CHAPDISC: HBP9, The Half-Blood Prince

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 147661

AyanEva:
> My additional thoughts on this subject (sorry if anything repeats): 
> 
>  I honestly do NOT remember there ever being any mention before now 
> that Neville was good at Charms, but apparently he is. Also, the 
fact 
> that he sucks at Transfiguration—This might mean something, but 
what? 

zgirnius:
About Transfiguration, perhaps just another indication that he does 
not respond well to a strict, disciplinarian teaching style? Potions 
of course he is abysmal at, maybe McGonagall also intimidates him to 
a certain degree?

> AyanEva:
> When did he start performing at a NEWT level in Transfiguration?? I 
> think this is the first I have heard of it. And that he performed 
as 
> well as he did in Potions? I know this means something, but I 
cannot 
> piece anything together. 

zgirnius:
That he is a decent student in Transfiguration who is viewed by 
McGonagall as having some potential is made clear, if not earlier, 
then in the "Career Advice" chapter of OotP. McGonagall seems to 
think that if he really studies he should do well enough on his OWL 
in Transfiguration (a required NEWT course for a would-be Auror). 
Since she is his teacher, she should know.

That he got the E in Potions I think reflects the overall high 
standard to which that class is taught. He wasn't doing as badly as 
he thought because 1) Snape's class is pretty advanced, 2) Snape does 
not lose an opportunity to mark him down, and 3) Harry cannot be 
bothered to pay as much attention to Snape's class as to classes 
whose teachers he likes better.

Nice questions, BTW, I do plan to respond to the inital questions at 
some point!