Phlegm and say she smells like poo.

*My irritation at Ginny is immediately wiped away as Harry smiles at her that he’ll be careful not to slip in the Phlegm that is Fleur. Sure the response is completely nonsensical, but Harry has smiled it at her. How does one smile a statement? Perhaps Harry finally got bored with Quidditch and sent away for a Ventriloquism course. (MST3K reference: Ventriloquism is huge in England!) ETA: Given the other entertainment available in the WW ventriloquism really should be huge.

*Are we supposed to think badly of Fleur for talking about her upcoming wedding? Or assume that as mother-of-the-groom Molly would be bored by it? What, somehow more girly that conversations about love potions and how to catch a man?

*ETA: Funny that if Molly is bored with it she's having the wedding at her house. Traditionally the bride's family would take care of the wedding, particularly if they're French snobs, no? Also, given that there's a World War currently going on only in Great Britain, France would be an excellent place for a wedding.

*Two bridesmaids in pale gold sounds quite tasteful to me. Also in my experience red-heads appreciate it when people choose bridesmaids dresses that compliment their red hair. If she was really being a bitch she'd dress Ginny in clothes that didn't suit her. Damn that Fleur for her small acts of thoughtfulness!

*Though perhaps what’s wrong is Fleur isn’t getting on board with the Weasley’s notoriously tacky taste in clothes. Molly would have Ginny in puffy mutton sleeves with a big bow! Salmon Pink and maroon all the way for the red-heads!

*Oh, here’s where Fleur really shows herself to be evil, saying that Tonks has let herself go. The thing is, this line sounds completely out of character for Fleur based on what I’ve seen of her thus far. Not that she wouldn’t notice Tonks’ looks, but I think it would be more in character for her to offer her a makeover for the wedding.

*ETA: What's kind of funny is that everybody is noticing Tonks' looks but it's not like any of the characters we know are particularly concerned about the woman who's kind of obviously in a depression. Maybe Molly is. But then, Molly knows that all she really needs is her man.

*And there’s Ginny again tripping Ron. The way she’s waged this all-out war on Fleur where everyone has to join her or be punished is just so attractive. Ginny 1 would never have done anything like it. That’s why Ginny 1 had to be eliminated. Ginny 1 would probably have a nice relationship with Fleur and be looking forward to having a sister.

*There was no cheerful Hagrid waiting for them at the station. Count our blessings!

*The Aurors are dressed in Muggle suits. I guess because if you’re going to try to imitate efficiency it’s best to be as Muggle as you can.

*Harry reacts to his guards with irritation. I’m sure guarding the Boy Who Lived is considered a real plum assignment at Auror headquarters. “Babysitting the brat today, Earl? Sucks to be you.”

*Harry motions for Ron and Hermione to follow him without waiting to consult his grim-faced Auror. Got that? Because Harry is kind of a bad ass. He’ll show that person trying to protect him who’s boss—and Ron and Hermione as well!

*ETA: LOL! I just love thinking about what Harry will actually do when he finally wins his freedom next year. "Psst. Ron, Hermione! Let's go sit in a tent in the backyard!"

*Hermione is still apologetic over Harry’s not being a Prefect a year later. I’m surprised she hasn’t lobbied for Quidditch captains to get seats in the Prefects carriage. God knows she had time to start a new revolution during breaks from the daily mandatory Quidditch.

*ETA: And people think R/Hr is the more abusive to Hermione relationship? The girl is acting apologetic over being Prefect to Harry. Ron might not be greatly encouraging or supportive of Hermione's accomplishments but it's a given that she deserves to be accomplished over him.

*Mr. Weasley proves himself a genius for figuring out that when the kids disappeared they actually went somewhere else. He raised those lovable scamps, Fred and George! Not sure what he’s bragging about there.

*Harry points out that if Draco wants something fixed at Borgin’s, it’s probably dark and dangerous. Mr. Weasley says he doubts it because...the Ministry raided the Manor and took away everything dark and dangerous. Um, Arthur? Doesn’t Borgin specifically deal in the dark and dangerous? And are you really that confident in the Ministry’s powers to do, well, anything so difficult as search a manor? And why would the thing have to be at the Manor to begin with?

*Mr. Weasley scoffs at the idea Voldemort would have dealings with a sixteen year old. I mean, other than Voldemort’s 16-year-old arch-nemesis who’s currently under armed guard because the whole Wizarding World is depending on him.

*Mrs. Weasley jogs after the train, waving to Harry. OMG Harry/Molly OTP! It’s just like JKR’s parents!

*Ginny’s chatting to some friends. No, you don’t have to know who they are. The point is she’s very very popular. If these people are important enough Ginny will insult them all by name later.

*Ginny can’t find a compartment with Harry because she’s going to meet Dean. Harry, stunned after being hit in the head by the heavy anvil hint that he’s after Ginny now, forgets that as Dean’s friend he could in fact sit with him too. Ginny forgets this too, probably because she and Hermione discussed how that would be the best move in Operation Chosen Boyfriend.

*Ginny walks away, her long red hair dancing behind her. Ron’s got a weakness for Veelas, Harry’s easily hypnotized by hair. If you focus on it you don’t have to look at the girlie body bits. It might as well be Cedric Diggory with that hair. Mmmm. Cedric...heroic like a Greek god.

*Harry has forgotten that Ginny doesn’t normally hang around them at school. Unlike some readers, who long for the days.

*Harry blinks and realizes he’s surrounded by mesmerized girls. Geez, Ginny’s dancing hair really is powerful. She really ought to tie it up!

*Oh, I see the mesmerized girls are to tell us that lots of girls who aren’t good enough for Harry want him. Making him Ginny’s equal.

*Harry feels a certain fondness for the Quibbler, it having saved his arse and smote his enemies last year. At this point Harry doesn’t really have to explain why he feels a fondness for anything. We can pretty much assume it means that it did something for him recently.

*ETA: LOL! Remember when I thought blackmailing somebody could come back to haunt Hermione and make for an interesting story for her? What was I thinking?

*Neville says the kids staring into the compartment are even staring at Luna and himself, because they are with Harry. ::sigh:: Neville Longbottom. The Wizarding World’s Ralphie Wiggum.

