Pondering the details of Goblet (contents vary)

[prefectmarcus at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23432

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., mcandrew at b... wrote:
> 
> 1) Chap 30, The Pensieve.  (p. 524 UK ed) Harry, discussing the 
> trials he has just been visiting, asks Dumbledore whether Crouch Jr 
> was really involved in torturing the Longbottoms.  Dumble says 'As 
to 
> that, I have no idea.'  Why?  Dumbledore sat as a member of the 
> Council of Magical Law which passed a guilty verdict on Crouch Jr 
for 
> exactly that crime.  Is Dumbledore saying he didn't agree with his 
> own verdict as a member of that panel of judges?  If he wasn't sure 
> of Crouch's guilt, why didn't he cast a dissenting vote?  Or has he 
> changed his mind since?
> 

Was he a member?  I always got the impression he was there as an 
observer / advisor / witness.

> 2) Chap 36, Parting of the Ways. (p. 617-8 UK) At Harry's hospital 
> bedside after the third task, Sirius and Snape are introduced to 
each 
> other by Dumbledore - but not until Madam Pomfrey has left the room 
> and is out of hearing.  Obviously he doesn't trust her as he does 
> Snape or Molly Weasley, who is still present.  Yet Pomfrey is a 
> highly respected member of Dumbledore's handpicked staff. So why is 
> she regarded as so much less trustworthy than some of the others? 

Simple rule of security, the more people that know something, the 
more likely it gets blabbed.  Also, why tell her?  Madame Pomfrey 
doesn't even ask Ron where he got the poisoned hand bite in HP1.  
Surely she will heal anybody who needs it, without question?
 
> 3) Chap 33, The Death Eaters. The graveyard scene, Voldemort has 
just 
> emerged from cauldron. On first addressing Harry, he calls 
> him 'Potter', but almost straight away switches to 'Harry', which 
is 
> how he addresses Harry for the rest of the evening.  Why does he 
use 
> Harry's first name?  Normally this would be a mark of affection or 
> familiarity - e.g. it's used by Dumbledore as well as Harry's 
> friends, whereas the more distant teachers (e.g. McGonagall), 
enemies 
> like Malfoy, and notably Snape, call him 'Potter'.  Actually, given 
> the relationship between Harry and Voldemort, I would expect V. 
> perhaps to be very formal and pronounce Harry's full name 'Harry 
> Potter' in addressing him.  So why the familiar 'Harry'?  Not that 
I 
> don't like the effect - I love it.  The fatherly affection for 
Harry 
> which it implies, contrasts with his actual treatment of Harry in 
> this scene so beautifully.

I suspect he has grinding into Harry the fact that he is a big strong 
wizard and Harry is a little boy.
 
> 4) (Trivia alert 'on')  Voldemort presumably emerges from the 
> cauldron naked - and thankfully cloaked in steam!  Wormtail then 
puts 
> a robe on him.  But what does he do about footwear?  It must be 
> uncomfortable chasing Harry around a stony graveyard in bare 
feet... 
> or is he weightless and therefore able to get by without shoes?  
Or, 
> perhaps, unable to feel pain or discomfort in his new 
reincarnation?  
> (Must be chilly without undergarments either.)

Good point.  But he really didn't do that much chasing, did he?  
 
> 5) Pronunciation: I don't find this much of a problem generally, 
but 
> the name 'Nagini' usually causes a hiccup when reading aloud to my 
> son.  I've settled on pronouncing it with an elongated 'a', a 
> soft 'g' and the accent on the second syllable.  Would you agree?
> 

For what it is worth, I pronounce it Nah - GEEN - nee.  That and 50 
cent American can buy a carton of milk.  :)

Marcus