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

[AmanitaMuscaria]

No: HPFGUIDX 189430



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lui" <lui_rhys_01 at ...> wrote:

> CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
> Chapter 3: The Knight Bus
> 
> 
> Harry accidentally blows up his Aunt into a blimp.and finds himself all alone in
> the street after storming out of the Dursley's home. He now faces the prospect
> of being a runaway and contemplates his next move.
> 
> 
> QUESTIONS:
> 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?

AM now - I thought suspended though the wizarding world's punishments are very arbitrary, so maybe suspended over a vat of something pretty nasty? Just being made to stay in Privet Drive for longer would be horrible punishment, but then, nobody would know that would they?

> 
> Realizing that both Ron and Hermione were abroad, where was the first place that
> you thought Harry would go?
> 

AM now - I wondered if he'd go to the Burrow anyways; the Weasleys say he's like a son to them, so I expect the protections would let him in. But that wouldn't have advanced the story much.

> 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?

AM now - I can't really remember, but I think I suspected it was Voldemort.

> 
> 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?

AM now - Something about magic and intent springs to mind - you have to _mean_ the Unforgivables, but I think I saw magic as being almost sentient - sort of like the Room of Requirement. So anyone intent on helping Harry could find him?

> 
> 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.?

AM - I sort of saw a 'flagging down a cab' gesture in my mind, though that could happen inadvertently. I guess as above, I assumed the intent was part of the hailing.

> 
> 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?

AM - No. The Knight Bus is a sentient thing, as Ernie seems to hardly be able to see.

> 
> 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?

AM - I wondered if maybe he'd failed his OWLS? Badly enough to not do a Flint?

> 
> 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?

AM - Not the Avada Kedavra; I thought it might be something else, as AK seems much too focused. Although there is much discussion as to how Voldie's AK blew up the Potter house. There again, other things, like the Horcrux spell, was involved there. So no, but why it didn't hurt Black as well - intent again? What a deliciously twisted bit of revenge of Peter on Sirius - it does make you wonder about his mentaal state, doesn't it?
  
> 
> 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?

AM - Sort of like torturing demons or devils? I didn't know.

> 
> 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?

AM - I thought it was an excuse to see Potter. He hadn't gone to the school, as far as we know, so I guess, his chance to evaluate this boy who Dumbledore was touting as the Wizarding world's saviour, but who'd been kept under close wraps until then.

> 
> 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 ?

AM - Well, he knows something is protecting Harry, but not the details, otherwise I think Lucius would have wormed it out of him.

> 
> 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?

AM - I really didn't know. I was very confused by this, but very relieved, along with Harry.

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

AM - Oh yes. I think they can produce all the negative emotions you like. I think they suck the good emotions and transfor them into bad.

 
Thanks for the questions, Lui!