Hi all I'm back! I moved into a new place last week and we just got our Wi-fi going, like yesterday. I have never had so many Facebook notifications OMG.
Author's not: Sorry guys, I'm back again though! School got crazy and then I had neck problems...but it's all good, I can update now!
Summary:
So, this chapter is interesting. In the book it Christmas Holidays and, Harry, having no where to go (except back to the Dursley's and we all agree that's not happening so he stays behind at Hogwarts. But he's not alone, while Hermione o's off home for the holidays, Ron, Fred, George and Percy stay behind because Arthur and Molly are off visiting Charlie in Romania. (OK, this is something I never got, how expensive can a portkey be to make/have made? Like, they may Portkeys out of literally anything and they couldn't have used one to take the entire family to Romania? They can stay on the dragon reserve. The wizarding world doesn't have expensive methods of travel like the muggle one, it's not like their taking an aeroplane).
So, Christmas, Hermione prompted them, before she left, to attempt to look in the restricted section of the library for Nicholas Flamel, naturally under the watchful eye of Madame Pince the librarian that's not going to happen so they forget about it for a couple of days until Christmas morning. Harry is bewildered that he has presents and obviously he's got something from Mrs. Weasley because Ron mentioned that he wasn't expecting anything.
OK, so he gets a bunch of stuff including a Weasley jumper and fudge but most importantly he gets his father's invisibility cloak with a mysterious note "You father left this in my possession before he died, use it well." and he goes off and looks in the library at night but almost gets caught and ends up in an abandoned classroom with a mirror in it, so he looks in the mirror and sees his hearts erised...erm...desire...naturally much sneaking around after dark ensues...
Review:
So, this one...I love this chapter...but it does raise some questions. What I love, Molly Weasley just sends Harry a Weasley jumper, she met him once when she showed him how to get on to the platform but when Ron told her that he probably wasn't expecting anything from those muggles she sent him a sweater and some fudge! Also, Hagrid, who's known him, properly anyway, for like, 3 days, makes him a wooden flute with his own two hands. But it does raise some questions...why would James Potter leave the invisibility cloak in Dumbledore's possession? What's his motivation? The cloak had been in his family for generations and Dumbledore wants to study it so he can borrow it, fine whatever? I know by this point he probably has the elder wand and has his suspicions about this all powerful cloak but really? also, who sends a gift with a cryptic note to an 11 year old and hopes that he won't turn it in. That same thing happens in book 3 (the Firebolt) and look how well that turned out. Granted the cloak should have come to Harry to begin with but he could have put it in Harry's vault. (less dramatic I know but less chance it'll get turned in to one of the teachers for being a mysterious cloak that someone sent me with no name on the note). It also raises a question about Mrs. Weasley. Did she send a Weasley jumper and fudge to all of her children's best friends (like Lee Jordan for instance) or was it just Harry?
I'm rambling. Although it also raises some other questions. Harry is the boy-who-lived, he should have been getting fan mail out the wazoo, what happened to it all? I get that Dumbledore doesn't want dozens of owls converging on little Whinging to give him his fan mail but he should have at least got it when he came to Hogwarts! And what about letters and parcels from his uncle Remus? Presumably Remus didn't just go abroad and have no contact with Harry till he turned 13.
I really did love this chapter, especially that the first thing Harry does with the invisibility cloak was sneak in to the restricted section of the library after curfew...a very Ravenclaw thing to do if I do say so my self.
That's all for now folks, I'll try to keep updating more regularly but I make no promises, especially since I'm working at Oktoberfest next week (I'm so excited!!)
I'm probably just being nit picky with this chapter, other than that I really did love it
Friday, 2 October 2015
Friday, 28 August 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 11: Lions vs. Snakes
Hey All I'm back. So it turns out I am able to post another review fairly soon after the last one (contrary to my earlier opinion) But I can tell you that I maybe not be able to post next week so by all means count this as next weeks post if I am unable to post. So, without further rambling ado, Chapter 11! We're almost done book 1!
