CHAPDISC: HBP 2, Spinner's End

[lealess]

No: HPFGUIDX 142069

An excellent summary, and many well-thought-out comments, to which I
have little to add, except an observation.

This chapter seems full of foreshadowing and contrast, specifically
with The Lightning-Struck Tower.  The fox taken by surprise, the hex
on the fox (a silent AK or something else?), and its dropping to the
ground dead foreshadow Dumbledore's death.  The towering mill chimney
foreshadows the Tower.  The drama centering around protecting Draco
and Snape's choice to protect him contrasts with the protection
Dumbledore offers and the choice Draco must make for himself on the
Tower.  There is, of course, the Unbreakable Vow, dark magic for a
dark purpose.  Snape's look of disgust at Narcissa's begging for help
compares with his look upon Dumbledore's supposed begging.  Narcissa's
bold declaration that Snape could do it!

In other chapters: Wormtail's listening at doors, probably as a spy
for Voldemort, contrasts with Snape's allegedly doing the same at the
Hog's Head.  There is foreshadowing of the horcruxes in the discussion
Bellatrix' being entrusted with precious things and the diary.  Snape
first brags about his skills as an actor in this chapter, throwing
into doubt Dumbledore's trust.  Narcissa looks like a drowned thing –
an inferius? The wine drunk in honor of the Dark Lord (after which
Narcissa begins begging) contrasts with the potion drunk by Dumbledore
to defeat the Dark Lord (after which Dumbledore begins begging).

New information not picked up later in the book is that Snape claims
there were rumors about Harry being the next Dark Lord.  Of course,
Snape reemphasizes how much like his obnoxious father Harry is.

I don't know if this adds much to the discussion – it feels like a
book report from long ago, actually. But anything else I could say
would be wild speculation, always fun but better saved for another forum.

lealess