CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor)

[steffy07]

No: HPFGUIDX 94411




> 2. The Daily Prophet quotes Percy Wesley extensively.  How 
> enthusiastic do you think his support really is?  Does he honestly 
> believe what he says, is he doing it to get ahead of the Ministry, 
> or does he really think he owes unquestioning obedience to his 
> superiors?  How does the Percy we see here square with the Percy 
we saw in PS/SS who admired Dumbledore's brilliance?

STEFFY:
I think Percy's character development is really remarkable.  Look 
back at SS and you see someone who admires DD, in Chamber he begins 
to keep secrets from his family because of fear of ridicule 
(Penelope) and begins to get more "know it all" and adheres to the 
rules more and more.  In POA, when he is headboy, he isolates 
himself from his rowdy brothers and sister and their friends, and in 
GOF, he is even more isolated.  By OOTP, I think he sees it as he 
doesn't have much of a choice but to follow the rules and the law.  
Not that his behavior in OOTP is justified, but he never fits in 
with the family dynamic the Weasleys have.  


> 3. What, if anything, do the respective grades that Snape awarded 
to 
> the Trio and to Draco (whose behavior seems to imply a passing 
> grade) tell us about Snape's teaching methods?  His motivational 
> skills?   Does he have a hidden motive?  If so, what?
>   
STEFFY:
I've always been under the opinion that ole'Snapey is harsher to the 
Trio because he has to be in order to "not blow his cover."  But, I 
think he enjoys that aspect of his spy position.  In fact, I think 
he enjoys it a lot.  I also think the grades that Harry thinks he 
gets aren't necessarily the grades he ACTUALLY gets..but thats just 
me thinking...

> 5. What did Umbridge hoped to achieve through the inspections?  
Has 
> she targeted certain professors (we learn that Flitwick's was "no 
> big deal")?  Does she have a hidden agenda beyond discrediting 
> Dumbledore, and if so, what is it?  Is JKR using Umbridge to 
lampoon 
> government interference in education?

STEFFY:
I think Umbridge just wanted to undermine DD's authority any way she 
could.  I think Flitwick and McGonagall are regarded in the 
wizarding community with high regard.  When MG rushes out to help 
Hagrid later in during the O.W.L.S and she is stunned, one of the 
wizards/withces (don't have my book) expresses outrage because it IS 
MG and there were so many stunning spells (correct me if I'm wrong 
please!).  I think it would cause stir in the community if Umbridge 
went a little "pink slip crazy" and started dismissing all the 
professors at the school, so in order to undermine DD's authority 
she dismisses the two that she feels are the least competent.  I 
also think Hagrid's dismissal/inspection was intolerance against 
half-blood wizards.  
> 

> 7. Did you guess after reading Trelawney's inspection that 
> Trelawney's hiring had to do with her first correct predicion?  
And 
> did anyone mark the fact that Trelawney's dire prediction for 
> Umbridge came true in the Forbidden Forest?
 
STEFFY:
After reading PoA and GOF I told my friend that I suspected that AND 
after reading the SS, I had some suspicians about why LV tried to 
kill Harry (which were kinda accurate) BUT he didn't believe me.  HA 
HA!!  

8. What, if anything, does the revelation of McGonagall's December 
> starting date at Hogwarts signify?  Is this a clue to a 
significant 
> backstory, or a red herring?

STEFFY:
I think it will become significant later that we learned a month 
that she started working there, and not a month that Snape 
started... 
>
9. Compare Harry's reaction to the suggestion that he teach DADA to 
> the others, to Harry's thoughts upon learning that Ron had been 
> selected prefect.  What do the differences tell us, if anything, 
> about Harry's development or his state of mind?  Has anything 
> changed?

STEFFY:
I think the fact that Harry can admit he has limits and boundaries 
make him a more believeable "hero" and admitting that he was jealous 
of Ron makes him human.  These qualities make me love his character 
even more.  
 
> 10. What do you think motivated Hermione to ask Harry to teach 
> DADA?  Did you find this to be a logical progression of her 
> character development?  Were you surprised?  What about her 
attempt 
> to gain courage by saying Voldemort's name aloud?  
> 
STEFFY:
I think more and more Hermione is proving that she is willing to 
break some rules if she needs to. IF nothing else, it is proving she 
won't be another PERCY!!