Deathly Hallows Chapter 23

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Malfoy Manor

As this chapter opens, the Trio are surrounded by Snatchers. Rather, they are inside their darkened tent, while the Snatchers are outside, pointing their wands at them.

Now, as I see it, the Trio have three options. They can give themselves up and try to bluff their way out of it. They can fight back. Or they can run away.

Hermione makes an executive decision and decides to go for option #1, hexing Harry with a spell that makes his head swell up so that he becomes unrecognizable. My guess is that it’s the spell that James used back in the day on Bertram Aubrey. Which is probably why Snape gave that detention to Harry and never to Hermione. For Harry, it was all about humiliation and payback. For Hermione, it would simply be a way for her increase her arsenal of spells.

Anyway, Hermione effectively takes out their best fighter rather than grab and run, which has been their strategy in the past. Since Harry is nearly blind and in considerable pain, we can forgive him for not being able to fight his way out of the situation.

There’s not much excuse for the other two.

As he’s dragged out of the tent, Harry hears Ron demanding that the Snatchers let go of Hermione and “the unmistakable sound of knuckles hitting flesh.” Hmm. Is that sound unmistakable? I’d rather not test that out, so I’ll take JKR’s word for it.

Then Harry hears a horribly familiar rasping voice. This is Fenrir Greyback and he’s cooing over how delicious Hermione’s skin looks. And what a treat it would be to… bite her. Or rape her. Depending on how graphic you want to be.

Okay, not that it isn’t fun to threaten Hermione with rape and lycanthropy, but it bugs me a little that Fenrir is so focused on the woman when it was established in HBP that what Fenrir really likes is kids. Hermione isn’t a kid. She’s the oldest of the Trio and the most mature in every way.

Logically, Fenrir ought to be drooling over Harry. Especially since, at the moment, Harry has the largest head relative to his body—as very young children do.

I’m sure this is because audiences are more comfortable in general with putting the girl in jeopardy. Ninety-nine point nine-nine percent of all stories will choose to go that route. But, is it asking too much to ask for a little consistency from the biggest pervert in the series?

While the Snatchers search the tent, Harry and Ron are thrown facedown on the ground. They aren’t being restrained in anyway, but they don’t have their wands, which accounts for their not fighting or struggling, I guess. Hermione isn’t thrown to the ground, so I’ll assume she’s just standing there looking terrified.

When Harry is asked for his name, he comes up with Dudley, Vernon Dudley. Aww. That’s sweet. The first people he thinks of are his cousin and his uncle.

Ron goes with Stan Shunpike again. However, these Snatchers know Stan Shunpike personally. “’E’s put a bit of work our way.”

Oh… how these words are parsed in the HP newsgroups! Does this mean that Stan really is a Death Eater? Let’s see. He was broken out of prison by Death Eaters. He was chasing Harry Potter on his broom, along with a couple dozen Death Eaters. And now we find out he’s “put a bit of work” in the way of Snatchers.

But he couldn’t be one! After all, Harry wanted him released!

Okay, seriously, I’m going to give JKR a gold star for never resolving this issue. It would have been a lot easier to make Stan an innocent victim. This way, we’ll never know if Stan was a Death Eater to begin with (and Harry and Dumbledore were plain idiots), or if his experiences with the Ministry pushed him into Death Eating, or if he’s just getting by any way that he can. Well done!

Getting back to Ron, his next claim is that he’s “Bardy” Weasley, which is a bit more believable, but not very smart, since that makes him part of the notorious blood traitor Weasley family.

Hermione claims to be Penelope Clearwater (Percy’s old girlfriend), and to be a half-blood, although Penelope was established as Muggleborn back in CoS.

Since the Trio seem young enough to still be in Hogwarts, the Snatchers are excited. Truancy has apparently become a big deal in the wizarding world. (Incidentally, having Fenrir Greyback as a truant officer is a stroke of genius. If I were a kid, I wouldn’t leave school for anything!)

The Snatchers are even more excited because one of the Trio said the name Voldemort, which means that they might be Order of the Phoenix members.

So, the Trio are bound back-to-back with two other captives (Dean Thomas and Griphook). They are all sitting on the ground and would probably look a lot like a starfish or a rat king if viewed from above.

Scabior, checking some list of names, tells Fenrir that Vernon Dudley is not listed. It’s apparently a list of “wanted” people (shouldn’t Penelope Clearwater be on it?) Instead of assuming that, since Vernon Dudley is not listed, Harry is innocent, Fenrir asks him what Hogwarts House he was in.

I guess which House you are in determines all sorts of things, including whether or not you go to jail. Scumblecrumb students are automatically sent to Azkaban as soon as they (inevitably) fail their O.W.L.s.

Harry claims to be in Slytherin, and, when pressed for its location, gives such details as “It’s full of skulls and stuff and it’s under the lake, so the light’s all green.” Which sounds to me like exactly what someone would say if they weren’t really in Slytherin, but happened to get into the common room one night by impersonating another student.

The Snatchers are impressed enough by this knowledge that they almost decide to take Harry to the Ministry, since Harry is claiming that his father works there.

But before they do that, one of the Snatchers discovers the Sword of Gryffindor and a copy of the Daily Prophet with a picture of Hermione. Since Fenrir can read, he realizes that Hermione is known to be traveling with the famous Harry Potter and that it’s possible that the kid with the swollen head might actually be the most wanted wizard in Britain.

Swollen head. I’ll bet if Snape could see Harry now, he’d laugh his own head off.

Adding to Harry’s troubles, his scar is hurting and he’s drifting in and out of a Voldie-vision: Voldemort flying towards a dark fortress. This is to ramp up the suspense in a situation where you wouldn’t think you’d need more suspense. I mean, they are tied-up and wandless and there’s a werewolf slavering over Hermione and threatening every thirty seconds to rape, er, bite her. We don’t really need the sophisticated storytelling tricks.

Anyway, the Snatchers discuss their options and decide to go to Malfoy Manor rather than the Ministry. Which shows you how irrelevant the Ministry is.

And rather than to summon Voldemort directly, which Harry deduces must be because Fenrir Greyback is only allowed to wear Death Eater robes, but not to wear the Dark Mark. I’m not sure why this is important for us to know. I really don’t care whether Fenrir is a Death Eater or a Death Eater once removed.

