Little Questions Answered

Someone opened a thread that I thought was about little questions but turned out not to be. I did a search and didn't find anything, As always, mods, feel free to close or move or merge.

I had a little question about the mouth organ on Dumbledore's table and I didn't know what mouth organ he was referring to. Someone also opened a thread on why Fleur was called Phlegm and that was answered.

So it seemed like we needed to start this thread for HBP.

umm... young Tom Riddle at the orphanage had a mouth organ (I assume that's a harmonica?) in his possession when DD set Tom's dresser on fire - a mouth organ was one of the things that rattled in the box thus showing it belonged to someone other than Tom and that he stole it, basically.

But, I actually had a question as to why Harry expected it to be sitting on the place where the ring was the time before? DD says that it's very "astute" of him - why? I completely missed it! Was it because Harry thought that DD was placing real objects to remind him of the memory he had just seen?

But, I actually had a question as to why Harry expected it to be sitting on the place where the ring was the time before? DD says that it's very "astute" of him - why? I completely missed it! Was it because Harry thought that DD was placing real objects to remind him of the memory he had just seen?
That's what confused me. Except for the mouth organ/harmonica in Riddle's box of stolen items, I don't think it was mentioned.

The quote is on Page 278. "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

"And on that enigmatic note, he waved to Harry, who understood himself to be dismissed?"

That's the part I don't understand. How does "enigmatic" fit in. Is Dumbledore hiding something that I missed after that?

I'm so glad this question asked because I'm utterly stumped when it comes to the mouth organ comment. I also assumed that it had to do with the mouth organ in the Riddle's box at the orphanage, but what on earth did Harry mean by saying he expected it to be there?

Unless, but I find this a bit unlikely, Harry was referring to Dumbledore having held onto something (Voldemort's ring in this case) that didn't belong to him, and now having returned it. But... I don't know. That passage was a bit obscure to me.

I thought of something that made sense when I was reading..But now I forget ><

That's the part I don't understand. How does "enigmatic" fit in. Is Dumbledore hiding something that I missed after that?

One, I always go on the assumption that Dumbledore knows and means more than he says outright, so "enigmatic" really should be a constant implication.

Two, there have always been what might be considered a non-dearth of adjectives and adverbs floating around these books. Not complaining! Just an observation.

EDIT: HAS always been. Argh.

I am having a little difficulty in placing this scene and how much Harry knew at this point, but these are my first thoughts, please let me know if they don't make sense in the timeline (I really do need to finish my re-read :blush:).
I think that the reason Dumbledore said it was astute was because Harry was sort of thinking that his trophies were to become Horcruxes (or at that point at least something of importance) and he remembered one of Tom's trophies that he saw in the memory. The reason I would think that Dumbledore is described as waving Harry off on an enigmatic note is because he doesn't say more than that, perhaps it is only meant to be enigmatic to us because Harry seems to understand what they are talking about.

The first item from the pensieve memory (the ring) was then on DD's table. So the second time an object struck Harry's interest, he again looked for it on DD's table. DD praises Harry (for learning to be observant?) but also tells him that the mouth organ was nothing more than it appears to be. Since Harry didn't yet know all of the things the ring was (for example, a Horcrux), DD's remark is "enigmatic" because Harry doesn't quite know what DD's implying about the ring.

"Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

What I think Dumbledore meant by this was that the mouth organ was just a mouth organ, but the ring was there last time because it was a horcrux. The mouth organ wasn't.

I think it just means that some of Voldemort's trophies might be a Horcrux, but the vast majority of them will not be. Red herrings can distract you from focusing on the important clues. Harry will have to investigate and judge and plan to find them all.

There might be more, though--why the mouth organ in particular? Why does Dumbledore think it's a good guess? Maybe just because it's one of the few things Jo actually named, or maybe something more.

Harry knew the ring was once a horcrux, and the ring was on the table the last time Harry visited Dumbledore. This time Harry says, "The ring's gone...But I thought you might have the mouth organ or something." Harry remembers that Voldemort likes to keep trophies from his crimes against people, and Harry knew Voldemort turned one trophy into a horcrux, so why not another? However, Harry doesn't know (or doesn't remember Dumbledore telling him -- I can't recall when Dumbledore brought this to Harry's attention) that Voldemort only uses valuable trophies.

So, Harry was being astute. He was using his critical thinking skills. I find that to be reassuring -- that he was in fact taking the horcux business very seriously.

Well i think that as somebody said Harry was thinking maybe DD put items from the scenes on the table to remind Harry of what he had seen and the reason the word "enigmatic" fits in is where DD says "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth-organ was only ever a mouth-organ" implying that the ring was something more and so thats why it had been, at this point we dont know what the ring could have been since we havent heard about horcruxes yet, therefor it makes the comment unclear, or enigmatic.

The mouth organ comment I thought was a dig at fans. Basically saying that we seem to make a fantastic theory out of every single object in harry potter. So why can't objects just be objects

I was baffled by this at first also.

Do you think Harry was thinking that, perhaps, all of LV's otherwise meaningless material possessions could be horcruxes? Was he recalling the harmonica in Tom Riddle's box of stolen things at the orphanage?

I still don't understand. :sigh:

The mouth organ comment I thought was a dig at fans. Basically saying that we seem to make a fantastic theory out of every single object in harry potter. So why can't objects just be objects

That makes a lot of sense!! :tu:

The mouth organ comment I thought was a dig at fans. Basically saying that we seem to make a fantastic theory out of every single object in harry potter. So why can't objects just be objects

Hee! Perhaps, but not a nasty one. Others have used it--sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, in a ST:TNG episode: sometimes a cake is just a cake.

JK Rowling has said that she liked our theories (read on the Leaky Cauldron website). I don't think she'd take a nasty dig.

It was meant for Harry to use his thinking skills as was previously said.

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...

But, I actually had a question as to why Harry expected it to be sitting on the place where the ring was the time before? DD says that it's very "astute" of him - why? I completely missed it! Was it because Harry thought that DD was placing real objects to remind him of the memory he had just seen?

This made me think that perhaps Dumbledore was getting the objects out of the memories :blush: but looking back... Dumbledore thought it was astute of Harry to realize that the point of each of the memories was to direct Harry's attention to a certain object or objects of Voldemorts... Dumbledore's comment that a mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ is his quirky way of saying that he doubted the organ was one of the horcruces... the clue in this particular vision turned out not to be the object but the cave mentioned earlier... Harry of course had no idea what Dumbledore meant.

JK Rowling has said that she liked our theories (read on the Leaky Cauldron website). I don't think she'd take a nasty dig.
No she wouldn't, but maybe a little tongue in cheek poke. :rotfl:

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...
Good question.

Somehow I don't see Snape brewing a lucky potion. Not his style. Anybody else with some ideas? It would have to have been started some time in March, I think.

Good question.

Somehow I don't see Snape brewing a lucky potion. Not his style. Anybody else with some ideas? It would have to have been started some time in March, I think.

yeah and that would have meant March fifth book and that seems a bit awkward

another little question:
the cover of the book, us edition. is that supposed to be a pensieve because that is not how it is explained in the book and it seems a bit BIG .your thoughts>?

The reason I would think that Dumbledore is described as waving Harry off on an enigmatic note is because he doesn't say more than that, perhaps it is only meant to be enigmatic to us because Harry seems to understand what they are talking about.

The reader is seeing everything from Harry's point of view, so everything Harry knows, the reader knows. Consequently, everything that Harry doesn't know the reader doesn't know either. If it was enigmatic to us, it was the same to Harry and vice versa.