Summary:
OK, So, in this chapter Harry is busy with classes and, most importantly, Quidditch! It's finally time for the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin of course, and naturally the Slytherins are helping so much with that. While Harry is panicking the match starts and everything is going fine until it doesn't anymore. Harry's broom starts to try and throw him off. Naturally the Quidditch team (read Fred and George), does everything they can to try and get him down but nothing works and the more they try the higher his broom goes. So they settle for circling under him to catch him should he fall. Meanwhile in the stands Hermione and Ron have spotted this and try scan the crowd for any sign of, well, anything. They settle on the teachers stand and they think it's Snape that's trying to unseat him. So, having leapt to a conclusion Hermione goes to do something about it. She sets Severus' robes on fire and in her haste to get to him she knock's Quirrel over into the seat in front of him, breaking his eye contact. Thus the day is saved. Or so we think, Harry does a mad dive toward the ground and it turns out he's swallowed the snitch! Gryffindor wins!!! Thus ends the Quidditch match.
Review: I really like this chapter because I love Quidditch. Also Lee Jordan's commentary gives me unrealistic expectations for sports commentary. It's pretty great. I love his Quidditch commentary. It's wonderful, especially when he screams about the Slytherins and McGonagall has to get involved. It's a very interesting commentary and I can sort of picture Remus Lupin doing a semblance of the same thing if he did Quidditch commentary in his school days, maybe less biased, just a bit, but no less entertaining.
Anyway, back to the meat of the chapter. So, obviously when Hermione and Ron are scanning the audience for whoever is jinxing Harry's broom, Snape would be the obvious conclusion, he was muttering the countercurse, his mouth was moving and Quirrel's wasn't. However, saving a friends life or not, is setting him on fire really the way to do it? yes it was an admittedly effective distraction but really? I digress. I'd like to point out that Hermione and Ron both learn the leg locker curse after Malfoy uses it on Neville to use on Snape should he try something like that again when he referees their next Quidditch match. But that's a couple chapters on. What I'll never understand about this match. Harry's broom is trying to throw him off. He's in the air and fairly far away from anyone else. Why didn't Anyone do anything about his bucking broomstick? Yes Severus is muttering a countercurse but he's barely holding his own but you've got the likes of McGonagall not doing squat! They're just sitting there! Surely together they could get Harry down faster. But of course nothing makes sense in the wizarding world apparently. Apart from the lack of sense the wizarding world makes this chapter is really good, I love Quidditch and this chapter is what made me love the sport so much.
That's all for now folks! I will attempt to update next week (I may have to go on to University campus for wifi/internet but if I don't get a chance I will update the week after.) See you next time!
Summary:
OK, So, in this chapter Harry is busy with classes and, most importantly, Quidditch! It's finally time for the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin of course, and naturally the Slytherins are helping so much with that. While Harry is panicking the match starts and everything is going fine until it doesn't anymore. Harry's broom starts to try and throw him off. Naturally the Quidditch team (read Fred and George), does everything they can to try and get him down but nothing works and the more they try the higher his broom goes. So they settle for circling under him to catch him should he fall. Meanwhile in the stands Hermione and Ron have spotted this and try scan the crowd for any sign of, well, anything. They settle on the teachers stand and they think it's Snape that's trying to unseat him. So, having leapt to a conclusion Hermione goes to do something about it. She sets Severus' robes on fire and in her haste to get to him she knock's Quirrel over into the seat in front of him, breaking his eye contact. Thus the day is saved. Or so we think, Harry does a mad dive toward the ground and it turns out he's swallowed the snitch! Gryffindor wins!!! Thus ends the Quidditch match.
Review: I really like this chapter because I love Quidditch. Also Lee Jordan's commentary gives me unrealistic expectations for sports commentary. It's pretty great. I love his Quidditch commentary. It's wonderful, especially when he screams about the Slytherins and McGonagall has to get involved. It's a very interesting commentary and I can sort of picture Remus Lupin doing a semblance of the same thing if he did Quidditch commentary in his school days, maybe less biased, just a bit, but no less entertaining.
