Chapter 13 Summary

[Steve Vander Ark]

No: HPFGUIDX 20132


> > 
> > 2.  Did Harry see the Grim on the way back to the castle or was 
he 
> > just imagining things?  Why doesn't he tell Ron?
> 
> Harry definitely saw Sirius, not the Grim, but I understand why he 
> thought it was the Grim.  I don't know that I'd tell Ron, either, 
> especially when Ron seemed to so strongly believe in the Grim.  
> Besides, what could Ron have done to help?

Harry exhibits an interesting skepticism about things. He does 
believe that there is such a thing as a Grim, sure, but in his case 
he always assumes that he can make a choice As he was told by another 
famous Gryffindor, Albus Dumbledore, it's his choices that matter. He 
has an instictive understanding that he has capabilities that others 
don't. He knows that the Grim is real and that it spells trouble, but 
he assunmes (correctly) that he'll be able to take it on. That's his 
Gryffindor self shining through, I think.

Why am I so sure that Dumbledore is a Gryffindor? The hat and the 
sword. And there's one more little hint. Look up "Griffin" in the 
Lexicon's Bestiary if you're curious.

> >  
> > 5.  What did the spectators see when the patronus charged down 
> Malfoy  and gang?
> 
> I imagine they saw a silvery shape that somewhat resembled a stag.  
> Since Harry did not aim his patronus at real Dementors, I don't 
think 
> the patronus was as strong as it would be later when he really 
> conjures it.

I tend to believe that a Patronus is the same, no matter what you 
fire it at. What matters is the strength of will of the caster, and 
Harry had a ton it that right then. So I'd say that everyone saw a 
Patronus and that most of them knew exactly what it was, since there 
were Dementors everywhere that school year and tghe kids were bound 
to have discussed them in classes etc. Why would Lupin have only told 
Harry about the Patronus charm?


> > 
> > 7.  Neville: brave, or "abysmally foolish"?
> 
> I know I'll get slammed for this, but I'm going to go with 
> the "abysmally foolish" response

In a sense, I think you're right, but I put the "blame" for his 
foolishness on something out of his past. I know it doesn't say this 
anywhere in the books, but I think Neville has been given a very 
strong Memory Charm or two, either as part of the attack on his 
parents or as part of the attempt made to help him recover from it. 
Who knows what that poor kid witnessed? He was about two years old at 
the time, maybe even a older. This may have been done at St. Mungos 
by professionals or possibly even by his well-meaning but slightly 
daft Great Uncle Algie (the one who dropped him out of a window, 
pushed him off a pier, and bought him a toad). 

Steve Vander Ark
The Harry Potter Lexicon
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon