Still in a HP state of mind

[selenak]

Staying with one's aged parents is really cutting down the internet time. And just when there is so much to geek out about and emails due. honorh, I'll write your mail tomorrow, I promise.

So, second thoughts upon rereading Potter the Sixth:



- nope, romances still liveless, unless deliberately written as funny, as with Ron/Lavender, but that's alright, JKR, as opposed to fanfic, your emphasis was always on friendship anyway

- I really hope this puts an end to the fanon cliché about Draco the abused child who never got any affection - not only does he love his parents, but his mother clearly loves him (methinks Lucius does, too, but he wasn't in HBP, so can't be used as an argument) ; oh, and the cliché about the Malfoys despising each other - Narcissa is very defensive of Lucius towards her sister

- am more convinced than ever that Snape acted on orders; leaving aside Snape for a moment, Dumbledore's behaviour in the crucial scene makes no sense otherwise. Consider: First he has a long (and very important) chat with Draco about the later not being a murderer. Then the Death Eaters, among them a psychopathic werewolf, enter. Dumbledore still shows no sign of being impressed, intimidated, or otherwise feeling threatened, though clearly, there is no reason to believe any of the gang won't kill him if Draco doesn't. Then Snape shows up. Dumbledore says "Severus, please..." So all of a sudden he's feeling threatened and pleads for his life? Because Snape is that much a better killer than four Death Eaters with no relationship to Dumbledore whatsoever? AD? No way. One thing Dumbledore never could be accused of is lack of confidence or ego. Otoh, if the "please" is meant as "please kill me now, as we agreed upon earlier", it does make sense, especially if Dumbledore the Legilemens got from Snape the Legilemens that Snape was wavering (which in turn ties with the argument Hagrid overheard earlier)

- and then there is the way JKR writes the non-battle between Harry and Snape afterwards. If she wanted to go the Snape-as-Evil route, he'd behave like Bellatrix does in her battle with Harry in OotP, i.e. return each of Harry's hexes and curses with more of her own. Instead, Snape blocks each and everyone of Harry's curses, never retaliates until Harry makes the "Kill me like you killed him, you coward" taunt, before that gets in a school lesson between insults ("Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter"), and stops the other Death Eaters from killing Harry.

- am still disgruntled with Ginny and Molly for their attitude towards Fleur pre- hospital scene; what did she ever do to them other than being pretty and doting on Bill? It's really the in-law syndrom combined with xenophobia, that's what it is; once the GoF movie comes out, I'll get me a Fleur icon

- Harry attempts to cast Cruciatus three times in this book; in OotP, he tried once; and of course he successfully uses the Septumsomethingortheother he got from Snape's old school book - will his use of Dark Magic increase expotentially in the final volume?

Fanfic! penknife wrote a great take on McGonnagal and Lupin in the wake of the HBP events. And on a meta note, she summed up the state of the fandom post-HFB hilariously here.

In other news, I finally got the second half of AtS' fifth season on DVD and can rewatch it now.

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Another pedant's note - I haven't read the last three Potters so can't comment much on anything else, except that I'd always thought Snape would be the seventh DADA master - but having given up any attempts to avoid spoilers a year or so back I'm now just enjoying being spoiled. So:

"lifeless" not "liveless"; "the latter" not "the later"; "exponentially"; "syndrome".

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, I think he's the sixth DADA professor as it's Dumbledore's gift to Snape - he knew something was going to go down in this year, and he wanted to make sure that Snape both fully trained the pupils and got his wish before he had to leave Hogwarts - probably forever.

[queenspanky.livejournal.com]

Sorry, the above was me. Stupid browser!

[bimo.livejournal.com]

once the GoF movie comes out, I'll get me a Fleur icon

Welcome to the world of unconventional HP icons *g*

I keep saying the same thing about Cornelius Fudge/Robert Hardy. Intended icon text: "Old vetenarians never die...they just become wizards" *g*

Thanks to Cavendish's generosity, I have a brandnew copy of HBP lying around in my household. Haven't touched it yet, though, because I'd first like to finish the book I'm reading at the moment, Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga.

