Chapter 30 - The White Tomb

[cheeringcharm]

Classes and examinations have been canceled. Students are being whisked away from Hogwarts by frightened parents. Ministry officials are staying at Hogwarts. Everyone is waiting for Dumbledore's funeral.

Harry spends his time with Ron, Hermione and Ginny, repeating his horcrux mantra, the locket...the cup...the snake...something of Gryffindor's or

Comments

[house_elf_44]

JKR said Ron matured in this book. When he said Eileen Prince wasn’t much of a looker, that reminded me of what he said before the Yule Ball. He got some snogging experience, and he can touch a girl without freaking out. That’s the extent of maturing I see. And he spoke before Hermione this time to say they’d be going with him

[muggle_prof]

Some say Madame Pince is Eileen Prince, hidden by Dumbledore. The thick black veil down to her knees would fit with that, and Snape getting along with Filch, too. We’ve never seen behavior from her that shows she loves being a school librarian, so maybe she’s another one like Trelawny and Firenze

Irma Pince = I am Prince
I love this theory. It also goes along with Dumbledore offering refuge to Draco and his mother; he could have done the same to Snape and his mother (and it could be part of the reason he trusts Snape). Is it just me, or did we see a lot more of Madam Pince in this book, as if we were supposed to notice her?

[woman_ironing]

Why have we not seen anyone use a Patented Daydream? Was it only for the image of a swooning girl on a pirate ship? I’m hoping it’s an obscure hint.

Some people have suggested it's a joke about the 'Passionate Trousers' books from the fanfic classic by epicyclical, The Draco Trilogy.

[troubleinchina]

Harry sees “the barman of the Hogs Head”. That’s Aberforth Dumbledore, who looks somewhat like Albus, so why doesn‘t Harry see “Dumbledore’s brother”?

Because despite that JKR has made this clear in interviews, it is *never* made clear in the books. At all. And it would confuse people who think that canon is only books, right? *sigh*

Sorry, this whole "find out the truth on the website" thing she keeps doing annoys the heck outta me.

If it weren’t for The Interview, I’d say it’s the R/Hr shippers who are seeing what isn’t there. I’m joining the people who think The Interview was a decoy.

I still don't see them as actually together. I see that they both like the other a lot, but that they're not dating.

Again, see above. God, woman, just *write it in the book*.

[shocolate]

*sigh*

Ron taking such good care of Hermione.

Harry protecting Ginny, so he can come home to her when it is all over.

Ron and Hermione taking such good care of Harry.

Oh, I hope they're not officially together yet - wouldn't it be wonderful to see it at Bill's wedding? Because if Harry sees it, then we see it - and we have waited even longer than Harry has, because he didn't really get it until after the Yule Ball!

But look how they behave as a couple - Ron speaking for both of them when he tells Harry that they are coming with him.

Oh, Ronniekins!

She has been so patient - except for the canaries, and you deserved those - and now you know how to kiss and breathe at the same time.

*sigh*

[greyashowl]

Your summaries have made reading this worthwhile :)

[shocolate]

thank you.

I put a great deal of thought into it.

[greyashowl]

I'm just saddened you didn't use the word 'twirly':P Cause I was thinking just that after reading Ron and Hermione even with such a sombre moment occuring.

[muggle_prof]

well, I actually thought this chapter was a pretty good wrap-up for the book, and got a little sniffly at the centaurs' 21-arrow salute, but still have lots of questions. Such as

[pilly2009]

Harry says Snape was "just like Voldemort. Pureblood mother, muggle father, ashamed of his parentage, trying to make himself feared using the Dark Arts, gave himself an impressive new name..." It just seems way too simple and clearcut for that to be the end of the story. (Plus I really am disturbed by the implication that when witch marries muggle, you've got the perfect setup for the next evil overlord. That certainly flies in the face of the anti-prejudice message to me.)

jazzypom wrote a fascinating essay on the subject of race and halfbloods in the wizarding world, which touched on the three main-character halfbloods in the Potterverse and brought up some really good points. I do think that while Snape may not exactly have been ashamed of his muggle heritage, he definitely took pains to embrace his magical side over his muggle side

