Summary - POA Chapters 3 and 4

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 18363

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Jim Flanagan" <jamesf at a...> wrote:
> 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?

Probably is a Deus ex Machina, but on the other hand, how does Fudge 
know that the most likely place Harry is to turn up is the Leaky 
Cauldron?

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

I always thought that it was a Knight Bus, because it came to the 
rescue of stranded witches and wizards - reference to 
Medieval "Knights in shining armour."

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

Hasn't JKR confirmed that Crookshanks is part/half (however that was 
resolved, I can't remember) kneazle.  If so, then it is no wonder he 
earmarked Scabbers as Kneazles have an "uncanny ability to detect 
unsavoury or suspicious characters" (FB)  It also explains why 
Crookshanks trusted Sirius in dog form, as his instincts told him 
that Sirius was trustworthy.  Therefore it isn't animagi he 
distrusts, but individuals.


> 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?

I think that Hermione's choice in Crookshanks is an early 
manifestation of "Hermione - champion of the underdog", which is 
developed in GoF regarding house elves, giants (and Neville!).  I 
think that she feels sorry for Crookshanks because nobody wants him.  
She also probably subconsciously recognises his intelligence as 
well.  

I can't explain why she minimizes Ron's feelings re Crookshanks and 
Scabbers, apart from the fact that year she was under a huge amount 
of pressure.  She probably rationalised it when she says that 
Crookshanks and Scabbers wouldn't often be in the same room together.

> 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?

If Sirius Black managed to kill Harry Potter, after Voldemort had 
failed, imagine the repercussions.  I think that many in the 
wizarding community see Harry as a kind of symbol that the Dark Lord 
has been defeated, and it would seriously damage morale if he were to 
be killed at this stage.  Also, it would reflect very badly on the 
MoM if Sirius was allowed anywhere close to Harry (or any other 
child, for that matter).

However, I really think that it is something to do with Professor 
Trelawney's first prediction.  Perhaps the MoM know that Harry has 
some other, more important role to play in the future.  Against this 
argument is the fact that Fudge buries his head in the sand regarding 
the return of Voldemort in GoF - it seems that as far as he is 
concerned, Voldemort is out of the picture.
>
 7.  Are the adults being overprotective of Harry? [Ebony, if you are 
> reading this: what do real 13-year-olds think about this question?]

How can they be?  A allegedly dangerous criminal is on the loose, and 
the MoM believe that he has killed at least 13 people (I say at 
least, because they probably suspect him of other killings whilst a 
DE).  Harry has gone AWOL, they don't know where he is, or where he 
is going, and they know that Sirius Black is after him.  I would say 
that this gives pretty strong reasons for them wanting to protect 
Harry.  Mrs Weasley, IMO, tends to romanticise Harry - she is the 
greatest culprit in wanting to protect and mother him.  Mr Weasley is 
more realistic.  Do they assume that Harry knows that Sirius is 
believed to be responsible for James' and Lily's deaths?  Mr Weasley 
asks him not to go after Sirius, so it seems so.


Catherine