I think maybe Dumbledore was giving Harry a clue... As to what, I don't know yet.

another little question:
the cover of the book, us edition. is that supposed to be a pensieve because that is not how it is explained in the book and it seems a bit BIG .your thoughts>?

Now that I look at it, it's way too big to be a pensieve... I think it's the basin that they found in the cave. There's green light all around it and Harry has out his wand.

I don't see why it should not have been Sluggy who made this potion. He was on the run, he needed luck. He could have taken it always with him, couldn't he? He made it for himself I think. Even though he stated that he took it twice in his life only I'm sure he made this one for himself. Mhm, maybe it was even finished before he went on the run---- or he bought it somewhere just for this lesson. I dunno


As for the mouth organ: Im really glad you also didnt understand. I thoght I was the only one ;) But I really must have overlooked it, because when I read it I couldnt even remember having heard of it before... Well, but the mouth organ will not be important, I'm sure. Because Harry said: The moth organ or sth. not THE MOUTH ORGAN. Dumbledore said ASTUTE because Harry had remebered how important trophies are for LV (not for the mouth organs sake)

Well, we know that Slughorn likes to be comfortable and safe. It's possible that he strated brewing it for himself and brought it in for the class to see 'cause, hey, it was already made so why waste time making another potion, right? And the large bowl thing on the cover could be a pensive, since pensives made a big appearence in this book; but it could also be the container that held Slytherin's (fake) locket. After all, the cover is glowing green and in the book a greenish glow is discribed as coming from it.

yeah and that would have meant March fifth book and that seems a bit awkward
another little question:
the cover of the book, us edition. is that supposed to be a pensieve because that is not how it is explained in the book and it seems a bit BIG .your thoughts>?

~CptJackSavvy

I don't see why it should not have been Sluggy who made this potion. He was on the run, he needed luck. He could have taken it always with him, couldn't he? He made it for himself I think. Even though he stated that he took it twice in his life only I'm sure he made this one for himself. Mhm, maybe it was even finished before he went on the run---- or he bought it somewhere just for this lesson. I dunno

That's a good idea; I mean he probably was in the middle of making it or already had it made when he decided, Hey! I'll bring it to school with me. It isn't like he HAD to show them Felix right then on that day. The timing was just right, and he wanted to impress the students.

Slughorn could have been holding onto that lucky potion for a long time, years, in fact. He mentions that he has only taken it twice in his lifetime, so he's probably had it a long time.

hey, who knows where the quidditch pitch went to?

hey, who knows where the quidditch pitch went to?

There is a thread on it in the Wizengammot:Missing Forums (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=59924)
Basically they were closed to give the staff more time to devote to the other areas, but the QP should re-open soon.

well i doubt the cover is a pensieve because it is obviously too big but it also looks to big to be the thing the locket was it because that is a lot to drink before you get to the bottom but i htink the latter is true....

wow i was uterlly confused by the "mouth organ" thing. Thanks for clearing that up guys :)
this is kinda embaressing... but what might have made me so confused was that i didnt take "mouth organ" to mean like a harmonica. i took it more to mean a piece of a mouth... like organs in the body! How horrifying lol

the thing on the cover i think is most definatly from the scene in the cave! Durign that scene rowling describes the object holding the locket to look like a pensieve, and she describes the green glow on the "island"

the thing on the cover i think is most definatly from the scene in the cave! Durign that scene rowling describes the object holding the locket to look like a pensieve, and she describes the green glow on the "island"
Originally, before reading the book, I thought it was a pensieve. But once I read about the stone basin in the cave, I knew that had to be it. The green glow and the island, as you said, is a dead giveaway. The clincher is Dumbledore's hand pushing down against the glow just as he did in the book.

On the first page of chapter 3, when Harry is alseep against the window, i would like to assume the word 'fug' is suppose to be 'fog' from his breath on the window. I don't have my book on hand so i can't give the exact quote.

That's what confused me. Except for the mouth organ/harmonica in Riddle's box of stolen items, I don't think it was mentioned.

The quote is on Page 278. "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

"And on that enigmatic note, he waved to Harry, who understood himself to be dismissed?"

That's the part I don't understand. How does "enigmatic" fit in. Is Dumbledore hiding something that I missed after that?

It's enigmatic because at this point Harry doesn't know about the Horcruxes, and Dumbledore probably does. The ring was a Horcrux, "but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

On the first page of chapter 3, when Harry is alseep against the window, i would like to assume the word 'fug' is suppose to be 'fog' from his breath on the window. I don't have my book on hand so i can't give the exact quote.
Page 38, US
"The misty fug his breath had left on the window sparkled in the orange glare of the streetlamp outside, and the artificial light drained his face of all color so that he looked ghostly beneath his shock of untidy black hair."

Never noticed that the word is "fug" and not fog. My eyes just saw what they expected to see. Is this a British term or a misprint?

On the first page of chapter 3, when Harry is alseep against the window, i would like to assume the word 'fug' is suppose to be 'fog' from his breath on the window. I don't have my book on hand so i can't give the exact quote.

The misty fug his breath had left on the window sparkled in the orange glare of the streetlamp outside, and the artificial light drained his face of all color, so that he looked ghostly beneath his shock of untidy hair

Even I have that and I assumed its supposed to be fog.

from: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=fug

fug (British informal) an airless smoky smelly atmosphere

Another question...why did Malfoy appear sick/gray? It seemed to me that his illness was more than his assingment from Voldemort. I'm wondering if when you become a DE, are there other rituals besides the mark on the arm that you must endure? But to miss classes for being sick would risk the discovery of his mission...you would think he'd try to act 'normally' in order to not attract any attention. Then again, maybe I'm reading too much into this.

I hope this doesnt have an obvious answer that was in the books
but if RAB had to presumebly go through the same challenges, how did the stuff that DD drunk get refilled, because if it didnt somehow do it automatically, someone would have had to notice the locket not being there. And would Voldy have to drink the stuff to get his locket back, so would it kill him probably if he didnt get the other horcruxes first?

Were Harry's suspicions about Draco being a Death Eater true? I mean we didn't actually get to see the Dark Mark on his arm..

Another question...why did Malfoy appear sick/gray? It seemed to me that his illness was more than his assingment from Voldemort. I'm wondering if when you become a DE, are there other rituals besides the mark on the arm that you must endure? But to miss classes for being sick would risk the discovery of his mission...you would think he'd try to act 'normally' in order to not attract any attention. Then again, maybe I'm reading too much into this.
I think he looked sick/gray because he was terrified of failing LV. LV had threatened Draco and his family with death if he failed.

Were Harry's suspicions about Draco being a Death Eater true? I mean we didn't actually get to see the Dark Mark on his arm..
i think for the most part its true. death eaters do the work of the dark lord, which draco is doing at hogwarts. since he is young i see him as a kind of "junior" death eater lol. not quite there yet because he wasnt even able to kill, but we see from the bathroom scene that he has little remourse for using an unforgivable curse.

i think for the most part its true. death eaters do the work of the dark lord, which draco is doing at hogwarts. since he is young i see him as a kind of "junior" death eater lol. not quite there yet because he wasnt even able to kill, but we see from the bathroom scene that he has little remourse for using an unforgivable curse.
Do you think he was "making his bones" to be promoted to full DE complete with Dark Mark? :cool: Not so far-fetched. I kind of thought he already had The Dark Mark. The stairway to the tower had been blocked and he did pass through it. I think it was Harry that thought you had to have a Dark Mark to pass through. But maybe Draco went through before the passage was blocked.

