HBP thoughts
I am unnaturally excited because this weekend The Devil's Rejects is released. Rob Zombie is my favorite horror director. House of 1000 Corpses is possibly my favorite movie. There is no way this movie will not rock.
I've begun my leisurely re-read of HBP, and am already beginning to have Thoughts. I wasn't sure which Thought to start an entry on, so I went with the first one.
One thing that really interested me about HBP was Bellatrix in Chapter Two. She was very sane and rational, and all the traces of Azkaban seem to have disappeared from her- she is quite a bit less fanatical than she was even pre-Azkaban, for that matter.
The thing that surprised me most as I read the second chapter was that Bellatrix doubted Voldemort's judgement. One thing that seems set in stone throughout GoF and OOtP is that Bellatrix is a devout follower, but here she is revealed to both have independant thought and to critique her master's plans.
She is loyal to Voldemort, to be sure- she absolutely does not want Narcissa to say anything about Draco's plans, and offers up her hypothetical children to the cause (though I have to wonder about that offer, as hypothetical situations are much different from what Narcissa is going through). But above all she does not trust Snape, despite what Voldemort has said, despite the arguments Snape presents, despite it all Bellatrix senses what Voldemort does not- Snape is not loyal. ("The Dark Lord is... I believe... mistaken", p.21)
Of course, this could have a lot to do with her Legilimancy. And one has to wonder what kind of memories she has gained through Draco's mind as she trains him that could reinforce her distrust of Snape.
And, thinking to the end of OotP, when Dolores Umbridge has Harry & Co. trapped in her office, Draco is sent to get Snape to provide Veritaserum.
Draco watches as Snape denies having Veritaserum. Then Draco watches as Harry yells to Snape, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"
In light of what happens next, which Draco will have no doubt have questioned his aunt about in light of his father's punishment, it wouldn't be too hard to discern what Harry was shouting about.
Just the same, Bellatrix seems to be on the outs with Voldemort, possibly because of her doubts about Snape. ("Have you discussed this matter with the Dark Lord?" asked Snape. "He... lately, we... I am asking you, Snape!" p.30) The rift seems to be big, as Bellatrix gets several shocks about who knows what that someone as close to Voldemort as she thinks she is ought to know already. And by the end she gets the biggest shock as Snape goes through with the Unbreakable Vow.
Another curious thing is that Draco doesn’t seem to know about the Unbreakable Vow. It makes sense that his mother wouldn’t have told him about how she was certain he was on a kamikaze mission, but still, you’d think she would have warned him to trust Snape, or even to just work with him. Perhaps she did. But Draco seems to believe Bellatrix when it comes to Snape. In Draco and Snape’s confrontation in Chapter Fifteen, Draco basically echoes Bellatrix’s earlier suspicions when he says, “I’m not trying to conceal anything from him [Voldemort], I just don’t want you butting in!” A few lines later, Snape tells him about the Unbreakable Vow, but Draco brushes it off. Even though by the end of the book, they have re-embraced their buddy buddy act (even as Draco claims he wants to usurp Snape’s Right Hand Man status), there was that doubt.
I really have no clue with where I’m going with this. It just seems very important to me that Bellatrix, formerly president of the “I Love Voldemort!” fan club, is suddenly doubting his decision about Snape and is teaching her nephew to doubt Snape. I think mainly it is because it proves that Bellatrix is not following her leader blindly. She isn’t insane. She actually is showing quite good judgement, to doubt Snape’s loyalties.
One thing that I’ve struggled with in HP is the whys of the Death Eaters. Surely there can’t be enough straight-up psychos and dimwits in positions of power to make a successful organization to create an uprising. Some of the Death Eaters simply have to be intelligent people in positions of power. Greed and the thirst for more power, prejudice and whatnot are real factors, fear of the master once they get in are likewise likely, but these people take serious risks with little chance of reward, in many cases. I think that the Death Eaters have a lot more to lose in this war than the Order or the Ministry, yet they keep loyal to their cause.
Bellatrix lost her freedom, her life, is separated from her husband by Azkaban, lost her good looks, her youth, her family, yet she still is loyal. She has shown intelligence and sanity, yet is still devoted to her cause. I’m still not sure where I went with this, mainly that the character of Bellatrix intrigues me a lot more now than she did pre-HBP, when she appeared to be a crazy fanatic.
