SUMMARIES: The Worst Birthday and Dobby's Warning

[DinaYS at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 22920

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., catherine at c... wrote:
> Chapter One:  The Worst Birthday.
> 
> Hey this is my first post!!!
> 
> 1.	When will JKR stop putting in the annoying reminders about 
> events in past books?    Do her publishers tell her to do so?
> 
As an elementary school teacher i want to remind that children read 
and listen to these books, some at a young age, they will often not 
have the same memory for details that adults have and short little 
reminders like the ones J.K. puts in are helpful to jog small 
memories.
> 2.	When Mr Dursley says that today is an important day, do you 
> think that he is deliberately and sadistically raising Harry's 
hopes 
> that they have remembered his birthday - and care?

I dont see Mr. Dursley as sadistic, just neglectful anbd not caring.  
I dont think he has any desire to remind Harry of his past, which 
includes birthdays 
> 
  3.Why can't Petunia see that Dudley has a serious weight 
> problem?
Parents are just blind to their children's issues at times 
 
> 4.	Why are Mr Dursley and Dudley wearing dinner jackets?  Did 
> the Dursleys stipulate Black Tie when they invited the Masons?  
What 
> does this say about them?

They are very self important
> 
> 5.	Has anyone ever eaten a pudding made of cream and sugared 
> violets?  Is it as sickly and as revolting as it sounds?
> 
> 6.	Why is Dudley being so co-operative about the dinner party?  
> Is he being bribed with promises of extra treats if the Dursleys 
> become richer?
>
I think gennerally pleasing his parents on important occasions will 
gennerally bring praise and presents to Dudley
 
> 7.	Harry notes that he won't be taken on holiday with the 
> Dursleys.  What do they usually do with him when they go away?
> 
Mrs. Figg, who has possible magic connections (see end of GoF) 
including protection over Harry

 8.	Why does Harry assume that his friends have forgotten him, 
> rather than thinking something may have happened?  Is he very 
> insecure?
> 
He has never had friends before, how is he to be sure of what will 
happen when they are seperated, remember he is feeling seperated from 
the wizarding world which has been his only home

> 9.	Dobby says that Harry is too important to be put at risk.  
> Why is this?  Is it just because of what Harry stands for among the 
> oppressed, or does it refer to something which is going to happen 
in 
> the future?  Could this be an early reference to Professor 
> Trelawney's first prediction?
> 
Not only Prof., Treelawneys prediction, but to unanswered question 
Harry asks Dumbledore at end os S.S. of why Voldemort was trying to 
kill himn, there is something different about Harry

> 10.	What happened to Harry's letters?  Did Dobby take them with 
> him?  Did Lucius Malfoy intercept them?
> 
> 11.	Why did Dobby drop the pudding?  So it would have the effect 
> it did have, or to try and get Harry immediately expelled?
>  
To get Harry expelled or kept home by Dursleys, either way not at 
Hogwarts
> 12.	If Harry had been expelled, at the end of the year, would 
> Dobby have cleared his name?
> 
Not if danger was still there
> 
> 13.	If the MoM knew that magic had been performed in the house, 
> why didn't they also know that it wasn't Harry who had done it?
> 
HE. are powerfully magic creatures and maybe could mask their magic

> 14.	The MoM say that they have "received information" that magic 
> has been performed in the house.  Is it possible that Dobby 
> anonymously tipped them off?

Yes> 

> 15.	How did the owl arrive so quickly?  Is it possible that owls 
> can apparate, or did the wizard who sent it apparate close by 
before 
> releasing the owl?
> 
> Catherine