CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter Thirty seven - The lost prophecy

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 124051



> Discussion questions:
> 
> 1. Do you think we will ever meet Phineas again? What do you think 
> about the possibility of the network of portraits playing even 
> larger role in the later battles?
> 
Hannah: I hope so, and I think we probably will.  He's like a 
pictorial Snape - he gets all the best lines!

> 2. Harry blames himself for Sirius's death. Do you?
> 
Hannah: No.  Of course he will blame himself, but it's not his 
fault.  He is only fifteen years old, was suffering from exam 
stress, lack of sleep, the after-effects of various traumas, and 
constant persecution.  He acted bravely, if very unwisely, to try 
and protect someone he loved.  He was trying to save Sirius, not 
kill him.  Poor old Harry.

> 3. Dumbledore is sure that Harry IS the person the prophecy talks 
> about. Are you? 
> 
Hannah: I think there's a lot more to the prophecy than even DD 
realises.  I'm sure it must refer to Harry in some way, since these 
are the 'Harry Potter' books, but I wouldn't rule out Neville having 
a role as well.  I hope he does - I love Neville.  Knowing JKR, who 
can write tricks and twists into the very simplest of things, a 
vague and portentious prophecy has got to be full of unexpected 
factors.

> 4. Harry complains to Dumbledore that Occlumency lessons were 
> weakening him. Dumbledore replies with his usual vow of trust for 
> Snape. Do you trust Snape? 
> 
Hannah:  I would like to trust Snape, but I don't know if we can or 
not.  I don't think that he was trying to weaken Harry through the 
Occlumency lessons, I believe he was genuinely doing his best to 
teach him, not that it was much good.  The Occlumency failure I 
blame on DD for not informing Harry better about its purpose, and 
for setting up two old enemies in such an intimate task.  Maybe it 
did weaken him accidentally, as the constant attempts and failures 
did seem to be worsening his symptoms, and that could be why it was 
decided Snape wouldn't continue the lessons after the Pensieve 
incident.  But as for trusting Snape in general... well, I hope we 
can.  JKR did wish him 'Happy Birthday.'  Surely he can't be *that* 
evil...

> 5.  Dumbledore blames himself for Sirius death. Do you?
> 
Hannah:  Indirectly, yes.  But I think Sherry had a good point when 
she said that ultimately, LV, the Malfoys, and Bella are the ones to 
blame.  They're the ones who killed him.  But DD made some huge 
mistakes, and if he'd handled things better, than the situation 
would never have arisen.  I would say he's more to blame than 
anybody apart from the 'forces of evil'.  Though one thing that 
Harry doesn't seem to have considered (yet) is why Lupin, Moody, 
Tonks and Kingsley didn't stop Sirius going with them.  Not that I 
think they are to blame either, but it's something that Harry might 
lash out about in future.
  
> 11. Dumbledore tells Harry, "In the end, it mattered not that you 
> could not close your mind.  It was your heart that saved you."  
Does 
> this mean that occlumency lessons were unnecessary in the first 
> place? Was Dumbledore aware that Harry has plenty of that power in 
> that room BEFORE possession occurred?
> 
Hannah:  I think the Occlumency lessons were very necessary - if 
Harry had mastered it, he'd never have been in that desperate 
position in the first place.  When LV possesses Harry at the end of 
the battle, it is thinking of dead Sirius that saves Harry.  If 
Sirius hadn't died, would Harry have filled up with love (or 
whatever it was he did) in time to banish LV?  I think DD has been 
well aware that Harry is full of the 'power of love' or whatever it 
is, but to rely on that alone is taking too much of a risk.  I still 
think Harry will need to learn Occlumency as soon as possible.

> 12.  Do you think that this chapter was well done "plot wise"? 
<snip>

Hannah:  It is a good chapter, but I suppose I did feel a little bit 
disappointed that we never found out more.  I'd read the 'I'm going 
to tell you everything' quote on the cover and the publicity, and 
was full of anticipation about it.  I suppose I was expecting 
revelations about his parents/ what really happened at GH/ heir-of-
Gryffindor type type things.  But then again, it is only book 5 of 
7, and if he'd really told us everything, there wouldn't be much to 
discuss!

Well done on the discussion and questions, Alla!  :-)
Hannah