So, the Snatches Disapparate the prisoners to Malfoy Manor, which establishes two interesting points. One: You don’t need a wand to side-along Apparate, since none of the prisoners have wands on them. Two: That whole turning, twisting thing doesn’t apply to side-along Apparition, since all the prisoners are still tied up in the starfish formation and couldn’t possibly pirouette.

I can’t wait to see how that happens in the movie. My sneaking suspicion is, though, that the filmmakers will either come up with something that makes more sense visually (like not tying them into a rat king in the first place), or simply use a cut-to to avoid the whole issue.

As they land, Harry feels a bit of relief because they aren’t at a big black fortress, and he knows that Voldemort is. So, they have a few minutes before he arrives.

The Snatchers don’t get to pass through the Malfoy gate, which transforms into a face and asks them to state their purpose. When they do go through the gates, Harry sees an albino peacock. Shout out to Chapter One!

It’s all very awkward, as Harry is still tied to the others and they have to move like a big starfish up the stairs. While this is effective prisoner management, in that all the prisoners are too busy just trying not to fall over each other to plan an escape, it’s incredibly awkward and must take forever.

Which gives Harry plenty of time to watch Voldemort interrogate the elderly Grindelwald, who is jailed in the highest tower of the black fortress. Grindelwald smiles toothlessly at Voldemort and says he was sure that Voldemort would come looking for the wand someday. (Did Dumbledore also think that Voldemort would seek the wand? Of course he did. Snape murderer!)

The Snatchers are met by Narcissa at the door and, when they tell her that they think they have Harry Potter, she orders them to bring him into the house. Draco is home for the Easter holiday (see? Late March or early April. Three months of obsessing) and can identify Harry for certain.

The prisoners are pushed and kicked up the stairs to the manor and into an ornate room, where Draco and Lucius are sitting.

Lucius gets very excited, since handing over Harry Potter to Voldemort could bring him back into favor. Draco, on the other hand, refuses to say either way. When Harry sees Draco’s face, it shows reluctance, even fear.

Wow. Okay, intellectually I do understand that Draco doesn’t have much choice about any of this. Even if he says that’s its not Harry under all that botoxed flesh, the Snatchers aren’t going to let the kids go. But this non-denial denial is sooooo stretched out. Why does Draco have to keep waffling like this? He does it twice. If he did it three times, I might have thought it was an allusion to St. Peter—although completely twisted around.

Anyway, Draco denies knowing Harry twice, then very reluctantly agrees that the girl might be Hermione Granger and the ginger-haired boy might be Ron Weasley. Before we can get to the exciting moment when Draco decides that Griphook might possibly be a goblin, the door opens and Bellatrix comes in to spread a little crazy around the room.

Bellatrix screams like that annoying judge on So You Think You Can Dance when she’s told that they have Potter and tries to summon Voldemort. Naturally, Lucius stops her, so that he can do it. This starts a three-way argument between Bellatrix, Lucius, and Greyback over who actually deserves credit for the find.

The argument stops when Bellatrix sees the Sword of Gryffindor. She panics, because she thinks this means that the Trio have stolen it from her vault. (In case you forgot, a copy of the sword was placed in her vault, and the real one was placed into the frozen pond.)

It’s a small point, but I’m wondering how Bellatrix recognizes the sword. There is no place in the books where she might see it. Did someone in her generation pull it out of the hat while she was at school? Or is it so famous that everyone knows it by its description?

Funny how the artifacts reflect their Houses. The Hufflepuff Cup was faithfully kept by its family for hundreds of years. The Ravenclaw Tiara was hidden in some obscure place, while the Slytherin Locket got sold in a dark alley. But the Gryffindor Sword decides it’s going to hang out in the Headmaster’s office and show up whenever there’s some heroic action it can get credit for. Show off.

So, Bellatrix sees the Sword, goes even more nuts than usual and ends up stunning all the Snatchers except Greyback, who gets petrified in a kneeling crucifix position. Draco gets the fun job of dragging all the bodies out of the room. If he doesn’t have the guts to kill them, Bellatrix promises to do it herself.

Here we see that, given the slightest opportunity, the Death Eaters will fall all themselves for the chance to screw up and kill each other. Any half-way decent Resistance movement would have taken advantage of that. Polyjuice yourself 50 Harries, have them show up in different parts of the country at the same time, and the Death Eaters would be paralyzed for weeks in 50 different Mexican stand-offs.

Which reminds me: I know the Trio are teenagers and therefore deficient in the troubleshooting skills, but was there any good reason for not transfiguring themselves to look different all the time? If they had done that and called themselves Herman, Hannah, and Reginald, the Snatchers probably would have just let them go.

Nevermind. They are where they are. Bellatrix orders Greyback to take the boys (including Dean and Griphook) down to the super-secret Malfoy cellar, while she keeps Hermione up in the drawing room for torturing purposes. Her reasoning is that Hermione is a Mudblood and therefore least deserving of basic rights. The real reason, though, is that it gives Ron motive for shouting and struggling and desperation, as Greyback taunts him with the idea that he’ll get his bites in when Bellatrix is done with Hermione.

So, Ron and Harry are pushed into the cellar… and I just realized something. I’ve been assuming all this time that this cellar is the secret room we heard about in The Chamber of Secrets. And, all this time, I’ve been thinking, wow, that’s a pretty lame secret room. But maybe it isn’t. JKR doesn’t specifically say that it is. Sometimes a cellar is just a cellar.

If it were the secret room beneath the Malfoy’s dining room, then it really is dumb. After all, they can hear everything being said in the room above, and the people up there can hear everything down below. So, either they must have kept Ollivander gagged (or asleep) during HBP, or the Ministry was really lax about searching for him. Heh. Well, I guess we know the answer to that one.

As the cellar door slams, Hermione starts screaming and Ron begins panicking. I’m going to hell for this one…. But I really wish we were still up in the drawing room, because the screams just aren’t doing it for me in terms of emotional involvement. It’s not like I want Hermione tortured, but I don’t feel that badly about it, either. My main feeling at this point (which I’m probably picking up from Harry) is irritation at Ron for freaking out, because it’s just making the situation worse.

Thankfully, Luna turns up to do the practical things and start getting the boys untied. She manages to get Ron’s attention long enough to find out about the Deluminator which she, like everyone else in these books, seems to know about already. Maybe it wasn’t such a special object after all, maybe Dumbledore just had the patent and they were mass-produced for Zonko’s. (The Deluminator! Annoy your roommates by turning out the lights while they are studying!)

