Malkin/meanSnape/Darrin Slytherins/Smartest atHogwarts/Alliteration/Rosmerta

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 57639

I'm still on Tuesday morning's messages (500-odd posts behind being 
caught up) but it's already after my bedtime, so I want to post 
a few replies even if someone has already said the same things 
in the 500-plus that I haven't read yet.

Gishstar1 wrote:

<< Anyone heard of a scholar in Greek  Mythology by the name of 
Professor Irad Malkin? anyone? .. anyone? (Bueler... bueler.. ) 
*laughs at stupid joke*... WELL, this is just a little theory. But I 
did some research on the name Malkin (because I'm sad and I have 
that sort of time on my hands) and Malkin is slang for a 'poorly-
dressed woman', or 'dust rags' BUT Madam Malkin (the name) can also 
mean cat or rabbit. >>

I don't know of Irad Malkin, but Malkin is an old traditional 
nickname for Molly, which is an old traditional nickname for Mary, 
and Grimalkin (Grey Malkin) is an old traditional name for a cat who 
is a witch's familiar, and a ton of words (including 'pussy' and 
'bunny') have meant 'cat' at one time and 'rabbit' at another. I 
never heard before of Malkin being slang for a badly dressed woman, 
but that would be a typical JKR piece of character naming.

<< Going back to what I said about also meaning cat or rabbit. I was 
thinking about Mrs. Figg and how she always had Harry look through 
her pictures of all her cats. I personally think that those aren't 
just cats and those are in fact animagus. Good or Evil I'm not sure. 
and the reason for this is because she would want Harry to be able 
to easily recognize them if he were ever to see those cats/people >>

The problem with that is that so many cats look so similar that I 
have never had any trouble finding commercial photos of cats who look 
EXACTLY like my Nan, my Obi, my Sasha, my Taliesin, my Cinnamon .... 
I even saw a picture in the Foster & Smith catalog one time that 
looked like my Pixy! (she's a tiny pastel tortoiseshell with a pointy 
face, rather unusual combination)

Melclaros wrote:

<< These kids are woefully behind and there really is NO EXCUSE for 
that. No, it's not Lupin's fault. But neither is it Snape's, he knew 
about Quirrel and was on to Lockhart from day ONE.  (snip) "It is 
time somebody took this class in hand" >>

It isn't Lupin's fault nor Snape's, but it isn't the students' fault 
either, and Snape sounded like he was blaming *them* and recommending 
punishment (from Snape, "take this class in hand" sounds like "punish 
this class") of *them*. That's not unprofessional -- it is, in fact, 
typical adult behavior to lower ranking folks (children, 
subordinates), but it is NOT NICE.

<< the Slytherin's boggart lesson. That would have been good to 
see. >>

I wrote a fanfic describing Lupin's Boggart class with the Slytherin, 
and it has gotten some favorable comments. 
http://www.thedarkarts.org/authorLinks/Catlady/

Darrin wrote:

<< Can you imagine Draco, or any Slytherin student we've met so far, 
saying, "I will open myself up for a giant stone chess piece to 
attack and maybe kill me so you can go forward" like Ron did?  >>

Crabbe and Goyle aren't smart enough to think of it, but either of 
them would do it for Draco if asked. However, as some Draco said in 
some fanfic: "I don't know if that means they're loyal or just 
thick."  My vision of Millicent Bulstrode also would do it, but 
partly because she thinks she's too tough to be killed. 

Darrin wrote:

<< It was old Salazar who left behind a giant, Muggle-killing snake 
because he didn't want anyone but purebloods attending school. >>

You are jumping to conclusion about what old Salazar intended! He did 
leave the school because of a conflict with Godric that started with 
Salazar's desire to limit admission to students who had been raised 
in the wizarding world; according to Binns, Salazar's reason was fear 
of Muggle attacks, not any belief that Muggle-borns are inferior. 

He did leave the basilisk behind in his Chamber of Secrets, but we 
have only the psychotic TMR's word that his reason for leaving the 
basilisk was to kill "Mudbloods". He may well have intended the 
Basilisk to be used as defense against any army that attacked the 
school, or that the Basilisk remain in the Chamber to guard whatever 
OTHER secrets he had hidden there. 

Melclaros said:

<< I don't think it ever said, "James Potter and Sirius Black were 
the smartest kids in school". >>

It says so in PoA, but Lupin said it and he might be prejudiced ... 
"Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the 
school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can 
go horribly wrong" ... I've always figured that he left out that he 
was just as clever as James and Sirius because of modesty, and that 
so was Lily because of residual sexism, and that so was Snape because 
of hating him. 

Stevie wrote:

<< Probably an old one this but I noticed that the great wizards fore 
and surnames began with the same letters. Salazar Slytherin, Godric 
Gryffindor etc. Is there a meaning to this? Snape and McGonagall also 
have same. Probably nothing but does anyone have any ideas about 
this? >>

It probably means only that the wizarding folk like alliteration, or 
maybe only that JKR likes alliteration. It doesn't seem to be 
associated with greatness, as Pansy Parkinson and Parvati Patil have 
not shown any hints of future greatness, and Albus Dumbledore doesn't 
alliterate.

Joe cb4chief wrote:

<< But I got the distinct interpretation that Madam Rosmerta was 
considered cute in the WW. >>

The narratorial voice called her 'a curvy sort of woman with a pretty 
face."

<< From what I recall, she was just a tad older than 
Sirius/Lily/James. >>

I got the impression that she was already the adult at the Three 
Broomsticks when she interacted with James, Sirius, etc, so she must 
have been a minimum of seven years older than them ... I think even 
older than that, but with Long Wizarding Lifespan she still LOOKS 
young.

<< Besides, she's a waitress. *wink wink* >>

I believe *not* just a waitress. I believe she *owns* The Three 
Broomsticks. For her to be a successful businesswoman, as well as 
networking central, as well as pretty, is a reason why politicians 
would know her, therefore why Fudge in PoA is chatting with her like 
an old friend.