Harry pointed out that Draco showed the clerk dude (forgot his name at the moment) something that the trio couldn't see, plus he jerked his arm away from Madam Malkin when she was trying to fiddle with it. I think he has the Dark Mark, 'cause after what happened, I'm trusting Harry's instincts more.

Personally I think the luck potion was absolutely ridiculous. It opens up too many doors! My question is why would JK even put something like that into the book?

I mean...Harry could just decide to down some and then go out and kill Voldemort and find all the Horcruxes (it I spelt that right). Harry could down it and win every Quidditch game on earth. The whole Order of the Phoenix could take some and kill all the death eaters they want. In the 5th book, Dumbledore could have taken some and convinced everyone to believe him and Harry despite the Ministry's mudslinging...Lupin could find an antidote to his 'illness'...Parents could buy thier kids the stuff and they could pass all thier tests in all thier classes and get perfect O.W.L.S...everyone could just become flithly rich and everyone would always be happy.

The list goes on and on...the ideas are really endless. I think it was pointless and leads too many open-ended possibilities and doubt.

Personally I think the luck potion was absolutely ridiculous. It opens up too many doors! My question is why would JK even put something like that into the book?

I mean...Harry could just decide to down some and then go out and kill Voldemort and find all the Horcruxes (it I spelt that right). Harry could down it and win every Quidditch game on earth. The whole Order of the Phoenix could take some and kill all the death eaters they want. In the 5th book, Dumbledore could have taken some and convinced everyone to believe him and Harry despite the Ministry's mudslinging...Lupin could find an antidote to his 'illness'...Parents could buy thier kids the stuff and they could pass all thier tests in all thier classes and get perfect O.W.L.S...everyone could just become flithly rich and everyone would always be happy.

The list goes on and on...the ideas are really endless. I think it was pointless and leads too many open-ended possibilities and doubt.

Slughorn did say that it's banned from games and things like that.

But also... I mean, luck only gets you so far when it comes down to it. Plus, Slughorn said if you take too much of it, it doesn't really work anymore.

am i totally missing something here, or was there nobody who developed powers late in life? i'm totally confused here, because everybody thought this was going to be some big part of the book and unless i'm totally not thinking clearly, i don't remember anything of the sort.

Not that it really matters, but will McGonagall still be head of Gryffindor House now that she's the headmistress, or will she appoint someone else? Of course if Harry doesn't go back to Hogwarts like he said, then it matters even less.

am i totally missing something here, or was there nobody who developed powers late in life? i'm totally confused here, because everybody thought this was going to be some big part of the book and unless i'm totally not thinking clearly, i don't remember anything of the sort.
I have had a little trouble finding the exact quote to this to find whether she said it would happen in HBP or not, but there still is another book, so it isn't too late for that to happen, although I don't think it did in HBP, unless I just didn't notice it.

Not that it really matters, but will McGonagall still be head of Gryffindor House now that she's the headmistress, or will she appoint someone else? Of course if Harry doesn't go back to Hogwarts like he said, then it matters even less.
I would imagine under ordinary circumstances that she would appoint a new Head of House for Gryffindor as it would be showing a little too much favoritism to that house to keep both jobs. Seeing as how the war in in full swing though, it might be difficult to find a Gryffindor to replace her (Hagrid maybe?).
ETA: You might be interested in Future of Hogwarts and the New Headmaster (http://http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=60245). A thread similar that had what appeared to be a similar question was closed with a link to this thread.

I thought Hogwarts wasn't planning to re-open next year, although McGonagall wants it too coz Dumbledore would've wnted it to stay open. Why did he have to die, Ahhh.

Even I have that and I assumed its supposed to be fog.

from: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=fug

fug (British informal) an airless smoky smelly atmosphere

I thought so too, but then I swore the word repeated later on. Doesn't it? Or was I just too tired while reading.

I always give the benefit of the doubt to the text as it is, ever since an incident (which lasted several years in fact) in which I was convinced that P.G. Wodehouse had made a typo when he wrote "Quorn" instead of "Queen". Not so, it was indeed Quorn.

On the subject of whether or not Draco is a "full" Death Eater, I think he is. I know he's young, but I can't see Voldemort turning someone away who is that eager to enter the fight just because of age. Voldemort certainly wouldn't care if one of his followers died in the line of duty, they're all expendible in his mind.

Harry knew the ring was once a horcrux, and the ring was on the table the last time Harry visited Dumbledore. This time Harry says, "The ring's gone...But I thought you might have the mouth organ or something." Harry remembers that Voldemort likes to keep trophies from his crimes against people, and Harry knew Voldemort turned one trophy into a horcrux, so why not another? However, Harry doesn't know (or doesn't remember Dumbledore telling him -- I can't recall when Dumbledore brought this to Harry's attention) that Voldemort only uses valuable trophies.

So, Harry was being astute. He was using his critical thinking skills. I find that to be reassuring -- that he was in fact taking the horcux business very seriously.
He didn't know about Horcruxes at that point. He was being astute, as Dumbledore points out. And because he didn't exactly know, Dumbledore was being enigmatic. I wonder if Dumbledore bothered to double-check that it wasn't a Horcrux. I doubt it, unless it was the first thing Tom Riddle ever stole. Remember the Horcruxes have to be important. Would Tom Riddle return to the orphanage to steal the mouth-organ back? I think he went off and stole the locket and cup instead.

am i totally missing something here, or was there nobody who developed powers late in life? i'm totally confused here, because everybody thought this was going to be some big part of the book and unless i'm totally not thinking clearly, i don't remember anything of the sort.
She never said that it would necessarily happen in Book 6.

Personally I think the luck potion was absolutely ridiculous. It opens up too many doors! My question is why would JK even put something like that into the book?

But as Hermione said, you'd need more than luck to beat such a powerful enchantment. This referred to the Room of Requirement, but I think it applies in other cases.

Just look at Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. They should have been dead. Luck potion kept them from being killed, but it didn't give them the ability to stun all the Death Eaters for the Order (I'm sure that they did throw a few perfectly-aimed spells at the DEs, who promptly reflected them back.) And their good luck didn't rub off onto Bill or Dumbledore. In fact, I would argue that their good luck caused Fenrir to pick Bill as a target and not the "tasty young throats" of Harry's lucky friends. Luck only takes you so far...

Okay, not really a little "question" but more of a little observation:

Did anyone else notice that the portrait of the man (who announced Fudge's arrival) in the Muggle Prime Minister's office was described as being "frog-like"?

This immediately made me think of Umbridge.

Since we all obviously noted that Umbridge was still working for the Ministry of Magic in HBP (which made me miffed!) and JKR mentioned in an interview that she still has the job because of "connections" do you think this could be the reason? Perhaps this "frog-like" man in the portrait is a descendant of Umbridge who was a very important person in the Ministry way back in the day.

Ok my little question:
Where did DD get his blackened hand from?

I thought (didn't DD mentioned it?) that he got it because he tried to destroy Marvolo's ring. But he already had the blackenend hand at the beginning of the book and Harry saw the ring (intact) in the middle of the book. So wasn't it the same ring. So I'm a bit confused now.

Ok my little question:
Where did DD get his blackened hand from?

I thought (didn't DD mentioned it?) that he got it because he tried to destroy Marvolo's ring. But he already had the blackenend hand at the beginning of the book and Harry saw the ring (intact) in the middle of the book. So wasn't it the same ring. So I'm a bit confused now.

