chapter discussions, SS/PS, chapter 5, Diagon Alley

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 187899





> Alla wrote:
> > The episode that for me packs the most emotional punch is disgusting Pansy wanting to sell Harry to Voldemort and a lot of her house supporting her, this picture just stands out the most vividly for this particular reader.  <snip>
> 
> Carol responds:
> 
> I don't recall "a lot of her House supporting her" or even a single Slytherin doing so. <SNIP of the whole post>

Alla:

I interpret that they did. When Gryffindors had risen in front of Harry they are facing Slytherins, not Pansy. To me that implies that Slytherins already stood up with their wands out, I think that if it was only Pansy, that's what JKR would have written.

This however was not quite my point. As I said, I believe that at least many Slytherins supported her, however what I was talking about is that to me as a reader two years after the book was out, Pansy's betrayal is the most memorable picture that packs a huge punch. I am not talking about Snape here and not going to discuss his actions, because whether one is a fan of Snape or not, as I attempted to argue upthread I think author was showing that Snape is not a typical Slytherin and thus I cannot judge Slytherins based on Snape. IF he was a typical Slytherin, I would totally agree that complete reversal of Slytherin loyalties was shown.

I would LOVE to judge Slytherins based on Regulus, on Andromeda, on Slughorn, but I don't know how to explain it, they are too remote for me from Slytherins who were present in the battle and to me the battle is what mattered.

I am no fan of Draco, far from it, but I think that if author indeed wanted to show a reversal, she needed to show more of him doing better things than hesitating to recognise Harry and Co, and saving Goyle.

Alla wrote:
> <snip> Harry sees wands towards him, that is enough for me. <snip>

Carol responds:

You snipped the canon, so I'll put it back in before respondsing,
<SNIP>

Alla:

Um, yes I did, everybody reads the whole thread before replying to my post so no need for me to leave it in if it can be read upthread. I hope you are no implying that I did something wrong here.