CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 14, Percy and Padfoot

[dudemom_2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 93055

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Penapart Elf 
<penapart_elf at y...> wrote:
> I'm posting the following from Aesha on her behalf.
> 
> :) Penapart Elf
> 
>Snip< 
> 
> Questions for discussion:
> 
> 1. If house elves are freed against their will, where do 
> they go? Can they stay at Hogwarts if they desire? If so, 
> what does it matter if a house elf is inadvertently 
> freed?

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Winky was freed against her will and Dobby (he wanted to be free and 
got his wish another way) indicated that they went around to try to 
find another situation but no one would have them. Dobby came to 
Hogwarts because he knew Harry was there and also Dumbledore's 
reputation. I would suspect that a different headmaster might not be 
as willing to take on a disgraced house elf or one that 
was "inadvertantly" freed. I also wonder if being Malfoy's house elf 
may have contributed to other wizards not wanting to take Dobby on. 
The only way I can see for Hermione to "inadvertently" free a house 
elf would be to lie in wait and throw socks at them and hope they 
catch them without thinking. It probably would matter a lot if she 
did that because the house elves would probably come after her since 
they don't really want to be free! 
 
> 2. Why does Mrs. Norris make some sort of contact with 
> those students she's suspicious of- making eye contact, 
> brushing up against them? Is it something to do with her 
> strange connection to Filch- does it set off a bat 
> signal, of sorts?
>
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Being a cat owner, it strikes me that she is definitely marking them 
for Filch's attention and they seem to have a true connection there. 
Mrs. Norris is definitely Mr. Filch's eyes and ears. I am a firm 
believer that she is a Kneazle and wouldn't be suprised to see the 
same sort of close connection develop between Hermione and 
Crookshanks.
 
> 3. What happened in the forest to make the Thestral fly 
> out of it? Is this just something Harry didn't notice 
> before, because he couldn't see them- or was there 
> something more sinister happening?

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I think this is just another reminder of how strange and alive the 
Forbidden Forest is. It also may be something as simple as whomever 
is taking care of Hagrid's creatures is also feeding the Thestrals. 
Also I think Harry simply hadn't noticed the Thestrals before this.
> 
> 4. Who are Filch's "sources"? Is it really just Umbridge? 
> If so, why didn't she just try to intercept the letter 
> herself? She made it plain that she doesn't trust Harry, 
> so why would this seem strange? How did anyone know he 
> was sending a letter at that time, that early, on a 
> Saturday?
> 
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Obviously Umbridge is keeping an eye on Harry but doesn't have 
enough information or courage at this point to start confiscating 
his letters. I believe she tipped off Filch to have him go check to 
see what Harry was up to. I don't think she or Filch expected him to 
have company who would vouch for him.

>Snip<
 
> 6. We know now that Percy's letter wasn't written under a 
> curse, nor was it a matter of him trying to keep under 
> cover as a double-agent. Why would it have mattered if 
> the letter arrived during breakfast? Students don't read 
> one another's mail. Does he think one letter from the 
> estranged family member can turn Ron against all his 
> friends and family?
> 
>*****\(@@)/*****

The letter would have mattered if it had arrived during breakfast 
because the trio would be together as well as with others. The 
letter was enough to provoke a strong reaction out of Ron and Percy 
is a big enough prig to not want his letter read by too many others -
he knows Harry does have some supporters at Hogwarts and Dumbledore 
is still there. He does care for Ron as an older brother and he 
thinks he is giving him the "real truth". I think the real purpose 
of the letter is to let us see the direction Percy is headed in. 
Like Umbridge he is blindly treading Fudge's path and refuses to see 
what is going on around him. He is more interested in self 
advancement with someone he sees as a rising star. Unlike Umbridge, 
he hasn't yet gotten to the point where the ends will justify the 
means but you can see him turning into an Umbridge if he keeps to 
the path he has taken.  
> 
Just my two knuts

Dudemom_2000

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