| by the REAL Ginny Weasley |
I should think that by this point you know my feelings on the
brilliance of using spells one knows nothing about, the
complete and utter corn that the “crying boy” did in fact turn
out to be Malfoy (which is more a bad joke than a plot twist),
and, as the real Ginny Weasley so aptly phrased it, the soap
opera-ic proportions of mangled pubescent crap!
As I’m sure, dear reader, you can imagine and even share my
disgust, I shall leave that alone.
Instead, I would like to focus this rant on one particular
topic...
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, insults Hermione Granger without
punishment while I’m alive!
Speaking as a lover of all things Granger, who the hell does
Ginevra Weasley think she is and where did that come from?
As pointed out in other sections of this website, Hermione has
on past occasions made rather astute observations about
Quidditch and even if she’s not overly interested in the
sport, doesn’t that make it even more touching that she’d go
to games just to support her friends?
It is also beyond idiotic to think someone so intelligent
wouldn’t have picked up a little something after having to
endure near non-stop banter about the game from all her
friends.
I personally find it hilarious every time Hermione messes up
Quidditch lingo. It makes her endearingly human and...well,
cute, darn it!
With every 'Wonky Feint' my heart beats a little faster and,
frankly, I laugh outright at the instantaneous reaction it
causes amongst the die-hard Quidditch fans in the book.
It’s positively hilarious and you can’t argue with me that she
doesn’t do it on purpose half the time just to bug them.
What really upsets me is that neither Harry nor Ron (the
“brother” and the would-be love interest) defend her!!
But we’ll give it to the boys this time...we’ll chalk it up to
shock...because quite frankly that’s exactly how I felt, I was
floored!
But Harry being pleased by it...that ungrateful little sh%&!
Speaking personally as someone who has an older sister: if
anyone, besides me, ever said anything that nasty to my
sister, she’d be out the freakin’ door faster than you could
say “get out!”
But then again, that just may be my fault for thinking like
that as I was raised in a family and Harry has never had that
luxury...or curse...;)
And also speaking as someone who has a younger sister and has
had a friend questioned by family...the first reaction is
always to tell the attacker, who is clearly psychotic, that
they are in fact psychotic, regardless of their relation to
you or what, in most cases, is their inherent desire to
protect you.
Ginny’s not trying to protect anyone here...except maybe her
own interests in Harry.
Which leads me to my next point...A comment like that solely
comes out when one is jealous.
Now tell me, all ye Horde members, believers of the great lie,
champions of the rightness of misplaced sibling relationships
and romantic abuse...tell me, what would Ginny have to be
jealous of, why would she be jealous of Hermione of all people?
The relationship between Harry and Hermione is supposedly
strictly platonic, of a brother/sister variety.
So how is it that Skeeter, Krum, Mrs. Weasley, all of
Hogwarts, Cho, Ron, and now Ginny all have no problem seeing
them as a couple?
And especially Ginny who should have been privy to Hermione’s
secret confidences, giggling under the cover of darkness as
they shared a room together for all those holiday breaks.
Shouldn’t she be overly-confident that Hermione has no
interest in Harry, not reduced to catty strikes of viciousness?
And really...Harry had just almost practically killed a
classmate...he’s wrong to trust the book and he deserved to
get ragged on a bit.
Thank you. We may now continue with the Summentary.
brilliance of using spells one knows nothing about, the
complete and utter corn that the “crying boy” did in fact turn
out to be Malfoy (which is more a bad joke than a plot twist),
and, as the real Ginny Weasley so aptly phrased it, the soap
opera-ic proportions of mangled pubescent crap!
As I’m sure, dear reader, you can imagine and even share my
disgust, I shall leave that alone.
Instead, I would like to focus this rant on one particular
topic...
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, insults Hermione Granger without
punishment while I’m alive!
Speaking as a lover of all things Granger, who the hell does
Ginevra Weasley think she is and where did that come from?
As pointed out in other sections of this website, Hermione has
on past occasions made rather astute observations about
Quidditch and even if she’s not overly interested in the
sport, doesn’t that make it even more touching that she’d go
to games just to support her friends?
It is also beyond idiotic to think someone so intelligent
wouldn’t have picked up a little something after having to
endure near non-stop banter about the game from all her
friends.
I personally find it hilarious every time Hermione messes up
Quidditch lingo. It makes her endearingly human and...well,
cute, darn it!
With every 'Wonky Feint' my heart beats a little faster and,
frankly, I laugh outright at the instantaneous reaction it
causes amongst the die-hard Quidditch fans in the book.
It’s positively hilarious and you can’t argue with me that she
doesn’t do it on purpose half the time just to bug them.
What really upsets me is that neither Harry nor Ron (the
“brother” and the would-be love interest) defend her!!
But we’ll give it to the boys this time...we’ll chalk it up to
shock...because quite frankly that’s exactly how I felt, I was
floored!
But Harry being pleased by it...that ungrateful little sh%&!
Speaking personally as someone who has an older sister: if
anyone, besides me, ever said anything that nasty to my
sister, she’d be out the freakin’ door faster than you could
say “get out!”
But then again, that just may be my fault for thinking like
that as I was raised in a family and Harry has never had that
luxury...or curse...;)
And also speaking as someone who has a younger sister and has
had a friend questioned by family...the first reaction is
always to tell the attacker, who is clearly psychotic, that
they are in fact psychotic, regardless of their relation to
you or what, in most cases, is their inherent desire to
protect you.
Ginny’s not trying to protect anyone here...except maybe her
own interests in Harry.
Which leads me to my next point...A comment like that solely
comes out when one is jealous.
Now tell me, all ye Horde members, believers of the great lie,
champions of the rightness of misplaced sibling relationships
and romantic abuse...tell me, what would Ginny have to be
jealous of, why would she be jealous of Hermione of all people?
The relationship between Harry and Hermione is supposedly
strictly platonic, of a brother/sister variety.
