CHAPDISC: HBP17, A Sluggish Memory

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 153078

> CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 
Chapter 17, A Sluggish Memory

Answers to the Questions which I have snipped.. 
>    
1. I think that Hermione is just saying that she hasn't forgotten. 
So that conversation is what it seems to be.

2. They ask Harry about Apparator because he is their age and can 
tell them what it was like from his POV.

3.  RE: Flitwick. Don't know, don't care.

4.  This is mostly because of his increasing maturity and also 
because of his respect for DD.

5.   DD has compassion on the errors or others and is a man that 
doesn't feel the need to put others down by telling what he knows of 
their short comings to those around him.  That is admirable.  On the 
other hand, DD is no fool.  He keeps a close eye on Tom.  DD knows 
Tom's past and does give Tom a second chance, which if anyone of us 
were in Tom's place, we would appreciate.  I do not see this as 
a "flaw".  I see this as the only course for a man of compassion and 
forgiveness.  I would be willing to bet that there may have been 
others who were on the receiving end of this compassion and did turn 
their lives around because of it.  Just because 100% of those who 
received DD's compassion and mercy did not appreciate it or change 
because of it, doesn't mean that it is wrong for DD to do.  It is a 
very good, true and right thing for a man of DD's caliber and 
position to do. I would expect no less from him.

6. The DE are that way, of course.  I guess one might be able to 
present a case for the DA in that way.  As to the OP, I don't think 
that most of the members fit that description.  We have Mundungus, 
who is there for his own reasons.  But I think that the others are 
there for the right reason, which is to be an underground force 
against the powers of darkness and evil.  I know some are going to 
say that Lupin is there just for protection, but I think he too is 
there for the right reason, as is our friend Snape.

7.  I think this helps clear up the confusion about detection of 
underage magic. I think it makes sense. Harry is a bit angry to hear 
this because he could never get away with stuff that kids from a 
Wizarding family could.  But it makes sense for it to be done that 
way. I think that most Magical parents would monitor their children, 
not so much the doing of magic but the danger that it might cause.  
Much like Muggle parents punishing a child for playing with matches. 

8.  I assume that there is a spell or some sort that can modify a 
memory.

9.  Slughorn is a true Slytherin that is for sure.  But we also see 
that he does not agree with LV's agenda and with his actions.  Not 
everyone who is a Slytherin is a evil bigot, so yes, one could make 
the case for Slughorn being the `good Slytherin'.

10. This reminds me of the discussions of manipulation.  DD expects 
Harry to use his powers of "cunning" to get what he wants from 
Slughorn. And our author does not seem to think it wrong for Harry 
to get Slughorn drunk to get the memory! All is fair in war, I 
guess.  It is interesting that a Slytherin type skill is used 
against a Slytherin.

I also think that DD sends Harry for this job because he knows that 
Slughorn feels guilty about what he told LV. And this gives Slughorn 
a way to redeem and hopefully forgive himself.  Harry tells him as 
much. Of course Harry says that he doesn't think that Slughorn will 
remember the whole thing later. But I wonder about that. On some 
level I think that he will. He has to remember in order to forgive 
himself and to be in a position to help Harry in the future, if 
necessary. It is Slughorn's love for Lily that makes him help Harry, 
and I also think that Harry gave him a way to be forgiven.  One 
could say that Slughorn did nothing wrong by telling Tom, it was 
what Tom did with that information that was wrong. And I would agree 
with that, except that Slughorn blames himself and he needs to let 
that go. DD probably suspects this and gave Harry the task because 
he knows that only Harry can tell Slughorn that he is forgiven for 
any part that he thinks he may have had in the creation of LV and 
the death of James and Lily. 

11. Fawkes is showing his approval and agreement for DD's thinking 
on the matter. 

Tonks_op