Look of Triumph -- Crookshanks -- Snape's "mission" -- dementing Crouch Jr.

[Belle_Starr_777 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 18403

     Just some random ramblings I thought I'd throw out and see what 
other people are thinking on the subjects:

     1. Dumbledore's look of triumph: Could it be, when he rushes to 
look at Harry's arm, that he's checking for a Dark Mark? And not 
seeing one, momentarily feels triumphant? Let's face it: How many 
people (wizard or muggle) could stand up to and resist Voldemort? So 
seeing that Harry does not carry the Dark Mark means to Dumbledore 
that Voldemort was not able to force or sway Harry over.

     2. I was sure then Hermione came out of the shop with 
Crookshanks that Crookshanks was going to play a key villain role, 
possibly even be an Animagus. I'm still waiting for Crookshanks to 
play a key role (though not necessarily a villainous one) in the 
future.

     3. Snape's "mission" seems to elicit fear in him ("He looked 
slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered 
strangely.") And, of course, if he were afraid, he'd NEVER admit in 
front of those witnesses. Unless another emotion is causing him to 
become pale -- but would fear cause his cold, black eyes to glitter 
strangely? That doesn't seem like a "fear" reaction. That's almost 
like he's looking forward to what he has been asked to do. Hmmm . . . 
the strange dichotomy of Severus Snape.
     And speaking of Severus -- the name just seems to go together 
with Sirius. Severus and Sirius . . . every time I hear it reminds me 
of the names Romulus and Remus. Of course, that's even yet another 
tangent (Remus).

     4. The thing that disturbs me more than anything else I've read 
in these 4 books: Fudge not only allowed, but INSTIGATED the 
Dementor's Kiss on Crouch Jr. <i>before Fudge can interrogate 
Barty.</i> So any story that Dumbledore/Snape/Harry/Sirius tell can 
no longer be verified. It looks to me (probably because I've ready 
WAY too many true crime books) that Fudge wanted to silence Barty 
before he could say anything else -- anything that might incriminate 
Fudge, perhaps? With the Dementor's Kiss, Fudge has literally 
destroyed the evidence, and the stories that AD/SS/HP/SB tell are 
hearsay and unable to be corroborated.
     I've been suspicious of him ever since that night he was waiting 
as Harry got off the Knight Bus. Fudge blows off the incident with 
Harry's "aunt" (technically, being Vernon's sis, she's not blood) and 
is "suddenly looking awkward" when Harry calls him on it. Nope, don't 
trust him a bit. Not a'tall. Or Bagman either, but that's a topic for 
another time.

Belle