Comments | a_chapter_a_day: Chapter 24

cheeringcharm in a_chapter_a_day

Chapter 24 - Sectumsempra

Sep 09, 2005 15:00

Harry tells Ron and Hermione about the horcruxes during charms. Ron is so astounded that he makes it snow which leads to the first time JKR uses a non-aggressive adverb in describing Hermione talking to Ron. SCORE! Of course, Lavender can tell that Hermione is talking "patiently" instead of snapping, berating, or otherwise belittling Ron and she ( Read more... )

Comments 149

darkeyedwolf September 9 2005, 20:04:03 UTC

Totally OT, but afksff;hsf your icon. *ADORES*

anonymous September 9 2005, 21:05:34 UTC

Not for nothing, IIRC Malfoy was in the process of casting Cruciatus when Harry hit him with Sectusempra. So... poor Malfoy for almost dying, but not really.

anonymous September 9 2005, 22:37:56 UTC

So... poor Malfoy for almost dying, but not really.

Yeah, I agree. Again, everyone are so concerned with Harry's behavior, that they forget that what Malfoy was about to do. What McGonagall really expected him to do, let himself get hit with the curse? But since when faireness is part of Hogwarts life?

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Re: here via the Daily_Snitch merrymelody September 14 2005, 17:19:42 UTC

I think people just recognize that Harry was extremely reckless in casting a spell the effects of which *he didn't even know*.

Especially since he was aware that it was intended for enemies. (And had been looking forward to testing it on someone, which I think sometimes fans also forget.)]
And presumably that it was fairly harmful, since he instinctively used it in an emergency situation, although that's really extrapolation.

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anonymous September 9 2005, 22:33:20 UTC

OK, now that I've got that out of my system :D Harry is monumentally stupid in this chapter. Using Sectumsempra on Malfoy without knowing what it does? He deserves every bit of detention and then some.

I agree that he shouldn't have used this spell, but Draco was going to use an unforgivable on him, a crime which can be punished with a life sentence in Azkaban. It's not like he just attacked Draco. In a way, Draco got off easy, he was hurt, but didn't got any punishment on attemping to use the cruciatus curse. He did have the right to defend himself.

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anonymous September 9 2005, 23:11:53 UTC

I agree that this wasn't the right spell to use, and Harry did show luck of judgment here, but what bothers me is that Hermione, McGonagall and the rest didn't even care what cause him to use the spell. I would like to see what Hermione, who loved to lecture others all the time would do in a situation like this? Would she have managed to stay so calm and logical in danger? What would McGonagall do if someone was about to use an unforgivable on her? Whould she bothered being nice and polite to him? So even though I agree it was really wrong to use this place, I really don't think someone could be blamed that much for something he does in self defense in a situation like this. And if Draco had managed to curse Harry I'm sure Snape wouldn't have punished him at all.... He would have punished Harry like he always do. But Snape I never expected to be fair.

Thread 17

cadesama September 9 2005, 23:15:30 UTC

You know, Harry wouldn't have to rely on the Prince's spell to prevent eavesdropping if the Order had decided to train him up on some spells that might be helpful to a Chosen One.

"Ron looked immensely guilty and turned his back on her." -- Emphasis mine. I never really sympathized with Lavender before this moment when Ron is acting like an utter cad. Doesn't help that Ron was terrible to her the whole book. Argh, sorry, this whole scene sums up why I dislike the treatment of romance in this book. Everyone is just so petty and caught up with what they want, never mind who else might get hurt ( ... )

muggle_prof September 9 2005, 23:48:16 UTC

"Ron looked immensely guilty and turned his back on her." -- Emphasis mine. I never really sympathized with Lavender before this moment when Ron is acting like an utter cad. Doesn't help that Ron was terrible to her the whole book

So glad to hear you say that, because I really felt for poor Lavender here. Ron misuses her and treats her badly and he then doesn't even have to feel guilty for dumping her, because for one brief moment she comes to her senses and dumps him (but then she goes back to being a lovesick puppy.)

