Chapter Questions - Chinese - Hermione - Jinxes/Magical Theory - Ghost

[Rita Winston]

No: HPFGUIDX 24591

Marianne Zarleycat PADFT wrote:

> 1. What was Snape's "peculiar expression"?  If he 
> really was trying not to smile, what about this 
> situation did he find so amusing?

Maybe he was amused at the hysterical way that Filch was carrying on and
making a fool of himself. Maybe he had had his own run-ins with Mrs
Norris in his student days and enjoyed seeing her get hers. Maybe he is
suppressing the amusement because there is an explicit rule against
laughing *at* a fellow staff member, or maybe because it would be bad
tactics to break the Snape-Filch-against-Harry alliance, or maybe
because Snape actually does get along well with Filch. Maybe Snape (new
theory) has a sympathetic feeling toward Filch because he seems them
both as being picked on and victimized by handsome popular Gryffindors,
or maybe (old theory) they became friends because of their shared
interest, i.e. torturing students. HOWEVER, I just thought that it must
feel very odd to Snape to ally with Filch against all students (except
Draco) IF Snape spent seven student years being one of Filch's
victims....

2. Is Snape's suggestion that Harry be removed from
> the Quidditch team reasonable?

If the grown-ups were in agreement that Harry has relevant information
and should be forced to reveal that information, removing him from the
Quidditch team until he tells would be the most effective way to get him
to tell. If they locked him in a cupboard under the stairs without any
supper until he told, that would just be what he was used to. But
withholding Quidditch -- that is not only the thing he most wants, but
brings in considerations of loyalty to his teammates who are counting on
him. But Dumbledore stays out of it and McGonagall doesn't believe that
Harry knows anything about /a/n/y/t/h/i/n/g/ Mrs Norris's sad fate, so
she reacts only to her concern for Gryffindor Quidditch.

> 2.  Why is it taking so long to get Myrtle's bathroom repaired?

IIRC everytime it is repaired, she breaks it again. That would tend to
downgrade the priority of repairing it AGAIN...

Btw why not CRKSHK?

Tabouli wrote:

> It talked about the difficulties of translating 
> the concepts and nuances of JKR's work into the 
> language of a completely different culture, and 
> I printed it out

Oooh! Oooh! Is it on the web somewhere now? Do you know the URL?

> Some people were speculating on Hermione's 
> magical talent, as opposed to her effort, 
> implying that Harry has more raw talent, 
> and she is "book smart" only. (obligatory
> cultural insert: note that not all cultures 
> separate ability and effort: some consider 
> diligence intrinsic to intelligence... 
> Hermione would fit right in!).  Backed up,
> of course, by JKR, who said that post 3rd year, 
> Harry would beat her in a duel.

But we're considering more than two (as counted by MY culture) factors
here. Hermione is a diligent student and she ALSO has IMHO very high
academic intelligence, but does she have very high, high, or merely
average magical power/talent? The raw innate ability to do magic (once
trained) is a third factor, like having exceptionally good eyesight. 

(Relevant digression on intelligence and eyesight: Lee's old
optometrist, who has retired <sigh>, when giving the eyechart test,
would adjust the score of correct answers according to the patient's
'intelligence', because the 'intelligent' patient automatically makes
the mental compensation that a blurry letter with horizontal stripes is
probably an E or an F, where a less 'intelligent' person just says "No,
I can't read it". And the diligent, intelligent student can do more
magic with an average amount of 'talent' than a lazy and stupid student
can do with an above average amount of 'talent'.) 

I think both Hermione and Ron have well above average 'talent'. Harry
has the most 'talent' (that's a given) but another advantage he would
have over Hermione in a duel (at least after GoF) is a lot of PRACTISE
at using his magic in life-threatening situations. 

Pippin wrote:

> What's odd is that Hermione insists that jinxes
> need eye-contact, but other similar spells, such
> as accio and stupefy, don't.

:cheers Pippin's insight on Burnham Wood coming to Dunsinane.

Maybe it is only JINXES and not Hexes, Curses, or Charms which require
eye-contact. Maybe there is a huge technical difference in the way a
Jinx is wound up and thrown from other spells.

> No doubt it all makes sense to wizards, but is 
> incomprehensible to  the Muggle mind.

LOL

Dave Hardenbrook wrote:

> (But how is it that Elvera can touch things and 
> reek Peeves-like havoc, but no one can touch *her*??)

By "making a direct contact with the" telekinetic "centers of someone's
brain".

Alfredo Ramirez wrote:

> Binns is boring, but that doesnt make him 
> incompetent. Perhaps he simply knows more
> history than any other teacher you may find

May I nitpick? Even if Binns is the most competent historian ever, he
isn't a competent TEACHER if none of his students except Hermione ever
learn anything. 
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