HBP Spoiler Review - Chapters 19-20

[katsaris]

I'll still be making comments chapter-by-chapter, but spoilers should be considered likely for the whole of the book, since occasionally I'll be mentioning events of later chapters.

Chapter 19: Elf Tails

A good chapter this one.

I liked the smooth, quiet reconciliation between Ron and Hermione. This was probably the biggest quarrel within the trio that we've seen in the series since the time of Ron/Harry fighting in Goblet of Fire -- and the means of dissolution for the quarrel are similar when one of the two gets his life in danger and therefore the other rushes to make friends again... but in the 4th book the dissolution of the fight was kinda... *loud*. Obnoxious. Unsubtle and sorta-embarrassing. Here it's at the same time much subtler (no admissions of misunderstanding/apologies/whatever, just Hermione looking silent and scared for Ron) and deeper. There's no false facts that lay between the quarrel of them, and therefore there's nothing needed but a sudden jolt and reminder that (despite Ron being a stupid git), they're still best of friends and care about each other deeply -- as I said: both subtler and deeper. Very cool.

I suppose it was in this chapter that I figured out that the cursed amulet was nothing but a failed attempt on Dumbledore's life by Malfoy -- though only after Hermione joined the dots for the readership. :-)

It's I suppose bitterly-amusing (though a bit similar to other incidents in the HP series) that the very conversation that's used in this chapter to cause Snape to appear guilty in Harry's eyes will by the end of the book be one of the biggest clues to his possible innocence. Very well done here too, if JKR truly intends said innocence -- as I hope she does.

The Quidditch match was probably one of the best and most amusing Quidditch matches in the whole series, now that Harry is captaining the team. Was mildly disappointed with Luna's commentary however which didn't actually sound quite as loony as I'd have liked...

"Harry's imagination zoomed into overdrive, rapidly constructing a scene in which Ginny, weeping over his lifeless form, confessed her feelings of deep attraction to him while Ron gave them his blessing." Heh. Only in bad fanfiction, Harry.

Chapter 20: Lord Voldemort's Request

I keep on feeling vaguely put off when Harry's feelings for Ginny are paralleled with a "creature in his chest". Partly because of a long series of fics by Dzeytoun who in his/her fic "Here Be Monsters" used similar imagery to describe Dumbledore's fatherly-but-over-the-top love for Harry. And partly because, gah -- with all the talk about possession in the previous book, you don't wanna describe different thought-patterns as having a life of their own. It's just creepy, and I'm not entirely sure JKR was going for that effect.

Harry's procrastination and neglect is alas a quite typical characteristic of him -- from how he acted concerning the golden egg's message in GoF, to the Occlumency lessons of OotP, and now here about Dumbledore's request. To the point that this reminds me of myself, I sympathize. But at the same time, gah: they're in war! He should really start to be more responsible about matters, and I'm glad that this time he regrets his thoughtlessness *before* it's too late.

Voldemort's conversation with Dumbledore is fascinating throughout -- from the beginning with Dumbledore calling him by his name Tom Riddle when the rest now call him Voldemort (amusing a bit in the sense that Dumbledore later will be calling him Voldemort at a time when everyone will be afraid to use *that* name -- though he still calls him Tom when addressing him) to his knowledge about his current doings and associates, to their discussion of greatness.

Most interesting of all was the confirmation that the "jinx" on the DADA position is actually real. The so-called "jinx" had so far been mentioned only in such a manner, and working in such different manners, that I don't think any reader had actually believed it that it was an *actual* curse, rather than just a rumour or superstition.

As such I'd say that this has probably been the most brilliant piece of misdirection in the HP series so far. For five books we know each DADA teacher last only a year -- it's become *expected* for the series, that each new book means a new year, a new dangerous adventure, and a new DADA teacher. For atleast four years long, we've heard talk of a jinx. Everything.

And yet in a world filled with magic and curses, I don't think any of us believed it true. We all thought it just a writerly convention, humorously and self-depracatingly occasionally mentioning the idea of a "jinx", for some easy justification or self-reference to the many DADA teachers. That it'd be an actual *plot-point*, an *actual* jinx -- I don't think anyone saw it coming at all. Once again: brilliant misdirection.

Comments

[alternativa.livejournal.com]

Hey Aris! i've just returned home and was reading your chapter to chapter reviews... I have to say I couldn't help myself and read the whole book in two days...

