[HPforGrownups] OoP - Jenny's Big Questions - Spoilers!

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 61414

Jenny wrote:
> Hey!  Wow - we made it!  I am still digesting it all and am currently
> on my second read.  I have some burning questions, though and wonder
> what you all think.
>
> S
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> S
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> F
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> M
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> O
> O
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> C
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> 1. What do you all think of House Elves now, especially with the awful
> Kreacher being introduced?  Do they really choose their lot or are
> they completely "trained" by their owners (as Dumbledore implied)?
>
A little of both.  I sense a nature vs. nurture debate coming up...

> 2. What do you think of Harry using Crucio on Bellatrix?  This was a
> big shock to me.
>
Too much to assimilate in book.  My mind hasn't had time yet to really dwell
on this.  I was shocked, though.

> 3. Why do you think JKR chose for Sirius to be the one to die?  Was
> she taking it too far for Harry?
>
Sirius's death is the reason why I haven't been able to dwell on some other
portions of the book.  I am frustrated and furious.  Later tonight, when I
have more time, I might sit down and write in detail my thoughts about his
death.

> 4. What do you think of the way JKR portrays the MoM - and government
> in general?
>
I could see some of this coming, although I was surprised just how far Fudge
was willing to go to cover up V's return.  He'd still be doing it if a bunch
of Aurors hadn't been with him and started going on about You-Know-Who
returning.

> 5. Should Hagrid stay on as CoMC teacher?  Am I the only one who
> continues to think he's a moron?
>
Mixed here.  I like Hagrid, and I think his knowledge of  and empathy for
"dangerous" creatures will come into play, as it did with Grawp.  There are
times, though, that Grubbly-Plank does seem to be a better teacher.

> 6. Why did Percy turn his back on his family, especially his mother?
> What will become of him now?
>
I can see Percy trying to make it up to his family in the next book but the
Weasleys having nothing to do with it.  He didn't even write his father a
letter when he was injured, let alone go to see him.  Arthur could've died,
and Percy seems to care less.  It should be interesting to see what
ultimately becomes of Percy.

> 7. Are we supposed to dislike James Potter now?
>
I don't think so.  I think we are supposed to see another side to James,
yes, a more unpleasant side.  We are supposed to understand a little better
why Snape hates him and why he truly believes that James was in on the whole
Shrieking Shack plank.  I think Snape sees some of these same traits in
Harry (anyone else think Harry is becoming somewhat arrogant?), and we are
supposed to see that, in some ways, he might be right.

As for James's attitude, I actually feel that the Prank changed James's
attitude a little.  Before that, he seemed to enjoy playing pranks as much
as the next person.  He didn't think anything at all of doing what he did in
that flashback.  Note that this flashback was the end of their fifth year.
By all accounts, the Prank took place when Sirius was sixteen, which would
be in their sixth year.  We don't know exactly when in their sixth year it
was, but the events took place.  I still believe that it was one of those
things Sirius came up with because it would be funny.   Snape would be
scared, run away screaming like a little girl, and Sirius and his friends
could laugh at it.  When James found out, however, he saw that this "prank"
could have disastrous consequences both for Snape and Lupin.  I have the
feeling this event made him take a look at himself and maybe modify his
behavior somewhat.  I'm not saying he started being nice to Snape or
anything, but maybe he toned down his behavior, kept a closer eye on the
pranks to make sure they were truly harmless, and in essence, grew up a
little bit.  This could be when Lily started thinking of him as an
acceptable candidate for boyfriend.

> 8. Who else dreamed about Harry last night?
>
Me.  Dreamt last night that the Dursleys had been taken to Azkaban.  Harry
was on Privet Drive by himself.  For some reason, he wrote a short letter to
them, and he wanted Dudley to forget his terrible dementor experience from
the beginning of OoP.  He wrote a line in the letter saying something about
how he would forget, and had those words magically charmed so that, when
Dudley read them, that memory would be obliviated.  Bizarre, eh?  I think it
comes out of the scene of Dudley being victimized by the dementors not
wanting to leave my mind when I read it.  I just kept having images of
Dudley crouched on the ground, the dementor prying his hands from his face.
And no, I'm not a Dudley fan.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova