CHP 17 DISCUSSION, II: Education Decree Number Twenty-Four

Fri Apr 30 14:32:40 UTC 2004

No: HPFGUIDX 97352

Hey, Everyone--
Sorry that this post is a day late---I'm having what might be some
serious computer issues, and they prevented me from posting 
yesterday.  But HERE is the chapter, with questions inside the
summary, just like Monday's.  I'm Elisabeth, by the way--I neglected 
to post that last time.  *blush*  And off we go!

It's off to Potions!

Outside Potions, Malfoy brags that Slytherin's Quidditch team has
received permission to re-form and wonders nastily if Gryffindor will 
be so lucky. Neville tries to attack Draco after the troublemaker
mentions the "special ward for people whose brains have been addled 
by magic."  While Harry and Ron hold Neville back, Snape shows up
and, predictably, takes ten points from Gryffindor. Ron doesn't 
understand why Neville attacked, but Harry won't tell him what he
learned about Neville's parents in GoF.

~~Explain to me why the Weasleys never mentioned the Longbottoms to
their children?  Don't you think that it would have come up at 
some point?  Why is this a secret?~~

DeeJay has shown up for Potions today, and follows her usual protocol
for visiting classes.  DeeJay, strolling up and down the aisles, 
suggests that the Strengthening Solution is advanced and the
"ministry" would prefer that it be removed from the syllabus.  Snape,
in 
answer to her questions, tells her that he has been working at
Hogwarts for fourteen years, was unsuccessful in obtaining the Dark 
Arts post, continues applying for the post, and that if she wants to
know why he is refused he should ask DD.  She insinuates that the 
MoM wants thorough information about the teachers' backgrounds.

~~We should remember that Fudge already knows that Snape was a DE.  I
think we can safely assume that he has revealed that 
information to DeeJay.  Is she interested in costing Snape his job,
or is this a method of intimidation?  And why intimidate Snape?  ~~
He's a friend of Lucius', right?  What's the deal??

Now, Harry's upset.  The extra homework means no sleep for a few
days, and the poor bloke still thinks he's going to have Quidditch 
practice this evening.  He almost skips Divination, but Hermione
convinces him not to. 

Harry climbs up to the classroom, still angry.  And he's not alone. 
Trelawney is busy throwing copies of "The Dream Oracle" at all the 
students, at one point knocking Neville completely off his chair. 
I'm sorry, his "pouf."  Harry divines (oh, the cleverness of me!)
that 
Sybil has received the results of DeeJay's inspection, and they are
not favourable. Trelawney admits that she has been insulted and 
accused-of what, we are left to guess. She lets us know, in her
rampage, that she has been employed for sixteen years at Hogwarts. 
 She spends the rest of the lesson muttering under her breath about
DeeJay.  

~~I'm still not sure why DD hired Trelawney.  Just because of the
prophecy?  Who was teaching Divination before they hired her?  
Anyone?~~

Next, DADA.  Once they assemble, Harry tells Hermione that he thinks
Trelawney has been put on probation.  DADA class continues 
as usual-reading the chapter, no talking.  DeeJay looks smug and
wears her pretty velvet bow.  Blech.  So much for DADA, on to the 
Common Room, after dinner.

<< "No Quidditch practice," said Angelina.>> 

Harry pictures to himself how happy DeeJay must be withholding
Quidditch from the Gryffindors.  Hermione suggests that Harry use 
the extra time to work on his extra homework.  He gets down to
business, checking the fireplace every few minutes.  In another 
section of the Common Room, Fred and George are demonstrating a candy
that they've charmed so that one end makes you vomit, 
and the other makes you stop with the vomiting.  They clean up the
vomit with a Vanishing Spell.  

~~Now, where have we seen the Vanishing Spell before?  Rowling tells
us-Snape keeps using it to clean out Harry's potions.  
Hmmm
.is this coming back?  There seems to be a LOT of cleaning
up and redding out going on in this book, don't you think?    
Symbolism?  Or not?  What do you think~~

Where was I?  Ah yes, the vomit.  Hermione is disgusted (me, too) and
wants to stop the twins, but can't figure out if they are 
technically breaking any rules.  Harry remarks that they really know
their magic, but Hermione complains that they put it to useless 
use.  Ron defends them, citing the money they make as a good argument
in their favor.

~~I could bring up the Fred/George=Albus/Aberforth theory, but I
won't.  That doesn't, of course, stop you from bringing it up.~~

At around midnight, the twins finally leave.  Harry puts away the
essay, and whose head should pop into the fireplace but Sirius 
Black's.  He is grinning.  See, just when his reckless disregard for
any sort of structure starts to get to me, he starts grinning.  ~~(By
the 
way, Sirius' hair is described here as "untidy".  What's with all the
untidy hair in
these books?)~~

Harry tells Sirius about the new decree, and Sirius reveals that he
knows about the "secret" DADA group they've formed.  He tells 
Hermione that she's "got a lot to learn" about holding secret
assignations, and that the Hog's Head is not only a dodgy place, but
they 
would have been much harder to spy on in the crowded Three
Broomsticks. Apparently, Mundungus Fletcher was the "witch with the 
veil" that had been present in the bar that day, and passed on his
info to the Order.  Sirius gives Harry a hard time about organising 
the group, but underneath it, he's very proud.

We also learn that Fletcher was disguised because he was banned from
the Hog's Head twenty years ago, and that the "barman's got 
a long memory."  More new info: the Invisibility Cloak that Fletcher
was using in the second chapter was Moody's spare, lost when 
Shacklebolt was arrested, so Fletcher has been dressing as a witch a
lot of late.

~~Disregarding the Fred&George=Albus&Aberforth theory, I have
believed from the beginning that this barman is Aberforth.  Are there 
any other theories?  Harry recognizes him, he knows Dung
who IS
this guy?~~

Sirius passes on a message from Mrs. Weasley-Ron is absolutely
forbidden to participate in the DA to prevent expulsion and 
ruination.  Harry and Hermione are advised to discontinue.  She is,
at present, "on duty," whatever that might mean.  ~wink~  As it 
turns out, the Master of Rebellion does not agree with the message
he's passing on to the Three, and encourages them to continue. 
He has his reasons: best to be able to defend oneself against an
identified foe that definitely exists and is on the warpath.  

Sirius suggests some places to meet.  Hermione nixes his idea of the
Shrieking Shack (the Sirius vs Hermione score for this chapter 
is now 1-1, if you're counting) which upsets him.  He clearly wants
to help, but all his information is outdated. Just then, he looks 
alarmed, turns and faces the wall, and then vanishes.  In the fire a
hand appears, DeeJay's.  So she DID intercept the owl!  As she 
gropes around, trying for Sirius' head, the Three take off for the
dorms.  

~~Does DD's secret keeping then not extend to the Floo Network?  If
DeeJay had indeed caught Sirius, would she have then found 
Grimmauld Place?  I'm confused as to how exactly the Floo Network
functions and don't understand how anyone could catch you just 
by finding your head.~~
The End of Chapter Seventeen.

Thanks for listening!

-Elisabeth

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