CHAPDISC: HBP30, The White Tomb

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 165711

a_svirn:
> Questions:
>  
> 1.	Do you find the Patil Twins' and Seamus' parents' attitude 
> reasonable or overprotective? Although the school has been 
penetrated 
> by death eaters there is no mention of extra security measures 
taken 
> or Aurors posted. Do you suppose there weren't any? 

Alla:

I find the attitudes to be reasonable, or I guess understandable 
would be a better word, BUT I do suspect that Hogwarts even in book 
7 would be the safest place in WW, sadly.

As to whether there are extra security measures, I hope so but 
judging by DD security measures I am not holding my breath :)


> 2.	What do you think of Bill's part-transformation? Do you find 
> it sinister? 

Alla:

Um, I don't know, really. Just what I think of Remus - he is struck 
by illness and has to live with it now . I am not sure if I find it 
sinister.


> 3.	What do you make of Harry's mood at the beginning of the 
> chapter? Is his apathy a way to cope with the shock of 
Dumbledore's 
> death, or was he damaged irrevocably in some ways? 

Alla:

I hope not irrevocably, but sure he was damaged IMO. I mean how can 
one not to be damaged by not only losing another adult figure, but 
being present at execution of that person and wanting to help and 
umable to help. (Every time when I think of what Harry went through 
on the Tower, I am thinking that no way of death can be good enough 
for Snape).

Death of loved one does leave an imprint on those who loved that 
person, that's for sure.

As to whether apathy is the way to cope - maybe. I know I coped by 
trying not to think of it at first, when I lost a close family 
member.


> 4.	It has been discussed extensively, but still. Is Harry right 
> in thinking that Snape followed the same pattern as Voldemort? 
Does 
> proclaiming oneself a Half-Blood Prince mean renouncing one's 
muggle 
> heritage? 

Alla:

Heee, I am sure you know what I think about Snape following 
Voldemort's path. Sure, I think Harry is right. But even if he is 
wrong, that proclamation alone done away quite nicely with any tiny 
bit of sympathy I could felt for Snape ( that and "you and your 
filfy father).

I thought it summed up the essense of the Snape as I see it quite 
nicely - the man had nothing to be proud of in his life but the 
childish nickname he gave himself, the man still holds to grudge 
against the dead man and his kid.

I do not know if Snape was denouncing his muggle heritage with his 
nickname, but I do know how pathetically childish that sounded to me.


> 5.	Do you agree with Hermione that Snape held his peace about 
> the book only because by exposing Harry he would inevitably expose 
> himself? 

Alla:

Oh **YES**. Absolutely and most definitely I agree with this. To 
expose to DD that he invented Sectumseptra? Of course not IMO he 
would ever want that.



> 6.	Why does Hermione object to the word "evil"? Incidentally, 
> the words she actually uses can be at best described as 
> understatements – "nasty sense of humour" indeed! Why is she being 
so 
> guarded?


Alla:

Well, some people would tell you that this foreshadows that Snape is 
DD!M :)

Not me, in case you were wondering :0



 
> 10.	This has been discussed a lot, but must be asked again here. 
> What about that white smoke taking the shape of a phoenix? Was it 
> Fawkes? Was it the essence of Dumbledore, for want of a better 
word? 
> Or something (-one) else? 

Alla:

Yes, I am of the "essense of Dumbledore" view.



> 11.	In a way the White Tomb is the true "magic brethren" 
> monument. Virtually everyone came to pay their respects to 
> Dumbledore, the entire Ministry, the denizen of Hogsmead and 
Diagon 
> Alley, the representatives from the WW abroad, the centaurs, the 
> merpeople, even the Castle ghosts. Yet there were few conspicuous 
> absences. Goblins did not come, and no mention has been made about 
> house-elves. Do you think that is significant? 


Alla:

Oh this is **brilliant**. I never thought of it that way, but sure 
makes sense. I always thought that centaurs for example, wanting to 
be separate from humans as they are, and disliking them, do not feel 
that they are wronged by humans, makes sense that they would come.

On the other hand, it is quite clear ( IMO of course) that goblins 
and house elves are wronged by humans, makes sense that those issues 
may need to be resolved.




> 12.	From what Scrimgeour let slip, one might conclude that some 
> kind of investigation is going on. Can the captured death eater be 
of 
> any use in book 7? 

Alla:

LOL. I hope so, but I am very sceptical of Ministry Investigations 
starting with their "investigation of Sirius" and ending Stan's one.


> 13.	Why is Scrimgeour so adamant about Stan Shunpike's fate? 
> Surely his release is a small price to pay for Harry's 
cooperation? 

Alla:

YES, for that reason :)


> 14.	There is something odd about the way Ginny accepts Harry's 
> decision, while Ron and Hermione refuse to do so. Even stranger, 
> Harry does not really attempt to talk them out of sharing his 
> destiny. (And still more strange seems his surprise at Ron and 
> Hermione's reaction.) Does it mean that for Harry (and even for 
> Rowling) friendship is something infinitely more important than 
love? 
> Even so, Ginny is not just a girlfriend; she is a friend as well. 

Alla:

Hmmm, I would say that JKR certainly writes friendships much better 
than she writes romance (see trio friendship as example and romances 
in book 6 as examples as well, and I **do** love Harry/Ginny, but 
was not happy as it was written).

But I think there are two possible reasons for that - either Ginny 
will be waiting for Harry when he comes home ( hopefully alive) as 
his "prise" I mean it in best sense or she will surprise them by 
joining them in book 7.


> 15.	The last two chapters of the book allude very distinctly to 
> Shakespeare's "The Phoenix and the Turtle."  The phoenix lament, 
the 
> anthem, and the central episode with the funeral fire. Is this 
> supposed to be a clue to the relationship between Fawkes and 
> Dumbledore? 

Alla:

Oh, have not read it. Please, please ellaborate.

Thanks for excellent questions.

Alla