CHAPDISC: DH25, Shell Cottage

[norbertsmummy]

No: HPFGUIDX 183996

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CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Chapter 25, Shell Cottage

The Trio are staying at Bill and Fleur's cottage with Ollivander (the
wandmaker), Luna, Dean and Griphook (a goblin). It is a lonely and
beautiful place overlooking the sea. Harry spent the first few days
alone on the cliff-top thinking over his decision not to race
Voldemort to the Elder Wand. Torn between Ron's support for seeking
the wand ("if that's the Elder Wand, how the hell are we supposed to
finish off You-Know-Who?") and Hermione's opposing conviction that
the Elder Wand is an evil object he should not touch, Harry wondered
whether he had made the right decision.

On the third day, Fleur came out of the cottage to tell Harry that
Griphook wanted to speak with him. Fleur showed evident distaste that
the goblin was using her as a messenger. Griphook had been debating a
problem too. Griphook had decided to help Harry, but wanted Godric
Gryffindor's sword in exchange. Ron gave an alternative ("the
Lestranges have got loads of stuff") but Griphook took offense at the
suggestion, stating that he was not a thief. He asserted that the
sword was a lost Goblin masterpiece of goblinwork, taken from its
owner by Godric Gryffindor. "It belongs with the goblins!"

The trio moved downstairs to discuss the sword. Harry found the idea
that Godric Gryffindor had stolen the sword unpleasant. Hermione told
them that she knew of no such story, but that wizarding history often
glosses over wizards' ill treatment of other races. Ron noted that
goblins were not "fluffy little bunnies" either, and had killed
plenty of wizards.

While they tried to think of a way around the problem, Harry watched
Luna arranging flowers beside Dobby's grave. Ron proposed double-
crossing Griphook by giving the fake sword in the Lestranges' vault
to the goblin. Hermione suggested offering Griphook something just as
valuable. Harry was sure the goblin would accept nothing but the
sword, but they could not give up their one, indispensable weapon
against the Horcruxes. Harry decided to tell Griphook he could have
the sword after helping them get into the Lestranges' vault, but not
to tell him that it might be years. Neither Harry nor Hermione liked
the proposal, but they felt they had no choice. Griphook accepted
Harry's offer, insisting that they shake to seal their bargain.

Then the planning began; the trio began spending hours at a time shut
up with Griphook in a small bedroom . Nobody asked questions,
although Bill watched them with concern. As the planning continued
into April, Harry realised he did not like the bloodthirsty Griphook
much. Griphook did not join the others at mealtimes, instead
requesting food in his room until Bill (inspired by an angry Fleur)
told him to join them at the table. Harry, who felt responsible for
Griphook's presence, and also for driving the whole Weasley family
into hiding, apologized to Fleur. However, Fleur reminded him that
(at least in her eyes) he had saved Fleur's sister's life. Fleur
proposed to rearrange the sleeping arrangements (to Griphook's
disadvantage), but knowing that keeping Griphook happy was essential
to their plans, Harry said not to bother because the trio would soon
be leaving. Fleur begged them not to leave cottage, where they were
safe.

Luna and Dean came in from outside with driftwood while Luna rambled
on about the Crumple-Horned Snorkack horn at home. Revealing the tip
of the suffering Luna has experienced, Luna said, "but I haven't seen
it yet, because the Death Eaters took me from the Hogwarts
Express . . . . " At that point a frail Ollivander came downstairs
ready for Bill to escort him to Auntie Muriel's. Fleur asked Mr
Ollivander to deliver the tiara back to Auntie Muriel. Griphook was
very interested in it, recognizing it as goblin-made. "And paid for
by wizards," Bill reminded him.

Upon Bill's return, he reported that Auntie Muriel was pleased to see
the tiara because she had thought Bill and Fleur had stolen it. Fleur
responded crossly and marched out of the room, whereupon Luna piped
up that her father had made a tiara in an attempt to recreate the
lost diadem of Ravenclaw.