*ETA: Honestly, Neville is the perfect friend for Harry. He would have been so much happier with him than with Ron. He's constantly being the most brave and also the most humble and deferential to Harry.

*Neville announces he was afraid his grandmother would be angry that his fighting against evil people brought attention to her family. Instead it turns out his risking his life makes him finally almost not an embarrassment to his dead father’s memory. No wonder Trevor tries to dive under the seat. He’s trying to get out of that family.

*Gran’s even bought Neville a new wand—as if there was a real risk she’d have sent him to school wandless for his shame. And it’s a Cherry and Unicorn hair, Ollivander’s Eternally Virgin Special!

*ETA: Not that Neville won't win himself a shiny het marriage. He lives above a pub, too. Because Neville is cool. Did you get that message boys and girls? If you see that Neville is cool despite being a bit of a puddinghead when he was 11 you're a Good Person, just like Harry!

*Luna announces she has no friends and Harry tells us this is the kind of “uncomfortable” thing Luna says. This year. Because she didn’t say stuff like that last year at all. She’s found an entirely new way of saying “Look at me.” Joy.

*Romilda Vane appears. In case you’re wondering if we should like her or not, she’s confident but has a prominent chin. No, you should not like her.

*Remember how last year Harry wished he were with cooler people when the older, cool girl he liked walked in? Well now he chooses to sit with the same people over the younger, obnoxious homely girl and her friends. What growth!

*"People expect you to have cooler friends than us," Luna says, displaying her tedious habit of seeking attention by making sure everyone knows how weird she is new-found knack for embarrassing honesty.

*Harry announces that since Neville and Luna risked their lives for him they are, in fact, good enough to sit with a cool guy like him. Really Harry? With the actual captain of the Quidditch team? The Chosen One? But they’ve never faced Voldemort!

*ETA: Seriously, I love the way Harry's being surrounded by people to tell him how cool he is as if he totally doesn't know.

*Neville chats about his grades while Harry wonders if Neville’s mother would have died to save him if he was threatened as a baby. When you’re the Chosen One you wonder things like this about people. I mean, remember how stubby Neville's legs were? Could even a mother love that?

*Luckily Voldemort chose Harry for “his own inscrutable reasons.” Not really inscrutable, Harry. You are the one who is his equal and Neville is not. Even as a baby, the superiority was there. Just ask Dumbledore.

*Neville notices Harry’s totally not listening to him. Not that he cares, because Neville always knows his place. See? Totally the best friend for Harry.

*Luna jumps in to bring the attention back to herself by mentioning wrackspurts. It’s like a battle of giants with Harry and Luna in a car. Who is more self-absorbed?

*Ron appears in the carriage and tattles on Malfoy. He’s sitting with the Slytherins! He’s not doing his Prefect duty! I expect Hermione has owled ahead to inform the headmaster.

*Apparently Malfoy happily abused his power as Prefect last year. Hey, just because Harry couldn’t recognize half the kids in his year doesn’t mean he can’t suddenly drop information about Malfoy’s Reign of Terror as a Prefect last year just because it was a total non-issue at the time. He terrorized everybody except Harry because he likes Harry, I guess.

*And no, the school would not do anything about a bad Prefect. It's all part of the school experience.

*Harry thinks this seems to suggest Malfoy’s got more important things to do than bullying younger students. As opposed to Hermione, who bullies younger students in response to more important things (like if she’s worried about OWLS, she’ll take it out on them).

*Harry shows even more brilliant deductive ability when he knows ahead of time that Neville’s invited to Slughorn’s place for being a Pureblood! Did Harry take smart pills? He’s making connections all over the place!

*Harry deals nobly with everyone staring, and gets the small reward of seeing Marietta Edgecomb is still suffering for having loyalties apart from him last year. Please please please let this storyline have some satisfying ending. Otherwise I’m going to be stuck just thinking these people suck. ETA: Oh well. Looks like I'm stuck.

*Ginny grimaces at Harry from behind Slughorn’s back, which pretty much sums up Ginny.

*In the seventy years that Slughorn’s been creating a vast social network he apparently has not managed to pick up any subtly whatsoever. Your famous uncle isn’t speaking to your father? You get no pie.

*Everyone’s there because they’re connected to someone influential. Except Ginny. Well, no, not except Ginny. Ginny is there because of her connection to the author who can’t miss a chance to remind us that anyone, if given a chance, would pick Ginny. For anything.

*Apparently Slughorn is reserving judgment on Neville to see if he has any of his parents’ flair. Which is odd because if there’s one thing Neville’s parents seem to lack it is flair.

*Blaise makes the mistake of snorting at Harry, which inspires a shrill rebuke from Ginny, Harry’s attack harpy.

*This naturally proves that Ginny clearly does belong with the snooty folk.

*Zabini merely looks contemptuous, which I would appreciate except that we’re soon to be told he’s just jellus.

*Harry spends a tedious journey in the car. One wonders why Ginny doesn’t just do her snot jinx so they can all leave. Isn’t that what the upper crust do when someone begins to bore them?

*Ginny explains that she got into the club because Zacharias Smith, whom one would think would be considered okay by now, asked her too many questions. If you look in your Mary Sue manual under “Bitchy Witch” and “Fiery temper” you’ll understand how this is supposed to reflect well on Ginny.

*By the way, if you’re keeping score that two more people in this chapter whom Ginny doesn’t like.

*ETA: And Zacharias deserves it too! He's obviously just waiting to push first-years out of the way as he runs to safety in a cowardly way.

*Harry says that a hex is a better reason to invite someone to lunch than that their parents are famous. I’m going to have to disagree. I’d pick lunch with a movie star’s sister over lunch with some girl with a temper and a mucus fixation any day.

*Thank goodness Harry decides to just do something stupid here to move the plot along. Thanks Harry. I was getting really bored and I can’t hex the book to make it stop.

*ETA: That's Harry's one act of agency, ever. Whenever a situation requires a really stupid gesture on somebody's part, Harry's just the guy to do it. Remember how he saves the next book by randomly saying Voldemort?

