CHAPDISC: DH1, The Dark Lord Ascending

[jlnbtr]

No: HPFGUIDX 175917

...snip...

> Questions:
> 
> 1.  Snape and Yaxley "raised their left arms in a kind of salute."  
> Is this a reference to World War II and the likening of the Death 
> Eaters to the Nazis, in Deathly Hallows?

Juli: I never thought of that, but you're probably right. Not being 
european, and with only far european ancestry, I don't think often 
about the holocaust. But yes, I've seen enough movies to make me 
realize of the likeness.
> 
> 2.  Saluting the gate with their left arms makes them able to pass 
> through the wrought iron gate.  Is this a tacit confirmation that 
> there was indeed a blocking spell on the tower in HBP which only 
> allowed Death Eaters to enter?

Juli: I do think so. Back in HBP Harry does says something like that. 
If we asume this to be true, then Draco was marked before the 
beginning of the term. He was a Death Eater from the end of his fifth 
year, or sooner.

> 3.  The peacock at Malfoy Manor is mentioned at least twice in the 
> book.  What is its significance?

Juli: In India the peacock is a sacred animal, also because its 
multiplicity of "eyes" was said to alert it to approaching evil. I 
don't think the Malfoys have any indian ancestry, but perhaps they do 
have knowledge of this, and therefore use it as an alert. Also 
Peacocks in the 14-18th centuries were owned only by the very rich 
and powerful. According to the Sufi legend the peacock gives 
alertness, watchfulness, immortality and vanity... It doesn't seem 
futile, the Malfoys put the peacock(s) there to show their wealth and 
power, and perhaps also to add a little extra protection to their 
home.

> 4.  On the first reading of Deathly Hallows, who did you think 
might be the person hanging unconscious above the table?

Juli: I was sure it was an Order member.

> 5.  Only one person already in the room looks up at the unconscious 
> revolving body above the table: Draco Malfoy.  Once the body is 
> resuscitated, he no longer looks at her.  Why?

Juli: I'm guessing he is ashamed. Draco may put on his mask and 
pretend he's a death eater, but deep inside he's a softy. Even if 
Charity wasn't his teacher I'm sure he respects all Hogwarts faculty, 
and perhaps even admires them.
 
> 6.  Voldemort gives Snape the seat of honor at his right hand.  Is 
> this because Snape is his "right-hand man"?  Or is 
Voldemort "keeping 
> his friends close, and his enemies closer"?

Juli: He is definitively giving his a place of honor, and why 
shouldn't he? He killed Dumbledore, his biggest enemy, has provided 
him with information on how to capture Harry. I'm pretty sure he 
holds him in higher steem than the Malfoys or even dear Bella.

> 7.  Yaxley's information is different from Snape's.  Is anyone in 
the Ministry who is not a member of the Order of the Phoenix aware 
that the Order will move Harry earlier than expected?

Juli: I don't think so. The Order is well aware that the MoM is no 
longer to be trusted, specially with the life of the 'chosen one'. 
They must have told the Ministry that Harry would be kept in one of 
the 12 houses, therefore giving all of them the highest security. But 
Scrimegour did know where Harry was, otherwise how could he have 
visited him to give him DD's inheritance? If Scrimgeour knew, he must 
have been one of the very few.
 
> 8.  Several things that happen later in the book are alluded to in 
> this chapter.  When discussing the Imperiusing of Pius Thicknesse, 
> Yaxley suggests that Thicknesse can subjugate the other heads of 
> departments at the Ministry to bring down Minister Rufus 
Scrimgeour. Was Scrimgeour killed by the Imperiused heads of the 
various departments under Thicknesse's direction?

Juli: Probably. Scrimgeour must have had even higher security than 
Harry, not everyone could have gotten close enough to him. Thicknesse 
surely Imperio'd some of his fellows, and either one of them fired 
the AK that killed him.

> 9.  Who is Snape's informant?  Who does Voldemort think it is?  Is 
it the same person?

Juli: Dumbledore tells Snape how to act, when Harry's being moved, 
and where to. The question is, how does DD know all this? Is there 
another portrait of DD in other Order Member's house? Voldemort 
probably thinks Mundungus is the informant, he's the Order Member 
with the shabbiest past, the one most likely to crumble under 
pressure.

> 10.  Lucius and his family are clearly not happy with Voldemort's 
presence.  Is this because Lucius is still disgraced from his botched 
mission at the Ministry and his use of the diary Horcrux?  Does their 
apparent discomfort at the situation foreshadow their lack of 
involvement in the Battle of Hogwarts?

Juli: Lucius was most happy when Voldemort was gone, he was a 
prestigious member of society, influencing the Ministry and Hogwarts, 
then LV comes back, he gets thrown into Azkaban, his son had a death 
sentence on him, his name doesn't mean anything anymore... He sure 
isn't happy about it. Plus he even gets his wand 'stolen' the very 
thing that makes a wizard a 'wizard'. I'm surprised he didn't try to 
betray him. Well, not surprised, he's too mcuh of a coward to do so, 
but I bet he wanted to. Lucius and Narcissa are loving parents, once 
they cared about the Pureblood Supremacy, perhaps they still do, but 
at the moment of the truth, they take their son above everyhting else.
 
> 11.  Wormtail is described as sitting so low that his chair looks 
> unoccupied.  Is this further sign of his physical deterioration as 
> seen in HBP?  Is this because he would rather not be there?  Is it 
> just that he is a small man?  Or is it symbolic in some way?

Juli: I don't think his physical health is deteriorating. He IS small 
(shorter than Harry in his third year), and more importantly, he 
feels small, he feels unworthy. Or he just wants to remain unnoticed, 
almost invisible.
 
