Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Deathly Hallows Discussion: Chapters 11-15

While waiting for Kreacher to return with Mundungus Fletcher, the trio wiled away time about Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. The first sign of strains begin to show as little bouts of bickering bursts amongst them, but not turning into anything serious. They finally get a visit from someone in the Wizardingworld: Remus Lupin. Aided with a current copy of The Daily Prophet, Lupin lets them know how the world around them is slowly delving deeper into Lord Voldemort’s shroud of darkness. He lets them know that, though everyone is fine after the ambush on Bill and Fleur’s wedding, the Burrow was searched from top to bottom in addition to several houses connected with the Order of the Phoenix. One amusing thing to note here is that Ron’s ghoul trick actually worked as the Ministry officials stayed well clear of it.

The Ministry’s actions are not done without reason, as Lupin shows Harry a large picture of him in the Daily Prophet with the headline: “Wanted For Questioning About The Death Of Albus Dumbeldore”. He notes that this is a successful ploy to cause confusion, mistrust and fear in the Wizarding world, as people will not know who to trust anymore. The Daily Prophet holds more bad news, as Harry and Co. find out about the Muggle-Born Register. Witches and Wizards with Muggles as parents and no proof of magical ancestry will be assumed to have stolen the magic they possess and thus punished. Lupin offers to join the trio on their journey, but Harry is not quick to accept his offer. He questions Lupin about leaving behind his new bride, Tonks, which leads to Lupin letting them in a voice full of dismay that she is pregnant. Lupin goes on to admit that he regrets marrying Tonks, as he has now caused both her and their unborn child to be outcasts seeing as he is a werewolf and shunned in the community. Harry holds no sympathy for Lupin and tells him flat out that he is bailing out on his family and is a coward for doing so. The makes Lupin blast Harry away in rage and walk out on them all. The Daily Prophet holds more unpleasant news as Harry comes across an extract from Rita Skeeter’s Biography of Dumbledore that revolves around his mother Kendra, and the mysterious way in which she hid awayher daughter, Dumberdore’s sister, Ariana from the world.

Kreacher finally returns from his Mundungus hunt successfully, and the trio find out the Mundungus had indeed seized the locket in the hope of selling it for some profit. Instead, they were horrified to find out that Dolores Umbridge got it off him as a bribe for not reporting him as an illegal merchant. Harry hands over Regulus’ fake locket as a sign of goodwill to Kreacher. This small act of kindness changed the house elf’s disposition to them all, as he became warm-hearted, caring and friendly. After several weeks of planning, the trio finally decide to infiltrate the Ministry to grab a hold of the locket. They disguise themselves as three Ministry workers, by means of Polyjuice potion.

Once within the Ministry, they are sicknedby a statue in the middle of the Ministry’s Atrium that is composed of a handsome pair of witch and wizard sitting upon a throne of Muggle bodies. They find out that Umbridge is the head of the Muggle-born registration commission and the three get separated, with Hermione following Umbridge to the courtroom to question Muggle-born wizards, Ron trying to get rid of a rain curse in an office of a wizard, and Harry looking for Umbridge’s office. After making sure that the locket is not in Umbridge’s office, Harry makes his way down to the courtroom where Umbridge is questioning Muggle-borns, Hermione by her side. Harry sees the locket around Umbridge’s neck, and acting in impulse, blasts her with a stunning spell. They grab the Horcrux and make their way out of the Ministry, but not all in one piece as Ron ended up being splinched when they disapparated, a piece of his arm missing. The trio are unable to return to Grimmauld Place, their refuge of several months, due to the Ministry finding its location.


This brings us to a new section of the story, when Harry and Co., not having a safe place anymore, are forced to move from area to area, setting up camp and surrounding themselves with protective enchantments every time. The three examine the locket, and can all feel a heartbeat within it as though there is a living being inside. Knowing that the Horcrux can have a dark effect upon anyone who comes in direct contact with it, they decide to take turns to wear it. Harry is the first, and while he keeping watch outside the tent, his scar begins to prickle and he sleeps off into a day dream. Harry is Voldemort looking at the wizard Gregorovitch suspended upside down. He demands an item from the suspended wizard, but the wizard shows Harry that the item has been stolen by a golden haired thief. Harry demands the identity of the thief, and with Gregorovitch not knowing, kills him with a flash of green light. Harry wakes up, sprawled on the floor. Wondering who the thief was, where the other Horcruxes are, where they should off to, what they should do next, the trio while the time away Disapprating and Apparating in different areas of England. The strain, stress and bickering increases as they go on their days repeating the same things that have been said before not discovering anything new or useful, with Horcrux casting a darkness upon its bearer.