*Okay, so Harry has his invisible foot in the door and Blaise honestly can’t tell he’s there? Even when he opens the door himself? That invisibility cloak must have some powerful spells on it. Harry’s not exactly Jack Bauer with the sneaking skills.

*I’m surprised the Slytherin compartment doesn’t have a beaded curtain at the entrance. Surely the lighting is dim and pink and incense fills the air. Crabbe plays the sitar as Pansy feeds Draco grapes.

*I have to say this: of course Draco and Pansy are going out. Rowling’s got half a page to establish something about the relationships here. Do you really think she’s writing from the fanfic perspective where we’re supposed to wonder if Draco isn’t just Pansy’s gay friend or that they’re just friends who for some reason pet each other? That Draco’s playing hard to get?

*ETA: It's sad that I kind of cheer for them for not getting married. Even though I realize that the fact that Draco marries someone else probably just means he and Pansy are too evil for the Tru Love of High School Sweetheartness.

*Go Crabbe with the comic! I love Crabbe! And I love that Malfoy is friends with somebody who’s into comics! I’ll bet they’ve hung around in many stores while Crabbe picked out his monthly stash.

*ETA: Boo Crabbe! Comics are a sign of stupidity and therefore evil!

*Pansy announces Belby’s a prat. In case you’re thinking that’s the type of thing Ginny would say, and indeed will say throughout the book, you should note that she’s saying *Belby* is a prat. That’s the kid that Slughorn dissed and who didn’t get a pie. Which means Pansy’s a bully where Ginny is not.

*Draco proves himself the real Chosen One by honestly not seeing what’s so great about Ginny. Perhaps he just hasn’t seen her dancing hair yet.

*Blaise falls down in my estimation by using prejudice to cover up the obvious fact that he just wishes he could have Ginny for his girl!

*Harry, meanwhile, is disgusted at Pansy looking as if anyone would like to be in her place, with Malfoy in her lap. Stop looking like that, Pansy! Harry wouldn’t really like to be in your place at all! You’re just making him feel that way by...looking like that. He’s not projecting at all. You are. YOU ARE!!!

*Yay Draco for not caring about Slughorn! Sure he’s probably telling himself that Voldemort’s club is much cooler, but anything to get the idea into his head is a good start.

*Malfoy calls Slughorn a fat old has-been. Even though he’s never seen him. Is his fat the stuff of legend?

*ETA: Seriously, what's up with Draco here? Why is he doing this total imitation of a character who's growing up? He'll be back in short pants in the next book. It's cruel.

*What does “fully qualified” mean exactly? Surely Fred and George are fully qualified even though they’ve only got OWLS?

*Hee! I love Pansy gazing at Malfoy as if she’s never seen anything so awe-inspiring when he suggests he’s joined an insane terrorist group. Ron won’t be getting much of that in the future.

*Of course this just must mean Pansy’s badly treated or subservient. And probably she’ll be beaten and raped. It always ends in being beaten and raped. ETA: Or even worse, possibly not getting married. Cow.

*Goyle was probably thrilled when he found out he’d smacked the Chosen One upside the head without even knowing it.

*Harry isn’t afraid of Malfoy, but he doesn’t want to be found under his cloak by unfriendly Slytherins. I’ll bet not. If there’s one person who knows what that would be like it’s Harry Potter, having been on the other side any number of times.

*As I said once before, for all that Malfoy is a boob much of the time, he is, sadly, pretty much our most cunning Slytherin. This is his second actual cunning plan, the first being the one to get Harry expelled with the Midnight Duel. See how he manages to convince Harry he doesn’t know he’s there!

*I like that the narrator still manages to get a little dig in at Pansy. She’s holding out her hand as if *hoping* Draco will hold it. Not *expecting* he will hold it, which sounds much reasonable. If she were just hoping she’d be standing there trying to look inconspicuous with her hand in easy range. Girlfriends stick out their hand because the boy is usually does hold it.

*LOL. And it’s pretty funny the way Draco’s closing the blinds and Harry’s thinking, “Yes, I’ve totally got him!” I’m surprised Draco’s not whistling to himself as he does it.

*ETA: I've read this story too, btw. Draco's closing the blinds to have his last pre-Hogwarts wank about Harry, and Harry will get all turned on watching him.

*So can Harry see out from the Invisibility cloak? Usually covered by a cloak you’d have to peek out under it, but this one seems to work like a two-way mirror.

*Draco is so pleased he figured this out. This incident probably fuels him for most of the year. “I can do this. The Potter thing actually worked. My luck is changing…”

*I've read this story too. Draco's got all this S&M stuff in his trunk and now that he's got Harry in his power he's going to get all bondage on him and Harry's going to really like it and...oh wait, wrong story.

* Malfoy deals with Harry violently, yet in a controlled way. Excuse me. I mean he proves himself to be a psychotic lunatic who could never be anything but evil. How can they even let him in school?



Box Picture
Honestly, it feels like the last three chapters have been about re-introducing us to all these characters important only because we’ve seen them before.

Exploitation Filmmakers’ Credo
See how in this chapter Harry keeps telling people something’s up with Malfoy and no one believes him? That’ll be happening over and over from now on.

IITS
And that’s how Ginny got into the Slug Club. Wasn’t that a great story?

Idiot World
Another new teacher. Another incompetent adult.

Informed Attributes
And that’s how Ginny got into the Slug Club. Wasn’t that a great story?

Ken’s Second Rule of High Altitude Mortality
About time I got to use one of these! Yes, Harry is perfectly secure on the luggage rack, but when frozen by a hex that hits him from in front and below, topples forward while managing to turn in the air and land on his back.

Misdirected Answering
Looking back, how much of the exposition in this chapter leads anywhere? Better yet don’t look back. Never look back.

The Misleading Masculine Moniker Rule
Not a point, but significant by its absence. Doesn’t Ginny just cry out for this?

Selling Wood
I have heard that Ginny Weasley is very attractive. Is not that right Blaise? You are very attractive and yet you find her very attractive. You are hard to please, yet you find her very attractive. She must be very objectively attractive and that makes me jealous.

