[HPforGrownups] CHPDISC: HBP14, Felix Felicis

[Dave Hardenbrook]

No: HPFGUIDX 151871


Wednesday, May 3, 2006, 5:46:14 AM, potioncat wrote:

p> 4. The Slytherin team members are Urquhart, Harper and Vaisey. Any 
p> thoughts on those names and what they might mean, or what images they 
p> conjure? How do they compare to the names of the Gryffindor beaters 
p> Peakes and Coote?

Well, the name "Urquhart" made me think of Francis Urquhart, the evil
British PM portrayed by Ian Richardson in the "House of Cards" series.
I couldn't say if that's significant, though.


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

It shows how much love can hurt.  As it happens, there is currently
someone whom *I'd* like to set a swarm of vicious birds on...


p> 13. "Felix Felicis" is the title of the chapter. What part did the 
p> potion really play? Does this tell us anything about the potion or 
p> was it just part of the set up?

In this chapter, the potion clearly plays the role of Dumbo's
"Magic Feather" -- It's only true "magic" in providing
self-confidence.  I'm not sure if the potion itself is only a
placebo...  Could that alone explain their good fortune in the battle
with the DE's?


p> 14. Felix Felicis wasn't really in the chapter "Felix Felicis." Was 
p> Snape's worst memory really in the chapter with that name? Can you 
p> think of other chapters that may have been written like this?

Well let's see... "The Midnight Duel" (PS/SS) -- There wasn't any duel,
just a run-in with Hermione and a very large member of species
_Canis tricephalus_; "The Worst Birthday" (CoS) -- I think Harry
*must* have had worse b-days than that *before* he discovered the WW;
"Back to the Burrow" (GoF) -- The return to the Burrow doesn't actually
happen until the *next* chapter; "Mad-Eye Moody" (GoF) -- Of course,
it wasn't really Mad-Eye at all.

A case could be made for others, but those are the ones that stand
out to me...

-- 
Dave