CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter Five

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 84766

Pippin asks:
 
>>3. We've been given to understand that the  shrewd and cunning 
goblins are nobody's fools, not easily subjected to jinxes, tricks 
or blackmail. Yet Lupin thinks  they will be tempted to join 
Voldemort even though they know he has murdered their kind. 
Why?<<
 
Meri: 

>I am pretty sure (my copy of OotP is still out on loan) that 
it was Bill who said that if the goblins can be convinced that LV 
and the DEs are willing to offer them freedoms that the MoM has been 
denying them for years that this may prove an enticing (and 
understandably so) offer. The goblins seem to have a tendency to 
revolt against the MoM, as we have seen in all the goblin rebellions 
that Professor Binns bores the students with.<

KathyK:
Bill gives the answer as to why the goblins might be tempted. 

*****
Mr. Weasley asks:
"Have you still not had any luck with Ragnok, Bill?"

Bill responds:

"He's feeling pretty anti-wizard at the moment," said Bill.  "He 
hasn't stopped raging about the Bagman business, he reckons the 
Ministry did a cover-up, those goblins never got their gold from 
him, you know-"  
*****

And back to KathyK:

The Goblins have little love for or trust in the current wizard 
government, according to the above exchange.  And, as Meri pointed 
out, they have a long, bloody history with the Ministry.  Combined 
wiht what Lupin (yes, it was Lupin) points out about being denied 
freedoms, it can be inferred that the Goblins still do not have the 
best of relationships with the human magical community.  

Even if they're too smart to fall for a line about freedom coming 
from another wizard (Voldemort), perhaps the Goblins see aiding LV 
in his quest for power as an opportunity to bring about some of 
their own changes.  And it's not like they're going in empty 
handed.  They have a massive amount of power and leverage in their 
own right as they operate "Just the one" wizard bank (SS, US 
paperback 63).  So, IMO, if Voldemort did strike up a deal with 
them, he'd have to be honest and make a real effort in order to 
convince them rather than just paying lip service to get what he 
wants.  And then what would stop the Goblins from defecting?

Meri:

>What I was surprised about was why Sirius didn't take this 
opportunity to use the housecleaning as a sort of exorcism to get 
out the bad vibes. Maybe then he would have been slightly happier 
(or more comfortable anyway) staying confined there.<

KathyK: 

I really like Sirius and I understand how he must have been feeling 
back in that hateful house again.  And I would have loved to see him 
in a better mood in the book.  But I don't think it would have fit.  

Another listee said to me that Sirius wanted the "pity party."  He 
wanted to pity himself for the position he was in.  And in that 
sense he was completely inconsolable, and didn't want to be rescued 
from his funk.  I also don't think he's one to take a healthy 
approach to the situation, like the one Meri described above, where 
he could view cleaning as purging himself and the house of all the 
nasty memories.   

I think this made more sense before I tried to write it down, but 
there you go,

KathyK