spider eating 101 (was chapter 8 and 9)

[rja.carnegie at excite.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19332

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Hillman, Lee" <lee_hillman at u...> wrote:
> Hi, folks!
> 
> In reference to a question about Crookshanks chewing a spider in Ron's
> sight, Robert Carnegie wrote: 
> > 
> > A _large_ dead spider.  Although I suspect it's just put there
> > by JKR to freak Ron out with his acranacrophobia (hi, joywitch :-)
> > since he doesn't like spiders at _all_, even dead, so that he
> > and Hermione can do their disagreeing-about-Crookshanks bit again,
> > perhaps it just could be an early clue that Crookshanks has been
> > exploring in the Forbidden Forest?
> > 
> 
> Actually, jumping in with a minor correction I haven't seen anyone
> else post yet: In CoS, Ron says he doesn't mind spiders when they're 
> dead. It's in chapter 9:
> 
> "'I - don't - like - spiders,' said Ron tensely.
> "'I never knew that,' said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise.
> 'You've used spiders in Potions loads of times....'
> "'I don't mind them dead,' said Ron, who was carefully looking
> anywhere but at the window. 'I just don't like the way they
> move...'"

Good point - but that's before CS chapter 15 ;-)  And I'd suspect
that he doesn't much care for dead ones either in the first place.

I don't want to add to your own worry, but how do you tell live ones from dead, anyway?

Mind, I think spiders would prefer to stay out of our way if they
can - they just aren't very good at it.  No, I don't eat them, either ;-)

Robert Carnegie
Glasgow, Scotland

"I read them all when I was seven and I hated them" - unnamed American
office worker on the Harry Potter books (www.dilbert.com, List of
Stupid Things Overheard)