This is why we can’t lose Luna to that one crazy detail of the stalker paintings. She comes in breathing common sense just when we’re about to give up on Harry and Ron as completely useless and she turns everything around. As she frees them, Ron begins running around like a headless chicken, Dean stands still and shivers, Griphook sinks to the floor, and Harry turns into the sensible one, rubbing the numbness out of his wrists.

Then Harry loses it by deciding his hopes for escape lie in his neckpouch. He dumps everything out and tries waving the two halves of his broken wand around. That accomplishes nothing, but by sheer luck, he sees one blue eye staring at him through the mirror shard and yells at it for help.

Upstairs, Hermione is maintaining that they don’t have the real sword, but just a copy. At this point, Bellatrix decides to ask the goblin for confirmation—since a goblin would be able to spot a fake. You know, Bellatrix could have just started with the goblin in the first place, but that would have been sensible and much less violent, so it wouldn’t have been in character I suppose. As it is, it gives Harry the opportunity to beg Griphook to lie about the sword.

Draco comes down to fetch Griphook, telling the prisoners (who are presumably still tied up?) in a “shaking” voice to stand back and not try anything. So, still a coward. On the other hand, he could hear Ron running around and banging on the walls, so maybe he’s not so much a coward as prudent. He doesn’t look surprised when he comes in and finds them all untied, anyway. I’ll bet he did drop that nail for Luna to pick up.

After Draco leaves, Dobby arrives with a loud CRACK noise. Harry tells Dobby to Apparate Dean, Luna, and Mr. Olllivander to Shell Cottage. Both Luna and Dean protest, saying they want to help, but Harry is adamant and they leave.

Why does Harry insist that Luna and Dean leave? Ollivander is in bad shape, so yes, he ought to go. Dean seems weak, but he wants to stay and he could probably still fight now that he isn’t tied up. Luna is young, strong, and sensible. What is Harry thinking? Why reduce their odds from four-against-five to two-against-five? In what universe does that kind of math make sense? Oh, wait. Maths. Not JKR’s strong suit.

Oh, and by the way, that two is now one and a half, because Harry is struck senseless with another Voldemort vision, as Grindelwald taunts Voldemort about the wand.

Although none of the Death Eaters noticed the CRACK of Dobby arriving, Lucius notices the CRACK when he leaves with Dean and Luna and sends Wormtail down to investigate. As he enters, Ron and Harry jump him. Ron grabs his wand arm and Harry clamps his hand over Wormtail’s mouth.

And, I have to say, that for once, the heroes are actually working well together. It’s a desperate situation, but Ron isn’t messing it up by doing anything tremendously stupid, and Harry isn’t being too much of an asshole, and Hermione is only being clever enough instead far too much as usual. Thank you, Malfoys, for finally forcing the Trio to get their act together.

At this moment comes one of the greatest anti-climaxes in the entire series. Ever since Prisoner of Azkaban, we’ve been waiting to find out how Wormtail’s “life-debt” to Harry played out. We were told, baldly told that when a wizard saves the life of another wizard then it creates a mysterious bond between them. That was a promise that, at a vital moment, Peter was going to end up helping Harry out—maybe like Gollum finishing Frodo’s task.

But the way it plays out, Peter’s big moment is a momentary hesitation in strangling Harry—just the briefest possible, most fleeting instant of regret. And only because Voldemort gave him a magical hand that can read minds and decide to kill someone for an instant of traitorous thought, Peter is disposed of in a horrible fashion.

Knowing Wormtail, I find it hard to believe that he never had a traitorous thought prior to this moment. After all, Wormtail naturally sought the most powerful bullies on the block. Did he never once, after the graveyard, consider going to Dumbledore for protection? Dumbledore did whup Voldemort’s butt in the Ministry, after all. You’d think that would give him a few seconds’ pause.

Or, Crack Theory #278, maybe the Life Debt paid out when Wormtail used Harry’s blood to reconstitute Voldemort. Sure, it brought the Dark Lord back, but it also ended up extending Harry’s protection. So, this moment isn’t the actual pay off.

Yeah, I don’t think so. What I think is that JKR really, really doesn’t want to allow her bad boys to do any more could than they are forced to do. I suppose that’s part of the message that everyone, regardless of their virtues or vices, except for a certain sociopath, is worthy of life. It would dilute that message if more than one of them actually chose to do good things. Ergo, they don’t do more than the bare minimum, because having them turn around and do something good would be a big old cliché and she’s not going to do that.

Only the good guys get to have big old cliché dramatic moments.

As Peter dies, Hermione screams again, and Ron and Harry rush (very quietly) up the stairs and creep down the passage toward the drawing room to find Bellatrix questioning Griphook about the sword. When he confirms that it’s a fake, she slashes him by across the face.

I know she’s insane, but was that called for? By the way, why is Bellatrix forever panting? Is she just so turned on by torture, or is she asthmatic? Perhaps her life might have been different if she had only had access to an inhaler when she was young….

Bellatrix decides it’s safe to summon Voldemort and touches her Dark Mark. In Voldie-vision, Harry sees that Grindelwald is still taunting Voldemort and feels Voldemort’s fury at being summoned. Look, Voldemort, if you don’t want to be summoned, then tell your followers not to do that. Just have them restrain Potter until you get back. It’s not rocket science.

Otherwise, don’t automatically assume that they are summoning you on false pretences. This is the first time they’ve called you in three months. Just chill out.

Back at Malfoy Manor, Ron hears Bellatrix giving Greyback permission to, er, bite Hermione and rushes in like the big sweet dumb hero he is. He does disarm Bellatrix, and Harry catches the wand as he runs in after Ron. Then, Harry stuns Lucius (who has no wand), and ducks behind a sofa to avoid the spells cast by Narcissa, Draco, and Greyback.

You know, I’ll bet Dean and Luna would have come in handy at this point, if only to provide a couple more targets. And Luna would have come up with some very imaginative weapon, I’m sure of it.

Bellatrix then demands that Harry and Ron drop their wands before she stabs Hermione with her silver knife. Harry and Ron comply. I think that if they could cast silent spells, they could have taken Bellatrix out before she could react. Too bad they never learned that—or rather, never practiced it.

