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 ---------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 32: The Elder Wand As this chapter begins, Harry and his companions are absorbing the full horror of Fred's death. However, they cannot take time to mourn and absorb what has happened, because the battle rages on around them. Ron and Harry, alerted by Hermione's scream, repel an attempt by giant spiders to enter the castle. Then Percy relinquishes his hold on Fred's body and helps Harry and Ron to hide it. That accomplished, Percy rushes madly off into the fray, bellowing the name of a Death Eater. Hermione physically restrains Ron, who wants to follow, reminding both boys that they are the only ones that have the knowledge to end the battle for good, by killing Nagini and rendering Voldemort mortal. At her urging, Harry opens himself to Voldemort. He is in the Shack accompanied by Nagini, who is surrounded by a protective magical bubble. Lucius, showing signs of physical abuse, is present and attempts to persuade Voldemort to call off the battle, ostensibly to ensure Harry is not killed by a Death Eater against Voldemort's orders. Voldemort claims he wants only to get into the castle and look for Draco, and asks whether Draco has not become a friend of Potter since "he did not come and join me, like the rest of the Slytherins." He explains, also, that there is no need to worry about finding Harry, as Harry will come to him. He then sends Lucius for Snape. Harry recounts what he has seen to Ron and Hermione, and an argument ensues about who should go after the snake, which ends when two Death Eaters show up. Hermione saves the day with some quick and clever spell casting, and the Trio, covered in Harry's cloak, head out to the Shack. They travel through the battle, observing a variety of interesting sights a summary of which would prove as long as this chapter, ranging from stampeding desks to wrestling giants. Finally, they attain the Whomping Willow and traverse the secret passage. There, they see that Snape has come to Voldemort as summoned. They listen as Snape persists in asking to be allowed to find Harry for Voldemort, while Voldemort attempts to discuss a problem he is having with his wand. Voldemort confides this problem makes him doubt what may happen when he faces Harry. He explains he has obtained this wand, which is the Elder Wand of legend, from the grave of Dumbledore in order to use it against Harry, against whom his other wands have failed. Then he informs Snape that this is why, regretfully, he must kill him, in order to become the true owner of the wand, who he states is currently Snape, the man who killed Dumbledore. Voldemort causes the bubble around Nagini to envelop Snape, and orders the snake to kill him. The snake bites his neck and Snape falls to the floor. Voldemort departs with Nagini, leaving Snape to bleed to death. Harry steals in after Voldemort leaves, and removes his cloak to look down at the dying Snape. Snape, seeing him, attempts to say something, and Harry lowers himself to hear. "Take it", Snape says, and Harry sees that he is leaking memories, which Harry collects in a flask Hermione conjures for him. Snape then whispers his last words, "Look at me," and dies as he looks into Harry's eyes. The chapter ends. Questions: 1) What is with ending chapters with the dramatic deaths of characters, including, of course, descriptions of their eyes? (I refer the reader to Dobby's sightless orbs staring unseeingly up at the starry sky *sob*, Fred's eyes that stare without seeing, and Snape's eyes, from which "something" vanishes as he dies.) Feel free to comment on similarities and differences between these three character deaths witnessed by Harry. 2) Speaking of this something, what are we to make of it? These same eyes have been elsewhere described thusly: "They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels". (Empty things have *nothing* in them.) 3) What was your reaction to Snape's death on your first reading of it? Did the following chapter change your view? Does it affect you differently on rereading? 4) Voldemort compares Lucius and Snape. What meaning, if any, do you ascribe to this? 5) Will Zara ask a question that is NOT about Snape? Erm, right, yes, well.Personally, I prefer the battle scenes in this chapter to the ones in the previous one, even though the last chapter was named after the battle. Which is your favorite scene of the first part of the battle (feel free to name one from the previous chapter!)? Why? 5) What was Draco doing on the upper landing of the marble staircase, to need rescuing from a Death Eater, in your opinion? What do you suppose happened to Goyle? 6) The Death Eaters brought a giant to the battle, and Grawp fought him to defend the school. As payoff for Hagrid's back-story, Mme. Maxime, "Hagrid's Tale", and the Grawp subplot in OotP, was this sufficient for you? Why or why not? 7) The Slytherin hourglass broke as Harry ran down the stairs into the Entrance Hall, just as the Gryffindor one had in the fighting at the end of HBP. Did you ascribe any particular meaning to this bit of trivia on your first read? Do you now? 8) What was your reaction to Hagrid's defense of the giant spiders and its results? 9) How cool was it that Hermione defended Lavender from Greyback? (Or, why was it not cool?) Why do you suppose Rowling chose Trelawney as the person to finish him off? 10) Luna, Ernie, and Seamus's Patronuses are revealed to be, respectively, a hare, a boar, and a fox. Do they suit your ideas of these characters? Why or why not? 11) Hermione tells Ron "Are you a wizard, or what?" when he regrets Crookshanks cannot open the Willow for them. This echoes the moment in PS/SS when Ron said the same to Hermione as she worried frantically that she has no matches. What does this serve, in your view? Do you see other mirrors in this chapter? 12) Please excuse the length of these last. They concern the "official" subject of this chapter as expressed by the title. I begin with some quotes from the text and an observation. "Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?" "I do not understand. You - you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand." This seems to me to establish the fact that Snape is aware Voldemort has acquired a new wand, and has been for some time. If you disagree, part a) of the question can be explaining to me why I am wrong. What, if anything, does Snape's choice of the words "extraordinary magic" suggest to you? Would you expect Snape recognized the new wand as the one Dumbledore has had throughout Snape's entire life? 13) Do you think the acquisition of this new wand might be a matter Severus would have mentioned to Albus? Why or why not, and what do you suppose Albus would have said back, if yes? 14) How do you feel about not knowing the answers to these questions about two major characters and the magical artifact that settled the central conflict of the series? ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 33, The Prince's Tale, on November 10, 2008.