The first mention I can find of the ring is during the visit to Slughorn in chapter four:
"Harry noticed a ring on his uninjured hand that he had never seen Dumbledore wear before: it was large, rather clumsily made of what looked like gold, and was set with a heavy black stone that had cracked down the middle."

Then, at the end of chapter ten, Harry sees the ring in Dumbledore's office and recognises it as Marvolo Gaunt's. Dumbledore admits that he acquired the ring at about the same time that his hand was injured. In chapter twenty-three, Dumbledore discusses Horcruxes and how to destroy them: he says there was a terrible curse on the ring, and that it injured him: "However, a withered hand does not seem an unreasonable exchange for a seventh of Voldemort's soul. The ring is no longer a Horcrux."

This sounds to me as if Dumbledore got his injury in destroying the ring; there was some kind of curse put on it so that anyone tampering with it would be hurt.

When Fudge was telling the Muggle Prime Minister that all the mist in July was due to breeding dementors I was like *shudder**shudder**shudder**shudder*
How on earth do dementers breed???

From Jo: These evil creatures don't, by the way, breed but grow like a fungus where there is decay.
From Quick Quotes Quill (http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/1000-canadianpress-moore.htm)

My question is ... WHEN did Malfoy (draco or otherwise) get the Hand of Glory.. I remember him asking about it.. but never getting it. But in this book it talks about malfoys Hand of Glory as if we've known he's had it for ages...
What am I missing?


Edited to add:

Just found this quote over on QuickQuoteQuills:

J.K. Rowling responds: Most of the magic is made up. Occasionally I will use something that people used to believe was true — for example, the "Hand of Glory" which Draco gets from Borgin and Burkes in Chamber of Secrets. emphasis mine

But I dont remember this happening in the book... do i need to read it again? (I've read it at least 6 times.. so I would think No... but not sure.)

I don't know if this has been asked yet, and this is my first post on this forum (Hello), but I wanted to know if anyone else thought it was suspicious that Wormtail was at Snapes. More so about the fact that he kept trying to listen through the door. I don't have my book right in front of me, but Snape says something along the lines of 'not knowing what he means by it'. Any thoughts on what this means? Does Wormtail suspect Snape as well? Did LV send Wormtail to keep an eye on Snape? Was that why Snape made the Vow?

If this is the wrong thread for this, please accept my apology...and steer me in the right direction! Thanks!

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...


This has been bugging me too! Even Polyjuice potion takes months to brew.

We need to know!!

maybe he had some kept with him since he used to teach potions before? He did say he had used it previously so that would explain why he had it

The first mention I can find of the ring is during the visit to Slughorn in chapter four:
"Harry noticed a ring on his uninjured hand that he had never seen Dumbledore wear before: it was large, rather clumsily made of what looked like gold, and was set with a heavy black stone that had cracked down the middle."

Then, at the end of chapter ten, Harry sees the ring in Dumbledore's office and recognises it as Marvolo Gaunt's. Dumbledore admits that he acquired the ring at about the same time that his hand was injured. In chapter twenty-three, Dumbledore discusses Horcruxes and how to destroy them: he says there was a terrible curse on the ring, and that it injured him: "However, a withered hand does not seem an unreasonable exchange for a seventh of Voldemort's soul. The ring is no longer a Horcrux."

This sounds to me as if Dumbledore got his injury in destroying the ring; there was some kind of curse put on it so that anyone tampering with it would be hurt.
Sorry but I'm still confused. Why do DD have had already an injured hand, although he didn't destroyed the ring yet? :shrug:

Sorry but I'm still confused. Why do DD have had already an injured hand, although he didn't destroyed the ring yet? :shrug:

But he has destroyed the ring; the stone is described as "cracked". I think that was the mark of its destruction: it wasn't destroyed into nothingness, it was just broken. Maybe the bit of soul escapes through the crack, or something? When Marvolo Gaunt is wearing the ring, the stone is described as black, but not cracked. After Dumbledore's got hold of it, the stone is described as cracked. This difference in description convinces me that Dumbledore has already destroyed the Horcrux.

If, alternatively, you think that the Horcrux is not yet destroyed, (and that's fair enough; it doesnt say it in so many words in the book), then the spell protecting it must be what hurt Dumbledore's hand. He says quite clearly that he hurt his hand due to a curse on the ring.

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...

that caught my attention as well - maybe he had a supply already? i think potions have different expiration dates, so maybe this is a longer lasting one?

yeah and that would have meant March fifth book and that seems a bit awkward

another little question:
the cover of the book, us edition. is that supposed to be a pensieve because that is not how it is explained in the book and it seems a bit BIG .your thoughts>?

i think it's meant to be the location of the locket.

did anyone else think it odd that we were introduced to the "other minister" at the beginning of the book and then nothing more was mentioned of him? we learned that a select few muggles know about the wizarding world and how the war was adversely affecting the muggle leader and wizards are working as highly placed muggles. maybe it will be continued in book 7? i thought it wasa pretty significant development.

I don't know if this has been asked yet, and this is my first post on this forum (Hello), but I wanted to know if anyone else thought it was suspicious that Wormtail was at Snapes. More so about the fact that he kept trying to listen through the door. I don't have my book right in front of me, but Snape says something along the lines of 'not knowing what he means by it'. Any thoughts on what this means? Does Wormtail suspect Snape as well? Did LV send Wormtail to keep an eye on Snape? Was that why Snape made the Vow?

If this is the wrong thread for this, please accept my apology...and steer me in the right direction! Thanks!
:welcome: to CoS Freds_Muse!
The thread What did Voldemort send Wormtail to aid Snape with? (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=60024) seems to relate to your question and may be of some interest to you. Personally I think Wormtail is just nosey and is always looking for career advancement opprotunities, and getting information of trusted Death Eaters would likely help him in that respect.

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...


This has been bugging me too! Even Polyjuice potion takes months to brew.

We need to know!!

The only two plausible ideas that I have have already been mentioned, either he was already brewing it or Snape was brewing it in preparation for his N.E.W.T. level classes. Either way it seems like a lot of work to go through to just show an example to your class. :huh: Maybe you can buy potions pre-made, that is the only other thing I can think of.

My little question is what Hermoine will tell her parents (assuming her, Ron, and Harry go) about leaving school to hunt for the horcruxes and Vold. In Ootp she lied to them inorder to spend winter break with Harry and Ron, but this is a much bigger deal- she could die!
I really do believe that the trio will leave Hogwarts and search for them, because JKR has said that HBP leaves us knowing more about the next book than any of the previous books have. So what could Hermoine possibly do but tell her parents the truth? If she does tell them the truth tho, they wont allow her to go

I don't know if this has been asked yet, and this is my first post on this forum (Hello), but I wanted to know if anyone else thought it was suspicious that Wormtail was at Snapes. More so about the fact that he kept trying to listen through the door. I don't have my book right in front of me, but Snape says something along the lines of 'not knowing what he means by it'. Any thoughts on what this means? Does Wormtail suspect Snape as well? Did LV send Wormtail to keep an eye on Snape? Was that why Snape made the Vow?

If this is the wrong thread for this, please accept my apology...and steer me in the right direction! Thanks! :welcome: Freds_Muse
I agree the chances are that he was placed at Snapes to keep an eye on him ... and vice versa.
I certainly think that is a reason for him to make the vow, although I think that Bellatrix is more likely to report that back, and I think she was probably the reason that he jumped in like that.
Wormtail is there to report back on the day to day stuff ... or vice versa.

Edit: Too slow!

My little question is what Hermoine will tell her parents (assuming her, Ron, and Harry go) about leaving school to hunt for the horcruxes and Vold. In Ootp she lied to them inorder to spend winter break with Harry and Ron, but this is a much bigger deal- she could die!
I really do believe that the trio will leave Hogwarts and search for them, because JKR has said that HBP leaves us knowing more about the next book than any of the previous books have. So what could Hermoine possibly do but tell her parents the truth? If she does tell them the truth tho, they wont allow her to go

It won't matter if they don't want her to, because she'll be of age and she won't have to listen to her parents.

My little question is what Hermoine will tell her parents (assuming her, Ron, and Harry go) about leaving school to hunt for the horcruxes and Vold. In Ootp she lied to them inorder to spend winter break with Harry and Ron, but this is a much bigger deal- she could die!
I really do believe that the trio will leave Hogwarts and search for them, because JKR has said that HBP leaves us knowing more about the next book than any of the previous books have. So what could Hermoine possibly do but tell her parents the truth? If she does tell them the truth tho, they wont allow her to go
Hermione is already 17 which means she has come of age in the wizarding world. Even if her parents don't accept this, she'll be 18 in a few months time.

Frankly, I think they'll be more against her leaving school before she finishes than the danger she might be in searching for the horcruxes. I don't think she'll tell them about the dangerous mission anyway. She might tell them that she's off on some foreign exchange study group and will be out of touch. Knowing Hermione, she'll think of something to tell them.

And I also think her study of ancient runes and arithmancy will be invaluable to Harry in his search, so there's no way she's going to be left behind even if Hogwarts stays open.

did anyone else think it odd that we were introduced to the "other minister" at the beginning of the book and then nothing more was mentioned of him? we learned that a select few muggles know about the wizarding world and how the war was adversely affecting the muggle leader and wizards are working as highly placed muggles. maybe it will be continued in book 7? i thought it wasa pretty significant development.
I think you're right. Jo said that the sixth book was the first half of the seventh book. That's probably one of the things that will be continued.

Then there was this part where Slughorn mentions Lily's genes...

Found that a bit odd. How the hell would he know about some sorta Muggle bio term?

Hahaha, maybe JK is slipping...

To those who asked about a mouth organ...

I believe "mouth organ" is another term for "Jew's harp", which is an instrument held in the mouth and plucked to produce a twangy sound.

http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textj/images/Jewsharp.jpg

I'm so glad this question asked because I'm utterly stumped when it comes to the mouth organ comment. I also assumed that it had to do with the mouth organ in the Riddle's box at the orphanage, but what on earth did Harry mean by saying he expected it to be there?

Unless, but I find this a bit unlikely, Harry was referring to Dumbledore having held onto something (Voldemort's ring in this case) that didn't belong to him, and now having returned it. But... I don't know. That passage was a bit obscure to me.

Maybe it is a horcrux? I am so confused by this dialoge!

regarding the mouth organ/ring section.
i don't have my book at the moment...but i took it as that the ring was no longer a horcrux so there was no need to keep it-just like the mouth organ never had any importance so there wasn't a point in dumbledore keeping it... maybe it's warning harry against assuming that everything that was ever associated with voldie is a horcrux.that's my bet.

Another thing that has been bugging me... that Rupert slip. Was it a mistake or was Slughorn getting the name wrong. And why would she use Rupert it was all I could think about for pages...

I hope this doesnt have an obvious answer that was in the books
but if RAB had to presumebly go through the same challenges, how did the stuff that DD drunk get refilled, because if it didnt somehow do it automatically, someone would have had to notice the locket not being there. And would Voldy have to drink the stuff to get his locket back, so would it kill him probably if he didnt get the other horcruxes first?
Refill charm? Or self re-filling potions? This is like the potions in the first book that protected the stone. Quirrell drank them, but the bottles still had potion when Harry got there.

My little question: why weren't the Death Eaters wearing hoods this time?

My little question is what Hermoine will tell her parents (assuming her, Ron, and Harry go) about leaving school to hunt for the horcruxes and Vold. In Ootp she lied to them inorder to spend winter break with Harry and Ron, but this is a much bigger deal- she could die!
I really do believe that the trio will leave Hogwarts and search for them, because JKR has said that HBP leaves us knowing more about the next book than any of the previous books have. So what could Hermoine possibly do but tell her parents the truth? If she does tell them the truth tho, they wont allow her to go

That's a good question! I was wondering the same thing, just how exactly do you break that news? "Mum, Dad, so there's this really powerful bad guy, and I know I'm only 17 but trust me it's important that I go take him out. Oh, and that entails dropping out of school, but my school has probably shut down anyway! Have a good summer!"

My little question is, did the scene on the back cover actually take place? I don't recall Hermione or Ron being outside at any point that night, and only Ginny to bring Harry to the Hospital Wing. Oh well, it is a rather dramatic drawing, even if it isn't from the text.

I didnt think the potion bottles in the first book were refilled... that was why there was only enough left for one person to go thru and why he sent hermione back..

Sorry but I'm still confused. Why do DD have had already an injured hand, although he didn't destroyed the ring yet? :shrug:
It confuses me too! But destroying the Horcrux doesn't destroy the object. The diary didn't disappear or anything. So destroying the soul scrap would not necessarily have destroyed the ring.

Another thing that has been bugging me... that Rupert slip. Was it a mistake or was Slughorn getting the name wrong. And why would she use Rupert it was all I could think about for pages...He called him Ralph first, although Harry corrected him immidiatly, and then Rupert. It showed us that Ron was not significant enough for Slughorn to remember his name.
It was of course especially funny that she used the name Rupert.

Another little question:
The dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. Yet Lucius was still in prison at the end of the book I think. Without the dementors there it would be very easy for Voldy to release him if he wanted to. So why is Lucius still in Azkaban? Is Voldemort keeping him there as more punishment for his failure to get the prophecy?

I guess this is more of an observation than a question - but I'd like people's opinions on it . . .

Does anyone else think that the 'Madam Pince' that Harry and Hermione talk to in the library was actually Draco on Polyjuice Potion?

Draco mentions to DD at the end of the book that he got the idea of hiding poison in a mead bottle from a conversation of Hermione's he overheard. And we know Hermione and Harry are talking about love potions being smuggled into Hogwarts while they were sitting in the library. And while they're talking about it - they hear a noise in the stack of books behind them, and then Mme. Pince comes up and scares them off. I don't have my book on hand, but I also remember the way she was described was very strange, and the things she was saying were kind of 'out there'.

Any thoughts on this one?

Another little question:
The dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. Yet Lucius was still in prison at the end of the book I think. Without the dementors there it would be very easy for Voldy to release him if he wanted to. So why is Lucius still in Azkaban? Is Voldemort keeping him there as more punishment for his failure to get the prophecy?
Or Voldy decided Lucius was to big a putz to bother letting him out.

The mouth organ comment I thought was a dig at fans. Basically saying that we seem to make a fantastic theory out of every single object in harry potter. So why can't objects just be objectsOr maybe a dig at a particular theory that "mouth organ" relates to? More specifically, that a harmonica relates to???

My little question: why weren't the Death Eaters wearing hoods this time?
I think it was because they're already working openly killing and torturing and they're careless about being caught. I also think the guys who entered Hogwarts were the second string ... not the inner circle that got caught in the DoM.

