CHAPDISC: HBP16, A Very Frosty Christmas

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 152668

> 
> QUESTIONS
> 1.  Why the heck does Harry never look anything up?  Clearly, he's 
> curious about the Unbreakable Vow.  Why not grab a book?  Why not 
ask 
> the librarian?

Because, looking things up from books is what Hermione does, not what 
Harry/Ron do. In this case, Harry asks Ron because well, he 
apparently has some *experience* in the matter. Besides, I don't 
think Harry's after knowing things books would tell, such as how wiz. 
world views it, why would anyone do it etc. The name alone says what 
it is (and Harry has personal experince about Magically Binding 
Contracts ala Triwizard Cup, so - he really doesn't need book 
definitions, does he?)
 
> 2.  So what's your best guess of what the twins' attempted 
> Unbreakable Vow was all about?  What do you think they tried to get 
> Ron to do?  Do you think they understood exactly what they were 
> doing?  How do you image these youngsters (they'd have been about 
7) 
> would've learned about UVs?
 
Probably some sort of never-tell-mom-on-us or, as Ron did nothing to 
stop the twins in OOP when they tested their Sneaking Snacks on first-
years, something that might have that effect. They might even have 
gotten one in before Arthur caught them. As to how they figured 
out... Arthur himself might have told them of such things existing as 
part of homeschooling - not intending they go round and test it on 
their ignorant younger sibling of course...

> 3.  Is it significant that Ginny has told Fred & George about Ron & 
> Lav-Lav, given the "encounter" with Ron when he happened upon her & 
> Dean snogging?  Do you think she's always talked about Ron to F&G? 
Do 
> you think she was hoping they'd transfer their "nosing in" to Ron's 
> love life from hers?

Well -- Ginny's the one who enlisted Fred&George's help when Harry 
needed to talk with Sirius. 'Growing up with Fred&George, you learn 
that just about anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.' And 
when Ron&Harry had that falling-out in GoF, Ron spent his time with 
the twins. So it's clear that both Ginny&Ron seek for twins for the 
elder-brother advice, help and support when they need it. 
(Bill&Charlie are away. Percy thinks that role should be his - but 
sees only too clearly it's F&G who have the role for Ron&Ginny... - 
and covets them. Just look at that "Ginny has other brothers to set 
her an example, Mother" - or the letter he wrote to Ron -- my 
footsteps vs. Fred&George-route)
 
> 4. Fred waits to call Percy a prat until after Molly has left the 
> kitchen.  Does this show there is a side to him which cares about 
> others' feelings?  Or does he simply fear the Wrath of Molly?

Oh, Fred *does* care. That's why he calls Percy a prat, too - for 
insulting their mother's feelings. George is the one who's better at 
expressing this care for others, but I'm certain Fred shares those 
feelings, even if he only nods by George's side.
 
> 5.  What do you think of Harry's pronouncement that he's going to 
> tell DD and anyone who can help about Snape's offer to help Draco?  
> Does this signal a change in Harry re: turning to others, relying 
> upon others more?

I think Harry learned the hard way in OOP that people will believe 
better if they know all the details than just a vague description 
over what happened... and that's why he never has to suffer just 
distrust.
 
> 6.  When Ron says that DD & his dad are likely to protest that 
Snape 
> is not really intending to help Draco but is only trying to get 
> information from him, Harry says, "They didn't hear him.  No one's 
> that good an actor, not even Snape."  Contrast this with Snape's 
> statement to Draco:  "Where do you think I would have been all 
these 
> years, if I had not known how to act?"  It seems to me that this is 
> the crux of the Harry-Snape "problem" and the "problem" for the 
> fandom in trying to figure out Severus Snape.  *Is* he acting?  
When 
> is he acting and when is he not?  How good an actor is he?  Is 
Harry 
> correct that "even Snape" is not that good an actor?

Well... You can fool your motives (a la Crouch Jr. as Moody), you can 
learn to hide your emotions, but I doubt even Snape can act emotions 
he truly doesn't feel on the subject. (and Harry's learned to read 
Snape's emotions - particularly his hatred of Harry, probably because 
they show on Snape even as they do on Vernon...)

> 8.  Comments on the "gnome angel"?  Yet another hilarious stunt by 
> the twins, or yet another sign that the twins lack a conscience 
> and/or are cruel?

Considering that Gnomes are pests, not really cruel. Besides the 
gnome had bit Fred, hadn't it? Besides, I don't think stunning and 
paint actually hurt it at all.
 
> 9.  Many people fault Molly (or Molly & Ginny) for not being warm 
and 
> welcoming with Fleur.  Is there anyone who, to the contrary, finds 
> Fleur's behavior in the Christmas Eve scene to be rude ["Eez eet 
> over?  Thank goodness, what an `orrible--"]?  Or should Molly not 
> have subjected everyone to Celestina Warbeck in the first place?

I think there's six faults on one side and half a dozen on the other 
on this case, which happens to be cultural contrast.

Fleur may be culturally conditioned to be free and frank in her 
verbal expressions of her opinions and feelings... and manners do 
vary from culture to culture.
 
> 11.   Why does Harry like the 
> HBP so much, and why does he *want* him to be his father?  And what 
> does all this say about Harry and Snape?  Has something changed in 
> Snape, to have made him truly a lesser teacher now than then?  Or 
is 
> it simply the removal, for Harry, of Snape the person and their 
> unpleasant history from the mix, so that he's seeing "pure 
teaching" 
> in the book and not the personality of the teacher?

Well, I suppose it's simply that Snape's personality - and his 
emotions to Harry's father (and Harry by association) have quite 
effectively hindered Harry's learning. Besides, when Harry DID make a 
good/decent potion in OOP, Snape found a way to mark it zero. 
(causing it to fall and break).

> 12. Why would werewolves have a better life under Voldemort?

Because Ministry and wizards in general have prejudices against them -
 whereas Voldemort at least accepts them. In addition the werewolves 
appear to be moving as a pack, not suffering locked up in a cellar... 
and pack helps. (Something Lupin said about his animagi friends 
helping him keep his mind by being there...)

> 13.  Are you surprised Molly falls for the story that Percy 
couldn't 
> stand to not see his family since they were in the neighborhood?  
Why 
> or why not?

I don't think Molly cares for the 'story' one way or other. She's 
just happy to see her son back again.

> 14.  Percy could be so many things.  What do you think?  Is he good 
> but misguided?  Is he ESE?  Is he just a prat?  What explains his 
> behavior?  Is he embarrassed? proud? ambitious? hurt?

What he is? Well -- misguided by his own ambitions, in part. Proud, 
yes. And cast off by his siblings - he just never found a decent role 
amongst them, except for his deference to his elder brothers, such as 
Bill.

> 15.  In the final scene of the chapter, Harry first senses and then 
> knows that Scrimgeour is after something, and he is determined not 
to 
> give it to him.  We see a Harry who I would argue is self-
possessed, 
> confident, forceful, and quite "adult" in sticking up for what he 
> believes is right.  Were you surprised at the growth he displayed, 
or 
> was this just exactly what you would have expected from him?  What 
> did you think of Harry in this scene?

Oh yes, he's done a bit growing up, indeed. Which is what we've seen 
in every single book so it's expected of sorts. I really liked Harry 
here... Can't wait to see what 17-year-old Harry will be like.

> 16.  What do you think of Scrimgeour now? Compare him to Fudge, if 
> you like.

Scrimgeour is well - ambitious, yes. He appears to be taking not a 
denial-Fudge approach, but Crouch Sr - arrest too many- approach. I 
don't like either.