Did anyone actually care about Quidditch in this book? I've actually enjoyed it a lot in the past, but it seemed like the book itself didn't care this time around.
I've never much cared for it actually, but JKR's heart was definitely not in it this time around, because when she wants to she can create exciting sports scenes. I'm still trying to figure out how Gryffindor lost to Hufflepuff by about 300 points, but is still ahead of them in the standings, but "maths" as they say.

Do you think a Horcrux might be hidden ( ... )

Quidditch house_elf_44 September 10 2005, 02:32:37 UTC

...JKR's heart was definitely not in it this time around

Yes, another lovely kick in the gut from The Interview was hearing Jo say that Quidditch has been the bane of her life in the Harry Potter books. Very nice.

Re: Quidditch cadesama September 10 2005, 02:49:02 UTC

Yeah. Why invent something and make it integral to your books if you don't even like it?

Thread 32

madderbrad September 10 2005, 00:41:11 UTC

Cheering Charm, how can I say this ... I don't think your heart is in this any more :-). Still a riot to read your analyses though, please keep 'em coming. As another has commented, we need some good stuff out of HBP.

Snape returns and uses Legilemency (however you spell it) to see that Harry has the Half-Blood Prince's book.

I really got tired of every man and his dog being able to invade Harry's mind with impunity in this book. The lad had no privacy at all. Or am I exaggerating things? Snape does it multiple times (including making a total dunce of Harry in their final duel), Dumbledore I think (he's probably been doing it all along over the entire series, eyes twinkling madly as he discerns every one of Harry's lies), etcetera.

It is really lucky for Harry that Voldemort decided not to keep up those mental attacks.

Snape finds the wrong potions bookThe book, the book, the bloody book. In the end, did it really matter who the hell "the Prince" was? I suspect it's a case of my not seeing the forest for the trees, but the ( ... )

cheeringcharm September 10 2005, 02:18:37 UTC

Cheering Charm, how can I say this ... I don't think your heart is in this any more

Yes, you caught me. It's hard to get excited about such a poorly written book.

In the end, did it really matter who the hell "the Prince" was?Word. Who is the Half-Blood Prince is a non-sequiter. The answer doesn't matter and really has no impact on the plot of the book. Is Harry's skill in Potions integral to the plot? No. Does Harry using Sectumsempra on Draco affect the plot? No. Does the Half-Blood Prince's book have any sort of impact on the plot of the book at all? No. The Half-Blood Prince is integral to one scene in the book when Snape kills Dumbledore. Using that requirement to name the other books, you'd come up with titles such as: Harry Potter and The Man with the Stinky Purple Turban. Or Harry Potter and the Big Slimy Snake of Doom. Or how about Harry Potter and the Werewolf who Loved Me. The title of this book relates very little to the actual plot, unlike Sorcercer's Stone (the central object) Chamber of Secrets (the central object ( ... )

house_elf_44 September 10 2005, 14:30:32 UTC

Who is the Half-Blood Prince is a non-sequiter. The answer doesn't matter and really has no impact on the plot of the book. Is Harry's skill in Potions integral to the plot? No. Does Harry using Sectumsempra on Draco affect the plot? No. Does the Half-Blood Prince's book have any sort of impact on the plot of the book at all? No. The Half-Blood Prince is integral to one scene in the book when Snape kills Dumbledore.

That's what I thought, too. But then over analyzing spiders and webs made me realize that Snape is entirely responsible for Harry's situation because he told Voldemort what he heard. And then there's the irony that Harry treasures Snape in writing.

I love your titles and sense of humor.

madderbrad September 10 2005, 13:17:56 UTC

I really got tired of every man and his dog being able to invade Harry's mind with impunity in this book. The lad had no privacy at all. Or am I exaggerating things? Snape does it multiple times (including making a total dunce of Harry in their final duel), Dumbledore I think (he's probably been doing it all along over the entire series, eyes twinkling madly as he discerns every one of Harry's lies), etcetera.

I agree. This is one of the reasons I question the morality of characters like Dumbledore and Snape. They allow themselves to attack a person to get what they want. It seem most in the ww just don't care at all about human rights.