The Stealth Monster Rule
When you’re in an invisibility cloak you can be as gigantic, awkward or noisy as you want!

Final score: 9

H/D fic cliches (should have started that last chapter):
-The one where Malfoy suddenly isn't focused on Harry and Harry gets intrigued.
-The one where Harry sneaks into a room alone with his cloak to watch Malfoy with no one else watching him.
-The one where Malfoy gets Harry trussed up and in his power and trapped and stuff.
-The one where Harry's curiously infuriated by seeing somebody else turned on by Malfoy.

Comments

[soldurios.livejournal.com]

*Ron tells us Malfoy’s got a shriveled up hand, the Hand of Glory, though I’m not sure where he would have seen it. I thank Ron for mentioning it, though, since last I saw of the Hand of Glory Malfoy specifically didn’t have it.

*ETA: This is such a weird little Flint--I truly think it is. I remember JKR did some interview where she, too, referred to the Hand as something that Malfoy already owned, as if we all saw him buy it. I think it's a pitfall off that essential Slytherin conflict. He has to be humiliated by not getting what he wants, but also be resented for getting everything he wants.

Sadly, I think the CoS chapter of this was really forshadowing. Lucius states that he hopes his son has better aspirations than thievery and won't need the hand. Putting it into this context here, it seems that the last thing Lucius would want is Draco having a need for the Hand and, unfortunately, Draco had to use it throughout this book due to Voldemort's mission for him.

In short, one could make a good case for Lucius not wanting his son to be a Death Eater, despite a million abusive!Lucius fics.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I think CoS is filled with that idea, really. Lucius is telling Draco to keep his head down etc., that the school needs to be "purged" but Draco shouldn't get involved. It's fitting for Lucius, really, because he was kidding himself into thinking he could be the way he was and not expect Draco to both want to be involved or be forced into being involved over his head.

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

*Harry has forgotten that Ginny doesn’t normally hang around them at school. Unlike some readers, who long for the days.

"Go away, Ginny" said Ron.

Oh, why couldn't POA last forever!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I'm sure Ginny II punished him for that!

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

She’s urged him to not leave his washing and packing until the last minute, by which I assume he shouldn’t bring *her* the washing at the last minute.
Of course. Seeing as Ginny is groomed to be totally feminist in that regard, always complaining about doing housework, it's easy to see why Harry really needed Kreacher - otherwise they would have perished in filth as both of them are too noble to do anything about it.

Are we supposed to think badly of Fleur for talking about her upcoming wedding?
A good question. I assumed it just shows that no matter what Fleur does, Molly and Ginny will be annoyed by it. She is a French hussy, after all, who didn't content herself with - um - entertaining a British man, but BAGGED him! As if she was an honourable woman!

If she was really being a bitch she'd dress Ginny in clothes that didn't suit her.
No no no. The offense consists of implying there might be anything that did not suit Ginny. Nothing will disfigure truly beautiful people!

Harry motions for Ron and Hermione to follow him without waiting to consult his grim-faced Auror.
That one got my goat. Could he be any more like a spoilt celebrity, making peoples' lives a burden to them when they are there for him in the first place? It's not even as if he honestly didn't think he needed protection - he never said so when the Order guarded him!

And people think R/Hr is the more abusive to Hermione relationship? The girl is acting apologetic over being Prefect to Harry.
Hermione knows her place, which is above Ron's and far below Harry's. So her behaviour is totally appropriate. Harry for king!

Mrs. Weasley jogs after the train, waving to Harry. OMG Harry/Molly OTP!
LOL! Although it might be forshadowing, as we all know what Ginny will be like in 15 years' time (which makes me wonder what glamour Arthur had at school, because I somehow don't see Molly marry a nice nobody like he turned out to be).

Harry... forgets that as Dean’s friend he could in fact sit with him too.
Dean who? Is he in Harry's year?

It might as well be Cedric Diggory with that hair. Mmmm.
Nope. It looks like Bill's hair - remember, his is long, too!

Neville says the kids staring into the compartment are even staring at Luna and himself, because they are with Harry.
Allow me to add the corresponding piece for working out your upchuck reflex from the last chapter, where Ron tells Harry, he is the boss. And be sure to remember the huge difference to Voldemort and his minions. He has no friends like these!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

No no no. The offense consists of implying there might be anything that did not suit Ginny. Nothing will disfigure truly beautiful people!

It's true. Let Fleur try--Ginny will magically repel any ugliness right onto her.

LOL! Although it might be forshadowing, as we all know what Ginny will be like in 15 years' time (which makes me wonder what glamour Arthur had at school, because I somehow don't see Molly marry a nice nobody like he turned out to be).

LOL! I forgot! Honestly, I love the idea that she schemed to get Arthur (because all good girls scheme) because of his Pureblood connections. She thought surely he'd just get promoted no matter what his ability was. And he would have except he insisted on doing the Muggle thing.

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

And it’s a Cherry and Unicorn hair, Ollivander’s Eternally Virgin Special!
Mwahaha! Of course, now we know that really means he is a good gay guy, i.e. not practising his abnormity.

Romilda Vane appears.
Well, I think her real fault was not scheming to get him. Perhaps Hermione should have set up shop: "How to get the Chosen one. Proceeds forwarded to SPEW - or not, in this book."

Apparently Malfoy happily abused his power as Prefect last year.
Point is: so did Ron, but was beaten back onto the path of virtue by Hermione the Just. So - how would Malfoy have turned out if he had found a Gryffindor girl to teach him right from wrong? Why didn't he? WAS he that unworthy? Even more so than Snape? It would have done him a world of good to pine for Ginny. And maybe carry her veil at the wedding.

I’m surprised the Slytherin compartment doesn’t have a beaded curtain at the entrance. Surely the lighting is dim and pink and incense fills the air. Crabbe plays the sitar as Pansy feeds Draco grapes.
Made me think of Johnny Depp in "From Hell", lying in that opium den. Inspector Aberline would have fit so well into Slytherin dramatics.