There was a bang on the front door. Wands emerged, and Griphook
slipped under the table. But it was only Lupin, who had arrived to
report the arrival of his and Tonks' son, who they had named after
Tonks' father. Lupin asked Harry to be godfather. Harry was
astonished and delighted.

Bill fetched some wine and they all toasted little Teddy, as Lupin
reported how Teddy – clearly a metamorphmagus – had already changed
his hair color from black to ginger. Lupin left another bottle later.
Griphook, however, had slunk out to his bedroom, noticed only by
Harry and Bill. While clearing the table, Bill stopped Harry in the
kitchen for a private word. "You're planning something with
Griphook," he observed. Stating "I know goblins," Bill asked point-
blank, "what do you want from Griphook, and what have you promised
him in return?" When Harry said he could not answer, Bill warned him
to be careful if the bargain involved treasure. Bill explained
that "[t]o a goblin, the rightful and true master of any object is the
maker, not the purchaser" and that they considered the concept of
passing on ownership among wizards after the purchaser had died to be
theft.

Bill closed with the warning that "[i]t would be less dangerous to
break into Gringotts than to renege on a promise to a goblin,"
prompting Harry to reflect that he was about to become as reckless a
godfather to Teddy as Sirius had been to him.

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Questions:

1) Any suggestions why JKR had these characters (Trio, Bill, Fleur,
Mr Ollivander, Griphook, Luna, Dean) in a small house for weeks,
maybe months?

2) There is a relaxed mood in this chapter, with no spells used in
anger. Some (adrenaline junkie) readers may have been tempted to skip
this chapter to get on with the fighting, and filling of body bags.
This chapter filled a few holes in what goes on with families in
other parts of the Wizarding World. What tidbit did you enjoy, hidden
in this chapter?

3) Fleur seemed to react worse to Griphook than the others. Were
Wizard - Goblin relations worse in France?

4) There is a saying, "History was written by the winners". The Daily
Prophet has been doing it in most of the books. So are wizards
the "lesser evil" compared to the "not fluffy bunnies", or just as
bad, or worse?

5) We see many heroes in the Harry Potter books have bad qualities.
Is the possibility of Godric Gryffindor's stealing the sword ("For
the greater good") the thing Harry has to come to terms with about
his house hero?

6) To seal the bargain, Griphook shook hands with Harry Potter. That
sounded ominously like "Just sign here for Dumbledore's Army" to me.
How did you feel about it?

7) Luna deserves her own question. Flowers on Dobby's grave: loyalty
to her father; the only one who Mr Ollivander gave a personal
compliment to as he left; and never complained despite her account of
missing Christmas in a cellar jail. Why do you think she is such an
important presence in Harry Potter's life?

8) We see Fleur in her own environment here. She quickly changes from
(ze goblin) fury; to (you are safe 'ere) over-protectiveness; to
getting Mr Ollivander to deliver the tiara (when Bill was going there
too); to (glancing at the window) worry about Bill outside; to anger
at Muriel; to baby hugger; to humble wife ("Wait" said Bill) within
one meal time. What do you think of her?

9) Did you pick up that subtle reminder of the "Lost Diadem of
Ravenclaw" in your first reading? Were there enough clues to identify
this as the last Horcrux?

10) Every culture has differences with Births, Marriages and Deaths
(Hatch, Match and Dispatch). Lupin offers us our only insight into
Wizard Births. Especially a new born Metamorphmagus. Anything special
you see here?

11) Goblin ownership laws: "the true owner of an object is the maker,
not the purchaser". This sounds like our copyright and patent laws. I
can't buy a CD and copy a song onto my I-Pod. Are arguments against
the goblin law grounds for authors to re-think copyright laws?

12) Is Harry getting reckless, like his thoughts on Sirius? Any other
thoughts about Harry being a godfather?

13) Any other question you would like to bring up?

~ Aussie
(with an assist from Speedy Elf's magic red pencil)

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Next Chapter Discussion, Chapter 26, Gringotts, August 11