CHAPDISC: HBP8, Snape Victorious

[allies426]

No: HPFGUIDX 146694

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Sherry Gomes" 
<sherriola at e...> wrote:
>

> 4.  Some have said that we didn't see enough of Harry grieving for 
Sirius.
> What do you think of this scene, with Harry's thoughts about Tonks 
and his
> inability to talk to her about Sirius?  Does this show his grief 
to you?

Allie: 

He had a little time to heal over the summer.  The pain is obviously 
worst when it's freshest, even by the time Harry sees Dumbledore he 
has healed enough to be embarrassed by his behavior in DD's office 
at the end of the last term.  He's still grieving but in a less 
obvious way when we see him in this scene.

 
> 8.  Ok, I've been dying to ask this question for months.  It's 
come up once
> or twice before with no response.  Did Snape see that Harry's face 
was
> covered in blood?  He did have a lantern with him, and when they 
entered the
> school there was a lot of light.  If he did see it, why didn't he 
comment or
> why didn't he realize that Harry had not been late on purpose, that
> something must have happened to Harry on the way?  If you believe 
he didn't
> see it, why not, how could he not see it?  With all the extra 
security and
> all that going on in the wizarding world, why didn't he ask Harry 
how his
> face got bloodied?  Were his snarky comments to Harry on the walk 
up to the
> castle just the usual routine, done to keep up appearances, or 
does he still
> seriously hate him so much?

Hmm, I never thought about that.  When I first read it, I did not 
realize Harry was covered in blood until one of the kids mentioned 
it.  When I re-read it, I think I assumed 
that he DID see Harry's face covered in blood but was just being 
typical Snape and giving Harry grief anyway.  I can't imagine that 
Snape TRULY thought Harry was trying to make a grand entrance!  
That's so unlike anything that Harry would do!  (Maybe it's just me 
projecting because *I* know that Harry would never do that.)

> 
> 9.  Hermione tells Harry that Hagrid was only a few minutes late, 
yet Snape
> had said that Tonks' message to Hagrid couldn't reach him, because 
Hagrid
> was late, and that was why, he, Snape, had taken the message 
instead.  Was
> this true?  Do you think Snape intercepted the patronus message 
before it
> could reach its intended recipient?  How long do Patronuses take 
to arrive
> with a message?  Did it arrive when Hagrid was not there? Did Snape
> intercept the message because he was supposed to protect Harry, or 
just to
> have another golden opportunity to give him a bad time?

I did find that highly suspicious and hoped for an explanation.  If 
Snape did in fact intercept the Patronus to look after Harry, was he 
asked to do it or did he take it upon himself?  

> 10.  Is there any significance to the fact that Trelawney is at 
the start of
> term feast?  Is this only the second time we've seen her at the 
feast?
>
We'll hear more about Trelawney, I bet.

 
> 11.  Toward the end of this chapter, we have two different 
situations with
> Ron, both that jumped out at me in different ways.  First in the
> conversation with nearly Headless Nick, was this meant to be comic 
relief,
> or showing Ron's insensitivity?  Later, as Harry tells Ron the 
story of what
> happened on the train, he believes Ron shows his friendship by not 
laughing.
> Does this show anything about Ron's character, or is this just 
normal for
> any kid his age?
>
Actually, I was appalled that Harry even thought Ron *could* laugh 
at him in this situation.  It's funny when your friend trips on 
their own two feet and falls on their butt.  It's NOT funny in the 
slightest when your friend gets THEIR FACE STOMPED ON by a mutual 
enemy!  I would have been horrified if Ron laughed.  He's too good 
to have done that.

 
> 13.  Here is one of my favorite parts in the book, for surprise 
value,
> Dumbledore announcing Slughorn as Potions teacher.  How did you 
react when
> you read Dumbledore's announcement of Slughorn as potions master?  
Were you
> shocked?  Did you expect it at all?  When Harry and Dumbledore 
were going to
> meet Slughorn, did you think it was to hire him for DADA?
> 
I knew it was coming.  I was suspicious when I saw a chapter 
titled "Snape Victorious."  Then after the Slughorn chapter I 
realized that neither DD nor Slughorn actually mentioned "Defense 
Against the Dark Arts."  So I knew.

> 14.  I have racked my brains and can't remember any place in the 
books where
> it is stated as fact that Dumbledore did not trust Snape and that 
is why he
> has never given him the DADA post before.  Is this a case of rumor 
and
> gossip becoming fact over time?  Why indeed did Dumbledore give or 
not give
> Snape the job?  Has Snape really wanted it all these years?  Did 
you think
> about the DADA curse when you heard that Snape had the position?  

I still can't figure Snape out!  No idea if he really wants the 
position, but Umbridge noticed that he applied for it several 
times.  Did he really want it, or was he applying for some as-yet 
undisclosed Dumbeldore/Snape "we must keep up appearances" reason?  


> 15.  How do you feel about Harry's savage comment that at least it 
means
> Snape will be gone by the end of the year?  Did Harry's comment 
about
> keeping his fingers crossed for another death disturb you? 

I found it insightful ("at least he'll be gone by the end of the 
year").  And it didn't disturb me because I don't think Harry really 
meant it.  As I have mentioned before, there's a difference between 
hating someone and wanting them dead (in that instance referring to 
Snape hating James, coincidentally).  Lots of people say, "I'm going 
to kill him if...." and don't mean it!

> 
> 16.  Do you think Dumbledore's specific mentioning of not 
wandering after
> bedtime is aimed at the trio in particular?

Absolutely!! 

Great job, Sherry!!!

Allie