CHAPDISC HBP 15, The Unbreakable Vow

[Goddlefrood]

No: HPFGUIDX 152063

Carol wrote the discussion starter and made an excellent job of doing 
so. I snip the entire post, excepting some portions, and put in my 
twopen'orth.

>1) What do you think of Ron's public "snogging" sessions with 
Lavender and Hermione's reaction? <SNIP>

Goddlefrood:

PDAs (public displays of affection) in general appal me, always have, 
I'm a strictly behind closed doors man. In the book it was obviously 
necessary to emphasise the whole irrational jealousy thing and was 
depicted rather well. Many years ago when at school there were 
several little love triangles going on and I thought JK put the 
scenarion rather well. One suspects she may have been involved in 
somesuch herself.

Harry's limited experience with girls up to the point where this 
whole Ron/Hermione/Lavender matter is would justify his reaction, 
particularly the way he had been treated by Cho the previous year. 
His maturity is not yet to the point where he could laugh off the 
situation developing between his two closest friends, but no doubt 
this would be developed further as part of book 7, by the end of 
which Harry hopefully will be sailing off into the sunset with the 
woman of his dreams.

>2) <SNIP> How "dark" is Romilda's plot to get Harry to take her to 
Slughorn's party by, erm, potioning him? And how responsible are the 
Twins, who made and sold the love potions, for the uses to which the 
potions are put?

Goddlefrood comments:

I'd have to agree with Hermione that the plot is not dark or 
dangerous. Harry's reaction was mostly due to his undisguised 
revulsion for Romilda. Unfortunate events ensued from this attempt 
(Ron's near death and Slughorn's exposure as a less than brilliant 
potioneer [but's that's a different post perhaps one day]). Had it 
been drunk fresh an awful lot of later difficulties could have been 
prevented. I would question why Harry didn't dispose of the poisoned 
chocolates immediately and perhaps there are those of you who would 
like to expand on this point.

The Weasley Twins are excellent businessmen and there is really 
little else to say. Whoever said they were responsible for the uses 
to which their products might be put? They are simply meeting 
demand for desperate creatures such as Ms. Vane. 

>3) <SNIP> Is he just using the Prince's notes to get marks he 
doesn't deserve, or is he really learning more from the Prince than 
he ever learned from the adult Snape or Slughorn? How might 
this new interest in Potions, if it lasts, play out in Book 7?

Goddlefrood:

There's certainly an element of using the Prince's notes (if indeed 
they are all his) to get good marks. Is there honestly anybody out 
there who would not take advantage of a leg up if it were as
freely presented to them as what Harry is using? Harry's comment on 
learning more from the book than from his Potion's teachers is a 
valid opinion he holds and without going into too much detail
probably right.

How his new interest in potions might pan out deserves a post of its 
own, but I really should get n with my office work, however to 
summarise I postulate the following:

Lily's noted gift as a potioneer will play a role in book 7 and 
whether this is by way of Harry discovering some powerful potion 
developed by Lily that no one (apart from perhaps Snape) is aware
of and which has qualities that would finish off the evil that men do 
or whether the reason Lily was offered her life (or indeed whether 
these two together are the key to the whole mystery) I could
not say for sure. I think I am right in saying that potions and 
particularly ones developed by Lily will play a significant role in 
the final furlong.

>4) <SNIP> Can you think of any other "explanations" that may be 
revealed as misleading in the future?

Goddlefrood, rather curtly:

Plenty. I will, however, only put one here and it is that the Mirror 
of Erised will have no future importance despite its tremendous 
significance in PS, contrary to what I have seen by certain theorists.

>5) Just for fun, why might Harry think that Filch and Pince are in
love? Is Harry right?

Goddlefrood, with his tongue firmly in his cheek:

Goes back to his immaturity in relationship issues. Snape's 
stepfather would keep old Severus in line (that is if the theory, 
which I do not uphold, that Irma is Severus's mother holds true).

Afraid I forego the balance for the moment as I really must work a 
little.

Toodle Pip