CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 25, The Beetle At Bay

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 111792

Hello Everyone!  

I was very good this time and kept the summary pretty short.  Yay!

Chapter 25 Summary:

This chapter opens with Hermione, Harry, and Ron learning why it is 
Lord Voldemort is "the happiest he had been in fourteen
years."  Ten Death Eaters escaped Azkaban, including Antonin 
Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, and Bellatrix Lestrange.  According to 
the Ministry, the escapees are likely rallying about Sirius Black.  
The news causes Hogwarts students to begin considering Harry's 
explanation that Lord Voldemort is returned as an alternative to the 
Ministry's flimsy story.  The breakout and subsequent discussions
in 
and around Hogwarts are the impetus for yet another Educational 
Decree from our favorite High Inquisitor, forbidding teachers from 
giving students any information other than about the subjects they 
teach.

While the escape of ten dangerous criminals created quite a stir at 
Hogwarts, the murder by Devil's Snare of Unspeakable Broderick
Bode caused not a whisper except among Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who 
have already figured out what LV wants is in the Department of 
Mysteries.  And now they know of a DoM worker injured `on the
job' and murdered by assassins unknown.  Veeery suspicious.  As a 
result of both bits of news, Hermione has one of her secretive 
moments and rushes off to owl someone.  

Meanwhile Hagrid and Trelawney are both on probation thanks to 
Umbridge's evaluations and she now inspects each and every Care
of Magical Creatures and Divination class.  It's only a matter of
time before Umbridge fires one of them.  Harry would prefer it to be 
Trelawney.  

The DA continues their practices, working harder with ten escaped 
DEs on the loose.  Neville in particular is working hard and 
improving very quickly.  

Harry's Occlumency lessons don't seem to be helping as he
continues to dream of the corridor, his scar hurts more, and he's 
getting more flashes of Lord Voldemort's moods.  He tells Ron and 
Hermione he wishes the door would open.  Ron wonders if Snape is 
perhaps *not* helping to close his mind.  Hermione objects again 
arguing Dumbledore trusts Snape and "if we can't trust
Dumbledore we
can't trust anyone."

Before Harry knows it, Valentine's Day, a Hogsmeade weekend, and
his date with Cho arrive (all on the same day).  Harry dresses 
carefully for the day and agrees to meet Hermione, who has received 
a reply from her letter, at midday.  

Harry and Cho head to Hogsmeade, discussing Quidditch.  In Hogsmeade 
Cho notes the lack of dementors.  Quite odd considering they had so 
many wandering about when Sirius escaped and now with ten DE's
there are none.  Harry realizes the Ministry must have really lost 
control of the dark creatures.  

The couple goes to Madame Puddifoot's for coffee.  The date does
not go well.  Harry is uncomfortable.  There are a lot of 
conversation gaps and Harry is acutely aware he is surrounded by 
hand-holding couples, not to mention Roger Davies and his girlfriend 
kissing nearby.    

During one of the lulls in conversation Harry brings up the meeting 
with Hermione.  Then Cho mentions Roger asked her out.  *Then* she 
brings up Cedric.  Harry has no desire to discuss him and she feels 
she must talk to Harry about it.  He's already talked about it
with Ron and Hermione.  Cho reacts to this by accusing Harry of 
having something more than friendship with Hermione.  Harry finally 
understands what is going on but it's too late.  Cho storms off 
before he can explain.

With nothing left to do Harry heads off to the Three Broomsticks 
where he has a conversation with Hagrid, who continues to be 
secretive about his cuts and bruises, chalking it up to normal 
duties.

Finally he meets with Hermione.  He is surprised to find her sitting 
with unusual company--Luna Lovegood and Rita Skeeter.  Hermione 
arranged the meeting so Harry could give Rita the true story of
LV's return.  Rita has no choice but to do it or Hermione will
spill 
the beans about her being an unregistered animagus.  Luna is there 
because her father has agreed to run the interview in the Quibbler.  
All parties consent and Harry gives his account.  


Comments and Questions for discussion:

Please Note:  I have a tendency to be Ever So Lame, so if you
don't like my questions please add your own. ;-)

1.  In GoF, Hermione discovers Rita Skeeter's secret about being
an unregistered animagus.  To ensure Rita never lies about anyone in 
her articles, Hermione tells her she can't do any writing for a
year or Hermione will turn her in.  But in Chapter 25 of OoP we see 
Hermione has added terms to their agreement.  Rather than just keep 
silent, Rita Skeeter must now do what Hermione asks of her.  It 
seems Hermione might have crossed a line or at least entered a gray 
area.  At first, Hermione was teaching Rita a lesson-not to write 
nasty lies.  But now she's * using* her knowledge to blackmail
Rita into doing her bidding.  Granted, it's for a good cause but
do 
Hermione's means justify the end?    

At the Edinburgh Book Festival, JKR said we would be seeing more of 
Rita Skeeter.  Will Hermione continue to blackmail her?  Does Rita 
Skeeter deserve everything she gets?

2.  Ten Escaped Death Eaters:  In this chapter we have the names of 
three of them:  Dolohov, Rookwood, and Mrs. Lestrange.  Since the 
brothers Lestrange appear at the Ministry battle, we know they were 
two of the ten as well.  That leaves five others.  Do we have any 
ideas as to who they are?

3.  To what degree does the desire to see what's behind the door 
negatively affect Harry's ability to master Occlumency?  If this 
desire, whether it be his or LV's, affects Harry does that then
mean 
no matter how well Snape might teach and how hard Harry practices, 
he would never be able to master it?

4.  Rita Skeeter confirms the Daily Prophet is being pressured by 
Fudge but also that since no one would want to hear of
Voldemort's return, they wouldn't print what Harry says
happened, 
anyway, because it wouldn't sell.  Do we want to take a guess on
how 
actively the Prophet is participating in discrediting Harry and 
Dumbledore?  How much is actually Ministry coercion?

5.  How is Umbridge able to attend every Divination and Care of 
Magical Creatures lesson and still teach her own Defense Against the 
Dark Arts lessons?

6.  It's clear to Harry the dementors are out of the
Ministry's 
control.  Do you think the dementors left the Ministry entirely with 
the Death Eater breakout?  Or just that the MoM had lost
`control' of them and they stuck around for a while after
allowing 
the DE s to escape?  Fudge does not report their defection until he 
finally admits LV returned but we know how reliable he and the 
Prophet are.  ;-)

7.  Harry, Cho, and the disastrous date.  Actually I have no 
question.  Just thought they might be interesting should any of you 
like to discuss it.

KathyK

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