CHAPDISC: DH36, THE FLAW IN THE PLAN

[Happy Smiley]

No: HPFGUIDX 185226

>> SSS: My apologies for the extreme length of this. But hey, this was 
the culminating chapter of the whole adventure!! Surely I can be 
granted a little forgiveness for having to handle all of that in 10 
pages or less? :)


 
Joey:
Oh, I really enjoyed your wonderful summary of one my most favourite chapters. And, thanks for quoting my favourite punch lines. :)
 
 
My 2 cents towards the discussion:
 

>> 2. Harry is surprised to not hear DE cheers, and is surprised that 
Voldemort has fallen down. Why? After encountering the Baby-Voldy-
Thing at King's Cross, wasn't he expecting Voldemort hadn't yet won?


 
Joey:
I think Harry had not yet recovered from the realization that “it is all in his head but is still real” i.e. he was still keeping his fingers crossed.
 

>> 3. With Narcissa's lie, we have come full circle to a mother's love 
again. How do you feel about its being this mother? What do you 
think might have happened if Harry hadn't lucked out this way -- with 
a desperate Narcissa chosen as the one to announce whether he were 
dead or not?


 
Joey:
Spinner’s End in HBP was prelude enough to highlight Narcissa’s priorities - my feelings about her mother’s love were more pronounced in that chapter than this, I’d say. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised at what she did. As to what might have happened if Harry hadn't lucked out this way, I’d still think that Harry would have pulled off a victory, in a different style of course (akin to GoF climax may be), due to his brave and admirable sacrifice. (Yeah, I’m that eternal optimist and I’m a sucker for happy-endings :-))
 

>> 9. Why/How was Neville able to break free of the Body-Bind Curse? 
He certainly couldn't break free of Hermione's in first year!


 
Joey:
I thought Voldy’s curses were simply not affecting people due to Harry’s sacrifice. Wonder if others have different opinions.
 

>> 10. Does it say anything beyond "only a true Gryffindor" that 
Neville also found Gryffindor's sword in the Sorting Hat? Does it 
say anything about the Chosen One or about the prophecy? Or not?


 
Joey:
I think Neville found Gryffindor's sword in the Sorting Hat only because he is also a true Gryffindor. I think *he killing Nagini* says something about the Chosen One and about the prophecy. Neville was *almost* the Chosen One and so, he got to kill Nagini who is kind of Voldy’s alter-ego. 
 
 
By the way, another point has always interested me: Snape had never been nice to Neville in the first four years (probably because he despised Neville’s lack of confidence?). Nagini killed Snape. Neville killed Nagini. Do you think JKR made it a point to write it this way? Or was it just a coincidence?
 
 
>> 11. There has been quite a varied response to Molly Weasley in this 
scene. What is yours?
 
 
Joey:
Oh, Molly was *cool*. :)



>> 13. What do you think Harry thought the odds were that Riddle would 
actually be able to find some remorse? Did he believe it was 
possible? Was he doubting DD's statement that nothing could be done 
to help the Voldy-Baby-Thing? Was he offering this up to be able to 
know that he'd done all he could?


 
Joey:
Very good question. I think Harry knew Voldy would never ever do it; yet it was never in his character to cause a person’s death directly / indirectly. So, he was offering this up to be able to know that he'd done all he could, as per me.


 
>> 14. When did Harry puzzle all this out about the Elder Wand? Does 
he believe it? Does he just hope it's true?


 
Joey:
Very good question. I think Harry was quite fascinated with the Hallows stuff and he probably figured out that Draco (and finally he) owned the Elder Wand even when he spoke to Ollivander at Shell’s Cottage. He puzzled *all* this out when he viewed Snape’s key memories. I think that he believed his reasoning of this and that he also, at the same time, hoped that his belief is true. 
 

>> 16. Wow. To answer that earlier rhetorical question of Harry's--No, 
Voldy really doesn't learn from his mistakes, does he? :) In all 
seriousness, though, *is* this Voldemort's biggest mistake, his 
failure to learn? Or was there something else which was his more 
fundamental mistake?


 
Joey:
Um, yes. Failure to learn the power of seemingly simple things like love and kindness, I guess.
 
 
>> 18. This has been discussed much before, but just *why* do the 
Malfoys look as if they're not sure whether they should be there? 
Because of the part they had once played but had set aside? Because 
there were no other Slytherins there to speak of? Because...?


 
Joey:
Because they wondered if they would ever be accepted in the new Voldy-free WW and / or allowed to be as influential as they wanted to be.
 

>> 19. Many were disappointed by the part Slytherin played at the end, 
having hoped for so much more from students, children of DEs, etc. 
Thinking of the roles of the Slytherins who *did* play a part – 
Horace and Narcissa in particular – are those parts worth 
celebrating? How significant to the outcome were they?


 
Joey:
Horace’s part deserves a pat on the back considering how reluctant he was to openly oppose Voldy. Narcissa’s part does not deserve a *celebration* but it deserves pardon for her mistakes, may be.
 

>> 20. Many left this book rather stunned at revelations about DD, not 
altogether happy with the strings he pulled or decisions he made or 
actions he took. What do you make of the fact that, for Harry, DD's 
pride and — let's face it — DD's approval were a balm equal to 
phoenix song?


 
Joey:
I somehow feel it is only natural for Harry to consider DD's pride and approval a balm equal to phoenix song. I think he saw how much of effort DD has put in towards constantly monitoring and planning Harry’s safety, collecting information and equipping Harry to face Voldy and also, ensuring Harry’s personality development by imparting crucial moral lessons like say the power of love, importance of overcoming temptations like Mirror of Erised or say Deathly Hallows. This, IMO, makes it quite easy for him to forgive DD’s mistakes for which, Harry knew, DD is already repenting.
 

>> 22. As you finished this chapter for the first time, how satisfied 
or dissatisfied were you? Did it feel like a resolution befitting 
our protagonist and antagonist?



Joey:
While I did want to know a bit more about what happened during those 19 years post this chapter :), I must say "Well done, JKR!" - indeed a resolution befitting our protagonist and antagonist. :) 
 
Cheers, ~Joey 


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]