Harry Potter Commentary: rambles
Well! I'm home with a sore throat and a fever, thanks, allergies and awesome weather, and although sleeping is great for a fever (1) it is nigh impossible when it is this hot out and (2) it is certainly not helping me with the force liquids thing that I know will help with the sore throat. As such, I have opted to sit here for a while and do something I promised myself I'd do a while ago.
My goal is to re-read all the Harry Potter books before Book 7 comes out. Yes it makes me a pretty huge nerd, but most of the books I've only read once. I also know the series has grown on me since the beginning - and I know the series itself has grown in complexity etc. So this will be me going through the books, chapter by chapter, making notes and comments on ...things.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Chapter One
- I know there is apparently some great secret about the Dursley family that is to be revealed; I am looking for signs for it. Dudley has a tantrum the day that Voldemort is killed. But maybe he's just a kind of whiny bitch.
- Dumbledore, apparently, can Apparate silently.
- I find it funny that Dumbledore makes such a big deal about "calling You-Know-Who by his proper name: Voldemort", when we know the guy's name is Tom Riddle. I mean, for crying out loud, Voldemort is also a scary-ass name: not as bad as You-Know-Who, but still a title of OMGSCARYDEATH. So... why play along?
- "Hagrid's late." Hagrid's the one who informed McGonagall that Dumbledore was coming to Privet Drive. Hagrid shows up on Sirius Black's motorcycle. How? I - don't they all still think that Sirius Black is the Secret-Keeper and also a traitor? Wouldn't that flag suspicion in anyone's mind? Why was Sirius at the Potter's house with Hagrid? I - I need to re-read Book 3 and see just how much Dumbledore knows. I assume he knows that the Potters are protected under Fidelius - but - did he cast the charm? Does he know that they chose Peter as the Secret-Keeper rather than Sirius?
Chapter Two
- The comment about Mrs. Figg made me laugh out loud. "Made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned." HEE!
Chapter Three
- Harry is already CAPSLOCKING IN RAGE on page 35 of Book 1. Please note this, people who were surprised at all of Book 5.
Chapter Four
- HAGRID! Yays. I am full of fear that Hagrid will die in Book 7. I admit it!
- Lily's family was proud of having a witch in the family. Petunia turns nasty about it?
- No one knows why Voldemort went to the Potter's house to kill them (prophecy: not well-known). Lily and James were Head Boy and Girl. Voldemort's curse also destroyed the Potter's house. Just writing information down, here.
- I like that Draco reminds Harry of Dudley when they first meet. Spoiled little brat, is right.
- Even Hagrid thinks Hufflepuff is a "lot o' duffers". Why the hate, JKR? Why the Hufflepuff hate?
- Oh, Draco's introduction. What if - what if Harry had shaken that hand? I mean, it's obvious Draco's a nit, but ...still. Also, Scabbers saves the day? Peter Pettigrew, I never knew you liked the taste of Draco! Peter/Draco OTP?
Chapter Seven
- The Sorting Hat. Plenty of courage; not a bad mind; talent, yes; thirst to prove himself; could be great. It's interesting.
- Harry's dream? Quirrel's turban telling him to transfer to Slytherin? Even now, is Harry seeing inside Voldemort's mind?
Chapter Eight
- Alright, so Snape. Snape is already being a vindictive little snot, now isn't he? The very first day, and JKR is setting him up as a ridiculously mean character, especially when Harry Potter is concerned. She doesn't even try to make him sympathetic - or, at least, not yet. So our first impression of his character is that he's just basically a twat. It's interesting, considering how important his character becomes later.
Chapter Nine
- And Draco sets off Harry for - well, certainly not the last time. The realization that he could be expelled doesn't even seem to register as he kicks off of his broom after Draco. However, it is Draco's picking on Neville that seems to set him off the most -- he can ignore Malfoy when it's only digs against him, but when it's digs against someone else, Harry gets angry.
- And Harry sneaks out of his dorm for the first time. I guess no one has really told him how bleeding special he is, now have they?
Chapter Ten
- Oh, Hermione. You're such a little snit in the beginning of these books, I'd forgotten. She must have been a blast to write, really.
- And Harry launches off on another "saving-people" thing. He thinks of Hermione, when no-one else does. He and Ron go to save her. And really, Ron shows incredible bravery here - throwing things at the troll - why does no one in fandom love Ron? He casts the levitation spell and defeats the troll! Saving Hermione! OMGTHEIRLOVEISSOFATED. But - really? People who say Ron's a twit who doesn't belong in Gryffindor? Look at his first little battle here! Seriously!! It's Ron and Harry doing all the work, while poor Hermione is frozen in fear. Let's give Ron some credit for casting awesome magic under pressure, shall we?
