Chapter 12 Summary

[meboriqua at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 20120

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Trina" <lj2d30 at g...> wrote:

> Questions:
> 
> 1.  It is in this chapter that we first see Hermione exhibiting 
signs  of burnout.  Why hasn't anyone (namely teachers) noticed 
before now?   Why was she even allowed to take such a ghastly load 
anyway?>

Someone mentioned that Hogwarts is a place where students are allowed 
to learn by their own successes or mistakes, and I agree with that.  
Hermione needed to learn by herself that she took on a load that was 
too heavy for her.  I also believe that Professor McGonagall thought 
that Hermione would be able to handle it.  In the end, she did, 
actually, even though it was a rough year for her.  
> 
> 2.  Were Ron and Harry right to behave so abominably to Hermione in 
> the affair of the Firebolt?

Well, they thought Hermione betrayed them by telling a professor that 
Harry had received a Firebolt.  At that age, tattling is tattling, no 
matter what the reason.  Things were already strained because of 
Crookshanks, Hermione's workload, and Harry's news about his parents 
as well as his struggles against the Dementors.  Did they overreact 
(especially Ron)?  Yes.  But was it understandable?  I think so.
> 

> 
> 4. *Is* it obvious what is making Lupin ill?  (yeah, yeah, yeah, I 
> know.  Pretend this is the first time you've read PoA)

*Stammers incoherently for a minute*  I had no idea.
> 
> 5.  Wood has the Gyffindor team practising 5 nights a week.  Do you 
> think this is allowed by school rules?  Is Wood a little *too* 
> obssessed? 

Wood is one of my favorite characters.  He's a committed team 
captain, dammit!  Just kidding.  He is absolutely obsessed, but hey, 
Gryffindor wouldn't be as good a team without him.  I particularly 
love the fact that he cares more about the Firebolt than he does 
about Sirius Black wanting to murder Harry.  Talk about being single 
minded! 
> 
> 6. Put on your thinking caps now.  Which is a worse fate: death, or 
> the dementor's kiss? Why?

If there is absolutely without a doubt no way back from the 
Dementor's Kiss, I suppose that is worse. Like others, I am curious 
to know where those soulless people go.  OTOH, what is worse than 
death?  I mean, do people who have been Kissed suffer?  That's a hard 
question to answer.  
> 
> 7.  Ron is apparantly more easily angered at Hermione than is 
Harry,  even in the Firebolt Fuss.  Why is this?

Ron is more hot tempered than Harry fairly consistently.  He tends to 
show more emotion than Harry does. He is usually the one who is ready 
to jump all over Draco, for example.  I think, after everything with 
Crookshanks, Ron is especially impatient with Hermione, and given her 
apparent lack of consideration over Scabber's fright, I can 
understand that.

--jenny from ravenclaw***********************************************