OoP Spoiler: AOL Jim Dale reading

[jodel at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 60151

<< Okay - is anyone surprised about Harry meeting Dementors and having to use 
magic to save his life during the summer?  >>

Well, we don't know for sure that that is what actually happened. There are 
alternate interpretations for a couple of the points brought up in the snippet.

Point 1: Rowling set up the "2-strikes and you're out" situation all the way 
back in CoS with Dobby and the hover charm. All that would have been necessary 
would have been for Harry to be caught using magic over the summer and he 
would have needed to justify himself or risk expulsion from Hogwarts. I think 
this is what has come around to bite him. He dodged the bullet in PoA when he 
blew up Aunt Marge. Another incident will not be overlooked like that.

Point 2: In Fudge's administration -- especially now when he is afraid that 
Dumbledore might be right -- I would be willing to bet that there are Dementor 
guards present at *every* trial, hearing, and possibly even staff meeting. 
Providing a horendous disagantage to anyone who would actually have to be present 
and give an account of their actions. At this point we can't be sure of there 
ever having been Dementors at 4 Privit Drive (Lane? Street? Whatever). (Side 
note: I think that Fudge's timourous stocking the Ministry with Dementors "for 
protection" is going to backfire on him big time. On everyone in the 
building, in fact.)

It does seem to be strongly implied that Harry has used magic out of school 
in what could readily be percieved (rightly or otherwise) was a 
life-threatening situation. The "Dark wizard's" house that the Weasleys know of and Molly 
brought him to is still a mystery, but it seems fairly unlikely that this is the 
Riddle House. It is also unlikely that Harry will need to speak Parseltongue 
to any of the door handles to get into a locked room, but we can hope.

We also can provisionally assume that this is another in the series of 
wretched birthdays for Harry. If it has been a month since he has seen Ron, it would 
land him within a day or so of July 31. (The third task was on 24 June, and 
there had been about a week of school remaining after that before the end of 
fourth year

-JOdel