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

[willsonteam]

No: HPFGUIDX 189462



>Liu wrote: 
> 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?
Potioncat:
I thought it was accidental, underage magic and didn't think there should be punishment. I've been surprised both by Harry's expectations and readers' opinions on the subject.

> 
> Realizing that both Ron and Hermione were abroad, where was the first place that
> you thought Harry would go?
Potioncat:
He didn't seem to have a plan at all. I didn't understand why he didn't think of DD or Hogwarts

> 
> 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?
Potioncat:
I was caught up in the adventure. I was already wondering about the Muggle escaped convict and was wondering if he would be the Prisoner of Azkaban, and here's a big creature of sorts after we've been introduced to the Monster Book of Monsters. Then right away we learn the Muggle Black is a wizard and was associated with LV. Lots of scary things early in the book.

> 
> 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?

Potioncat:
Harry gave Ron and Hermione his address at the end of his first year. Sirius was in the general area—but several streets away from the Dursleys' house. I don't think he could have gotten to the house on his own. In fact, this may have been near the place that the Dementors will attack Harry and Dudley later on.


> 
> 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.?
Potioncat:
It seems sometimes the bus might make a mistake. I suppose a Muggle cab might stop for someone who is really waving to someone across the street.


> 
> 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?
Potioncat:
No, but I'd still get out of the way.

> 
> 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?
Potioncat:
Boy, a lot of speculation centered around Stan when PoA first came out. It's just the way JKR writes; she introduces characters who should have been familiar, but aren't. I mean, the other characters should have known them, but don't. The twins don't know the younger Gryffindors, Ron doesn't know Romilda, etc.  So I think Stan most likely attended Hogwarts at least through OWLs.

> 
> 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?
Potioncat:
I think he did something that caused an explosion that killed the Muggles and gave him the opportunity to be "killed" as well. There's several spells that cause things to explode. I don't know if he intended to kill the Muggles or simply didn't care. We will see Pettigrew do a good bit of advanced magic as the series progresses. So, was he always a talented student who was overshadowed by James and Sirius or did his association with LV provide an extra boost?

> 
> 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?
Potioncat:
Probably because he was worried that something would happen to Harry and he would look bad. I don't think the general public knows that Black is thought to have a grudge against Harry, but Fudge does.

> 
> 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 ?
Potioncat:
I think he knows there is some sort of protective magic involved.

> 
> 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?
Potioncat: 
Since it seemed like accidental magic, I wasn't expecting any punishment. I thought the issue was the way the magic had involved a Muggle, but still was accidental. 

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

Potioncat:
Yes—I seem to recall that not only does Fudge mention it in this chapter, but they become harder to control as time goes on. I think there is emotion involved.

Thanks for the questions!