pauraque_bk | CoS 9

CoS 9: The Writing on the Wall

Snape loomed behind them [as Dumbledore examined Mrs Norris], half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: it was as though he was trying hard not to smile. (108)

What's this about? I'm surprised Harry didn't immediately jump to suspecting Snape was somehow involved in the attack.

'He did it, he did it!' Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. 'You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found -- in my office -- he knows I'm a -- I'm a --' Filch's face worked horribly. 'He knows I'm a Squib!' he finished. (108-109)

So, Squibs are indeed considered "enemies of the heir". I'd wondered. Filch is accusing Harry of a hate crime... and the petrification of Mrs Norris really was one.

I'm not clear on how Squibs get lumped in with Muggleborns; by the logic that Binns attributes to Salazar, they're not a threat. Unless there was some sense that intermarriage between Squibs and normal wizards would dilute the blood, so they should be ostracized?

[Snape:] 'It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest.'
'Really, Severus,' said Professor McGonagall sharply. 'I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick[...]' (109)

Heh.

Snape is a bit Quidditch-mad, isn't he? But maybe not so much an enthusiasm for sport as an enthusiasm to see his House win at something -- and Harry lose.

Dumbledore was giving Harry a seaching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made Harry feel as though he was being X-rayed. (110)

Legilimency foreshadowing again.

'And what on earth's a Squib?' said Harry.
To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger.
'Well -- it's not funny really -- but as it's Filch...' he said. 'A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib[...]' (110-111)

This seems to go against some of

arclevel's ideas about Squibs. The implication appears to be that Kwikspell is a scam.

Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat-lover. (111)

I'm going back and forth on how I feel about the handling of Ginny's character. We see very little of her, and are only told of her reactions. On the other hand, if she'd been more prominent, maybe the answer to the mystery would have seemed too obvious?

[Ron:] 'I only need another two inches, go on...' (112)

Out-of-context, ahoy!

[Binns:] '[The Founders] built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution.'
[...]
'[Slytherin] disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy[...]' (114)

It's not an unreasonable idea, really. In the present day, magic is still feared by some, but merely doubted by most. A thousand years ago, the danger posed by Muggleborns may have been much greater -- we don't know how well the castle was hidden; a child's careless slip could have brought attack. Salazar may even have argued that it was for the children's benefit: even if the Muggles couldn't find the castle, they could still burn a suspected witch among them.

'If you're talking about Malfoy--'
'Of course I am!' said Ron. 'You heard him: "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" Come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him--'
'Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin?' said Hermione sceptically.
'Look at his family,' said Harry, closing his books, too. 'The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin, he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough.' (120)

And once again the boys jump to conclusions based on outward appearances, just as they did in PS/SS. Not to say that Lucius isn't evil, but Harry doesn't have much solid evidence that he is. It's hard to tell whether Ron is saying Draco is ugly, or something more like "just look into his eyes and you'll see he's a bad sort". Either way, it's not very good evidence, though admittedly Draco did react suspiciously.

Past re-read posts are here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Norman conquest didn't happen yet, no. I believe that was 1012? Anyhow, they'd still need protection from Vikings, given that the bastards were looting all around at the time.

right, norman conguest definitely wasn't for another generation, if the 'thousand years ago' founding date is correct. so i guess my question is - why did wizards band together then?

you have a highly belligerent society, an island filled with kingdoms that are attacking, being attacked, thrones usurped, fending off invasions, employing invaders.... Wizards are fully integrated within this society, which i think we can assume, given the fact that the official separation wasn't for a further 700 years. wizards are governed by the Warlocks Council, which is probably a very loose assembly of elders. The question in my mind is how openly they practiced magic. Probably, secrecy has always been a factor, given that magic (seems to be) a have or have-not sort of situation; wizards assume a certain power of Mystery over the muggle warlords who doubtlessly seek to use them at every opportunity. (I'm reminded of Merlin and Vortigern here).

You have goblins and elves and giants kicking up fusses.

I guess what I'm seeing is a sort of training ground. Suddenly it's not enough to have one local witch or warlock with apprentices. I'm visualizing a combination of resistance against the property-of-warlord system, a desire to share and consolidate knowledge, a desire to be more skilled in general, and perhaps the creation of a Wizarding identity itself... And who knows? Hogwarts probably had its basis in other schools - but these centred around a single respected teacher rather than an established, fortified location.

(Far be it from me to stifle discussion, but I must butt in here and insist that Caesia go to bed. *kiss* )

eek! second wind happened, and now i Must Must go to bed, or else i won't get any sleep at all!!!!

goodnight. :}

nothing to say 'cept, Norman conquest effectively ended with 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. Which was immediately followed by a period of Norman governance and assimilation.

Incidentally, the English language the founders would have spoken prior to the Conquest would have been considerably different, as the Great Vowel Shift wasn't for another 100 years or so (I think).

The Great Vowel Shift was a bit after that, actually. 1300s-1500s is the usual timeframe I've seen.

Also, the English of that time wouldn't have yet had the many, many words borrowed from Norman French, which are so characteristic of the modern English vocabulary.

Ah, you're correct. I was thinking of the shift that occurred in the transition from Old English to Middle English, which was put in motion by the Norman Conquest. The GVS is actually the major pronunciation change between Middle English and Mod.E. Had to dig up my Pyles and Algeo and check, as I always get mixed up. Interestingly enough, P&A state that aspects of GVS were still occurring into the 1800s.

You are right, though, the vocabulary changed after the Conquest, with the rise of Anglo-Norman. Although the general populace never spoke French, loan words crept into usage. P&A label the Middle English period as 1100-1500, and the difference between Old English and Middle English is considerably greater than the difference between Middle English and Modern English. In a HP Universe context, any documents from the founding would probably be in Latin, with a small chance of OE. So, as long as JKR sticks with Latin for her really old stuff, she should be OK. What we shouldn't ever see, though, is fake ME for OE.

CoS 9

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