Anyway, back to the meat of the chapter. So, obviously when Hermione and Ron are scanning the audience for whoever is jinxing Harry's broom, Snape would be the obvious conclusion, he was muttering the countercurse, his mouth was moving and Quirrel's wasn't. However, saving a friends life or not, is setting him on fire really the way to do it? yes it was an admittedly effective distraction but really? I digress. I'd like to point out that Hermione and Ron both learn the leg locker curse after Malfoy uses it on Neville to use on Snape should he try something like that again when he referees their next Quidditch match. But that's a couple chapters on. What I'll never understand about this match. Harry's broom is trying to throw him off. He's in the air and fairly far away from anyone else. Why didn't Anyone do anything about his bucking broomstick? Yes Severus is muttering a countercurse but he's barely holding his own but you've got the likes of McGonagall not doing squat! They're just sitting there! Surely together they could get Harry down faster. But of course nothing makes sense in the wizarding world apparently. Apart from the lack of sense the wizarding world makes this chapter is really good, I love Quidditch and this chapter is what made me love the sport so much.
That's all for now folks! I will attempt to update next week (I may have to go on to University campus for wifi/internet but if I don't get a chance I will update the week after.) See you next time!
Sunday, 23 August 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 10: Troll in the Dungeons?
Hi everyone I'm back, I went on holiday for a couple of days and I'm not going to be able to update for another week either, starting tomorrow I won't have internet. Either way, here's the next chapter! I can't believe we're still on the first book, I need to work faster. So, without further ado, Chapter 10!
Summary:
This chapter starts with the aftermath of the non-existent midnight duel when Draco (our favourite Slytherin) When he tries to get Harry and Ron kicked out of Hogwarts by inciting a midnight duel in the trophy room. Needless to say he's more than a little shocked to see them still there the next day and he further attempts to get them in trouble when Harry gets his new broomstick but that bears no fruit for him as the teachers know. Later in the chapter Hermione is sent crying after charms class because of a remark made by a fellow student *cough* Ron, *cough* However Ron resolves to apologize to Hermione in their next lesson (with a little coaxing from our resident, bespectacled, hero) but she isn't there. They learn from a classmate (Neville in the movie) that she's been in the girls bathroom crying all day. They were going to look for her but the Halloween feast drives the fact that Ron made her cry from their minds. Fortunately they come to their senses (if a little late) when Quirrel faints, exclaiming to the great hall about a Troll in the dungeon. ("How did a troll get in? they're really stupid") So they go to her rescue, and almost get killed themselves when they come face to face with the troll, who they had locked in the girls bathroom with Hermione. Well, they get awarded some points for "Sheer dumb luck" and move on with their lives and their Halloween feast. But from then on they were friends. And that's how the Golden Trio came to be kids!
Review:
I always liked this chapter, mainly because Halloween is one of my favourite holidays (it helps that my birthday is Devil's Night). Although, reading it back I still wonder why the prefects don't have lists of students for emergencies like this. it would have been so much easier to find out that there were 3 first years missing. Or, if someone (namely Hermione's next class teacher (McGonagall I think)) had noticed she was missing. I know in our muggle schools, especially at 11, attendance is still taken in each class, even just comparing the class list with the number of students they would have noticed she was missing and she might never have almost died. Like, you'd think the professors would notice that a student is missing and not just assume she's in the hospital wing or whatever. That was always a point I wondered on. The rest of what happens in this chapter isn't much, they knock out a troll, Harry almost dies, nothing new.I do like how they chose to tackle the troll though. It might have seemed a little foolhardy of Ron to attempt a spell he had been previously unsuccessful with but he does it, not only to save his own life but to save the life of a classmate, two classmates if you want to be literal. In doing so, using a spell he had been previously unsuccessful with, with tutelage from Hermione of course, he saved the lives of his two friends. I mean, Harry helped but ll he really he did was jump on the trolls back and show his wand up its nose, like he did with Uncle Vernon at the beginning for a Hogwarts letter but that's really all he did. I like this chapter because Ron, even though he doesn't particularly like Hermione at first, it takes more than a little encouragement from Harry but he does go to save her life and they both realize that, despite her tendency to sound like a textbook on occasion, she's good to have as a friend and I think that their more than a little good for her too in the end. (remember in book 5 Hermione is the one to suggest starting the DA.)
This marks my next update, tune in next time to find out what else happens to our intrepid heroes.
A/N this was supposed to be posted before i went on vacation but I never got the chance. Also, I might not get a chance to update next week or for a bit but there will be an update coming at some point.
