HBP: Chapter 16 - A Very Frosty Christmas
Harry tells Ron and Hermione that Snape was offering to help Draco. Is that what Snape was talking to Draco about? Remeber that Harry came into this conversation part way through and missed the first half. What did we miss? What were Snape and Draco really talking about? Can we trust Harry to give us an unbiased opinion about anything involving Snape or Draco?
Ron says that Fred & George tried to get him to make an unbreakable vow when he was 5. What kind of vow were they trying to get him to make. Could they really have performed this spell that young? How did Fred & George learn about unbreakable vows? Would Ron really have died as he said if he had made the vow and broken it?
Uh... Harry... I'm not sure what to think when you say "No one's that good an actor, not even Snape." (328) How good of an actor is Snape? He sure has been playing one if not both sides since both Dumbledore and Voldemort think he is on their side.
Did anyone else notice that the angel on top of the tree was a petrified garden gnome? How long did the spell last? What happened when the gnome became unpetrified? Probably not important but I'm still curious...
Lupin tells Harry "It isn't our business to know... It's Dumbledore's business. Dumbledore trusts Severus and that ought to be good enough for all of us." (332) Why does Dumbledore trust Snape? What happened? Why does no one know why Dumbldore trusts Snape? What would change if others knew why Dumbledore trusts Snape? Is it smart of the Order to follow Dumbledore's judgement so blindly without questioning why he does things or trusts certain people? Is or has Dumbledore ever been wrong about something or someone?
Lupin tells Harry that he has been living among the werewolves working as a spy for Dumbledore. Does anyone suspect that Lupin is a spy for Dumbledore? What would happen to him if the other werewolves found out? It is mentioned that Lupin sounded a little bitter about his role in the order. (334) Why would Luping be bitter? Is it about the fact that he is being made to live with the werewolves or something else. Could he be convinced to change sides? One thing has always bothered me about Lupin. In the book PoA (not the movie) it is briefly stated and never elaborated upon that Sirius thought that Lupin (not Wormtail) was the spy for Voldemort. Why would Sirius have thought that? Was Wormtail the only spy for Voldemort from their group of friends? Could Lupin (or Tonks?) be working both sides like Snape?
Harry checks the date of his potions book and finds out that it was published "nearly 50 years ago". Who was at Hogwarts "nearly 50 years ago"? Hagrid? Tom Riddle? Malfoy? Did someone have the book before Snape? Was anything written in it when Snape got the book? When did Snape get the book? When he was a student? A teacher? Should Harry have looked closer at the potions book rather than being disappointed and throwing it back into his trunk? Would Harry have learned anything interesting if he looked closer at when the book was made?
Harry got presents from Mrs. Weasley, the twins, and Kretcher. Nothing from Dobby, Hagrid or Hermione this year? Where did Kretcher get the maggots and how did he get the package delivered to Harry? Why maggots? Was there anything else in the package besides maggots? Did anyone look? Why wasnt anyone more surprised to see maggots in Harry's hair later in the day?
What did Lupin think about Tonk's partonus changing forms into a big four legged creature? What was Harry about to guess what the patronus was? We never find out cause that is the exact moment Percy arrives.
Scrimgeour asks Harry where Dumbledore goes when he is absent from Hogwarts. Why would he think that Harry would know? Where is Dumbledore going and what is he doing. Why is it so secret that non one knows? Scrimgouer says since Harry won't tell him he will have to find out by "other means". What does he mean by that? What are these "other means"? Was is a smart thing for Harry to anger the minister of magic like that and so quickly after meeting him?