Summary - POA Chapters 3 and 4

[dfrankis at dial.pipex.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 18376

> 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?
> 
According to my Muggle Studies classes, British Muggles can catch 
buses by standing at a 'bus stop' and putting their wand arm out in 
the road (while keeping it attached to their shoulder - unlike the 
Headless Hunt, they can't safely detach body parts) in front of an 
approaching bus.  If the driver is feeling generous, he may then 
stop - or he may pretend not to have seen, and drive on.

I think when Harry tripped over his trunk he put his wand arm (and 
wand) out, thus summoning the Knight Bus, which, as you can tell from 
its onward journey, is always approaching all places at once.  This 
was after he did the Lumos spell.

To catch the KB, therefore:
1) wait till night
2) stand by a road
3) hold out wand
4) await developments

> 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?

Perhaps not.  Diagon Alley seems to be the wizarding world equivalent 
of Picadilly Circus.  See 6 below.

> 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?

Isn't this an indication that her feelings for Ron are more complex 
than at first sight appears to be the case?

> 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?

We now know from the pensieve scenes and the 'Parting of the Ways' 
that the wizarding community and Fudge in particular are deeply 
insecure about Voldemort, as well as other magical beings and 
muggles.  Fudge represents business-as-usual in the post-Voldemort 
era.  Sirius Black's escape is a big shock to this - if a Death Eater 
can escape the Dementors it stops half the WC sleeping peacefully in 
their beds.  The only clue about Sirius' intentions is 'He's at 
Hogwarts', which Fudge takes to mean he's after Harry.  To recapture 
Sirius, therefore, Fudge needs follow Harry.  This, as much as 
concern for his safety, is IMO what motivates him.  If Harry has 
disappeared, Fudge needs to watch the most likely places he might 
turn up.  Dumbledore (and the Dementors) can be expected to have 
Hogwarts covered, so DA is as good a place as any.

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

The Weasleys' reactions seem very realistic.  The MOM in general are 
thinking of themselves as well as Harry.

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

David