CHAPTER DISCUSSION: PS/SS 15, The Forbidden Forest

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 188625


Hmm, good answers to the questions--and, with all the posted answers in mind, I'll add my comments.

> Questions:
> 
1) McGonagall is very angry. Is her anger justified? Do you think she recalls a similar situation between James and Severus?

Potioncat:
The first time I read this chapter, I thought she was over reacting--then my own kids reached the sneaking-out-age and I understood McGonagall better, and as several others have pointed out, the castle really isn't a safe place.

But why is she so quick to think Harry was playing a trick on Draco? Has she seen any evidence of their animosity at this point? I don't recall that McGonagall ever comments to Harry about his parents, but she does say in PoA to others that James was the worst troublemaker she's ever seen. So is she doing the same thing that Severus and Sirius do--confusing Harry with James? By "similar situation" to James I intended the on-going rivalry between Marauders and Snape. This is the sort of thing James might have done. (IMO, based on canon events)

Not only that, but she has just taken Draco to Snape to complain about his being out of bounds and lying to her. Now she finds 3 Gryffindors out of bed, wandering around too. So Sev-erm-Draco wasn't lying and she will have to face Snape with that fact. (Because that's the right thing to do, and she would do the right thing.)

Gryffindors lose 50 points each, I think because she's embarrassed at their behavior. Draco only lost 20 for being out and arguing with her. Poor Neville was simply tarred with the same brush as his housemates. Look what loyalty and courage cost him!

The tunnel episode is very similar to the dragon event in a literary way--but posters are right, in this case McGonagall sees no danger to Draco.

> 
3) What do you think of Hagrid's attitude about the punishment?

Potioncat:
Well, the whole reason Hermione, Neville and Harry are there is because of Hagrid. Does he feel bad that he's caused them to suffer this detention--or does he think it's a great adventure for them? Yeah, he's stern with Draco, but that's different. I did think it was interesting that Hagrid calls him by his first name.


> 
4) What do you think of this punishment? How does it compare to the punishment Headmaster Snape will give in DH?

Potioncat:
Snape's Forbidden Forest punishment was one sure sign to me that he was on the good side. Those kids had been in the forest many times and he knew it. Phineas Nigellus seems to think it's a horrible punishment--unless he was just going along with Headmaster Snape. So, if it was horrible for 6th years, what must this have seemed like to ickle firsties?


> 
5) Who is the cloaked figure drinking unicorn blood? Is it Quirrell!Mort or only Voldemort?

Potioncat:
Thanks, Geoff, for the canon evidence. It was Quirrell. And now I get it--what Harry overhears is Quirrell protesting at having to kill another unicorn and drink the blood. Could it be that the blood is strengthening both LV and Quirrell--being possessed by LV is deadly. What it provides is a "half life" which would explain why Quirrell is looking so bad as the year progresses.

And that takes me back to this question:
>
2) How much time passes after Harry and Hermione are caught before the detention in the forest is served? Why the delay?

Potioncat:
I was wondering who really determined the detention and the timing--was it McGonagall or DD? Did DD suspect Quirrell was involved in the unicorn killing? Did he want Harry to see it? I just don't know if it was just a coincidence that the evening played out the way it did, or is there a reason for it from inside the story?


>
8) Why did Dumbledore return the Invisibility Cloak to Harry? Did the events in the forest play a part?

Potioncat:
I think he gave it back to Harry because it is the Deathly Hallow that protects. Yes, it allows Harry to carry out mischief, but it protects him from trouble. I don't know if he always intended to give it back; if he was waiting for the full punishment to be over; or if the events in the forest gave DD a feeling that Harry needed or deserved the IC.