One evening, while arguing about the state of the food they are forced to eat, the trio hear voices outside their tent. Protected by the enchantments around their tent, they are delighted to discover a company of wizards and goblins on the run as well. Harry and Co. eavesdrop on their conversation, learning of the even worse state the wizarding world has fallen into. They learn that Ginny, Neville and Luna had attempted to snatch the Gryffindor sword from Snape’s headmaster office, but were caught and punished. This incident lead to the sword being transferred to a vault in Gringotts for safekeeping. One of the Goblin’s delightfully reveals that the sword that is in the vault is in fact a fake wizard-made one and that the original goblin-made one is still somewhere to be found. Delighted by this news, Harry and Hermione are quick to begin brainstorming why Dumbeldore switched the swords and where the real one might be. Ron however, does not share in their delight.


With the locket around his neck, he attacks Harry, telling him that the sword is just another thing they have to find in addition the Horcruxes, and that Harry has no idea what he is doing at all. Ron tells Harry that both he and Hermione are disappointed in him. Stung, Harry yells at Ron to go home if thats how he felt. Ron demands of Hermione her decision of staying or leaving. Hermione lets him know that she is sticking with Harry, and with that Ron walks out on his two best friends leaving them both shocked at the sudden turn of events.
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Questions:

1- What do you think of Lupin’s new found feelings for his wife and unborn child? Do you agree with Harry on branding him a “coward”?

2- How much do you loath Umbridge and what is your main reason for doing so?
(Sorry, the question's a bit biased because I seriously hate this woman)

3- Do you see any connection’s with the story’s “pure blood, mud blood” statuses and our own real world?

4- What do you think of Ron walking out on his friends? Do you understand why he did it?

Review and questions by Sara.

22 comments:

  1. Your review was to the point, very precise way of describing the events. ;) Great job!!

    Now to the questions.
    1- What do you think of Lupin’s new found feelings for his wife and unborn child? Do you agree with Harry on branding him a “coward”?
    Yes, I think Harry was right in what he did since he knows what it's like to live without a father, how could Lupin abandon them so? Tonks knew what she was getting herself into and she loved him. I admire Lupin a lot, but I know this was a moment of weakness for him and I think he'll soon regret it.

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  2. Really nice review!

    Well Harry might have reacted a bit too much, as tensions were rising because Kreacher didn't return yet... Though for a moment I thought Lupin might have been a fake but then it turned out to be the real him and harry was a bit mean.

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  3. 1. Harry was too mean, I'd say, but I fully supported him. He did have a convenient reason, he knows what's it like being without a father, he also realizes that James wouldn't have done the same thing if he were in Lupin's shoes. I loved that he didn't act in the right sense of the word or show much respect in this case as it might serve the purpose. Lupin might go back to his senses.

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  4. 2- How much do you loath Umbridge and what is your main reason for doing so? (Sorry, the question's a bit biased because I seriously hate this woman)
    I absolutely detest this woman, she's evil personified. What's even more enraging is how normal she thinks she is, not normal but nice and right. My main reason for hating her is when she made Harry write I must not tell lies, that was just beyond evil. The 5th book was so so different and evil because of her.
    God, I hate her too!!!!

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  5. 2. I really hate her! First of the werewolve thing, I felt bad that she wrote something like that... Poor Lupin, made it hard for him and also the things she did in Hogwarts! And how she hated "half-breeds"!

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  6. Forgot to answer the first part of the first question. As Lupin said, he regrets marrying Tonks.. I sort of understand that with what werewolves being shunned and all but I hate him for trying to get away from her, for not being happy that he'll soon have a baby. You could sense that from the first chapters, he just wasn't himself from the beginning.

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  7. Yes, I agree Noor, what she did to Harry was really cruel but Harry being awesome as he is, took it!

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  8. @kitten yes that's quite right. He actually wasn't, he was acting weird but it's because of all the changes happening and now Tonks' family is in danger too. It's all so sad.

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  9. 3. The relationship between the classifications J.K. used are found in real life, yes and it's happening although the more and more people are being flexible and open about it. You'll find people in relationships dating people from different family names, when marrying it's not strictly within a family anymore but it does exist... Among Royal family members they wanna maintain their status

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  10. Umbridge? Her squeaky voice is enough to put anyone into a comma. Her pinkish fetish made me hate the colour. In The Order of The Phoenix, she was so mean and especially deserved when Fred and George fled away and caused chaos when they were having their OWls (I think?)

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  11. Haha ok I'll just jump it and quote Kitten: "In The Order of The Phoenix, she was so mean and especially deserved when Fred and George fled away and caused chaos when they were having their OWls (I think?)" I LOVED what the Twins did in this part of the story I was laughing so much. Fred and George <3 The movie doesnt do them justice =(

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  12. Sara: They're really hilarious. I think I'd miss their humor the most.

