POV-Bit players-Boggarts-Deus etc.-Krum & H/H-Schools-US D.O.M.

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 27132

Cindy wrote re: POV:

>I wonder how JKR will handle this in OoP now that we have two
>separate "camps" (Voldemort's and Dumbledore's), but Harry only has
>access to Dumbledor's camp.  At this point in the series, could JKR
>get away with switching to an objective omnicient POV?  Would the
>books be as good if written in that fashion?

Very interesting question.  Perhaps she *is* going to write large chunks of 
the next book from a different POV, and chapter 1 of GoF was intended to 
acclimate us.  (Harry knows a bit about that scene from a dream, but it is 
not told from his POV; it's from Frank Bryce's.)

Cindy asked:

>Who is your favorite bit player (and why)?

Lee Jordan, for the Quidditch commentary already much-praised by others.  As 
long as we're talking about authorly devices, this is also a terrific one.  
No matter how much you like sports, the description of a match can be dull 
reading; JKR makes it work largely through Lee-related humor.  What will 
happen after next year, when he's graduated (assuming he's the same age as F 
& G)?

Among really itty-bit players, my favorites are Ern ("Ar.") and the boa 
constrictor.

David wrote:

>On the question of what Lupin means by fearing only fear itself, I think
>possibly we are reading too much into it.  The point is that most people's
>Boggart, as somebody has mentioned, is a concrete external thing.  In 
>Harry's
>case, it's another being which acts directly on the mind (or soul?).  So 
>Lupin
>is indicating, in a loose sort of way, that Harry has got beyond being
>frightened of this or that thing, and is afraid only of the darkness within
>himself which the Dementor can call forth.

I like this.

>  David, disappointed that Amy Zabini has not revealed the gender of the 
>wizard in
>her family.

Sorry, I promised Cousin Blaise I wouldn't tell.

AG tantalized:

>Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray, who, btw, thinks "Sex ex machina" was
>Thurber at his best.)

That's a piece of Thurber wit I don't know.  Will you post the explanation 
to OT?

Luke wrote re: the FFA incident (tremendous post on d.e.m., BTW, Luke):

>Criterion 3: Fulfilled with honors!  The Flying Ford Anglia was not only 
>previously a non-factor in the conflict, but in fact has no credible 
>explanation for popping up out of nowhere.  Hence this case gets extra 
>credit for appealing to criterion 3 above and beyond the call of duty.

The car wasn't a party to the conflict, but it did show up even before the 
crisis.  We knew it had a mind of its own (=the power to rescue them) and 
had come when they were afraid of the forest (=the will to rescue them).

I realize I am somewhat rewriting Criterion 3, or perhaps even proposing a 
Criterion 4 along the lines of Haggridd's comment about foreshadowing/a 
credible foundation.  IMHO, the salvific figure in question does not have to 
have been a party to the conflict, as long as its presence and power have 
been established in some plausible way.  This counts as foreshadowing and 
rescues JKR from the crime of d.e.m. as surely as the FFA saved Harry, Ron, 
and Fang's bacon.

Ironically, the fact that the car has improbably appeared just a short while 
before the Acromantulae kidnap H, R, and F makes it *less* of a d.e.m. when 
it then comes to the rescue.  Dumbledore, because he's *always* in the 
background at Hogwarts, has no business suddenly showing up to save the day. 
  We require specific foreshadowing.

The same sort of thing helps out in the case of Fawkes in CoS.  Fawkes has 
been introduced in just that book, and the relevant powers explained; the 
hat has been prominent.  These are cues to the reader that these elements 
might prove important.  Only the sword comes out of nowhere.  It doesn't 
bother me, but if anyone wants to make a case for its being d.e.m. I'd read 
it with an open mind.

Penny wrote:

>Or, maybe he pesters her at the Library & she was trying to get rid of him 
>by talking Harry up.

Gasp!  <Rubs eyes>  Is that *Penny* writing?  Did she just offer R/Hers an 
elegant response to the "why does Hermione talk to Viktor about Harry" 
evidence, that pillar of H/H reasoning?

There you go.  She talks about him because she is trying to send the signal 
that she is not serious about him (Viktor).  Harry makes a better subject 
for going on and on about than Ron because Harry is Famous Harry Potter and 
is ahead of VK in the tournament and is therefore likely to irk Viktor more.

Joywitch wrote:

>There was quite a bit of speculation on this topic early last year,
sometime before GoF came out IIRC.  We postulated several American
schools, including "New Hogwarts" and "Nouveaubatons," schools on the
west coast, Texas, etc.

Someone came up with "Nouveauxbatons" before the existence of Beauxbatons 
was known?

Craig wrote:

>The existence of the Department in the greater D.C. area is hinted
>at by the local NBA local teams (Wizards, Mystics),

One field office is located in Orlando, under the Magic's arena.

Barb wrote:

>I lean a little more toward New Orleans since it has a lot of magical
>activity already and a chaotic Muggle government that would be less
>likely to meddle in magical affairs even if anyone in the Muggle
>government inadvertantly saw some magic

When I think of Lousiana politics, I think of dead people being on the voter 
rolls.  Sounds like a magical government to me (since Binns still teaches, 
he probably still votes too).

Amy Z

--------------------------------------------------
   The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon
and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling.
It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:
   "=I get that all the time.="
                -HP and the Philosopher's Stone
--------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp