[HPforGrownups] CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 34, "The Department of Mysteries"

[Janet Anderson]

No: HPFGUIDX 120264

>1) Thestrals obviously understand human language since they were able to
>understand Harry's instructions.  Why is that?  Can most magical
>animal/beasts/beings understand the human language?

Buckbeak clearly understands human language even though he can't speak. The 
mer-people in the lake understand human language although they don't seem 
able to speak it, but only their own language.  If Grawp is an example, 
giants don't understand human language unless they are taught -- but 
according to Hagrid, he and Madame Maxime have no problem communicating with 
the giants even though Hagrid, at least, has been raised entirely as a 
human.

>4)  When riding the Thestrals to the Ministry of Magic, could the riders be
>seen?  Can only people who see thestrals normally be able to see the riders
>during flight?

Could they see each other during the flight?  (I am not at home so I can't 
look it up.)

>7)  What happened to the person in charge of weighing the visitors wands?
>
>8)  Is the Ministry of Magic really deserted after business hours?  What
>about aurors?  Shouldn't they work in shifts or be in and out of the
>Ministry at odd hours?

In my opinion, these are the questions which the rescuers should have asked 
themselves shortly after their arrival.  Had they done so, they might have 
at least suspected that something was not right.

>17)  Why was the orb/prophecy warm?  Why were some of the orbs as dull and
>dark as blown out light bulbs while others glowed?

I don't know, but my theory is that the warm, glowing prophecies are those 
which are still in the process of being fulfilled, while the dark, dull ones 
have already been fulfilled.


Janet Anderson