Summary: CoS Chapters 5 an 6

[M. Barnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 23692

>    Question 1:  Mrs. Weasley certainly is neither  stupid nor dull.
>    How come she doesn't notice the magical transformations the car
>    has undergone? ("Muggles *do* know more than we give them credit
>    for, don't they?")

I think perhaps she just overlooks them this time.  Everything is a 
mess and they are already running late, but I'll bet Arthur got his 
ear chewed off once they got back home.
> 
> 
>    Question 2: I'd like you to express your opinions on the couple
>    Molly&Arthur. They seem to get on  very well, but would you say
>    the have a relationship of equals?

I do think they are equals, rather perfectly matched to make a 
whole.  Arthur is laid back, willing to take things in stride, but 
quite willing to act when he needs to ... Molly would rather have the 
rules followed, but is lenient when she needs to be.
> 
>    Question 3: Did anybody at this point think it had something to  
do with Dobby or did you attribute the sealing of the gate to their
>    being late (it rhymes, I'm thunderstruck with my own talent!)?

WHat a poet! :)  Somewhere in the back of my head I wondered if it 
had something to do with Dobby, but settled on it being because they 
were late.  Just goes to prove, you should always go with your first 
answer if you aren't sure!
> 
> 
>    Question 4: (As the question about starting the car/underage 
magic has already been sufficiently discussed, I just leave it out.
>    BUT:) Doesn't this scene tell us something about Ron? He knows
>    that Harry has already got one warning from the MoM and will face
>    expulsion if he's caught doing Underage Magic another time. Is 
Ron selfishly trying to show off? Is he extremely impulsive? 

I actually think Ron is acting selfLESSly, thinking he'd get in more 
trouble than Harry would, because he actually flew the car and Harry 
was just a passenger.  I do think he is impulsive though.  If they'd 
sat backa nd thought about it for a moment, they'd have realized that 
Molly and Arthur would be coming back for he car and they could take 
them to hogwarts, or find another way for them to get where they need 
to be (Knight Bus, Floo powder, etc.)

> 
> >    Question 5: Do you think the weather in general and the
>    meteorological conditions on 1 September have a symbolical value
>    in the books? Is it important that, as the books are
>    getting "darker", the weather on the day of departure is getting
>    worse with every book?

It does seem that way, but wasn't the night Voldie returned a cear 
night?  SO not all bad things come with bad weather.
> 
>  > 
>    Question 6: What do you think the car is running on?  And why 
does the engine die at this point?

Ummm .... good question.  I think the car is running on good 
looks :)  Actually I haven't the foggiest idea.  As for why it dies 
when it does, duh, so it could run into the Whomping Willow!

> 
> >    Question 7: Why does Snape wait for them?( It should be 
McGonagall who is Head of Gryffindor. She does not necessarily have 
to survey the Sorting ceremony, as we know from PoA, where she 
summons Harry and Hermione into her office, while Prof. Flitwick 
replaces her at the Sorting.)

Perhaps things were so busy that McGonagall or Dumbledore didn't 
notice that Harry and Ron hadn't shown up yet.  And Snape, being the 
observant one, picked up on it and figured he'd check it out and 
hopefully find them doing something they shouldn't so he can get them 
kicked out.
> 
> > 
>    Question 8: What Ron and Harry did, would certainly have been
>    worth expulsion. Much as we all like the two of them, do you 
think it OK McGonagall lets them get away just with detention? And why
>    do you think she made this decision?

Well, they gave Malfoy and crew only detentions for the Dementor 
trick on Harry in PoA, so it seems that leniency is a constant for 
punishments.  Of course, the best punishment ever was "Malfoy, the 
amazing bouncing ferret" :)
> 
> 
>    Question 9: If Hermione had been with them at King's Cross, do 
you think the two boys would have convinced her to fly to Hogwarts
>    with them by car? ( Later on in the book (Polyjuice Potion) we 
see that Hermione is as capable of rule- breaking as the other two,
>    which she has already demonstrated in the Norbert-  episode in
>    PS/SS)

I don't know if Hermione would have gone along with it at this 
point.  By GoF, sure.  But right now, I think she'd try and convince 
them to what for Mr. & Mrs. Weasley.

> 
>    Question 10: It has never been made really clear how Mr. Weasley
>    managed to keep his job at the MoM, given that the charge against
>    him was quite serious (Rita Skeeter's article in GoF only 
mentions
>    that he was charged with the illegal possession of an enchanted
>    car) . How do you think he got himself out?

Arthur probably has a few contacts that owe him some favors, so he 
called in those favors.  Of course, he can't get away with something 
that big again, but I think a flying car is the least of his worries 
now.
> 
>    Question 11: I cannot get rid of the thought that some of the 
less important characters, and especially Lockhart, are caricatures of
>    very real and unpleasant persons JKR met and couldn't resist to
>    have her little revenge on. What do you think?

I think it could be one of those write what you know things.  Of 
course, not everything in HP can be written from first hand 
knowledge, but people surely can be.
> 
> 
>    Question 12: Do you think that Lockhart's way of presenting
>    himself as The- One- Who- Always- Knows- Best is a result of
>    stupidity combined with selfishness and conceit, or is it simply 
a calculated strategy, trying how far people will let him go
>    (following Hitler's famous: The bigger the lie, the more people
>    will believe it)? Is he a Slytherin?

I think he truly believes he knows all and is the best at 
everything.  He's a Slytherin ... smarmy bloke that he is.
> 
> 
>    Question 13: Which part of the plant is used for potion- making?
>    Do they chop up the leaves or the "roots" (eurgh!!)? And if it's
>    the leaves, what happens to the "roots"? Sorry, but this has been
>    tormenting me since I first read the book.

I am hoping they use the leaves ... and that when the leaves are cut 
off, the cry of the mandrake is no longer deadly and they become 
harmless, or better yet, like when a bee loses its stinger it dies, 
when a mandrake loses its leaves it dies.  swift and painless :)
> 
> 
>    Question 14: The general opinion about Colin Creevey isn't too
>    positive but what about his behaviour during this scene? Standing
>    up to Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, on his first day at Hogwarts and
>    furthermore being Muggle- born, indicates that he has a lot of
>    courage. And what do you think about his surprising psychological
>    insight? Is Malfoy really jealous of Harry?

Colin Creevey is just so impressed to know the person most revered in 
his new culture, he can't help being annoying.  It'd be like me 
knowing the guy who invented the halligan tool.  what a genius he 
is.  oh sorry, but I think Colin's bravery in standing up to malfoy 
and Co, was partly due to the fact that he didn't knwowho they were.  
If he'd only been with his feloow house mates, he wouldn't really 
know who the bad guys are.  And of course Malfoy is jealous of 
Harry.  He gets all the attention that Malfoy wants.

> 
> 
>    Question 15: How come that Hermione who as far as we know her, is
>    not a person to judge people because of their looks, is so easily
>    fooled by Lockhart? If not his tactless behaviour to Prof. 
Sprout,
>    at least the Pixie incident should have cast some light upon who
>    and what he really is.

This goes back to someones theory that Lockhart has a Charm charm on 
his books, perhaps even on his person to make people, especially 
women, think he is wonderful.  He's just annoying.

michelle :)

p.s.  Great summary Susanna :)  but, I, personally, like all the 
questions at the end ... makes for less editing ... but that's just 
me ... And yeah. :)