CHAPDISC: HBP1, The Other Minister

[nanuknnatasha]

No: HPFGUIDX 141844

SSSusan:
> > > And then this "I wanted to use this before" chapter which had 
> > > us all thinking, "Oh, boy!  BIG stuff!"  Only to have it 
> > > be "just" a meeting between the WW and MW head honchos.  
> > > 
> > > Truth be told, I have a hard time imagining just how JKR 
> > > would've used this earlier.  

a_svirn:
> > I am more interested to know why she wanted to use it at all. I 
> > mean, it is not in the least surprising that she should have 
> > taken pains to *separate* the two worlds in the previous five 
> > books. 

bboyminn:
> Sometimes an author just has a cool plot idea. I'm sure JKR 
> thought it would be cool to see the interaction between the Muggle 
> and Magic governments, and it was at least that, cool. 
> 
> But, I also agree that it couldn't have possibly worked before now.


I think that for something as momentous to the readers as contact 
between the Ministry and the PM, it should have come right where it 
did.  The strange disappearances and deaths, the Dementors siding 
with Voldemort, and the threat of much more to come would allow the 
reader to believe that things were bad enough to involve certain 
representatives of the Muggle community.  If it had been included in 
another book, I think the effect would not have been the same.  With 
it being included in the book where things really start to "hit the 
fan", it serves the purpose of really driving home the desperation 
of the Ministry to stop Voldemort, and the terror of those who know 
what's really going on.  After all, being an ignorant Muggle isn't 
going to save them...

nanuknnatasha