CHAPDISC: DH8, The Wedding

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No: HPFGUIDX 179399

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ianuno3" <ianuno3 at ...> wrote:

> CHAPDISC: DH8, The Wedding
> 
> Questions:
1. How is that Harry can take a large dose of Polyjuice Potion and it
lasts the entire wedding and reception afterward? Throughout the
books, Polyjuice Potion's effect lasts just one hour, unless the
taker uses it again before that hour is up. How does a larger dose 
suffice? Do we just assume Harry kept taking doses throughout the
day/evening?

Steph:
First, thanks to ianuno3 for a great chapter recap and very
thought-provoking questions!  Now to my answer: I got the impression
that the larger the dose taken, the longer effects of polyjuice last.
 The chapter says something to the effect that Harry took a large dose.

2. Did the Delacour family pay for most, if not all, of the wedding?
Seeing as how often it is described how little money the Weasley
family has to spare, how could they afford such a wedding at their
home?

Steph:
Since the wedding as a whole was pretty much just like every
traditional wedding I've ever been to, I'm going to say that the
Delacours did pay for most of it. Perhaps the fact that the Weasleys
were having the wedding at The Burrow eased the pain of the expense
somewhat.

3. What is wrong with Lupin? He's at a celebration, why can't he
enjoy it, especially since he and Tonks are newlyweds themselves?

Steph:
As we don't find out later exactly what Lupin's problem is, I took it
to be some kind of uneasiness regarding Voldie and his plans, that
perhaps Lupin wasn't feeling as carefree at the wedding as Tonks and
everyone else, given the situation in the wizarding world.  I'll save
my ire for him for later, during the appropriate chapter.
> 
4. What is the significance of meeting Xenophilius Lovegood? Is it
just to explain where Luna gets her "Looneyness" from?

Steph:
Partially, but also to introduce the Hallows symbol, since Xeno is
wearing it.  Of course, our three heroes don't yet know what it is,
and of course, neither do we. This is pretty much my answer for Q#11
as well.

> 
5. If the Lovegoods essentially were neighbors of the Weasleys, how
come Ron and the other Weasleys (Ginny apparent knew Luna because
they were in the same year) didn't know her before we met Luna in
Order of the Phoenix on the train?

Steph:
The Lovegoods seem like the type of people who would keep to
themselves due to their quirkyness, or, rather, people would steer
clear of them for the same reason.  There's usually one family in a
neighborhood which doesn't quite fit in and therefore are generally
ignored/avoided by everyone else.  Arthur obviously knew Xeno, but it
seems clear that the two never socialized, so there probably was never
an opportunity for the kids to meet until Ginny met Luna at Hogwarts.
> 
6. Auntie Muriel asks where Harry is, since Ron says they are close
friends. If so many people know Harry is that close to the Weasleys,
wouldn't they expect him to be there? The important people know
Harry's in disguise, but wouldn't more people be questioning his
absence?

Steph:
I thought Ron provided an eminently reasonable explanation for Harry's
absence - that the situation was too dangerous for Harry to be out in
public.  Muriel certainly bought it, and she didn't strike me (in her
few scenes) as someone who would fall for something easily.
>
7. Are we just to assume Ron and Hermione are an item now? Does
everyone else assume they are? No one seems to acknowledge it except
for a brief exchange between Viktor and Harry.

Steph:
Yes, as they can't seem to keep their hands off each other, although I
did find it strange that no one seemed to acknowledge it, especially
after Hermione threw herself at Ron in the Fallen Warrior chapter. 
I'd have expected Molly to say something in Harry's presence, at the
very least.  Not even the twins said anything, and you'd think they at
least would be teasing Ron about Hermione.  They usually find humor
even during inappropriate times.
> 
8. JK Rowling said in an interview after Goblet of Fire that
international wizards no longer were going to factor in the books.
Why was Viktor here, just as a device to explain Grindelwald's symbol?

Steph:
That, and as a way to push Ron into making a move on Hermione, even if
it was just to ask her to dance.  Baby steps, though!
> 
9. Did Hermione discontinue her correspondence with Viktor? She had
no idea why he was at the wedding? She made a point of staying in
touch for at least a year after Goblet of Fire.