The irritating thing about the whole Draco-Pansy-thing is that it is obviously supposed to show how condescending Draco is towards Pansy - as opposed to Harry who uses Ginny just when he's got nothing better to do and then ranges her onto the mantlepiece while doing important things, telling her just as much about his plans as Draco does here. And Ginny's insecurity towards Cho in DH is so much better than Pansy's here? (goes to find some Aspirin)

Draco proves himself the real Chosen One by honestly not seeing what’s so great about Ginny.
Flashback to Heath Ledger's line: What is it with this chick? She have beer-flavored nipples?
(10 things I hate about you).

Malfoy calls Slughorn a fat old has-been. Even though he’s never seen him.
Draco knows that someone irrelevant must be fat. There is no other way.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

So - how would Malfoy have turned out if he had found a Gryffindor girl to teach him right from wrong? Why didn't he? WAS he that unworthy? Even more so than Snape?

I think yeah, even more unworthy than Snape. Because at least Lily could feel sorry for Snape with his girl's blouses.

as opposed to Harry who uses Ginny just when he's got nothing better to do and then ranges her onto the mantlepiece while doing important things, telling her just as much about his plans as Draco does here.

Yeah, honestly, if this is supposed to be punishment for Pansy it kind of backfires. It's just not that very different from Harry/Ginny. Except that JKR hates Pansy.

What is it with this chick? She have beer-flavored nipples

LOL!

[go-back-chief.livejournal.com]

Draco knows that someone irrelevant must be fat. There is no other way.

He's obviously read these books before.

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, I am with H&R there about Malfoy. It doesn't have anything to do with Voldy being mindful of youth or whatever. The fact remains that if a villain wanted something _done_, then Draco would have been the worst possible choice, because he is conspicuous, incompetent even as a simple school nemesis, can't keep his mouth shut and should have been under very close observation due to his family connections with enemies of the state.

And Draco's Dark Mark? What idiocy is that? Not that I think that Marks are always visible - I mean, the MoM may be incompetent, but show of hands shouldn't be beyond even their terminal inability. But it isn't like Draco can be summoned out of school or anything, so it serves no purpose and could expose him during general DE summons.

Moreover, Harry's right instincts have about as much textual support as that imaginary ideal Ron. IIRC, Harry's leaps of "insight" were nearly always wrong in the previous books.

Yes, Harry's treatment of Neville and Luna is pretty despicable, but being "good" outcasts, they are pathetically grateful for meager crumbs he throws them and construct an imaginary "friendship" in their minds.

Romilda Vane... a 4(th!) year. Seems, Harry isn't nearly as cool and attractive as Neville and Luna think if a little kid is all he can manage to impress.

As opposed to Hermione, who bullies younger students in response to more important things (like if she’s worried about OWLS, she’ll take it out on them)

Or Ron, who bullies them without any pretexts, for fun and profit!

Oh, yes, those "good" Slytherins, or even just clever and neutral Slytherins actually displaying their House characteristics of ambition and cunning, that refused to materialize. I have missed and anticipated you for 7 books, dang it!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I am with H&R there about Malfoy.

Well, yes. If it comes down to being competent obviously Draco would be a stupid choice--unfortunately Voldemort doesn't tend to choose competency even within his very incompetent starting pool. One thing I actually respect in this book is that it's really all just a way of torturing Lucius. I sadly thought that part of the message was that backfiring on Voldemort, that he tried to use this kid as a pawn (because he's got PAWN written on his forehead) and then the kid surprises him by having some special knowledge he can actually make work for him. Which I thought was going to lead to something bad for Voldemort down the line. Which it totally didn't, unfortunately, but that would have been interesting.

But it isn't like Draco can be summoned out of school or anything, so it serves no purpose and could expose him during general DE summons.

Exactly, I don't get it. It seemed like the main reason for it was this poorly thought out beginning and something for people to use to support the "Tonks=Draco" theory. (She picks at a thread at her sleeve and that somehow got turned into a Dark Mark thing.)

Moreover, Harry's right instincts have about as much textual support as that imaginary ideal Ron.

Right, the only reason he even has this one is because he happens to want Draco to be a Death Eater.

Yes, Harry's treatment of Neville and Luna is pretty despicable, but being "good" outcasts, they are pathetically grateful for meager crumbs he throws them and construct an imaginary "friendship" in their minds.

::shudders thinking about those elaborate portraits of Luna's::

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

>>And Draco's Dark Mark? What idiocy is that?<<

As I point out in one of my own essays; the mark is a *summoning* device. What is the point of marking someone who doesn't know how to Apparate yet? And given that the whole mission was a set-up, and that Draco was expected to fail and be killed for it before the end of the school year, he wasn't expected to live long enough to even *get* an Apparation license.

I say he was showing Borgin a note from Tom Riddle, or something about the history of the cabinet itself (which I think was Headmaster Phineas Nigeles Black's emergency route home to London).

[(Anonymous)]

The fact remains that if a villain wanted something _done_, then Draco would have been the worst possible choice

That would be the flaw in the whole argument. When did Voldemort ever act like he wanted to get anything done?

- Dan Hemmens

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

Why do you think Mrs Weasley was so determined that the Trio not go off Horcrux hunting in DH? Because then Hermione would usurp her role as the honorary laundress entitled to scrape the crust off the Chosen One’s underwear.

Malfoy is too ‘look at me’ to be a useful Spy, not sufficiently self effacing. Snape Mark 2 he aint. He’d always want to be No. 1 and for people to acknowledge it. The scary Voldemort, who occasionaly substituted the idiot Voldemort, would know that. The whole ‘destroying Draco to punish Lucius‘ was exactly how I like my Dark Lords to behave. So Draco was destined to scrap with Harry over being the biggest, most entitled Git at Hogwarts. Sadly for him, he was evil and Harry was golden - he had no chance.

Ginny still not dead I see. Damn. Jealous smug cow. I wish Fleur had put her in a nylon peach kaftan. Or shaved her head and tattooed ‘Plot Device’ on her itching skull. When she tripped Ron, I wish she’d overbalanced and fallen fatally into the fire. The fact that I’m longing for the nightmare that is DH because Ginny hardly features, proves exactly what I think of the character. (No, I’m still not coping with my Ginny issues!)

