POV in GoF, Lupin, Chairs v. benches, Elf magic, Mrs. N

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 27361

Cindy wrote:

> First, it seems really odd that JKR gives us the 
> viewpoint of Bryce, a minor and unimportant character who is going 
to 
> die in a few minutes anyway.  In some ways, it seems like a waste.

Bingo.  Frank's death *is* a waste.  JKR makes us feel it more 
intensely by letting us into his head.  You can certainly have sharp 
sympathy for a character you only see from the outside, but it's 
particularly wrenching to feel a scene from a character's point of 
view and then have him die.

Cindy wrote:

> I never liked this business about
> Lupin curling up as a harmless wolf in his office.  It is too messy,
> and leaves open the possibility that someone will discover him in 
his
> wolf-state.

Aw, please don't take this out, O Rewriter of the HP Books!  It's such 
a sweet image for us Lupinlovers, and it also really brings home the 
fact that the man turns into a wolf, something I find hard to absorb 
even when I read the scene where he actually transforms.  Also, who's 
going to walk in?  Students can't get into teachers' offices, and the 
staff all know he's a werewolf.  I can just see the house-elves coming 
in to tend the fire and tiptoeing around curled-up Lupin.

Cindy wrote:

> As a member of the "Bench" team, I'll have to do some more nit-
> picking to see if we can overtake the "Chairs" group.

Well, for a start, it's not fair for the "chairs" team to use the head 
table as an example.  The teachers could easily have chairs; it's more 
dignified, it's easier on elderly bodies, and there are only a couple 
dozen at most at the Head Table <coughsmallHogwartscough>.  I 
personally like the Sunday magical floating cushions theory best.

dittany/custodienne wrote:

> IIRC, in PoA we are told that house elves cannot do magic, because 
> they are not allowed wands.  Winky is accused of conjuring the Dark 
> Mark, and the accusation seemed to be upheld because they found her 
> with Harry's pilfered wand.  

House elves do have powerful magic (CoS 3) and are allowed to use at 
least some of it (things they do for their jobs, e.g. send food up 
from the kitchens to the tables).  They aren't allowed wands, but they 
have other ways of doing magic.  They can clearly do some things that 
humans can't, e.g. Apparate (or the equivalent) in Hogwarts.

> Martin (who believes Mrs Norris is Filch's deamon)

That explains everything, doesn't it?

Amy Z

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   "Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry
 said furiously.  "Look at the Dursleys!"
   "Excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore.
                          -HP and the Goblet of Fire 
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