[muggle_prof]

Some say Madame Pince is Eileen Prince, hidden by Dumbledore. The thick black veil down to her knees would fit with that, and Snape getting along with Filch, too. We’ve never seen behavior from her that shows she loves being a school librarian, so maybe she’s another one like Trelawny and Firenze

She is also described as having a hooked nose, just like Snape (when Harry and Hermione are in the library, don't remember which chapter)

[cadesama]

Pureblood mother, muggle father, ashamed of his parentage, trying to make himself feared using the Dark Arts, gave himself an impressive new name..." It just seems way too simple and clearcut for that to be the end of the story.

Well, that, and it doesn't make any sense. Why acknowledge your shameful ancestry while you are trying to come up with an impressive name?

(Plus I really am disturbed by the implication that when witch marries muggle, you've got the perfect setup for the next evil overlord. That certainly flies in the face of the anti-prejudice message to me.)

I'm really trying to restrain myself from asking what anti-prejudice message. I know, I know, the books are all over trying to tell us that prejudice is bad and blood isn't everything. It would just work better if all the baddies hadn't been born into bad families, and Harry wasn't good simply by virtue of sorting correctly.

[cadesama]

"because it was hard to forgo his best source of comfort" -- Harry might as well be talking about giving up drinking. The only angle on the relationship is how it affects him, and not at all how Harry sees Ginny as a person. He needs the comfort. He can't be distracted by her. He can't lose another person. Am suddenly reminded of Anakin's speech to his mother from AotC. Aaaand I'm done.

You go, Hermione, cling to your tiny shreds of rightness! It's very important that Snape is related to Eileen Prince . . . I'm sure.

Argh, are we going to get recaps at the ends of the books as well as the beginnings now? Yeah, we know you spent time with Dumbledore, Harry. We've read the books.

Uh, Harry, Ginny wasn't used as bait in CoS because she was your best friend's sister. She was used because she was Tom Riddle's instrument, and he was dead bored with her.

I'm sorry, but Harry going back to the Dursleys is just an unforgivably stupid plot device. Even if we play along, and assume that Harry actually is safe there (despite all

[woman_ironing]

I very honestly hope that the graves of Harry's parents are a) tacky tourist attractions and b) empty, because his parents are now Inferi. Serve him right for never visiting in six years.

Lol!

Oh cadesama, you have become bitter! Come on now. Have a sit down, a nice cup of tea, and a slice of malt loaf. Works for me.

[cadesama]

But but but . . . wishing bad things on Harry doesn't make me bitter! It makes me enjoy the plot of the book! Now, wishing that Dumbledore would become an Inferius simply so that he can die a second time . . . that show I'm bitter.

[madderbrad]

Ha ha ha!! Okay, I've enjoyed your anti-Dumbledore stance over this book, and you've had the evidence to back it up, but I thought by now I was inured to your treasonous diatribes against the world's most powerful/best wizard. But this one sneaked up when I wasn't expecting it (must have been your shortest entry ever) and caught me by surprise. LOL, good stuff.

[rainfletcher]

Any sympathy I might have had for the relationship between Ginny and Harry evaporated in this chapter with her claim that she never really gave up on him. Just the tiniest change in that sentence could have made the biggest difference: Why not "A part of me never really gave up on you" instead? That's something that I imagine more people can identify with, and Ginny could have come across as much less manipulative and obsessive, and much more of a hopeless romantic instead

[trash_addict]

Harry wasn't the only one to feel a surge of affection as Luna helped Neville onto the scene. Want more, please. Perhaps it was their limited exposure, but these two came across as truly heroic in the way they rose to the occasion (unknowingly at a disadvantage because of the lack of Felix). How odd that JKR has said that these two aren't destined for couplehood, only to give them a scene-let to make the Government Stole My Toad crowd gasp delightedly. I really hope these two have a major part yet to play, but I was hoping that for this book as well...

I adore Luna and Neville. I think they should have their own series. If they were a couple i'd find them much more palatable than any of the canon couples.
And once again, JKR writes great scenes for non-couples.