Steph:
Maybe she abandoned her correspondence with him after it seemed as
though Ron was finally going to make a move on her.  It could also be
that Viktor got too busy being an international quidditch champion to
have time to writer to Hermione.  Maybe a bit of both.
> 
10. Just like many other traditions and holidays, the magical world
has seemingly borrowed from Muggle traditions again with the entire
wedding. Why isn't there much difference between that ceremony and a
traditional Muggle ceremony, religious or not? Is it easier just to
believe there is more in common between the two worlds than they let
on? We see this wedding through Harry's eyes. Harry admittedly has
never been to a wedding – magical or Muggle – before. Does that make
a difference?

Steph:
It doesn't make a difference that Harry's never been to a Muggle
wedding.  Any of JKR's readers who have will recognize it as just like
any other traditional wedding they've ever been to (without the magic,
of course!).  Perhaps it was to indeed show that these *are* just
people, even if they do have magical abilities, and there are things
the two worlds share.  Plus, she's already come up with such a rich
world, maybe she just decided to punt on the wedding - too much effort
to come up with something more "magical."
> 
11. Why is Grindelwald's symbol so important? Why is Xenophilius
Lovegood wearing said symbol? Is it just costume jewelry?

Steph:
Clearly we don't know the answer to this at this stage in the story,
but the conflict between Xeno and Victor show that there's something
more to it than what Harry thinks.

> 
12. Is Elphias Doge protecting Dumbledore's memory by telling Harry
not to believe a word Rita Skeeter says?

Steph:
Possibly, and it's likely that he doesn't really know the whole story
anyway.  As we would find out later, DD was a pretty secretive guy. 
He likely kept stuff from Elphias that wouldn't have reflected on DD
too well, and what he didn't want anyone to know.
> 
13. What is the deal with Doge's relationship with Dumbledore? Did
Doge love Dumbledore as more than a friend? Knowing Dumbledore's
sexuality now, could Doge and Dumbledore also have been lovers at
some period? Or could Doge have had that kind of affection for
Dumbledore, but it was never realized in a physical sense? Was their
planned yearlong journey around the world more than just two friends
on a quest?

Steph:
No way to know, except that Elphias seemed to have the same attitude
toward DD that Peter Pettigrew had for James and Sirius - hero
worship.  Or maybe you might want to call Elphias DD's fanboy! In any
case it appeared to have blinded him to any faults DD might have had,
hence the appalled attitude Elphias had to Rita Skeeter's book.
> 
14. Muriel seems so taken by the scandals involving Dumbledore; do
you think she's ashamed of the Weasley clan? She mentions
once, "Another Weasley? You breed like gnomes." What would she think
of the scandals Arthur's been involved with? Does she dismiss it
because she apparently is from Mrs. Weasley's side of the family?

Steph:
I don't think Muriel is ashamed of the Weasleys, otherwise she
wouldn't have shown up for the wedding and certainly wouldn't have
loaned Fleur the tiara.  I do think she's a bit disapproving of the
number of kids they've had.  As for Arthur's scandals, she likely
sides with the Weasleys as she's pretty smart and would realize that
something's rotten in Denmark, er, the Ministry of Magic.  I doubt she
would have allowed her house to be used as a safe location for Harry's
 escape from Privet Drive if she was scandalized by Arthur.
> 
15. Was Kinglsey not at the wedding because he was still protecting
the Prime Minister? If so, how did he know so quickly about the
Ministry of Magic's fall and Rufus Scrimgeour's death?

Steph:
Could be, or maybe he was keeping an eye on things at the Ministry
when he was "off duty" from the Prime Minister.  I would have expected
someone at his level of Auror who was in the Order to be holding down
the fort while the others attended the wedding.  

Wow, I'm tired!  Again, great questions!  BTW, there's one (well, more
than one, but Q#8 made me think of it again)
question/comment/whatever, I had, repeatedly, over several books (at
least GOF - DH) regarding Ron and Hermione.  I always thought it was
weird/interesting that Hermione's parents let her stay at Ron's house
repeatedly in the summers and over winter break.  I don't think that
my parents would have allowed me to do that, even if the boy in
question and I were 'just friends' and there was constant parental
supervision. I'm surprised JKR never had Hermione commenting to Harry
that her parents were teasing her about spending so much time with
Ron.  Let's face it - Hermione loves Harry, but we all know she really
wanted to be with Ron.  Why else would she always show up to the
Burrow a few days before Harry?  It probably wasn't to hang out with
Ginny (not that they hadn't become friends). Maybe I'm reading more
into this than there is, but I'm just sayin'.