Summary:
This chapter starts with the aftermath of the non-existent midnight duel when Draco (our favourite Slytherin) When he tries to get Harry and Ron kicked out of Hogwarts by inciting a midnight duel in the trophy room. Needless to say he's more than a little shocked to see them still there the next day and he further attempts to get them in trouble when Harry gets his new broomstick but that bears no fruit for him as the teachers know. Later in the chapter Hermione is sent crying after charms class because of a remark made by a fellow student *cough* Ron, *cough* However Ron resolves to apologize to Hermione in their next lesson (with a little coaxing from our resident, bespectacled, hero) but she isn't there. They learn from a classmate (Neville in the movie) that she's been in the girls bathroom crying all day. They were going to look for her but the Halloween feast drives the fact that Ron made her cry from their minds. Fortunately they come to their senses (if a little late) when Quirrel faints, exclaiming to the great hall about a Troll in the dungeon. ("How did a troll get in? they're really stupid") So they go to her rescue, and almost get killed themselves when they come face to face with the troll, who they had locked in the girls bathroom with Hermione. Well, they get awarded some points for "Sheer dumb luck" and move on with their lives and their Halloween feast. But from then on they were friends. And that's how the Golden Trio came to be kids!
Review:
I always liked this chapter, mainly because Halloween is one of my favourite holidays (it helps that my birthday is Devil's Night). Although, reading it back I still wonder why the prefects don't have lists of students for emergencies like this. it would have been so much easier to find out that there were 3 first years missing. Or, if someone (namely Hermione's next class teacher (McGonagall I think)) had noticed she was missing. I know in our muggle schools, especially at 11, attendance is still taken in each class, even just comparing the class list with the number of students they would have noticed she was missing and she might never have almost died. Like, you'd think the professors would notice that a student is missing and not just assume she's in the hospital wing or whatever. That was always a point I wondered on. The rest of what happens in this chapter isn't much, they knock out a troll, Harry almost dies, nothing new.I do like how they chose to tackle the troll though. It might have seemed a little foolhardy of Ron to attempt a spell he had been previously unsuccessful with but he does it, not only to save his own life but to save the life of a classmate, two classmates if you want to be literal. In doing so, using a spell he had been previously unsuccessful with, with tutelage from Hermione of course, he saved the lives of his two friends. I mean, Harry helped but ll he really he did was jump on the trolls back and show his wand up its nose, like he did with Uncle Vernon at the beginning for a Hogwarts letter but that's really all he did. I like this chapter because Ron, even though he doesn't particularly like Hermione at first, it takes more than a little encouragement from Harry but he does go to save her life and they both realize that, despite her tendency to sound like a textbook on occasion, she's good to have as a friend and I think that their more than a little good for her too in the end. (remember in book 5 Hermione is the one to suggest starting the DA.)
This marks my next update, tune in next time to find out what else happens to our intrepid heroes.
A/N this was supposed to be posted before i went on vacation but I never got the chance. Also, I might not get a chance to update next week or for a bit but there will be an update coming at some point.
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 9: Fluffy's Midnight Visitor
Hello again readers, yes it's been 2 weeks, sorry about that, I'm doing a lot of stuff right now and I'm really busy preparing for a couple weeks off and my driving test. I will actually endeavour to attempt to update more regularly but I make now promises, especially if I get a regular paying day job which will limit my updating power further but I will try.
Summary:
OK, this one starts with Draco Malfoy baiting Ron again and he ends up challenging Harry to a Wizard's duel that night at midnight. well never let it be said that our intrepid heroes aren't a little bit (read: a lot) hot headed so Ron accepts the wizards duel for Harry (Harry doesn't say a word)...and then Hermione buts in and, in typical Hermione fashion, points out that they're going to get in serious trouble if they're caught, typically they ignore her and go on with their day, culminating in sneaking out of the common room at night. Of course, things are rarely so easy for our heroes and they run into Hermione (again) who follows them out of the common room and...gets locked out. Of course she can't just stay there until the Fat Lady comes back so she insists upon coming with them, they run into Neville who got locked out as well and make their way to the trophy room. Of course they soon find out that Malfoy set Filch on them and they run and end up on the forbidden corridor . They go through a locked door and meet... (dun, Dun, dun) a viscous 3-headed dog! (Hagrid, or course, named him Fluffy, because he's Hagrid) and of course they are forced to flee or be eaten. Upon re-entering the common room Hermione goes to bed before either of them come up with another clever idea to get them killed, or worse, expelled. The boys agree that Hermione is a bit of a nightmare (understatement) and that they never want to see hide nor hair of Fluffy ever again.