Hermione, despite Harry’s ridiculous, and eventually fatal petulance at the end of Phoenix, is still indulging and enabling the monstrous overgrown toddler. JKR is the mother of a young teenage girl - are Hermione and (shudder)Ginny truly her idea of good role models? Too much LSD at raves when she was a teenager I think - a 15 year old might think Ginny was cool, but not a grown woman, surely?

Mr Weasley is one of the better second tier Weasleys, no matter how silly he gets. The poor git is married to Ginny ‘the original‘, with no Chosen One status to prevent him from being railroaded, dominated and hen-pecked to infinity. He almost escaped when Nagini got him - almost. No wonder he has that damn shed.

Correct me if I’m being unfair, but from here on, ‘Harry loves Ginny’ was a pile of poo, wasn’t it? Subtly done, apart from the fact that it BLOODY WASN’T.

In the first few books, Harry acted like a hero, and we understood if people mentioned his unique status. Now he acts like a dick, and he’s only a hero because we’re *told* he is. I’m not as fanatical about ‘show, don’t tell’ as some are, but I have to agree that it was pretty damn necessary in this case. That he should act the hero, not just constantly be described as one. Honestly, I still say that fighting the Basilisk was his last great heroic act.

You’re right, Neville would have been far more deferential and grateful for Harry’s attention than Ron. And Ron would have been far happier hanging out with Seamus and Dean when he wouldn’t be constantly overshadowed. He’d also have got to kill Nagini, because JKR would never have let Harry’s best friend surpass him the way Neville effortlessly did in DH. Sadly, there’d have been none of the *fascinating* angst for Harry about fancying his best friend’s sister, indeed he might never have got to spend the time with Ginny needed for him to be turned on by her startling character changes. And what would the books have been without Harry,Ginny and their natural, convincing, slow burning passion?

Marietta reappears to remind me that two years working for Amnesty International has really enhanced JKR’s understanding of how to treat ‘criminals’ fairly. She terrifyingly doesn’t seem to see anything wrong with this sub-plot either. And now she’s passing on this attitude to the next generation in their millions - hurrah!

I actually liked the idea of Slughorn. A Slytherin who wasn’t a Death Eater in training. Ambition gone wrong, but in a different way. He wouldn’t kill you, but wouldn’t risk himself to save you either. I’d have thought he was the archetypal Slytherin, rather than the violent mass murderers and their apprentices that we were used to. I hoped (in vain) that he’d be a calculating, cunning sort, but no. Anyway, Ginny spoilt it all from the start. Because Ginny is just a big feisty, spunky, fiery, sack of Spoil.

I still like Luna. I prefer quirky to self absorbed b*st*rd anyday. Sit quietly, Neville, your time will come! (Not that anyone will see it.)

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

The whole ‘destroying Draco to punish Lucius‘ was exactly how I like my Dark Lords to behave.

Yes! Dark means dark, not somewhat shadowy. Kill the kid, get back at the parents. The possibilities that were lost... *shaking head*

[sunlit-music.livejournal.com]

I wish Fleur had put her in a nylon peach kaftan.

LOL! I want to see someone write a fic about this (or draw it).

I still say that fighting the Basilisk was his last great heroic act.< /i>

I know! After Chamber of Secrets, Harry just...has stuff happen to him, while Hermione does most of the thinking and Dumbledore uses him as a pawn. What does JKR find so exciting about a hero who is so...passive? I don't mind passive characters, provided the author acknowledges that they're passive. But if they're portrayed as a hero, then I find that really annoying.

I actually liked the idea of Slughorn. A Slytherin who wasn’t a Death Eater in training.

I liked the idea of Slughorn too. I was hoping that JKR would write about a lot more Slytherins who were good or at least not bad people. What a waste.

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, I don't see how Harry "acted like a hero" in the first books. I mean sure, he arrogantly assumed that he knew best and jumped in to deal with things on his own, despite lacking any perquisites for the job; and because the author loved him, everything turned out well in the end. Nothing changed in that respect.

And even in the beginning, the bulk of victory was due to other people/beings, only of course Harry was given all the credit. I mean, in PS Harry's intervention was completely counter-productive and in the end it was DD's appearance that chased away Voldy, who may have finally remembered to use a summoning charm rather than grapple. But it was treated like some great victory.
In CoS Basilisk was mainly defeated by Fawlkes. Yes, Harry got to stick it with the sword, but the phoenix did everything else. Not to mention that if Harry was really concerned with Ginny's survival than going there with just Ron and Lockhart "at a wand point" was again really counter-productive. Not to mention that the whole idea of using Lockhart as a meat shield against a lethal basilisk was thoroughly evil. Etc.

So, no, Harry didn't really change, IMHO, and that's why the later books are so disappointing. Those early successes could be accepted as beginners luck and overblown praise and lack of criticism as some kind of encouragement and compensation for his suffering in the mundane world, but as the character grew older, the thing became ever more repellent.

[go-back-chief.livejournal.com]

*My guess is Hermione and Ron are disinterested because they firmly believe Malfoy is just a school antagonist for Harry to grow beyond. They’re just impatiently awaiting the arrival of Good Slytherin Theodore Nott.

LOLLOLOL! Canonwhores, the both of them. ;)

My irritation at Ginny is immediately wiped away as Harry smiles at her that he’ll be careful not to slip in the Phlegm that is Fleur.

That comment is so disgusting whether it's "smiled" or not. Slip in? Slip in?? Ewwww! Yeah, you'd better not try to, because she'd kick you back to little Whinging if you did.

Funny that if Molly is bored with it she's having the wedding at her house. Traditionally the bride's family would take care of the wedding, particularly if they're French snobs, no?

But that might mean our heroes having to hang out even more with those filthy furriners than they strictly have to, and we wouldn't want that now, would we? Fleur Phlegm is quite enough!

Molly would have Ginny in puffy mutton sleeves with a big bow! Salmon Pink and maroon all the way for the red-heads!

No, not Ginny. Molly picks out the worst clothes for Ron and only Ron.

