[HPforGrownups] CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter Thirty seven - The lost prophecy . REPOST

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 124054

>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?

Since I believe the climax of Book 6 will be Voldemort's efforts to
take over Hogwarts (we've heard too many times about how impregnable
it is to not make it a good target for Voldemort), yes, the portraits
will play a larger role.  I believe we'll also find out that as an
inner-school spy network, the portraits have been overlooked by a lot
of readers.

>2. Harry blames himself for Sirius's death. Do you?

Hell, yes.  Harry and Sirius both.

Of course Voldemort et al deserve the blame for setting up the
situation that led to Harry, the Hextet, the Order etc. being present
at the MoM that night; that goes without saying.  But Harry had
enough reason to distrust that particular vision (Hermione's very
reasonable and logical arguments, Snape told him in January that
Voldemort was now aware of the mental connection and "might make me
do things" as Harry himself put it).  But he just blows a head pipe
and insists on his own way and mows down everyone else with the force
of his anger and emotional blackmail (telling Ron that he didn't have
a problem when Harry saved Ginny).  So 100 points from Gryffindor for
excessive gullibility and emotionalism, Mr. Potter.

But Sirius also deserves some of the blame too.  First off, he
shouldn't have wasted time duelling; just grabbed Harry and run as
hard as he could for the exit.  Saving Harry was of prime importance
and nothing else mattered.  Let the others hold off the DE's; get
Harry out of there.  But no, instead he yelled at Harry to get out
(like Harry was so familiar with the place he could find the exit,
right?) and to take Neville with him.  Question: how did Sirius know
Neville's name?

But in a larger sense, Sirius bears some blame too.  Sirius didn't
try to cover up how unhappy he was at 12GP so that when Harry got his
last vision he jumped to the natural conclusion that Sirius had
snapped out of boredom and "gone for a walk or something".  Had
Sirius tried harder to suck it up, then Harry would have thought,
"come on, Sirius isn't dumb enough to risk capture; what's going on
here?"  

>3. Dumbledore is sure that Harry IS the person the prophecy talks 
>about. Are you? 

Yes.  Seven book titles prove the point. Far too late now to change
that.

>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? 

Yes.

>5.  Dumbledore blames himself for Sirius death. Do you?

No.

>6. Voldemort did not choose the pureblood wizard like 
>Neville "which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard 
>worth being or knowing."  Does this quote make a difference in your 
>view on whether Voldemort himself is sufficiently interested in 
>promoting "purebloodism" or just in grabbing power, no matter who 
>helps him achieve it?

Voldemort identified with halfblood Harry because he felt that
halfbloods like himself work harder for their goals.  I think it's
actually a pretty good indication that he really regards purebloods
as being useless sit-on-their-ass types who have to be told what to
do all the time.  I think Voldemort is an equal-opportunity hater
who's just very very astute at manipulating the more depraved
Purebloods into doing what he wants in exchange for a chance to
indulge in physical violence.

>7.  Do you agree with the possibility that Neville may turn out to 
>be the real prophecy boy? 

No.  Impossible.  See answer to question 3 above.

>8. Do you think that there is a possibility that the prophecy does 
>not speak about either Harry or Neville? Can you offer completely 
>new and unexpected interpretation of it?

No.  Impossible.  See answers to questions 3 and 8 above.

>9. Dumbledore tells us that Sibyll is the great granddaughter of 
>Cassandra Trelawney. As we know from mythology, nobody believed 
>Cassandra's predictions which turned out to be true. Do you think 
>that JKR is hinting that Sibyll is a more gifted seer that 
>Dumbledore thinks? Do you think that there is more to Sibyll than 
>meets the eye?

Well, she's a real Seer, and you can't control when or where she'll
pop out with a prophecy so that's why she's more or less permanently
incarcerated at Hogwarts.  Beyond that she's a sad lonely woman who's
very insecure and vulnerable.  Reminds of Blanche Dubois in Streetcar
Named Desire "depending on the kindness of strangers".

>10.  Who is the infamous eavesdropper?

Don't know.  Might just be an anonymous DE whose identity we'll never
know and which doesn't matter.  Not everything in the series has to
be done by known major characters, after all.  

If I was betting in a pool, I'd say Pettigrew, because sneaking
around and eavesdropping sounds like his kind of safe activity 16
years ago.

>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? 

Seems like it.  

>Was Dumbledore aware that Harry has plenty of that 
>power in that room BEFORE possession occurred?

Of course not.  NO ONE understands this Voldemort-Harry connection
thingie that's going on.  For five books Dumbledore with help from
Snape and possibly others has been trying to figure out what the deal
is between Voldemort and Harry.  What did Voldemort do all those
years ago that resulted in the fiasco at GH and why didn't Harry
and/or Voldemort die?  Occlumency was a kind of "Let's try it.  Might
help.  Can't hurt." sort of attempt to deal with the situation. 

>12.  Do you think that this chapter was well done "plot wise"? I 
>don't remember my complete reaction when I read it for the first 
>time, but I remember that disappointment was definitely there.  I 
>was thinking something like "that is the big secret"? Do you think 
>that it would have been more effective if Harry learns about the 
>contents of the prophecy from somebody else? Yesterday for some 
>reason I was imagining Voldemort explaining things to Harry instead 
>of Dumbledore. "Potter, we have to kill one another or be killed. 
>You better be prepared." :o) What do you think?

Well, I had the big showdown thing figured out by the end of the
first book but wizards do seem to take longer to pick up elementary
things.  Yes this chapter was a major disappointment for me; the
first time I felt JKR let us down at the end of a book.

>13. We see Dumbledore crying in this chapter for the first time in 
>the books. Despite the fact that a similar question was already 
>posted couple of days ago, I decided not to delete mine. What did 
>you feel when you read about Dumbledore's tear?

I indulged in massive eye-rolling and thought "Oh COME ON!!!!".  All
this "I kept you safe" stuff?  Where the hell did that come from? 
For four solid books he was practically encouraging Harry to go it
alone without looking for more backup than Ron and Hermione, and
rewarding him in the most public way possible for doing it, and now
all of a sudden we're getting "I kept you too safe.  My bad."? 
WTF?????

I was very annoyed, let me tell you.  

Magda

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