CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 5: The Dementor

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 189502

> > How well do you think the Dementor scene worked after the
> > build-up, and why?

> Nikkalmati
> 
> It was pretty scary.  I had a little trouble knowing what was
> happening because we only learn what they are later. I found the
> stopping train and the bitter cold and the darkness very spooky.

Mike:
Me too!... What, I hafta say more? OK, what was so scary was that they didn't seem to do any magic. Yeah, I know they're magical creatures, but it was just their presence that had such a dibillitating effect on Harry. At this point I'm thinking, How do you counter that?


> > What did Dumbledore's speech add to our knowledge of Dementors?

Mike:
Like Pat, I noticed that Harry's Invisibility cloak was of no use, which made me even more concerned for Harry. There goes one of Harry's best tools, one that the magic was already present in and therefore wasn't reliant upon Harry's abilities. But other than that, Dumbledore's speech was about as useful as his first year warning about a horrible death on the third floor corridor. I.e. not much.


> > Do you suppose Remus has been a teacher before?
> 
> Nikkalmati
> 
> I think he may have been, ....  He may have been teaching overseas 
> or doing private tutoring.

Mike:
Remus is an enigma to me, right up to his death in DH. The tutoring guess is as good as any, but I don't think he would really call himself professor until he got his appointment to Hogwarts. I imagine he could have put the lettering on his case any time he wanted. What I didn't get was the whole battered and worn look. He's a wizard, for crying out loud, use a little magic Remus and fix up your clothes, your case, and yourself.



> > What do you imagine are the requirements for teachers at Hogwarts?
> 
> Nikkalmati
> 
> They have to know Dumbledore?  It does not appear anything other
> than graduating from a wizarding school is needed.  <snip>

Mike:
Well, somewhat after the fact, I figured Dumbledore brought in Lupin because of his connection to Black. But here's the thing, if DD believed the story and his own testimony about Black, why would he think that Lupin was going to be of any use? If DD really believed that Black had gone over to the dark side, Lupin would hold no sway over Black any more, now would he? 

At this point in the story, I didn't believe anything sinister about Dumbledore. But with all the facts in, I now think that Dumbledore knew full well that Black had never betrayed James and Lily. Dumbledore wasn't all knowing, but he was wise, and this story of betrayal made no sense with everything he knew of Black and the Potters. OTOH, Dumbledore couldn't have Black around to interfere with his plans for Harry. So he let him rot in Azkaban, made no effort to find out the truth, because the truth might prove inconvenient. And since the rest of the WW believed the story, well,... that made the "common knowledge" a convenient reason to keep Black locked up.

 
> > What did you make of Ron & Harry noticing Professor Snape's 
> > expression of loathing of Lupin?

Mike:
At this point, I was starting to catch on to JKR's mis-directions. I didn't buy for a minute Harry and Ron's deduction that it was someone else getting the DADA position. Obviously, I didn't know it was personal nor any of the history between the two. But I sure figured there was some other reason. Quite frankly, I thought Harry did too. Harry did notice it was a little out of character for Snape to openly express an emotion that powerful.


> > Thank you, amanitamuscaria

Yes, Thank you, AM!
Mike

Here's some of my questions: 
In light of Dumbledore's speech at the end of the chapter, who authorized the Dementors' search of the Hogwarts Express? The driver obviously stopped for them, so it must have been set up in advance, wasn't it? What do you think of this decision?