[HPforGrownups] PS/SS Chapter 16 summary

[Gabriel Edson]

No: HPFGUIDX 29558

Hi all! I'm new here, and I hope it's all right for me to just jump in! I also hope it's not against the rules for me to answer these questions using examples from later books? Anyway, here goes!

>>1) Why on earth would Dumbledore continue to trust Hagrid so 
much when Hagrid drinks too much and blurts out sensitive 
information to people he doesn't even know?<<

That's a good question. I sometimes think that Dumbledore's opinion of people isn't as good as it is thought by some to be. After all, who do we have vouching for Dumbledore's taste in people (re: Snape in the first book)? Hagrid. This isn't the only time that Dumbledore's trust proves misplaced (Mad-Eye in GoF, Peter in flashbacks during GoF) and not the first time that his decisions lead to Harry being hurt, either. 

For one thing, it's Dumbledore's decision to send Harry to live with the Dursley's. What's that about? I don't care about being raised famous, but it was pretty bloody cruel to send that baby to live with those awful people. Surely some other suitable WIZARD could have been found... why didn't Dumbledore raise Harry himself?

>>2) Prof. McGonagall knows as well as anyone that Harry is 
special. So why doesn't she listen when he tries to tell her about 
the possible theft of the Stone?<<

"Special" doesn't always mean "right," and I don't think that Harry has the history to back up his talent for ferreting out secrets yet. In the first book, he's a just a child that everyone is trying to show is "just like everyone else." 

However, I do think it was odd that she dismissed him to run about the student body when she knows he knows a very big secret, and I think it's strange that she didn't at least send someone to CHECK on the Stone.

>>3) Why do you suppose Peeves is so frightened of the Bloody 
Baron?<<

I always figured he could do the ghost equivalent of curses and hurt Peeves if he wished to. Maybe he's done it before.

>>4) Is it just luck - or predestiny - that of the skills needed to get 
through the protections surrounding the Stone, Harry, Hermione 
and Ron just happen to (between the three of them) have them 
all?<<

Well, it shows that one person alone couldn't have gotten through. :-) What are the chances of any one person being well-rounded enough to get through all of those tricks?

It also, to me, showed that the protections weren't nearly strong enough if three kids could defeat them all.

>>5) At the end of the chapter, did you have any inkling who would 
be waiting for Harry? <<

I thought it would be Snape. I was completely taken in!

-Gabriel


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