Twins/map - Fudge - Disorientation

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 12782

Anne wrote:

>Since Fred and George are
>boys after the original Marauders' own hearts, I can
>easily imagine the Weasely twins getting something
>more useful out of the map than just insults.

Aylihael wrote:

>Ooh- I like that Anne. I'd envisioned the one of twins accidentally 
>saying the right opening words, much as Harry stumbled upon the 
>passwords "Cockroach Cluster" when he was trying to reach Professor 
>Dumbledore's office. In 
>current state of brain-fog, I'm trying to remember if that was in GoF 
>or PoA.

GoF.  I like the idea that the Map responded to the twins' various 
attempts to figure it out by giving them instructions.  And also to 
their intent--can't you see the Marauders making the map able to sense 
when troublemakers as bad as themselves are trying to use it?  I love 
it!  It would be too improbable that F & G would hit on the exact 
words to open and close it--much harder than Harry's admittedly lucky 
guess about Dumbledore's password.  At least he knew a previous one; 
put that together with Dumbledore's sweet tooth, which has been 
hinted at, and guessing kinds of sweets is not too much of a leap.

BTW, I've been going along thinking that sherbet lemon IS a lemon 
drop, since that's how it got "translated" in book 2 (? brain-fog 
here too--I think it was 2).  But it isn't, is it?

Fudge:  I don't think he just happened to be at the Leaky Cauldron, 
but I do wonder if he knew Harry was on the Knight Bus, and/or when in 
the course of the night the MOM found out where Harry was.  They 
definitely lost track of him at some point, or at least knew he was 
outside his usual circle of protection, because they were worried.  
(As well they should have been--Sirius WAS 50 feet from him.  Now how 
did THAT happen?  Had Sirius been lurking as close as possible to 4 
Privet Drive for hours, or did he just happen to get to Little 
Whinging during the 10 minutes Harry was between the house and the 
Bus?  Gotta be the former.)

Maybe not the moment he got onto the Knight Bus, but sometime in the 
night, I think the MOM knew he was on it, knew where he was headed 
(both through magic o' course <g>), and relaxed.  As much as Fudge 
ever relaxes.

Did anyone else feel strange reading the beginning of PoA?  I have 
heard people say they didn't like the first chapter of GoF; I wonder i 
f what they're reacting to is a disorientation caused by the almost 
unheard-of shift out of Harry's POV (and even, very briefly, into 
another character's--Frank's--which I don't think ever happens 
elsewhere in the books).  You begin that first chapter and think, 
"Hey!  Where's our Harry?"  In my case with the first chapters of PoA, 
I felt a sense of disorientation at the prospect that Harry really 
wasn't going to end up at Hogwarts.  When he was sitting in Magnolia 
Crescent, I thought (silly me) that he might really spend the book on 
the run.  I think I was influenced by the cover (him & unknown girl on 
hippogriff--well, it doesn't LOOK like Hermione!) and the title, and 
had the idea that from the beginning he was going to head to Azkaban, 
maybe to rescue someone.  I felt relieved and grounded once more when 
he got to Diagon Alley, and especially when he met up with R & H.  
Amazing what a small shift it takes for an author to give you a whole 
new feeling.

Amy Z

-------------------------------------------------------
  "Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry
said furiously.  "Look at the Dursleys!"
  "Excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore.
                          --HP and the Goblet of Fire 
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