OoP - Jenny's Big Questions - Spoilers!

[ladilyndi]

No: HPFGUIDX 61434

--- "jenny_ravenclaw" wrote:
> S
> P
> O
> I
> L
> E
> R
> S 
> 
> 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)?

Lynn:

It appeared to me that the house elves never had a choice in the 
matter of being subservient and through the centuries it's now as if 
being subservient is just a way of life to them.  I do think they 
are 'trained' by their owners.  Kreacher obviously was trained to 
dislike anyone who wasn't a pureblood but, like Winky, was devoted to 
the master or mistress who trained him.

Jenny wrote:
> 2. What do you think of Harry using Crucio on Bellatrix?  This was 
a 
> big shock to me.

Lynn:

At first it was a shock to me but the more I've thought about it, the 
more it's made sense.  Harry knew this was the person who had 
attacked Neville's parents.  Harry was angry this whole book.  It 
made sense that Harry would vent his anger of her killing Sirius in 
such a way.  

Jenny wrote:
> 3. Why do you think JKR chose for Sirius to be the one to die?  Was 
> she taking it too far for Harry?

Lynn:

Having read the back of the book first, I knew Sirius was the one who 
died and for some reason I wasn't surprised but I do wonder why it 
was so hard for her to write.  By the end of the book, I didn't 
really like Sirius and didn't see him as being a good role model for 
Harry in the future.  If Harry is going to come to see his father in 
a different light after Snape's thoughts, Sirius had to be out of the 
picture as it appears that while James may have grown up, Sirius 
didn't.  Harry may just be better off with a whole 'family' so to 
speak, getting advice and being looked after by the whole Order.  
Also, there seemed to be a definite arrow pointing towards the 
Weasleys as Harry's family and maybe it will turn out to be more than 
just an 'adopted' family.
>
 
Jenny wrote:
> 4. What do you think of the way JKR portrays the MoM - and 
government 
> in general?

Lynn:

I think she portrayed it much like real governments.  You got your 
idiots, you've got those who are genuine and trying to do their jobs 
to the best of their ability, you've got the power seekers and you've 
got those times when McCarthyism seems the rule of law.
> 
Jenny wrote:
> 5. Should Hagrid stay on as CoMC teacher?  Am I the only one who 
> continues to think he's a moron?

Lynn:
While I don't think Hagrid is a moron, I think he stepped over the 
line in this one and really shouldn't stay on as CoMC teacher.
> 
Jenny wrote:
> 6. Why did Percy turn his back on his family, especially his 
mother?  
> What will become of him now?

Lynn:

One word:  Power.  Percy is and has been obsessed with power and 
position.  Ron asked the question and now we have the answer, Percy 
would turn in or on his family for the sake of power.  It's more 
important to him than his family.  What remains to be seen is if 1) 
he realizes that his family was right all along and he admits he was 
wrong; 2) he realizes his quest for power has made him blind and he 
decides to open his eyes in the future instead of blindly following; 
3) he liked having power and will continue to do anything to keep it; 
4) will he end up being like Crouch, not going over to Voldemort but 
still letting the desire for power cloud all future judgments.
> 
Jenny wrote:
> 7. Are we supposed to dislike James Potter now?

Lynn:
No, I don't think we are to dislike James but rather to see that he 
wasn't the saint Harry thought he was.  He may have been arrogant, 
but he doesn't appear to have been another Draco Malfoy.  Also, from 
Lily's reaction to him, it does appear that either he changed into a 
man Lily could love or she lowered her standards.  That he saved 
Snape shows, to me at least, that James wasn't as bad or perhaps 
stayed as bad as Snape's thoughts portrayed him.
> 
Jenny wrote:
> 8. Who else dreamed about Harry last night?
> 
Lynn:

Not me.  I had a nightmare about not being ready for our move this 
week and that because of it, I couldn't look at this group the whole 
time and would miss some great discussions.

Lynn