Be prepared to get a postcard from Scotland (I'm leaving on Thursday) and my answer to the OTP meme when I'm back.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

You'll love the opening chapter, is all I'm saying. *g* And have fun in Scotland.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

The "Snape, please" has to be Dumbledore asking Snape to kill him, but I think it's really up in the air as to how much had been planned earlier. It's entirely conceivable that Dumbledore thought the circumstances of Draco's attempt would be extremely different and futher into the future, so he didn't prepare Snape very well for this eventuality. He likes hoarding information, so he might not have mentioned what he thought the actual mission was (and therefore the argument with Snape was merely over how valuable Dumbledore believed Snape's life and Draco's untorn soul to be), so that Snape was only processing it in that moment and hesitated. Or, Snape might have known, and like Dumbledore been more prepared to the mission to come later and been trying to find ways out of it.

I hear you on Fleur. Really, in some ways Fleur just got a distilled version of the fandom reaction to her. So many people hate her just because she's pretty and doesn't think Hogwarts is the bestest place ever, and ignore how courageous she is and how much she loves her family. I don't think you can expect a different reaction out of Ginny and Molly (and Hermione for that matter), but it really reflects badly on them.

I think Harry's use of Dark Magic must rise in the next book, since Dumbledore spent half of this one encouraging him toward revenge and he'll likely be dealing with more DEs on a regular basis. It will either be Ron and Hermione, or his own resolution not to cross the line, that will pull him back from the Dark Side. I wonder who will write the first full essay on the parallels between Harry and Anakin? Anyway, I don't think there's any indication that anyone can or will steer him away from it before he reaches a breaking point.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Given that Harry just joined Anakin and Buffy in being called The Chosen One, that essay really demands to be written soon.*g*

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

Heh. Could get complicated, since a Harry/Buffy/Anakin essay probably ought to cover Anakin/Obi-Wan, Buffy/Faith, and Harry/Neville/Tom/Snape to catch all of the parallels. And trying to figure out who Anakin and Buffy's Hagrids are or should have been could be rough -- I think this, in particular, is important because I think one of the defining differences between Harry and Voldemort is that Hagrid slapped a book of curses out of Harry's hands in PS/SS, and there was no one there to do that for Tom Riddle.

[selenak.livejournal.com]

I think this, in particular, is important because I think one of the defining differences between Harry and Voldemort is that Hagrid slapped a book of curses out of Harry's hands in PS/SS, and there was no one there to do that for Tom Riddle.

Interesting observation, and you're right, there wasn't. In Anakin's case, you could make an argument about Yoda as the one who should have been, but wasn't. (I.e. not the direct teacher but a beloved part of the school who delivers this kind of warnings and becomes the first emotional connection to the new institution.) Teaching younglings, Yoda should be able to connect to children. Instead, Yoda is the one who delivers the "clouded, this boy's future is" warning and becomes an impersonal figure of authority...

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

Yoda really ought to have been, but he really turned out Dumbledore-ish. I mean, Dumbledore was all about giving Riddle the untrusting stink eye, which is about what Yoda did (not quite so bad, really). Thinking on it, I think Anakin's Hagrid was Qui-Gon, who even has a prediliction for picking up "strays".

[merrymaia.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore was all about giving Riddle the untrusting stink eye, which is about what Yoda did (not quite so bad, really)

I think it's different. What was disturbing about Riddle as a child was his behavior. What was "disturbing" about Anakin as a child was his emotions. The Jedi don't seem to draw any distinction between emotions and actions. By adulthood Anakin has internalized the Jedi belief that it is emotions, not behavior, that really defines a person.

[cadesama.livejournal.com]

You're right, it is different. I'm not going to deny that. However, I do think that both Dumbledore and Yoda play about the same role in the lives of Riddle and Anakin. They are authorities who are not to be trusted and who are to be feared, because they don't like Riddle or Anakin and hold a great deal of power of their futures. And I think they both take on those roles, when they easily could have taken on different ones (more in line with their usual attitudes toward children) that would have had much better results. Riddle didn't need someone giving him the stink eye; he needed an adult who knew better than to fall for his tricks to guide him toward morality. Anakin needed someone who wouldn't try to force him into the mold of a Proper Jedi, but someone who could address his needs and makes compromises so that Anakin didn't feel like an outsider his entire life.