I am so amazed... Can't believe that Dumbledore is dead. And that fuck, Snape did it. Until the last chapters, I held a secret hope that Dumbledore might have been right, and that Snape perhaps was faking the whole Voldemort-sided story. Yet, I should have imagined it when he took the vow with Narcissa Malfoy. Prick of a wizard...

I will ramble more about HP in my lj, this book was far too incredible to be left out of any post!...

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

I'm not so convinced that Dumbledore wasn't right. The general existing theory among HP fandom has been that Dumbledore's death may have been pre-agreed between Snape and Dumbledore, though perhaps not the exact circumstances of it: In Chapter 19, for example, Hagrid tells us of a conversation he overhears where Snape says something to the point that he may not want to do this anymore, and Dumbledore insists that he promised and that's that. That "something" which Snape promised to do, may have been Dumbledore's death.

Moreover J.K.Rowling goes out of her way in the chapter in question to tell us (through Draco) that Snape had no foreknowledge of the Death Eater attack on the school until it was actually taking place. And when he kills Dumbledore it's in a way that (had he not done it), they'd probably have all been doomed -- Snape himself would have died on the spot due to the Unbreakable Vow, Draco would be next for failing to kill Dumbledore, and Dumbledore himself would be defenseless. It's the kind of situation, that even as a hypothetical Dumbledore might have explained to Snape that he wanted him to go right ahead and kill him, because Dumbledore dead and Snape a well-trusted spy in Voldemort's camp was a better situation than all three of them, Dumbledore *and* Snape *and* Draco dead.

And there are even more complicated theories, like the idea that the potion itself was a "Horcrux", and that Dumbledore knew from the beginning that he'd have to absorb the Horcrux and be killed in order for it to be destroyed -- now *this* theory I don't really believe, finding it far-fetched.

*g* We'll know for sure in about two years' time, whenever the 7th book comes out.

[alternativa.livejournal.com]

But Snape is under vow with Narcissa Malfoy. He took a very serious vow, do you think he would have done it while on Harry's side?
You know, what really made me frown was the fact that Dumbledore, who is considered to be such a great wizard, wasn't able to lift the spell put by Draco, and let go so easily. He was also talking to Draco for a long period of time, as if he was trying to stall him until Snape got there, as if he was trying to "convert" him and not let him do something really stupid. This whole negotiation conversation, i think, is hiding more that i can understand by reading he book just once.
I'm gonna read it again, there were so many things I have to work out in my head.

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

The thing is if Snape *isn't* on Harry's side -- would he have sent the Order of the Phoenix in the immediately previous book to save him while they were fighting in the Ministry?

That's considered a huge fiasco on the part of the Death-eaters which led to the arrest of about ten Death Eaters of them or so, even though Sirius was killed in the process. In the chapter with the conversation between Bellatrix/Narcissa/Snape -- he justifies several times where he appears to have worked on behalf of Harry & Dumbledore and this was known to Voldemort, but we as readers know also of incidents where he's worked for their good *without* this becoming known to Voldemort. And I think he might have worse difficulty explaining those.

The Vow is what makes me wonder whether Dumbledore was doomed to death for some reason already -- for example was the injury in his hand even more important than it seems? Dumbledore says that there was a terrible curse on the ring he destroyed and that had it not been for "Snape's timely action when I returned to Hogwarts, desperately injured, I might not have lived to tell the tale." What if Snape's "timely action" could merely postpone a death curse? And if Snape *was* a traitor, would he have saved Dumbledore at a time when he was "desperately injured" and perhaps already at his mercy?

If Dumbledore was doomed to death already (and if this was known to Snape already by the time of the Vow, because he tells us the injury took place a few days earlier), then the two of them might have agreed to hold a charade which would lead Snape becoming more embedded in Voldemort's trust than ever.

But these ofcourse are all just suggestions and guesswork. *g* We'll never know for sure until the next book comes out.

[alternativa.livejournal.com]

The fact that surprised me most is that you posted back today:P Aren't you supposed to be in the army? How's the leg?

Oh my god, Aris, I am so confused about this whole HP thing. I have never followed a series of books, never have read such as they untangle, all of the "lord of the rings" books were already published by the time I got to read them, and it hadn't been such a "saspens" to know what is going to happen in the end.