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  13. 3- Do you see any connection’s with the story’s “pure blood, mud blood” statuses and our own real world?
    Yes, that's a very good question. It's sort of like racism, isn't it? It's just really upsetting now that Voldemort is back. When ron was defending heromine and how he was upset over it. it feels so real, the conflict that is.

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  14. i LOVE fred and george, i have a twin sister but we're not that funny but it's so much fun having them around :D

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  15. 3. Gotta agree with Noor. It's definitely like racism, thinking a certain group of people are superior than the other. I liked how it pisses Ron off but the whole Muggle-born registration commission in order to determine who's a real wizard or not is stupid. I mean, they could steal the wand but they are supposed to have magical abilities in order to perform magic, right?

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  16. Noor Get ready to be bombarded by questions about how awesome it is having a twin :P

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  17. 1- What do you think of Lupin’s new found feelings for his wife and unborn child? Do you agree with Harry on branding him a “coward”?

    I realize that Lupin must have had it rougher than most with him being a werewolf and society as a whole shunning him. Therefore I dont fully understand where he is coming from when he is being so bad to the woman who accepted him and loved him for who he is. I assume this is not cowardice that is showing in him, as Harry branded it, but utter guilt that is slowly gnawing at him to the point where he needs to get away. I dont believe that Tonks realizes how Lupin is feeling either.

    2- How much do you loath Umbridge and what is your main reason for doing so? (Sorry, the question's a bit biased because I seriously hate this woman)

    Lol I think I hate this woman more than I hate Voldemort xD Voldemort is kinda cool =P This woman is revolting. Her hight pitched voice, her hair full of bows, her kitten plates, her
    girlish laugh ... ugh! Book five was hard to get through for me because I felt so much anger by her actions and words. I suppose that the worse thing she did was making Harry write those lines into his hand with his own blood in a room full of adorable kittens meowing. Seriously sick.

    3- Do you see any connection’s with the story’s “pure blood, mud blood” statuses and our own real world?

    Yes there is a connection, and I think that Rowling was trying to teach us a lesson here with how horrible it is to have such branding in a society. The fact that we have the most cleverest witch being born a "mudblood" is saying something big =)We are all equal and having a caste system is utter evil.

    4- What do you think of Ron walking out on his friends? Do you understand why he did it?

    No, I dont understand why he did it. I hate Ron for his actions and had I been there I would not have forgiven him easily. Ron has had it better than both Hermione and Harry. He still has his parents, a large family, a loving home. Hermione has given up her parents, not knowing if she can ever see them again, while Harry lived his life with no one. Ron is throwing a tantrum (aided by the locket) for not having his tummy full and a warm bed to sleep in. I was honestly so confused by his reaction to the news of Gryffindor's sword, telling Hermione and Harry that they forgot about him. So childish xD

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  18. 4- What do you think of Ron walking out on his friends? Do you understand why he did it?
    I thought it very mean, but it's sort of the locket's affect, perhaps it's affected him the most since he's so worried about his family and he's justified in that but I mean everyone was sacrificing a lot. It was so sad seeing them split like this.
    And specially that Heromine was forced to choose between going with him and staying with Harry. She shouldn't have been subjected to such a situation.
    BUT it's definitely gets you reading more because it's action and excitment!

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  19. What about Kreacher you guys? I mean I used to hate him honestly, he was brainwashedt the way he treated them afterwards was good, making them food and such. I mean he sort of learned his lesson even started respecting Heromine who stood up for him. Do you think if Death Eaters had him he would tell them all about the trio or would he remain loyal?

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  20. #4. I understand Ron's frustration, I know I would have thought the same things if I were in his shoes. He wanted to see results but he wasn't exactly the most co-operative person in the trio. On the other hand, he WAS worried about his family, he didn't have any info about them. All this though didn't prepare me for the shock of him leaving. You can't imagine the trio without him. Then again, he wasn't thinking straight, he was hungry, uncomfortable with his wound and just wanted to go home.

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  21. Noor: I was thinking about the same question. Kreacher being a house-elf and being a royal servant to his master, I'd be worried if he rat the news have to the Death Eaters, we'll just have to wait and see if he would.

    Coming to what happened to Hogwarts, how do you think Ginny and the others knew about the Sword? Did Harry tell them that Dumbledore passed it to him and he's supposed to be hold of it now?

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  22. Kitten: Ginny, and everyone at the Burrow knew that Dumbledore left the sword to Harry because after the minister left, the trio told everyone about Dumbledore's will.
    I really liked it that Ginny and others at Hogwarts were doing something, it definitely made Harry feel they weren't alone. Of course, he felt scared for them but still.

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