So how is it that Skeeter, Krum, Mrs. Weasley, all of
Hogwarts, Cho, Ron, and now Ginny all have no problem seeing
them as a couple?
And especially Ginny who should have been privy to Hermione’s
secret confidences, giggling under the cover of darkness as
they shared a room together for all those holiday breaks.
Shouldn’t she be overly-confident that Hermione has no
interest in Harry, not reduced to catty strikes of viciousness?
And really...Harry had just almost practically killed a
classmate...he’s wrong to trust the book and he deserved to
get ragged on a bit.
Thank you. We may now continue with the Summentary.
Oooh, the big one!!! This is it folks! This is the chapter the
entire book is written for, this is the pay-off for all your
suffering. This, right here, this chapter is the grail, the
nectar of the gods, the proverbial golden ring! Just reach out
and take it, it’s yours!
The only question is: once you’ve made it here, with all this
build-up, is it worth it? Is anything ever as good as you thought
it would be...Well, this chapter is!!!
The only issue for me is that now when I look back at it I have
this sense of...I don’t know, I wouldn’t call it disdain or
contempt (like I have for the rest of the book), it’s more a...a
jadedness, I reckon.
Since now I’ve learned that none of this is important because we
have this nifty old wand that virtually negates everything in
this book, I guess it’s hard for me to feel the thrill I know I
had when I read it the first time.
It was like a veil had been lifted and I could see the master
plan laid out before me, everything finally made sense...well, in
the larger sense because I still didn’t understand the sudden
wretchedness of the once fairly likeable cast, but the Voldemort
thread of the story had hit it’s penultimate moment, it’s rising
action steaming full speed to the top of that pinnacle so
beautifully and ingeniously that it made me gasp.
That was all turned on its head and dropped there a year later
when the seventh book from hell took its place, but...BUT for
that moment, it was thrilling. And I began to ponder all the
wonderful possibilities that lay ahead for what I hoped would be
a sensical conclusion in the last segment of my favourite seven
part series. Alas, how wrong I was. But, silly human that I am, I
had hope. For the first time in this God forsaken book, I had
hope!
The light isn’t at the end of the tunnel anymore, its right upon
you. Look around. Bask in it. Cause it only goes to hell from
here.
his way to Gryffindor Tower. When he arrives, the Fat Lady gives
him a hard time for being out so late and waking her. Nearly
Headless Nick informs Harry that Dumbledore has arrived back to
the school an hour ago.
Harry makes a beeline straight for his office, with the Fat Lady
calling behind him that there’s no need to take it up with
Dumbledore after all, she was just kidding the password didn’t
really change at midnight.
Paying her no mind, Harry hurtles through the corridors to get to
Dumbledore’s office, calls the password to the Gargoyle and
bounds up the staircase.
Dumbledore looks tired when Harry first enters, but is beyond
delighted to learn that Harry got the memory. He whips around his
desk to retrieve the memory and take a dip into the Pensieve.
The scene is set much the same way as the flubbed memory. The
much younger Slug surrounded by his chosen boys, drinking wine
and eating the crystallized pineapple young Tommy has brought
him. Tom, surrounded by his soon-to-be Death Eaters, brown-nosing
his Head of House, with Marvolo’s ring gleaming gold and black on
his hand.
Slug is impressed by Tom’s “uncanny ability to know things [he]
shouldn’t.” Tom knows how and who to flatter, Slug appreciates
his pupil's natural gifts of obsequiousness and sycophancy. Tom
is indeed the leader of his little troop of boys, but knows when
to subjugate himself to other’s egos.
In this memory, we are watching a master at work. Even at
16-17 years old, Tom knows how to maneuver Slug to get what he
wants.
His friends twitter in the background clearly enjoying the show.
Tom self-deprecates in apparent modesty when Slug teases that
he’d make a good politician, Minister for Magic even. Harry notes
that his friends laugh as if sharing in a private joke; they at
least suspect their leader's ancestry.
The clock chimes the late hour and Slug dismisses the boys. They
file out leaving Tom alone with Slug.
Slug turns around at a movement behind him and is surprised to
see Tom still standing there. Tom approaches Slug coyly to ask
the question he’s been dying to know...
entire book is written for, this is the pay-off for all your
suffering. This, right here, this chapter is the grail, the
nectar of the gods, the proverbial golden ring! Just reach out
and take it, it’s yours!
The only question is: once you’ve made it here, with all this
build-up, is it worth it? Is anything ever as good as you thought
it would be...Well, this chapter is!!!
The only issue for me is that now when I look back at it I have
this sense of...I don’t know, I wouldn’t call it disdain or
contempt (like I have for the rest of the book), it’s more a...a
jadedness, I reckon.
Since now I’ve learned that none of this is important because we
have this nifty old wand that virtually negates everything in
this book, I guess it’s hard for me to feel the thrill I know I
had when I read it the first time.
It was like a veil had been lifted and I could see the master
plan laid out before me, everything finally made sense...well, in
the larger sense because I still didn’t understand the sudden
wretchedness of the once fairly likeable cast, but the Voldemort
thread of the story had hit it’s penultimate moment, it’s rising
action steaming full speed to the top of that pinnacle so
beautifully and ingeniously that it made me gasp.
That was all turned on its head and dropped there a year later
when the seventh book from hell took its place, but...BUT for
that moment, it was thrilling. And I began to ponder all the
wonderful possibilities that lay ahead for what I hoped would be
a sensical conclusion in the last segment of my favourite seven
part series. Alas, how wrong I was. But, silly human that I am, I
had hope. For the first time in this God forsaken book, I had
hope!
The light isn’t at the end of the tunnel anymore, its right upon
you. Look around. Bask in it. Cause it only goes to hell from
here.
- ******
his way to Gryffindor Tower. When he arrives, the Fat Lady gives
him a hard time for being out so late and waking her. Nearly
Headless Nick informs Harry that Dumbledore has arrived back to
the school an hour ago.