Draco picks up their discarded wands and Bellatrix starts to arrange their imminent deaths when a creaking sound comes from above and the crystal chandalier suddenly falls from the ceiling. Bellatrix narrowly escapes being hit. Hermione and Griphook do not, and Draco is hit in the face by the shards of shattered crystal.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Harry pulls the three wands (Bellatrix’s, Wormtail’s, and Draco’s) out of Draco’s hand, and stuns Greyback.

Dobby appears to tell his former Mistress that she must not hurt Harry Potter. He disarms Narcisssa, causing Bellatrix to shriek, I mean bawl. I’ll bet JKR had to hit the Thesaurus for that one.

Harry throws a wand to Ron. Then he grabs the goblin and Dobby and Disapparates to Shell Cottage. Apparently, it’s possible to Apparate to a place even if you have never been there, seen it, or have any idea where it is.

In the split second of Apparition, Harry feels Dobby’s hand twitching in his. When they land, he turns to Dobby and sees that Dobby has been hit by the silver knife that Bellatrix threw at him as they Disapparated.

With the last words of “Harry… Potter…,” Dobby’s bulging tennis-ball eyes become “nothing more than great glassy orbs, sprinkled with light from the stars they could not see.”

I know that many people were very moved by this death scene. I wasn’t. I think it was partially because of all the chaos of the action scenes preceding it, which were terribly confusing and a bit overwhelming. And it’s partially because of all the starlight bouncing off Dobby’s great glass orbs. It makes them sound like Christmas ornaments or something, and the image evokes more of an “ew” reaction than anything else.

Anyway, I’m not going to sneer at anyone who was moved by Dobby’s death. But I’m not one of them.

Fan Service:
Hey? Remember that secret room underneath the Malfoy’s Dining Room? Here it is in all its glory!
Dobby returns once again to die the most significant death in all of children’s literature. Take that, Old Yeller!

Fan Slappage:
Malfoy’s super secret hiding room? Kinda lame.
Life debt? What life debt? Dumbledore was just talking out of his ass about that.

DVD Extras:
INT: DAY—HOGWARTS GREENHOUSE #2

GINNY WEASLEY and NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM are in conference, as Neville digs out weeds from the planters with a spade.

GINNY
It’s too hard to smuggle things in by owl any more. But Fred and George said they’d bring me some supplies when I go home this weekend. We can stash them—

She breaks off abruptly as the door opens and Draco Malfoy, looking completely out of his element, walks in. He’s carrying a book bag. He looks as surprised to see them as they are to see him.

For a moment, the three students simply stare at each other. Then, Ginny, with a hostile glare, brushes past Draco and out the door.

Draco turns to watch her leave, then turns back—right into Neville’s fist.

DRACO
Ow! What the hell!

He drops to the ground, clutching both hands to his nose. Neville stands over him, the spade in one hand.

NEVILLE
What did you get for turning Luna Lovegood in to the Ministry, Malfoy? Or did you do it for free?

DRACO
What are you talking about? I didn’t turn her in.

NEVILLE
The whole school saw it.

DRACO
Are you insane? The Ministry sent my Dad to Azkaban. Do you know what he was like when he got back? He can’t eat. He can’t sleep. When the windows rattle, his eyes go dead. Why in the name of Merlin would I ever help the Ministry with anything?

NEVILLE
We saw you.

DRACO
(giving up)
Think what you like. Gryffindor.

Neville tightens his grip on the spade.

NEVILLE
You should know better than to come here by yourself. This is my territory.

DRACO
You don’t own the greenhouses. Sprout said I could have a couple gurdy roots.

NEVILLE
She what? You what?

DRACO
She said I could have some gurdy roots. She didn’t tell me I’d be assaulted along the way.

Neville steps back and sits down heavily on a bench. He stares at Draco for a moment, several disconnected thoughts suddenly clicking into place in his head.

Then he stands up and holds out his hand to Draco.

After a moment, Draco takes it. Neville pulls him back up to his feet.

NEVILLE
Come on. I’ll show you where they are.

FADE OUT

Comments

[eri1980b.livejournal.com]

"When Harry is asked for his name, he comes up with Dudley, Vernon Dudley." - this makes little sense to me. He hates these people with all his usual gusto whenever they are present (for 2 months of the year) and forgets about them otherwise. If Harry had said Neville's name or another Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw student I may have said fair enough. Oh yes, silly me, Harry only really socialises with Gryffindors...

On the Stan Shunpike issue, I so want him to be a DE, just to prove to Harry and Dumbledore that they are poor judges of character. I think he is anyway, after all his career prospects pre-war were a bit crappy to say the least, and he did seem interested in the goings-on of that wanted criminal Sirius Black. Hmmm.

"It’s a small point, but I’m wondering how Bellatrix recognizes the sword" - a)I'm guessing the copy to be a very good one, so only the gomblins that made the thing can tell and b) in order to have the thing put in her vault in the first place she may have been requested to be present. Or she insisted on being there anyway.

"Funny how the artifacts reflect their Houses. The Hufflepuff Cup was faithfully kept by its family for hundreds of years. The Ravenclaw Tiara was hidden in some obscure place, while the Slytherin Locket got sold in a dark alley. But the Gryffindor Sword decides it’s going to hang out in the Headmaster’s office and show up whenever there’s some heroic action it can get credit for. Show off." - Good catch! Its subtle stuff like this which makes me think that maybe JKR was more clever than we give her credit, and maybe she was subverting the genre after all. We will never know...

I am totally on board with you re the Hermione torture. I just wanted Ron to shut up, him shouting benefitted no-one at this point. Also, surely you would want to torture Harry first (yes, I know, we all wouldn't mind a go at that) what with him being the most significant of the trio. hermione's mudblood status should, if you look at this logically (ha) reduce her worth to literally nothing, thus invalidating her worth entirely when it comes to information. To rationalise it, I just assume that Bella wants to have her fun. If Lucius were in charge, I am sure things would be different.

I have no words as yet on the end of Peter Pettigrew. It was just too disappointing for actual words. And Dobby? Pure good riddance from me! Nobody likes a sycophant.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I was kind of hoping to have the Stan Shunpike issue resolved--mainly because it seemed so stupid to assume he was innocent. I'd have been right with him if he'd insisted on Stan getting due process. But he seemed to think it was enough that Arthur Weasley said that Dumbledore said he ought to be let go. Like Dumbledore is the big authority on people's hearts. Didn't he let Sirius Black rot in prison for 12 years without even going to visit him?

