CHAPTER DISCUSSION PS/SS 9, THE MIDNIGHT DUEL

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 188291


>Midnight Duel Questions:
> 
1. Why do you think the Gryffindors are forced to do flying lessons with the Slytherins? and why is this the only time flying lessons are even mentioned?

Potioncat:
I think JKR used this chapter to set up a number of plot details. The pacing is beautiful. At the end of  "The Sorting Hat" Harry has a dream about Draco and Snape. That chapter is followed by "The Potions Master" about Snape and then "The Midnight Duel" about Draco. I think this is a ChocAbloc full little chapter with lots of details.

We see how excited Harry is about flying and how wonderful he feels to find something he can do without being taught. Yet we know (now) that he had flown on a little broom when he was less than 2 years old.

Draco gets a wish turned backwards---he complained about the rule against 1st years being able to play Quidditch, and look what happens, a first year gets to play. And I still think it's funny that the stern, no-nonsense teacher is so caught up in Quidditch fever.

But the question was about why the Gryffindors and Slytherins have this class together. There had to be conflict in the story, so Draco and Harry had to be in contact. JKR found reason to put them into certain situations together. Within the story, we can imagine that some classes are combined and houses are put together for whatever reason the administration chooses.


> 
2. Would you like to have a Remembrall ? Why or why not? What would you like to make sure you remember?

Potioncat:
The last thing I want is to be reminded that I've forgotten something. In fact the phrase, "Don't you remember
." is banned from my house.


> 
3. Do you think Neville is naturally clumsy and somewhat scatterbrained? or do you think his grandmother had a role in that?

Potioncat:
I think it's the residual effect of witnessing his parents being tortured into insanity.
(Well, it was a very strong theory once upon a time.)

Let's not be too hard on Gran. She raised Frank, you know, and he turned out OK. Come to think of it, she raised another hero in Neville.


> 
4. Malfoy chooses Crabbe as his second. If Crabbe and Goyle are both his friends, why do you think he picks Crabbe over Goyle?

Potioncat:
A man received 2 shirts for this birthday from his mother. So the next time he visits her, he wears one of the shirts. The moment he walks into her house, she looks at him and says, "So, you didn't like the other one?"

At first I thought you were on to something with this question; I wondered if the choice foreshadowed events between this trio. But you know, to me it's Crabbe-and-Goyle and I can never remember which is which. So, no, I think he just picked.



5. Duels are written into many books and stories. More often than not, they are between a good and a bad person and they do not end on a happy note. What were your thoughts as soon as the duel was scheduled to happen? Did you think Ron, Harry, Malfoy, or even Crabbe might have died or gotten hurt?

Potioncat:
I didn't expect anything fatal. I wasn't sure that Draco might not know a spell or two. But I wasn't expecting it to be a trick.

We have Draco tricking Harry into sneaking out after hours, then Harry ends up facing a monster in an out-of-bounds area of the castle. Can't quite put my finger on it, but this reminds me of something. Drat! Where is that rememberall?


Thanks, Powerbabe, for a good set of questions.