Chapter Summary - PoA 10 & 11

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 19710

Chapter 10 The Marauders Map

Chapter 10 opens with Harry spending the rest of the weekend in the hospital 
wing, recuperating from his fall.  He has lots of visitors, but doesnt tell 
anyone about seeing the Grim a second time or what he heard when the 
Dementors were on the pitch, which, he now realizes, were his mothers dying 
moments.

After the next DADA class, Lupin tells him hes sorry about the loss (of the 
game and his broom) and Harry finally asks why hes the only person affected 
so strongly by the Dementors. Because you have horrors in your past the 
others dont have, Lupin says, explaining that Dementors suck out happy 
feelings and leave their victims with only their worst memories; Harry tells 
him what they make him hear.  As they talk about Azkaban and Blacks escape, 
Harry recalls that Lupin had some way of repelling the Dementor on the train 
and asks him to teach it to him, and Lupin agrees to begin after Christmas.

There is another Hogsmeade visit the last weekend of the term, and Fred and 
George waylay Harry and give him the Marauders Map, which they pinched from 
Filchs office four years earlier.  Harry is amazed.  He takes the tunnel to 
Honeydukes, which is stocked with a variety of Wonkaesque sweets, and 
surprises Ron and Hermione there.  Hermione protests that he should turn in 
the map because of its valuable information, and that its dangerous for him 
to be in the village, but Ron and Harry argue that Sirius Black cant get 
into Hogwarts via the secret passages (though Harry privately wonders), nor 
track Harry down in the snowstorm, and they head to the Three Broomsticks.

There they overhear a conversation among Fudge, McGonagall, Hagrid, 
Flitwick, and Madam Rosmerta that tells several parts of Blacks story (and 
Harrys) that Harry didnt know: Black was James Potters best friend, best 
man at the Potters wedding, and Harrys godfather; about a week before 
their deaths, James and Lily went into hiding using the Fidelius Charm, with 
Black as their Secret-Keeper; and Black betrayed them, tried to convince 
Hagrid to give Harry to him, and when tracked down by Peter Pettigrew, 
killed him and twelve nearby Muggles with a curse that split the street 
open.  Fudge also tells the others that Black appears to him to be quite 
sane despite rumors to the contrary; Fudge saw him during an inspection of 
Azkaban and Black calmly asked him for his Daily Prophet so he could do the 
crossword (a man after my own heart --Ed.).  The teachers and Fudge depart, 
leaving Ron, Harry, and Hermione stunned.


Chapter 11 The Firebolt

Harry returns to Hogwarts in a daze, wondering why no one has told him any 
of this before, and as soon as possible, finds some privacy and his photo 
album.  There, sure enough, is a picture of Black, though so youthful, happy 
and handsome that hes barely recognizable as the man in the mug shot.  
Filled with hatred and imaginings of the events of twelve years ago, Harry 
is sleepless until dawn.

When Harry rejoins Ron and Hermione the next day, they anxiously try to talk 
him out of any thoughts of pursuing Black.  He doesnt affirm or deny that 
hes considering it, but tells them about hearing his mothers voice when 
the Dementors are near.  Ron suggests a visit to Hagrid, hoping to distract 
Harry, and the visit does have the desired effect, because when they get to 
Hagrids cabin he is distraught over a letter from the Committee for the 
Disposal of Dangerous Creatures setting up a hearing about Buckbeak, and 
Harry, Ron and Hermione turn their attention toward helping him prepare a 
defense.  Hagrid also tells them about his experience in Azkaban, which hes 
never done before.

Christmas arrives and with it, an anonymous gift for Harry: a Firebolt.  He 
and Ron are stunned and delighted; Hermione is worried and suggests that he 
shouldnt ride it.  Just then Crookshanks attacks Scabbers and chaos erupts: 
the Sneakoscope falls out of the trunk, whistling wildly, Ron tries to kick 
Crookshanks, and Hermione removes the cat in a huff.  Harry hasnt seen 
Scabbers in a while and notices that hes looking very sick.

Christmas dinner is notable for the presence of Professor Trelawney, the 
absence of Professor Lupin (sick again, supposedly--though Ron has just told 
Harry that he wasnt in the hospital wing when he claimed to be ill in 
November), and Trelawneys prediction that having thirteen at table means 
the first to rise will be the first to die.  Either Ron or Harry gets up 
first.  They survive to return to their common room, where they are admiring 
the Firebolt when Hermione and Professor McGonagall come in and McGonagall 
insists on having it checked for jinxes before Harry can fly it.  Hermione 
explains their fear: that the Firebolt was sent by Sirius Black.

Questions:

1. It occurs to Harry that the Marauders Map may be a Dark object; it puts 
him in mind of Mr. Weasleys dictum about mysterious magical objects, and he 
hesitates to use it, but overcomes his doubts quite suddenly, as though 
following orders.  What do you make of the pull the Map seems to have on 
him?

2. If you could buy one treat at Honeydukes, what would it be?

3. What do you think--=does= Sirius get into Hogwarts by the secret 
passages?  If not, how?

4. Fudge says that Blacks part in the Potters deaths isnt widely known. 
  Is there any significance to the reason why not, i.e., is it deliberately 
being kept secret, and if so, why?

5. How do you explain the discrepancy between Hagrid's account here about 
the motorbike (that Sirius specifically told him to keep it permanently) and 
what he says in PS/SS 1 (that he needs to return it to Sirius)?

6. How does the Fidelius Charm work?  Does it hide you from everybody, from 
one person only, from a selected list . . . ?

7. What about the Marauders Map?  The usual questions: in 2  years, why 
didnt Fred and George ever notice that their brother was frequently 
accompanied by some guy named Peter Pettigrew?  does it show all of 
Hogwarts?  does it show ghosts?  Etc. . . .

8. Lupin says that a boy named Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye to the 
Whomping Willow; Lockhart had a fan named Gladys Gudgeon (CoS 7); any 
relation?

9. Is Snapes vulture-topped-hat cracker favor (a) a plant by Dumbledore, 
(b) evidence that wizard crackers magically respond to the psyche of whoever 
pulls them, (c )  a coincidence, or (d) something else?

10. Is Trelawneys prediction that either Ron or Harry will predecease the 
others at the table going to come true?

11. Why does Lupin flee when Trelawney offers to crystal gaze for him?


Spells/Charms/Nature of Magic ruminations will be posted Wednesday or 
Thursday . . .

Amy Z

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