Review:
I say this about a lot of chapters but I loved it. I love fluffy he's so adorable! He'd be more adorable if he wasn't trying to eat our heroes but still. Of course Malfoy took the cowards way out and set Filch on them instead of actually attending the duel (for shame Draco!) But all's well that end's well (er...sort of) and our heroes find that Fluffy's guarding something. Could it be the same thing that Hagrid took from vault 713? It just might be! Also, they're still not getting along with our bushy-haired friend but that comes later (next chapter I think) but that's to be expected. I expect Ron thinks she acts a bit like Percy, a bit pompous a bit know-it-all-ish and a bit rule happy. All in all it was a wonderful chapter, full of excitement and intrigue and 3 headed dogs. What ever will the next chapters bring? read on and find out!
On a different note I'm going on a bit of a blogging vacation so I won't be able to update until I get back. See you all next time Potterheads!
Summary:
OK, this one starts with Draco Malfoy baiting Ron again and he ends up challenging Harry to a Wizard's duel that night at midnight. well never let it be said that our intrepid heroes aren't a little bit (read: a lot) hot headed so Ron accepts the wizards duel for Harry (Harry doesn't say a word)...and then Hermione buts in and, in typical Hermione fashion, points out that they're going to get in serious trouble if they're caught, typically they ignore her and go on with their day, culminating in sneaking out of the common room at night. Of course, things are rarely so easy for our heroes and they run into Hermione (again) who follows them out of the common room and...gets locked out. Of course she can't just stay there until the Fat Lady comes back so she insists upon coming with them, they run into Neville who got locked out as well and make their way to the trophy room. Of course they soon find out that Malfoy set Filch on them and they run and end up on the forbidden corridor . They go through a locked door and meet... (dun, Dun, dun) a viscous 3-headed dog! (Hagrid, or course, named him Fluffy, because he's Hagrid) and of course they are forced to flee or be eaten. Upon re-entering the common room Hermione goes to bed before either of them come up with another clever idea to get them killed, or worse, expelled. The boys agree that Hermione is a bit of a nightmare (understatement) and that they never want to see hide nor hair of Fluffy ever again.
Review:
I say this about a lot of chapters but I loved it. I love fluffy he's so adorable! He'd be more adorable if he wasn't trying to eat our heroes but still. Of course Malfoy took the cowards way out and set Filch on them instead of actually attending the duel (for shame Draco!) But all's well that end's well (er...sort of) and our heroes find that Fluffy's guarding something. Could it be the same thing that Hagrid took from vault 713? It just might be! Also, they're still not getting along with our bushy-haired friend but that comes later (next chapter I think) but that's to be expected. I expect Ron thinks she acts a bit like Percy, a bit pompous a bit know-it-all-ish and a bit rule happy. All in all it was a wonderful chapter, full of excitement and intrigue and 3 headed dogs. What ever will the next chapters bring? read on and find out!
On a different note I'm going on a bit of a blogging vacation so I won't be able to update until I get back. See you all next time Potterheads!
Friday, 10 July 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 8: Snape, Snape, Severus Snape
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi all I'm Back! It's been a while but life's been busy, again, and I've been working on a couple of projects I've had going for a while, and couple new ones. I will attempt to keep a regular updating schedule but as usual I make no promises.
Summary:
This chapter starts off as an ordinary day at Hogwarts, people wandering around trying to get to their first classes of the year, doubling back to get a good look at the Boy-Who-Lived and his friend...oh wait, that's unusual, and confusing I'd imagine. They find their classes and you meet Professor Flitwick, the charms professor, who falls off his stack of books taking role when he reached Harry's name. Professor McGonagall who changed her desk into a pig and back and set them to learning how to transfigure matchsticks into needles. and the potions master, Professor Snape. Who seems to loathe Harry just for existing, and asks him questions no first year (except maybe Hermione) would know the answer to. At the feast Harry got the terrible feeling that professor Snape may not like him, despite not having met him before, he was wrong of course, professor Snape absolutely hates him through no fault of his own. Other than meeting the professors not really much happens in this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is mostly exposition and setting the scene for late chapters with the relationships between characters, mostly the teachers and our favourite trio of not-yet-friends. Personally I don't like the way Snape treats Harry or Neville but you're not supposed to. Although I kind of do understand the need to terrify you class a bit especially in a potions lab. Anything that were to happen, like a cauldron explosion, could be disastrous, like in a chemistry lab. All in all it's a good chapter if a bit introduction heavy.
