CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chamber of Secrets Chapter 18: Dobby's reward

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 189273

Alla wrote:
1.Harry is asking Dumbledore whether Voldemort put a bit of himself in Harry. After DH do you see it as foreshadowing of Horcrux ? Why or why not?
Potioncat:
Yes. JKR drot hints all throughout the series. We get a clue at our very first meeting with DD and Harry in SS/PS; DD declines to treat the scar and makes a joke about scars being useful. 

> 2. I know that Hagrid tells Harry that Lockhart was the only applicant for the job, but still why do you think Dumbledore hired him? Does it mean that Snape applying every year was after all a lie? If it was a lie, why Dumbledore did not teach DADA himself, instead of hiring incompetent imbecile whom I consider Gilderoy to be?
Potioncat:
Hagrid often gets things wrong; even so I've found his statement confusing. Perhaps he was actually being discrete in not mentioning Snape. I know we're told Snape applies every year. Does anyone remember where we learn that—and from which character? 
DD had to wait for the right time to put Snape in the position, and since he wasn't telling anyone the truth, he pretty much had to take what came his way. As much as it seems he could have chosen better DADA teachers there are two things to remember. He may have tried that in the past—there were many school years since Riddle cast the curse before we enter the story; and he would be putting someone in a cursed position. He may have been careful about risking others. Does anyone really think he warned Moody or Lupin? 
Someone else has already given the reason why neither DD nor Snape can teach DADA—even if DD had the time to do so. However, I don't think Snape ever knew officially from DD about the curse. So we readers see two things, DD hires increasingly incompetent DADA instructors for reasons that are unclear to us; and Snape has a growing resentment against DADA instructors. JKR used that very well to mislead the reader and advance the story. 

> 3. Among many other things I hold Albus Dumbledore responsible for is him not shouting to Wizarding World about Tom Riddle being Lord Voldemort, while IMO telling useless nonsense to Harry about calling him one imaginary name instead of another imaginary name. But in this chapter Dumbledore easily shares such information and while he does it within limited circle of people, he does not ask them to keep it a secret or anything like that. Should I cross off this offense (my opinion of course) off the list and maybe realize that he may have shared such information more than once and people were not interested in sharing such information with each other?
Potioncat:
And what good would it have done anyway? Tom Riddle was only known by his teachers and fellow class mates, and he vanished a few years after leaving Hogwarts.  So, yeah, cross it off your list. (It's a very long list anyway.)

> 4 Ginny insists her brothers would not tease Percy about Penelope, is there a chance that Fred and George will keep their promise?
Potioncat: 
Not likely, but Pippin made a good point about it. Come to think about it, do we ever see them teasing Ginny about her boyfriends or Ron about his romance? I actually don't remember, so it's not a rhetorical question. However, I just took a look at that section. Based on their reactions, I'd say not a chance at all.

> 5. Dumbledore tells Harry " It is our choices, Harry, that show what
> we truly are, far more than our abilities ". Which choice of Harry's is Albus talking about here? Do you agree this is a difference from Tom Riddle?

Potioncat:
The quote alone is absolutely right on. But it always bothered me that in the context DD seemed to be saying that Harry made a moral decision to avoid Slytherin House. I don't like the concept that the house itself is bad. But I think the real intent is that Riddle chose power over everything else, while Harry was actually choosing friendship. He knows he doesn't want to be the House of Draco Malfoy, the house as described by Ron. So he's turning down greatness—in spite of his need to prove himself—in favor of relationships.

> 6. What did you think happened to big and scary Basilisk before DH?
Potioncat:
Sorry, I'm missing something about this question. I just assumed the body lay there. I had no idea it would sort of play a role later on.
> 
> 7. Harry is asking Dobby "Just promise never to try and save my life again." Did you expect a repeat performance from Dobby and did it live up to your expectations if any?

Potioncat:
Not at first. I think as the series came closer to ending it seemed Dobby would play a part in the outcome. Good thing for Harry he didn't follow that order.

> In light of DH do you believe that JKR planned Dobby's character arc already when she wrote CoS? Why or why not?
Potioncat:
Yes, I think she did. His character is well developed. He has a counterpart in Kreacher. JKR shows early on that he has magical abilities beyond the obvious. It appears she had given lots of thought to him.

Potioncat's question
DD says that Harry possesses traits that Slytherin prized: a disregard for the rules, resourcefulness and determination.  Which characters do you think demonstrate those traits? Which houses do they represent?


Thanks for the intriguing questions, Alla.