CHAPDISC: HBP 18, Birthday Surprises

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 153491

<snipping Elfundeb's awesome summary to get to her awesome questions>
 
> 1.  What do you think of Golpalott's Third Law?  Was it included as 
> an example of magical principles?  Do you think it will be applied 
> in Book 7, either actually or metaphorically?  And is there any 
> significance to the name Golpalott, other than its resemblance to 
> gulp-a-lot?

SSSusan:
I absolutely believe it was included because it will be back in book 
7.  I wish I were the kind of person who could *think* of possible 
metaphorical uses, but all I can think of is the notion that someone 
unexpected -- some one *additional* "ingredient" -- will play 
significantly into the victory over Voldy.

Heh.  Had never noticed the "gulp-a-lot" similarity to Golpalott. ;-)


Debbie:
> 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). <snip> And is 
> this joke getting old now that the Trio are 16?

SSSusan:
Well, you know, I suppose the joke *is* getting old now.  I certainly 
understand Hermione's annoyance, after SIX YEARS of their seeming 
inability to develop some good study habits and critical thinking 
skills.  I mean, I think they're both *capable,* but I think they 
don't quite know how to apply themselves fully to study and don't 
really care to learn, which frustrates her no end.


Debbie:
> 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?  And why 
> do you think she put her own hair into her potion?

SSSusan:
I do think it's a combination of many of the things you have listed 
here, Debbie -- for sure, if not a need for recognition, at least a 
very-well-ingrained expectation of outshining others.  I think there 
is a bit of worry for Harry and a bit of annoyance that Harry's not 
showing any concern about trusting the Prince.  But I also think, for 
Hermione, it goes back to question #2.  The joke *is* getting old, 
Hermione *is* sick of babysitting these two friends through so many 
assignments, so many subjects, and let's be honest -- if this has 
ever happened to you, you'll know what I mean -- it's annoying as all 
get out when you help someone, only to have that person do better 
than you!  It probably comes down to a sense, for Hermione, of what 
is DESERVED.  She doesn't feel Harry deserves to outshine her, 
because he's not working hard enough, not thinking hard enough, not 
trying hard enough.

As for using her own hair?  Who the hell knows!  She was clearly 
desperate and maybe thought that would be the one additional 
ingredient that would trigger Golpalott?


Debbie:
> 6.  Wilkie Twycross tells the students that the restrictions on 
> Apparition have been lifted in the Great Hall for the duration of 
> the lesson.  If it's that simple, couldn't anyone undo the 
> restriction?  Why, then, is Draco spending an entire term trying to 
> create an entrance through the Vanishing Cabinets?  Shouldn't the 
> DEs have tried to undo the restriction long before now?

SSSusan:
Hee.  Well, either JKR didn't think this one through very well, or 
the lifted restriction is very much limited to that one spot within 
the castle, not on the castle as a whole.  So unless the DEs were 
already inside and could use the lifted restriction to move around 
some within the castle, this wouldn't help them to get IN in the 
first place?

Wait -- I see what you're asking:  wouldn't it have been possible for 
Draco to have learned to lift the anti-apparition restriction?  No, I 
don't think it *is* that easy.  I think Wilkie could only do it 
because DD allowed it.  I believe DD removed some magical barriers & 
protections himself, as opposed to their being some kind of 
standard "remove the barriers" spell anyone could discover.


Debbie: 
> 7.  Is the watch Ron received for his coming of age birthday 
> significant in any way?

SSSusan:  
Yup.  I just don't know in what way, but it's definitely coming back 
in Book 7.  I'm beginning to feel the need for some Book 7 prediction 
polls....


Debbie:
> 8.  JKR uses Ron to portray the effects of Love Potions in a very 
> humorous way (I thought Ron's deadpan comments about Romilda Vane 
> were the most laugh-out-loud funny in the entire book).  Does this 
> scene help to envision the effect of Merope's love potion on Tom 
> Riddle Sr.? 

SSSusan:
I think this scene *is* instructive in comparing the two situations.  
The Ron thing is pretty funny, but it's only funny because he was 
stopped before anything untoward occurred.  If he'd slugged Harry 
hard enough to knock him out and then run out of the room, "attacked" 
Romilda with his amorous attentions, done things he'd later seriously 
regretted, I think it would not have been funny in the slightest.


Debbie: 
> 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?  

SSSusan:
I think he is horrified precisely because he has no *true* romantic 
feelings for Romilda.  I suspect it was the thought of what he might 
have done if Harry & Slughorn hadn't intervened which has him 
horrified.


Debbie:
> And why does JKR always select Ron as a victim of forms of magic 
> with sophomorically humorous effects?

SSSusan:
An excellent question.  Hey, Jo, cut it out!!  


Debbie:
> 10.  There is so much Slughorn in this chapter it could have been 
> named for him.  <snip actions>  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?  <snip to Bonus Question:>  If Snape had
> still been potions master, how do you think he would he have 
> handled Ron's predicament?

SSSusan:
Well, I admit that I struggle with what to do with Slughorn.  I don't 
think he's bad in the sense of Death Eater bad.  But I think he may, 
at times, struggle with his baser instincts.  I'd like him to turn 
out to be a pretty sympathetic character in the end, but I've still 
got mixed thoughts *now.*  

His "freezing" and not really thinking how to help Ron did bother 
me.  To lead into your bonus question, NO WAY IN HECK could I picture 
Snape **not** knowing exactly how to handle Ron's situation.  And not 
only knowing how, but actually doing so.  

Siriusly Snapey Susan