Summary: CoS Chapters 5 an 6

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23755

 
>    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?")
 
She's trying to lull Arthur into a false sense of security, 
especially in front of the children.  Once they get home, she's going 
to let him have it, just as she jumped on Fred and George for taking 
the car to go get Harry.

 
>    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?

Yes, Molly is the more vocal and overtly emotional, which nicely 
balances Arthur's more easy-going personality.  They seem well 
matched to me.

>    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!)?

I didn't, but then, I really never liked Dobby, so when he's out of 
sight, he's out of mind, for me.


>    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 think this solution occurred to Ron because it was obvious - right 
there in front of them - no one around to talk them out of it.  
Impulsive, yes.  Lack of thinking about the potential consequences of 
his actions, yes.  Selfish or show-off-ish, no.

 
>    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?

Never noticed, but I'll pay attention going forward.

 
>    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.)


It's a plot device to make Snape look mean.  And he carrys it off 
with flying colors.  

 
>    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?


I'm troubled by what exactly merits expulsion.  We've been told that 
use of magic by under-age wizards can lead to expulsion, but that 
rule never seems to be enforced.  Hagrid was expelled in his third 
year, but still gets away with doing some magic.

 Draco's attempt to rattle Harry with a Dementor imitation in PoA 
certainly seemed vicious enough for extreme punishment.  Sirius' joke 
on Snape also seemed beyond the pale. Neither was expelled. To my 
mind, these are potentially more serious acts than performing a Hover 
Charm in the Dursleys kitchen. 


> 
> 
> CHAPTER 6- Gilderoy Lockhart
> 
> 
>    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?
> 
 I imagine he has enough friends or goodwill from those in power to 
weasel out of it.



 
>    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?


Stupidity, egomania, conceit.  I don't think it's a calculated 
strategy because Lockhart always seems to do something idiotic that 
shows him up to be a stupid, conceited egomaniac.  Maybe he was one 
of those pretty people who everyone always made excuses for, and he 
became accustomed to doing whatever he wanted because no one ever 
challenged him. 


A Slytherin?  Maybe - he certainly seems to have ambition, but it all 
seem centered on self-aggrandizement.  I tend to think of Slytherins 
as being more aware of their talents and how to use them, but then I 
think of Crabbe and Goyle and my thinkging explodes into tiny bits.


> 
>    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 don't want to know.

>    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 can be annoying, but he's alright.  He makes me think of 
Neville, but with less timidity.  And, is Malfoy jealous?  I keep 
waiting for him to turn just the right shade of green to go with his 
silvery-blond hair.

> 
>    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.

She's just cutting him some slack because he's cute.  I guess that 12-
year-old boys don't have a monopoly on silly thinking.  12-year-old 
girls can be just as silly.

Marianne