CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 3: The Knight Bus

[Joey Smiley]

No: HPFGUIDX 189428

> What did you first think after reading about Harry's latest bout of underage
> magic? Did you also think that he would be expelled or that Ministry wizards
> would come to arrest him or at least to break his wand in half?

Joey:

I expected a suspension considering what had happened in Harry's second year.
 
> Realizing that both Ron and Hermione were abroad, where was the first place that
> you thought Harry would go?

Joey:

I just jogged along with the flow but now you mention it, consulting DD or Hagrid would have been the first thing that I'd have thought of.

> Harry senses something/someone watching him, he sees the outline of "something
> very big, with wide, gleaming eyes," Who/what did you first think of upon
> reading this?

Joey:

Some ghost-like monster was what I had imagined though I was unsure and kept wondering.

> We know that Harry's location is relatively unknown, so much that even DE's/
> Voldemort couldn't swoop down on him during DH, even though "they know the
> general area of the house,"- yet, Ron and the twins were able to rescue him in
> CoS and now  Sirius in his Animagus form was also able to locate him . How do you think they know where to find Harry at
> all?

Joey:

Probably the ancient magical charm evoked by Lily's sacrifice protecting Harry is akin to the protective charm placed around Tonks' house in DH where Voldy and DEs could not get in while the Order people could.

> There must be hundreds of wizards all over Britain that would've stuck out their
> wand arm, without needing transportation. How do you think the Knight bus
> distinguishes those that would be needing their services.?

Joey:

Didn't Stan also say something about Knight Bus identifying wizards / witches who need transportation? I forget the exact words though.
 
> Harry is almost run over by the bus, yet we know that it dodges cars and
> scatters mailboxes. Do you think Harry would have really been run over?

Joey:

I don't think so.
 
> We are introduced to Stan Shunpike, the conductor of the Knight bus. Harry
> places him at around eighteen or nineteen years old. We should've seen him at
> Hogwarts in Harry's first year. What do you think of his magical education?

Joey:

Hmmm... Maybe he failed in his exams. :-) I guess Harry didn't know him at all which is why we too don't get to see him and he is not that pivotal a character that JKR would have to write a Spinner's End for us to know him.

> It says in the newspaper that "Black" (eventually we know it was that rat
> Pettigrew) murdered thirteen people with one curse. What spell do you think he
> used? Do you think the Killing Curse was involved, or that Pettigrew would be
> powerful enough to cast a similar curse?

Joey:

Wonder what other curse could kill a dozen Muggles. Going by Bellatrix's words plus people like Crabbe and Goyle being able to Crucio people, conscious cruelty rather than skill seems to be the primary drive for Unforgivables. I think AK curse was involved.
 
> Although we know from CoS that Azkaban inspires fear even to brave people (a.k.a
> Hagrid), this is the first time the guards are mentioned. What was your first
> idea of what/who they would be?

Joey:

I remember imagining a horrid and mammoth monster - something worse than a troll, a dragon and Fluffy put together.

> Harry steps down to London and is greeted by none other than Cornelius Fudge,
> Minister of Magic. Why do you think such an important political figure came to
> fetch Harry?

Joey:

Well, the Boy Who Lived is in danger, isn't he? And Fudge had this habit of consulting DD who, I guess, would have impressed upon him that Harry's protection is vital.
 
> Fudge explains that Aunt Marge has been restored to normal and that the
> Dursleys are prepared to take him in next holidays, no matter how angry they
> were. Do you think that Fudge knows about Harry's blood protection in Privet
> Drive ?

Joey:

With DD guarding that secret? Nah. :-)

> Harry is relieved from any punishment for blowing up his Aunt, and doesn't
> even get expelled for using underage magic. Fudge even looks uncomfortable and
> deliberately makes excuses to not explain his actions. What was your first
> reaction to this?

Joey:

I was as perplexed as Harry.

> On a different note, with the knowledge of the series, do you think Dementor's
> can get angry?

Joey:

I guess so. They seem to *feed on* people's happiness and denying their virtual food could make them angry. 

Cheers,
~Joey, who enjoyed Lui's questions very much