PS 11

[pauraque_bk]

I think I may have been called an elderly blue-nosed aunt in Chapter 10, but I shall endeavor to overlook it.

-black_dog and arclevel on rules and fairness.

-sistermagpie and black_dog on rules and authorial intent.


And sistermagpie has an analysis of Remus that branched off from the re-read discussion.


PS 11: Quidditch

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the House Championship. (133)

The HP Lexicon has a section on Quidditch scoring which asserts that the Quidditch Cup goes to the House with the most total points, not the most wins. Someone who can actually do math will have to tell me whether this passage contradicts that theory.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have got through all his homework without her, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read. (133)

Sure, when he doesn't like her it puts him to sleep, but when she's helping him with his homework, it's an interesting read!

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

'Blasted thing,' Snape was saying. 'How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?' (134)

Why didn't Snape want to go to Madam Pomfrey? Does he not trust her? Or does he trust Filch more? I always found this quite meaningful... Snape is a very private person. Here he's allowing Filch to see him in a moment of vulnerability and frustration. No wonder he reacts the way he does when Harry barges in.

'Thanks, Seamus,' said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages. (135)

In Chapter 7, eponis flagged ketchup as a possible oddity.

Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. (136)

Scabbers chews Ron's sheets (97), but I find it hard to believe that they'd be beyond magical repair... oh well.

Dean being an artist is often mistaken for fanon. Admittedly, there are no other references to it, but it is here. [EDIT: Okay, I'm wrong!]

The "Potter for President" slogan is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Dean and used as evidence that he's an American. In fact, the slogan is attributed to the whole group (and I doubt that many Americans are West Ham fans). I think it's just an expression, though I'd need a Brit to tell me for sure.

Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll in him. (136)

Flint may not be pretty, but he isn't an idiot.

[Lee Jordan:] '[...]sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which[...]' (137)

Lee can't tell the difference between the twins at a distance, but Harry can (138).

Once he caught sight of a flash of gold but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches[...] (138)

Gold-plated, I guess!

'So -- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating --'

'Jordan!' growled Professor McGonagall.

'I mean, after that open and revolting foul --'

'Jordan, I'm warning you --' (139)

Interesting that McGonagall keeps him from voicing anti-Slytherin sentiments when he's officially commentating.

'Can't have,' Hagrid said, his voice shaking. 'Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark Magic -- no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand.' (140)

Assuming Hagrid knows what he's talking about (not always a safe assumption), why should this be so?

[Hermione] didn't even stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. (140)

This works even better in the movie: When Snape realizes he's on fire, he jumps up and knocks Quirrell over.

'Neville, you can look!' Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes. (140)

Awww!


Past re-read posts are aqui.