CoS Chapter 12--The Polyjuice Potion

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25095

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., pbnesbit at m... wrote:
> 
> Questions: 
> 
> 1.  Did Snape know before the episode at the duelling club that 
Harry 
> was a Parselmouth?

I'd say that somehow he did.  He sets Harry up in front of a group of 
people who will see his interaction with the snake and hear him speak 
Parselmouth.  This is very similar to PoA, when Snape fills in for 
Lupin and procedes to teach Harry's class about werewolves.


> 2.  Why was Snape looking at Harry with '...a shrewd and 
calculating 
> look' after he told the snake to mind it's manners?


Okay, maybe Snape only had a suspicion that Harry was a Parselmouth, 
and set him up to see what would happen.  Then, when Harry reveals 
that he is indeed a Parselmouth, Snape gets that shrewd look because 
he now suspects that Harry has a bundle of interesting powers.  


> 3.  Fred and George cover themselves with fur and boils and jump 
out 
> at Ginny (who's upset that Colin's been Petrified).  Do you think 
> they're callous? 

No, I don't think their callous; they just don't realize that they're 
not helping her.  I think they're treating her like they would treat 
any of their brothers.  Plus, they probably realize that their 
actions get up Percy's nose, which is always a benefit in the twins' 
minds.


> 4.  Do you think Fawkes's plumage colour is significant?

Red and gold - aren't they Gryffindor colors?

> 5.  Why doesn't Harry tell Dumbledore what's bothering him? 

He's insecure about a lot of things - he is still relatively new to 
the wizard world, everyone knows who he is as The Boy Who Lived, he 
hasn't had a supportive family life and no adults that have ever 
seemed to be truly interested in his welfare on a day-to-day basis, 
people already suspect him of being involved in the Petrifying 
incidents, and he strongly agrees with Ron that hearing voices no one 
else hears is not a good thing.  
 
> 6.  Why was Harry in the Transfiguration corridor?  Is that the way 
> to Gryffindor Tower?

I have to admit that my mind shuts down sometimes when we're 
traveling from one room to another in Hogwarts.  I've long ago given 
up trying to remember where everything is in relation to everything 
else.  Good thing I'm not a student there - I'd probably be able to 
find Hagrid's hut, the greenhouses, the Forbidden Forest and the 
lake.  Other than that, I'd be the Neville Longbottom of classroom 
location.


> 7.  Who sets the passwords to the common rooms?  Do you think the 
> choice of passwords is important? Significant?  

Although I think the professor who is the head of the house can have 
some input, it seems that the Gryffindor portraits are able to set 
the passwords. The passwords used by Gryffindor when the Fat Lady's 
portrait is there were of a different nature than when Sir Cadogan 
filled in for her in PoA.  And, IIRC, didn't Neville have a problem 
remembering the passwords in PoA because Cadogan kept changing them?  
Since the Slytherins are talking to a wall, it would seem that their 
head, Snape, would be the logical choice for password master.

 
Marianne, thrilled not to come in on the discussion after 50 people 
have already answered them...