I'm wondering now if Dumbledore didn't use Stan in order to create a rift between himself and a Minster of Magic who was both popular and disinclined to let Dumbledore call the shots. It gave Harry a reason to reject Scrimgeour without Dumbledore needing to say so explicitly.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the migraine. It was pretty hard to recap, because so much is happening.

(1) Hermione rape threat (really Jo, did you have to go there?)

It occurred to me that this might just be poetic justice. After all, it was Hermione who set Umbridge up to be raped by the bestial centaurs. Now Hermione is being threatened with symbolic rape by the savage Greyback.

Of course this is all unintended. I can't imagine that JKR thought that we'd go there.

(2) The Head Swelling spell (was there nothing more clever nor symbolic to use instead?)

I think I'm going to start calling it the "Botox Hex."

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps Tim Spall can jazz up the moment on film"

Unfortunately in that particular scene he just sorta gets hit with a spell and faints. I don't know if this means he's dead, or if he's going to come back later to die more dramatically.

[t0ra-chan.livejournal.com]

Getting back to Ron, his next claim is that he’s “Bardy” Weasley, which is a bit more believable, but not very smart, since that makes him part of the notorious blood traitor Weasley family.

Well, considering that absolutely nothing is done against the Weasleys until later on and even then not much, he's still on the save side with this. Besides, he's apparently unmistakably a Weasley (if we go by Draco's comment in PS), so any other name might not have worked anyway.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Harry pulls the three wands (Bellatrix’s, Wormtail’s, and Draco’s) out of Draco’s hand, and stuns Greyback.

Just thinking about how this insignificant event basically is the most important thing Harry does to defeat Voldemort still makes my blood boil with rage. Anybody could have defeated Voldemort if they had been in Harry's place at this moment. What's the point of having a hero if he's so completely unimportant that he could be easily substituted?

Harry throws a wand to Ron. Then he grabs the goblin and Dobby and Disapparates to Shell Cottage. Apparently, it’s possible to Apparate to a place even if you have never been there, seen it, or have any idea where it is.

You forgot that the place is also under the Fidelius charm, so therefore Harry should have not been able to apparate there at all, the same of course goes for Dobby, since neither of them have been told the location by Bill. I'm not going into how retarded it is that the person hidden under the charm can also be the secret keeper himself or I might give myself an aneurysm.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

What's the point of having a hero if he's so completely unimportant that he could be easily substituted?

Don't ask me. I still can't figure out why Dumbledore even thought that three incompetent teenagers would make the best Horcrux hunting team. All Harry really needed to do was to die. There was absolutely no reason he had to hunt down Horcruxes as well. Not when you could put Snape, Lupin, and Shacklebolt (three competent wizards) on the trail. (Actually, you could substitute Tonks or Bill for Lupin and Shacklebolt. Tonks shape-shifting abilities might even be an advantage in impersonating DE's).

You forgot that the place is also under the Fidelius charm

I'll discuss that in the next chapter, but I think the charm wasn't done until Harry and the others showed up. That's when Bill realized that Ron had been recognized and that his family was in danger.

Which just highlights how much more intelligent Bill is than any of the Trio.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Somehow I don't think it's the knuckles hitting flesh that makes the sound when someone gets hit. But nice that Ron's getting more anvils about how he likes Hermione by being chilvalrous. Is there a reason they couldn't Apparate?

I was bothered both the change in Fenrir's drooling over kids to girls too. I know it sounds like a silly thing, but it's a huge difference. It's like again she wants to have it both ways. Creepy child predator and then suddenly guy who ravishes women now that they're older. He was far creepier when he was after children. This way can't help but make me feel I'm again being reminded of how hot Hermione is.

I'm going to bet that if asked in an interview JKR would probably resolve the Stan issue and say she already did. She'd do it in such a way that it would reflect well on Harry.

I think Fenrir's non-mark is important for a) a plot point and b) to remind us that Voldemort's the one who's really prejudiced. The Order lets werewolves into their ranks!

God, the DEs are so dumb and yet the good guys are so incapable of handling them.

The trouble with Luna is you have to be in a life or death situation for her to be not only bearable but admirable. Which just goes to show that the way she acts usually is a really tedious act. Not suggesting you're being held prisoner by Snorfflebaggles now, huh, Luna?

Remember Bellatrix could also probably have used legilimancy or Veritaserum to get the actual truth more quickly. But at least with her we know torturing is what she does, so she'd actually skip over those more reliable methods.

How dare you suggest Luna and Dean stay and share Harry's glory? He'll give that up only at the last possible second.

I was not moved by Dobby's death, except I remember a few chapters later, when I was completely annoyed, being cheered to remember he was still dead. Peter's death I pretty much forget right after it happens. Yeah, that's just what I was expecting with that build-up, that Peter would flinch himself to death in the last book.

[violaswamp.livejournal.com]

The Fenrir thing doesn't bother me because he is just a sadistic creep who goes for the most vulnerable victim available. In a school like Hogwarts, that means he'd go for the younger kids; when all he's got is the Trio, he would go for the girl.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

In what universe, though, is Hermione the most vulnerable of the Trio?

[violaswamp.livejournal.com]

She's not, of course, but Fenrir is presumably using crude profiling/stereotyping of potential victims. He's not doing any in-depth biographical analysis.

[seductivedark.livejournal.com]

Well, you know, with Gryffindor boys, all that chivalry, it's a no-brainer to target the female.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

This is true, but that makes it all a ploy on Fenrir's part to piss off Ron.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but that changes him from somebody really scary--a monster with a thing for kids--to sort of a fake. Just a guy who likes to make noise about killing the most vulnerable. I prefer him with an actual taste for one or the other.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Is there a reason they couldn't Apparate?

The only reason I can see is that they'd have to abandon their tent and the Sword (which they never use again). It's possible that they could even grab the sword as they leave.

But, think about it, why the heck didn't Dirk and Ted Apparate, either? Why are wizards so dumb?

You'd never catch an X-man being so slow.

I was bothered both the change in Fenrir's drooling over kids to girls too.

