[HPforGrownups] CHAPDISC: HBP 18, Birthday Surprises

[Irene Mikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 153487

Great summary, great questions.
--- elfundeb <elfundeb at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> 1.  What do you think of Golpalott's Third Law?  Was
> it included as an
> example of magical principles? 

I think it demonstrates that Hogwarts teaches theory
as well, that it's not a trade school as many readers
seem to think. I always got a feeling that there is
more theory there (especially in Transfiguration) that
Harry lets us see, but Rowling felt the need to
strengthen the impression.

> 
> 2.  Harry and Ron appear incapable of anything in
> Potions class without
> Hermione's assistance.  They can't even manage to
> consult Advanced Potion
> Making to figure out what to do (although Harry does
> look in the margins for
> advice from the Prince).  How did they do so well on
> their Potions OWLs?

Maybe OWLs have a lot of multiple choice questions,
they are much easier to get right than open-ended
research.

> And is this joke getting old now that the Trio are
> 16?

No, I don't think so. Potions course seems to be
increasing in complexity each year. If they missed
basic principles, then the distance to any kind of
understanding just increases with each lesson.

> 4.  Why is it so important to Hermione to outshine
> Harry in Potions?  Is it
> a need for recognition?  Fear of failure?  Concern
> about Harry's reliance on
> an unknown author?  Annoyance that Harry is taking
> credit for the Prince's
> work?  Something else?

Justice, I think. Harry does not have any
understanding of the Potions, but he gets the top
marks. She didn't have a problem accepting that Harry
is better in DADA, so I don't think it's an envy or
anything like that.


> 9.  Why is Ron horrified when Slughorn administers
> the antidote? Is he
> feeling the disappointment of the crush wearing off,
> or is he just
> embarrassed at having acted the way he did?  And why
> does JKR always select
> Ron as a victim of forms of magic with
> sophomorically humorous effects?

I think it's embarassment. As to why Rowling does it
to him, I don't know. But she'd better stop if she
wants the readers and Hermione to take him for
anything more than a clown.

> 
> 10.  There is so much Slughorn in this chapter it
> could have been named for
> him.  Slughorn's actions include (i) invoking Lily,
> (ii) reacting badly to
> Harry's inquiry about horcruxes, (iii) calling Ron
> "Ralph", (iv)opening a
> bottle of mead intended for Dumbledore, and (v)
> failing to recognize Ron's
> symptoms or take responsive action, even though the
> bezoar was in his bag.
> How do these actions affect our prior perception of
> his character?  Is
> Slughorn a sympathetic character despite his faults?
>  What do you think of
> his ethics?  His potion-making skills?

I found Slughorn a sympathetic character. The only
thing about him I'd call a "fault" was his handling of
the Horcrux memory. Still, in the end he came through
with the truth. More than can be said about Lupin. :-)


> 
> Bonus Question.  Despite the fact that ch. 18 is
> infused with
> potions, former potions master Snape is barely
> mentioned.  If Snape had
> still been potions master, how do you think he would
> he have handled Ron's
> predicament?

He would've let them in. Since Potter would not be in
the Potions class, Snape wouldn't spend too much time
ridiculing him for failing to produce the antidote by
himself. If Madame Pomfrey is expected to have this
antidote in stock, Snape would send them to her, of
course. Otherwise he'd brew it just as flawlessly as
Slughorn did. No celebration with mead, of course. :-)
But if Ron still managed to get himself poisoned while
in his office, I don't expect Snape would be as
helpless as Slughorn. He probably carries bezoar with
him all the time.

Irene



	
	
		
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