I lovelovelove Lupin. Ahem. Oh, clear and rational analysis and discussion, you say? Right.

First Scabbers. Not so much an observation as a question, really. If Pettigrew lives as a rat, in the body of a rat, and he never returns to human form, should he not age as a rat, and be very weak and die soon?
Dunno. How long do rats live? Couldn't magical ratty pets be longlived?
The Twins: I love how Fred and George tried to shut Percy in a pyramid. And their mocking parody of him greeting Harry had me giggling out loud. But then they are perfectly subtle and tactful about cheering Harry up about the dementors and Malfoy at the feast. They become many-faceted, not just clowns or funny happy guys. They are actually able to deal sensibly with a younger kid being bullied. I am impressed.
The twins are really well written characters. I believe everything about them. That's one of Rowling's talents, I think, creating multi-faceted personalities to inhabit her books.
I like Mr and Mrs Weasley's discussion on whether to tell Harry. It is nice to see they love him. And how Mr Weasley would be willing to go back on his word to Fudge because he feels Harry needs to know what is going on. Of course, this reflects on Fudge again, feeling it is better to just keep everyone in the dark.
So lovely. Fudge is the perfect government man. It's kind of reassuring that even the Magical World has such useless leaders.

And Crookshanks is perfectly lovely. I don't see what Ron is on about. It sounds like the world's best cat. Although it isn't a cat, is it. It's a something else, the name of which escapes me.
Cats drool.
But Crookshanks is funny. Reminds me of Greebo.
But LupinLupinLupin! Ah, one of my major literary crushes. And it is not just the fact that he offers free chocolate (always a plus). He is asleep, then, as soon as the dementors are there he protects the kids and then he offers them chocolate. Lovely. Perfect. He makes everything feel safe and good.
I bet he's pretty huggable as well.
Malfoy is his usual self. Clearly mocking Harry's reaction to the dementors to cover up his own fear of them. And then getting suitably punished for his disrespect by Buckbeak.
~nods~ Slimy little twerp. I do feel sorry for him, though. What with his father and all.
Sir Cadogan is a little annoying. Or quite annoying. But he never reaches anywhere near the levels of annoyance reached in the last book.
~nods~
Trelawny. Is lovely in an annoying sort of way. I fully intend to start walking up to random strangers and say "You know that thing you are dreading? It will happen on [random date]". It is genius. And I really like how some of her "predictions" turn out to be real, but not in the way she interprets them. For example, the ``around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever''. And she does seem to have a good ability to read human nature, as when she identifies Neville as the one most likely to break a cup if prodded in the right way. She is a problematic character, though. Very morally grey in the way she abuses the credibility of students by making them think one of them is going to die, for example. And I wonder whether she got the twins mixed up when she told Parvati to beware of red-haired men, as her sister is the one who has a miserable time with Ron at the Yule Ball.
Trelawny is great. I like that Rowling remembers to have useless established teachers as well as the replacements the kids have suffered over the past two years. Makes Quirrell and Lockhart seem much less anomalous.
And Emma Thompson was the perfect pick for Trelawney.
Also: I've often wondered whether the teenage girl readers are supposed to think that the thing Lavender is dreading is her period. Might make young girls feel a bit better about the fact they're worried about it. I like to think of Rowling as being caring like that.
McGonnagall, as usual, the voice of clear-cutting no-nonsense reason, knowing the perfect way to dispell Trelawny's mumbo-jumbo.
I had a teacher like McGonagall. She was wonderful. Strict but fair.
*MySmiley*
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
28/07/2010 12:00:14 PM
- 3123 Views
Chapters 1-3. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:01:10 PM
- 1081 Views
Characters.
28/07/2010 12:03:36 PM
- 1801 Views
Aunt Marge
28/07/2010 01:13:34 PM
- 1706 Views
She's an interesting combination of tropes, one might say...
28/07/2010 01:40:37 PM
- 2057 Views
Re: She's an interesting combination of tropes, one might say...
28/07/2010 02:15:24 PM
- 1882 Views
Stan Shunpike.
28/07/2010 02:01:46 PM
- 1851 Views
Re: Stan Shunpike.
28/07/2010 02:19:41 PM
- 1771 Views
True, I forgot Mundungus. And, arguably, Snape.
28/07/2010 02:46:38 PM
- 1737 Views
Re: True, I forgot Mundungus. And, arguably, Snape.
07/08/2010 02:53:43 PM
- 2101 Views
I think, maybe, it's comparing with other wizarding schools in the world.
08/08/2010 11:35:31 AM
- 1839 Views
Colin Creevey is working class.
28/07/2010 06:32:45 PM
- 1753 Views
Correct me if I'm wrong
28/07/2010 06:38:20 PM
- 1713 Views
Themes, if we can discern any already this early in the book. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:04:47 PM
- 1023 Views
First impressions on the news of Sirius Black's escape. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:05:26 PM
- 1018 Views
Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 01:21:32 PM
- 1848 Views
Re: Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 01:44:50 PM
- 1864 Views
Re: Aaaah, Sirius.
28/07/2010 02:22:17 PM
- 1630 Views
Writing style.
28/07/2010 12:07:24 PM
- 1855 Views
It is a better book.
28/07/2010 02:00:54 PM
- 1709 Views
Its much more mature writing style I think
28/07/2010 02:09:33 PM
- 1931 Views
Re: Its much more mature writing style I think
28/07/2010 02:23:03 PM
- 1852 Views
Foreshadowings, details that turn out to be important, etc. *NM*
28/07/2010 12:08:07 PM
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That is very well done in this book, I thought.
28/07/2010 02:08:21 PM
- 1683 Views
Dont foget the most important foreshadowing!
28/07/2010 02:15:35 PM
- 1655 Views
Chapters 4-6. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:11:45 PM
- 942 Views
Characters.
29/07/2010 10:23:28 AM
- 1685 Views
LupinLupinLupinLupinLupinLupin!
29/07/2010 11:48:55 AM
- 1802 Views
Hmmm I'm wondering...is Lupin one of your fav characters?
*NM*
29/07/2010 02:36:20 PM
- 913 Views

