Hello everyone after a couple of very busy months I am back. with the 16th installment of my Harry Potter re-read. I confess I had hoped to get this out sooner but all too often that just never happens. I will endeavor to update this blog more regularly (I know I say that a lot) but I'll put blog updates in my calendar if I have to. So, after all this time I return (It won't be so long next time, this I can tell you
So, we're almost at the end of book one (finally) and things are really heating up for our trio of friends, I wonder what'll happen next.
Summary:
If you thought things were exciting last time when they went into the forest for detention (again, logic, what logic? Dumbledore logic apparently), it's a wild ride from here on. So they get back to their common room after their detention and Harry's scar is still hurting something terrible from his encounter with Quirrelmort (but he didn't know it was Quirrelmort). They talk until dawn and then everything goes down hill from there. Our intrepid heroes wonder whatever they are to do if the Dark Lord is indeed back and Hermione points out that Dumbledore is the only wizard the Dark lord ever feared so as long as Dumbledore's around he's fine. They then find out that Dumbledore's been called away to the Ministry of Magic in London (I can't imagine what for even if Fudge is a bumbling fool). With this realization comes the realization that with Dumbledore gone it would be the perfect time for Snape to strike and take the stone (Aw, they still think it's Snape aren't they adorable). Logically they come to the conclusion that the only logical thing to do is to go to Professor McGonagall with their suspicions (obviously). She waves them off as childish fancies (really Minerva?) and they decide they'll have to go down the trapdoor themselves since no one is listening to them. so the sneak out after dark under Harry's invisibility cloak (which Dumbledore conveniently gave him back at the end of the last chapter). And immediately they run into a problem leaving the dorms. Neville. He knows they're going to do mischief and nonsense and doesn't want them to lose Gryffindor any more house points. So he stands up to them. And gets hit with a full body bind curse. Thanks Hermione. So, that obstacle overcome they make their way to the third floor corridor and slip behind the door to come face to face with Fluffy again. Harry remembered that music could soothe him so he puts his flute from Hagrid to his lips and begins to play. They slip down the trapdoor and right into the Devil's Snare
Review:
Well this chapter was most exciting. After they talk until dawn, as I said, everything just goes down hill. All right, so, after they realize that Dumbledore is gone, called conveniently away to the Ministry of Magic. They decide to go to McGonagall. Now, usually, if someone were to go to a teacher and voice their suspicions that someone were going to steal an object of unimaginable value and power for an undead dark lord you'd think they'd get more than a pat on the head. So why wasn't McGonagall more concerned? Why was she shocked they knew about the stone but so blithe about the protections, was she, in fact, confident in her co-workers and their abilities to create impenetrable defences? was she over-confident that no one was working for the supposedly defeated dark lord? Either way it's suspicious. Anyway, they're waved off and they return to Gryffindor tower, no doubt feeling a little bit like McGonagall let them down by not being more concerned. So they decide to take Harry's cloak and flute and investigate for themselves (what they think 3 eleven-year-olds would do against a fully grown and qualified wizard is beyond me but anyway) But they're interrupted by poor bumbling Neville. Now I think it's admirable for Neville to stand up to his friends so Gryffindor doesn't lose yet more house points (again, 150 points off for being out after dark and telling tales about a dragon seems a bit much Minerva). But when they get out in to the common room, they stun Neville and make their escape. Now, putting him in a full body bind and leaving him on the common room floor seems a bit harsh for someone who's just trying to looking after both Gryffindor's and your well being (Making sure they're not found out after curfew would prevent them from getting detention). But never the less Hermione puts him in a full body bind and they go off to the third floor. Later Neville does get recognized for standing up to his friends but it's still rude. Anyway they get to the third floor corridor on the right without a hitch. and here's where things start to go further sideways. harry remembers that Music can put some animals to sleep and uses the flute Hagrid gave him for Christmas (very convenient gift, almost as though he knew it would be needed, or someone did), and they drop through the trap door, facing certain doom.
Now, all in all not much happens in this chapter, the real excitement comes in the last one where everything comes to a head. However, remember Dumbledore did say he wanted Harry to have a chance at facing the man who killed his parents, which, OK, fair point. But with only his two best friends as back up? And no one being told where they'd gone off to? It's almost as if he suspects, even this early on, that Harry will need to almost die to defeat the dark lord and want to prepare him for basically certain death by pitting him against Riddle year after year. Also, the professors were supposed to create obstacles to get o the stone, it was just a little to easy for 3 first year to pass the challenges, they each played to a strength that the trio. The potions puzzle is a logic puzzle, Hermione's good with Logic, the chess game would be only to easy for the best chess player in the Weasley family. And the flying keys would be only too easy for the youngest seeker in a century. And fluffy, it's almost as if Dumbledore knew Hagrid had given Harry the flute and would definitely answer all their questions when they came knocking. However, these are speculations for the chapter to come...stay tuned!
I will try to update again fairly soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment