The Trio in PS/SS and HBP
My first Harry Potter, non-icon/manip post :D!
I was just reading over the last few chapters of Philosopher's Stone and I noticed huge similarities between a scene in PS and a scene in HBP regarding the trio.
Pg. 197, Chapter 16, Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone, Canadian (also British) Edition.
'...I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?'
'You're right, Harry,' said Hermione in a small voice.
'I'll use the invisibility cloak,' said Harry. 'It's just lucky I got it back.'
'But will it cover all three of us?' said Ron.
'All--all three of us?'
'Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?'
'Of course not,' said Hermione briskly. 'How do you think you'd get the Stone without us. I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful...'
Pg. 606-607, Chapter 30, Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, Canadian (also British) Edition.
'I'm not coming back even if it [Hogwarts] does reopend,' said Harry.
Ron gaped at him, but Hermione said sadly, 'I knew you were going to say that. But then what will you do?'
[Harry talks about going to the Dursleys' and then to Godric Hollow to visit his parents' grave.]
'And then what?' said Ron.
'Then I've got to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, haven't I?' said Harry, [and he continues to talk about the horcruxes and Snape].
There was a long silence. [Descriptive text about the funeral]
'We'll be there, Harry,' said Ron.
'What?'
'At your aunt and uncle's house,' said Ron. 'And then we'll go with you, wherever you're going.'
'No-' said Harry quickly; he hadn't counted on this, he had meant them to understand that he was undertaking this most dangerous journey alone.
'You said to us once before,' said Hermione quietly, 'that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?'
'We're with you whatever happens,' said Ron.
---
Yikes, reading those scenes bring tears to my eyes. But anyway, isn't it amazing how similar these scenes are? Even down to the basic structure:
Harry telling Ron and Hermione about his plan.
Hermione acknowledging his plan.
Harry explaining what he is going to do.
Ron declaring that they (Ron and Hermione, as in we *quick Good Ship grin*) were going with him.
Harry's shock and hesitation at this declaration.
Hermione's instant agreement with Ron's declaration.
I know that the structure similarities could easily be over- analysis but it's so brilliant!
These two scenes, with a six-year difference really show that while some things change, other things always stay the same. Ron and Hermione will always follow Harry wherever he goes and Harry will always be hesitant to let them come (for their own safety of course). What's interesting is that after all these years and numerous situation where Ron and Hermione have gone with him, Harry is still surprised at their undying loyalty.
What's even more brilliantly done is JKR's reference to the end of the first book at the end of HBP when Hermione says, 'You said to us once before that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time, haven't we?'
That's a reference to pg. 201 of PS:
'If you want to go back, I won't blame you,' he said. 'You can take the cloak, I won't need it now.'
'Don't be stupid,' said Ron
'We're coming,' said Hermione.
And we all know that Harry needed Ron and Hermione. He couldn't have gotten to the mirror without Ron and Hermione, period. I wonder if that gives us a clue for the seventh book. Will there be points in the book where he needs Ron and Hermione?
My obsession of this series can largely be attributed to the friendship of the trio that she introduced so beautifully in the first book and she continues to show the strength of friendship throughout the series. JKR never seizes to amaze me.
Alright, off to be now. Gaia.