Chapter Eleven - Quiddich
- Suspicion of Snape! It's almost too easy, now isn't it? And even Hermione focuses in on Snape chanting (although we all know now that he's chanting a counter-curse), and -- I'm just interested, is all. The one thing you learn about the HP books is that when JKR makes something obvious, usually it's wrong, except in Book 6 when it's Malfoy. ;)
Chapter Twelve - The Mirror of Erised
- Why - Why does Dumbledore have James Potter's Invisibility Cloak? Did James not think he'd need it in hiding? Did he know that their days were numbered or something? Did Dumbledore need the cloak (it does say that they are very rare, although you'd think someone awesome like Dumbledore would've had one, or known some kind of spell like it)? And it doesn't even say that like "I had this cloak", it definitely says that James Potter GAVE the cloak to Dumbledore. BRAINSTORM WITH ME, PEOPLE!
- THE MIRROR. Oh, Harry breaks my heart here. Poor boy. It's like the one time he's sentimental.
- Then Dumbledore says he doesn't need a cloak to become invisible! So why is James's cloak in his keeping?
- Also -- Dumbledore's the only one who knows the prophecy. Why'd he give Harry an Invisibility Cloak to let him out and about and roam and get into all kinds of danger and trouble? It says a lot that Dumbledore is willing - no, eager - to give Harry this chance to be a normal boy at Hogwarts. I'm sure from another point of view it's ridiculously stupid, too.
Chapter Fifteen
- The centaurs seem to know how important Harry Potter is, at least.
Chapter Sixteen
- And! Harry gets angry, Harry is convinced he's right, Harry puts himself in danger and goes after the Stone himself. Harry gives an angry tirade of a lecture about how important it is to get Voldemort. And Ron and Hermione come with him.
- Hermione in a crisis! She knows all the facts but can't put it together! "There's no wood." "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?" Good old Ron, keeping her in line. OMGTHEIRLOVEISSOCANON.
- Ron playing chess! He's so clever! WHAT THE HECK, FANDOM!!
- Yet Hermione figures out the Potions puzzle. So crisis = bad, but logic puzzle - OK. Good old Hermione. It's funny what this first book says about everyone's character.
Chapter Seventeen
- So Snape was trying to threaten Quirrel, huh? Possibly trying to figure out what was going on with Voldy?
- James and Lily were brave, brave enough to impress Voldemort. James died first, and bravely, but even Voldemort says Lily need not have died. INTERESTING. Lily's the Muggleborn - he claims to hate Muggleborns - why not kill her for marrying pureblood James?
- Dumbledore seems pleased that Harry figured out everything about Flamel, etc.
- The very first question Harry asks is why Voldemort wants to kill him. Dumbledore doesn't answer (of course). This is the first time we learn that Harry is marked with the love of his mother. And we learn about Snape and James Potter, at least a little bit. There's so much information that's just hinted here -- I can't wait to get to the other books to dig in deeper.
- it's an interesting discussion about Dumbledore here. Harry thinks that Dumbledore meant for him to have a chance at Voldemort. It means that Dumbledore, probably, knows a lot more about the situation between Harry and Voldemort than we do at this point in the series. He knows about Harry's protection from Lily, he gave Harry the cloak, he knows Ron and Hermione are at Harry's side -- and he probably knows how not-powerful Voldemort is at this particular time, since he knows about the Horcruxes. Harry's so young, and he just found out about the wizarding world a year ago, but Dumbledore still thinks he's strong enough to face off with Voldemort's remains.
- I know I'm still harping on the way that everyone got around the trials, but I find it interesting that Ron is awarded points for his brilliant chess game, and Hermione is awarded points for her great logic, and Harry's points are for "pure nerve and outstanding courage". Doesn't that sound like "being a strong-headed git" to anyone?
So. We learn that Harry's got a temper, that he's really easy to set off when it comes to picking on other people, and that he's got a certain disrespect for the rules when it comes to doing things he wants to do. The most trouble he gets in this book is saving Hagrid (in a way, really -- getting rid of Norbert so that Draco doesn't tell on Hagrid), and he does seem to feel really guilty about that, but it didn't stop him before.