Could be, could be.
29/07/2010 02:37:41 PM
- 1683 Views
Well it was subtle so I don't think many people will catch it *NM*
29/07/2010 02:41:38 PM
- 916 Views
He is so lovely.
03/08/2010 06:00:26 PM
- 1801 Views
Is it premature to argue Harry's starting to get alienated from Ron and Hermione here?
30/07/2010 01:48:06 PM
- 1670 Views
Re: Is it premature to argue Harry's starting to get alienated from Ron and Hermione here?
08/08/2010 11:05:02 AM
- 1566 Views
Writing style.
29/07/2010 10:26:07 AM
- 1707 Views
"Plotting" might be a more interesting discussion point
29/07/2010 11:57:20 AM
- 1762 Views
Introduction of the Dementors. *NM*
29/07/2010 10:26:59 AM
- 919 Views
They are Rowling's most terrifying creation
29/07/2010 12:00:34 PM
- 1655 Views
Without his knowledge or consent of course *NM*
29/07/2010 02:31:47 PM
- 886 Views
Yes
29/07/2010 02:34:01 PM
- 1798 Views
I thinking something thats a little off topic
29/07/2010 02:40:36 PM
- 1625 Views
Re: I thinking something thats a little off topic
29/07/2010 02:42:09 PM
- 1629 Views
Ooo I didn't think of that! I like you. We can be friends
29/07/2010 02:47:31 PM
- 1623 Views

Re: "He's at Hogwarts."
04/08/2010 11:51:05 PM
- 1605 Views
I don't know the answer, but a good place to look would be... (book 4 spoilers)
05/08/2010 12:33:20 AM
- 1652 Views
Chapters 7-9. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:11:59 PM
- 1060 Views
Characters.
30/07/2010 02:07:20 PM
- 1593 Views
Re: Characters.
30/07/2010 02:50:07 PM
- 1524 Views
Lupin vs. Snape
30/07/2010 06:10:07 PM
- 1613 Views
Re: Lupin vs. Snape
30/07/2010 06:12:06 PM
- 1716 Views
Other things you want to comment on.
*NM*
30/07/2010 02:13:36 PM
- 931 Views
30/07/2010 02:51:13 PM
- 1598 Views


