23, Malfoy Manor

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 183537

Fabulous summary, Zara, thank you!

Zara:
> 2) Greyback takes the party to Malfoy Manor rather than 
> summoning Voldemort himself. Harry surmises this is because 
> Greyback is not a marked Death Eater. What do you think? 
 
Jack-A-Roe replied:
> I thought Harry was correct. There is no way that Voldemort would 
> have ever marked a werewolf. I don't think that Voldemort thinks of 
> them as anything but "cannon fodder."

SSSusan:
I totally agree with Jack-A-Roe on what Voldy probably thought of all 
werewolves.


Zara:
> 4) What did you think of Draco in the scene where he is asked to 
> identify Harry?
 
Jack-A-Roe replied:
> I thought he still didn't have much of a spine. He knows he isn't 
> cut out for the DE's, but he isn't able/willing to stand up to 
> them. Giving a non answer is his best bet at surviving....a very 
> slytherin trait.

SSSusan:
Hmmm.  I guess that is a fair way to view it.  OTOH, the truth is 
that, as I was reading this for the first time, I was *surprised* and 
actually *pleased* that Draco went as far as he did.  Not too long 
before this, he wouldn't have hesitated to have identified them as 
quickly, loudly and sneeringly as he could have.  

This was such a great way of showing the torment Draco was 
experiencing, I thought.


Zara:
> 5) Lucius, Bella, and Greyback all argue over who should get 
> what credit for the capture. What does each hope to gain?

SSSusan:
I don't have much to add to the great responses I've already seen -- 
Lucius wanted his status (and his/a wand) back; Bella wanted Voldy's 
approval and hopefully his lurve; Greyback wanted to be seen as 
useful and probably as worthy of reward.


Zara:
> 9) "May your loyalty never waver again", Voldemort said to Peter 
> after giving him the silver hand in GoF. Now we know what he meant. 
> What did you think of Peter's death? Did you like or dislike the 
> way it ended his story? Do you see any special meaning in it?

SSSusan:
"Now we know what he meant."  Yep, we certainly did find out.  And I 
couldn't help but think, "Man, Voldy, you ARE one cruel dude!"  I 
mean, putting a curse like that on the silver hand of the one who 
assisted him in his resurrection?  Who CARES what Wormtail's motives 
were; he did it.  And to put such a curse on the "reward" and not 
warn Wormtail openly?  Well, it *was* very "Voldemort" of him.

Did I like it?  I did like it.  The only thing I didn't like was how 
quickly it all played out.  No chance for a speech or anything, you 
know? ;)


Zara:
> 12) What did you think was going on with Voldemort in this 
> chapter? What ideas did you have concerning the identity of the old 
> man in the tower?

Jack-A-Roe said:
> I had no doubts as to who the old man was. 

SSSusan:
Yeah, at this point, it seemed pretty obvious who the old man was, I 
agree.  Honestly, I think the first time I read it, I sat up a little 
straighter, thinking, "This is all coming together now."


Zara:
> 13) Can someone explain to me why Dobby's death is the one death 
> in this book that originally did, and still does, move me to tears, 
> even though I always found him annoying? 

SSSusan:
This surprised me a TON, as well.  I mean, not that it moved YOU to 
tears, heh, as I didn't know that, but that it moved ME to tears.  
Dobby had been a big enough of an annoyance in my mind that I didn't 
particularly enjoy re-reads of COS, and yet I burst into tears when 
this happened.

I think Jack-A-Roe has again captured a good portion of the cause for 
the emotional response (thanks, Jack-A-Roe!):
> To me, Dobby represented innocence. All he wanted was to be free of 
> the Malfoy's and to be able to work. Helping Harry out was probably 
> a dream of his. He was childlike in his simplicity.
> 
> His death seemed to be the death of innocence. It's effect on Harry 
> was devastating and was the kick in the rear that Harry needed to 
> try and finish his quest.

SSSusan:
Yes, Dobby was loving and faithful to Harry, and in spite of all 
those annoying traits & misguided attempts to help over the years, he 
wanted nothing but to serve Harry and to keep him safe.  In his own 
way, he was very *sweet.* 

Maybe, too, it was just what I'd call "the cumulative factor."  
Someone ELSE close to Harry?  We already had had Sirius' and DD's 
deaths, then Moody and also the horrible Hedwig death.  To add Dobby 
was just yet another blow awfully hard to endure.  

Harry's response to Dobby's death is precisely why I love the next 
chapter so much....

Siriusly Snapey Susan