Anyway. It's still not my favourite book, but it works as an introduction to the series, giving enough information and enough of a challenge / mystery / suspense / plot driver / what have you / whatever that it's not just a boring Wizarding-World infodump. And that's that - on to Book 2.
My goal is to re-read all the Harry Potter books before Book 7 comes out. Yes it makes me a pretty huge nerd, but most of the books I've only read once. I also know the series has grown on me since the beginning - and I know the series itself has grown in complexity etc. So this will be me going through the books, chapter by chapter, making notes and comments on ...things.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Chapter One
- I know there is apparently some great secret about the Dursley family that is to be revealed; I am looking for signs for it. Dudley has a tantrum the day that Voldemort is killed. But maybe he's just a kind of whiny bitch.
- Dumbledore, apparently, can Apparate silently.
- I find it funny that Dumbledore makes such a big deal about "calling You-Know-Who by his proper name: Voldemort", when we know the guy's name is Tom Riddle. I mean, for crying out loud, Voldemort is also a scary-ass name: not as bad as You-Know-Who, but still a title of OMGSCARYDEATH. So... why play along?
- "Hagrid's late." Hagrid's the one who informed McGonagall that Dumbledore was coming to Privet Drive. Hagrid shows up on Sirius Black's motorcycle. How? I - don't they all still think that Sirius Black is the Secret-Keeper and also a traitor? Wouldn't that flag suspicion in anyone's mind? Why was Sirius at the Potter's house with Hagrid? I - I need to re-read Book 3 and see just how much Dumbledore knows. I assume he knows that the Potters are protected under Fidelius - but - did he cast the charm? Does he know that they chose Peter as the Secret-Keeper rather than Sirius?
Chapter Two
- The comment about Mrs. Figg made me laugh out loud. "Made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned." HEE!
Chapter Three
- Harry is already CAPSLOCKING IN RAGE on page 35 of Book 1. Please note this, people who were surprised at all of Book 5.
Chapter Four
- HAGRID! Yays. I am full of fear that Hagrid will die in Book 7. I admit it!
- Lily's family was proud of having a witch in the family. Petunia turns nasty about it?
- No one knows why Voldemort went to the Potter's house to kill them (prophecy: not well-known). Lily and James were Head Boy and Girl. Voldemort's curse also destroyed the Potter's house. Just writing information down, here.
- I like that Draco reminds Harry of Dudley when they first meet. Spoiled little brat, is right.
- Even Hagrid thinks Hufflepuff is a "lot o' duffers". Why the hate, JKR? Why the Hufflepuff hate?
- Oh, Draco's introduction. What if - what if Harry had shaken that hand? I mean, it's obvious Draco's a nit, but ...still. Also, Scabbers saves the day? Peter Pettigrew, I never knew you liked the taste of Draco! Peter/Draco OTP?
Chapter Seven
- The Sorting Hat. Plenty of courage; not a bad mind; talent, yes; thirst to prove himself; could be great. It's interesting.
- Harry's dream? Quirrel's turban telling him to transfer to Slytherin? Even now, is Harry seeing inside Voldemort's mind?
Chapter Eight
- Alright, so Snape. Snape is already being a vindictive little snot, now isn't he? The very first day, and JKR is setting him up as a ridiculously mean character, especially when Harry Potter is concerned. She doesn't even try to make him sympathetic - or, at least, not yet. So our first impression of his character is that he's just basically a twat. It's interesting, considering how important his character becomes later.
Chapter Nine
- And Draco sets off Harry for - well, certainly not the last time. The realization that he could be expelled doesn't even seem to register as he kicks off of his broom after Draco. However, it is Draco's picking on Neville that seems to set him off the most -- he can ignore Malfoy when it's only digs against him, but when it's digs against someone else, Harry gets angry.
- And Harry sneaks out of his dorm for the first time. I guess no one has really told him how bleeding special he is, now have they?
Chapter Ten
- Oh, Hermione. You're such a little snit in the beginning of these books, I'd forgotten. She must have been a blast to write, really.
- And Harry launches off on another "saving-people" thing. He thinks of Hermione, when no-one else does. He and Ron go to save her. And really, Ron shows incredible bravery here - throwing things at the troll - why does no one in fandom love Ron? He casts the levitation spell and defeats the troll! Saving Hermione! OMGTHEIRLOVEISSOFATED. But - really? People who say Ron's a twit who doesn't belong in Gryffindor? Look at his first little battle here! Seriously!! It's Ron and Harry doing all the work, while poor Hermione is frozen in fear. Let's give Ron some credit for casting awesome magic under pressure, shall we?
