pauraque_bk | PoA 5, etc. (Reply)

Happy Saturday, all, and happy Beltane to those who celebrate it. Finally, we get to the good stuff! This is a great chapter.

PoA 5: The Dementor

'I've got something to tell you,' Harry began[...] (57)

Harry's first action on hearing that Sirius is after him (well, besides going to bed) is to try to tell Ron and Hermione. So different from the Harry of OotP, who feels isolated and bitter, and lashes out at those who would support him.

This only had one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. (59)

'I suppose he is asleep?' said Ron quietly[...]. 'I mean -- he hasn't died, has he?' (63)

Professor Lupin gave a snort.
'Who's that?' said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backwards as he spotted Lupin. (63)

'Quiet!' said a hoarse voice suddenly.
Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. [...] [The flames] illuminated his tired grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. (65)

So, is Remus asleep, or not? There's the conveniently timed snort that scatters Draco et al, and he seems awfully quick to wake up for someone who was completely dead to the world just a moment ago.

I personally prefer awake!Remus. Remus is a lot craftier than I think most fans give him credit for. Who he is is paralleled by what he is: a wolf in sheep's clothing. Not that I think he's "evil" -- just very deliberate in his thoughts and actions, and more self-serving than he appears. Not the sweet, mild-mannered professor, but an extremely careful, shrewd, and observant man. Not asleep, but wide awake and listening closely to all that goes on.

The name 'Professor R.J. Lupin' was stamped across one corner [of the briefcase] in peeling letters. (60)

The letters are peeling -- the case isn't new. Was he a teacher elsewhere? Or perhaps a member of his family was, and had the same initials.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had already had two Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had only lasted one year. (60)

I think this is inconsistent with what we hear of Quirrell in PS/SS:

'Is he 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 -- now, where's me umbrella?' (PS UK paperback 55)

It certainly doesn't sound to me as though Harry's first year was Quirrell's first year of teaching.

'What's that noise?' said Ron suddenly.
A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from [the Sneakoscope]. (60)

Presumably, the Sneakoscope's been going off for some time, but they only noticed it when there was a lull in the conversation. The suggestion on first reading is that Lupin has set it off, subtly prodding us to suspect him, which we're expected to do in the final sequence.

Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. (63)

I laughed here -- of course, they *do* exist for that reason.

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. (64)
The train came to a stop with a jolt and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. (64)
There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. (65)

Though, as usual, the prose is very straightforward, JKR nonetheless manages to generate real suspense in this scene, even though I know what's coming. Also as usual, she makes heavy use of sounds, above any other imagery, to evoke mood.

The compartment door suddenly opened and [Neville] fell painfully over Harry's legs. (65)
'You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?' (69)

There seems to be no reason for Neville to wander into Harry's compartment at that moment, except to... gossip with Draco about it later? Hm, that's odd. Also odd that Harry seems indifferent to Neville running his mouth off.

There was a soft, crackling noise and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. (65)

More wandless, wordless magic, for those who are keeping track.

[...]at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students[...] (68)

The Trio get a coach to themselves, so let's say 300 students, plus the first-years (crossing the lake at the moment). That's 50 per year, 12 or 13 per House per year. That's close to fannish estimates, but quite far from JKR's off-the-cuff comment in an interview that there are 1000 students at Hogwarts.

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Quite aside from this, were James and Lily Aurors, or not? I felt certain they were, but then I couldn't find the reference.

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On another note, does anybody know much about targetwords.com? This is an ad company that tags certain words in HTML markup as links to their client sites, apparently without the webmaster's or viewer's consent.

keladryb is having trouble with this, and I don't know what to tell her. I had the same problem on my computer at work, and running Spybot took care of it, but that didn't work for Kel. What should she do?

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At my job, we sell canvas by the foot. A customer wanted a 8x6 piece. The employee cut 6' off the 8' roll. The customer got upset because she wanted 8' off the 6' roll. "It needs to be eight feet *high*, not wide!" she exclaimed in alarm.

She had a very small child with her, perhaps six years old. He figured it out before she did.

Later in the day, I cut some canvas for a different customer.

"I want three and a half feet," she said. "No, wait, actually... give me three feet, six inches instead."