Hopes for Book 5
Steve
bboy_mn at yahoo.com
Mon Jun 2 06:53:55 UTC 2003
No: HPFGUIDX 59137
--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Chuck" <chuck_richie_99 at y...>
wrote:
> Chuck: <<Tighter writing.>>
>
> Bboy_mn: >> Here, I have to disagree, I thought the writing in GoF
> was very good. I was emotionally moved by many parts. <<
> CHUCK:
> That was one of the weaker points IMHO. Two 14 year old boys living
> together go three years without a fight? And when they finally do a
> fight it lasts little more than a few days? These guys should fight
> all the time! Hell, my college roomates and I had it out a few
> times .... and were 4 years more (less?) mature.
>
bboy_mm now replies:
You and your college roomates were SEVEN years older than Harry and
Ron. While they were 11, 12, 13, & 14, you and your friends were 18,
19, 20, & 21.
Let's also remember that these boys are in a very restrictive
environment; boarding school. They aren't even allowed out of the
castle grounds until third year, and even then they are only allowed
out a few times during the school year. When I was a kid, my friends
and I had free run of the whole town and even outside of town.
Everyday after school and on weekends we would hop on our bikes and go
to the city park, ride out to the lake or the river, play at the fair
grounds or down by the railroad tracks and grain elevator,
occassionally even riding far out into the country.
I see Boarding School as a very restrictive environment even given the
night time roaming of Harry and his friends, and I think they are by
far the exception rather than the rule. They are supervised far more
closely than I was as a kid, and certainly supervised far more closely
than you were at college.
More important than all of that, is that Harry and Ron are united
against a common enemy, Draco. Draco causes enough problems to keep
Harry and Ron constantly working together. And, there are certainly
moments of tension between them in several parts of the series before
their hostilities in GoF; hostilities which lasted substantially
longer than a few days by the way. More like a few months.
> Bboy_mn: > We don't know that Portkeys can't be activated by a
> variety of different means. I don't see activation by time of day,
> or by touch as a contradiction or lazy writing.
>
> CHUCK:
> Sure it is because JKR emphasizes twice that portkeys activate at a
> specific time once when explaining the use of the device, once
> when Mr. Weasley says he wants to "catch an early portkey." But,
> fine. There's an exception. Explain it. I could buy your
> rationalization. Let's see it in the books.
>
bboy_mn now replies:
But it is in the books. As I explained before, the detailed references
to the workings of the Portkey (by Mr. Weasley) that you cited are
tied tightly to the context of the Quidditch World Cup. Several people
have agreed that it is very logical for a transportation problem like
the QWC to run on a time schedule like a train or bus.
The other explaination of how Portkeys work is by the example of the
Portkey used during the third task (the Tri-Wizard's Cup). It is used
in a completely different logical and logistical context, and is
therefore used in a completely different way. This new context does
not require ridgidly scheduled activation the way the QWC did.
So what evidence does the book give us?
It gives us two different methods of activation; scheduled time of
day, and touch activated.
It shows us that Floo Poweder is used far more often than Portkeys
even though Portkeys seem to be a better method.
The question that must be answered by expanding Portkeys beyond the
limits of the books is, if Portkey are so great, why don't they
dominate wizard travel? There has to be a logic reason why Floo Powder
is preferred over Portkeys when they are very similar methods of
travel. The evidence shows me that Portkey are not the preferred
method of travel. What I've done is attempted to come up with a
reasonably likely reason why.
Again, I can't say that it is true; I only say that it is a reasonable
explanation and expansion of how Portkeys might work that fits the
available information.
> Chuck: > > Additionally, all that was needed was a line from
> Voldemort that Harry's blood was no good to him unless he had a
> certain level of skill as a wizard for his rebirth spell to work
> and the purpose of having Harry in the Tournament is validated.
>
Chuck continues in his new response:
>
> .... Justify Harry being in the Tourney. Voldy just has to
> say, "The blood of a foe isn't good enough. It has to be a foe
> that's been challenged. That's grown as a wizard. The TWT gave
> Harry the skills to make my rebirth possible," blah, blah, blah.
> This is the "Luke - you must face Vader again before you are a Jedi"
> argument. Harry's blood - Not good. Harry the powerful wizard
> blood - Now cooking with gas! With the added bonus of Voldy
> now "inheriting" some of Harry's magical protections (Voldy can now
> touch Harry).
>
> ...edited...
>
> Chuck
bboy_mn responds:
Sorry Chuck, but I don't buy it. On the other hand, it is a nice
concept. It could be like a magical adrenaline factor, at the point of
Harry winning the tournement, Harry is PUMPED UP magically,
psychologically, physically, and biologically. All his energy
(magical, physical, and psychic) is flowing at full force thereby
making his blood an extra powerful agent for the potion.
I can see that as a possible concept, but I don't see it as a likely
concept. But, of course, that is nothing more than my opinion. I
suspect there are others who will find your concept very appealing.
Just a thought.
bboy_mn
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