If you can remember, Snape has always been against Harry. He loathed James so much and I believe he was secretly in love with Lily because she was the only person being good to him. Plus, in the order of the Phoenix the members are not Snape-friendly. Remus and Sirius, are two people who Snape hated also. And he is the only one who can enter the Black residence now, being under the protection of Voldemort and/or being a member of the Order, that must be a key to something, or so I think.
There is also another thing, there's a part in the book where Dumbledore says something about visiting Rosmerta's, and being at another place in the same time. Maybe he could duplicate and be at different places in the same time. (and since i'm going over the top with speculations right now, i'd better shut my mouth...)

Take a look at this forum I found.


http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:w4jHgUQrmRsJ:literaryescape.com/index.php/topic,309.from1121958087/topicseen.html+RAB+harry+potter&hl=el&client=firefox-a

[alternativa.livejournal.com]

From the forum...


My theory is that R.A.B. is Regulus Black.

My other theory about the Horcruxes is that Harry, himself is a horcrux. Think about it: Harry has the scar that would always hurt him when Voldemort was near (until Voldemort started blocking the channel); Voldemort used Harry's blood to help him come back; Harry is a parseltongue, though we don't have any evidence that either of his parents were; and Dumbledore gave us two very interesting pieces of information about horcruxes: 1. you have to kill a person to make a horcrux (voldemort killed james potter just before he gave harry his scar. He also told lily potter that she didn't have to die--maybe because he had already committed the necessary murder to split his soul?) 2. it's very unwise to make a living thing into a horcrux because that living thing has the ability to think for itself.

I also find it very interesting that Voldemort doesn't want anyone to kill Harry.

I also think that someone who is supposed to be dead is not actually dead. It would be interesting to go back and read over the stories again, very carefully, knowing what we now know. What I need to see is at what point Regulus was supposed to have died. Was it before James and Lily or after? I forget what the circumstances of his death were supposed to have been. Could he have known that Harry was actually a horcrux? Or did he die before James and Lily were together? Or did he not die at all?

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

Regulus is supposed to have died before James and Lily, since Sirius in "Order of the Phoenix" mentions the possibility that Voldemort may have killed him personally (though he considered it unlikely as he doubts his brother was ever important enough to merit such a distinction).

That Harry has a connection with Voldemort is a known quantity -- as such repeating the elements of that connection aren't quite that convincing to me: I'm much more likely to take Ginny (again of "Order of the Phoenix") on her word, when she said that since Harry's not been missing parts of his time (e.g. finding himself at places and not knowing how he got there), that Voldemort's not been possessing him. And when Voldemort *did* possess him at end of the Phoenix, the experience was excruciating for him.

So yeah -- I'll not be surprised if the idea of Harry-as-Horcrux is considered in the next book, but I *will* be surprised if it turns out to be reality.

[alternativa.livejournal.com]

Hullo there:) Are you back? Or is it a army post?

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

I won't be back to Athens for months -- that was a post from Samos. I still do get the occasional Internet time, you know, even though not as often as I'd like it to be... :-)

[skaly.livejournal.com]

I don't know. The pieces fit pretty neatly. We know that Harry contains a small piece of Voldemort via the scar. We know via the prophesy that as long as Harry lives, so will Voldemort.

Of course, Rowling is notorious for providing us with misleading evidence.

I may have to give in and give the series a second reading.

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

We know via the prophesy that as long as Harry lives, so will Voldemort.

Well, no. We know the exact *opposite* via the prophecy -- that Harry can't live if Voldemort survives, and Voldemort can't live if Harry survives. Namely one of them will be the doom of the other.

Ofcourse that doesn't preclude the fact that both of them may die. But it definitely doesn't state it must happen.

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

Army? No, as I said, I have medical leave till around the end of the month. On the 30th I leave for Samos, but until then I'm in home. Lots of time to surf.

Foot's better, thanks. :-) Doesn't hurt anymore when I walk -- and Thursday I went to have it checked again (as I'd been told I should do). They had it x-rayed again, and it seems it's properly on the course of recovery. I'll be boot-free ("eleutheros arbilon") for 15 days after I return to my unit though. :-)

[(Anonymous)]

Can't believe that Dumbledore is dead.

*bangs head* Why do I read the friggin' comments?

[katsaris.livejournal.com]

I had stated quite clearly *before* the lj-cut that "spoilers should be considered likely for the whole of the book, since occasionally I'll be mentioning events of later chapters."

As such you had been duly warned and chose to ignore it. Sorry.