CHPDISC: HBP14, Felix Felicis

[gelite67]

No: HPFGUIDX 151893

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Potioncat wrote:

Felix Felicis Questions:
> 
> 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?

Angie replies:

Actually, I hadn't thought of that. It was also mentioned in the very 
first chapter. It just seemed like foreshadowing for the last book, 
which would apparently mean we can look forward to a lot more 
Dementors (BTW, how long does it take them to become "adults?")
>
<snip> 
Potioncat: 
8. What do you think of Ginny's retaliation? <snip>

Angie:  I loved it!  I think JKR has been building her character all 
along (think back to the MOM scene where she didn't want Luna to help 
her walk when she hurt her ankle).  Look how Ginny has grown from the 
first two books (where to me, she seemed a bit timid) into a 
resolute, determined, gritty young woman, and in doing so, became the 
type of person to catch Harry's attention for something other than 
her looks (note that she is described by others -- but not Harry - as 
pretty).  She stands up for herself (re Ron and Dean) and defends 
those she cares about, even if she does it in an unconventional 
manner in this particular scene.  "Forgot to brake!"  LOL.
> 
<snip>
Potioncat:
> 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?
> 
Angie again:
Easily -- no resolution of the issue.  I think one of Ron's best 
traits is his loyalty and whether he realizes it or not, he expects 
others to be as loyal as he is (which is why he got ticked at Harry 
in GOF -- he felt betrayed).  When Hermione goes off with Vickie, 
Ron's crushed but can't even admit it to himself.  If he would have 
admitted it, maybe he wouldn't have still been harboring such strong 
resentment in HBP. I also believe Ron thinks he's not smart enough or 
good enough for Hermione, so for her to take up with the world's most 
famous Quidditch player probably only drove that wound deeper and 
poured copious amounts of salt on it, which rendered it VERY slow to 
heal.

As for Lavender, I don't think Ron's using her. She flirted with him 
first, but only after she knew he was involved with the MOM 
incident.  Now that he's "all interesting", she's interested. Maybe 
she's using him.  I don't believe he had strong feelings for her but 
no, I don't think he was just using her for snogging practice. Bear 
in mind that Hermione has, by this point in the book, made comments 
about Harry being "fanciable" and "interesting" or "fascinating" or 
something like that -- words she has NEVER used to describe Ron.  I 
think Ron's fearing they may become a couple and leave him behind, so 
he looks elsewhere.  Maybe Hermione will appreciate Lavendar a little 
more when Ron finally kisses her b/c he won't be such an amateur! 
(Can't believe I said that!)  

Of course Ron wants someone to admire him (who doesn't?) but what he 
needs is someone to encourage him, which is what Hermione in her 
overbearing and highly critical way tries to do.  I think she gets so 
irritated with him because she knows he could think more deeply about 
things and could "do better."  But I digress...

Potioncat:
> 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?

Angie:
Honestly, the first time I read this, I was shocked.  I couldn't help 
but think of the Alfred Hitchcock movie.  I don't know why this "came 
off" to me worse than any of the other spells that any of the 
students have cast on each other (to this point in the story), but it 
did.  The birds pecking at someone's face, in particular seemed so 
much more sinister to me than using a wand.  I kept thinking, "He 
could have lost an eye!"  

Does her behavior support Slughorn's statement about "the power of 
obsessive love?"

I think it at least tells us that Hermione, perhaps unrealistically, 
thought that Ron was more mature than he is -- she expected better of 
him. Maybe she also feels angry with herself because she believed he 
was interested in her and then felt stupid for believing that. 
Perhaps she just wanted Ron to know how she felt when she saw him 
with Lavendar -- like birds were pecking at her flesh?  Not that he 
was likely to grasp the symbolism.

I think it's important to remember that nowhere is Hermione described 
as pretty and if she believes she's not, that's bound to affect her 
self-esteem.  I picture her as plain and bookish, and as someone who 
had few friends before Hogwarts.  I don't agree that Hermmione kissed 
Victor (Hermione never said that); I'm not convinced that they were 
more than friends. If that's so, then (I'm assuming) Ron is the first 
guy that Hermione has "fancied."  So, she's bound to be upset and 
angry. And witches/wizards have the ability to express their anger in 
a way we Muggles cannot. (Let's just say it's a good thing some days 
that I lack the ability to conjure flesh-pecking birds!_  I guess it 
could have been worse  -- she could have conjured fire on him! 

What's more, even if she did have a thing for Victor, she apparently 
got over it.  So maybe she did snog Victor and is mad b\c she gave 
him up for Ron, who is now snogging Lavendar?  Or maybe she's made 
b/c she didn't snog Victor and gave him up for Ron, who is now 
snogging Lavendar??

> 12. JKR set us up. The title of the chapter, the description at 
> breakfast and the description of the game all made it look as if 
> Harry had spiked Ron's drink. Did you think Harry put Felix Felicis 
> in Ron's juice? What did you expect the outcome to be?
> 

Angie again:
Nah, I actually had that one figured out.  Maybe the only thing in 
the entire series, mind you.  If I was Hermione, I would work on 
being a little less predictable.  Like Harry, I expected Hermione to 
jump to the wrong conclusion, for Ron to think Harry had done it, and 
therefore, to make it a self-fullfulling prophesy. Also like Harry, I 
didn't expect the soap-opera angst that followed, but Ron just 
doesn't get that Hermione, in her own way, had just as much faith in 
Ron as Harry did, does he?