Chapter Discussion: Goblet of Fire Ch 3: The Invitation

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 191364

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CHAPTER SUMMARY:
Harry joins the Dursleys for breakfast. We discover that Dudley has been put on a strict weight-loss diet, thanks to some well-chosen comments from the Smeltings school nurse and the fact that the school outfitters don't stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore. There have been tantrums, arguments and tears, but the diet sheet has been taped to the fridge, which has been purged of Dudley's favorite foods. To make it easier for Dudley, the whole household is now subsisting on what Vernon calls rabbit food. Breakfast  consists of an unsweetened grapefruit, cut into four portions. Harry's "quarter" is smaller than Dudley's, Petunia being determined that at least Harry will get less than Diddycums. 

But Petunia has no idea that Hedwig has been bringing Harry extra food from his friends.   Besides sugar-free treats from Hermione and Hagrid's inedible rock cakes, Harry has received fruit cake and meat pies from Mrs. Weasley and  four superb birthday cakes, one each from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid and Sirius. So Harry eats his grapefruit without complaint. 

Just after Vernon sits down to breakfast, the doorbell rings. Vernon goes to answer it (Dudley taking the opportunity to snatch Vernon's grapefruit for himself.) Vernon then summons Harry to the living room. Wondering what he could have done this time, Harry discovers that Vernon has received a letter from Molly Weasley, written on purple paper and sent via Muggle post, with so many stamps on the envelope that there's barely room for the address. This aroused the curiosity of the postman, who delivered it in person, thus provoking Vernon even before he'd seen what the letter had to say.  The letter asks if Harry can go to the Quidditch World Cup with the Weasleys and spend the rest of the summer at their house. 

This puts Vernon in a quandary. He hates to think of Harry having a good time. On the other hand, the opportunity to get rid of him for the rest of the summer is tempting. As Vernon stews, Harry plays the Sirius card -- since he can't go, he'll just finish the letter he's sending to his godfather. In fear of what Sirius might do if he thinks Harry is being mistreated, Vernon gives in. Harry takes the stairs three at a time, and hurls himself into his bedroom, where he's ambushed as what appears to be a "small, gray, feathery tennis ball collided with the side of his head." It's Ron's owl, who seems to be called "Pig", with a letter saying that the Weasleys are coming to pick up Harry  with or without the Dursleys' permission, though they thought it would be better if they pretended to ask. 

Overjoyed, Harry sends Ron's owl back with a note saying he has permission, scribbles a postscript on his message to Sirius to say that he'll be at the Weasleys for the rest of the summer, and sends Hedwig off with it. Then he settles down with a slice of cake, savoring his happiness and finding it hard to worry about anything -- even Voldemort.

QUESTIONS:

1. Sugar-free treats seem an odd gift for someone complaining about diet food. What was Hermione thinking?

2. We learn that it took Errol  five days to recover from delivering the Weasley's care package to Harry. Is it fair for the Weasleys to overwork their owl, even though he's evidently willing?

3. The Weasleys' attempts to show consideration for the Dursleys backfire, arguably causing more offense than if they hadn't bothered. Are there other instances in canon where naive attempts to show consideration aren't appreciated?

4. Harry doesn't actually want Sirius to come out of hiding. What do you think Harry would have done if Vernon  had called his bluff?

5. Harry is willing to admit he's troubled about the pain in his scar, but doesn't tell about the dream. Meanwhile the Dursleys are forced to admit Dudley's weight problem, but disregard the school's reports of poor grades and bullying. What do you think of these choices? What do they tell us about the characters?

6. Do you think Petunia noticed that Harry wasn't losing any weight? Does she really have no idea that Harry is getting extra food?

7. JKR seems unaware that quarters are supposed to be four *equal* parts. Do you think the books would be different if she had more of a head for math?

7. Any other questions?

Many thanks to Alla and Geoff for their assistance

Pippin

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