Chapter 36 Summary

[love2write_11098 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 15174

> 4. Do your perceptions of Sirius Black change after reading this
> chapter?  Some have commented that his explosive temper and desire 
for
> vengeance in PoA put them off his character a bit.  Did GoF (and 
this
> chapter in particular) do anything to change your feelings about or
> perceptions of Sirius?

Well, I think that Sirius's portrayal in GoF overall indicates that, 
given the opportunity, he would be a perfectly adequate father for 
Harry. The only problem I can see is illustrated when Harry receives 
a reprimand from Sirius for going off with Krum after being told 
about the third task. Harry's immediate reaction (if I remember 
correctly) is indignation, because he knows that Sirius was such a 
troublemaker when he was at school. 

But all of GoF, and this chapter in particular, show that Sirius has 
the emotional and mental capacity it would take to raise his godson. 
The stuff in PoA was desperation mixed with some PTSD, probably.

> 7. JKR confirmed in one of the chats that Arabella Figg, part of the
> "old gang" in Dumbledore's camp, is the same "Mrs. Figg" with the 
cats
> who lives around the corner from the Dursleys on Privet Drive and 
had
> baby-sat Harry for years in the past.  What has been her likely 
role in
> living in such close proximity to Harry all those years?

Probably keeping an eye on Harry to make sure that nothing life-
endangering was happening to him (didn't help him out even though she 
was probably aware of the emotional abuse, though -- wonder what her 
excuse for that was). And also to have someone near enough to get him 
out if Voldemort were to return to full power and somehow break 
through Dumbledore's protective barriers.

> 8. What do we think about what Dumbledore has asked Snape to do?

Nothing pleasant, that's for sure. I would say that Dumbledore had 
asked him to go back undercover, but there's no way that he would 
ever think Voldemort that stupid. No way will Snape ever be trusted 
by the other Death Eaters.

> 9. Was anyone else irritated at Hermione for interrupting the 
emotional
> moment between Harry and Molly Weasley when they first read this
> chapter?  We, of course, later understand what she was doing, but 
what
> was your reaction when you first read this chapter?

Well . . . at that point I'd figured out that Skeeter was an 
animagus, probably an insect, and that Hermione had figured it out as 
well. But I was startled. I felt like the moment had been cut short 
and it shouldn't have been. I felt like that was something that both 
Harry and the reader needed, and Hermione accidentally slamming the 
window (which I think she felt badly about) was a jarring way of 
ending the chapter.

Stacy