I love it when they get to talking fast and having one thought at the same time. It's brilliant. The scene where they leave is simply brilliant. You're right, Peeves' salute is wonderful. They took it so over the top that Umbridge couldn't even fathom what they were doing or what was going on. She does not do well with disorder and I love it when she has to.


I think this is my favorite book for McGonagall. She isn't a character with the opportunity to show a lot of range, but her against Umbridge allows for her to be more fleshed out.


Cho is ridiculous. I'm guessing Rowling always knew she wanted Harry with Ginny but didn't want them together before they had dated other people which is why we get stuck with Cho. Harry had to date someone we were happy to see the back of. At least, that's my guess. I can't stand her.



I don't know that I'll ever understand Snape calling Lily mudblood there. I know he is embarrassed, but she is the love of his life. He doesn't really see her as muggle-born from what I've read, so his comment here makes no sense for me except in the bigger picture that he had to do something unforgivable to lose Lily's loyalty.


He is arrogant, and here I'm sure he is at his worst. I do like how Harry doesn't try to rationalize what James did and instead sides with Snape. I don't agree with his perception, but I do like how Harry is able to admit that maybe James wasn't as perfect as he had built him up to be.



He is a little dismissive of what must be painful for Lupin to think about or discuss, and while I don't like that particular part, I really do like Sirius here. I almost wonder why James is the leader when I read this passage, just because Sirius seems so cool to me.


I think it is overdone as well, but maybe they were both so arrogant they didn't mind how overt Wormtail's hero worship was. Perhaps as they got a handle on their arrogance later Wormtail got a handle on his fawning?


I agree. I lost sympathy for Snape when he attacked from behind. I don't like what James did after, but Snape showed no honor in that action so I don't mind that Lupin didn't step in. I think he learned from watching this though, but I have nothing besides a gut feeling to base that on right now.


I'm glad Harry gets to see Lily in this moment, and in it's fuller context later on. His mother was a very strong, capable woman and he got to see an example of this. Even though his image of his father is dented, he has to be proud of who she was.


Yes. The parallel between Draco and Snape is a strong one to me, and for Harry to feel pity for Snape while wishing the same treatment on Malfoy seems to be missing something to me. James must have thought picking on Snape to be alright on the same terms that Harry thinks it would be okay to do that to Malfoy. Harry can be smart at times, I don't know how he misses this one.


Gaping plot hole to me. I understand it from the structural standpoint as you say, but seriously?



"Are you quite certain you wouldn't like a cough drop Dolores" is freaking brilliant. Everything in that scene is priceless. And the jibe about Harry having good marks from every qualified instructor he'd had. That interview is a beautiful piece of writing.