Re: CHAPDISC3: HBP 3, WILL AND WON’T

[lucianam73]

No: HPFGUIDX 142596

rbookworm46 at y wrote:
> 
> 
> Q1:  Does this signal a change in attitude toward Harry?  Is this 
a 
> grassroots change or a campaign started by the Ministry?

Lucianam:
Nope, IMO the old Ministry is just trying to ride the Harry Popular 
wave. Mind you, it seems the Ministry themselves, in alliance with 
the Daily Prophet, started the whole Chosen One campaign.
 
> Q2:  How does knowing that Scrimgeour was the Head Auror change 
your 
> interpretation of earlier events as they had unfolded in OotP?

Lucianam:
Ha ha. Let's have some fun! What if Amelia Bones, who was 
Scrimgeour's boss and possibly a candidate for Minister, was 
murdered so he could be Minister instead? I'm saying this because I 
didn't like Scrimgeour and want him to be a baddie, I know I don't 
have much canon evidence apart from this coincidence. And maybe the 
fact he's a friend of Cormac McLaggen's uncle and Cormac's a really 
weird guy who almost got Harry killed, and was pratically happy Ron 
had been poisoned.

> Q3:  Events later in the book show us that Scrimgeour tries to use 
> Harry to get some positive publicity for the Ministry.  Do you 
think 
> this is what caused the rift between Scrimgeour and Dumbledore – 
> that Scrimgeour wanted to set up a meeting with Harry and 
Dumbledore 
> refused?  Or do you think there are some long-standing issues 
> between them?

Lucianam:
I suppose DD could have been angry with Scrimgeour because of the 
leaks on the Chosen One story. After all, how come the Prophet ever 
heard about it? The people who knew about the prophecy were DD, 
Voldemort, Snape, the Death Eaters who were in the MoM battle and 
apparently the members of the Order (not sure about this one). So 
how come the Prophet knew??? Not the Ministry's employees's fault, 
it seems, remember the 'agitated Obliviator' who wouldn't talk. 
I have an idea, maybe the Death Eaters were interrogated? If they 
babbled, Scrimgeour heard the Prophecy story. Possibly he had the 
idea of giving it to the Daily Prophet, with the intention of... 
playing it to his advantage, or is he evil and has other plans?

> 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?

Lucianam:
No idea, good point. But she did tell the reporters about Neville 
being in the MoM battle and being a friend of Harry's. I think that 
could be dangerous to Neville, if people decide to get information 
from him. It also told Voldemort (he does read the papers I believe) 
that Harry and Neville are friends, if Snape and Bellatrix have 
failed to notice/report that. It's the sort of thing Voldemort likes 
to be aware of.
  
> 
> Q8:  What do you think of Dumbledore's behavior here? 

Lucianam:
In the Dursley's house? I liked the glasses. They were nasty but so 
are the Dursleys!
About the Kreacher thing, I don't think DD is 100% right. If Harry 
is not Kreacher's master, but someone else is, this other person 
could fool them. All they'd have to do is tell Kreacher to obey 
Harry and follow his every order. And, of course, not to anyone his 
true master is not Harry.

I'm enjoying this Chapter discussion a lot, I'll get back to the 
other questions as soon as more people answer!!!! (want to check out 
their answers, <g>)

Lucianam