Chapter Eleven - Quiddich
- Suspicion of Snape! It's almost too easy, now isn't it? And even Hermione focuses in on Snape chanting (although we all know now that he's chanting a counter-curse), and -- I'm just interested, is all. The one thing you learn about the HP books is that when JKR makes something obvious, usually it's wrong, except in Book 6 when it's Malfoy. ;)
Chapter Twelve - The Mirror of Erised
- Why - Why does Dumbledore have James Potter's Invisibility Cloak? Did James not think he'd need it in hiding? Did he know that their days were numbered or something? Did Dumbledore need the cloak (it does say that they are very rare, although you'd think someone awesome like Dumbledore would've had one, or known some kind of spell like it)? And it doesn't even say that like "I had this cloak", it definitely says that James Potter GAVE the cloak to Dumbledore. BRAINSTORM WITH ME, PEOPLE!
- THE MIRROR. Oh, Harry breaks my heart here. Poor boy. It's like the one time he's sentimental.
- Then Dumbledore says he doesn't need a cloak to become invisible! So why is James's cloak in his keeping?
- Also -- Dumbledore's the only one who knows the prophecy. Why'd he give Harry an Invisibility Cloak to let him out and about and roam and get into all kinds of danger and trouble? It says a lot that Dumbledore is willing - no, eager - to give Harry this chance to be a normal boy at Hogwarts. I'm sure from another point of view it's ridiculously stupid, too.
Chapter Fifteen
- The centaurs seem to know how important Harry Potter is, at least.
Chapter Sixteen
- And! Harry gets angry, Harry is convinced he's right, Harry puts himself in danger and goes after the Stone himself. Harry gives an angry tirade of a lecture about how important it is to get Voldemort. And Ron and Hermione come with him.
- Hermione in a crisis! She knows all the facts but can't put it together! "There's no wood." "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?" Good old Ron, keeping her in line. OMGTHEIRLOVEISSOCANON.
- Ron playing chess! He's so clever! WHAT THE HECK, FANDOM!!
- Yet Hermione figures out the Potions puzzle. So crisis = bad, but logic puzzle - OK. Good old Hermione. It's funny what this first book says about everyone's character.
Chapter Seventeen
- So Snape was trying to threaten Quirrel, huh? Possibly trying to figure out what was going on with Voldy?
- James and Lily were brave, brave enough to impress Voldemort. James died first, and bravely, but even Voldemort says Lily need not have died. INTERESTING. Lily's the Muggleborn - he claims to hate Muggleborns - why not kill her for marrying pureblood James?
- Dumbledore seems pleased that Harry figured out everything about Flamel, etc.
- The very first question Harry asks is why Voldemort wants to kill him. Dumbledore doesn't answer (of course). This is the first time we learn that Harry is marked with the love of his mother. And we learn about Snape and James Potter, at least a little bit. There's so much information that's just hinted here -- I can't wait to get to the other books to dig in deeper.
- it's an interesting discussion about Dumbledore here. Harry thinks that Dumbledore meant for him to have a chance at Voldemort. It means that Dumbledore, probably, knows a lot more about the situation between Harry and Voldemort than we do at this point in the series. He knows about Harry's protection from Lily, he gave Harry the cloak, he knows Ron and Hermione are at Harry's side -- and he probably knows how not-powerful Voldemort is at this particular time, since he knows about the Horcruxes. Harry's so young, and he just found out about the wizarding world a year ago, but Dumbledore still thinks he's strong enough to face off with Voldemort's remains.
- I know I'm still harping on the way that everyone got around the trials, but I find it interesting that Ron is awarded points for his brilliant chess game, and Hermione is awarded points for her great logic, and Harry's points are for "pure nerve and outstanding courage". Doesn't that sound like "being a strong-headed git" to anyone?
So. We learn that Harry's got a temper, that he's really easy to set off when it comes to picking on other people, and that he's got a certain disrespect for the rules when it comes to doing things he wants to do. The most trouble he gets in this book is saving Hagrid (in a way, really -- getting rid of Norbert so that Draco doesn't tell on Hagrid), and he does seem to feel really guilty about that, but it didn't stop him before.
Anyway. It's still not my favourite book, but it works as an introduction to the series, giving enough information and enough of a challenge / mystery / suspense / plot driver / what have you / whatever that it's not just a boring Wizarding-World infodump. And that's that - on to Book 2.