Harry makes a beeline straight for his office, with the Fat Lady
calling behind him that there’s no need to take it up with
Dumbledore after all, she was just kidding the password didn’t
really change at midnight.
Paying her no mind, Harry hurtles through the corridors to get to
Dumbledore’s office, calls the password to the Gargoyle and
bounds up the staircase.
Dumbledore looks tired when Harry first enters, but is beyond
delighted to learn that Harry got the memory. He whips around his
desk to retrieve the memory and take a dip into the Pensieve.
The scene is set much the same way as the flubbed memory. The
much younger Slug surrounded by his chosen boys, drinking wine
and eating the crystallized pineapple young Tommy has brought
him. Tom, surrounded by his soon-to-be Death Eaters, brown-nosing
his Head of House, with Marvolo’s ring gleaming gold and black on
his hand.
Slug is impressed by Tom’s “uncanny ability to know things [he]
shouldn’t.” Tom knows how and who to flatter, Slug appreciates
his pupil's natural gifts of obsequiousness and sycophancy. Tom
is indeed the leader of his little troop of boys, but knows when
to subjugate himself to other’s egos.
In this memory, we are watching a master at work. Even at
16-17 years old, Tom knows how to maneuver Slug to get what he
wants.
His friends twitter in the background clearly enjoying the show.
Tom self-deprecates in apparent modesty when Slug teases that
he’d make a good politician, Minister for Magic even. Harry notes
that his friends laugh as if sharing in a private joke; they at
least suspect their leader's ancestry.
The clock chimes the late hour and Slug dismisses the boys. They
file out leaving Tom alone with Slug.
Slug turns around at a movement behind him and is surprised to
see Tom still standing there. Tom approaches Slug coyly to ask
the question he’s been dying to know...
- “Sir, I wanted to ask you something.”
“Ask away, then, m’boy, ask away...”
“Sir, I wondered what you know about...about Horcruxes?”
Slughorn stared at him, his thick fingers absentmindedly
- “Project for Defense Against the Dark Arts, is it?”
But Harry could tell that Slughorn knew perfectly well
- “Not exactly, sir,” said Riddle. “I came across the term
- “No...well...you’d be hard-pushed to find a book at
Dark stuff, very Dark indeed,” said Slughorn.
- “But you obviously know all about them, sir? I mean, a
– I just thought I’d ask –”
- It was very well done, thought Harry, the hesitancy, the
- Page 496, U.S. Hardcover Edition
Even Harry notes in the next sentence that we are viewing a
master do what he does best. Harry could’ve used lessons from
young Tommy when he was trying to get the memory from Slug.
Riddle’s simple handling of this delicate issue is exquisite. If
I didn’t know how disgusting Riddle would grow up to be, I’d
admire how good he is at reading others and a situation.
Sluggy indulges his favourite student.
- ...“A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a
- “I don’t quite understand how that works, though, sir,”
- His voice was carefully controlled, but Harry could sense
- “Well, you split your soul, you see,” said Slughorn, “and
one’s body is attacked or destroyed, one cannot die, for part of
the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But of course,
existence in such a form...[…]...few would want it, Tom, very
few. Death would be preferable.”
- But Riddle’s hunger was now apparent; his expression was
- Page 497
You split your soul by committed the supreme form of evil:
murder. Murder severs the soul and through an enchantment you can
than place it in an object. Riddle eagerly asks about the
incantation, but Slug doesn’t know it. Slug is becoming
uncomfortable in this conversation and his star pupil’s obscene
interest in it.
- “Yes, sir,” said Riddle. “What I don’t understand, though
Can you only split your soul once? Wouldn’t it be better, make
you stronger, to have your soul in more pieces, I mean, for
instance, isn’t seven the most powerfully magical number,
wouldn’t seven –?”
- “Merlin’s beard, Tom!” yelped Slughorn. “Seven! Isn’t it
enough to divide the soul...but to rip it into seven pieces...”
- Slughorn looked deeply troubled now: He was gazing at
could tell that he was regretting entering into the conversation
at all.
- Page 498
Dumbledore pulls them out after Slug and Tom agree not to mention
this conversation again, but not before Harry catches a glimpse
of Tom’s face, “which was full of that same wild happiness it had
worn when he had first found out that he was a wizard, the sort
of happiness that did not enhance his handsome features, but made
them, somehow, less human.”
Whoa! Are the hairs on the back of your neck standing up yet?
They should be and if they’re not you need to shut your computer
down and go read this chapter again.
At the same age as Harry is now, 16, little Tommy Riddle was
doing everything in his power to make himself immortal,
Dumbledore notes to Harry.
He reveals to Harry what he’s suspected for sometime: that Riddle
was so desperate to be immortal he created more than one Horcrux,
seven to be precise.
He first came upon it when Harry gave him the Diary and told him
about the memory starting to think and act for itself, sapping
the life out of the new owner. He was frightened most by the fact
that the Diary had been intended not as a receptacle for a bit of
soul, but as a weapon. For Voldemort to have been so careless
with his protections inarguably points to him having many more
that just the one.
Harry has a bit of a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact
that Voldemort has made himself immortal by killing other people.
And that he now has 7 Horcruxes. Dumbledore reminds him that he
doesn’t have 7, there are 6 Horcruxes with the last bit inside
Voldemort himself.
Harry pauses to absorb the fact that these Horcruxes, in the
plural, can be anything and hidden anywhere in the world, buried
or invisible. Dumbledore reminds him that they each have
destroyed one already.
Harry nailed the Diary with the Basilisk fang in Second Year and
Dumbledore destroyed Marvolo’s Ring.
Harry laments that there are four more and there’s no telling
what objects they could be or where they may be hidden.
Dumbledore tuts at Harry’s despair. Harry’s thinking about
Portkeys...empty potions bottles and the like. Would that be a
proper resting place for a piece of the great Voldemort? No. He
would need an object of importance, of value and prestige.
