CHAPTER SUMMARIES/DISCUSSION - CH. 13-15, CoS

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25453

-- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Allison" <sundancekid at m...> wrote:

Great summaries - I liked your editorial asides!

> Questions:

> Ch.13
> 1) Why do so many people come by the hospital wing to see 
Hermione?  
> Actual concern for her or morbid curiosity about a potential 
> Petrification victim?

Morbid curiosity.  Plus, I'm sure there are individuals who would 
love to see something awful that they can then report back to their 
friends and classmates.  


> 2) On the "Ron-turning-traitor" front: When Harry attempts to pick 
up 
> the diary, Ron's first thought is not curiosity about what sort of 
> book someone would choose to throw at Myrtle, but fear for Harry's 
> safety.  Discuss.

>From Ron's comments, he has obviously taken some of Arthur Weasley's 
warnings to heart.  He may also still be in the mode of mentor to 
Harry, since Harry is still unaware of many aspects of the Wizard 
world.  


> 3) Does anyone think Flitwick really knows anything about 
Entrancing 
> Enchantments, apart from a purely academic standpoint?  I'm just 
> curious - I have a hard time reconciling my mental image of 
Flitwick 
> to a "sly old dog."

I wouldn't trust anything that comes out of Lockhart's mouth. 
However, I've always seen Flitwick as a tiny, merry, little imp.  I'm 
using "imp" in a positive manner.  I think he could be quite charming 
in a sincere way, not in a smarmy, Lockhart way.  I don't see him 
using charms as a method of having his way with someone, which I'm 
sure is what Lockhart would do.

> 4) Hermione is a Very Smart Witch.  Why on earth, then, does she 
like 
> *Lockhart*? 

She's blinded by his teeth.
 
> 5) Harry says "There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of 
> them, not even... 'dentist, half-past three.'"  A logistical 
> question: How does one visit the dentist while at Hogwarts?  Is 
Madam 
> Pomfrey trained in dental charms?

Why not?  Or maybe the school could make some sort of arrangement 
with the Grangers.

> 8) Harry never gets to see how Hagrid is captured and Aragog 
> escapes.  Guesses?



 
> Ch. 14
> 9) Fudge - secretly evil or just a moron?

I go back and forth on my opinions of Fudge.  I generally think of 
him not as evil, but as someone who puts his own reputation first, 
who doesn't want to do anything to get the general populace upset, 
who firmly believes in the status quo, who can be unduly influenced 
by others, and who won't believe that anything bad can or will happen 
on his watch until it jumps up and bites his nose off.

At this point in the series, before I had read books 3 and 4, he 
struck me as a somewhat fussy, ineffectual and not very brave 
individual.  He says he has to be seen doing something in view of the 
attacks at Hogwarts. It sounds like he doesn't ever want to do 
anything, unless circumstances force him to act. Plus, he didn't have 
the guts to look Hagrid in the eye when telling him he'd be taken to 
Azkban.  If he really thinks this is a good idea, why does he seem to 
be so uncomfortable with it?  If he thinks it's a bad idea, why do it 
at all?  


> 10) Lucius does a really terrible job of covering up his real 
> feelings regarding blood purity.  Why?  Perhaps he's more in 
contact 
> with Voldie than we're aware of?  Is he counting on Riddle's 
ability 
> to control Ginny permanently?  Does he assume it's safe, with 
> Dumbledore temporarily out of commission?  How can he underestimate 
> Dumbledore that much?

I didn't read this as Lucius (don't you hate it when you accidently 
type his name as Lucious?) trying to hide his real feelings.  I felt 
that he was mouthing what Dumbledore considers the appropriate 
feelings, and allowing his voice and mannerisms reveal his disdain 
for anyone who is not from a pureblood family.  I think he is 
underestimating Dumbledore, and overestimating his own influence and 
is falling into the trap of wanting to let Dumbledore know that he 
(Lucius) has won the game, even though the game is not over.
 
> 11) This marks the second time Dumbledore has known Harry was there 
> even though Harry was wearing an Invisibility Cloak.  How?  Perhaps 
> there's more to Dumbledore's half-moon glasses than meets the eye?  
> This also opens up a possible glasses connection - we know Harry's 
> glasses/eyes are important - what about Dumbledore's?

IIRC, JKR has said somewhere that Harry's glasses are the keys to his 
vulnerability.  I have no theories as to why Dumbledore can 
apparently see through the cloak.  I'm sure there will be more hints 
as to why glasses on certain people are important.  I'm sure we'll 
find out more in this regard about James Potter, too.


 
> Ch. 15
> 13) Out of respect for Hagrid, Aragog claims he never harmed a 
soul.  
> Yet he "cannot deny them [his children] fresh meat," and would 
> willingly feed Hagrid's friends, who sought the spiders out to help 
> Hagrid, to his children.  How does he justify this?

Out of respect for Hagrid, Aragog himself has never harmed a human. 
There is nothing to suggest that he thinks his children should abide 
by the same rule.  And I think he keeps his brood in the Forbidden 
Forest, even though they would probably be able to snatch up young, 
unwary students off the grounds at Hogwarts for a quick meal.  But, 
when humans stumble across the spiders in the Forest, they are 
considered fair game.  

> 
> 15) Pointless Silly Question: Which would you prefer: having to 
speak 
> in limericks for the rest of your life, or never being able to stop 
> reading?

I'd take reading over limerick-speak.


> All right, I'll shut up now and go study for physics.

Marianne, wishing you good luck with physics