I want those tents! I might even be convinced that camping was a good idea if I had one of those tents.


I also noticed the passage which reads,

``It was only just dawning on Harry how many witches and wizards there must be in the world; he had never really thought much about those other countries'' (p. 75).

It brought to mind what Legolas said about Rowling's lack of attention to the rest of the magical world. I couldn't help feeling that there was an echo of all those other wizards dawning on Rowling, too.

Also, the "are there other schools" debate is resolved, as we are told that there is at least one in Brazil, and therefore presumably more. We still don't know about Europe, though.



It is also interesting that carpets, but not brooms are defined as muggle objects which cannot be enchanted.


I also like how the muggle-repelling charm works (making them remember something urgent). It is a little like the description of how people will sell shrinking keys to muggles. One of my favourite parts of the books is when Rowling explains a common occurrence in my life by referring to magic. You can bet anything that if I went trudging through the forest, I would remember something urgent that would mean I would have to trudge all the way back.


I am rather disturbed that Rowling writes that the crowd around the death eaters swell. It sounds like there are others, not just the hardcore death eaters, who are happy to use this as entertainment. Although that sounds weird. I cannot imagine people doing that unmasked.

Also: It struck me that "Death Eaters" is a very strange name for a group. I remember reacting to it the first time I read it, but I have since become so used to it it is not weird anymore. But really, not the best group name. It sounds like someone has thought "ok, what's scary? Death! Ok! What is more scary than death? Someone EATING Death!"

I also like how the Death Eaters' behaviour echo that of the Twins. On a much larger scale, of course, and without any redeeming motivation, but still. Harry's thought that he feels vulnerable without a wand in the wizarding world also joins in with this point, which seems to be a major one in the beginning of this book.

The terror inspired by the Dark Mark is quite well described. Both in the characters' reactions to it, and in Mr Weasley's explanation.