pauraque_bk

ATTN lizbee and chresimos: I got bumped off AIM, and when I came back, you were both gone. I am not shunning you. -_-

semirhage527 made re-read icons! Like this one! Whee!

In Chapter 4, we discussed how James became Head Boy and what the Killing Curse does/requires, and we couldn't figure out why Hagrid cursed Dudley.

sistermagpie has also made a long post about Petunia, jumping off from our discussion here. This is the best and most in-depth analysis of Petunia I've seen, and I agree heartily with the conclusions. The thoughts on how wizards view family are also superb.

PS 5: Diagon Alley

'Wizards have banks?'

'Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins.' (50)

What's the effect on an economy/society when there's only one bank?

'How did you get here?' Harry asked, looking around for another boat.

'Flew,' said Hagrid. (50-51)

Er. With what? The umbrella? Mary Poppins!Hagrid.

'Well, [the Ministry's] main job is to keep it from Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country.'

'Why?'

'Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magical solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone.' (51)

This is... problematic. It seems likely that magic wouldn't just be of minor use to the Muggle world, but could also resolve major issues such as deadly disease and injury. Hagrid doesn't consider that, though -- it's about the wizards' convenience.

Another problem is that in this universe, there's very little evidence that magicians were successfully persecuted by Muggles. In PoA we learn that witches only pretended to die from being burnt at the stake... Doesn't that leave a gaping hole in the logic here? If HP wizards have nothing to fear from Muggles, what do they have to lose by helping them?

Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
(52)

Canonical student dress, in case anyone wanted to know. Costuming is the one area in HP where fic writers seem to feel very free in taking from the movies. I can't say I'm bothered by it -- though it would be nice to see a pointed hat every once in a while.

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
(53)

Ron is allowed to have a rat. This is a clear error on JKR's part, no? Seems like it should have been corrected in later editions.

[Y]et somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him. (53)

Because Harry's never been treated kindly in his life, I'd imagine, not because Hagrid is inherently trustworthy.

'Is [Quirrell] always that nervous?'

'Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience ... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag -- never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject[...]' (55)

It seems plain that Quirrell taught at the school before this year. I don't know why, but I often see people questioning this.

'It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen.' (57) [That's the vault with the Stone.]

Sirius's vault is 711. If they're near each other, then Sirius for some reason has an account waaaay down in the depths of the bank. Then again, this is the Potterverse, so 711 could be anywhere. (Rather like the impossible numbering of the piers in San Francisco. But I digress.)

By the way, Sirius dies on page 711 of the UK edition of OotP. Probably a coincidence. I digress again.

Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

'All yours,' smiled Hagrid. (58)

What's the significance of this? Why did the Potters have so much money? What's the narrative purpose of Harry being rich, never having to worry about having enough, being able to give his friends gifts?

'Hogwarts, dear?' she said, when Harry started to speak. 'Got the lot here[...]' (59)

The fact that Madam Malkin says this implies that there's more than one school he could be going to, I think. A moment later, Draco also asks if Harry's going to Hogwarts.

'My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands,' said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. 'Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow.'

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. (60)

And abusive!Lucius takes a blow. Though Lucius certainly doesn't dote on Draco the way Dudley's parents dote on him, Draco seems to think he can manipulate his parents like Dudley does. Or at the very least, he wants this boy he's just met to think so.

Draco is very chatty in this scene. He spontaneously initiates a conversation with Harry, having no idea who Harry is. This is our only view of Draco interacting alone with someone he thinks is, or might be, a friendly equal.

'Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage -- lives in a hut in the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed.' (60)

Harry doesn't like this assessment of Hagrid at all, but while Draco may not be charitable, he isn't too far off either.

'I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?' (61)

First indication that the _children_ of Muggles are looked down upon, and that blood matters.

'--and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in --'

'Yer not from a Muggle family[...] Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles -- look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!' (61)

Whoa. Okay. Hagrid's automatic reaction isn't to reassure Harry that it's okay to be Muggleborn, but to say he _isn't_ Muggleborn. He only mentions Lily as an afterthought.

'There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one.' (60-61)

What about the notorious Gryffindor murderer Sirius Black? It amazes me how often I have to stick a post-it on Hagrid's dialogue to point out that he's said something biased or flatly incorrect. I'm not usually too down on Hagrid, but it's really pretty egregious. And this is Harry's first exposure to the magical world!

This also resolves the question of whether V was generally thought to have been a Slytherin.

Past re-read posts are here.