another fun question - earwax? hmmm...

[Kimberly]

No: HPFGUIDX 13656


Naama said:
<<So, I thought I'd put it as a question for you guys here - what do 
you find most imaginative, funny or otherwise exhilirating in HP?>>


I had a very hard time narrowing it down to three, but I'd say 

I really like Fawkes, the actual phoenix, who really *does* rise from 
his own ashes.

I love the Weasley's clock that tells where/how everyone is.

The pensieve seems to me to be absolute genious in it's conception, 
and I could put it to good use immediately.

But if I'm allowed, a happy runner-up is Quidditch itself.  Hard 
enough to invent a new sport, but to invent one this exciting, 
complicated and magical is just further evidence that JK's imagination 
is made of the finest stuff.


Naama again:
                 <<WARNING to the squeamish - ignore next paragraph! 
On a different note, but related to Bertie's Beans - Does anybody else 
find it highly suspicious that Dumbledore recognized the taste of 
earwax? Vomit I understand, even bogies I understand (yuck), but 
earwax?!!>>

There are a few reasons I can think of that one might have a 
familiarity with the taste of earwax beyond the reasonable 
explanations that have already been mentioned.  Anyone ever heard of a 
'wet willy'?  Involving having a wet finger stuck in your ear - 
usually by an annoying sibling or the equivalent?  I have seen (with 
glee) the attempt to repeat such a procedure result in learning 
something one might rather never to know.  
Also... well, I'm actually a real prude, but I've... accidentally come 
across such a thing in the past.  As I'm blushing about 12 different 
shades of red now, I don't think I'll elaborate.


In fact, let me change the subject dramatically so as to divert your 
attention from the orange glow of my face.  Hmmm... Ah!  The shipper 
debate always makes for a good diversion.  

Mo says of the Yule Ball argument quote:

<<First, Hermione says this to Ron and NOT to Harry.  Why would she 
bother (IMO) *telling* Ron to ask her to be his date next time if she 
liked Harry or anyone else for that matter?  There are plenty of 
things she could have said such as "shut up" or "I can date whoever I 
want to."  Really, I think that the above statement may as well say, 
"The minute they announce the next ball you had better be over here 
begging me to go with you!"  <VBG>  She does NOT tell Harry to ask her 
out next time. I guess I really don't think that Hermione's feelings 
are some big mystery.  She may not be as transparent as Ron and the 
hints may be a bit more subtle but I feel that they are there.  
Especially after that statement during the infamous Yule fight.  :)>>>

Simon responded:

                 <<Hermione may say that line to Ron, but that is 
almost certainly because it is Ron that is making a big deal about all 
of the ball stuff. They are in the middle of an argument in which Ron 
is making a big deal out of nothing and Harry has just walked in and 
witnesses the end of it. <snip>>>

While I agree with Simon that it wouldn't have made much sense in the 
context for Hermione to include Harry in that statement, I 
respectfully submit that that does not explain why she would not have 
chosen, as Mo says, to use a different retort alltogether.  Why, if 
Hermione would prefer *not* to date Ron, would she not only suggest 
that he ask her out in the future, but also suggest that she would go 
- by implying that had he asked her to the ball first, it would have 
"solved" the problem.  "Well if you don't like it, you know what the 
solution is, don't you?  Next time there's a ball, ask me before 
someone else does, and not as a last resort!"
She could easily, as Mo said, have told him to go soak his head, or to 
stay out of her personal business, or that she didn't need him to tell 
her who to date, but instead she said that to solve his problem, he 
should ask her out.
Is she being cruel, setting him up to fail?  Doesn't seem like her.

kimberly