Dumbledore: I like Hermione's awed description of his anger when Mundungus left Harry. The effect is greater both because it is off-stage (Rowling doesn't actually have to scare us) and because Dumbledore is otherwise always so mellow and understanding. He has never been angry with the trio where another adult would have been. The idea of him angry is therefore very ... strong.

Dumbledore is in general very suggested in these chapters. People keep referring to him. Mrs Weasley uses him as the basis for her argument with Sirius. I cannot help feeling that this is the book where Dumbledore fails. Hmmm. That is too harsh. I am thinking about the decision whether to tell Harry or not. I suppose his position is an impossible one. He cannot tell Harry everything (because that would leave him more open to an attack from Voldemort), and he apparently recognises the danger of incomplete information (quite rightly); but again, he must know Harry will not react well to being kept entirely out of the loop.

Lupin: I'm going to stop doing the fangirl thing. But I like his being the voice of reason, and the apparent authority of that position. Both Sirius and Mrs Weasley go quiet when he makes it clear that he has a position on the subject. Of course, his solution, the compromise, is in retrospect not ideal. But I don't think there is an ideal solution to this problem.

Mrs Weasley: She is getting thinner. I like all the information that communicates. Rowling seems to use it in general as a signal of (a lack of) mental well-being: if you are thinning, you are worried or under great strain. She did it for Sirius as well, and Lupin. I am sure there are more.

The twins: also back in top form. Their handling of Harry's anger is reminiscent of their handling his shame in book 3: they go straight to the source and attempt to fix it (extendable ears). I read their sudden entry as an attempt to puncture the situation, and it works.

Ginny: her adoration for Bill and her "noise like an angry cat" are both endearing. As is her ability to lie with a straight face.

Percy: his poor choices are revealed (not terribly surprising, although I must say I was surprised the first time I read it, so perhaps it was surprising after all, but it shouldn't have been). And his character development is interesting, of course, but my favourite part of the Percy storyline is how it affects the other Weasleys. It complicates their characters (well, it shades them), and I love that. Mrs Weasley's thinness is now at least partially explained (remember how afraid she was that her last words to Fred and George would have been words of anger at the cup). And the idea of Mr Weasley shouting is almost as powerful as the idea of Dumbledore angry.

Sirius: his bitterness at being locked up in that horrible house is established. As much of a plot point as a character point, I suppose. The opposition between him and Mrs Weasley about who is going to be Harry's surrogate parent is interesting. Mrs Weasley is probably right that Sirius is less "parent" and more "friend", and maybe also that a lot of this is grounded in his memories of James. But I don't see this as a major problem. If anything, Sirius understands Harry's position. Mrs Weasley's position is one of wishful thinking -- we know Harry will not be content to hang around in the dark without any information. No matter what Dumbledore says.

I like the insight we are given into Sirius' past in these chapters. The way he hates his family, the introduction of his brother (important plot point), running away to live with the Potters. It mirrors Harry again, to a certain extent, except where Sirius' hell is the extreme pureblood magical family, Harry's is at the other end of the spectrum in the extreme muggleness of the Dursleys. I don't think Rowling is a fan of extremes.