HBP: Chapter 19 - Elf Tales
Wow the twins are thinking about expanding their business already? Their shop in Diagon Alley must be doing really well if they are thinking about moving into Hogsmeade already. Who thought that a little joke shop would be so successful. So what is selling best the joke stuff or the other stuff the twins showed Harry earlier in the book. Do the twins sell to anyone who will pay them or are they selective about their customers? How far would they go to make their business successful? I am still worried about how dangerous some of the stuff they sell seems to be. Hope it doesnt get them into trouble... but its the twins can we expect anything less?
"Blimey, it was lucky you though of a bezoar," said George in a low voice. "Lucky there was one in the room," said Harry... (400) was it just luck? Seems a little too convient for it to be just luck... coincidence? Or as Buffy would say: "there are 2 things I don't believe in... coincidence and leprachauns... leprachauns don't exist right???"
Hermione theorizes that whoever poisoned the mead didn't know Slughorn that well. "Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself." (402) Hermione is usually right about these things but she is very upset over Ron and that usually clouds her judgement. Maybe the poisoner knew Slughorn well enough to know he'd keep it instead of giving it to Dumbledore... maybe that was part of the plan...
Hagrid tells us that "...Dumbledore's worried sick... He don' say much but I can tell..." (404) How can you tell Hagrid? Are your suspicions correct? Is Dumbledore really worried about the attacks on the school or is it something else he is worried about and just not telling you about? Hagrid also says "But he doesn't know who sent the necklace nor put poison in that wine, or they'd've bin caught, wouldn' they?" (404) Just because no one has been caught doesn't necessarily mean that Dumbledore does not know who is behind the attacks Hagrid. Would Dumbledore let the person behind the attacks continue if it was part of a bigger plan? All these little plots seem to be part of something bigger. What is the real plot? We think we know by the end of the book but are we correct? Unlikely...
Hagrid tells us that Dumbledore is angry at Snape. We later learn that Hagrid only guessed this after hearing part of a conversation between Snape and Dumbledore. We go along with Hagrid's theory but is he correct? As he says "Well - I jus' heard Snape sayin' Dumbledore took too much for granted an' maybe he - Snape' didn' wan' ter do it anymore... it sounded like Snape was feelin' a bit overworked, tha's all - anyway, Dumbledore told him flat out he'd agreed to do it an' that was all there was to it. Pretty firm with him. An' then he said summat abou' Snape makin' investigations in his House, in Slytherin." (405-6) Hmmm.... A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION! which I think will prove to be very important to the story. Unfortunately we didn't hear the whole thing and it was interpreted for us through a third party. So what were Snape and Dumbledore talking about? It seems pretty obvious at first but it you look closely this conversation could be interpreted several ways. So what did Snape promise Dumbledore he'd do that he is now having second thoughts about? Kill him? Is Snape really having second thoughts? Is he just mad at Dumbledore for making him do something so horrible? Is there an unbreakable vow here? Would that contradict the one Snape made with Narcissa? What is that about Snape making an investigation into Slytherin house? Is Dumbledore mad that Snape isn't doing it? Mad at him for doing the investigation? It seems like he knows that Draco is behind the attacks and doesn't want anyone (Snape or Harry) to interfere.... why would Draco's mission be so important to Dumbledore that he doesn't want someone to stop him? Harry thinks, so we probably will too, that this conversation means that Dumbledore no longer trusts Snape. Remember Harry you can trust someone and still get mad at them or disagree with them sometimes... So many possibilities...
Harry "had never been less interested in Quidditch; he was rapidly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy." (409) Is this obsession a new thing? Can he become anymore obsessed with Draco? You're starting to scare me Harry... Poor Draco! Does Draco notice that he is being stalked by Harry Potter or is he too busy? What does Draco think of this obsession?
Harry runs into Draco and 2 girls who looked "sulky and resentful" (412). Would that be Crabbe and Goyle using Polyjuice potion? Who are all these girls that Draco is having his friends turn into? Do they go to Hogwarts? Does Draco know them? How strange it is to see Draco with girls. Besides Pansy and his mother I don't think we've ever seen him with any other females... he's usually with daddy, Crabbe, Goyle or some guys from Slytherin. When he sees Harry Draco "gave a short, humorless laugh..." (412). What was that for Draco? What do you know Draco?
Yay! Love Luna as Commentator for the Quidditch match!
Another scene reminiscent of something from COS. If you can't apparate inside Hogwarts how do Kretcher and Dobby show up so quickly? Are what they are doing not apparting? What are they doing then? Why did Dobby come too if Harry just called for Kretcher? Why were Kretcher and Dobby fighting? What did Kretcher say about Harry? Why is Dobby so protective of Harry? Seems strange for something that lived in the Malfoy house his whole life...
Ohhh elf tales... they are tailing Malfoy... are these the only tales (tails) in the chapter? Anyone else being tailed?
When Harry tells Kretcher to tail Draco Kretcher responds "... Master wants me to follow the youngest of the Malfoys?" I found that to be an odd answer. Why would Kretcher have to clarify that. If Draco is an only of course he would be the youngest. Are there any other Malfoys that we don't know about?
Harry makes it clear that Kretcher cannot talk to Draco in his instructions but he doesn't tell Dobby the same thing. Could Dobby still talk to Draco and tell him about Harry having him tailed. Would Dobby ever talk to Draco? Did he fill Draco in on Harry's plan?