death to capslock

Heritability of Potterverse Magic

2021-09-19T17:43:00Z

Posted by: sunnyskywalker

All right, I've been kicking this idea around long enough. Time to let everyone else tear it apart and see what comes of it!
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Cursed Child nonsense

2016-08-23T19:52:00Z

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

I know that there are some excellent snarky Cursed Child sporking, reviews and reactions already. And I fully plan to read them and comment on them. But I wanted to wait until I read the blasted Cursed Child thing.

However I won't be finishing this book. As much as I hate leaving books half read; this is just too much for me. And for my blood pressure.
Still, I would like to ~~rant~~ discuss the part that made me see red and give up on this mess.

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Hermione Granger and the Missed Opportunity

2015-09-29T21:09:00Z

Posted by: sunnyskywalker

I'm re-reading PS/SS, specifically paying attention to things which are part of the overall 7-book plot but which Harry (and we, back in the day) didn't have enough information to flag as relevant. Absolutely fascinating, and I'm sure I'll be posting about some of that soon. This isn't that time, or not exactly. I was also paying closer attention to wizard/Muggle relations, and so I stopped at this little exchange:

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

I can't help but picture the AU where she does ask, and her father says, "Flamel? Wasn't there something about him in that history program on the telly last night?" And her mother replies, "Yes, something about alchemy, wasn't it? Was he really a wizard, Hermione dear? How exciting!" And then Hermione comes back after the break all bright-eyed, very pleased as she shows the boys her photocopies of Flamel's entry in her Muggle library's encyclopedia. "No wonder he wasn't in any of the books on modern magical discoveries, he was born so long ago that witches and wizards still lived openly among Muggles, can you imagine? Do you think alchemists can really make a Philosopher's Stone?" Which reminds Harry of Flamel and Dumbledore's alchemical partnership on the Chocolate Frog Card, and off they go.

The schedule of events would hardly be different from the actual book, but the kids would have discovered that Muggles aren't just helpless, pitiable lumps. Wouldn't that have been something.

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Upon the Existence of Muggles

2015-09-27T21:50:00Z

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

“Any woman can weep without tears, and most can heal with their hands. It depends on the wound.” Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn

If there is anything certain about the Potterverse, it is that there is an absolute gulf between Us and Them. There are Muggles and their opposites: Witches and Wizards.

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Harry Potter Abridged! HBP Chapter 1

2015-05-05T10:50:00Z

Posted by: sweettalkeress.livejournal.com

A new book begins!!!

( And now for something completely different!! )
*A/N: Sadly, this is pretty much the attitude of the last few books. At least.

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Of Mudbloods and Bathtubs

2014-03-03T00:57:00Z

Posted by: oneandthetruth.livejournal.com

Author’s note: This essay offers a Watsonian explanation for certain things in the Potterverse. It ignores any Doylist explanations for those things, including Rowling’s.

In reply to my DH sporking, chapter 29, maidofkent wrote in part,

You're right that it seems pretty hypocritical to joke about Snape running away from shampoo, when the male Hogwarts students seem so uninterested in cleanliness. (Perhaps the Slytherins, being under the female influence of water, are namby-pamby types who do bathe regularly and Severus was indeed sorted too soon :))

This got me to thinking about a trio of seemingly unrelated subjects: baths, “mudbloods,” and the Slytherin prejudice against the latter. Many commentators have speculated the reason Salazar Slytherin didn’t like witches and wizards from non-magical backgrounds was because they threatened to expose the world of magical people to their non-magical families and friends. That’s a reasonable explanation, but could his dislike be founded on something more simple? Could it just be a matter of cleanliness?

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Mr. Roberts and the Memory Charm

2013-04-23T18:34:00Z

Posted by: terri-testing.livejournal.com

I decided I needed to review what canon says about the effects of Obliviation. Barty Junior told us that the (only) reason Bertha suffered permanent, apparently irreversible, damage to her mind was because his father’s Memory Charm had been “too powerful.” (GoF 35) What about standard use by authorized Ministry experts? We have Mr. Roberts to examine, before, during, and after.

What follow is quotes from canon, GoF 7.

( A man )

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New COS Content on Pottermore

2012-11-20T17:18:00Z

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

( The Polyjuice Potion )

( JKR about The Polyjuice Potion )

( Ghost )

( Chamber of Secrets )

( The sword of Gryffindor )

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Pottermore: Exclusive Content for the Chamber of Secrets

2012-09-20T15:50:00Z

Posted by: dracasadiablo.livejournal.com

Just unlocked all new Chamber of Secrets "Exclusive Content".

( Pure-blood )

( Peeves the Poltergeist )

( Ghost )

( Draco Malfoy )

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On racism in the Potterverse-

2011-11-29T12:02:00Z

Posted by: mary-j-59.livejournal.com

This quote was in our advent bulletin, and it struck me very strongly.
There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. ( Read more... )

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