How much does Draco know? (Was: Page 305)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 86762

"kenney" wrote: 
> > My Question is, what does this say in the American version of the 
> > book? How can a wizard mispronounce sorcerer?
> > 
> > It is in the middle of chapt. 16 : "In The Hog's Head"
> 

Someone (Beth?) responded: 
> The phrase is on page 342 of the American edition.
> 
> "And in our first year," said Neville to the group at large, "he 
> saved that Sorcerous Stone--"
> 
> "Sorcerer's," hissed Hermione.
> 
> --Cheers!


Carol:
Funny, I had the same reaction as Kenney when I read "sorcerous" in
the American edition: I wonder how Neville had mispronounced
"philosopher's" in the UK edition. Now I know. :-)

But the scene is interesting for another reason: It shows the general
lack of knowledge regarding the sorceror's stone and the Chamber of
Secrets among the Hogwarts students. Terry Boot was told by a portrait
in Dumbledore's office that Harry killed a (not "the") basilisk with
Godric Gryffindor's sword and Harry has to admit rather awkwardly that
it's true, and Neville tells the group that Harry saved "that
sorcerous stone. . . from You-Know-Who." At least one person, Hannah
Abbott, is amazed by this information, which leads me to assume that
she at least didn't know the reason for Professor Quirrell's absence
the following year. Needless to say, the group doesn't know the truth
about Sirius Black, and all they know about Cedric Diggory's murder is
what Dumbledore told them at the end of the year. Harry refuses point
blank to tell them the details. Of course, they all know by the end of
the book that Voldemort really is back and that some of his Death
Eaters have been sent (or returned) to Azkaban, but it strikes me that
their knowledge of key events involving Harry and Voldemort is very
limited.

Which brings me to the key question, how much does Draco know? Despite
having Lucius for a father, I'll bet it's not much more than the
average Hogwarts student. He knew that Sirius Black had (supposedly)
betrayed the Potters, but he didn't know the identity of the Heir of
Slytherin, and I doubt that he knows about the battle of the wands in
the graveyard. There are some things you just don't tell your son if
you want him to be a future Death Eater.

Carol

P.S. I seem to recall that the identity of the veiled witch in that
scen is revealed later in the book and it's a man, a spy for Dolores
Umbridge. Does anyone remember offhand who it was? C.