Summaries: PS chapters 4 and 5

[pengolodh_sc at yahoo.no]

No: HPFGUIDX 27598

--- In HPforGrownups, Sheryll Townsend wrote:

[snip]

> Chapter 4
> Questions:

[snip]

> 3. Who do you suppose addresses the Hogwarts letters
> and how did they continue to be able to know exactly
> where Harry was?

I rather suspect a form of magical quill.  It would seem in keeping 
with the HP-verse in general, and would make it much easier for 
Hogwarts to track down its students-to-be, particularly muggleborn/-
raised children, some of whom might live with parents who move around 
quite a lot (embassy-children spring to mind).

> 4. Vernon says that Harry needs all kinds of supplies,
> implying that he is not willing to provide them. Why
> didn't Hagrid say that Lily and James had money and
> that Harry could get his own things?
> 
> 5. Why was Hagrid not willing to tell Harry why he had
> been expelled?

While we know that Hagrid was wrongfully expelled, and that Hagrid 
basically believes himself wrongfully expelled, Hagrid would still 
find the whole episode an embarrasing thing to recount.  There would 
also be only Hagrid's word against the official records.  Finally, I 
suspect there may be the tiniest fragment of nagging doubt somewhere 
at the back of Hagrid's mind - a tiny, tiny suspicion that Aragog 
perhaps had something to do with it afterall.

[snip]

> Chapter 5 
> Questions:

[snip]

> 3. Neither the key or Dumbledore's letter seem to be
> very carefully examined at Gringotts. Is this a sign
> of lax security?

The key and letter both probably have a way of telling the goblins 
that they are real - presumably the letter had to be made according 
to instructions from Gringotts, perhaps under Gringotts supervision 
with Gringotts parchment, ink and quill - thus the letter would 
respond in a specific fashion to being handled by a Gringotts 
goblin.  This needn't even be apparent to the customers.

> 4. Harry seems to have been very quick to decide that
> the boy at Madam Malkin's reminds him of Dudley, why
> do you think that is?

Quite possibly a lifelong experience of Dudley Dursley, with Draco 
displaying the same opinions and ways of regarding others that Dudley 
normally does.  Dudley need not be the only boy acting that way at 
his old primary school either - the district areound Privet Drive 
sounds like it is ripe with families where the children are properly 
dressed and spoilt with toys, and likely to look down at Harry, with 
his meagre means.  Harry may have had sufficient observations to be 
able to recognise a pattern, although it is one he would primarily 
associate with Dudley, as he seems the ringleader, and also is the 
one Harry doesn't escape out of school either.

> 5. There's no mention of Harry actually leaving Madam
> Malkin's with his robes. Did he actually get them
> right away? If not, when did he receive the robes?
> Draco had been there longer than Harry, why wasn't he
> finished getting his robes?

I rather suspect that Draco got more robes than was indicated 
necessary on the list accompanying the letter of acceptance.  It 
would seem in line with the general view we get of the Malfoys.  It 
is also possible that he or his father had specific demands regarding 
the cut or the details on the robes.  He might even have been asking 
for bespoke, where Harry settled for fitted manufacture.

> 6. No mention is made of Hagrid's buying Harry's
> ticket for the Hogwarts Express. Did he already have
> it or did he purchase it that day?

As the ride on the Hogwarts Express seems to be something of a 
necessity to get to school in the first place, I doubt that Herry 
needed to buy a ticket.  It is a school-train after all, and the 
ticket seems more a means of ensuring that only the kids supposed to 
be going to Hogwarts board the Hogwarts Express.  Also, by sending a 
ticket, you basically ensure that all students bring it with them, 
which is a point, as it does contain the instructions on where to 
find the train (although I maintain that said instructions are 
somewhat lacking in necessary detail....).

Best regards
Christian Stubø