CHAPTER DISCUSSION: PS/SS 4, The Keeper of the Keys

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 187863

Potioncat:
I recall a recruiting effort too, but I thought it was in canon. I'd like to
add, that while JKR had her story planned out, surely there were some details
that altered over the course or some bits that sprung up by surprise. Is that
what you were getting at, Alla? <SNIP>

Alla:

Right, personally I tend to be a bit skeptical about JKR's claim that she planned *everything*, you know? I do not think it is possible for any writer and I wish she would have stuck to saying that while the story was planned in advance (and I totally believe that main story was), she had to do side trips and change things , etc, etc.  I am sure she has stories for every major character childhood, I totally believe her, I believe her that she always thought of Dumbledore as gay, things like this, of course I believe her that she always knew how Harry and Voldemort story will play out. But no, I am having trouble buying that when she wrote her first book she decided that Voldemort decided to recruit Lily and James. Especially since she said it in the interview. There are also some other things I am having trouble believing she planned, but I have no proof, they just seemed too much a response to fans. Again, those things are small and I do not think they have much bearing on the story anyway, but I wish she would not have said that she planned everything, everything.



Potioncat:
Do we know that accidental magic takes a dangerous turn? The incident with DD's
sister seems to have been unusual. All of Harry's accidental magic has been
defensive, except for blowing up Aunt Marge. Even that didn't "harm" her--and
wasn't "blowing up" in the way we generally use the word "blowing up." However,
the type of accidental magic could depend on the type of person. Harry's not the
sort to harm someone, unless you count the surprising result of the Cutting
Curse in HBP. Perhaps Bellatrix's childhood accidental magic would have looked
very different? <SNIP>


Alla:

I guess I do not see that harming Dursleys when they are almost managing to cause Harry's harm as anything else but self protection, you know?  Or maybe I should rephrase – I find it inconsistent that his magic did not do anything to **protect Harry** from Dursleys. As I mentioned before I always interpreted Harry learning how to escape Vernon's hands as Harry being able to experience those hands first, and I do not see why Vernon had not been electrocuted in small dose for example. Or when they lock him in the cupboard for days, I do not see why his magic does not apparate him out when we know this did happen in different occasion. As I said, I totally understand that JKR wanted Harry to suffer to make him more sympathetic, but find it inconsistent magic wise if that makes sense.

Because Hagrid is clear IMO, he is asking if things happened around Harry when he was angry and upset and he IS upset when Dursleys do it to him, but nothing happens, you know?

And again, we have Aunt Marge, if something like that happened to Dursleys, would have been totally enough and consistent by me, she was upsetting him, she got blown up. Dudley, Vernon and Petunia upset him how many times if only emotionally (and I do not think it was only emotionally)? And nothing happened, nada. I find it inconsistent, IMO of course.

JMO,

Alla