Coincidences AND Re: Petrification with incredibly mild reference to TBAY

[bluesqueak <pipdowns@etchells0.demon.co.uk>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51672

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, eloiseherisson at a... wrote:
> 
> Pip:
> >From that, it's a safe bet that only a certain number of deaths 
> >would be tolerated before the school was shut down [in the event, 
> >one presumed death is enough].
> >
> >**And Harry would be sent home with the other students.**
> >
> >So Riddle's task is to keep the terror going, try and suck Harry 
> >in, *whilst* keeping the school open. The answer is petrification.
> >
> >It is *not* a long series of rather far-fetched coincidences that 
> >the Basilisk doesn't actually *kill* anyone. It's [or Ginny, its 
> >physical controller] under orders. Probably those orders are to 
> >*not* to look directly in anyones eyes; but to seek out 
> >situations where victims could see the 'reflections' of its eyes.
> >
> >With no students dead, the chances are that the teachers will 
> >continue to keep the school open in the hopes that things will  
> >diedown like they did last time.
> 
> Eloise:
> So why take Ginny down into the Chamber, thus precipitating the 
> closure of the school, *before* he has had the chance to get to 
> Harry?

It's three days before the first of June when Riddle takes Ginny 
into the Chamber. [Ch.16 p.211]. In a few weeks she will *have* to 
go home for the Summer holidays.
 
Canon states that Ginny definitely stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas, 
and doesn't mention whether or not she stayed for Easter as well. 
She may not have been home since the start of the school year.

Come Summer, Diary!Riddle either has to:

a)use Ginny's life force up entirely or:

b) Go home with her for the summer and risk the adult Weasley's 
recognising how full of Dark Magic the Diary is, or:

c) Remain dormant through the summer and risk a revitalised Ginny 
returning and trying something like flinging the Diary on the Common 
room fire.

So, Ginny is nearing the end of her usefulness. Plus, more 
importantly, Ginny is trying to break free. The morning she is taken 
into the Chamber, she tries to warn Harry. [Ch.16 p.211]

And, as Melody points out:
> He "knew" Harry would find a way to save his friend.
> And Riddle was right.

> Also, if Harry had not appeared, then Riddle would have a body to 
> go and *find* Harry.

<Snip because Melody and Heidi between them have answered these 
queries>
> 
> ~Eloise
> Resisting saying anything about mystery stories and convenient, 
> far-fetched co-incidences. 

That's me.. met... meta... ::gulps::
That's a perfectly harmless bunny rabbit, OK?

Yes, Eloise, but if you go the 'convenient far-fetched coincidences' 
route for CoS, then you make JKR out to be an awfully *bad* writer. 

Because CoS is just FULL of it [them].

Convenient coincidences include for example, the Trio picking the 
right bathroom. The one with the witness.

Except that *isn't*  a coincidence. They pick that room because it's 
the 'toilet of last resort', guaranteed empty unless someone OD'd on 
the prunes and custard.

Why is it always empty?
Because there's a ghost in it.
Why is Moaning Myrtle haunting a toilet?
Because that's where she died.
Why did she die there?
Because it's the entrance to the Chamber, and she saw the Basilisk 
come out...

Convenient coincidences, on this argument, include Snape 'just 
happening' to pick Serpensortia as the perfect attacking spell for 
Draco.

Convenient coincidences include Tom Riddle's Basilisk attacking 
Hermione *before* she has a chance to warn the entire school. Far 
from keeping things quiet until she can tell Harry and Ron, she's 
just warned a prefect (Penelope Clearwater).

"I bet you anything you like she warned the first person she met to 
look round corners with a mirror first!" [p.215 Ch.16]

And I bet you anything you like she was overheard warning Penelope 
[grin].

And convenient coincidences include nobody dying...

Yes, you're right. CoS is using a mystery format. But it's doing 
what in Britspeak is called 'taking the p*ss' with the format [grin]

Very gently.

Evidence for this mild satire on the mystery novel is the very clue 
that is given to the identity of the basilisk. It is 'the scrap of 
paper clutched in the [petrified] corpse's stiffened fingers'.

This is such a cliche that even back in 1932, Dorothy L. Sayers was 
making fun of it. (Have his Carcass).

Harry isn't Hercule Poirot, or, in British children's mysteries, the 
Secret Seven, brilliantly solving mysteries that leave adults 
baffled. He's more like Captain Hastings. Even Dr. Watson would have 
taken his revolver with him into the Chamber. 

Harry doesn't figure out it's Tom Riddle until Riddle *tells* him. 
He works out how Malfoy planted the Diary because he *saw* it.

Harry's a *terrible* detective.

Pip!Squeak

> 
> PS. Totally OT
> >Wendy ... making her first post to the list after moving from 
> >Scotland to  California last month. And, who does love Lupin,   
> >but would still rather be seeing Snape on page 3).
> <LOL>
Eloise:
> So would I! 
> (Not quite sure whether that was a deliberate Britspeak double 
> entendre, or merely a ref to OoP.)

Double entendre. Hmm.. a page three spread of Snape, Lupin and 
Sirius with his motorbike ?
Pip :-)