CHAPTER DISCUSSION: PS/SS 13, Nicolas Flamel

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 188533

Njeri:
2. Why did Snape referee the Quidditch game? And why might he have seemed
angrier than usual before the match?

Alla:

Well of course to protect Harry's life from possible repetition of the attack. But I think he would have happily stuck it to Gryffindors, while protecting Harry's life as well. 

3. Why is Hermione's advice to Neville (to confront Malfoy), and Neville's
subsequent action critical to the HP series?

Alla:

I am not sure where in this chapter Hermione gives Neville advice to confront Malfoy, could you clarify please? I see Hermione giving an advice to **report** Malfoy and that to me is quite different from confronting him. I may have missed it, I appreciate the clarification. Now Ron and Harry definitely encourage Neville to stand up to Malfoy IMO and sure, I agree that this is playing in one of the central themes of the series – courage as the best character's trait, courage of standing up to evil and sometimes standing up to one's friends, etc.


5. In the forest, Snape says to Quirrell: "You don't want me as your enemy,
Quirrell." What did you make of this statement on your first read? Given what we
know of Snape, has the significance of this statement changed?


Alla:

Oh I definitely did not figure out that Snape was not the villain on my first read, so I thought that means that he was implying that Quirrell did not want him as servant of Voldemort to be his enemy.

Now, did the significance of this statement change? Actually, I think it did, but in a bit of different way from how I read your question.

Regardless of my personal very intense dislike of Snape I always thought of him as formidable opponent, even when I thought that he, you know, killed Dumbledore because he was ever so evil. But as far as I am concerned, evil wise Snape is really really good at taking out his anger at kids, oh yes. But you do not want me as your enemy? Oh no, Snape, I would not want your **boss** as my enemy, that is for sure and I mean Dumbledore. But you? Um, you followed Dumbledore quite faithfully, so no I think as a wizard I will be quite okay standing up against your threats lol. I do not mean to say that Snape is not a powerful wizard here, of course he is very powerful, I just do not see him as somebody whom adult wizard should fear. After all Dumbledore showed us how easily he could be manipulated in the lifetime of slavery erm
 I mean service. 

I guess I should say that I think Snape is certainly an opponent to be afraid in wizarding duel, in the battle or something like that, but not in a long term strategic sense if that makes sense. IMO of course.

Jean:
<HUGE SNIP>
Neville could have been
Peter if he'd been treated the same way.

Alla:

I am just wondering where do you see the possible parallels between Peter and Neville? I guess I just see the series putting emphasis on one's own choices more than anybody else's *driving* person to them. 

And speaking about treachery, there was a lot of speculation in the past on list that Ron will end up being a traitor and I am guilty of wondering about that as well after GoF,  I was wondering if this was a foreshadowing of Ron's betraying Harry. I guess it was foreshadowing of him leaving and coming back instead. 

What I am trying to say is that personally I thought it was very well done that she did not made anybody to be a traitor among the younger generation.

Njeri, thanks for the interesting questions.

Alla