Harry, stunned after being hit in the head by the heavy anvil hint that he’s after Ginny now, forgets that as Dean’s friend he could in fact sit with him too.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

But that might mean our heroes having to hang out even more with those filthy furriners than they strictly have to, and we wouldn't want that now, would we? Fleur Phlegm is quite enough!

True. I mean, their accents are always amusing but that's not worth all the negatives!

Molly picks out the worst clothes for Ron and only Ron.

That moment of "your parents wanted you to be a girl!" in DH was sooooo creepy.

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

*ETA: LOL! Remember when I thought blackmailing somebody could come back to haunt Hermione and make for an interesting story for her? What was I thinking?
*(snip)*
Otherwise I’m going to be stuck just thinking these people suck. ETA: Oh well. Looks like I'm stuck.

We're all stuck. Drat and double-drat! That feckless traitor Marietta, choosing her mother, for Pete's sake, over Mr. Golden Piss. Good thing Fight for What's Right Hermione put paid to this one. *gak* I suppose someone read "Ways Not To Write" and totally spaced the word "not."

By the way, these Jabootu (sp?) scores - what are they? Where do I get a copy of Ken's Rules?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

The Jabootu scores were on a site...here's a link to them:

http://www.jabootu.com/glossary.htm

Part 1

[elanor-x.livejournal.com]

*Honestly, you’d think if Slughorn was such a master of networking he’d think to find a more attractive name for his club. Though I guess given Wizarding humor the name is probably a plus.
But it's almost on the par with Wizarding world Super Hit Y KNOW POO. How can it not be a plus?

*ETA: What's kind of funny is that everybody is noticing Tonks' looks but it's not like any of the characters we know are particularly concerned about the woman who's kind of obviously in a depression. Maybe Molly is.
When Sirius was in deep depression during OoTF nobody cared either. Including Molly, who probably thought he was sulking. If only Sirius were pining away for a woman, then may be Mother Molly would find some compassion in her heart.

*ETA: Honestly, Neville is the perfect friend for Harry. He would have been so much happier with him than with Ron. He's constantly being the most brave and also the most humble and deferential to Harry.
No, Neville is too unpopular and bad at school (Herbology doesn't outweigh all other classes). Ron is worse than mediocre Harry, as Harry's best friend should be, but not so bad as to become the joke of the school. And not as bad as Draco's G & C.

*I admit, I love it when Harry and Malfoy connect over the only thing they can connect over, that little kids can have great big plans for revenge.
&
*ETA: Seriously, I love the way Harry's being surrounded by people to tell him how cool he is as if he totally doesn't know.
Hm. It would benifit Harry to have a friend with Draco's character (or would D smalm over the Chosen One too? *sigh*). A friend, who would really think as TR expressed in CoS: "So, you aren't special, after all". Isn't it sad I can think only about Draco & TR as examples? Possibly only CoS-TR felt like that... (another reason he had to die quick :))
And Snape! How could I forget about him? The man obsessed over Harry's parents, but at least shared the sentiment of the following song about Harry: "Hermione - That Don't Impress Me Much"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCnrl_RvN8&feature=related

*Luna jumps in to bring the attention back to herself by mentioning wrackspurts. It’s like a battle of giants with Harry and Luna in a car. Who is more self-absorbed?
I would put money on Harry, since he hasn't painted his friends' names all over the ceiling yet. Or may be it's the opposite - Luna is so self-absorbed that she happily lives in the imaginary world with her imaginary friends.

He terrorized everybody except Harry because he likes Harry, I guess.
How could you forget the heart-breaking scene when he took 20 points from Harry & his friends?! I know I was horrified!!!

I think he didn't terrorize Harry worse since our hero was constantly surrounded by his numerous friends, who would beat Malfoy up in a second. (Remember OoTF final hexing scene?) "Everybody" equals "everybody Draco wasn't afraid to bully". It's even funny that with all the talk Draco hurts Harry the most in this book, after the end of Umbridge's reign.

Re: Part 1

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Oh god, I love the "sulking" of Sirius throughout OotP. He's just being self-centered. He's got no reason to really be losing it.

It's not hard to see why people would write fanon!Draco who becomes Harry's ally and constantly challenges him and tells him he's not special. You don't have to have a bad boy fixation or be in love with Draco to want to do it.

Part 2

[elanor-x.livejournal.com]

*And no, the school would not do anything about a bad Prefect. It's all part of the school experience.
Did you know you were speaking from the mouth of JKR herself? In one of the interviews she was asked why D kept sadistic Snape as a teacher & answered that D believed children should get such education too (learning to deal with unpleasant people).

Did Harry take smart pills? He’s making connections all over the place!
No, he is just relieved to leave the Dursleys & be in his world again after the boring summer. Don't worry, this stage is usually short-lived. It's like he wondered about many things in PS, but as soon as he stepped on Hogwarts grounds, the curiosity magically disappeared.

*Which is odd because if there’s one thing Neville’s parents seem to lack it is flair.
Why? They could have it before they were tortured into insanity. Neville's father could resemble his mother.

*ETA: And Zacharias deserves it too! He's obviously just waiting to push first-years out of the way as he runs to safety in a cowardly way.
Did he do that in the final battle in DH?

*ETA: That's Harry's one act of agency, ever. Whenever a situation requires a really stupid gesture on somebody's part, Harry's just the guy to do it.
At least, be happy when JKR is consistent & doesn't turn Harry into Poirot when needed.

*ETA: It's sad that I kind of cheer for them for not getting married.
I was disappointed that Draco, one of the major characters, married somebody we've never heard of. :(

*Of course this just must mean Pansy’s badly treated or subservient. And probably she’ll be beaten and raped. It always ends in being beaten and raped. ETA: Or even worse, possibly not getting married. Cow.
I thought it was to show how they're both suitably evil. But while Draco got sort of redemption through his mother saving Harry's life, Pansy offered to hand Harry to V. Even though post-DH both aren't on a very high moral level, D is slightly (?) better and thus deserves better wife. Pansy could marry Goyle.

Unsure about Pansy, but Marietta probably was cursed in JKR's head to remain single forever. Who would want an ugly (physically, why do you ask?), scarred woman?

