HBP: Chapter 17 - A Sluggish Memory
We start off in the aftermath of Percy's visit for xmas. Who threw the mashed parsnips at Percy? I'm just curious. Fred, George and Ginny all claimed credit (349) but we never found out who did it. Ron tells his mom "yeah, don't worry about us or about Percy. He's such a prat, it's not really a loss, is it?" (349) Should we be more worried about Percy? JK says he is not under an inperious curse so what is up with him? Is he working undercover for the order? Voldemort? himself? Can he or will he redeem himself? What part does he have left to play in the series?
Was it safe for the kids to return to school using Floo powder. Harry arrived in McGonagall's office. Was this the only place students returned to the school or did other students come through other teachers offices. It is said that McGonagall "barely glanced up from her work" (350) when Harry arrived. Should she have been paying more attention to who was entering the school? Anyone/thing get in that wasn't supposed to?
Just reinterating what I already said when Harry tells Hermione about the converstation he heard between Draco and Snape he says: "And he's acting on Voldemort's orders, just like I said!" "Hmm... did either of them actually mention Voldemort's name?" Harry frowned, trying to remember. "I'm not sure... Snape definitely said 'your master', and who else would that be?" " I don't know," said Hermione, biting her lip. "Maybe his father?" (352-353) So who is this 'master' could be anyone. Is it Lucius Malfoy like Hermione proposes. She is usually right about these things. Anything else you don't remember about the conversation Harry?
Harry thinks it proves that Draco is a deatheater when Hermione reminds Harry about Draco's threat to Borgin about sending Greyback to check on him. I am more likely to go with Hermione's theory that it was an empty threat. Draco is usually a lot of talk and very little action if you hadn't noticed by now.
It is mentioned again that you can't apparate inside Hogwarts castle. So what were Dobby and Fawkes doing when they appeared and disappeared inside Hogwarts in COS. Were they not apparating? What were they doing then?
Still mentioning how blackened and burned Dumbledore's right hand is. Must be important since we keep hearing about it. Who else has problems with their right hands? Wormtail? Is there a connection there?
Dumbledore says that "The Prophet" is bound to report the truth occasionally, if only accidentally. (357) What other times has the paper reported something that was true? Anything important that we should be looking for there?
Why does Dumbledore tell harry to put the conversation between Snape and Draco out of his mind and that he didn't think it was of great importance (358). Why would Dumbledore say that? Does he already know what is going on? He didn't seem overly suprised by the news. In fact Dumbledore seems to get angry at Harry when he won't drop the subject. Is it part of a bigger plan. By telling Harry to put it out of his mind is he worried that someone will read his mind and be able to figure out something by learning about this conversation? What are you up to Dumbledore? Definatly don't want Harry to interfere but won't tell him what is going on either.
Dumbledore mentions that during Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts he gathered a group of 'dedicated friends' which Dumbledore claims he felt 'not affection for' (361). Who all belonged to this group of friends? Did they all become Death Eaters? How can Dumbledore be so sure that Tom felt no affection or connection to these 'friends'? By calling them 'friends' doesn't that contradict the point Dumbledore previously made in which he said that Voldemort/Tom never had a friend in his life?
How convient that Dumbledore got the memory from Morfin. How did he know about the incident inorder to get the memory. What else happened that Morfin didn't rememer? Anything important? What did Tom do with the ring? How did Tom alter his memory? Was there anything else that Tom altered in Morfin's mind that could be imporant? Did Tom alter anyone else's memories? Dumbledore and Harry infer that Tom stole Morfin's wand to kill the Riddles. Sounds good but is it correct? More theories and speculation are they all correct or is Dumbledore wrong about anything?
How did Tom learn about Horocruxes? Why was Slughorn so insistent on changing the memory? It doesn't seem that bad. Tom just asked him about what a Horocrux was and Sughorn told him some background information. Its not like he taught Tom how to make a Horocrux or encouraged him to do it? Or did he?
Dumbledore gives Harry homework, to get Slughorn's real memory about what happened between him and Riddle. Is it really a homework assignment or is Dumbledore just using Harry to get what he wants? Why does Dumbledore think that Harry could get the real memory when he could not?