Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
Camilla Send a noteboard - 26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
Much of what Harry says about Malfoy, obviously, but also Hermione's comments on Malfoy, the way Harry is proven wrong (and hence Hermione right) on "how many girls have been princes?", and so on. Oh, and Ron's comment about how it doesn't matter what Dark stuff is smuggled out turns out to be a prediction for the end of that very same chapter.
Wait? How so?
Trelawney's rambling seems like it should mean something - the "that can't be right" only makes that more likely - but it seems too vague to be very helpful. Unless we figure out who "the questioner" is... Dumbledore? Making the "dark young man" Malfoy? It's a bit of a stretch.
Well, the dark young man is probably Harry. Or Voldemort (but more likely Harry, I think). Malfoy is blonde, I think?
The scenes with the Gaunts are a strong attack on blood purity ideas, what with their degeneration and incompetence due to being inbred so badly - but still thinking they're better than everyone else. Even more misogynist than ordinary Death Eaters, no shock there. Marvolo's treasures end up playing an important role, and note the reference to the Peverell coat of arms, which will be important in book seven. At least, that name will be, I don't remember if the ring itself is related to the "Deathly Hallows"...
We do, indeed, think alike.
The Ministry arresting Stan: has to be a comment on contemporary politics, surely. Scrimgeour's credit in the eyes of the readers and the more discerning part of the wizarding community sinks rather fast, with that sort of thing.
Yes. By this time the war on terror is full blown in the real world and Britain is getting some strange laws. So yes, I don't think it is too much of a stretch to read political commentary into this.
Somewhat bizarrely, Harry suddenly is able to do non-verbal spells from the book, while sucking at them in class. Is this just a matter of needing to be relaxed enough and succeeding precisely because he's not under stress and just giving it a go? Saying that the book is a better teacher, as he does, seems rather absurd otherwise.
Yes.
The following conversation kind of mirrors what I wrote about Potions below - surely students should be encouraged to find new spells or ways of doing magic, obviously in such a way that they don't harm themselves. But no, Hermione only talks about "Ministry-approved" spells. One wonders what red state American wizards would think about this. 

hehe.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
The Great Harry Potter Re-read: Book Six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- 18/10/2010 06:12:40 PM
3354 Views
General comments on the book.
- 18/10/2010 06:14:10 PM
1989 Views
Suggestions.
- 18/10/2010 06:18:46 PM
2036 Views
*cough*
- 09/11/2010 09:24:21 AM
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Chapters 1-3: The Other Minister, Spinner's End, Will and Won't.
- 18/10/2010 06:21:55 PM
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Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:25:12 PM
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Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 18/10/2010 06:55:06 PM
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Re: Characters: The three Ministers, Snape, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Harry, Dumbledore, the Dursleys.
- 19/10/2010 01:07:59 AM
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*spoilers for book 7* an assortment of characters
- 19/10/2010 01:01:35 AM
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Plotting and writing.
- 18/10/2010 06:27:40 PM
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*spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue &stuff
- 19/10/2010 01:02:53 AM
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Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 02:58:54 PM
2007 Views
Re: *spoilers for book 7* focalisation and why I'l accept it this time, the power/powerless issue
- 20/10/2010 03:14:35 PM
2101 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 18/10/2010 06:28:16 PM
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Dumbledore-centered.
- 19/10/2010 01:03:05 AM
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Chapters 4-6: Horace Slughorn, An Excess of Phlegm, Draco's Detour. *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:44:39 PM
1176 Views
Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 03:46:47 PM
2171 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 05:27:26 PM
2197 Views
(Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:25:20 PM
2250 Views
Re: (Mostly) on Slughorn, Narcissa and Fleur...
- 20/10/2010 09:46:08 PM
2143 Views
Re: Characters: Slughorn, Fleur, the Trio, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy,...
- 20/10/2010 10:15:58 PM
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Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:23:04 PM
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Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 09:56:28 PM
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Re: Dumbledore, Slughorn, Tonks, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Hermione, Narcissa and the twins.
- 20/10/2010 10:17:23 PM
2196 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 03:48:07 PM
1055 Views
So. Inferi are zombies aren't they? I just realised. Ick. Do they eat brains? *NM*
- 20/10/2010 09:24:03 PM
1105 Views
I was kind of disappointed that Harry didn't remark on that fact.
