CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 12: The Pat

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CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Chapter 12: The Patronus.

 Harry and Ron are still angry with Hermione over her telling McGonagall about
the Firebolt. Wood wants to know if Harry has ordered a new broom yet and
whether he mastered a way to not fear Dementors. When Harry tells him
about Professor McGonagall wanting to strip the Firebolt down, Wood pales and
promises to talk to her.

Harry decides to talk to Professor Lupin about starting anti-Dementor lessons soon and he does. Lupin promises to start soon and they
do start.
Lupin brings a Boggart in for Harry to practice on and tells him that he would
be teaching Harry a very advanced magic, called the Patronus charm. Lupin
explains to Harry that when conjured correctly a Patronus is sort of
anti-dementor , a guardian that produces a shield between the caster and a
dementor.

Lupin also explains that in order to produce a successful Patronus Harry has
to think about a happy memory. After several painful attempts Harry manages to
think of a happy memory that allows him to conjure a Patronus even if fast
fading one. The memory is him leaving the Dursleys for Hogwarts. Professor
Lupin thinks that it is an excellent start. Harry wants to try again but Lupin
calls a stop and thinks it is enough for that day. Harry asks Lupin
whether he knew Sirius Black as well if he knew his dad and Lupin eventually
responds yes, he thought that he knew Sirius.

 The days are flying by and Ron is wondering how Hermione is getting to all her
classes, however Harry does not seem to really care. Wood is upset that
McGonagall dressed him down for asking her about the Firebolt because she
suggested he valued the Firebolt more than Harry's welfare. Days are flying
by, it is already February however she still refuses to give the Firebolt back
to Harry.

Harry is getting frustrated because after several lessons he can only produce
a misty Patronus, which Harry fears will not be enough to drive off
the Dementors. However Lupin tells him that he is too hard on himself and if
Dementors  did show up at the match it would be enough to
drive them off enough for Harry to get down on the ground. Harry is wondering
what is under a Dementor's hood and Professor Lupin explains that nobody knows
for sure because the only time they take the hood off is when they administer
the Dementor's kiss (sucking person's soul out of them). Harry thinks that
Sirius Black deserves it and Lupin is asking whether anybody really does deserve
such a fate.

McGonagall returns the Firebolt to Harry, which makes him and Ron very
happy. The chapter ends with the disappearance of Scabbers and it looks like
Crookshanks snacked on him.

Questions.

1. Harry learning how to produce a Patronus was one of the moments in the book
when I was so very proud of him. What are your "being proud of Harry"
moments?

 2. Why wasn't Harry's happy memory in this chapter enough to produce a
corporeal Patronus?
 3. If Dementor can suck a person's soul from them, does it mean that
Potterverse does not believe in souls' immortality? If a Dementor dies
somehow, would the soul be released? Lupin tells Harry that a soul is gone
forever, lost. Where is it lost in your opinion?

4. What is behind Lupin's asking Harry whether anybody deserves the
Dementor's kiss? Is he hesitant to believe in Sirius' guilt or he is simply not
a believer in such punishment? Any other suggestions?

5. Whose side you were on when Harry and Ron and Hermione were at odds if
anybody's?

6. Were you suspicious as to how Hermione is getting to all her classes at the
time?

7. Please feel free to add your own question.

Alla.

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