TBAY: Scriptwriting for Pleasure and Profit

[sevenhundredandthirteen]

No: HPFGUIDX 77587

Laurasia was frolicking merrily on her first ever Theory Bay Self-
Guided Tour inspecting the damage inflicted by Hurricane Jo when she 
passed by the Canon Museum to hear a small section of conversation 
drifting through the window. It appeared to be a conversation about 
the use of writing in HP. Laurasia moved a few steps closer to the 
window the better to hear
 There were three people discussing how 
each instance of writing in HP is a significant part of developing 
the book
 Interesting! 

Dicentra wrote:

>"These are the letters from Hogwarts with the list of textbooks for 
>the next year. They were all delivered to the Burrow, and Arthur 
>observes that Dumbledore knows where Harry is."
>
>"So Dumbledore presents Harry with his new role as a second-year
>student," grumbled Cindy. "Big whoop."
>
>"Well, sometimes a letter is just a letter," replied Dicentra. "I
>don't think this one really counts, do you think?" 
>
>"Probably not," replied Elkins. "See if you can find writing that
>plays a larger role in Harry's life."


`Hang on!' Laursia mumbled to herself as she turned towards the 
entrance to the museum
 Surely this piece of writing is much more 
significant than is being assumed here


She stumbled around trying to find the entrance to the Museum, 
however, seeing as this was her first trip to Theory Bay she ended up 
getting lost and falling headfirst into a large patch of particularly 
spiky shrubbery somewhere near the door. 

By the time she had untangled herself from the foliage it seemed the 
conversation had ceased and two of its participants left


`Good thing too
' she mumbled to herself as she tried to remove all 
traces of plant material from her hair. `That one with the paddle
 
Don't want to meet her in a bad mood
'

She glanced over her shoulder just before she entered the door just 
to make sure Cindy had left for good, and then entered the museum.

Laurasia wandered around the museum aimlessly before finally seeing 
two people over the far side near the men's toilet
 One of them 
appeared as if they wouldn't be standing up had they not impaled the 
back of their robes over a candle bracket coming out from the wall, 
the other was busily assembling papers in a display cabinet.

`Hello there!' Laurasia said merrily as she approached the pair. `You 
must be Dicentra! I overheard a small section of the conversation 
that you were having with Cindy and Elkins just a little while ago. I 
thought I could add something to your display
'

Dicentra looked surprised, but due to the fact that she did not carry 
a large paddle Laurasia continued towards her.

`It's about this piece of writing here
' Laurasia fumbled through the 
discards pile next to Dicentra before extracting a few envelopes 
addressed to The Burrow from Harry's second year.

`Those are just the envelopes addressed to Harry and the five 
youngest Weasleys.' Interuppted Dicentra before Laurasia could begin 
her addition to the theory. `They're just the letters from Hogwarts 
with the list of textbooks for the next year. That's nothing 
important
 Sometimes a letter is just a letter.'

`But they can symbolise much more than that
' Laurasia said 
cryptically. `You said it yourself- All these envelopes were 
delivered to The Burrow, and Arthur remarks that Dumbledore must know 
that Harry is there.'

Dicentra looked confused. Here eyes seemed to be lingering on the 
small fragments of shrubbery still clinging to Laurasia's hair.

`But why is that important?' Dicentra said. `Elkins, Cindy and I 
decided that the examples of writing from CoS were all concerned with 
transforming oneself. I hardly think Harry getting a letter 
confirming that he's in second year really transforms him in any way
'

`But it's not the contents of the letter that transforms him- it's 
the fact that he gets it at *The Burrow.* An *identical* letter to 
all the other Weasley children. And *Dumbledore* had sent it to him. 
If you're looking for a really big transformation in Harry's life- I 
think the fact that he's finally a surrogate family is pretty big! He 
does admit that his time at The Burrow was the happiest of his life. 
So by getting his Hogwarts' letter whilst he's staying there it 
confirms that he's really a part of their family. His letter is 
identical to all the other Weasley's after all! And *Dumbledore* 
sends it to him- it shows that Dumbledore accepts that Harry is now a 
part of the Weasley family as well as Harry accepting it. If you want 
an example of Dumbledore assigning people roles through his written 
works- this one is pretty important.'

Dicentra looked stunned by all this new information. Stoned!Harry who 
had finally removed himself from the candle bracket was now crawling 
around on the ground.

`Yeah!' he added,' What she said
 The Weasleys' really like me
'

`And,' Laurasia continued, ` Seeing as the most climactic part of the 
book is Harry diving into the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Ginny 
Weasley, we can see how this new role that Harry as been assigned, 
one of part of a family, has truly affected his character. Family 
becomes increasingly important in CoS- what, with Hagrid being 
arrested leading to Harry and Ron nearly being killed by Aragog, and 
Hermione's petrification
 All these events are because Harry thinks 
of these people as his family. So, this piece of writing- it's highly 
significant from a thematic point of view. It enables Harry to feel 
connected with the people around him. And that, is how it is.' 
Laurasia finished lamely and looked around


Stoned!Harry was still crawling around on the floor, but Dicentra had 
not moved
 

"I'll just wait over here then, until you've digested all that, eh?'

~<(Laurasia)>~