*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
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*NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:24:11 PM
1155 Views
Chapters 7-9: Slug Club, Snape Victorious, The Half-Blood Prince *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:03 PM
1209 Views
Characters *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:24 PM
1139 Views
Harry, Romilda, Malfoy (in luuuve), Snape, Lavender Brown, McGonagall, Hermione and Slughorn.
- 22/10/2010 07:26:19 PM
2165 Views
Love is in the air, evidently.
- 22/10/2010 07:54:35 PM
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Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 22/10/2010 10:34:49 PM
2128 Views
Re: Slytherin had been in need of new blood for a long time. (And assorted other comments.)
- 25/10/2010 10:33:04 AM
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Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:37 PM
1134 Views
Dumbledore, patronuses and the DADA job.
- 22/10/2010 07:27:23 PM
2070 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 22/10/2010 07:23:50 PM
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I believe in Wrackspurts, too. And some questions.
- 22/10/2010 07:28:04 PM
1921 Views
I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 22/10/2010 09:58:27 PM
2012 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 23/10/2010 05:34:25 PM
2019 Views
Re: I'm not sure if I noticed this before, but awesome Tolkien shout-out there.
- 25/10/2010 10:35:43 AM
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Chapters 10-12: The House of Gaunt, Hermione's Helping Hand, Silver and Opals. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:00:02 PM
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Characters: The Gaunts, the Trio, Hagrid, and many more. *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:02:07 PM
1148 Views
Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 25/10/2010 06:15:23 PM
2229 Views
*lol*
- 25/10/2010 06:39:19 PM
2037 Views
Re: Harry's continued insistence about Malfoy really irritates me (even though he's right).
- 26/10/2010 09:23:09 AM
1973 Views
Trelawny, Ogden, Gaunt, Ron, Hermione, Ron and Harry
- 25/10/2010 10:23:55 PM
1963 Views
Plotting and writing.
- 25/10/2010 05:03:16 PM
2068 Views
Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 25/10/2010 05:37:28 PM
2102 Views
Re: Amazing amounts of accurate guesswork here, in hindsight.
- 26/10/2010 09:46:47 AM
1978 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 25/10/2010 05:03:32 PM
952 Views
Dumbledore still sounds like Stephen Fry. And reflections on the nature of Potions class.
- 25/10/2010 05:11:24 PM
1952 Views
It's like baking, I think.
- 25/10/2010 05:32:42 PM
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Yes, exactly like baking - and advanced baking involves experimenting, substituting, improvising.
- 25/10/2010 06:42:42 PM
2126 Views
Also, Parseltongue - is Harry that thick, or is it a magic thing?
- 25/10/2010 05:18:41 PM
2002 Views
I think it's a magic thing.
- 25/10/2010 05:34:09 PM
2014 Views
It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 25/10/2010 05:55:28 PM
1995 Views
Re: It can be learned actually. Dumbledore implies he knows it and Ron uses it in book 7
- 27/10/2010 04:31:45 PM
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parseltongue
- 25/10/2010 10:24:46 PM
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Interesting how many of our remarks are along similar lines.
*NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
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*NM*
- 25/10/2010 10:27:30 PM
1007 Views
Chapters 13-15: The Secret Riddle, Felix Felicis, The Unbreakable Vow *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:16:28 PM
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Characters: The Trio, Ginny, Tom Riddle, Draco,... *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:12 PM
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Dumbledore, Voldemort, Ron & Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Luna
- 27/10/2010 10:31:39 PM
2044 Views
My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 01:47:20 PM
1976 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 09:06:16 PM
1976 Views
Re: My take on Ginny is rather different, I must say... at least this time around.
- 29/10/2010 11:02:15 PM
2043 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:26 PM
915 Views
plot and writing.
- 27/10/2010 10:30:14 PM
2034 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 27/10/2010 04:17:42 PM
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Re: Anything else?
- 27/10/2010 10:30:55 PM
2165 Views
I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:39:20 AM
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Re: I wonder if that's actually true, though.
- 28/10/2010 10:44:22 AM
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Crabbe and Goyle show us what happens when you fail (most of? all of?) your OWLs.
