[HPforGrownups] CHAPDISC: DH26, Gringotts

[Heather Hadden]

No: HPFGUIDX 184050

Beatrice:
> 1. HRH plan on using "a single long, coarse black hair (plucked
> from the sweater Hermione had been wearing at Malfoy Manor)" (DH
> 519). This might remind our readers of another time HRH attempted
> to use polyjuice potion. As you were reading did you have any fears
> that this attempt might end as poorly as the previous?
 
Oh yeah. I kept thinking back to CoS and just thought "haven't they learned their lesson by now?" Though, knowing Hermione, she probably did learn from that mistake, and is more careful. Plus, the situation being what it is, I think they felt the risk was worth it to stop Voldemort.
 
> 2. Why do the trio align themselves with Griphook? Why not ask for
> Bill's help? Would Bill help them? Why doesn't Harry even consider
> this idea?
 
I never even questioned why they asked Griphook. I did wonder why not let Bill in on it. Knowing Bill though, he is probably like his mother, and would try to stop them, or want to protect them. Plus the trio never told anyone about the Horcrux. Not even in the end when Harry tells Neville to kill the snake if he gets a chance to. I understand why Griphook, he would know Gringotts better then anyone, even Bill, who probably wouldn't know everything about the goblin safety messures.
 
> 3. Harry has the sudden urge to destroy Bellatrix's wand when he is
> reminded of the spells it has performed. Is this rational?
 
No it wasn't rational. Understandable, yes, rational, no. But rage and revenge are rarely rational. Yes, it was only a wand, but in his mind, it did the killing, and without that wand, Bella wouldn't have been able to do the damage she did.
 
> 4. Why does Ollivander make Luna and Luna alone a new wand? Why not
> make new wands for all of the people who were incarcerated with
> him? Why not make new wands for as many people as possible who have
> been victimized as he was by Death Eaters? Why doesn't Ollivander
> think about arming the enemies of his enemy? What does this say
> about his character?
 
I found this rather sweet. Yes, I wondered why he didn't make another wand for the others, but I see this more as a thank you gift. I think he really enjoyed being with Luna, and I feel that she helped keep him sane while they were locked up together. Those two were probably in the cellar the longest, I would assume, so they had a better bond.
 
> 5. Is Harry's plan to withhold the Sword of Gryffindor from
> Griphook a double-cross? Should Harry have explained their need of
> the sword (withholding certain details of course) and do something
> to ensure that Griphook would allow them to use it for a while?
> Were you comfortable with Harry's decision? Or did you agree with
> Hermione?
 
I am not sure if it is a double cross. Tricky, yes. I really feel that if he didn't need the sword, or when he was finished with the sword, that Harry would have handed over the sword as promised. And we do see him not feeling completely okay with what they were going to do, but he never once said "Griphook can not get this sword, period." It was always we need it right now, but he can have it when we are through.
 
> 6. Before they leave, Hermione comments that Bellatrix "tasted
> disguisting. " How do you think that Harry tasted? His polyjuice
> potion certainly was a more pleasant color. Is a person's
> polyjuice "flavor" significant?
 
This is just gross. I don't know about anyone else, but since CoS, the thought of drinking any potion that has bits of other people in it just sounds revolting, no matter how good it would taste, but I assume that a person's aura so to speak would affect the taste of the potion. Makes you wonder what a polyjuice of Voldemort would look and taste like.
 
> 7. Hermione breaks character as Bellatrix when she says "good
> morning" to Tom, the Leaky Cauldron barman. Of the three, who is
> the best actor? Is Hermione the best choice to play Bellatrix?
> Would Harry or Ron have done a better job with her character?
 
Personally, I think that all three of them would have probably had some sort of slip up, but I think Ron might have done better out of the three. With him being in the WW longer, and understanding more of what happened before, he could have been better.
 
> 8. How did you feel about the changes to Diagon Alley? Were you
> surprised by any of the changes to the Wizarding World?
 
I wasn't surprised. I knew that something had to change. We see on tv all of the time about places that are in the middle of a war, and how those places look horrible, so no, it wasn't that much of a surprise to me, face it, this is a huge war going on.
 
> 9. Ron is forced to stun a man who attempts to assault
> Bellatrix/Hermione. Did you agree with his decision? Does he have a
> choice? How does he feel about the situation?
 
I agreed with his decision. It shows his feelings towards Hermione that he hadn't yet been able to show. He wanted to protect her, and didn't once think that she was supposed to be Bella and could have taken care of herself.
 
> 10. There has been a lot of debate about Harry's use of
> unforgivable curses. Here we have the first time he uses one as he
> performs the Imperius Curse on Bogrod and Travers. Why doesn't he
> confound them as he does the security guard? Is it really necessary
> to use this curse? Is this more effective than a Confundus Charm?
> Does Harry's feeling that he did not perform a very strong curse
> make it more acceptable that he uses this tactic?
 
This isn't the first time he uses an unforgivable curse. He uses Crucio on Bella in OoTP. Though, this is the first one that he really means. Confundus would have worked, but the Imperius was used because it gave him the ablity to control them. Confundus might not have given him that power and could have backfired on them.
 
> 11. How did you feel about the description of the dragon and the
> cruel way in which it is kept? Did this make you feel any different
> about Gringotts or goblins? Harry thought he saw dragon fire when
> he first entered Gringotts in SS/PS. Are there more dragons? Or is
> this the only one?
 
I felt this was horrible. I really felt for the dragon, and I was rooting for him to be freed when they set him loose. I suppose there would be other dragons at Gringotts as I am sure others would want the same security measures dear Bella wanted on her vault. She couldn't have been the only one with a high security vault. Though, when you think about Dumbledore's vault in SS/PS, his vault wasn't guarded by a half beaten dragon. Maybe this shows his character?
 
> 12. As they enter the vault, they realize that the treasure has
> been charmed or cursed to burn their flesh and multiply. Should
> Griphook have anticipated this little snag? Why aren't they more
> prepared for this? Was Griphook's lapse intentional?
 
He probably should have suspected something, but what would it be? There would be so many spells, charms, curses, etc. that could have been on the vault. I am sure that Bella put that curse on the stuff in the vault herself, and not a goblin. Maybe Griphook felt he could have gotten the sword as soon as the door to the vault was open then he could have left the trio to their own doom?
 
> 13. How do you feel about Griphook's treatment of Harry after Harry
> pulls him from the crushing, burning weight of the treasure?
> Griphook grabs the sword, and in the process the cup is almost
> lost. Did Griphook really intend for Harry to obtain anything from
> the vault? Griphook is accepted without question into the hoard of
> approaching goblins. What do you make of this?
 
I think that Griphook could have cared less if they made it or not. I honestly don't think it mattered to him one way or the other. When he ran away yelling for help, calling them theives, I think it was more to slow them down so he could get away with the sword. I think that sword was the only thing on his mind. Period.
 
> 14. Harry, Ron, and Hermione escape on the dragon's back in truly
> spectacular fashion. How did you feel about the dragon's escape?
> How do you feel about Gringotts and goblins in general after
> Harry's experiences?
 
I feel like Bill does. During SS/PS I didn't think much of Goblins. They were just there. A little scary looking, maybe, but that was all. Then, the dealings with Griphook, and Bill's warnings, then the betrayal by Griphook left a sour taste in my mouth. I would be very weary in future dealings with any goblin.
 
Heather