Summary - POA Chapters 3 and 4

[Jim Flanagan]

No: HPFGUIDX 18356


CHAPTER THREE - THE KNIGHT BUS
prepared by Jim Flanagan

The chapter begins with Harry having run several blocks to escape the 
wrath of Vernon and/or the MoM's Underage Use of Magic 
Investigators.  Harry was several streets away before he collapsed in 
Magnolia Crescent.

Stranded and alone, he feared that he would be expelled from 
Hogwarts. He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage 
Wizardry for which he had already received a citation the previous 
year on account of a spell cast by Dobby.

Harry worried about was going to happen to him: arrest, expulsion 
from the wizarding world? He had no way to contact Ron and Hermione, 
either.  He had no money, but he did have his trunk containing his 
wand, his schoolbooks, broomstick, and Invisibility Cloak.  He 
thought to use the Invisibility Cloak to help him in his escape, but 
before he could dig it out, a funny prickling on the back of his neck 
had made him feel that he was being watched.  He cast the "Lumos" 
spell, making a dazzling light come out the end of his wand. He held 
the wand high over his head, and saw "the hulking outline of 
something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes."

Harry jumped, falling into the gutter painfully. Presently there was 
a loud BANG, announcing the arrival of the Knight Bus.  Harry rolled 
back onto the pavement, just in time, he thought, to avoid being run 
over.

Harry learned from the conductor, Stan Shunpike, that this was the 
Knight Bus, "emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard."  
Apparently, just by holding out his wand in that particular manner, 
he had inadvertently "hailed" the Bus.  Harry saw that Stan Shunpike 
was only a few years older than he was. After a bit of conversation, 
Harry told Stan about the big dog that he had seen, but Stan didn't 
respond, and instead asked about Harry's scar.  Fearing recognition, 
Harry quickly covered the scar, and said that his name was Neville 
Longbottom, "the first name that came into his head."

Stan told him that the fare to London was 11 sickles (15 with hot 
chocolate). Instead of seats there were half a dozen brass bedsteads 
(and, presumably, beds) beside the curtained windows. Harry was given 
the "seat" right behind the driver, Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard 
wearing very thick glasses, who was sitting in an armchair.

With a BANG, the Knight Bus took off again, and resumed its 
trajectory over Wales.  The next stop was Abergavenny.  Harry learned 
that Muggles couldn't see nor hear the Bus, because "they don' listen 
properly," according to Stan.

Stan went upstairs to fetch the passenger who was debarking at 
Abergavenny, a "faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak."  
Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut (a violent 
image, but not unfamiliar to anyone who has ridden the Los Angeles 
RTD).

Harry's stomach churned as he wondered what was going to happen to 
him.

Stan had was reading a copy of the Daily Prophet, which featured a 
large picture of Sirius Black.  Harry saw it, and told Stan that he'd 
seen the same man on the Muggle news. "Neville" read that the MoM had 
informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the escape. He also learned 
more details of Black's crime: murder of 13 people with a single 
curse. Stan and Ernie told Harry that Black was a "big supporter of 
You-Know-'Oo," perhaps even his second-in-command. After he had 
murdered the people, he laughed.  And when the MoM got there, he went 
peacefully, "still laughing his head off."

Stan & Ern had some rather negative things to say about Azkaban and 
its staff, saying that if Black weren't insane when he went in, he 
surely would have gone insane after a while inside.  Harry learned 
that the cover story told to the Muggles had been that it was a gas 
explosion.

Harry reflected that he himself had broken wizard law just like 
Sirius (by inflating Aunt Marge). He imagined himself thrown into 
Azkaban, like Hagrid, who had been there twice.

More witches and wizards disembarked from the bus, looking very 
pleased to leave.  Finally, Harry was the only passenger left.  Harry 
watched as the Knight Bus approached Diagon Alley and skidded to a 
halt in front the Leaky Cauldron, where Minister of Magic Cornelius 
Fudge was waiting, looking cold and exhausted. Fudge 
identified "Neville" as Harry Potter to Stan.  Fudge took Harry into 
the Leaky Cauldron quickly.

Tom, the landlord, said, "You've got him, Minister!" indicating that 
Fudge and Tom had been awaiting Harry's arrival for some time.

Fudge and Tom took Harry to a small parlor where Fudge introduced 
himself and explained the situation. The MoM, which was in "a right 
flap" by Harry's sudden disappearance, had dealt with the blowing-up 
of Aunt Marge.  Her memories had been altered, but Vernon's and 
Petunia's had not, although they were "extremely angry," and had 
asked that Harry stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter 
holidays. Harry said that he *always* stayed at Hogwarts during the 
holidays.  