The Diary proved his lineage back to Slytherin, something he
couldn’t take credit for while at school. Dumbledore can only
guess at the other objects, but he would wager a few fingers, if
not his whole good hand, that the objects that disappeared around
him would make the grade, knowing Tommy was fond of trophies.
Harry catches on: Slytherin’s locket and Hufflepuff’s Cup!
Something of Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s would round out the set
of Founder’s souvenirs, but Dumbledore remains confident that the
only known relics of Gryffindor’s have been kept safe in his
office. What there may be of Ravenclaw’s, he doesn’t know.
What’s the last Horcrux, you ask? Why it’s the snake, Nagini!
Inadvisable to make a Horcrux out of a living thing, but
Dumbledore feels Voldemort had his back to the wall and, in a
bind, succumbed to the snake.
Dumbledore mentions that Voldemort reserved Horcrux making for
his most special kills, not your average every-day murders. So he
believes Voldemort was still one Horcrux short when he went to
kill Harry.
Killing the only person destined to defeat you would have been a
significant death, so he was planning on using Harry’s demise as
the sacrifice for his last Horcrux. But as that blew up in his
face, when he came back to his new body he grabbed the first
thing he could which apparently was Nagini and not, say, a rock.
Harry asks if that’s what Dumbledore has been up to when he
leaves the castle, looking for Horcruxes. Dumbledore admits to it.
(Yet he also mentions how he hasn’t had the opportunity to search
the school which I think is total crap considering he’s at least
suspected this for four years. He could have asked each Head of
House, confidentially, to look up information on their Founder’s
possessions. And as Headmaster, he should have known about
Ravenclaw’s Diadem, the lore of it at least. End rant...for now.)
Harry asks if he can accompany him when he goes to get the next
Horcrux. Dumbledore says yes, shocking Harry and any parent of a
teenager reading these books. (In fact, probably anyone with half
a brain was shocked that he’d let a teenager come with him, but
that’s a different story.)
He reassures Harry that Voldemort cannot feel the loss of these
Horcruxes because they have been so long detached from him. Tommy
didn’t know about the Diary until he forced it out of Lucius
Malfoy. He was then enraged. (But didn’t make another replacement
Horcrux?)
Woe to Harry that his only defense is the power of love. He feels
let down, but Dumbledore insists that his capacity for love is a
great resource and will defeat great evil in the end.
It is Harry’s purity, his untarnished soul that will conquer
Voldemort’s corruption, his mutilated soul. Harry can enter
Voldemort’s mind with no harm to himself, but Voldemort cannot
possess Harry without enduring mortal pain, as he learned last
year in the Department of Mysteries.
Voldemort missed again the lesson he should have learned during
their first encounter when Harry looked into the Mirror of Erised
and saw not wealth and glory, but himself with the Stone because
he wanted to protect it. Harry was pure of heart then and he’s
just as pure of heart now, as unlikely as that seems considering
his harsh life.
Their parting words for the evening are about Harry’s choice to
fight. Forget the prophecy, because it has no meaning unless one
chooses to give it meaning as Voldemort did when he acted on it.
Harry could choose to turn and run, but he’s not that type of
person.
dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking
into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps,
would say that there was little to choose between the two ways,
but Dumbledore knew – and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of
fierce pride, and so did my parents – that there was all the
difference in the world.
doing everything in his power to make himself immortal,
Dumbledore notes to Harry.
He reveals to Harry what he’s suspected for sometime: that Riddle
was so desperate to be immortal he created more than one Horcrux,
seven to be precise.
He first came upon it when Harry gave him the Diary and told him
about the memory starting to think and act for itself, sapping
the life out of the new owner. He was frightened most by the fact
that the Diary had been intended not as a receptacle for a bit of
soul, but as a weapon. For Voldemort to have been so careless
with his protections inarguably points to him having many more
that just the one.
Harry has a bit of a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact
that Voldemort has made himself immortal by killing other people.
And that he now has 7 Horcruxes. Dumbledore reminds him that he
doesn’t have 7, there are 6 Horcruxes with the last bit inside
Voldemort himself.
Harry pauses to absorb the fact that these Horcruxes, in the
plural, can be anything and hidden anywhere in the world, buried
or invisible. Dumbledore reminds him that they each have
destroyed one already.
Harry nailed the Diary with the Basilisk fang in Second Year and
Dumbledore destroyed Marvolo’s Ring.
Harry laments that there are four more and there’s no telling
what objects they could be or where they may be hidden.
Dumbledore tuts at Harry’s despair. Harry’s thinking about
Portkeys...empty potions bottles and the like. Would that be a
proper resting place for a piece of the great Voldemort? No. He
would need an object of importance, of value and prestige.
The Diary proved his lineage back to Slytherin, something he
couldn’t take credit for while at school. Dumbledore can only
guess at the other objects, but he would wager a few fingers, if
not his whole good hand, that the objects that disappeared around
him would make the grade, knowing Tommy was fond of trophies.
Harry catches on: Slytherin’s locket and Hufflepuff’s Cup!
Something of Ravenclaw’s or Gryffindor’s would round out the set
of Founder’s souvenirs, but Dumbledore remains confident that the
only known relics of Gryffindor’s have been kept safe in his
office. What there may be of Ravenclaw’s, he doesn’t know.
What’s the last Horcrux, you ask? Why it’s the snake, Nagini!
Inadvisable to make a Horcrux out of a living thing, but
Dumbledore feels Voldemort had his back to the wall and, in a
bind, succumbed to the snake.
Dumbledore mentions that Voldemort reserved Horcrux making for
his most special kills, not your average every-day murders. So he
believes Voldemort was still one Horcrux short when he went to
kill Harry.
Killing the only person destined to defeat you would have been a
significant death, so he was planning on using Harry’s demise as
the sacrifice for his last Horcrux. But as that blew up in his
face, when he came back to his new body he grabbed the first
thing he could which apparently was Nagini and not, say, a rock.
Harry asks if that’s what Dumbledore has been up to when he
leaves the castle, looking for Horcruxes. Dumbledore admits to it.