Plus, all the kids who we hear about getting bitten are little boys. Not that pedophiles necessarily discriminate by gender, but yes, he was much creepier when he was targeting children. And I totally agree. It was the wolf-whistles in Tottenham Court all over again.

Peter's death I pretty much forget right after it happens.

Seriously. I nearly forgot about it while it was happening!

[mmoa.livejournal.com]

I think Fenrir's non-mark is important for a) a plot point and b) to remind us that Voldemort's the one who's really prejudiced. The Order lets werewolves into their ranks! Which again highlights how bizarre Voldemort is because he's not a wizard raised... wizard! He could in fact have gotten away with it by arguing how the ends justifies the means, which is how most people who somehow wind up leading movements made up of people from differeing backgrounds/viewpoints/whatever do. Especialy considering how useful werewolves are.

And he's a frickin' Dark Lord! Who cares about that nonsense when you;ve got a bona fide opportunity to disgust and horrify the Wizarding society you're out to destroy? *sighs* Not saying anything that hasn't already been said but sometimes, it just becomes too much...

The trouble with Luna is you have to be in a life or death situation for her to be not only bearable but admirable. Which just goes to show that the way she acts usually is a really tedious act. Not suggesting you're being held prisoner by Snorfflebaggles now, huh, Luna?

Ha! So true. I bet she's secrelty gnashing her teeth over all those crytpic clues she'd been leaving around since book 3 or something.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Sometimes i think Luna must have taken her time studying Harry and figuring out what, exactly, would make him notice her (as friend material--not necessarily a girl friend). In her first year, she could observe that Colin Creevey got Harry's attention by being a total freak--but that didn't exactly work, because Colin was too focused on Harry's celebrity and ended up turning Harry off.

Also, there was that very public exhibition that Ginny Weasley did with the Valentine. Obviously not the way to go.

But Harry is close to Ron and the Weasleys, Luna notes. So, perhaps that's the way to go. So, she tries making friends with Ginny (which doesn't work, since Ginny is still calling her "Looney" in OotP), but Luna sort of gets Ron's attention with her own brand of none-threatening nuttiness, and gives her sweet and public support to Ron in his hour of need (when he's insecure about being the Keeper).

She manages to get into the D.A., and then she keeps close enough to the action to go along on the Ministry Raid.

And after that, she's in!

[sterling-95.livejournal.com]

That could work, except of all the friends, she's the one who goes: "See ya, suckers" and takes off for parts unknown for several years, while everyone else is settling down to domestic inbred bliss.

You could probably write a decent fic in which Luna planned to attract attention, but from Draco instead of Harry, and finally hooked up with Harry to land Draco. It could work. Nothing pushes Draco's buttons faster than the Trio. It'd be an interesting ficlet.

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

--- “But, is it asking too much to ask for a little consistency from the biggest pervert in the series?”

Doen't Fenrir targets children in order to raise a small army of werewolves who have grown up with lycanthropy and are loyal to ‘the cause’? Maybe attacking children is a *work* thing, for ‘the greater good’, while attacking teenage virgins (and at least two of the Trio qualified) is a hobby he indulges on his own time? I could really do without the rape innuendo though.

--- “When Harry is asked for his name, he comes up with Dudley, Vernon Dudley. Aww. That’s sweet. The first people he thinks of are his cousin and his uncle.”

Because they’re people he’s happy to incriminate? If that’s too cynical, perhaps he chose them because they’re not part of the world and while senior DES might know them, Snatchers definitely wouldn’t. You see he’s just that clever.

I suppose Hermione’s banking on the fact that the Snatchers don’t know Penelope’s blood status, and she isn’t silly enough to *volunteer* the fact that she’s a Muggleborn, whatever name she uses. Either that, or JKR forgot what she wrote in earlier books.

They should have come up with a couple of aliases each, to use in certain situations. Preferably none of them real people, as this might get the unwitting name donors into trouble. Plus, what if Penelope Clearwater is now an outspoken vigilante opponent of Voldemort - who sadly wasn’t available for the last broadcast of Potterwatch - and has been condemned to death on sight?. Aliases (and a modest little back story) would avoid such trouble, and would also take away the need to think quickly in unforeseen situations such as this. It's not as if time has been at a premium for the past 3 MONTHS.

--- “was there any good reason for {the Trio} not transfiguring themselves to look different all the time?”

This would work well with the aliases! Change Ron’s traffic light red hair (Weasleys are obviously identifiable from some distance), make Hermione’s hair straight and fair, HIDE HARRY’S SCAR and age them all by ten years so that they don’t look like truants from school, but like three friends on a camping holiday. If their disguises wore off as they were interviewed by Snatchers, they’d be blameless and the story could continue as written.

--- “And, I have to say, that for once, the heroes are actually working well together. It’s a desperate situation, but Ron isn’t messing it up by doing anything tremendously stupid, and Harry isn’t being too much of an asshole, and Hermione is only being clever enough instead far too much as usual.”

The last three books could have been so much better if this quote had been written on a post-it note stuck above JKR’s computer.

--- “At this moment comes one of the greatest anti-climaxes in the entire series.”

Oh Dear. Maybe repaying a life debt doesn’t necessitate saving a life in return, but Pettigrew didn’t do ANYTHING. He just hesitated. Did the hand ‘magically’ foresee that he would become Harry’s humble servant? I wonder if this was what she’d always planned, or problems with her story meant she had to come up with it at the last minute? The silver hand is long established though – maybe fans continually suggesting that Pettigrew would use it to kill Remus, meant she substituted this rubbish at the last minute? If so, why she didn’t get him to kill Fenrir with it instead, who knows?



Dobby’s death was the best in DH because I saw how (and why) he got fatally wounded, I watched him die and most important of all, I saw Harry grieve. Not the year long CAPSLOCK that followed Cedric, or the even worse dismissal of Sirius after a month at most. I actually believed he and the others were upset. I don’t even like Dobby, but other people’s grief makes me feel emotional. No other character got that much attention in this book –reactions to Fred were cut short by/lost in the Battle and Moody’s death was off-screen (and the aftermath was poorly written - like a presence).

I don’t like the GoF film, but I welled up, not when Cedric died, but when his father started wailing over his body. It’s the only thing in any of the films that’s upset me. Dumbledore’s slow-mo fall to his doom just made me laugh.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

Maybe attacking children is a *work* thing, for ‘the greater good’, while attacking teenage virgins (and at least two of the Trio qualified) is a hobby he indulges on his own time?

