Re: CHAPDISC3: HBP 3, WILL AND WON’T

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 142587

> Q1:  Does this signal a change in attitude toward Harry?  Is this a 
> grassroots change or a campaign started by the Ministry?

Alla:

Well, IMO we do see a change of attitude towards Harry, but I don't 
know if that is that much of the positive change. Granted, it is 
probably better that they believe Harry now, but too little too late 
comes to mind.

I think it IS probably grassroots change and Ministry probably 
decided to listen to what is staring them in the face, but just 
speculating here.

 
> Q2:  How does knowing that Scrimgeour was the Head Auror change 
your 
> interpretation of earlier events as they had unfolded in OotP?

Alla:

Actually, I am not sure what you mean here. Sorry! :-) Why would it 
change the interpretation of earlier events? Do you mean that because 
of Scrumgeour's personality traits he did some things less efectively 
than he should have done?

 
> Q4:  Is Mrs. Longbottom one of those who "seem reassured" by the 
new 
> security measures?  What do you think she said that is hidden from 
> us?

Alla:

Hmmm, I think Augusta Longbottom is one of those who sees the grim 
reality and who realises that big war came and who knows where she 
stands. I am not sure how reassured she is by the Ministry measures, 
maybe because I was not.

It is a great point about hidding some of her quote from us. I bet 
there is something important there, or maybe this is another Mark 
Evans. :-)

I want to see what others think.



> 
> Q5:  Do these measures seem reasonable?

Alla:

Despite the fact that JKR said that she was not thinking about 
contemporary politics much when she was writing HBP, except when they 
put Stan in prison, I think she IS making fun of some RL stuff. I 
think Dumbledore makes fun of them too in chapter 4 in very " 
dumbledorish way" when he tells Harry about his favorite jam flavor 
and if he was an impostor, he would have researched everything about 
the person he was going to impostor ( paraphrase).

Those measures are micro measures to me, desperate attempts to 
reassure population when nothing is being done on macro level, so to 
speak. Am I making sense?



> Q7:  Is Harry's pessimism justified?  Do you think he has reason to 
> believe that Dumbledore will not do as he says he will? 

Alla:

After OOP? I would say very very justified

> 
> Q8:  What do you think of Dumbledore's behavior here? 

Alla:

I mentioned earlier that I was cheering him on with an absolute 
delight, I was also thinking  that if only Snape would get something 
similar to what Dursleys got, I will be one very happy reader. :-) 
But I was very happy in any event.


> Q10:  Do you think *anything* will bring Harry back to the house?  
> Do you think pleasant memories could ever change the atmosphere of 
> the house?

Alla:

I tend to agree with  the idea that one of the horcruxes is there and 
only for that Harry may come back. I doubt that anything will ever 
change an atmosphere in the house.


> Q12:  Harry does not give Kreacher any orders about discussing the 
> Order.  Was this an error by Harry and Dumbledore?  Or do Sirius's 
> orders to Kreacher still apply?

Alla:

I don't think that it matters in any event, because I doubt that JKR 
will make Kreacher betray the Order again, since it already happened 
and we will sort of be expecting it.


 
> Q13: Why does Dumbledore say this now?  Why not 5 years ago?  At 
> this point, why say it at all?  

Alla:

Believe me, I would LOVE to know to answer to this question too. 
There had been many, many explanations on the list as to why Order 
had been allowed to intervene only at the end of OOP. JKR did not 
give any in HBP, didn't she?

So, the way I read the book, I do NOT see any reason why Dumbledore 
could not have done it five years ago. But better late than never, I 
suppose.



> Q17: Do you think Harry will be allowed to return to Privet Drive?

Alla:

I am positive he will because Dumbledore wanted him to and as we know 
Harry is " Dumbledore man through and through". :-)


Alla,

who wants to thank Susan/RB for the questions  and who skipped some 
to see what others think first.