CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 7: The Boggart in the Wardrobe

[willsonteam]

No: HPFGUIDX 189616



> 
> Questions:
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> 1. What does Hermione's punishment for helping Neville say about Snape?

potioncat:

Well, I can justify it in a way since Snape told her not to help Neville. I'm not sure if he knew she helped, or if he assumed she helped. But from one standpoint, it was cheating.

Maybe I've been away from HP longer than I realised, but I was really taken aback at how badly Snape treated Neville. His comments just seemed very over the top---was he angry just because the color of the potion was wrong? I was wondering if Neville's potions were incredibly worse than everyone else's. In an earlier thread someone mentioned that characters need a credible motivation for their actions; I'm not sure I understand Snape's motivation for treating Neville the way he does. I suppose now I'm looking at it from post-DH with nothing in canon to support Snape's dislike for Neville. While in earlier years I expected something to happen to explain it.

I have to admit, I'm not sure if Snape was just as bad in SS/PS and CoS or if he's worse in PoA. I do think we see a Snape-on-edge in this book. He believes Black is after Potter; he thinks Lupin is a danger, and may think Lupin will either help Black or be overwhelmed by Black (as he was in his youth). And I think this concern is playing out in every Snape scene. So I guess I just answered my own querry above.
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> 2. What did you think Lupin's boggart was the first time you read the chapter?

Potioncat:
Silly me. I thought it was a crystal ball.
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> 3. What did you think Malfoy meant by his comment about how Harry should want
> revenge on Sirius Black the first time you read the chapter?
> 
Potioncat:
I'm sure I didn't understand. But what I get this time is that Draco knows the story about Black betraying the Potters. It's not supposed to be a widely circulated story. So do the Malfoys also think Black was working for LV? (Cissy, your cousin turned out to be a stand up guy afterall.) And what do the other DEs believe? I don't get the feeling that the Askaban-DEs think Black is one of them.

The other thing is that Draco isn't acting like Black is a cousin. Perhaps he's smart enough not to mention it to Potter--or perhaps he doesn't know?

Thanks for the thoughtful questions.