[HPforGrownups] PS/SS Chapter Ten Summary and Questions

[Derry]

No: HPFGUIDX 28351

> From: M. Barnett <fyregirl at cfl.rr.com>

> 1. Do you think it is in this chapter that Malfoy decides
> Harry is the bane of his existence and why or why not?

I think the whole thing started on the train.  Malfoy was seeing himself as easily
sliding into position as the 'leader' of the first years - at which point Harry
turns up.  So, in Draco's mind, Harry now has a choice - he can be Draco's friend
or his enemy.  In this chapter, Harry confirms that he's going to be an enemy.

> 3. Why do you think Ron felt badly about what he said about
> Hermione?  Is it one of those 3rd grade things . I like you
> so I'll beat you up?

I think most people, even eleven-year-old males, would feel bad about making
somebody cry.  I don't get the impression that Ron dislikes Hermione at this
point - he's just irritated that, to misquote Terry Pratchett, she's learned that
she's more intelligent than everybody else but hasn't learned that the most
intelligent thing she can do is stop people finding that out.

> 4. Prof. Quirrell tells Dumbledore about the troll and then
> faints.  If you were in his DADA class, would you really be
> able to respect him as an authority on Dark Arts/Creatures
> anymore?

I don't think I could have respected him beforehand...  Though I think I would
have assumed that he'd been off trying to tackle the troll and had failed, which
might have actually given me a smidgen of respect for him.

> 5. Ron is able to perform the spell in the toilets he wasn't
> able to perform in class.  Is this a case of `talent appears
> in stressful situations' or just pure luck?

Not so much talent appearing as stress being wonderful for concentrating the mind!

> 6. Hermione has endured a lot of hurtful remarks and treatment
> from Ron, why does she defend he and Harry?

Having somebody risk their own life to save youe would probably do that to you...
(Especially when they haven't deliberately put you in danger in the first place.)

Derry
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