Another little question:
The dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. Yet Lucius was still in prison at the end of the book I think. Without the dementors there it would be very easy for Voldy to release him if he wanted to. So why is Lucius still in Azkaban? Is Voldemort keeping him there as more punishment for his failure to get the prophecy?
I had asked a question on a previous thread about the dementors and Azkaban. In PoA, it was reported to Arthur that Sirius was overheard to mutter in his sleep ... "He's at Hogwarts."

The conclusion was that it's unlikely that dementors can either hear or speak, so there has to be other guards besides the dementors. Of course, they wouldn't last very long what with working with the dementors and having all their happy thoughts sucked out.

So, other wizards are guarding the Azkaban prisoners, and LV most likely can't be bothered with breaking Lucius, the Lestranges, Dolohov, etc. out of Azkaban.

Keeping them there as a punishment wouldn't make sense. A little crucio would do the trick and he'd have his best minions at his side.

I must have completely overthought the mouth organ reference. I believed that Harry had assumed that Tom Riddle had been able to perform the transfiguation charm to turn the ring into the Mouthorgan which was housed in the box of items that he had taken from his fellow classmates.

The degree in which Tom did not trust anyone leads me to believe that he would prize the ring most of all and would have employed all he could to ensure that it would remain with him. Who would take a harmonica or an yoyo.

Thanks for clearing this up for me House elf 13. I thought that I had a misprint!

I think it was because they're already working openly killing and torturing and they're careless about being caught. I also think the guys who entered Hogwarts were the second string ... not the inner circle that got caught in the DoM.

But the hoods are Voldemort's way of keeping Death Eaters from knowing each other. Why doesn't that precaution matter to him now?

But the hoods are Voldemort's way of keeping Death Eaters from knowing each other. Why doesn't that precaution matter to him now?
I don't think so. I think he wanted to keep each one from knowing what the other was doing when they were on separate missions, not that they shouldn't know each other. Lucius called them by name in the DoM and they were wearing their hoods then.

I think he had to know the names of his assault team, and I think he'd known for a long time they were DE. He certainly knew that Father Crabbe and Father Goyle were DE or he wouldn't have trusted their sons to bodyguard his son.

ya the mouth organ thang confused me also

The mouth organ comment I thought was a dig at fans. Basically saying that we seem to make a fantastic theory out of every single object in harry potter. So why can't objects just be objects

Haha, I second that. Wouldn't put it past her. :p

I had to post for that poor German person asking about U-No-Poo. Poor guy prolly was even more confused after all those well meaning, but misleading posts.

To sum up:

U-No-Poo is a constipation spell. Makes it hard for whoever takes it to take a poop.

It's a play on the Voldemort's nickname, You Know Who. Sounds just like it.

U = You
No = Know
Poo = Poo (or poop or the stuff that comes out of your bowels into the toilet)/Rhymes with "Who"

I was a little confused in the House of Gaunt chapter. Marvolo shows Ogden the ring and says it has the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone. Have we heard of Peverell before?

And then he says the locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Isn't a locket usually worn by a female?

Wouldn't it make more sense for the ring to have belonged to Slytherin especially since the ring on the cover looks like it has a big S on it?

Hi, this is again the poor German person haha ;)
how would you mothertongueler pronounce "horcrux"?

Hm...I was expecting to find "How do you pronounce 'Merope'?" here...because I know the answer

it's mer-Oh-pee. (thanks, Jim Dale!)

one of the Pleiades--I think the brightest. (Thanks, askJeeves!)

Actually, she's the dimmest. She's supposed to be hiding her face in shame, because she married a mortal (Sisyphus, the guy who rolls the rock up the hill only to have it slip and roll back down again.)

haha ;)
how would you mothertongueler pronounce "horcrux"?I think JKR invented this one, so I'm not sure. I'm tempted to just tell you it's 'hor-crux' :lol: Ignatia, if you have the audiobook, maybe you can help mao out?

Ignatia, if you have the audiobook, maybe you can help mao out?

I *do* have it, but it's at work, and I haven't made it that far yet. We're just now getting to the orphanage.

I've been saying it "hor-CRUX" in my head, tho....

oh, i had been saying HOR-crux... well, we shall see if you get this audiobook. Mhm, but even Jim Dale can make mistakes, cant he? Doesnt Jo pronounce VOLEMORT differently?

My little question is why does Harry's potion making remind Slughorn of Lily when he has essentially been cheating off of Snape? Lily and Snape were in the same year and would have been in Potions together. It seems that Snape was a fairly unique - and therefore memorable - potion maker. Why didn't Slughorn say something like "you added mint - I've only ever seen Snape do that?"

that caught my attention as well - maybe he had a supply already? i think potions have different expiration dates, so maybe this is a longer lasting one?




I think he knew that DD was going to ask him to take the job well before he did. For evidence, in the chapter where Harry and DD got to ask Slughorn (don't have the book with me) SH says No to DD even before he asks. So perhaps he started concocting potions in preparation?

My little question is why does Harry's potion making remind Slughorn of Lily when he has essentially been cheating off of Snape? Lily and Snape were in the same year and would have been in Potions together. It seems that Snape was a fairly unique - and therefore memorable - potion maker. Why didn't Slughorn say something like "you added mint - I've only ever seen Snape do that?"

I'm just guessing here but maybe Lily did it first and Snape copied from her. I wouldn't put it past him....

I think that Dumbledore thought that the mouth organ may have possibly been a Horcrux -- a first trophy, so to say. The reason he was so enigmatic about it is that Harry has yet to know what a Horcrux is, so the phrase in and of itself is baffling.

That's what confused me. Except for the mouth organ/harmonica in Riddle's box of stolen items, I don't think it was mentioned.

The quote is on Page 278. "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

"And on that enigmatic note, he waved to Harry, who understood himself to be dismissed?"

That's the part I don't understand. How does "enigmatic" fit in. Is Dumbledore hiding something that I missed after that?

Quote:
Originally Posted by torismith
am i totally missing something here, or was there nobody who developed powers late in life? i'm totally confused here, because everybody thought this was going to be some big part of the book and unless i'm totally not thinking clearly, i don't remember anything of the sort.


She never said that it would necessarily happen in Book 6.

[QUOTE]

Sorry I am a bit confused with this part of the conversation. Did JK say that someone would develop powers late in life? Because if she did I totally missed it.

I was a little confused in the House of Gaunt chapter. Marvolo shows Ogden the ring and says it has the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone. Have we heard of Peverell before?


I'm pretty sure there hasn't been a Peverell in the books, and I can't so far find any famous muggle Peverells who might shed light on this. Something to watch out for in book 7, I suspect. "The Peverell coat of arms" is said as though it's a very important thing: could the Peverells be the family Slytherin was descended from?

any thoughts on why susan bones was absent, seeing as there was mention that madame bones was murdered?

No she wouldn't, but maybe a little tongue in cheek poke. :rotfl:


Good question.

Somehow I don't see Snape brewing a lucky potion. Not his style. Anybody else with some ideas? It would have to have been started some time in March, I think.


I think maybe it was only meant to LOOK like felix... kind of like fools gold. This would go along with Harry using it for a placibo (sp) effect with Ron. That night he went to look for Slughorn could have been his own intuition, and Hermione, Ron and Ginny's luck against the Death Eaters could have been their own skill.

Do you think a teacher would give away such a tempting potion to students under the pretenses you can't use it for tests and sporting events knowing they would?

any thoughts on why susan bones was absent, seeing as there was mention that madame bones was murdered?

