Skyehawke :: PoA 8

[pauraque_bk]

Lo, I have a shiny new Skyehawke account! Thanks, switchknife.

Skyehawke is a very nice invitational multifandom archive with an excellent system of allowing authors to upload and edit their own work. It's like ff.net, if ff.net were actually good. (However, I find it impossible not to note that its name always makes me smile. Skyehawke... as opposed to all those land hawks.)

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PoA 8: Flight of the Fat Lady

Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. (107)

Draco seems to hold a grudge against Lupin for stopping him from getting into it with Harry (69), and for no other reason we're shown. I can't recall how Lupin treats the Slytherins in his class, if it's mentioned at all. I doubt he'd intentionally treat them unfairly; he's extremely interested in being the best teacher he can be.

'Look at him!' he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. 'He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!' [...] 'That cat's got it in for Scabbers!' said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. 'And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!' (111)

This is quite different from Ron's initial "disgust" with Scabbers when we meet them in PS/SS. It's important now that we see Ron loving and caring for him, so that we can be suitably horrified when we learn the truth.

Ron's experience of Peter parallels that of MPP. Peter is unwanted and "useless", yet somehow an emotional attachment develops. Peter clings to MPP, hangs around them like the pet he literally is to Ron. In each case, the betrayal seems impossible, and comes as a huge shock.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her, and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious. (111-112)

This isn't exactly relevant, but it reminded me: I'm really bothered by the fact that Neville seems not to have any friends. Harry & Ron and Seamus & Dean have paired off and are constantly in each other's company. Early on in PS/SS, before the troll incident, Hermione and Neville were seen together a great deal, but then Hermione attached herself to the Harry-Ron group. Neville is with them for the Fluffy episode (unlike in the movie!), and the Trio certainly don't dislike Neville, but... who does he hang out with? (Maybe the two mystery Gryffindor girls in his year...)

Also in this scene, Hermione again debunks Trelawney's predictions.

'Well,' said Lupin, frowning slightly, 'I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort.' [...] 'I imagined people would panic.' (117)

ellen_fremedon was right about this when it came up in the last chapter.

'That suggests that what you fear most of all is -- fear. Very wise, Harry.' (117)

It also suggests the theme of the book, that our internal demons have to be confronted just as external enemies do.

'Ah, Severus,' said Lupin, smiling. 'Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?'
Snape set the smoking goblet down, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin.
'I was just showing Harry my Grindylow,' said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.
'Fascinating,' said Snape, without looking at it. 'You should drink that directly, Lupin.'
'Yes, yes I will,' said Lupin.
'I made an entire cauldronful,' Snape continued. 'If you need more.'
'I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus.'
'Not at all,' said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. (117-118)

A lot is going on here. We know the animosity hasn't abated, but has actually increased (107) -- but here, it's expressed passively. Lupin calls him "Severus", Snape replies with "Lupin" -- Snape doesn't want to be friends, as Lupin must know perfectly well. Lupin deliberately doesn't take the hint and does it again. The exchange also calls to mind Dumbledore, the only other character who calls Snape by his first name, who keeps Snape firmly under his thumb, and arguably doesn't respect him.

Snape needles back, pointedly alluding to Lupin's current dependence on Snape for his safety and livelihood -- twice reminding him to take his medicine, as if Lupin were a child. There may also be a sense of Snape consciously mocking Lupin's mild, passive-aggressive manner -- tit for tat.

Harry is, in a sense, a pawn for both sides. Seeing Lupin and James's son sitting together drinking tea must rile Snape, but Harry's presence also underlines Snape's power over the situation -- he waves the evidence of Lupin's condition right in Harry's face.


Previous re-read posts are here.

Comments

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Not only does he call Snape 'Severus', but in OotP he calls Tonks 'Nymphadora'; this is a breach of manners, since British social rules are that only true intimates, not mere co-workers, use given names.

I know this is a tangent, but I think in Tonks' case, the rudeness involved isn't in the intimacy, as Tonks calls all her fellow Order members by their first names or nicknames, even when there's an age difference. ("You do know that's disgusting, don't you, Mad-Eye?") It's rude because she doesn't LIKE her first name and prefers not to be called by it, even by intimates, and would prefer that non-intimates not KNOW what it is. I am quite certain she came in for the very obvious teasing such a name would inspire.

Remus needs to mind his manners.

[fernwithy.livejournal.com]

Yes, but Dora doesn't seem to honestly mind his teasing on this (she responds with that faux-exasperated, "Don't call me Nymphadora!"). It's probably just the pattern in which they talk to one another.

[fernwithy.livejournal.com]

(To clarify what I mean.)

Remus is introducing her in standard form--you say, "Harry, this is Joe Smith," then Joe Smith says either "Call me Joe," or "Nice to meet you" (in which case, you assume "Mr. Smith").

Tonks uses a nonstandard form of address, so it's up to her to clarify what it's going to be. Saying, "Harry, this is Nymphadora Tonks," is the proper way to do it, in which case, she would say, under purely professional conditions, "Call me Tonks. Please."

Instead, Remus gets partway through the introduction, and she cuts him off with, "Don't call me Nymphadora!" which (a) divulges her name herself and (b) establishes that it's a game for Remus to actualy use that name on her... otherwise, he'd just be doing a standard introduction and there would be no need to cut him off. To assume otherwise assumes that she's both stupid (revealing info herself that she wanted hidden) and rude (interrupting an everyday social ritual with a strident demand). She doesn't come off as either.