No More Questions (was Reflections On That Mirror)

[Kirstini]

No: HPFGUIDX 85322

Hey, Kneas...you've set me off a-rambling.
Warning: This post is full of suppositions, reader paranoia and 
unfinished sentences.

Kneasy:
>>I've been reading, or rather re-reading PS again and having 
further  thoughts about the Mirror - the Erised job. I'm beginning to 
suspect that everything is not quite as advertised by Dumbledore.>>

Mmm. And you are coming to this conclusion - now...?

>>Has Harry's nose ever been described? If it has I can't find it. 
But apparently it's distinctive enough to be recognised.>>

Umm... James's nose was slightly longer than Harry's (OoP - 565). So 
that could well be an Evans nose, then.
Anyway, on with the real fun:

>>But the Mirror. Can't help feeling Harry missed a trick there. 
Wouldn't it be natural for him to ask DD who all those people were?
Once again we are relying on DD for the facts. His most significant 
utterance was probably "But no more questions."

Pity. I've got lots.>>

Me too. You are forgetting JKR's master stroke, however, that great 
big cover-it-all-up she introduced right at the beginning:

"Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with 
the Dursleys" (PS, Bloomsbury hardback, 20)

So - if glaring inconsistancies are revealed, or if the entire 
readership ends each novel screaming at the Harry-focalised 
narration "WHY didn't you ask THIS, you stupid bugger?" - it's 
covered. It's all due to his upbringing. It's psychological. "Don't 
ask questions" "No more questions" - The Dursleys and Dumbledore 
between them contrive to silence Harry on various issues - things 
which if known would let a fair few Kneazles out of various bags. The 
Dursleys' great secret is Harry's magic (or it was until OoP. 
Petunia...?), something which would shatter their strived for 
lifestyle. And Dumbledore? Well, we have the OoP-given explanation - 
he'd got so fond of Kiddy Harry that he didn't want to hurt him with 
the truth. That all of our questions haven't been answered though, 
that Harry has been distracted with the Whacking Great Issue (to kill 
or be killed) just at the time when he had finally got himself into a 
questioning mentality, is I think, more of the same plot device. Of 
course, Harry would *have* to ask questions at some point, and JKR 
accordingly has to distract him in order to maintain suspense. I 
don't trust her narrator or her all-knowing Albus, though. Is there a 
sense perhaps that the readers were also to be distracted from asking 
the really sticky questions? She has said that people were almost 
there, and that she's almost given the game away - blam! along comes 
a hugely confusing prophecy for us to mull over until Book 6. Harry's 
family are apparently ousted from the debate - where are they? Why 
did James have to die? Why did Voldemort bother to make an exception 
(didn't have to die) for Lily, when he loves killing anyway ("Get out 
of the way, you silly girl")? Distracted by other issues entirely. By 
the introduction of Neville to the mix, apparently ipso facto. By the 
wording of the prophecy. By Harry's grief/isolation. And the question 
Harry should have asked some time ago - that little publicity teaser -
 turns out to be why he has to stay with the Dursleys. Bah.

Write more about the Mirror, please, Kneas. I'm not quite sure if I 
get your secondary point at the moment - that the Mirror operates 
like the Room of Requirement, perhaps? Can only conjure/Summon things 
which already (have) exist(ed) - Madam Hooch's whistle/Moody's 
Foeglass - Ron sees the real Quidditch Cup, Harry sees his real 
family? But Ron is potentially the next Quiiditch Captain/Head Boy -? 
nope, I'm lost again.

Cauldrons of Flobberworms all over the place.
Look at the mess you've made, Kneasy!
Kirstini