Chapter Discussion: Prisoner of Azkaban Ch 21: Hermione's secret

[willsonteam]

No: HPFGUIDX 191003



>luirhys wrote a very good discussion with these questions: 
> 
> Questions:
> 
> 1. At the beginning of Fudge and Snape's conversation, we see Snape trying hard
> to get Harry in trouble, with detention and expulsion as his punishment. We all
> know he does this constantly, but, why? After knowing the ending of the series,
> and knowing that he is Harry's protector, why do you think he tries so hard to
> have him punished?

Potioncat:
I agree with an earlier post, Snape has confused Harry with James--or at the very least, is more convinced than ever that Harry is just like James. But look at the list of Harry's transgressions,  "leading his friends into such danger...against all school rules---out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer--and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too"

All of these are legit and let's face it, another student probably would be suspended. He isn't asking for Harry to be expelled, and the year is almost up. If you ask me, Snape just wants to get a few nights sleep. 

> 
> 2. Snape was a Death Eater from the beginning and would have probably known
> who's who in the clique. Do you think he knows that Sirius is innocent?

Potioncat:
No, and for all the reasons all ready mentioned by others. While we've been lead to believe at this point that Snape is reacting to a childhood grudge, he is really dealing with Lily's murder--and he thinks Sirius is responsible.


> 
> 4. Hermione and Harry were in the infirmary but after flipping the time turner,
> why did they end up at the entrance hall? Being a time turner, it should only
> be able to turn back time and not change your location.

Potioncat:
I'm so glad you asked, I wondered too when I read the chapter this time. Lots of good answers. 

> 
> 6. Hermione said she was given the time turner so she could get to all her
> classes, and that Mcgonagall had to write to different people in order to get
> her permission. So do you think that schools or Hogwarts in particular have been
> giving out time turners to their outstanding students for ages?

Potioncat:
No, I don't. Still don't know why they did---boy these wizards really lack any sense of logic.

> 
> 7. Dumbledore is in his usual calm state even though Buckbeak is about to be
> executed. Do you think he has knowledge of past and future events? Do you think
> that he knew Buckbeak would be saved?

Potioncat:
Excuse me, I seem to have twisted my Time Turner. Do you mean earlier at Hagrid's, or now in the infirmary? If you mean in this chapter, the "execution" is over. While Harry and Hermione think Buckbeak is dead, DD knows Buckbeak will be saved---was saved--will have been saved---and I think he knows his role is to suggest time travel to Harry and Hermione so they can go where they haven't been yet, but were. 

or maybe you mean the DD we see at Hagrid's hut from TT!Harry and TT!Hermione's view. He does seem to be making the time go longer, and he doesn't seem surprised. I think at that point, he must have seen Harry and Hermione and knew something was up--even if he didn't yet know exactly what it was.


> 
> 8. We know that past!Harry and Hermione heard the thudding of an axe and
> Hagrid's howling after they left his Hut. But could it be that what they heard
> was really the events of this chapter: Macnair throwing the ax at the fence and
> Hagrid crying with joy because of Buckbeaks apparent escape?

Potioncat:
Yes, that's my reading of it. One timeline, with two Harries and two Hermiones and one living Buckbeak.
> 
> 9. Harry and Hermione talk about what could've driven the dementors away. And
> Harry confesses that he thinks it might've been his Dad. What were your first
> thoughts in reading this chapter so long ago?

Potioncat:
I don't know. I'm pretty sure I didn't think it was James. Not sure if I ever thought of Snape. But I like that so many others did. Sort of foreshadows Snape's similar use of a Patronus later on.
>

 

Two scenes really moved me at this reading (you all "are" reading the chapters, aren't you?)

The first was when Harry realized "he hadn't seen his father, he had seen himself" followed quickly by understanding his own Patronus was Prongs. Later Sirius will say "you are your father's son. Seems a big part of this chapter is the father/son image of James and Harry with at least 3 characters playing into it.

The second was when they watched Snape lifting the limp forms of Hermione, Harry and Black onto stretchers. Snape has no idea that his own headache was partly due to Black's treatment of him.

Thanks for the great discussion.