CHAPDISC: HBP 23, Horcruxes

[zanooda2]

No: HPFGUIDX 160239

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Goddlefrood" <gav_fiji at ...> wrote:

<SNIP the summary and some questions that were answered in great detail>

> 3. What other business would you think Dumbledore had to attend to 
> after midnight on a school night, as alluded to by Nick?

zanooda:

DD just returned from his Horcrux hunt, I suppose. Maybe he needed a
little time with the Pensieve to analyse what he found out that night.

> 
> 4. However insignificant the distinction, is the difference in the 
> description of Slughorn's wagging finger between the two versions 
> perhaps a clue to something?

zanooda:

I don't think it's important, JKR probably just wanted to describe the
scene both times almost exactly the same way, but not exactly the same
way. Or maybe Harry paid more attention to Slughorn's appearance the
first time than the second time around.

> 
> 5. This segment of his memory, although perhaps embarrassing and no 
> longer a view that Slughorn holds, does not appear to do any harm to 
> Slughorn, unlike the later part regarding Horcruxes, so why do you 
> think he covered up this portion from his fogged memory?

zanooda:

He is embarassed, of course. Just listen to him go on about Tom's
abilities, promising him Minister's job in fifteen years, bragging
about never being wrong about a student! In a way though, he wasn't
wrong this time either. He said that Tom will go far, and so he did,
only not in the right direction.
 
> 
> 8. What compelled Horace to continue answering Tom's questions when 
> he was clearly described as being uneasy about the subject, was it 
> more than just a natural conversation in other words?

zanooda:

Slughorn is a very non-confrontational person, he loves comfort and
doesn't want to be "disturbed". He understands that something
disturbing is going on, but he tries to convince himself that it's
"all academic", that's why he acts as if nothing bad is happening.


> 14. Do you agree with Dumbledore that Nagini is a Horcrux <snipped>

zanooda:

I never believed that Nagini is a Horcrux. I'm still in the "Harry is
an accidental Horcrux" camp, so I think that DD just didn't dare to
tell Harry the truth and wanted him to know that a living being can be
a Horcrux, in hope that Harry will figure it out himself later.  


> 17. Why does Dumbledore not categorically say that Lord Voldemort 
> could be killed if his Horcruxes are destroyed, but only that it will 
> take uncommon skill and power to kill him?

zanooda:

DD's "Yes, I think so" sounds categorical enough to me :-)