Fudge - Lockhart - Florences, Slugs - Why Harry Lived - Where Dumbledore Studied

Steve Vander Ark vderark at bccs.org
Fri May 25 17:13:43 UTC 2001


No: HPFGUIDX 19481


> In CoS 6, when Draco is joyfully picking on Harry about the "signed 
> photos," Ron says, "Eat slugs, Malfoy."  I've noticed this before 
> enough to realize that it's the hex he has in mind in the next 
chapter 
> when his wand backfires.  What I haven't noticed until now is that 
it 
> reverses in two ways:  it curses Ron instead of Draco, =and= it 
makes 
> him vomit slugs instead of eat them.  Nice touch, Jo.  (As Hagrid 
> says, "Better out than in," so I suppose it's just as well.)
> \

This is a classic example of how intention is so much a part of 
magic. And I hadn't caught the eat ==> vomit connection. Yes, it is 
brilliant.

Notice that Ron doesn't even say any words when he casts that spell. 
His slug-eating intention is enough to cast the spell. Unfortunately 
the spell goes awry. Or is that fortunate? Would Lucius have caused 
probelms if Ron had cursed his son? In GF, Harry and Malfoy actually 
duel (but in another of the Amazing Simultaneous Events of the books, 
the two curses hit each other in midair and hit others). And then, in 
one of the more satisfying moments in any book I've ever read, 
EVERYBODY curses Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle at the end of the book. 
What will Lucius do about that, I wonder? Will Narcissa have to board 
the train to find her little darling and discover him knocked out 
cold on the floor? Will she change her mind about Durmstrang at that 
point? Will the Weasleys find themselves sued by Lucius for 
everything they have?

Steve
in musing mode





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