- 29/10/2010 02:10:39 PM
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Chapters 16-18: A Very Frosty Christmas, A Sluggish Memory, Birthday Surprises *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:40:39 PM
1131 Views
Characters: The Trio, Fleur, Scrimgeour, Percy, Remus, Slughorn,... *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:43:02 PM
1224 Views
Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 29/10/2010 08:51:58 PM
2165 Views
Re: Mr Weasley, Lupin, Fleur, Harry and Scrimgeour
- 02/11/2010 06:23:04 PM
2066 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 29/10/2010 05:44:04 PM
1016 Views
Chapters 19-21: Elf Tails, Lord Voldemort's Requests, The Unknowable Room *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:22 PM
889 Views
Characters: The Trio, the elves, Draco, Dumbledore,... *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:00:56 PM
1244 Views
the twins, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Voldemort, Draco and Tonks
- 01/11/2010 02:08:32 PM
1887 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:01:27 PM
1025 Views
I want to hear the joke about the hag, the Healer and the Mimbulus mimbletonia. *NM*
- 01/11/2010 02:10:11 PM
1698 Views
Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:52:12 PM
2072 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 03/11/2010 09:54:05 PM
2352 Views
Re: Me too. And is a "hag" just an old witch, or something more specific?
- 08/11/2010 01:54:59 PM
2072 Views
Chapters 22-24: After the Burial, Horcruxes, Sectumsempra
- 03/11/2010 09:50:17 PM
2263 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:33 PM
1153 Views
Malfoy, Ron & Hermione, Slughorn, Voldemort, Snape and Ginny.
- 04/11/2010 12:12:57 AM
2084 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 03/11/2010 09:50:50 PM
1024 Views
Harry wrong again, house elves, horcruxes, free will, well hidden clues and some irony *DH spoiler*
- 03/11/2010 10:35:20 PM
2022 Views
Re: Stuff.
- 04/11/2010 04:28:04 AM
2059 Views
Re: Stuff. *spoilers for book 7*
- 04/11/2010 09:10:19 AM
2122 Views
This "we'll see in book seven" thing is getting old, but still that's what I have to say here...
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1902 Views
- 04/11/2010 01:23:01 PM
1902 Views
Chapters 25-27: The Seer Overheard, The Cave, The Lightning-Struck Tower
- 05/11/2010 05:37:42 PM
1909 Views
Characters: Harry, Trelawney, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape. And maybe some other people. *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:38:19 PM
1000 Views
Romilda, Snape, Trelawny, Draco, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Harry *spoilers book 7*
- 05/11/2010 07:34:01 PM
2045 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 05/11/2010 05:39:43 PM
1034 Views
I like how good magic is not flashy. Also, a Tolkien thing
- 05/11/2010 07:55:27 PM
1990 Views
I didn't take the comparison as far, but the gate thing did remind me of Moria, yes. (DH spoilers)
- 05/11/2010 10:03:16 PM
2237 Views
Chapters 28-30: Flight of the Prince, The Phoenix Lament, The White Tomb. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:12 PM
1158 Views
Characters. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:25 PM
979 Views
Snape, Lupin, Hermione & Ron, the Order, Mrs Weasley & Fleur, Luna & Neville, Scrimgeour, Ginny *DH*
- 09/11/2010 02:20:01 PM
1952 Views
Plotting and writing. *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:40 PM
1097 Views
Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 02:26:38 PM
1941 Views
Re: Spoilers.
- 09/11/2010 04:49:06 PM
1980 Views
I'm assuming not even the Ministry knows 100% what she did.
- 13/11/2010 12:26:14 AM
2087 Views
Very true.
- 15/11/2010 01:48:36 PM
2070 Views
Not much, no, but there's one fairly crucial mention.
- 15/11/2010 04:37:23 PM
2032 Views
With my keen attention to detail, I somehow missed that.
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2223 Views
Another good catch!
- 15/11/2010 09:36:37 PM
2223 Views
Anything else? *NM*
- 09/11/2010 02:13:53 PM
1006 Views
We did the Harry Potter marathon thing on Sunday
- 09/11/2010 02:28:08 PM
2059 Views
This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:34:33 PM
2087 Views
Re: This is definitely the most painfully altered of the movies.
- 09/11/2010 04:36:29 PM
2038 Views
I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:45:48 PM
2139 Views
Re: I just watched OotP again Saturday night... quite shocking there as well.
- 15/11/2010 04:50:57 PM
1959 Views


Some comments inside. *DH Spoilers*