If that's the case, I think we need that explained clearly. Because, as Sistermagpie said, the effect is more that Hermione is just too hot to resist.

Or, like these 1960s potboilers I once read (for research purposes *cough*), any perversion encompasses all perversions. Therefore, a gay man can be expected to rape a woman, because, well, sexual deviance is all the same, isn't it?

Either that, or JKR forgot what she wrote in earlier books.

I think this is probably the case. I had honestly forgotten. But more astute fans have pointed it out.

Change Ron’s traffic light red hair (Weasleys are obviously identifiable from some distance)...

No duh. This bit of dopiness sticks out for me because I once wrote a fic in which Ron's trademark hair color was an issue. Which was resolved by having him wear a hat. I mean, it's not that hard to fix the problem, it just requires that you understand that it is an issue and take steps.

If it had been me in that Trio, I would have gone to a Muggle drugstore first thing and bought some hair dye! Then I'd have marched us all to a hair salon and gotten haircuts. That's like 90 percent of any disguise.

I wonder if this was what she’d always planned, or problems with her story meant she had to come up with it at the last minute

Maybe she left it out in the first draft and her editor sent a note saying, "What about the thing where Peter Pettigrew owes Harry for saving his life? You know, that life-debt thing that applies only to Pettigrew and not to any of the other times Harry's saved people's lives.... or any of the times Snape's saved Harry's life?"

I don’t like the GoF film, but I welled up, not when Cedric died, but when his father started wailing over his body.

Oddly, that's one of the best moments of the film for me. It did grab me emotionally--and I love that the emphasis in that film was changed from stoic, heroic mothers to father/son relationships. That was a really smart change.

In the book, the moment that grabbed me was when dead Cedric asked Harry to make sure his body got back to his parents. But in the film, that moment had no impact.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

What an inspiring story! Now, that's the sort of thing I'd love to have seen happening in DH. There are thousands of these stories of small actions of great courage.

So far, the most courageous story we've heard is about Griphook not mentioning that Snape was putting a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault.

[tdotm.livejournal.com]

"If that's the case, I think we need that explained clearly."

Ha Ha Ha!!!Because, of course, that's JKR's forte! Seriously though, all JKR had to do was add in a line from Fenrir saying that "I like my little treats" or "I do enjoy the perks of the job" and you'd get the impression that it was something he did more than once, not that Hermione was irresistable to man and beast.

I'd have preferred if the whole thing had been cut. After Bellatrix had finished the torture, she could simply offer Hermione to Greyback to be turned, without his previous leching. Or perhaps when Ron was puched to the ground Hermione could fly at the guilty party and Fenrir could hold her back and she could bite/kick/scratch him? Apart from the irony of biting a werewolf, it might anger him enough so that throughout the following scenes, he's saying he has a score to settle with her. That'd turn the readers thoughts to violence/being turned, not so obviously a rape. Plus Ron's anguish wouldn't just be because he loved Hermione, but also guilt that she'd reacted that way in the first place because of him.

JKR could add realisim without certain references.

[mmmarcusz.livejournal.com]

Although none of the Death Eaters noticed the CRACK of Dobby arriving, Lucius notices the CRACK when he leaves with Dean and Luna and sends Wormtail down to investigate. As he enters, Ron and Harry jump him. Ron grabs his wand arm and Harry clamps his hand over Wormtail’s mouth.

Didn't people pop when they Disapparated in the early books? Then it became a crack.

I know that many people were very moved by this death scene. I wasn’t. I think it was partially because of all the chaos of the action scenes preceding it, which were terribly confusing and a bit overwhelming. And it’s partially because of all the starlight bouncing off Dobby’s great glass orbs. It makes them sound like Christmas ornaments or something, and the image evokes more of an “ew” reaction than anything else.

Also, Harry's just come from the Malfoy's living room, which is probably bright, or brightish. So it would be difficult to see stars in the sky, and impossible to see stars reflected in someone else's eyes, no matter how tennisy they are.

Also, it was hard to be affected by Dobby's death when it was his own fault for pompous grandstanding. "Me stop you from hurtin' the good massa!"

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I think it's a POP for people and CRACK for elves. Goblins, presumably, are CRACKLE.

Also, it was hard to be affected by Dobby's death when it was his own fault for pompous grandstanding. "Me stop you from hurtin' the good massa!"

Hmm. Dobby disarmed Narcissa, so he was the master of her wand!

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

It’s not like I want Hermione tortured, but I don’t feel that badly about it, either.

ROFL! I couldn't give a shit, personally. I hope there's some Death Eater up there going 'Well, that was very noble, Bellatrix!' It's just a shame they didn't leave a mark like Hermione would if the positions were reversed, but then that's just another example of why the baddies are stupid. (And worse at being evil than the goodies, ironically.) It's hilarious that this has to be another girl-on-girl fight, though. (I'm a woman, I know what those are like.) And that Hermione's screaming at all - I can't remember what Harry did when he was Crucio'd (probably stoically grimaced) but isn't screaming, even under torture, awfully Slytherin? I guess Hermione gets a pass on account of her womb and all, but she'll want to watch that tendency.

I wanted Peter to live and escape the good side and bad. Like Steve Buscemi's character in Con Air, lol. The Death Eaters are all being rounded up or weeping over their dead, the good guys doing the rounding or looking badass about how their loved ones went out heroically; and there's Peter, sneaking off, to be some kid's pet.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Harry pulls the three wands (Bellatrix’s, Wormtail’s, and Draco’s) out of Draco’s hand, and stuns Greyback.

This was his amazing victory over Malfoy, wasn't it? Impressive.

With the last words of “Harry… Potter…,”

Could there be a prouder death for a warrior? People should be happy he died, he couldn't have done more with his life than help Massa.

Also, I'm more invested and gripped by these DVD extras than I was reading the actual books.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like this one. It was one of the harder ones to come up with. I've done a lot of Draco scenes lately, but this chapter is so narrowly focused it kind of had to be another Draco or Malfoys. The other choice was doing something with the Snatchers, but they aren't all that interesting to me.

I've been neglecting the whole Hogwarts insurrection, but I thought that Neville would have to have somereaction to one of the D.A. ringleaders getting hauled off the train.

