- I would have forgiven Hagrid everything if he had been violently shredded during the final battle by furious giant spiders roaring about how he'd desecrated their father's body. Sigh.
- I wasn't too cross about Harry's use of the Prince's text book. Whenever Harry tortures someone to make his feelings known (when Draco was forced to crucio someone), or shoots off at the mouth leading to one of his best friends being tortured, JKR always says that she's trying to show that he's not perfect. Actually, these incidents show that he's an intolerable, nasty, unthinking character. Certainly not fit to lead. Taking advantage of an annotated textbook that lands in his lap, like several pupils would do, shows he isn't perfect. I worry that she didn't see the difference between the dishonesty of this situation and outright cruelty, selfishness and megalomania.
- I'm fine with the bell. Until I was 12, I went to a school where all the lessons/luchtimes/playtimes (the youngest girls were five) were punctuated by the ringing of a large hand bell! Apparently this had been happening since the school was established over a century previously - none of this modern electrical bell rubbish. The Head Girl/Prefects took turns to be responsible for it. With a bit of magical amplification it'd be *perfect* for a school like Hogwarts - Filch could ring it, as our teachers did when the senior class were too bogged down by exams etc. Perfect! That said, I bet JKR is thinking of an electrical bell in her usual inconsistent way.
- Slughorn was such a great chance to show a different type of Slytherin. Sly and cunning perhaps, but not evil. Chance not taken.
- I had no real problems with Harry getting Slughorn drunk. Legal, no permanent ill-effects and requiring no magical ability (luckily for Harry). If it was a trembling 16 year old virgin who got drunk for the first time and ended up in bed with Flitwick; that'd be bad. Slughorn in this case I can live with. The only problem I had with it was that Harry needed Felix Felicitas to work it out, as opposed to common sense. As you point out, he could then have saved it for another occasion. Talking of which:-
- Did JKR cover her tracks in Book 6 as to why the Trio didn't use FF in Book 7? Some might roll their eyes when every time-turner in creation gets smashed during the Battle at the Ministry, but at least she thought of the problem and dealt with it. Does it take 6 months to brew? Does it need Foaming Unicorn Hoof or some other incredibly rare ingredient? Why didn't Harry ask Dumbles to get Snape to start preparing some the moment he learnt it existed? Or to be realistic, why didn't Hermione drop her long sulk over the HBP and nudge him to ask Dumbles? In fact, why did Dumbles need Idiot Boy to suggest it? Why didn't he have some prepared for Harry (and the whole Order) from the moment Voldemort returned? And thinking about it, why didn't Voldiemist ask Quirrel to prepare some, and then aquire the Philosopher's Stone in comfort? Why didn't James and Lily take some when found out they were targeted? Why doesn't every capable, or rich Wizard carry a small flask around at all times? Is it only possible to take it once a year or something, due to it's toxic effect on the nervous system? Or does two doses within 24 months lead to the effects being reversed and an attack of severe bad luck? Or death? Though I liked the way it made it feasible that the five children escaped unhurt after the battle, I really don't think FF was worth the unanswered questions. So unlike JKR....
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-12-27 10:41 pm (UTC)- I wasn't too cross about Harry's use of the Prince's text book. Whenever Harry tortures someone to make his feelings known (when Draco was forced to crucio someone), or shoots off at the mouth leading to one of his best friends being tortured, JKR always says that she's trying to show that he's not perfect. Actually, these incidents show that he's an intolerable, nasty, unthinking character. Certainly not fit to lead. Taking advantage of an annotated textbook that lands in his lap, like several pupils would do, shows he isn't perfect. I worry that she didn't see the difference between the dishonesty of this situation and outright cruelty, selfishness and megalomania.
- I'm fine with the bell. Until I was 12, I went to a school where all the lessons/luchtimes/playtimes (the youngest girls were five) were punctuated by the ringing of a large hand bell! Apparently this had been happening since the school was established over a century previously - none of this modern electrical bell rubbish. The Head Girl/Prefects took turns to be responsible for it. With a bit of magical amplification it'd be *perfect* for a school like Hogwarts - Filch could ring it, as our teachers did when the senior class were too bogged down by exams etc. Perfect! That said, I bet JKR is thinking of an electrical bell in her usual inconsistent way.
- Slughorn was such a great chance to show a different type of Slytherin. Sly and cunning perhaps, but not evil. Chance not taken.
- I had no real problems with Harry getting Slughorn drunk. Legal, no permanent ill-effects and requiring no magical ability (luckily for Harry). If it was a trembling 16 year old virgin who got drunk for the first time and ended up in bed with Flitwick; that'd be bad. Slughorn in this case I can live with. The only problem I had with it was that Harry needed Felix Felicitas to work it out, as opposed to common sense. As you point out, he could then have saved it for another occasion. Talking of which:-
- Did JKR cover her tracks in Book 6 as to why the Trio didn't use FF in Book 7? Some might roll their eyes when every time-turner in creation gets smashed during the Battle at the Ministry, but at least she thought of the problem and dealt with it. Does it take 6 months to brew? Does it need Foaming Unicorn Hoof or some other incredibly rare ingredient? Why didn't Harry ask Dumbles to get Snape to start preparing some the moment he learnt it existed? Or to be realistic, why didn't Hermione drop her long sulk over the HBP and nudge him to ask Dumbles? In fact, why did Dumbles need Idiot Boy to suggest it? Why didn't he have some prepared for Harry (and the whole Order) from the moment Voldemort returned? And thinking about it, why didn't Voldiemist ask Quirrel to prepare some, and then aquire the Philosopher's Stone in comfort? Why didn't James and Lily take some when found out they were targeted? Why doesn't every capable, or rich Wizard carry a small flask around at all times? Is it only possible to take it once a year or something, due to it's toxic effect on the nervous system? Or does two doses within 24 months lead to the effects being reversed and an attack of severe bad luck? Or death? Though I liked the way it made it feasible that the five children escaped unhurt after the battle, I really don't think FF was worth the unanswered questions. So unlike JKR....