That's all for now folks, I'll be back soon with the next chapter review, hopefully it's less than a month this time...until then keep reading, and writing and comment!
Hi all I'm Back! It's been a while but life's been busy, again, and I've been working on a couple of projects I've had going for a while, and couple new ones. I will attempt to keep a regular updating schedule but as usual I make no promises.
Summary:
This chapter starts off as an ordinary day at Hogwarts, people wandering around trying to get to their first classes of the year, doubling back to get a good look at the Boy-Who-Lived and his friend...oh wait, that's unusual, and confusing I'd imagine. They find their classes and you meet Professor Flitwick, the charms professor, who falls off his stack of books taking role when he reached Harry's name. Professor McGonagall who changed her desk into a pig and back and set them to learning how to transfigure matchsticks into needles. and the potions master, Professor Snape. Who seems to loathe Harry just for existing, and asks him questions no first year (except maybe Hermione) would know the answer to. At the feast Harry got the terrible feeling that professor Snape may not like him, despite not having met him before, he was wrong of course, professor Snape absolutely hates him through no fault of his own. Other than meeting the professors not really much happens in this chapter.
Review:
This chapter is mostly exposition and setting the scene for late chapters with the relationships between characters, mostly the teachers and our favourite trio of not-yet-friends. Personally I don't like the way Snape treats Harry or Neville but you're not supposed to. Although I kind of do understand the need to terrify you class a bit especially in a potions lab. Anything that were to happen, like a cauldron explosion, could be disastrous, like in a chemistry lab. All in all it's a good chapter if a bit introduction heavy.
That's all for now folks, I'll be back soon with the next chapter review, hopefully it's less than a month this time...until then keep reading, and writing and comment!
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone; Chapter 7: Magical Talking Hat
Spoilers ahead: Read with caution
Hey readers I'm back! I know I promised weekly reviews and it's been, like, a month but job hunting and life in general really got in the way, I haven't even been reading Struggle to Salvation as diligently as I meant to. But anyway, I'm back now, with the Sorting Hat chapter!! (yes I know I've been neglecting my polls too, but for now on with the show!)
Summary:
OK, from Hogsmede station they move up toward the school, for the traditional journey. For older students they ride the carriages, but the first years get a special treat, the get to ride in boats across the lake. So they all split off into groups of four and head off across the lake with Hagrid. When they disembark the boats Hagrid finds Neville's toad Trevor and leads them to the door, from there the meet Professor McGonagall who takes them into the school and into an antechamber off the great hall, from there they await the sorting, everyone speculating on how it works. They are lead in to the great hall and Professor McGonagall calls roll alphabetically to get them sorted. Some are hat stalls, some are not. Our intrepid trio get into Gryffindor (even though Harry was almost in Slytherin) and the feast commences. After the feast they sing the school song (I always wondered how the founders
came up with that, I think Salazar and Godric got drunk one night). From there they move to their common rooms and go to bed. In this chapter we also meet Peeves, the Poltergeist (he drops a bundle of walking sticks on Neville's head) and the house ghosts.
Review:
All in all a bit of an expose chapter but really good, I really like this chapter, and not just for the sorting hat song. I always wondered why Peeves wasn't in the movies, he's such a great character, throughout all the books but they totally left him out! It also always made me wonder, if the sorting hat was meant to sort the students impartially, how can it be so easily talked out of placements? Like, if you take Hermione for example, it's obvious she'd do well in Ravenclaw and I know the hat is supposed totake your choice into account and she obviously made a wonderful Gryffindor but why did she talk the hat out placing her there? (I'm a Ravenclaw and it's an amazing house so maybe I'm a tad biased). Also, I think, in the books, what else bothered me was that everyone always said that Gryffindor was the good house and Slytherin was the evil house that sets them up for life! I mean, there were some bad wizards who were in Slytherin sure, but there was at least one in Gryffindor too. There were a lot of good wizards in Slytherin, Merlin himself among them, and let's not forget Regulus Black, but because of the Dark Lord they all get tarred with the same brush and it bugs me to no end (OK rant over). Either way, all in all I find this chapter really great and for the purposes of the story it does set up some really nice house rivalries.