Well, Amelia's brother Edgar was killed in the Order the first time round. Susan describes Amelia as her aunt. I'd vaguely assumed that Susan was Edgar's daughter and was thus brought up by Amelia: but of course there could be more Bones siblings in the generation above Susan. Perhaps she is at school but hasn't done anything mention-worthy this year; or perhaps the few remaining Boneses want to keep the family together now.

i am still confused about the line in the cave scene where dd says "oho"---any thoughts on this one? That is what sluggy says during the book....kinda thru me

I think maybe it was only meant to LOOK like felix... kind of like fools gold. This would go along with Harry using it for a placibo (sp) effect with Ron. That night he went to look for Slughorn could have been his own intuition, and Hermione, Ron and Ginny's luck against the Death Eaters could have been their own skill.

Do you think a teacher would give away such a tempting potion to students under the pretenses you can't use it for tests and sporting events knowing they would?
That makes a little more sense, but I have to look at it at a slightly different angle. I agree that what was bubbling in the cauldron was the fake or fool's gold (good description) potion. Slughorn probably keeps a small supply in those tiny bottles with him at all times just for emergencies ... like a gaggle of DE descending on him.

We never saw what, if anything, Harry slipped into Ron's drink. All we really saw is him smashing a tiny bottle underneath his foot. I think he just pretended to put something in there so Ron would think he had received the lucky potion and would perform well.

But he has destroyed the ring; the stone is described as "cracked". I think that was the mark of its destruction: it wasn't destroyed into nothingness, it was just broken. Maybe the bit of soul escapes through the crack, or something? When Marvolo Gaunt is wearing the ring, the stone is described as black, but not cracked. After Dumbledore's got hold of it, the stone is described as cracked. This difference in description convinces me that Dumbledore has already destroyed the Horcrux.
Also, notice the Diary. It still exists, it had a couple burned-out fang-stabbed holes in the front, and gushed out torrents of ink, but it's still there. And I'm sure that with a bit of spellotape, and some cleaning (the same spell Hermione uses to siphon spilled ink off of Ron's essays) the Diary would be a perfectly usable book again. Only without Voldemort's soul inside it. The trick is to attack the stored soul with powerful magic, that was what destroyed the Diary. They attacked the book itself, by flushing it down the toilet, but the Diary will not be destroyed by such Mundane means, and neither will the other Horcruxes.

I don't know if this has been asked yet, and this is my first post on this forum (Hello), but I wanted to know if anyone else thought it was suspicious that Wormtail was at Snapes. More so about the fact that he kept trying to listen through the door. I don't have my book right in front of me, but Snape says something along the lines of 'not knowing what he means by it'. Any thoughts on what this means? Does Wormtail suspect Snape as well? Did LV send Wormtail to keep an eye on Snape? Was that why Snape made the Vow?

If this is the wrong thread for this, please accept my apology...and steer me in the right direction! Thanks!
Nice post, you will fit in well here! Well-worded, good spelling and grammar, no shorthand text-message lingo.

No, I think Voldemort used Wormtail, then tossed him aside. But your view is interesting. Maybe Voldemort was still using old Peter yet. I doubt that he'll suspect Snape anymore though!

Another thing that has been bugging me... that Rupert slip. Was it a mistake or was Slughorn getting the name wrong. And why would she use Rupert it was all I could think about for pages...
I laughed at that one. Slughorn uses other names for Ron, but Rupert happens to remind us more obsessed fans of a certain other Rupert Grint...

Another little question:
The dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. Yet Lucius was still in prison at the end of the book I think. Without the dementors there it would be very easy for Voldy to release him if he wanted to. So why is Lucius still in Azkaban? Is Voldemort keeping him there as more punishment for his failure to get the prophecy?
In my mind, this is just another job for the overworked Aurors. They probably apparated right into Azkaban, and the inmates were still wandless and locked up. They'd need time to break out and swim to shore (or find the shore through the fog.)
oh, i had been saying HOR-crux... well, we shall see if you get this audiobook. Mhm, but even Jim Dale can make mistakes, cant he? Doesnt Jo pronounce VOLEMORT differently?
Yes, she pronounces it correctly, because it's French for flight-from-death (vol-de-mort). They pronounce it poorly in the movies, the T at the end should be silent. They mispronounce other things in the movies too.

Sorry if this has been asked before, but does Dumbledore understand Parseltongue? In a couple of the memories the people talk in Parseltongue a lot and DD seemed to know what they were talking about, so I was wondering if he truly did understand them. Also, if he did how come in COS DD didn't know that creature on the loose was a basilisk?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but does Dumbledore understand Parseltongue? In a couple of the memories the people talk in Parseltongue a lot and DD seemed to know what they were talking about, so I was wondering if he truly did understand them. Also, if he did how come in COS DD didn't know that creature on the loose was a basilisk?
I think DD just figured out the gist of the conversation. He was more interested in Harry figuring out that the language was parseltongue.

Dumbledore is a Legilimens, but you don't need Legilimancy to figure out what they are saying, or at least the meaning of what they are saying.

He also mentioned that good wizards are parseltongues, he probably has a friend from somewhere who translates Parseltongue for him from time to time if he needs help.

i am still confused about the line in the cave scene where dd says "oho"---any thoughts on this one? That is what sluggy says during the book....kinda thru me
Dumbledore saying 'Oho!' kinda through me for a loop as well. Thats a Slughorn term and it bothered me that DD said it, I expect him to say 'Alas!' or something more sophisticated than 'Oho!'

I'm a little confused about the cover art. Wasn't the back cover suppose to be the lake and the boat in the cave? I remember seeing a picture like that back in June, but when I got my book the back cover was the Dark Mark hovering over the school.

I'm pretty sure there hasn't been a Peverell in the books, and I can't so far find any famous muggle Peverells who might shed light on this. Something to watch out for in book 7, I suspect. "The Peverell coat of arms" is said as though it's a very important thing: could the Peverells be the family Slytherin was descended from?

Peverell coat of arms:

http://www.heraldry.ws/coatsofarms/peverell.gifhttp://www.heraldry.ws/coatsofarms/peverell.gif

http://www.heraldry.jerasys.com/England1/Peverell_t.jpghttp://www.heraldry.jerasys.com/England1/Peverell_t.jpg

I'm a little confused about the cover art. Wasn't the back cover suppose to be the lake and the boat in the cave? I remember seeing a picture like that back in June, but when I got my book the back cover was the Dark Mark hovering over the school.
The boat in the cave back cover was on the UK edition. That edition also had the ring and the unbreakable vow.

My little question is why does Harry's potion making remind Slughorn of Lily when he has essentially been cheating off of Snape? Lily and Snape were in the same year and would have been in Potions together. It seems that Snape was a fairly unique - and therefore memorable - potion maker. Why didn't Slughorn say something like "you added mint - I've only ever seen Snape do that?"

I like FirefightingMuggle's idea of Snape copying off of Lily, but if that was not the case, then my first thought was that because Slughorn places so much emphasis on parentage and genes that he assumed Harry's talents were inherited from his mother (who also happened to be one of his favorites). It is also possible, if this were the case, that Lily was not as gifted at mixing potions as Slughorn remembered, and he was so eager to attribute Harry's abilities to his mother that he unconsciously distorted his own memory.

The only other explanation I could think of is that somehow Lily found Snape's Advanced Potions textbook (or accidentally had them switched) with all of his notes in it and used them without knowing that it was Snape who had written them. With Snape's notes as her guide, she would appear to be a very talented potions brewer, similar to the way Harry became the best at potions in his class. This might also explain why Snape did not have the book in his possession when he became the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Of course, he could have simply left it in the room because he no longer thought he needed it, as he no longer had to teach Potions.