[night-axe.livejournal.com]

Since Harry is nearly blind and in considerable pain, we can forgive him for not being able to fight his way out of the situation.

This reader, however, won't forgive JKR for completely ignoring Harry's poor eyesight in the rest of the chapter. On p. 458 he notices his changed looks in a mirror and thinks maybe the Malfoys won't recognize him. He's without his glasses and his eyes are swollen nearly shut. Take it from a fellow spec head, all Harry could see of his reflection is a pink smear. Oh, and he'd be pretty well useless as an action hero. Leaping over an armchair and grabbing the wands off of Draco? Not bloody likely.

Okay, intellectually I do understand that Draco doesn’t have much choice about any of this. Even if he says that’s its not Harry under all that botoxed flesh, the Snatchers aren’t going to let the kids go. But this non-denial denial is sooooo stretched out. Why does Draco have to keep waffling like this?

Well, he's in a cleft stick. If he says it's not Harry, he's putting himself and his family on the line because it's only a matter of time before Harry gets positively IDd, and then Voldemort will be pissed about being lied to. He'll know Draco would recognize Potter, puffified or no. OTOH, Draco doesn't want to be the one who betrayed Harry to his death. And that, boys and girls, is how Draco Malfoy ended up with more growth than Harry Potter. He faced a genuine moral dilemma, which Harry never once had to do.

Bellatrix screams like that annoying judge on So You Think You Can Dance when she’s told that they have Potter.

LOL!

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

This reader, however, won't forgive JKR for completely ignoring Harry's poor eyesight in the rest of the chapter. On p. 458 he notices his changed looks in a mirror and thinks maybe the Malfoys won't recognize him. He's without his glasses and his eyes are swollen nearly shut. Take it from a fellow spec head, all Harry could see of his reflection is a pink smear. Oh, and he'd be pretty well useless as an action hero. Leaping over an armchair and grabbing the wands off of Draco? Not bloody likely.

I kept reading this chapter trying to figure out if and when Harry's head shrinks back to normal. JKR never mentions it happening, but at about the time Harry and Ron are put into the cellar she stops writing about Harry's aching head and bad eye sight.

Also, Luna doesn't say, "Oh! Your heads really big, Harry! Were you bitten by a Brafflestomper?" You know that she would definitely say something if she saw Harry with a huge, swollen head.

[mmoa.livejournal.com]

I’m sure this is because audiences are more comfortable in general with putting the girl in jeopardy. Ninety-nine point nine-nine percent of all stories will choose to go that route. Hooray for mild sexism as only fantasy can do! Sorry, JKR, but that 'subverting the genre' thing? You fail at it.

Anyway, the Snatchers discuss their options and decide to go to Malfoy Manor rather than the Ministry. Which shows you how irrelevant the Ministry is. ...and how much Voldie-poo must hate his father if he isn't using the Riddle House as his general headquarters (or at least Azkaban for these sort of prisoners). Seriously though, these Snatchers are pathetic. I feel like saying to JKR that the reason historical 'secret police' and such had to arrest and capture their enemies was because they didn't have magic. With magic, the whole thing becomes ridiculously simple: truth charm/Veritaserum/torture the little buggers, find out who's who and what's what, kill the ones you can afford to and put weighted chains around the Chosen One. C'mon guys, it's not that difficult...

Anyway, Draco denies knowing Harry twice, then very reluctantly agrees that the girl might be Hermione Granger and the ginger-haired boy might be Ron Weasley. Before we can get to the exciting moment when Draco decides that Griphook might possibly be a goblin... Again, with you on this one. Draco's waffling should have made him suspect to the DE's and besides, he's a Slytherin ffs. Surely he can come up with something better than a load of ellipses'.

Which reminds me: I know the Trio are teenagers and therefore deficient in the troubleshooting skills, but was there any good reason for not transfiguring themselves to look different all the time? If they had done that and called themselves Herman, Hannah, and Reginald, the Snatchers probably would have just let them go. Yeah but, they need to get to the Malfoy's. Sssh -- don't ask. Just deal with it. JKR knows best.

while she keeps Hermione up in the drawing room for torturing purposes. And I think it was here I started to get a wholly new appreciation and hankering for non-con Bellatrix/Hermione femslash. I haven't regretted it since. So thank you, JKR. All Diana Wynne Jones gave me was a fetish for dark men in silk dressing gowns...

Otherwise, don’t automatically assume that they are summoning you on false pretences. This is the first time they’ve called you in three months. Just chill out. lol. But this is the Malfoy's we're talking about. I bet Voldemort still remembers the time Lucius summoned him to discuss the merits of varying hair straighteners 17 years ago. Narcissa has no taste whatsoever, don't you know.

Well done btw. I'm actually finding these posts more useful than reading the book because there's so much stuff I didn't actually read (eyeballs becoming as starry and sightless as Dobbys no doubt). For instance, I had no idea Grindlewald was still alive, which makes me wonder what he must have thought of the whole Voldi-moo thing. No wonder he just sat around and took the piss. He's probably still chuckling about how Dumbledore screwed the WW over and still got it to say thank you with cherries on top.

[montavilla.livejournal.com]

...and how much Voldie-poo must hate his father if he isn't using the Riddle House as his general headquarters (or at least Azkaban for these sort of prisoners).

You'd think he'd use it at least in OotP through the early part of DH, since nobody knows about his Tom Riddle origin except for Dumbledore, who wasn't talking. After the Ministry was taken, there would be no danger in using Malfoy Manor--but considering how often it was raided up to then, it seems like a really silly place to hide people.

I mean, it's not like Arthur didn't know about the secret Malfoy hiding room. He even raided it in the first part of HBP!

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

By which time Olivander had already been abducted. Continuity? We don't need no steenking continuity!

[oryx_leucoryx]

Or, Crack Theory #278, maybe the Life Debt paid out when Wormtail used Harry’s blood to reconstitute Voldemort. Sure, it brought the Dark Lord back, but it also ended up extending Harry’s protection. So, this moment isn’t the actual pay off.

Peter also brought Voldemort his original wand. And Peter was the only one who knew where that wand was, so only he could have possibly brought it. The wand which is a twin of Harry's allowing Harry's escape from the graveyard with the Priori Incantatem. So yes, the payback was in the graveyard, in two different ways, neither intended by Peter.