(Yet he also mentions how he hasn’t had the opportunity to search
the school which I think is total crap considering he’s at least
suspected this for four years. He could have asked each Head of
House, confidentially, to look up information on their Founder’s
possessions. And as Headmaster, he should have known about
Ravenclaw’s Diadem, the lore of it at least. End rant...for now.)
Harry asks if he can accompany him when he goes to get the next
Horcrux. Dumbledore says yes, shocking Harry and any parent of a
teenager reading these books. (In fact, probably anyone with half
a brain was shocked that he’d let a teenager come with him, but
that’s a different story.)
He reassures Harry that Voldemort cannot feel the loss of these
Horcruxes because they have been so long detached from him. Tommy
didn’t know about the Diary until he forced it out of Lucius
Malfoy. He was then enraged. (But didn’t make another replacement
Horcrux?)
Woe to Harry that his only defense is the power of love. He feels
let down, but Dumbledore insists that his capacity for love is a
great resource and will defeat great evil in the end.
It is Harry’s purity, his untarnished soul that will conquer
Voldemort’s corruption, his mutilated soul. Harry can enter
Voldemort’s mind with no harm to himself, but Voldemort cannot
possess Harry without enduring mortal pain, as he learned last
year in the Department of Mysteries.
Voldemort missed again the lesson he should have learned during
their first encounter when Harry looked into the Mirror of Erised
and saw not wealth and glory, but himself with the Stone because
he wanted to protect it. Harry was pure of heart then and he’s
just as pure of heart now, as unlikely as that seems considering
his harsh life.
Their parting words for the evening are about Harry’s choice to
fight. Forget the prophecy, because it has no meaning unless one
chooses to give it meaning as Voldemort did when he acted on it.
Harry could choose to turn and run, but he’s not that type of
person.
- But he understood at last what Dumbledore had been trying
dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking
into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps,
would say that there was little to choose between the two ways,
but Dumbledore knew – and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of
fierce pride, and so did my parents – that there was all the
difference in the world.
- Page 512
Ginny Weasley here...let me put on my dramatic voice...ahem
ahem...
Despite being a decent chapter on the whole, J.K. continues to
combine great writing with questionable writing as she does
throughout the novel. It is that split personality writing that
is reminiscent of my preschool students’ behavior. Young children
require a balance of positive and negative praise to counteract
these extreme mood changes, a system I have decided to use to
maintain this book.
After all, if it’s going to act like a 3 year old, I’m going to
treat it like one.
I’ll paint a picture for you. The chapter begins with an
unnecessary turn down relationship road. She might as well have
written, “We now interrupt this critically acclaimed book series
for another episode of The Young and the Charm-less.” It just
doesn’t flow. Suddenly, our Fab Three seem cheerier just because
relationships seem to be turning in their favor. Fenrir Greyback
could’ve attacked three Muggles in Diagon Alley at that very
moment, but as long as their desired relationships are
flourishing, everything is cheery, right?
Bad book — now you go into timeout.
The soap opera thickens as Harry’s internal struggle takes over.
If this really was a soap opera, Harry would be sitting in his
bedroom beneath a blurry filter gazing out his window changing
his expression to coincide with the words broadcast by a
voiceover...
And, c’mon — “He’d hit you”??
So what? Hit him back.
The soap opera is interrupted by the return of Katie Bell and a
word from their sponsor — the actual plot.
Good book — now you get a sticker!!
Here’s what we learn: Katie’s feeling well, someone definitely
imperiused her right after entering the ladies’ bathroom of the
Three Broomsticks, and because of this fact Hermione notes it was
definitely either a woman or someone disguised as a woman under
the influence of Polyjuice Potion.
(Oh yeah, Hermione...that narrows it down to just about everyone
in the Wizarding World...)
The three amigos then discuss what’s left to be done. Amidst this
discussion, Hermione brings up something else I find questionable.
him, you just needed to tweak the circumstances a bit. Luck isn’t
enough to get you through a powerful enchantment, though.”
Why, Hermione? Why is the situation with Slughorn different? Why
won’t it work again? Why should I just believe you?
After all, the potion was able to tweak the soap opera you three
seem to regard as the greatest thing since the Invisibility
Cloak, so why can’t it affect a powerful enchantment?
I feel the same inconsistency with the Time Turners. How come it
was okay to turn back time to save Sirius and Buckbeak, but we’ve
had to accept every other tragedy as a definite? Most likely, the
Time Turner happened to fit nicely into J.K.’s Azkaban plot and
not at those other moments. She simply ignores and acknowledges
Time Turners as it suits her.
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE QUIDDITCH FIELD...
The soap opera returns from commercial break as Harry and the
newly single Ginny try to keep it professional at Quidditch
practice. Harry receives “bludger injuries for not keeping his
eyes on the snitch.” Oo...we’re alive with controversy now...
It would’ve been nice to end the beginning pages of Chapter 24
back in the real world. She comes close as she details Harry’s
great dilemma.
“The battle still raged inside his head...”
Yes! A battle! She must mean Harry’s unending struggle with evil
forces in the Wizarding World! Breathe in! This is it!
“...Ginny or Ron?”
...
That’s it?? That’s your big, giant dilemma?? Voldemort is back.
Do you remember Voldemort? Big, scary half-human, half-snake?
Killed your parents? Tried to kill you several times? Currently
on the loose? Remember him?? Even if Ron did have a problem with
you and Ginny, who cares? After all, J.K. is into soap operas.
She could’ve had Harry face Ron, slap him, and declare, “There a
bigger things going on then our friendship!!”
As for Harry linking his success and failure in Quidditch with
his success and failure with Ginny? J.K. should’ve ended that
sentence with “Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days
of their lives.”
ahem...
Despite being a decent chapter on the whole, J.K. continues to
combine great writing with questionable writing as she does
throughout the novel. It is that split personality writing that
is reminiscent of my preschool students’ behavior. Young children
require a balance of positive and negative praise to counteract
these extreme mood changes, a system I have decided to use to
maintain this book.
