[OOP]: The Arch Room

Jim Flanagan jflanagan1 at jamesf991.yahoo.invalid
Sun Jul 6 20:59:44 UTC 2003


A couple of remarks about the arch room:

1. On p. 721 of the UK edition, Dumbledore refers to the Arch Room 
as "The Death Chamber."  Evidently, walking through the arch (or 
being thrown through) must have been the means of legal execution at 
some time in the past.  I don't remember any references in the books 
about executions having taken place in modern times, so the actual 
death penalty has presumably been replaced by the more "humane" 
punishments of being kissed by a dementor or life in Azkaban. 

2. Something that puzzled me about the Arch Room was why some of 
the "sexumvirate" seemed to hear the voices behind the black veil, 
and some didn't.  Harry, Neville, and Ginny became entranced and had 
to be dragged away, while Hermione and Ron did not.  Luna heard the 
voices, but apparently did not have to be dragged away.  This is not 
the same pattern as the ability to see Thestrals, so I wonder why 
each person reacted in the way they did.  Any thoughts?

-Jim Flanagan
"All aboard for the good ship Harry/Luna!"





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