Good spell and great scene with the Bogart.
30/07/2010 06:19:16 PM
- 1659 Views
Chapters 10-12. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:12:18 PM
- 842 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
02/08/2010 12:50:56 PM
- 789 Views
Re: Plotting and writing.
02/08/2010 01:36:49 PM
- 1840 Views
I caught that too.
02/08/2010 02:50:03 PM
- 1522 Views
Re: I caught that too.
02/08/2010 02:53:48 PM
- 1648 Views
I suspect....
03/08/2010 03:17:32 PM
- 1797 Views
Other things - the Marauder's Map, background story on Sirius and the Potters,... *NM*
02/08/2010 12:52:30 PM
- 923 Views
The Marauder's Map seems to be able to do more on this first view than later on...
02/08/2010 01:23:19 PM
- 1745 Views
Re: The Marauder's Map seems to be able to do more on this first view than later on...
02/08/2010 01:40:47 PM
- 1670 Views
I think she did a good job of getting the map out of Harry's hands
02/08/2010 02:44:13 PM
- 1645 Views
Re: I think she did a good job of getting the map out of Harry's hands
02/08/2010 02:46:38 PM
- 1805 Views
It's not that the map was wrong - on the contrary (book 4 spoilers).
02/08/2010 02:47:55 PM
- 1570 Views
Re: It's not that the map was wrong - on the contrary (book 4 spoilers).
02/08/2010 02:57:55 PM
- 1708 Views
No, you and Aria seem to be right - only Harry himself is depicted in miniature.
02/08/2010 03:28:11 PM
- 1671 Views
Re: No, you and Aria seem to be right - only Harry himself is depicted in miniature.
02/08/2010 03:31:14 PM
- 1571 Views
Agree about the Twins and my take on Harry's impression of James.
02/08/2010 02:50:11 PM
- 1623 Views
Re: Other things - the Marauder's Map, background story on Sirius and the Potters,...
02/08/2010 01:36:56 PM
- 1583 Views
Chapters 13-15. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:12:57 PM
- 927 Views
Characters.
03/08/2010 05:25:47 PM
- 1643 Views
Re: Characters.
03/08/2010 05:29:32 PM
- 1732 Views
OK. I don't like how one-sided the Slytherins are.
08/08/2010 02:30:22 PM
- 1704 Views
Agreed.
08/08/2010 02:37:18 PM
- 1659 Views
Re: Agreed.
08/08/2010 02:45:30 PM
- 1637 Views
There are only three named girls in his year in Gryffindor, that I'm aware of.
08/08/2010 03:08:51 PM
- 1641 Views
Re: There are only three named girls in his year in Gryffindor, that I'm aware of.
08/08/2010 03:12:23 PM
- 1634 Views
But the Sorting Hat decides, and they can't refuse students that I'm aware of...
08/08/2010 03:06:53 PM
- 1850 Views
Re: But the Sorting Hat decides, and they can't refuse students that I'm aware of...
08/08/2010 03:10:28 PM
- 1640 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
03/08/2010 05:26:12 PM
- 891 Views
Crookshanks.
08/08/2010 02:22:36 PM
- 1641 Views
I knew I saw this somewhere.
09/08/2010 08:16:01 PM
- 1568 Views
Re: I knew I saw this somewhere.
09/08/2010 09:01:18 PM
- 1704 Views
Did they come out and explain Crookshanks?
11/08/2010 04:20:18 PM
- 1743 Views
Re: Did they come out and explain Crookshanks?
11/08/2010 04:21:37 PM
- 1546 Views
Thanks, thought I was loosing it... well, maybe I am, but I can still read.
11/08/2010 04:26:31 PM
- 1781 Views