After all, if it’s going to act like a 3 year old, I’m going to
treat it like one.
I’ll paint a picture for you. The chapter begins with an
unnecessary turn down relationship road. She might as well have
written, “We now interrupt this critically acclaimed book series
for another episode of The Young and the Charm-less.” It just
doesn’t flow. Suddenly, our Fab Three seem cheerier just because
relationships seem to be turning in their favor. Fenrir Greyback
could’ve attacked three Muggles in Diagon Alley at that very
moment, but as long as their desired relationships are
flourishing, everything is cheery, right?
Bad book — now you go into timeout.
The soap opera thickens as Harry’s internal struggle takes over.
- She’s Ron’s sister.
But she’s ditched Dean!
She’s still Ron’s sister.
I’m his best mate!
That’ll make it worse.
If I talked to him first—
He’d hit you.
What if I don’t care?
He’s your best mate!
- p. 516
If this really was a soap opera, Harry would be sitting in his
bedroom beneath a blurry filter gazing out his window changing
his expression to coincide with the words broadcast by a
voiceover...
And, c’mon — “He’d hit you”??
So what? Hit him back.
The soap opera is interrupted by the return of Katie Bell and a
word from their sponsor — the actual plot.
Good book — now you get a sticker!!
Here’s what we learn: Katie’s feeling well, someone definitely
imperiused her right after entering the ladies’ bathroom of the
Three Broomsticks, and because of this fact Hermione notes it was
definitely either a woman or someone disguised as a woman under
the influence of Polyjuice Potion.
(Oh yeah, Hermione...that narrows it down to just about everyone
in the Wizarding World...)
The three amigos then discuss what’s left to be done. Amidst this
discussion, Hermione brings up something else I find questionable.
- “Luck can only get you so far, Harry. The situation with
him, you just needed to tweak the circumstances a bit. Luck isn’t
enough to get you through a powerful enchantment, though.”
- p. 517
Why, Hermione? Why is the situation with Slughorn different? Why
won’t it work again? Why should I just believe you?
After all, the potion was able to tweak the soap opera you three
seem to regard as the greatest thing since the Invisibility
Cloak, so why can’t it affect a powerful enchantment?
I feel the same inconsistency with the Time Turners. How come it
was okay to turn back time to save Sirius and Buckbeak, but we’ve
had to accept every other tragedy as a definite? Most likely, the
Time Turner happened to fit nicely into J.K.’s Azkaban plot and
not at those other moments. She simply ignores and acknowledges
Time Turners as it suits her.
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE QUIDDITCH FIELD...
The soap opera returns from commercial break as Harry and the
newly single Ginny try to keep it professional at Quidditch
practice. Harry receives “bludger injuries for not keeping his
eyes on the snitch.” Oo...we’re alive with controversy now...
It would’ve been nice to end the beginning pages of Chapter 24
back in the real world. She comes close as she details Harry’s
great dilemma.
“The battle still raged inside his head...”
- p. 519
Yes! A battle! She must mean Harry’s unending struggle with evil
forces in the Wizarding World! Breathe in! This is it!
“...Ginny or Ron?”
- p. 519
...
That’s it?? That’s your big, giant dilemma?? Voldemort is back.
Do you remember Voldemort? Big, scary half-human, half-snake?
Killed your parents? Tried to kill you several times? Currently
on the loose? Remember him?? Even if Ron did have a problem with
you and Ginny, who cares? After all, J.K. is into soap operas.
She could’ve had Harry face Ron, slap him, and declare, “There a
bigger things going on then our friendship!!”
As for Harry linking his success and failure in Quidditch with
his success and failure with Ginny? J.K. should’ve ended that
sentence with “Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days
of their lives.”
The soap opera goes AWOL for the next chunk of this chapter, and
J.K. returns as the brilliant writer we’ve always loved.
While originally searching the Marauder’s Map to time Malfoy in
the Room of Requirement, Harry actually discovers his nemesis in
a boy’s bathroom accompanied by none other than Harry’s former
biggest fan, Moaning Myrtle.
Malfoy is crying, an emotion we’re not quite accustomed to seeing
from him, though it’s even more shocking to see Moaning Myrtle
comforting him. J.K. uses Malfoy’s venting to offer the audience
some important clues.
Let’s take inventory: there’s something Malfoy has to do, he
can’t do it, it isn’t going to work, it has to be done soon, and
“he’ll” kill me if it doesn’t. (Ah...now we know exactly what’s
going on...except we really don’t know anything...except that
“he’ll” is most likely Voldemort...which means we learned nothing
new...anyway...)
Harry, who does a terribly-horribly-no-good-very-bad-job of
hiding himself, is understandably caught, and he and Malfoy start
dueling. (It’s sort of reminiscent of their very first duel in
Chamber of Secrets except they know many, many, many more curses
now. After watching this duel, Rictumsempra and Serpensortia look
like child’s play.)
Just as Malfoy is about to use a Very Unforgivable Cruciatus
curse, Harry resorts to the only possible curse he has left to
try—Sectumsempra. Innocently trusting the Prince’s spell, Harry
can only watch in horror as Malfoy falls backwards “as though he
had been slashed with an invisible sword.”
Yeah, Harry, we all know what you’re thinking, and you’re right.
You should’ve tried this one out first. And you are going to hear
about this from Hermione later.
A quite dramatic Moaning Myrtle screams something about Murder (I
think it’s safe to say she’s not a fan of Harry anymore) and
truthfully in the moment I believed her. We all heard the rumors
of death in Book 6, and it could’ve been any character at this
point. I must say, though, I’m thrilled that it wasn’t true. I’d
hate to think that Harry could murder anyone, even if it was in
self-defense.
Snape arrives and does damage control. Snape is of course awesome
so Malfoy is not dead and Harry can breathe about six sighs of
relief.
