SS/PS Chapter Twelve Summary and Questions

[Vanessa]

No: HPFGUIDX 28776

[snipped; an excellent summary]
> 
> 1. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are visiting Charlie in Romania for 
Christmas. 
> What does this indicate about Charlie? (Why can't he return to the 
> Burrow for the holidays? His own family? Work?)

This is simply what happens when you start to have a grown-up family, 
and I'm sure many of us know the complications which arise from 
trying to keep all the distant corners of your own, and your 
partner's family happy around the festive season....  I imagine that 
Mr & Mrs Weasley were extremely grateful to have somewhere safe (and 
free?) to leave their younger children in order to visit an elder one.
> 
> 2. Do you feel that the sterotypical portrayal of Madame Pince as 
the 
> ill-tempered, spinsterish librarian is problematic and/or overly 
> simplistic, or is it another misleading characterization brought to 
> you by Red Herring, Inc.?

During the brief period that I was a librarian, I discovered why 
*all* librarians are so sensitive about their books, and careless 
borrowers...I think it comes with the territory...Coffee stains?  
Late returns?  Oh, the horror!

> 3. How did Ron get so good at chess? Who did he play with? The only 
> other Weasley that we that we know plays chess is Ron's (possibly 
> deceased) grandfather.

I can only "me too" to the previous responses about Ron's 
relationship with the pieces, and his possible 'natural ability' - 
shame there aren't inter-house chess competitions too, eh?
> 
> 4. (How timely!) Sure, Ron complains about maroon sweater (and 
corned 
> beef), but considering that Percy, Fred and George all have their 
> first initial knitted into their sweaters and Ron's does not, do 
you 
> think that his family really does notice him less than his other 
> siblings? What niche does this leave for Ron? 

I assumed Percy really did get a P for 'prefect', and that Gred and 
Forge needed their initials so people could tell them apart...
> 
> 5. Percy nearly breaks a tooth on a silver sickle in his Christmas 
> pudding. In muggle traditions, the person who finds the coin in 
their 
> slice of pudding will come into money during the following year. 
> Considering Percy's low-level Ministry job in GoF, is this just a 
> throwaway bit, or is JKR hinting at big things for Percy (and not 
> necessarily of a wholesome nature) in future books? 

This can be more complicated; sometimes multiple silver charms are 
put in the pudding, all symbolising different things (luck, money, 
love, and dying an old maid IIRC)...Could the sickle have some 
special significance?
 
> 6. If the Mirror of Erised had not been the Philosopher's Stone's 
> final protection prior to December 27th, what kind of puzzle or 
> enchantment do you think Dumbledore protected it with between July 
31 
> and December 27?

*ahem* I think Dubledore is more calculating than we give him credit 
for.  I always thought that the mirror was deliberately removed by 
him for Harry's benefit, and returned after it'd given Harry the best 
present ever (his parents) and a timely warning for the future...
> 
> 7. Assuming Dumbledore WAS being truthful about seeing himself with 
> socks in the Mirror of Erised, (a big assumption, but this can 
count 
> as my fun question!) why does Dumbledore desire them so? (see Pablo 
> Neruda's ""Ode to My Socks")

I love the 'socks for House Elves idea' which I've read somewhere, on 
this list or elsewhere. I'm waiting for Dobby to throw Voldemort down 
the stairs Malfoy-style....!