CHPDISC: HBP14, Felix Felicis

[meriaugust]

No: HPFGUIDX 151842

Snipping PotionCat's summary - 

> 1.The strange mist, which we know is due to Dementors breeding, is 
so 
> thick the Trio has trouble finding the Greenhouse. It's mentioned 
> very casually. Do you think it's important? Could it contribute to 
> any of the emotions we see in the next few chapters?

Meri now - This is an interesting correllation; I think the 
increased presence of the Dementors do in fact have a huge affect on 
the atmosphere of the book. The whole mood of the WW is down and 
relations at Hogwarts seemed a little strained this year. We know 
Azkaban Prison is located on a cold grey island in the North Sea. 
Maybe the dementors contributed to that, too (and maybe the weather 
is a little better up there than it used to be). 

snip
> 6. Do you think Malfoy had to "bribe" Harper to play? Does Harper 
> know Malfoy is up to something?

Meri - Malfoy can fake ill like nobody's business (remember the PoA 
arm slashing incident?) so I would assume that he's just faking sick 
again. The bribe crack was probably just a good way to distract 
Harper without bringing up his parentage or some other offense. What 
I want to know is why Gryffindor never had a reserve seeker, for all 
those times that Harry ended up in hospital. 

> 7. Zacharias Smith is pretty petty in this scene. Do you think he 
is 
> related to Hepzibah Smith? How are they alike?  

Meri - Smith is a pretty common last name (and remember the Evans 
incident), but the fact that they're both Hufflepuffs at least gives 
us another clue. I would make the tentative assumption that they're 
related distantly, and he or his family might have some useful 
information about the Hufflepuff cup. Perhaps his and Harry's 
enimity has been set up to force Harry to have to deal with him and 
ask him for help in the horcrux hunt. 

> 8. What do you think of Ginny's retaliation? If McGonagall was 
there, 
> why wasn't she giving Smith what for?

Meri - Hilarious. And I suppose that McGonagall wasn't in charge of 
the commentary since Smith was a Hufflepuff. Perhaps Prof. Sprout 
was in charge (as McGonagall was when Lee Jordan of Gryffindor 
comentated). 
 
> 9. We don't hear anything about the Snape-McGonagall Quidditch 
> rivalry anymore. JKR has said she's glad to have written the last 
> Quidditch game. Did JKR tire of the rivalry too? Do the two 
> professors have more important things on their minds? Do you miss 
the 
> rivalry?

Meri - I concur with those that think that there are more important 
things on the minds of the staff, especially with Snape and his 
secret missions. I personally always liked the Quidditch scenes 
(because they served as a touchstone to the regular existence of a 
witch or wizard) and though that they provided a nice way for Harry 
and company to have a little fun. But now that the war is basically 
on and there might not even be any more Hogwarts I can see that this 
is the time for Quidditch to go away. Book seven is going to be a 
very serious novel, and I wouldn't expect much levity along the way. 

> 10. How can Ron really be mad at Hermione for something that 
happened 
> two years ago? Is he using Lavender, or does he need/want someone 
who 
> admires him?

Meri - Ron and Hermione have a long history together and (as anyone 
who had a long history with someone knows) it is always possible to 
bring up old hurts and arguments when you're feuding with someone. 
(How many times I have seen my parents bring up an argument from 
five years ago when they're really going at it?) And the fact that 
Krum was older, more popular, more talented at Quidditch, as well as 
a personal idol/hero of Ron's, couldn't have helped Ron's acceptance 
of the whole thing. But as to whether or not Ron is using Lavender, 
I don't really agree with that interpretation. It's just a physical 
thing, a little crush/fling, the kind that we all have when we're 
that age. 

> 11. We see Hermione with a flock of yellow birds around her head. 
> That image is often used to represent innocence or love. Next 
thing 
> we see, those birds are attacking Ron, and apparently do some 
damage. 
> What does this tell us about Hermione? Or does it tell us more 
about 
> love?

Meri - I thought this scene was played more for comic releif than 
anything. But then again it might show that Hermione has her pride. 
If Ron can stoop to snogging Lavender Brown then Hermione can stoop 
to physical violence. 

Meri - great job potioncat!