Re: Part 2

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I totally remember the Snape line. I definitely think it applies to Prefects.

Don't worry, this stage is usually short-lived. It's like he wondered about many things in PS, but as soon as he stepped on Hogwarts grounds, the curiosity magically disappeared.

So true! The novelty wears off and he's back to his old self.

I'm sure Marietta was single--or else she was married to somebody that showed just how terrible she was.

[anehan]

*Anyway, the Dark Mark at least makes more sense than the damn werewolf bite theory.

Before DH I had this pet theory that Voldemort commanded Fenrir to bite Draco as a punishment for failing his task, and Draco would then go to Remus for help and they'd end up having lots of hot werewolf sex. Alas, it wasn't to be.

*Are we supposed to think badly of Fleur for talking about her upcoming wedding?

I'm sure that Ginny will be a veritable Bridezilla. She seems like a person who's got to have everything perfect for her day of showing everyone that she caught the Boy-Who-Lived.

*ETA: Seriously, I love the way Harry's being surrounded by people to tell him how cool he is as if he totally doesn't know.

But he's totally down-to-earth and not a pampered prince like Draco.

*I’m surprised the Slytherin compartment doesn’t have a beaded curtain at the entrance. Surely the lighting is dim and pink and incense fills the air. Crabbe plays the sitar as Pansy feeds Draco grapes.

Ooh, please, can we have that?

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I read some of those Fenrir-bitten-Draco/Remus fantasies in fanfic form!

I'm sure that Ginny will be a veritable Bridezilla. She seems like a person who's got to have everything perfect for her day of showing everyone that she caught the Boy-Who-Lived.

All the while making it clear she didn't care about this stuff at all. It's like the beauty thing--of course she's beautiful, but she doesn't use cosmetics or anything. Her wedding would be similar--everything would have to go easily for Harry, so Ginny wouldn't be the kind of girl to bother him with talk of flowers and napkin folding. Those are girlie things. Like crying when your brother dies.

[(Anonymous)]

*Harry runs into Ginny in the hall and she’s her usual charming self, reminding him that as an honorary member of the I HATE FLEUR Club he’s got to call her Phlegm and say she smells like poo.

Ginny II seems like a quite convincing portrait of a girl bully who's a little bit spoiled, extremely insecure and just plain messed up. With another author she might even have ended up tolerable. When your average YA novel features some hostile, immature kid with a chip on their shoulder the size of an aircraft carrier, it's usually satisfying when they're forced to deal with their issues. That is, as opposed to being presented as the ideal to which we should all aspire.

*ETA: What's kind of funny is that everybody is noticing Tonks' looks but it's not like any of the characters we know are particularly concerned about the woman who's kind of obviously in a depression.

Waiting for her to snap out of it, no doubt. Insofar as depression is recognized at all in wizardland, it's as a sign of poor character.

*ETA: It's sad that I kind of cheer for them for not getting married. Even though I realize that the fact that Draco marries someone else probably just means he and Pansy are too evil for the Tru Love of High School Sweetheartness.

Reading the epilogue I was glad Draco didn't marry Pansy. At least those two had lives, unlike the Pottereasleys who'd been trapped in that stagnant circle jerk atmosphere since 1997. But then JKR informed us that Pansy's too horrible even for Draco, which is just so weird. I mean, for seven books Pansy was basically wallpaper. Mildly spiteful, vaguely unattractive wallpaper, but. If JKR hates her that much it seems like she'd take a moment in canon to tell us why Pansy's more hate-worthy than Draco. One brief mention of her getting detention for brewing an abortifacient from the brains of Muggleborn babies, whatever.

-L

[kaskait.livejournal.com]

But then JKR informed us that Pansy's too horrible even for Draco, which is just so weird.

Like all of the characters that Rowling feels most annoyed toward, Pansy is just a cover for a real person. There could be no other reason for an author to get knotted up over a minor, 2nd banana, walk-on walk-off character.

Theodore Nott

[cressida0201.livejournal.com]

They’re just impatiently awaiting the arrival of Good Slytherin Theodore Nott.

Can someone please explain to me what the whole HUGE deal with Theodore Nott is? I wasn't really in the HP fandom at all between the period just before GoF (when the board where I'd been discussing it went down) to the time just after HBP (when my dissatisfaction with the book drove me to look for commentary to help me sort out just why I felt that way. I was quite mystified to come across all these elaborate theories about how a character that I didn't even remember being in the books was going to save the honor of Slytherin house, provide the key to defeating Voldemort, and solve Harry's ring around the collar problem at the same time. Clearly, there's some history here that I'm not privy to, so...help?

Re: Theodore Nott

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Iirc, the only time Theo appears in the books is that Hermione identifies him as the unknown boy talking to Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy about the Quibbler interview. (Presumably he's also the "weedy" Slytherin boy in the CoMC class who can see Thestrals.) His father is taken at the MoM. Then in HBP he's again mentioned as having a DE father and Draco talks to him in Potions.

But on JKR's website she posted about a scene she'd tried to put in CoS and one other book--maybe GoF? Anyway, it was a scene at Malfoy Manor where Nott's father came to see Lucius and the two boys went into the garden to talk. I believe she said she liked the scene because it showed how different Draco's upbringing was from Harry's, and also the two boys discussed the DE version of Voldemort's defeat by Harry so readers could hear that. She included a little of Theo's bio (since she has bios for all of Harry's class): his dad was old, his mother died, I think (that's why he could see Thestrals?). Maybe he was raised by his father and grandmother? Something like that.

Anyway, it seemed to be that web tidbit that started the focus on Theo. After OotP many assumed Draco would be an outcast the following year because his father was outed as a DE, and they'd no longer be under Draco's thumb because Lucius was in jail, so Theo would lead them to join Harry. Oh yes, in the web thing she mentioned that Theo was a loner who didn't feel the need to join gangs, including Draco's. So that was assumed to make him an independent spirit who would join Harry's gang.

I did not see any of this and didn't like the idea of creating some random Slytherin to show up and love Harry (Slughorn basically did the job) so I never got the Nott-focus. To me it seemed like he was just another DE kid who was friends with Draco but not such good friends they were considered a gang.