[thalia-seawood.livejournal.com]

In fanfiction I always enjoyed it when we saw the Malfoy family as standing loyally together. I've been hoping we would see that Narcissa loves her son, because Draco always came across as very dedicated to his mother. Regarding Lucius, I think he has a hard time showing affection and that he expects a lot from his son. But I don't doubt that he cares for him.

And word about Snape! I see it exactly the same way.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

In defense of the Weasleys, Fleur wasn't exactly going out of her way to endear herself to them. She kept on dropping vaguely insulting comments and even mocked Molly's favorite singer in the Christmas scene. Add that with the fact that Molly felt the relationship had gone too fast, and you've got some serious in-law issues. When Fleur stood by Bill even though he'd been maimed, Molly saw her quality and knew her son had chosen the right girl.

As far as Ginny goes, take it from me: any girl who tries to marry your brother is going to come in for some serious scrutiny. Never tell my brother, but it took me quite some time to warm up to his wife.

[owl]

Am I the only person who thought that the Weasleys might think that Fleur had been using her Veela attraction and Bill and that was why the relationship went so fast? Ron certainly still goes all wibbly around her. I didn't think it was just FrenchBitchZMGBBQ!1

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Possible, but if so, I'm surprised Ginny didn't bring it up when talking to Harry & Co. - she didn't exactly hold back about Fleur otherwise.

Ron: is just hormonal.*g*

[violaswamp.livejournal.com]

I agree on the whole "Snape, please" issue. And WORD about Fleur. I already have an icon of her from the US GoF cover, as you can see. She's a positive saint for putting up with Molly and Ginny, and I don't blame her for getting snippy over Celestina Warbeck.

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

nope, romances still liveless, unless deliberately written as funny, as with Ron/Lavender, but that's alright, JKR, as opposed to fanfic, your emphasis was always on friendship anyway

Yup, the best romance in the books is Sirius/Remus, and she apparently didn't even notice it was there! and I loved Ron/Hermione through book 4 but yeah, get them together or not, already. The only time the romances excited me in HBP was when I thought she might just do a switchout and hook up Harry & Hermione (Joss would've! or maybe Hermione/Luna. . .) Though seriously, it is a little hard to get invested in ships when you know the characters are going to be no more than 18 at the end of the last book. I don't know many people who had met the love of their life at 18 (and thank God for that! *shudders remembering my idea of a Good Idea when I was 18!*)

and yeah -- poor Fleur! Don't hate her because she's beautiful. Though it wouldn't be the first ethnocentricism in the series. I was always puzzled by the jokes at the expense of Viktor's inability to pronounce "Hermione." Why assume a Bulgarian would have more trouble with a Greek name than an English person?

[selenak.livejournal.com]

Yup, the best romance in the books is Sirius/Remus, and she apparently didn't even notice it was there!

At the risk of bringing down the wrath of every S/R 'shipper on me, you know, I have trouble seeing this grand romance that everyone else is seeing as well. (If Sirius was infatuated with anyone, it was James.)

Why assume a Bulgarian would have more trouble with a Greek name than an English person?

Err, because the English pronounce it wrong? The English pronounciation of Greek and Latin names always amuses me, you know. It sounds to utterly unlike anything Latin or Greek... On a more serious note, the entire thing with Hermione teaching Victor how to pronounce her name in book 4 came to be because JKR had to explain it over and over again in interviews and readings and heard it pronounced the wrong way, or so the "Leaky Cauldron" says.

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

honestly? I only got the S/R thing out of the movie (and I thought Cuaron played that pretty deliberately).

the English do have a tendency to invent their own pronunciations for things and . though I do understand the Hermione problem -- I always thought that little lesson was directed at American fans, particularly, since the name is almost unheard-in the US, except for fans of The Winter's Tale. My Ren-lit professor happened to be British, and she gave us a nice little lecture on why it WASN'T HER-meyone, so I didn't need JKR's, but many of my compatriots did. Though, as you pointed out, the English just made up their own pronunciations anyway.

(Speaking as a Russian-geek who has fought a losing battle against "EYE-van" when teaching Chekhov.)