Unfortunately, Snape has discovered Harry’s uncharacteristic
knowledge of Dark Magic, and he’s dying to know where he learned
it. Harry is ordered to bring Snape all of his schoolbooks,
leaving Harry little time to think of a plan.
As Harry runs back to the common room, he contemplates everything
that transpired from using the Half-Blood Prince’s spell.
Even though Harry is describing his feelings towards the Prince,
I think J.K. is almost instructing the reader on how we should
feel about Harry. Harry is learning so much from the Prince that
it is almost as though he is taking on his personality as well.
Ignoring a very bewildered Ron and Hermione in the common room,
Harry grab’s Ron’s Potions textbook to stand in as his own. He
then takes the Prince’s book and heads for the one place that’s
always served as a good hiding spot, the Room of Requirement.
He paces the seventh floor corridor, concentrating on what he
requires most (I need a place to hide my book...I need a place to
hide my book), and like clockwork the door appears.
Inside, the room has become a large, cathedral with high windows,
a far cry from the room used for the D.A. It turns out Harry is
not the first person to require a place to hide an object. There
are so many things hidden by generations of Hogwarts inhabitants
that it’s created hallways and roads.
Harry finds the broken Vanishing Cabinet that factored into our
beloved series the previous year (Ah...I do love when things come
back into play) and stows the textbook inside. Fearing he will
forget where he hid the book when he returns for it, similar to
the way we all fear we will forget where we left our cars in
crowded or complicated parking lots, Harry marks the spot with a
chipped statue’s head, a dusty old wig, and a tarnished tiara.
**insert J.K.’s evil glare here**
Harry returns to the boy’s bathroom with Ron’s book planted
amidst his others. He tries desperately to close his mind to keep
Snape out of the truth, then remembers that he was never good at
Occlumency because he was not a good student throughout all of
that. (Remember what I’ve taught you so far—teacher is always
right, student is always wrong.)
Though Snape still suspects Harry of hiding whatever taught him
Dark Magic (and most likely Snape knows exactly what that is), he
lacks proof and therefore can only punish Harry for attacking
Malfoy. Harry receives detention for every Saturday until the end
of term.
That’s right, no Quidditch match. If you were still planning on
relating the outcome of the Quidditch match to your relationship
with Ginny, you in some serious trouble.
J.K. returns as the brilliant writer we’ve always loved.
While originally searching the Marauder’s Map to time Malfoy in
the Room of Requirement, Harry actually discovers his nemesis in
a boy’s bathroom accompanied by none other than Harry’s former
biggest fan, Moaning Myrtle.
Malfoy is crying, an emotion we’re not quite accustomed to seeing
from him, though it’s even more shocking to see Moaning Myrtle
comforting him. J.K. uses Malfoy’s venting to offer the audience
some important clues.
Let’s take inventory: there’s something Malfoy has to do, he
can’t do it, it isn’t going to work, it has to be done soon, and
“he’ll” kill me if it doesn’t. (Ah...now we know exactly what’s
going on...except we really don’t know anything...except that
“he’ll” is most likely Voldemort...which means we learned nothing
new...anyway...)
Harry, who does a terribly-horribly-no-good-very-bad-job of
hiding himself, is understandably caught, and he and Malfoy start
dueling. (It’s sort of reminiscent of their very first duel in
Chamber of Secrets except they know many, many, many more curses
now. After watching this duel, Rictumsempra and Serpensortia look
like child’s play.)
Just as Malfoy is about to use a Very Unforgivable Cruciatus
curse, Harry resorts to the only possible curse he has left to
try—Sectumsempra. Innocently trusting the Prince’s spell, Harry
can only watch in horror as Malfoy falls backwards “as though he
had been slashed with an invisible sword.”
Yeah, Harry, we all know what you’re thinking, and you’re right.
You should’ve tried this one out first. And you are going to hear
about this from Hermione later.
A quite dramatic Moaning Myrtle screams something about Murder (I
think it’s safe to say she’s not a fan of Harry anymore) and
truthfully in the moment I believed her. We all heard the rumors
of death in Book 6, and it could’ve been any character at this
point. I must say, though, I’m thrilled that it wasn’t true. I’d
hate to think that Harry could murder anyone, even if it was in
self-defense.
Snape arrives and does damage control. Snape is of course awesome
so Malfoy is not dead and Harry can breathe about six sighs of
relief.
Unfortunately, Snape has discovered Harry’s uncharacteristic
knowledge of Dark Magic, and he’s dying to know where he learned
it. Harry is ordered to bring Snape all of his schoolbooks,
leaving Harry little time to think of a plan.
As Harry runs back to the common room, he contemplates everything
that transpired from using the Half-Blood Prince’s spell.
- “It was as though a beloved pet had turned suddenly
- p. 525
Even though Harry is describing his feelings towards the Prince,
I think J.K. is almost instructing the reader on how we should
feel about Harry. Harry is learning so much from the Prince that
it is almost as though he is taking on his personality as well.
Ignoring a very bewildered Ron and Hermione in the common room,
Harry grab’s Ron’s Potions textbook to stand in as his own. He
then takes the Prince’s book and heads for the one place that’s
always served as a good hiding spot, the Room of Requirement.
He paces the seventh floor corridor, concentrating on what he
requires most (I need a place to hide my book...I need a place to
hide my book), and like clockwork the door appears.
Inside, the room has become a large, cathedral with high windows,
a far cry from the room used for the D.A. It turns out Harry is
not the first person to require a place to hide an object. There
are so many things hidden by generations of Hogwarts inhabitants
that it’s created hallways and roads.
Harry finds the broken Vanishing Cabinet that factored into our
beloved series the previous year (Ah...I do love when things come
back into play) and stows the textbook inside. Fearing he will
forget where he hid the book when he returns for it, similar to
the way we all fear we will forget where we left our cars in
crowded or complicated parking lots, Harry marks the spot with a
chipped statue’s head, a dusty old wig, and a tarnished tiara.