That's it for today, hopefully it won't take me a month to get back it this time, I'll even do my best to update the polls. Until next time!
Hey readers I'm back! I know I promised weekly reviews and it's been, like, a month but job hunting and life in general really got in the way, I haven't even been reading Struggle to Salvation as diligently as I meant to. But anyway, I'm back now, with the Sorting Hat chapter!! (yes I know I've been neglecting my polls too, but for now on with the show!)
Summary:
OK, from Hogsmede station they move up toward the school, for the traditional journey. For older students they ride the carriages, but the first years get a special treat, the get to ride in boats across the lake. So they all split off into groups of four and head off across the lake with Hagrid. When they disembark the boats Hagrid finds Neville's toad Trevor and leads them to the door, from there the meet Professor McGonagall who takes them into the school and into an antechamber off the great hall, from there they await the sorting, everyone speculating on how it works. They are lead in to the great hall and Professor McGonagall calls roll alphabetically to get them sorted. Some are hat stalls, some are not. Our intrepid trio get into Gryffindor (even though Harry was almost in Slytherin) and the feast commences. After the feast they sing the school song (I always wondered how the founders
came up with that, I think Salazar and Godric got drunk one night). From there they move to their common rooms and go to bed. In this chapter we also meet Peeves, the Poltergeist (he drops a bundle of walking sticks on Neville's head) and the house ghosts.
Review:
All in all a bit of an expose chapter but really good, I really like this chapter, and not just for the sorting hat song. I always wondered why Peeves wasn't in the movies, he's such a great character, throughout all the books but they totally left him out! It also always made me wonder, if the sorting hat was meant to sort the students impartially, how can it be so easily talked out of placements? Like, if you take Hermione for example, it's obvious she'd do well in Ravenclaw and I know the hat is supposed totake your choice into account and she obviously made a wonderful Gryffindor but why did she talk the hat out placing her there? (I'm a Ravenclaw and it's an amazing house so maybe I'm a tad biased). Also, I think, in the books, what else bothered me was that everyone always said that Gryffindor was the good house and Slytherin was the evil house that sets them up for life! I mean, there were some bad wizards who were in Slytherin sure, but there was at least one in Gryffindor too. There were a lot of good wizards in Slytherin, Merlin himself among them, and let's not forget Regulus Black, but because of the Dark Lord they all get tarred with the same brush and it bugs me to no end (OK rant over). Either way, all in all I find this chapter really great and for the purposes of the story it does set up some really nice house rivalries.
That's it for today, hopefully it won't take me a month to get back it this time, I'll even do my best to update the polls. Until next time!
Friday, 15 May 2015
The Harry Potter Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Chapter 6: Journey to Hogwarts
Spoilers Ahead: Read with Caution
Hi everybody I'm back again, this time we Journey from London to Hogwarts with Harry, join me!
Summary:
OK, so this one starts off with Harry back at the Dursley's after shopping in Diagon Alley. No one actually knows how the Dursley's got off the rock, it never says. The rest of the summer passes fairly without incident and on August 31st Harry goes to the Dursley's to ask about driving him to London, of course, Vernon, being the monsters that he is only agrees because he's going to London anyway with Dudkey. Of course you'll remember that in Chapter 4 when Hagrid was introduced he gave Dudley a pig's tail so they need to have it removed before he goes to Smelting's. Well, they go to London and it goes about as well as you'd expect. When he can't find the platform (Hagrid, conveniently forgot to mention it) the Dursley's leave him there without a second thought (They're terrible people, I think we covered this). Well, he wanders around trying to find the entrance to the platform and eventually DA DA DA DA! the Weasley cavalry arrives! Ginny is predictably adorable for a 10 year old and the twins are surprisingly serious and helpful and Ron is, well, Ron. The Weasley's are wonderful and should be protected from the machinations of evil at all costs. Molly helps Harry get through the barrier and the twins help him get his trunk on the train. He kind of watches the Weasleys and wishes he had family like them. Well the train journey gets underway and Ron comes to sit with Harry and the twins introduce them to each other, they become fast friends and Harry gets his first chocolate frog card (Dumbledore) and they meet Hermione and Neville (he's lost his toad again). Finally they reach Hogsmede station and the real journey begins.