Fudge said that Harry was to stay at Diagon Alley for the remaining 
two weeks until the start of term.  Harry asked about his punishment 
for blowing up his Aunt, but Fudge said that they were not going to 
punish him "for a little thing like that." Harry asked Fudge why the 
rules had apparently changed, but Fudge looked uncomfortable and 
said, "Circumstances change... surely you don't want to be expelled?" 
Now that Harry thought about it, he realized that it would have been 
highly unusual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in 
trivial matters like underage magic.

Harry was given room 11 at the Leaky Cauldron where he would stay the 
two weeks. Fudge told him not to go out into Muggle London, but to 
stay in Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron, where Tom would look out 
for him. Harry asked Fudge if there had been any word about Black 
yet, but Fudge, looking nervous, said no, but that it was just a 
matter of time.

Before Fudge departed, Harry asked him if he would sign the 
permission form so that he could visit Hogsmeade, but Fudge refused, 
saying that he would be safer if he didn't venture out of Hogwarts.

Fudge left and Tom took Harry to his comfortable new room.  Hedwig 
was already there, having arrived 5 minutes after Harry had.  Harry 
stroked Hedwig, not believing his luck.  Then, without even removing 
his glasses, he fell asleep.


CHAPTER FOUR - THE LEAKY CAULDRON

It took Harry several days to get used to his new freedom at Diagon 
Alley. He ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he 
watched other witches and wizards and assorted other magical beings.  
Harry spent his days exploring the shops and eating under the 
brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, discussing various things, 
including the case of Sirius Black. Harry did his homework in the 
open, with help and encouragement from Florean Fortescue.

Harry refilled his money bag at Gringotts, and had to exercise a lot 
of self-control not to spend it all at the shops at Diagon Alley. The 
thing that tested his resolution most was the Firebolt racing broom 
at Quality Quidditch Supplies.  Harry didn't like to think how much 
gold the Firebolt would cost, but he returned, almost every day to 
look at the Firebolt.

Harry went to the Apothecary to replenish his potions ingredients, 
and he visited Madam Malkin's for new robes. He bought his new 
schoolbooks, including those for his two new subjects, Care of 
Magical Creatures and Divination at Flourish and Blotts.

To the relief of the clerk, Harry already had the Magical Creatures 
book, but asked to see the Divination book, Unfogging the Future by 
Cassandra Vablatsky.  But Harry saw another book on display nearby: 
Death Omens - What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming.  The 
front cover of which "showed a black dog large as a bear, with 
gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar..."

As the days passed many Hogwarts students had begun to arrive in 
Diagon Alley. On the last day of holidays Harry finally met up with 
Ron & Hermione, who were sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice 
Cream Parlor.  Ron knew through his father that Harry had been 
staying at the Leaky Cauldron.  Hermione asked Harry if he had really 
blown up his aunt. Ron roared with laughter, but Hermione thought it 
was very serious. Harry said that he didn't mean to do it.  Hermione 
said that she was amazed that Harry hadn't been expelled. Ron 
laughed, "Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it? ... Famous Harry Potter 
and all that."

Ron and Hermione had gotten all their school stuff, including Ron's 
new wand, "Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-
hair."  Hermione had a lot of books because she was taking more 
subjects, including Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, 
Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies."
Hermione was mum when they asked how she was going to manage all the 
extra work.

Hermione had ten Galleons unspent birthday money which she planned to 
use to buy an owl. The trio went to the magical creature shop where 
Hermione could look at owls, and Ron could get a tonic for Scabbers.  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited while the clerk finished waiting on 
another customer, examining the animals in the many cages. They saw a 
variety of creatures including a pair of enormous purple toads, a 
gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell, poisonous orange 
snails, and a fat white rabbit that kept changing into a silk top 
hat. There were cats of every color, ravens, funny custard-colored 
furballs that were humming loudly, and a cage of sleek black rats.

When it was their turn to be waited on, Ron showed Scabbers to the 
clerk. She determined that Scabbers was rather old for an "ordinary 
common garden rat" which only lives 3 years or so. But Ron didn't 
want a replacement rat, so she offered a rat tonic.

Suddenly, "something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the 
highest cage," landing on Ron's head and going madly after Scabbers.

Scabbers ran out of the store and took refuge under a wastepaper bin 
outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. It took Ron and Harry 10 minutes 
to catch it again.  Meanwhle, Hermione had stayed behind in the shop, 
where she had bought the large orange cat, named Crookshanks.

Ron was angry when he found out that Hermione had bought the cat that 
had attacked Scabbers.  Hermione minimized this, saying that the cat 
would sleep in the girls' dorm, and wouldn't bother Scabbers.  She 
gave the bottle of rat tonic to Ron, who had forgotten to get it 
while he was in the shop.