**insert J.K.’s evil glare here**
Harry returns to the boy’s bathroom with Ron’s book planted
amidst his others. He tries desperately to close his mind to keep
Snape out of the truth, then remembers that he was never good at
Occlumency because he was not a good student throughout all of
that. (Remember what I’ve taught you so far—teacher is always
right, student is always wrong.)
Though Snape still suspects Harry of hiding whatever taught him
Dark Magic (and most likely Snape knows exactly what that is), he
lacks proof and therefore can only punish Harry for attacking
Malfoy. Harry receives detention for every Saturday until the end
of term.
That’s right, no Quidditch match. If you were still planning on
relating the outcome of the Quidditch match to your relationship
with Ginny, you in some serious trouble.
J.K. Rowling, who suddenly remembers that Prof. McGonagall is in
confront Harry to discuss his grave wrongdoing and what she
describes as a lenient punishment from Prof. Snape.
(That’s all for you, Minerva. Take a break — you must be tired
from all the time you’ve spent in this novel...)
Still, despite the unfortunate circumstances, Harry continues to
defend the Prince, even with Hermione desperately trying to
convince him otherwise. That’s not to say Harry is thrilled with
his punishment, especially its affect on his final Quidditch
match of the season.
Harry tunes Hermione out momentarily and enters into a dream
sequence in which he envisions the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match
with his new love (Ginny, the Gryffindor seeker) pitted against
his old love (Cho, the Ravenclaw seeker). He then goes on to
visualize in horror a victory celebration that involved Ginny and
Dean making up during post-match euphoria.
Harry’s thoughts are back in focus as his deepest and most
desired fantasy unfolds before his very eyes — Ginny snaps at
Hermione in Harry’s defense. This is perhaps the best and worst
moment in the entire novel. Worst because she is practically
borrowing a scene right out of Dawson’s Creek, best because
amidst the drama a wonderful quote is born —
That Saturday morning, Harry is forced to turn away from the mass
of energized, enthusiastic students heading towards the Quidditch
pitch and in turn face detention with Snape. Harry is ordered to
recopy the faded files of every wrongdoer in Hogwarts history.
Snape cunningly directs Harry to begin with the punishments
recorded around the time that Harry’s father and co. attended the
school. His father’s name surfaces quite a bit in that seven year
era, not unlike Harry himself.
Snape’s original intention may have been to insult Harry by
rubbing his nose in his father’s offenses. If that’s the truth,
then Snape doesn’t know Harry at all. Throughout the series,
Harry seems to glow anytime he learns something new about his
parents, especially when it involves his father and Sirius
together.
Harry returns to his common room, and before he has time to say
Wingardium Levi-o-sa, he is hurled into a wild and somewhat
violent celebration. Despite the loss of their captain,
Gryffindor has beaten Ravenclaw, 450 to 140. Harry hears and sees
nothing but a very intense Ginny Weasley approaching him with
outstretched arms and a fiery, passionate look in her eyes.
Then, with the music from 10 playing in the background (not
really, but it certainly feels like that sort of moment), Harry
kisses her.
Wouldn’t it have been awkward if Ginny was like, “Whoa Harry — I
was just going for the hug.”?
confront Harry to discuss his grave wrongdoing and what she
describes as a lenient punishment from Prof. Snape.
(That’s all for you, Minerva. Take a break — you must be tired
from all the time you’ve spent in this novel...)
Still, despite the unfortunate circumstances, Harry continues to
defend the Prince, even with Hermione desperately trying to
convince him otherwise. That’s not to say Harry is thrilled with
his punishment, especially its affect on his final Quidditch
match of the season.
Harry tunes Hermione out momentarily and enters into a dream
sequence in which he envisions the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match
with his new love (Ginny, the Gryffindor seeker) pitted against
his old love (Cho, the Ravenclaw seeker). He then goes on to
visualize in horror a victory celebration that involved Ginny and
Dean making up during post-match euphoria.
Harry’s thoughts are back in focus as his deepest and most
desired fantasy unfolds before his very eyes — Ginny snaps at
Hermione in Harry’s defense. This is perhaps the best and worst
moment in the entire novel. Worst because she is practically
borrowing a scene right out of Dawson’s Creek, best because
amidst the drama a wonderful quote is born —
- "Oh don’t start acting as though you understand
- P. 530
That Saturday morning, Harry is forced to turn away from the mass
of energized, enthusiastic students heading towards the Quidditch
pitch and in turn face detention with Snape. Harry is ordered to
recopy the faded files of every wrongdoer in Hogwarts history.
Snape cunningly directs Harry to begin with the punishments
recorded around the time that Harry’s father and co. attended the
school. His father’s name surfaces quite a bit in that seven year
era, not unlike Harry himself.
Snape’s original intention may have been to insult Harry by
rubbing his nose in his father’s offenses. If that’s the truth,
then Snape doesn’t know Harry at all. Throughout the series,
Harry seems to glow anytime he learns something new about his
parents, especially when it involves his father and Sirius
together.
Harry returns to his common room, and before he has time to say
Wingardium Levi-o-sa, he is hurled into a wild and somewhat
violent celebration. Despite the loss of their captain,
Gryffindor has beaten Ravenclaw, 450 to 140. Harry hears and sees
nothing but a very intense Ginny Weasley approaching him with
outstretched arms and a fiery, passionate look in her eyes.
Then, with the music from 10 playing in the background (not
really, but it certainly feels like that sort of moment), Harry
kisses her.
Wouldn’t it have been awkward if Ginny was like, “Whoa Harry — I
was just going for the hug.”?
| Chapter 24: Sectumsempra |
| A Rant by Rilian in 24...Sentences |
| Chapter 23: Horcruxes |
| Copyright © 2007 | www.booksandwands.com | All Rights Reserved No copyright infringement intended of any and all source material. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Warner Brothers Entertainment. |
| The Ultimate Harry Potter Analysis Source |
| Choosing what is Right over what is Easy |
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