CHAPDISC: DH2, In Memoriam

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 176954


> > 1. Harry believes the teacup in the hall is a prank.  What was 
> your 
> > reaction the first time you read this?

Well, Petunia the neat-freak certainly wouldn't leave teacups lying
around... I thought Dobby had tried to serve Harry tea or something...

> > 2. Harry ruminates on Hogwarts' inattention to teaching healing 
> > charms.  Is this a flaw in the curriculum?  Do you suspect that it 
> > might be taught at NEWT level?  Is this a post-Hogwarts curriculum 
> as 
> > Auror training is?  

Well, I'd think that some spells they do learn - under charms&DADA I
think, and I suppose Herbology and Potions are useful too. First Aid
is not exactly included in ordinary curriculum in most schools, either.

> > 3. On a related note, why does Harry think Hermione will know 
> healing 
> > charms?  Is he right?

Because Hermione reads a lot - and knows loads of spells - She got O
in most of her OWLs, didn't she? And if she didn't, she'd soon find out.

> > 4. When Harry discovers the mirror shard, it brings back the old 
> > memories and feelings, but he suppresses them quickly.  How does 
> this 
> > demonstrate the progress has Harry made in controlling his 
> feelings?  
> > Has he made much progress?

At least he's not smashing it anymore. He experiences the sad memories
from a time past, but chooses not to dwell on them. Much like
Dumbledore adviced him to do, times back.

> > 5. Apart from the books, JKR is quite specific about what Harry 
> > packs.  Why do you think she wanted to name each item?  Several 
> > reappear, but not all.

Packing his things is one thing - the things he does not, however, the
books in particular - mean he's not going to go back to Hogwarts.
Moreover, backing when you're moving - it's a matter of choice, too.
 
> > 6. Already as a child, Dumbledore seems to be inclined to withhold 
> > information, as we find in Doge's tribute. He is referred to 
> as "more 
> > reserved" when Doge returns from his travels.   Do we attribute 
> this
> > to personality or to "family secrets?"  In other words, is he 
> trained 
> > to be secretive or would he have been anyway?  (All speculation 
> > welcome!)

Albus was secretive as a child - Ariana was not. Perhaps, seeing how
revealing something can lead to suffering, Albus took the lesson of
not to reveal much of anything. Aberforth, OTOH, may have viewed it
differently - and he was the one who comforted Ariana.

> > 7. We see Dumbledore writing as a Hogwarts student to luminaries 
> such 
> > as Flamel, Bathilda Bagshot and Waffling.  We know Bathilda has a 
> > role later in Rita Skeeter's expose; any speculation on how much 
> of 
> > early Dumbledore's correspondence she shared?

Enough for Rita and her QQQ to get a story... and I don't think that
Rita would mention the name unless she was her source. Maybe Bathilda
as a history book writer was pleased to talk about old things?

> 
> > 8. Doge just happens to be gone when Dumbledore and Grindelwald 
> > become friends.  How much did/didn't Doge know about their 
> friendship?

Not much if Grindelwald was secretive, too.

> > 9. Doge mentions the Grindelwald/Dumbledore duel, but clearly is 
> > reporting from second-hand (at best) sources.  Are we looking at a 
> > duel that grew in legend?  Is Rita Skeeter right?

Probably it did, but Rita right? No way.

> > 10. Following his perusal of Doge's tribute, Harry realizes he was 
> > very bad at asking questions.  Is this a JKR sop to readers' 
> > frustration with his lack of curiosity, or do you think she had 
> > always planned for Harry to have this realization?

Always, I think. It's not like she'd change the books based on what
fans want, is it? Besides, it's not that Harry lacks curiosity or he'd
not have found Mirror of Erised.

> > 11. Harry suspects that Dumbledore didn't answer frankly the one 
> > personal question he asked.  What's the likelihood Dumbledore 
> would
> > have answered any of Harry's personal questions frankly?
>

Dumbledore- He might have just refused to answer, could he not? I
think he told the truth but not the whole truth. I think he might have
seen himself holding socks, but also Ariana. The socks being a
christmas gift from her to Albus - or from Albus to her. (I do wonder
about Albus reading knitting patterns...)

> > 12. Rita Skeeter clearly lies in her interview, calling her 
> > relationship with Harry Potter "close."  Did this mislead you on 
> the 
> > first read, or did you suspect some of what she found was true?

No. Rita's known to lie.
 
> > 13. The uses of dragon's blood is mentioned more than once in this 
> > chapter and has been known since book 1, yet it never figures into 
> > the denouement. Any speculation?  

Rowling's told us one is 'oven cleaner', another, apparently, what
Slughorn did to stage a robbery. I'd also suspect some sort of
shield-magic coming from dragon's blood. Resistance to fire, perhaps.

> 
> > 14. Rita refers to Dumbledore's relationship with Harry 
> > as "unhealthy."  While she is mining for sensation, how much of 
> this 
> > do you think has a ring of truth?

No truth what so ever.
  
> > 15. Doge's tribute is glowing, and Rita Skeeter's report 
> insinuates 
> > sensational scandal.  Which one is more honest?  Do both withhold 
> > certain truths?  

We know how Rita writes, grain of truth twisted into harmful story -
whereas Doge idolizes Dumbledore. I'd trust Aberforth's view most,
because he's simply a brother, not scandal seeker nor a fan.

> > 16. What was your reaction to the flash of blue in the mirror the 
> > first time you read the book?

That it was Albus looking from beyond. (Sirius had the mirror in there...)

Finwitch