[HPforGrownups] CHAPDISC: DH1, The Dark Lord Ascending

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 176010

First, thanks to Ceridwen for an excellent opening to the chapter
discussions.  There's a lot of fascinating stuff embedded in the book that
is hard to discover and focus on without this kind of detail.  I have not
yet read the other responses and hope these aren't too repetitive.

Before I dive into Ceridwen's questions, I'll make a general comment about
the chapter.  I thought it did a terrific job of setting a mood for the
entire book, and it's chock full of foreshadowing and misdirection.

>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?

Yes.  It's one of the features of the chapter that helps set the mood in
very few words.

>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?

I'm not sure about this.  Unless it works like a transponder (which allows
the holder to zip through toll booths without stopping to hand over
money) and reads their Dark Marks, anyone who could figure out the
counterspell code could get in.

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

The peacock is symbolic in many cultures, and there are a wealth of
associations.  I think the one that is intended here is the Christian one,
where white symbolizes purity and the peacock itself as a symbol of
paradise, and therefore resurrection.  Thus, it foreshadow's Narcissa's
betrayal of Voldemort; indeed, she declares Harry dead and sets the stage
for his resurrection.

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

No idea, but I knew the person wouldn't live long.

>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?

I think he's terrified he will be asked to AK her, which is why he keeps
staring at her.  And after she awakens, he cannot look at her because he
knows her.  He is embarrassed and is trying to distance himself from the
situation as best he can.  He has no desire to kill Burbage or anyone else
and wants no part of it, but he understands that he is trapped, as are his
parents.

>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"?

Both.  Voldemort has no friends and trusts no one fully.  He must hold his
right-hand man closer than anyone, because he relies on him.

>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?

I think not.  They're a bunch of idiots at the MoM.

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

I agree that it's Dung.

>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?

Yes, and Voldemort's evident contempt for him helps nail his own coffin,
whereas better treatment might have made Lucius a better lieutenant.  Most
interesting, however, is that Narcissa now seems to be calling the shots.

>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?

I took it to mean that he did not want to be noticed, because he did not
want to be asked to do anything -- but for very different reasons from
Draco.  Note that he is sent on the same errand as in the Malfoy Manor
chapter, probably the least important job of anyone in the room.

>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?

I think a lot of Death Eaters are unhappy with Voldemort's degree of
control, and his methods whereby even his closest supporters are humiliated
into doing Voldemort's bidding.  It's not what they thought they signed up
for, which depending on the person probably varied from ethnic cleansing
and unsupervised mayhem to a feeling of importance.  Except for the
fanatical few, the end of VWI meant (except for those who went to Azkaban)
that they could regain control of their own lives.

This could be totally wrong, especially since I thought it would prove to be
a significant factor in Snape's return to Dumbledore.

>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?

Ironclad.

>14. Why does Voldemort praise Bellatrix, then humiliate her?

See answer to #12.  Control.

>15. Where were the Lestrange brothers?

Unworthy of mention.  Maybe Bellatrix arranged for them to be left in
Azkaban so she could pursue Voldy. ;-)

>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?

I wonder if she wasn't the first victim brought before Voldemort to be
tortured, then killed.  Whatever happened to Mr Fortescue, for example?

Generally, Snape does a pretty good job of saving people, but there's
nothing he can do with Voldemort breathing over his shoulder.

>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?

No.  For the answer, ask Filch.

>19. Why are the Purebloods dwindling?

Pool of possible mates is down.  Likelihood of marrying someone who is
sexually distasteful is high.  And, of course, they're killing themselves in
all these wars.

>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?

I noted later on that the purge of Muggleborns does not seem to include the
offspring of Muggleborns or the offspring of wizard/witch and muggle.  Snape
sits at his right hand.  Seamus is at Hogwarts.  He probably knows that
they're right, so using muggles for stud duty must be permitted.

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

How better to control him, my pretty?

>22. Do you think Voldemort is planning on dispensing with the
Malfoys eventually?

Well, if he wants to win, he should, but Bella might cause a fuss if that
happened.

>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?

Voldemort is fond of Nagini as an extension of himself.  I think he'd like
to devour his enemies, and this is a symbolic way of accomplishing that.

Debbie
sporting a fever and probably raving


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