PoA Chapters 21-22 Summary (long)

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 22150

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., naama_gat at h... wrote:
(An excellent, very thorough summary snipped)

Q: Had Black really meant to 
> kill him then? It was a very dangerous prank, but was it 
> cruelty on Black's part or thoughtlessness?

I have never been sure about this.  On one hand I do not want to 
think that our dear, much beloved Sirius is capable of such a thing.  
But, he really did (does) hate Snape, and we don't know the extent of 
the provocation.  It was, IMO cruel and thoughtless, and shows a 
distressing lack of maturity and ability to think through to the 
consequences.  He was 16 at the time though.

Q: 
> Why tell it in clues? Great for the story and suspense 
> building, but was it really reasonable when so much is at 
> stake? What if they hadn't understood?

Another flaw here, as far as I am concerned.  On the one hand (again) 
Dumbledore probably had every faith in Harry and Hermione, and knew 
they would work it out.  On the other hand, why leave anything to 
chance?  Perhaps he didn't realise that he was being so cryptic?

Q: What's wrong with a 
> broomstick? Why did they need Buckbeak?

A couple of things here.  Firstly, Dumbledore wanted to make sure 
Buckbeak was saved as well - killing two birds with one stone.  On 
the other hand, Harry and Hermione do not have the invisibility cloak 
at this time, and do not know he Accio charm, so could neither have a)
gone to fetch broomsticks or b) summon broomsticks.

What does confuse me is something which has cropped up in relation to 
how the time travel works.  It was suggested not too long ago that 
events are not actually changed - that because Harry and Hermione are 
in two places at once, during the first supposed execution of 
Buckbeak Harry and Hermione are already there, and Buckbeak is never 
executed in the first place.  Therefore, doesn't Dumbledore already 
know that Buckbeak has been rescued?


 [Q: Is there some rule as to what shape a Patronus takes? If 
> so, what is the rule? What can we conclude about it from 
> Harry's Patronus? Did anybody read this bit without tears in 
> her/his eyes?]

Yes, but all the final chapters of PoA really affect me.  I 
positively howl my through it.  Harry created his Patronus from 
within himself - from happy times.  Surely that some of his happiest 
moments, although they are very deep in his subconscious as he was so 
young at the time, are the first months of his life when he lived 
with his parents.  James is part of him, therefore it is not 
surprising that his Patronus is Prongs.

: Why, though? This point has always rather 
> confused me. A "single, very happy memory" is not the same 
> as self-confidence, is it? 

I don't know - and this even defeated Hermione, so I'm not alone! He 
is saying that he saw himself save them, and therefore knew he could 
do it - this doesn't seem to work chronologically for me, at all.

> [Q: Why?? How can he hate him so much as to want him to 
> receive the Kiss? Is it reasonable for a boy's grudge to be 
> taken to such an extreme?

Seems on a par with Sirius' hatred for Snape.  From Snape's point of 
view, I suppose that even if he thinks that Sirius is innocent of 
killing Pettigrew and the muggles, that he deserved the kiss for 
trying to kill him when they were at school.  Very nasty indeed.  
Also an example of Snape using his love of rules and regulations, and 
working within the parameters that they set, to exact revenge on 
someone, whether it is morally right or wrong.  Horrible man!
Q: If werewolves are 
> only dangerous at the time of the full moon, why are people 
> afraid of them all the time? I can understand the fear when 
> you don't know who the werewolf is, but when you know 
> who he is, it should be easy to take precautions against him, 
> no? Doesn't it remind you of another prejudice against a 
> different disease?]

Yes it does, and it is probably based on prejudice and 
misconception.  People probably know that it isn't true, but can't 
help feeling that a contact with a werewolf at any time could result 
in infection.  

To elaborate slightly, or perhaps to wonder off the point a little - 
Ron's fear of the Forbidden Forest reinforces this misconception.  He 
says, fearfully to Harry something along the lines of "Aren't there 
supposed to be werewolves in the forest?"  (In CoS, I think.)  Why 
would there be?  If they are human most of the time, why would they 
live in the Forest?  Do they apparate there when there is a full 
moon, as it is a place where they could be safe?  Or do they have a 
community there as they are shunned everywhere they go?  Is it a case 
of werewolves as the bogeyman, which logically should be found in the 
Forbidden Forest?

Another thing:  I was always struck about the fact that Gilderoy 
Lockhart writes a book about werewolves, and "teaches" his class 
about them.  Then the next DADA professor is a werewolf.  I don't 
like the way that they are treated as subhuman, and something to be 
feared, particularly as there is now something which can make them 
safe during transformations.


C: how is he feeling now, returning to a life where 
> no one is willing to hire him? Where no one will trust him? 
> Does he have a family? Friends who can help?]

I am always very upset when Lupin has to leave.  He must be feeling 
that he had his chance, and has blown it.  I wish I knew where he 
was, who he was with.  I don't want to picture him living alone - 
lonely and poverty-stricken.

[Q: What was 
> the first?!?!?!?] 
There is no way that I am going to make another stab at predicting 
what Prof T's first prediction was.  Suffice it to say, I am sure 
that Voldemort and the Potters feature in it in some way!

[Q: In what way will this happen? Is 
> the bond that Dumbledore refers to a magical bond or a moral 
> bond?] 

I think that, as has been stated so many times before, Pettigrew is 
ripe for redemption and the bond is neither magical or moral - but a 
bond of debt.  Pettigrew is indebted to Harry for his life.  He tried 
to persuade Voldemort not to go after Harry in GoF, and was not 
strong enough.   Who knows what will happen in the future?

Catherine