> 12.  The Malfoys do not make much eye contact with Voldemort.  When 
> Voldemort looks at Snape, other Death Eaters look away.  Are all of 
> the Death Eaters at the manor happy with Voldemort's return?

Juli: Some of them are, specially those who went to Azkaban. But 
those like Lucius, Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle who had a good life for 
those years are probably a bit unhappy. They had a good, productinf 
life, now they are all puppets of a mad man.
 
> 13.  Snape looks comfortably into Voldemort's eyes when the other 
Death Eaters turn away. We see an example of Voldemort's Legillimency 
later in the book.  How strong is Snape's Occlumency?

Juli: Probably the best occlumens in the world, IMO. He's been able 
to remain as DD's spy for about 16-17 years. Only about 4 or 5 or 
those were with LV alive, but it's still a great accomplishment. 
Voldemort is said to be the greatest legimens, the only person able 
to fool him would be the greatest occlumens.
 
> 14.  Why does Voldemort praise Bellatrix, then humiliate her?

Juli: Because he's evil ;) He may consider Bella as a faithful 
servant, therefore he appreciates her, but she isn't his friend, 
she's just a minion. And evil rulers take pleasure on mocking their 
servants. Bella is just his servant, nothing more, even if she may 
consider herself otherwise.
 
> 15.  Where were the Lestrange brothers?  

Juli: We see them during Harry's flight from Privet Drive. They're 
probably there, just not mentioned.
 
> 16.  When Harry reviews Snape's memories later in the book, Snape 
tells Dumbledore he has only watched people die whom he could not 
save.  Yet he looks dispassionately at Charity Burbage as she pleads 
and cries.  Was Snape lying to Dumbledore?  Was this the first time 
he could not save someone?  Was Charity Burbage someone Snape could 
not save?

Juli: HOW could Snape save Charity in a room full of DEs and 
Voldemort? It would have been suicide. I don't think Severus ever 
lied to Dumbledore, he may have hidden a thing ot two, but never 
lied. And the first time, heck no, as a DE he must have seen a 
zillion deaths. 
 
> 17.  Voldemort refers to "Mudbloods" as "thieves" of the Wizarding 
World's "knowledge and magic."  This charge is repeated later in the 
book.  Is it possible for a witch or wizard to have her or his magic 
stolen?  Is it possible to steal knowledge without leaving that 
knowledge for others as well?

Juli: NO, no way. It's in your genes, you can't steal genes, it's 
just impossible.
 
> 18.  When Charity Burbage's body falls to the table, several Death 
Eaters jump back in their chairs.  Draco falls off his chair to the 
floor.  Is this symbolic of some Death Eaters not being fully behind 
Voldemort's agenda?  Or was it simply surprise?

Juli: They must have asumed that she was there for two possible 
reasons: One to be killed, or two, to go back to Hogwarts and spy. 
Since they all knew the short-term plan was to take over the 
Ministry, and Hogwarts afterwards, that only leaved one option. Even 
if you're a DE, a body falling from the sky is always a big surprise.
 
> 19.  Why are the Purebloods dwindling?

Juli: Sirius explains this in OoP, since they are only allowed to 
marry other purebloods, their choices are getting smaller, most of 
the purebloods are relatives, and it is always unwise to marry a 
relative (Just think of the Gaunts). Soon they'll have to start 
mingling with new people, people without their specific genes, and 
that translates to Half-Bloods or Muggle-Borns. If they marry either 
one of those, their kids will no longer be purebloods.
 
> 20.  Voldemort has no issues with "pruning" the family tree of 
undesirables, even though they may be pure-blood or half-bloods.  
Yet, he is displeased with Burbage's article and her assertion that 
the dwindling of Pureblood families is a good thing.   Voldemort 
says, of Charity Burbage, "She would have us all mate with Muggles... 
or, no doubt, werewolves..."  He includes himself with the Purebloods 
here.  Does he think his Muggle father's family doesn't count?  Or is 
he actively enforcing the idea that he, too, is a Pureblood?

Juli: As far as the world is concerned, Voldemort is a Pureblood, 
that's been his credo for about 20 years. In OoP, at the MoM, Harry 
tells Bella that LV is a half-blood, and she acts surprised. If 
Bella, one of his 'closest' doesn't know, them nobody knows. 
And he did some pruning of his own family tree, he killed his muggle 
relatives, therfore vanishing all traits of his muggle ancenstry from 
the world. One thing does make me wander, Wormtail must know, he did 
the entire 'ceremony' from his resurrection, and then LV says that 
his muggle father's bone helped him. The question is whether Wormy 
told anyone about ir.

> 21.  Why does Voldemort think that Lucius does not need his wand 
anymore?

Juli: Because he's 'locked' inside his house. LV was punished him by 
not letting him leave the manor. If he's never to go outside then he 
wouldn't need a wand. And I don't see him using a wand to help with 
household chores.
 
> 22.  Do you think Voldemort is planning on dispensing with the 
Malfoys eventually?

Juli: Not while they are of any help, and at the moment their money 
and their house are needed, so they are kept alive, at least for a 
while. Perhaps if LV had survived the final battle he would have 
killed them all.
 
> 23.  Voldemort invites Nagini to dine on the corpse of Charity 
 Burbage.  What do you imagine the reactions of the others around the 
table might be?  This idea has been presented in the books before.  
When do you think Nagini has disposed of the evidence before?  Is 
this part of her value to Voldemort, or is Voldemort giving his pet a 
treat?

Juli: They surely were disgusted. I know I would. Seeing a gigantic 
snake eat a human been is scary.
 
Juli - Glad to see the Chapter Discussions starting, and hoping it 
will bring a lighter side to all members