GoF 9

[pauraque_bk]

Happy birthday, millefiori!


In Chapter 8 (where I've sadly had very little time to respond to the comments) everyone seemed to think that when I chided Harry for not listening to Arthur's advice about appearances not being everything, I was talking about his relationship to Ginny. I was actually thinking of his relationship to Snape! More generally, his unwillingness to look beyond what is outwardly apparent. Am I still living in 2003, or what?


GoF 9: The Dark Mark

Holy crap, this chapter is long.

They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie[...] (106)

About what?

One of the marchers below flipped Mrs Roberts upside-down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers; she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.

'That's sick,' Ron muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. 'That is really sick...' (108)

Oh man! A character held upside-down, revealing their underwear -- OotP 28, anyone? That taunting word voluminous intensifies the sense of humiliation. It's that Hanged Man tarot imagery again, too.

'We're going to help the Ministry,' Mr Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. 'You lot -- get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come fetch you when we've sorted this out!' (108-109)

It wasn't immediately clear why Arthur was telling them to run into the woods rather than stay inside the tents, but later there are references to other tents that have been destroyed/trampled.

Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared say in front of Mrs Weasley. (110)

I was sure there was someone who'd done a post on canonical swearing... turns out it was me! "Hell" shows up several times in GoF and OotP, but never "go to hell", so it's possible that's what JKR is avoiding here. Could also be "sod off", "bugger off"...

'Granger, they're after Muggles,' said Malfoy. 'D'you want to be showing off your knickers in mid-air? Because if you do, hang around ... they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh.' (110)

'Oh, come on,' said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, 'let's go and find the others.'

'Keep that big bushy head down, Granger,' sneered Malfoy. (111)

Intriguing that Draco's taunts take the form of accurate advice. Not to mention that he's hiding out in the woods too, rather than hanging on the Death Eaters' coattails jumping up and down with glee. I think he's putting on a bit of a show for the Trio, here, playing it cool. I don't think he's concerned for Hermione's safety because he likes her personally -- if Lucius and/or Narcissa are really out there, he could be worried they'll be arrested, which would be ample reason for him not to want this to go too far.

'You know, house-elves get a very raw deal!' said Hermione indignantly. 'It's slavery, that's what it is![...]' (112)

And she carries on about this for quite a while. Seems like a strange moment to introduce this plotline, in the midst of such commotion. Actually, they hang out in the woods not doing much for quite a while in this chapter.

Then, later:

Hermione rounded on him. 'That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron, it's disgusting the way--'

'Hermione, I agree with you,' said Mr Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, 'but not is not the time to discuss elf rights[...]' (125)

The fact that he quickly agrees (whether he genuinely does or is just trying to shut her up) and easily comes up with the phrase "elf rights" is indicative of an existing elf-liberation movement, I think.

They passed a group of goblins, who were cackling over a sack of gold they had undoubtedly won betting on the match, and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble on the campsite. (113)

As usual, goblins keep to themselves, unconcerned with the affairs of humankind.

A third young wizard, whose pimples were visible even by the dim, silvery light of the Veela, now cut in, 'I'm about to become the youngest ever Minister for Magic, I am.'

Harry snorted with laughter. He recognised the pimply wizard; his name was Stan Shunpike, and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus.

He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron's face had gone oddly slack, and the next second Ron was yelling, 'Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?' (113)

Stan! Free Stan!

I was surprised to find that some readers actually believed that he might have been connected to the DEs at the time of his arrest in HBP. It seemed to me a clear example of a total innocent being held without trial by an incompetent government. This scene is probably all we have for direct evidence of his innocence -- while the DEs are cavorting, he's nowhere near them.

This is also, I think, where folks get the idea that Harry is less affected by Veela than other men are. When the Veela are first introduced, he does become immediately entranced, but not here.

And then Ludo Bagman comes stumbling out from behind a tree:

Even by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great change had come over Bagman. [...] He looked very white and strained.

'Who's that?' he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. 'What are you doing in here, all alone?'

They looked at each other, surprised.

'Well -- there's a sort of riot going on,' said Ron.

Bagman stared at him. 'What?' (115)

I think I've missed/forgotten something here. If Bagman doesn't know about the riot until Ron tells him, what's he already upset about?

So, Barty Jr (invisible under the cloak) fires off the Morsmordre with Harry's wand, leaves Winky the incriminating evidence, and flees the scene. [ETA: As gmth points out, I'm wrong here. He's actually Stunned, and Senior picks him up later.] The Ministry wizards come a-running:

'Do not lie, sir!' shouted Mr Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping -- he looked slightly mad. 'You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!' (117)

Poor Crouch Sr. He's grasping at the slightest hope that Junior may not actually have escaped.

[Winky] caught sight of Mr Diggory's feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull reflected twice in her enormous, glassy eyes. (120)

I think it was idlerat who once talked about the cinematic style of JKR's writing. Can't you just see this on the screen?

[Bill:] '[...]We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They're having their memories modified right now.' (127)

This suddenly reminded me of the Satanic ritual abuse phenomenon in the 1980s. In the Potterverse, there could be Muggles with genuine recovered memories of being tortured by wizards. *shudder*

'Death Eaters?' said Harry. 'What are Death Eaters?' (127)

I'd forgotten that the DEs weren't introduced by name until GoF. In the first three books, it isn't made very clear that Voldemort's supporters were officially organized.


Previous GoF posts are saved in memories here.