Chapter Discussion: Chamber of Secrets Chapter 12, The Polyjuice Potion

[jeanine]

No: HPFGUIDX 189061

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CoS Chapter Twelve: The Polyjuice Potion

Harry remains unpopular with other Hogwarts students because of his knowledge of
Parseltongue and the implications that he is the heir of Slytherin. He seeks
reassurance of his "Gryffindor-ness" from the Sorting Hat, which to his horror
again tells him that he would have done well in Slytherin. Harry encounters
Fawkes just in time to see him die and be reborn. Dumbledore remarks in passing
that phoenix tears have healing powers. Dumbledore gives Harry the chance to
confide in him but Harry, although he thinks of the Polyjuice Potion being made,
and the voices he hears, claims there is nothing to tell.

Christmas finds the trio HRH staying over at Hogwarts along with Malfoy, Crabbe
and Goyle. Hermione announces that the Polyjuice Potion is ready and instructs
Harry and Ron to get some hair from Crabbe and Goyle. She also produces the two
drugged cakes to put Crabbe and Goyle out of action while they are impersonated
by Harry and Ron, and she has obtained for them larger sized robes.

HRH imbibe the Polyjuice potion. Without explaining why, Hermione does not
reveal herself to Harry and Ron and declines to accompany them to the Slytherin
common room. The two boys, attempting to find the common room, are intercepted
on the way by Percy Weasley who does not recognize them. They are spotted by
Malfoy who accepts them as Crabbe and Goyle and takes them into the Slytherin
common room. He shows them a newspaper article from which Ron learns that his
father has been fined 50 Galleons for bewitching the car. Harry learns from
Malfoy of the existence of the wizard prison Azkaban. Harry  also learns from Malfoy that he does not know who the Heir of Slytherin is

While still with Malfoy, Harry and Ron realise that the Polyjuice Potion is
beginning to wear off and so they rush out of the Slytherin common room. On
their return to the girls' bathroom, Harry and Ron find that Hermione has turned
into a copy of Millicent Bullstrode's cat. Hermione tells them that the
Polyjuice Potion is not intended fro use with animals. Harry tells her she
should go to the hospital wing. He says that Madam Pomfrey never asks too many
questions.



Questions



Did you think the reference to the healing powers of phoenix tears would
subsequently prove important?

Why does Harry not confide in Dumbledore?

Do you think that Harry believes he knows better than anyone else?

Would Harry have got anywhere in his attempt to hoodwink Malfoy without
Hermione's help, knowledge and hard work?

What reason did you come up with as to why, after all her efforts with the
polyjuice potion, with producing the drugged cakes and obtaining the larger
robes Harry and Ron would need when reincarnated as Crabbe and Goyle, Hermione
apparently decided not to go with the boys?

Why do you think Hogwarts students of any one house are apparently not allowed
to know the password to the other houses' common rooms?

If Harry and Ron could see that the polyjuice potion was wearing off, why could
not Malfoy see it too?

How likely did you think it was that Madam Pomfrey would not ask "too many
questions" when a student turns up having been transformed into an animal? Would
she not at least have approached Minerva McGonagall who was the expert in
transformation? The only other way we're told of, to transform someone, is
Polyjuice Potion. This involves restricted ingredients. Wouldn't it be Madam
Pomfrey's duty to follow this up?
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Jeanine