Review:
I adore this chapter, we meet the Weasley's who are wonderful and caring and Molly sends Harry a sweater for Christmas even though he;s not a Weasley. It really shows that from the time he became Ron's Friend, nay, from the time he met the Weasley's on the platform he became an honorary Weasley. You also meet Hermione, then a bushy-haired, buck-toothed know-it-all who spews facts like a dictionary. She just wants to prove she's the best at everything and it shows. However, at the time she's trying to help Neville find his toad and finds Ron about to cast a fake spell given to him by his twin brothers Fred and George (who are at the time, down the other end of the train with Lee Jordan who has a Giant Tarantula. Hermione comes in, spouts facts at them, tells them to get changed and leaves with Neville. We also meet Draco Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle and Scabbers does the only useful thing he's ever done and bites Goyle's finger. They leave and our protagonists finally get dressed in their school robes and arrive at Hogsmede station.
So, this is the review on Chapter 6, I know I didn't get more than one chapter review done last week, life got nuts and I never got around to doing this review. I should have another review done in a couple of days but it is the Victoria Day long weekend so you never know, either way it should be done soon.
See you for the Sorting!!
Hi everybody I'm back again, this time we Journey from London to Hogwarts with Harry, join me!
Summary:
OK, so this one starts off with Harry back at the Dursley's after shopping in Diagon Alley. No one actually knows how the Dursley's got off the rock, it never says. The rest of the summer passes fairly without incident and on August 31st Harry goes to the Dursley's to ask about driving him to London, of course, Vernon, being the monsters that he is only agrees because he's going to London anyway with Dudkey. Of course you'll remember that in Chapter 4 when Hagrid was introduced he gave Dudley a pig's tail so they need to have it removed before he goes to Smelting's. Well, they go to London and it goes about as well as you'd expect. When he can't find the platform (Hagrid, conveniently forgot to mention it) the Dursley's leave him there without a second thought (They're terrible people, I think we covered this). Well, he wanders around trying to find the entrance to the platform and eventually DA DA DA DA! the Weasley cavalry arrives! Ginny is predictably adorable for a 10 year old and the twins are surprisingly serious and helpful and Ron is, well, Ron. The Weasley's are wonderful and should be protected from the machinations of evil at all costs. Molly helps Harry get through the barrier and the twins help him get his trunk on the train. He kind of watches the Weasleys and wishes he had family like them. Well the train journey gets underway and Ron comes to sit with Harry and the twins introduce them to each other, they become fast friends and Harry gets his first chocolate frog card (Dumbledore) and they meet Hermione and Neville (he's lost his toad again). Finally they reach Hogsmede station and the real journey begins.
Review:
I adore this chapter, we meet the Weasley's who are wonderful and caring and Molly sends Harry a sweater for Christmas even though he;s not a Weasley. It really shows that from the time he became Ron's Friend, nay, from the time he met the Weasley's on the platform he became an honorary Weasley. You also meet Hermione, then a bushy-haired, buck-toothed know-it-all who spews facts like a dictionary. She just wants to prove she's the best at everything and it shows. However, at the time she's trying to help Neville find his toad and finds Ron about to cast a fake spell given to him by his twin brothers Fred and George (who are at the time, down the other end of the train with Lee Jordan who has a Giant Tarantula. Hermione comes in, spouts facts at them, tells them to get changed and leaves with Neville. We also meet Draco Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle and Scabbers does the only useful thing he's ever done and bites Goyle's finger. They leave and our protagonists finally get dressed in their school robes and arrive at Hogsmede station.
So, this is the review on Chapter 6, I know I didn't get more than one chapter review done last week, life got nuts and I never got around to doing this review. I should have another review done in a couple of days but it is the Victoria Day long weekend so you never know, either way it should be done soon.
See you for the Sorting!!
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