CHAPDISC: DH12, Magic is Might

[doddiemoemoe]

No: HPFGUIDX 180834


Discussion Questions
> 
> 1. Were you surprised that the trio were apparating to Grimmauld
> Place on the top outside step and why?

I was not surprised, frightened for them...but not surprised...I 
always thought that there would be latent protection...via 
sirius...can't you just imagine Sirius casting said spell....."
those who know not love can never enter"....makes sense given 
moody's additional protections and how snape evaded them..

> 
> 2. Harry says if Umbridge opened the locket it would make no
> difference, since she was so evil to start with; however she did 
wear it awhile.  Could its influence possibly have made her even more
 malevolent than in the past?

I agree with Harry...the locket's influence didn't make her more 
malevolent...that was always there within her...

the locket inspires order and control..aspects the trio never 
embraced...but Dumbridge always did...(probably why even though a 
weight...the locket affected Ron and Harry more deeply and Hermione 
in a more shallow way..
> 
> 3. Did you even think before we see the tidy kitchen that 
Kreacher's transformation and efforts to please would or could be so 
dramatic?

Nope...given Dobby and Winky....we see houself action is typically 
over the top..Dobby is still loyal to harry despite his 
clothes....Harry gave KReature something even more emotional...a 
locket of someone who saved Kreature's life.
> 
> 4. We find out Snape is the new Headmaster at Hogwarts.  Who else 
did you think might take this place?  Perhaps as Deputy Headmistress 
in the past it could have been McGonagall?


I had hope for McGonagall....but truly it had to be snape...there 
was only one place for him to go after occupying the DADA-ship...and 
still be a member of the Hogwarts staff..(this is probably one of 
the only plans that DD confided to McConogal with...
Also, this is part of DD's genius..
Hogwarts horrible as it was in DH...would have been a great deal 
worse w/o snape..I
and you imagine any other DE in that position?!?

The carnage would have been greater that what we saw/experienced on 
page..and yes I loathe Snape on principle too..
 
> 5. Since Hermione got Phineas's picture off the wall, has she 
learned how to defeat the charms that keep other pictures from being 
removed or was Phineas's portrait not stuck to begin with?

NOpe his portriat wasn't stuck.....PHineas made too many compromises 
during his lifetime...how else could he become a Hogwarts 
Headmaster??  However the Black did appreciate the prestige he 
lended to the family name... However,  they wouldn't want a portrait 
talking reason to folks...I think RAB may have had more words with 
him than anyone else...and Sirius had none..
> 
> 6. What did you think about upon learning of the plot to infiltrate
> the Ministry in search of Umbridge and the horcrux?  They discuss
> timing, strategy, and logistics and express their own misgivings.
> Could or should they have tried to get the horcrux in a less
> dangerous and complicated manner?


Sure they could have obtained the locket in a less dangerous and 
complicated manner...however, they have been so isolated for so 
long...I believe they wanted to go there...even if for a dip in 
the "world" they'd been isolated from---no train, no Hoggy's...no 
burrow...they were isolated and these are the sorts of plans 
isolated folks make...
> 
> 7. There was concern over the painful scar Voldemort visions, about
> Voldemort invading Harry's mind.  Why didn't Voldemort ever try to
> invade Harry's mind?  Did the fact that Harry had a scar and that
> Voldemort presumably did not have anything to do with this?

After the Dept. of Mysteries fiasco...Voldemort's journey into 
HArry's mind was a complete disaster(he didn't/couldn't kill 
harry)...Voldy couldn't even kill Aurthur via NAgini in OOP...After 
these disasters Voldy thought this to be a useless tactic..(perhaps 
encouraged by Snape?!!?!?as much as I hate him LOL)

Voldemort would never have a physical scar...all of Voldy's scars 
are upon his soul...Hence we know DD has a scar upon his knee!!(now 
we know the reason for this scar)...Voldemort changed his 
shape/appearance etc...but no scars are ever apparent..

> 8. Did you find anything particularly interesting about how the 
trio actually physically got into the Ministry building?

I liked to see HErmionie's jouney upon this...this was probably the 
greatest threshhold she crossed..this was Hermione's venture into 
the WW on her own terms.  All that planning...and plotting...LOL 
BEWARE the WW..even Voldy's WW!  and in the end it was all 
flushed...a wake up for everyone..even us sad readers...probably one 
of the best written "reset" buttons..
> 
> 9. They will have to leave Grimmauld Place after the incident.  How
> did you feel about the location while they are there?  For 
instance, is it a safe refuge, Harry's real home, and positively 
nostalgic of former times there, or merely an expedient and 
sometimes unpleasant one at that?

Grimmauld Place became Harry's first home, figuratively and 
literally..good/bad...doesn't matter...it was still better than 
Privet drive...and Kreature made it better in the end..Grimmauld 
Place is one aspect of Harry's life that separated him and Voldemort 
even more..(we see Voldy in the orphanage, we see him in the Malfoy 
mansion....we see Harry look on Hogwarts as home....but in dh...we 
see all of the trio miss grimauld place as a home...esp. Harry and 
Hermione..

DeeDee
(who loved Kreature taking on a warped Molly role! LOL)