Ron/Harry fight

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 16539

Arabella wrote:

> I think JKR gives us a clue that she *wants* us to sympathize with 
> him, when she paints Ron as a pathetic figure ("But Ron just stood 
> there in his too-small pajamas" and earlier on he comes downstairs 
> with "several inches of bare ankle showing beneath his pajama 
> trousers").  IMO: She's making that scene difficult on us.  She's 
> making Ron pitiable there on purpose.  She's pointing out to us that 
> Ron's got things going on there - that Ron's coming from a very 
> particular place.  

Good point.  I think she is also letting us know that Harry notices 
this; it's his POV that sees Ron this way, after all.  He lies awake 
for so long not only because he's angry at Ron, worried about Sirius, 
and terrified of the dragon, but because he feels sad and guilty that 
at a moment that Ron was making an overture of reconciliation, he 
(Harry) was in no shape to accept it, and blew the opportunity.  This 
is all speculation on my part, but that's how I would have been 
feeling.  The "too-small pajamas," and even more, the "Ron just stood 
there," awaken sympathy--Harry's as well as ours.

Amy Z

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   "What is this thing?" said Moody, drawing the Marauder's Map out 
 of his pocket and unfolding it.
   "Map of Hogwarts," said Harry. . . .
   "Merlin's beard," Moody whispered, staring at the map, his magical 
 eye going haywire.  "This . . . this is some map, Potter!" 
   "Yeah, it's . . . quite useful," Harry said. 
                                       -HP and the Goblet of Fire
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