The Quidditch Cup, and anything else you want to discuss. *NM*
03/08/2010 05:26:37 PM
- 918 Views
Re: The Quidditch Cup, and anything else you want to discuss.
03/08/2010 05:36:35 PM
- 1703 Views
I really enjoyed the first quidditch match.
03/08/2010 05:40:37 PM
- 1569 Views
Chapters 16-18. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:11 PM
- 943 Views
Characters.
04/08/2010 04:16:39 PM
- 1767 Views
Plotting and writing.
04/08/2010 04:18:52 PM
- 1553 Views
Other thoughts. *NM*
04/08/2010 04:19:15 PM
- 1037 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
04/08/2010 05:19:45 PM
- 1569 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
08/08/2010 03:09:23 PM
- 1729 Views
Re: Other thoughts.
08/08/2010 03:11:43 PM
- 1699 Views
Chapters 19-20. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:27 PM
- 899 Views
Characters.
05/08/2010 02:40:22 PM
- 1467 Views
Re: Characters.
05/08/2010 02:45:53 PM
- 1919 Views
See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:04:24 PM
- 2004 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:13:21 PM
- 1737 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 03:54:31 PM
- 2119 Views
Re: See my sudden realizations on Snape... (spoilers books 4, 6 & 7)
05/08/2010 05:01:52 PM
- 1922 Views
Something I've only just realized about Snape... (massive book six and seven spoilers)
05/08/2010 02:53:15 PM
- 1724 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
05/08/2010 02:40:42 PM
- 798 Views
Re: Plotting and writing.
05/08/2010 02:48:02 PM
- 1824 Views
I think it's a good thing she explains her clues.
05/08/2010 03:09:59 PM
- 1667 Views
Other thoughts. *NM*
05/08/2010 02:41:01 PM
- 856 Views
killing
05/08/2010 02:48:33 PM
- 1550 Views
Chapters 21-22. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:13:42 PM
- 868 Views
Plotting and writing.
06/08/2010 05:04:14 PM
- 1476 Views
And everything else you noticed and want to comment on. *NM*
06/08/2010 05:04:46 PM
- 948 Views
Overall thoughts. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:14:03 PM
- 907 Views
Overarching plot and themes. *NM*
28/07/2010 01:18:27 PM
- 854 Views
How good a book is this - compared to the rest of the series, and compared to YA books in general? *NM*
28/07/2010 01:19:06 PM
- 930 Views
More of a question, really
01/08/2010 10:40:23 PM
- 1611 Views
I think this is situational and a sad commentary on his home life.
02/08/2010 03:01:49 PM
- 1451 Views
Well, but the question still remains
02/08/2010 03:04:01 PM
- 1561 Views
I suppose this is more or less the right place for this.
04/08/2010 11:59:45 PM
- 1694 Views
I had totally forgotten about that choir and the Ray Bradbury reference.
05/08/2010 12:37:09 AM
- 1530 Views
Okay, so possibly a Shakespeare reference also used by Bradbury. Whatever.
*NM*
05/08/2010 12:37:56 AM
- 849 Views

Since I'm being scolded, I'll try to focus.
09/08/2010 06:46:26 PM
- 1536 Views
Re: Since I'm being scolded, I'll try to focus.
09/08/2010 07:16:37 PM
- 1750 Views
Suggestions for the re-read.
28/07/2010 06:14:49 PM
- 1741 Views
I knew I was gonna forget something.
28/07/2010 06:55:50 PM
- 1705 Views

Perhaps
29/07/2010 09:29:53 AM
- 1629 Views
I considered that, but it seemed overly non-trusting, and nobody has posted in them yet? *NM*
29/07/2010 10:12:23 AM
- 756 Views
<Tattoos "Poor Impulse Control" on your forehead>
29/07/2010 11:00:07 AM
- 1705 Views
I think a little break might be a good idea. Give people a chance to catch up.
02/08/2010 11:46:13 PM
- 1660 Views
Re: I think a little break might be a good idea. Give people a chance to catch up.
02/08/2010 11:59:20 PM
- 1620 Views
I think I should make clear, just in case, that I don't mean immediately.
03/08/2010 05:11:26 PM
- 1576 Views
Yes
03/08/2010 05:13:10 PM
- 1574 Views