This message is a Special Notice for all members of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups In addition to being published onlist (available in webview), this post is also being delivered offlist (to email in boxes) to those whose "Message Delivery" is set to "Special Notices." If this is problematic or if you have any questions, contact the List Elves at (minus that extra space) HPforGrownups-owner @yahoogroups.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Alla: Guys I must enter the same plea that I did last time. This is another emergency substitution chapter, so please do not judge too harshly. It was done in a really short period of time. Many thanks to Gavin, Mike and Zara for their help. You guys are all awesome. CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 28, The Missing Mirror Harry, Ron and Hermione apparate to Hogsmeade. While they do that, Harry remembers him apparating to same place, while supporting a weak Albus Dumbledore. Suddenly door at Three Broomsticks burst open; Trio hears screaming and sees Death Eaters coming out with wands at the ready. Harry realizes that Death Eaters were ready for them and that he and his friends are now trapped and cannot dissapparate away. Apparently Death Eaters performed their charms well. DEs are sure that Harry is here and unsuccessfully attempt to accio his cloak. Then they decide that since Dark Lord only wants Harry's life and not his soul it will be easier to kill Harry if Dementors get first bite. Lo and behold Dementors appear. Harry decides that no matter what he will not be kissed and performs his Patronus. Dementors are driven away, but the Death Eaters are now absolutely sure that Harry is here, they recognized his Patronus. Hooded dudes AKA Death Eaters getting closer to where Trio is standing and Harry starts to panic. Suddenly one of the building's doors is opened and Harry and his friends are invited in. It turns out that Harry and his friends are saved by the Barman of Hog's Head, who is also Aberforth Dumbledore. While Trio is still under cloak they witness a conversation that Aberforth is having with Voldie's merry followers. Aberforth tells them that he sent Patronus after Dementors and basically convinces Death Eaters after little visual demonstration that what they saw was his Goat Patronus and not a stag. After threatening Aberforth, Death Eaters leave. We learn that Aberforth also sent Dobby to help Trio and he appears to be upset by elf's death. Ron is also wondering whether Aberforth sent Doe to help them with the sword and Aberforth responds with what I personally consider to be one of the best lines in the book. "Son, with brains like this you can be a Death Eater". So we firmly establish that Aberforth's patronus is a goat, not a doe, not a stag, **goat**. Aberforth feeds hungry Trio and tries to convince them and especially Harry that he should leave and save himself and his friends. Aberforth tells Harry that the job that Albus left him is too dangerous; Aberforth wonders whether Harry is sure that his brother told him everything he needed to know to successfully finish Voldemort's destruction. Aberforth is not successful in his persuasion. Harry is not sure that he was told everything but he made the decision when he was digging Dobby's grave that he was going to put all his doubts aside and simply to trust in the path that Albus laid out for him. Aberforth tells Harry that Albus learned secrecy on his mother's knee and also tells Trio his version of the Ariana's chapter from Dumbledores' family history. In this version Ariana became very ill after three Muggle boys attacked her. Their father went after the boys, attacked them and did time in Azkaban for that. According to Aberforth, shortly after Ariana got sick they moved their house to keep Ariana's condition a secret from the Ministry. Their mother Kendra was taking care of Ariana, but one of Ariana's outbursts accidentally killed their mother and Albus who was one of the best and brightest students had to leave school and come home and take care of their family. Aberforth tells Trio that he could calm Ariana the best and that he was her favorite. He wanted to quit school and care for Ariana, but Albus insisted that he should finish his education. Aberforth grudgingly admits that Albus did okay caring for Ariana for a few weeks till Grindelwald came along and then according to Aberforth the only thing Albus was thinking about is Grindelwald and plans of world domination and Ariana was not fitting into those plans very well. According to Aberforth when he came home on vacation he confronted Albus about his neglect of their sister and about their plans. Confrontation became a duel, younger Dumbledore suffered Cruciatus from Grindelwald's hand, Ariana supposedly wanted to help, but instead she ended up dead from one of their curses and he is not even sure which one of them did it. Grindelwald fled and according to Aberforth Albus was now free from the duty of taking care of Ariana. Harry tells Aberforth that his brother was never free from what occurred that day. Harry tells Aberforth about Albus' screams after he drank the potion in the cave. Harry insists that he is going to continue fighting and asks Aberforth if he can help them get into Hogwarts now would be a good time to do so. Aberforth asks Ariana's picture on his desk if she knows what to do. Trio sees that Ariana leaves and comes back with somebody, it looks like her picture is also a door to the very real tunnel and when Ariana comes back, a battered Neville appears to greet them. 1. How did the DEs know that the Trio would apparate into Hogsmeade and not to any other place? What obvious moment am I missing? 2. Was Aberforth really sincere in his urging of Harry to abandon his quest? That is, did Aberforth really think Harry should just stop? 3. "he had made his choice when he dug Dobby's grave; he had decided to continue along the winding, dangerous path indicated to him by Albus Dumbledore, to accept that he had not been told everything that he wanted to know, but simply to trust" What significance if any do you see in this quote? 4. Can you reconcile Elphias Doge's statement that Albus and Aberforth were friends and that they reestablished cordial relationship some time after Ariana's death with the way Aberforth talks to Harry about his brother? Why or why not? 5. Which happy memory Aberforth uses for his patronus? 6. We hear the words "greater good" from both Aberforth and Harry in this chapter. Are they talking about the same thing? Why or why not? 7. Why was the tunnel undiscovered by Marauders? 8. If Albus' plea in the cave means what Harry tells Aberforth it meant, does it mean that Albus knew after all who killed Ariana? 9. Would you want Aberforth to be Harry's mentor? Why or why not? 10. By the end of this chapter, we and Harry have heard three accounts of the Dumbledores, from Doge, Skeeter, and Aberforth. Which account did you find most credible, and why? 11. Were you surprised by any of Aberforth's revelations? Did they affect your view of Albus? Alla ------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: For more information on HPfGU's chapter discussions, please see "HPfGU DH Chapter Discussions" at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/database Next Chapter Discussion, Chapter 29, The Lost Diadem, Sept. 8?