Welcome; Marauders' Map & other Musings

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 334

Hi --

Welcome to Lori, Alix, DR MM (I was an English/History major too -- many
moons ago), Firebolt & any others from PoU who decided to join us.

Miscellaneous Musings (now that we have the egroups search feature &
unlimited space) --

MARAUDERS MAP -- I agree with the thoughts that Fred & George were alot
less concerned with the people on the map than the places.  They wanted
to find secret passages & rooms.  They were likely only interested in
the people to the extent that they were in danger of running into one of
the professors while they were out of bounds.  I doubt they were at all
concerned with Percy (or Ron for that matter).  Plus, they said they had
it "memorized" -- this implies strongly that all they wanted to know
about were the secret passages.  Therefore, they hadn't maybe even
looked at it for several years.

BASILISK --  The dictionary's lack of specificity prompted me to check a
few books out from the library on mythological creatures.  That's where
I got the info about how differing myths call the creature a basilisk &
others a cockatrice.  Most legends seem in agreement that it's a
combination of a serpent with a murderous stare & a rooster.  But, in
JKR's world, it doesn't have the rooster characteristics.

MERCHANDISE -- Your links didn't work Heidi.  I'm thinking I will head
over to the nearest Gold Crown Hallmark here tomorrow & see if I can
reserve merchandise (I'm quite intrigued by the idea of having a Dept 56
HP village set -- my husband is *horrified* beyond belief!).

RECORDING THE CHATS -- Heidi -- you're the IP expert.  Any advice for
Dee on this topic?

Alicia/Sue -- we all decided in the chat room today that you should
enter that contest about how HP has changed your life (Scholastic is the
sponsor I believe), and then when you win & get to go meet JKR in person
in NY, we'll arm you with all the group's questions (how many students
at Hogwarts, etc.).  Okay?

Dave wrote

> I think one of Harry's major character flaws is that he seems to distrust
> his elders, even the trustworthy ones (the tragic result of years living
> under the same roof as Vernon and Petunia Dursley)...
>
Yes -- Crouch-as-Moody told Harry that he had a streak of "pride &
independence" that prevented him from asking others for help (other than
Hermione & later Ron of course) with the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  That
characteristic will no doubt come into play more & more.  I also agree
with whoever observed that he had "Don't ask questions!" drilled into
his head from the time he was a year old.  He's always had to rely on
himself to figure out the answers.

Steve wrote --

> About "When Harry Met Sally":  didn't the title characters hate each
> other in the beginning, then progress to being friends, then to
> lovers?  Sounds like something that would appeal more to a
> Ron/Hermione shipper than a Harry/Hermione shipper.
>
They weren't *friends* at all when they hated each other; they were not
the Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn bickering type.  They really didn't
have much contact with each other for 10 yrs except occasionally running
into each other (he thought she was uptight; she thought he was weird).
Once they became friends though, they were mostly the non-bickering sort
of friends (yes, they had disagreements, but they didn't snipe at one
another constantly the way Ron & Hermione seem to do).  They just had a
good time in each other's company -- laughed alot, they could depend on
each other.  So, I see their relationship as more analogous to
Harry/Hermione than R/H.  IMO.

Penny



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