Going back into the Leaky Cauldron, they found Mr. Weasley in the bar 
reading the Daily Prophet. Seeing the picture of Sirius Black on the 
cover, Harry asked if they had caught him yet. Mr. Weasley responded 
that every one at the Ministry had been pulled off their regular jobs 
to try and find him.  Ron asked if there would be a reward if someone 
caught him, but Mr. Weasley responded that the Azkaban guards would 
capture him "not some thirteen year old wizard."

Mrs. Weasley then entered carrying shopping bags and followed by the 
twins, Fred and George, along with Head Boy Percy, and Ginny, who 
seemed embarrassed when she saw Harry. There was a "bit 'o business" 
about being Head Boy between Percy and the twins.

The Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione had dinner that night at the inn.  
They learned that the Ministry was providing them with cars to take 
them to the Hogwarts express the next morning. Percy asked why the 
Ministry was providing cars for them.  Mr. Weasley dissembled, saying 
something about how they didn't have one any more and so they were 
just doing him a favor, but Harry noticed that his ears had gone red.

After dinner everyone made their way upstairs to their rooms to check 
their things for the journey. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. 
He heard angry voices of Ron and Percy through the wall, and went to 
see what was going on. Percy's Head Boy badge and Ron's rat tonic 
were both missing.  Harry volunteered to go downstairs to look for 
the rat tonic.

On the way, heard another pair of angry voices coming from the 
parlor -- Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He stopped and listened. He learned 
that Sirius Black had been saying "he's at Hogwarts" in his sleep 
while at Azkaban.  Mrs. Weasley thought that the truth would terrify 
him, but Mr. Weasley said that he had a right to know.  Mrs. Weasley 
said, "But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry."  She also 
said that Harry would be safe while at Hogwarts because Dumbledore 
would protect him.  Arthur pointed out that Black had already 
demonstrated that he could escape from Azkaban. He said that Azkaban 
guards would be posted at Hogwarts, which Dumbledore was not happy 
about.

Harry hid as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley left the parlor and went up to bed. 
He found the bottle of rat tonic lying under the table where they had 
sat earlier and returned upstairs.  He encountered Fred and George, 
who were hiding and laughing as they listened to Percy searching the 
room for his badge. They had altered the badge so that it now 
read "Bighead Boy."

Harry went back to his room and tried to process what he had 
overheard: 
 
 - Sirius Black was after him [or so the MoM believed]. This 
explained why Fudge had been lenient with him and why he had made him 
promise to stay in Diagon Alley. And it explained why the MoM was 
loaning the Weasleys the cars the following day to take Harry to the 
train.

- Harry didn't feel more scared thinking that Sirius Black was after 
*him*. But Harry agreed with Mrs. Weasley that he would be safe with 
Dumbledore. And with the Azkaban guards, Harry felt that he would be 
safe inside Hogwarts.

The narrator says that the thing that most bothered Harry was that he 
probably wouldn't get to visit Hogsmeade like the other students. 
Harry suspected that he would be watched closely until the perceived 
danger had passed.

Harry reflected on the fact that the adults thought that he still had 
to be protected:  "Did they think he couldn't look after himself? 
He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; he wasn't completely 
useless...."  But then, the image of the beast in Magnolia Crescent 
came back to him. Harry finally resolves, "I'm not going to be 
murdered."

QUESTIONS

1.  Was it a coincidence that the wand gesture that Harry made while 
looking for the big dog was exactly what was needed to call the 
Knight Bus?  Could the whole thing have been orchestrated by the MoM, 
or was this just a convenient Deus ex Machina for the author?

2.  Is there any significance to the name "Knight Bus?" [In the 
French edition, it is the Magicobus.]

3.  Did Fudge know that Harry was on his way to Diagon Alley on the 
Knight Bus?  If so, how?  If not, why was he there waiting on the 
curb?

4.  Is Crookshanks an animagus or otherwise magical? If not, why did 
he go after Scabbers in particular?

5.  Was Hermione's attitude about Crookshanks realistic and 
consistent with her other attitudes and actions?  Why does she 
minimize Ron's feelings about the danger the Crookshanks poses to 
Scabbers?  Could she be under some kind of spell that caused her to 
buy the cat?

6.  Why were the Ministry so concerned about Harry's safety?  After 
all, he is *only* a celebrity, "the boy who lived." Are they mainly 
worried about PR implications of losing Harry, or could there be 
something more profound about Harry that we don't know yet, such as a 
prophesy about him?

7.  Are the adults being overprotective of Harry? [Ebony, if you are 
reading this: what do real 13-year-olds think about this question?]

Bonus: What are Stan's and Ern's accents?  My uneducated guesses are 
EE and West Country, respectively. [Discuss on OT-Chatter, please.]