I've begun my leisurely re-read of HBP, and am already beginning to have Thoughts. I wasn't sure which Thought to start an entry on, so I went with the first one.
One thing that really interested me about HBP was Bellatrix in Chapter Two. She was very sane and rational, and all the traces of Azkaban seem to have disappeared from her- she is quite a bit less fanatical than she was even pre-Azkaban, for that matter.
The thing that surprised me most as I read the second chapter was that Bellatrix doubted Voldemort's judgement. One thing that seems set in stone throughout GoF and OOtP is that Bellatrix is a devout follower, but here she is revealed to both have independant thought and to critique her master's plans.
She is loyal to Voldemort, to be sure- she absolutely does not want Narcissa to say anything about Draco's plans, and offers up her hypothetical children to the cause (though I have to wonder about that offer, as hypothetical situations are much different from what Narcissa is going through). But above all she does not trust Snape, despite what Voldemort has said, despite the arguments Snape presents, despite it all Bellatrix senses what Voldemort does not- Snape is not loyal. ("The Dark Lord is... I believe... mistaken", p.21)
Of course, this could have a lot to do with her Legilimancy. And one has to wonder what kind of memories she has gained through Draco's mind as she trains him that could reinforce her distrust of Snape.
And, thinking to the end of OotP, when Dolores Umbridge has Harry & Co. trapped in her office, Draco is sent to get Snape to provide Veritaserum.
Draco watches as Snape denies having Veritaserum. Then Draco watches as Harry yells to Snape, "He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"
In light of what happens next, which Draco will have no doubt have questioned his aunt about in light of his father's punishment, it wouldn't be too hard to discern what Harry was shouting about.
Just the same, Bellatrix seems to be on the outs with Voldemort, possibly because of her doubts about Snape. ("Have you discussed this matter with the Dark Lord?" asked Snape. "He... lately, we... I am asking you, Snape!" p.30) The rift seems to be big, as Bellatrix gets several shocks about who knows what that someone as close to Voldemort as she thinks she is ought to know already. And by the end she gets the biggest shock as Snape goes through with the Unbreakable Vow.
Another curious thing is that Draco doesn’t seem to know about the Unbreakable Vow. It makes sense that his mother wouldn’t have told him about how she was certain he was on a kamikaze mission, but still, you’d think she would have warned him to trust Snape, or even to just work with him. Perhaps she did. But Draco seems to believe Bellatrix when it comes to Snape. In Draco and Snape’s confrontation in Chapter Fifteen, Draco basically echoes Bellatrix’s earlier suspicions when he says, “I’m not trying to conceal anything from him [Voldemort], I just don’t want you butting in!” A few lines later, Snape tells him about the Unbreakable Vow, but Draco brushes it off. Even though by the end of the book, they have re-embraced their buddy buddy act (even as Draco claims he wants to usurp Snape’s Right Hand Man status), there was that doubt.
I really have no clue with where I’m going with this. It just seems very important to me that Bellatrix, formerly president of the “I Love Voldemort!” fan club, is suddenly doubting his decision about Snape and is teaching her nephew to doubt Snape. I think mainly it is because it proves that Bellatrix is not following her leader blindly. She isn’t insane. She actually is showing quite good judgement, to doubt Snape’s loyalties.
One thing that I’ve struggled with in HP is the whys of the Death Eaters. Surely there can’t be enough straight-up psychos and dimwits in positions of power to make a successful organization to create an uprising. Some of the Death Eaters simply have to be intelligent people in positions of power. Greed and the thirst for more power, prejudice and whatnot are real factors, fear of the master once they get in are likewise likely, but these people take serious risks with little chance of reward, in many cases. I think that the Death Eaters have a lot more to lose in this war than the Order or the Ministry, yet they keep loyal to their cause.
Bellatrix lost her freedom, her life, is separated from her husband by Azkaban, lost her good looks, her youth, her family, yet she still is loyal. She has shown intelligence and sanity, yet is still devoted to her cause. I’m still not sure where I went with this, mainly that the character of Bellatrix intrigues me a lot more now than she did pre-HBP, when she appeared to be a crazy fanatic.