CHAPDISC: HBP11, Hermione's Helping Hand

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 149001

ginger wrote: 
> Questions:
> 
> Although I first enjoyed this chapter for the humour, it struck me 
in 
> my rereading that there is a plethora of foreshadowing.
> 
> Nonverbal spells are now expected, although Harry notes that 
others are 
> having as much trouble as he is.  Could this be a part of the 
reason 
> Snape is later annoyed by Harry's inability to cast them by the 
end of 
> the book?  Did Hermione do her Confundus on Cormac nonverbally?  
Do we 
> ever see Ron do one?  What do you think of Hermione's casting the 
> Confundus?

zgirnius:
I think it is most likely that Hermione cast the Confundus 
nonverbally. She picks up this NEWT-level skill very quickly. (We 
saw her in "The Half-Blood Prince" already able to deflect a jinx 
nonverbally, in the first DADA class of the year). I believe we do 
not see Ron do a nonverbal spell.

Of course it was wrong of Hermione to cast the Confundus on 
McLaggen, but I found it touching. She really wanted Ron to get the 
position, I think.

> Stan Shunpike is arrested.  Other than the trio's say-so, do we 
have 
> any evidence that he is actually innocent? 

zgirnius:
I found Stan's innocence to be suggested by the times Harry brought 
him up to Scrimgeour. If there were solid evidence, I would have 
expected it to get mentioned. Not necessarily in terms of specifics, 
Harry's a kid and Scrimgeous the Miniter of Magic, but 
generally...'we can;t be letting such dangerous people out, you 
know, Harry,' or some such.

> Cormac seems to expect that his Slug connections will help him 
with 
> Harry.  He is also boastful of his abilities.  He says that he 
didn't 
> try out last year due to eating a pound of doxy eggs on a bet and 
being 
> hospitalized.  One of our brighter listees (and I wish I could 
remember 
> who so I could give credit) wondered once if F&G hadn't made that 
bet 
> to help Ron.  We did see them with doxy eggs, and it seems in 
their 
> nature.  Do you think they did this?  Would Cormac have made the 
team 
> last year instead of Ron?

zgirnius:
Great catch about the doxy eggs, whoever it was. I could definitely 
see the Twins doing something like that. Though if they really 
wanted to help Ron they could lay off him occasionally...

I suppose McLaggen probably would have made the team, unless 
Angelina really hated his personality.