Peverell coat of arms:

http://www.heraldry.ws/coatsofarms/peverell.gifhttp://www.heraldry.ws/coatsofarms/peverell.gif

http://www.heraldry.jerasys.com/England1/Peverell_t.jpghttp://www.heraldry.jerasys.com/England1/Peverell_t.jpg
Thanks. Interesting that the second one has a lion rampant.

I wonder if Salazar married a Peverell or if his mother was a Peverell.

My little question is why does Harry's potion making remind Slughorn of Lily when he has essentially been cheating off of Snape? Lily and Snape were in the same year and would have been in Potions together. It seems that Snape was a fairly unique - and therefore memorable - potion maker. Why didn't Slughorn say something like "you added mint - I've only ever seen Snape do that?"

I am suspecting that Snape helped Lily, the same way Hermione helped Neville. That would account for Lily 'defending' him against James. And I totally believe Severus had a crush on her at the time.

Another little question:
The dementors are no longer guarding Azkaban. Yet Lucius was still in prison at the end of the book I think. Without the dementors there it would be very easy for Voldy to release him if he wanted to. So why is Lucius still in Azkaban? Is Voldemort keeping him there as more punishment for his failure to get the prophecy?

I think that's absolutely it! Narcissa suspects (I'm sure correctly) that Voldy has asked Draco to kill Dumbledore in the hopes that he will fail and will have to be killed or will die, and that this is a punishment for Lucius.

I have a feeling that aurors are guarding it now, but how many aurors can there be? Wouldn't that be an unwise allocation of their crime-fighting resources?

I recall that in one of the books someone was mentioned as being personally killed by Voldemort (I think before his rebirth?). In trying to figure out the rest of the horcruxes, it might be useful to know of other murders that were significant to Voldemort because the sentimental fool likes to create horcruxes from such murders. Of course I know about Harry's parents, Frank, and Cedric Diggory. I don't know the books backwards and forwards yet, and I am hoping that one of you would know.

Thank you!

Dorcas Meadowes is one, but I don't think we know anything else about her. I think Moody points her out in the picture of the old Order?

Dorcas is the name of a minor charachter in Winter's Tale.

The timing might be a little tight even for the Polyjuice Potion... The real question should be why did Slughorn have these potions premade as a demo... To prove he was an accomplished Potions Master? Maybe, he does like to impress. But too convinient for Draco to help himself to the PJP for my taste. What use was Slughorn putting these potions to before he got his teaching commission? What possible "mission" would require the tranquilizer, the desguise, and a little extra luck to boot? He was on the run from the Death Eaters, after all...

How much earlier than usual did this year at Hogwarts finish? Was it weeks or months?
Seeing as Dumbledore has stated that he wants Harry to stay with the Dursleys until he turns seventeen does that mean that we will see a much longer stay there in book seven...

I think it ended at about the same time. There's always a time between the end of the year and Harry's birthday, though I don't recall what the exact time period was.

I'm sure there was about 2-3 weeks to go cause Ginny had just done her owls or something like that

Huh, that's a good question. I was wondering myself. I don't think it was all that much earlier than usual, but I could be wrong. Now I'm curious.

I'm sure there was about 2-3 weeks to go cause Ginny had just done her owls or something like that
Quite correct. One of the things Harry was happy about was spending time with Ginny because she had finished.

One of the things Harry was happy about was spending time with Ginny because she had finished.

ah, thats right. So I guess a few weeks at the absolute most.

Ginny had just done her owls or something like thatDidn't he say that she would've been done with her O.W.L.s?
Anywho... it doesn't mean that he'll stay at the Dursleys' long. He needs to make one more visit before he turns 17, but there is Bil and Fleur's wedding to attend.

He needs to make one more visit before he turns 17

I'm sure that Dumbledore used the word "stay" as opposed to "visit" which I would assume that he should remain entirly there for as long as possible.

Just to add to the images of Peverell coats of arms, I found two more, as well as a Peavey one, with Peavey being the name from which Peverell was derived. All appear to have a lion on them (though they aren't clearly drawn):
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/Peverell.html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/PV_Peverell_coat_of_arms.jpg

The phrase "Deo Non Fortuna," which appears on each of these images, means "through God, not luck." Both the lion and the motto on the Peverell coat of arms do not seem to apply to the Slytherin descendents we have met so far, but I guess you never know.

Ok, I was going to open a thread on this but I decided not to.... anyway, when DD is talking about the relics from the founders he says that there is only one known relic of Gryffindor (the sword) but wouldnt the sorting hat be a relic too?

Ok, I was going to open a thread on this but I decided not to.... anyway, when DD is talking about the relics from the founders he says that there is only one known relic of Gryffindor (the sword) but wouldnt the sorting hat be a relic too?
I don't think so. All the founders put some of themselves into Gryffindor's hat so it could do the sorting. Jo explained this in her interview. It's the founders who do the sorting through the hat.

The quote from DD is :


(cut) "I ask only this: that you allow Harry to return, once more, to this house, before his seventeenth birthday, which will ensure that the protection continues until that time." HBP - chapter 3 - US 56


So DD only says return and does not state a time period. Hope this helps.

and harry will be going there with ron and hermione then he has to visit his parents home and then he has to go to bill and phegm's wedding!

I was going to make a reply thread about the Felix Felicis but 'snogwarts' pretty much answered that for me :agree: oh but where did it say that the potion took 6 months to brew? As of yet I have unable to locate this in the book. Also there was a cauldron full of the Felix Felicis, what happens to left over potions? Do they get disposed of with a quick 'Evanesco' or does it go into storage?
I wonder what the likelyhood of Dumbledore having used any Felix Felicis would be? :evil:
(um I didn't actually mean in his last scene although some of the fake death theorists may like that one :))

Does anyone think that the comment Slughorn made about Hermione possible being related to a Hector Dagworth-Granger meant anything or just a little red herring to knaw at our brains?
Even if she was muggle-born she could still have other magical relations somewhere further back down the line surely? I doubt it really means anything just made me curious.

The other thing was the mention of the 'Amortentia'. "The most dangerous and powerful potion in the room", Slughorn said. "When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love." Now my initial thought was that perhaps Harry could use the Amortentia to defeat Voldemort, but I think that may be a dangerous idea, but was there a purpose for introducing us to the potion. Was it a build-up into the chapter about Merlope's use of a love potion again Tom Riddle Senior to give us a better understanding? People always say that J.K never includes something unless it has a distinct purpose, now I can't stop thinking that there is a deeper reason to include it. Although saying that there was an awful lot of love poitions floating around the 6th book so maybe I'm making something of nothing. Any thoughts?

anyone wondering why harry didnt ask dumbledore what happened when he drank the potion when they were in the cave ? like y didnt he ask what dumbledore saw and heard ?

Didn't read all pages, but I have a question.

Didn't at one point JK say that someone was going to switch houses?

I don't recall anyone switching houses.

At first i thought of Blaise Zabini but then I checked SS and saw that the hat put him in Slytherin from the begining. So thats out. Am I missing something?

No, Madame Scoops says this is a hoax: Hoaxes and Rumors (http://www.madamscoop.org/hoaxes.htm) (it's about halfway down the page.)

Hoax: Jo said in a BBC interview that someone will switch houses in Book 6
This is another claim that is found on fansites but nowhere else. This is not to be found in any interview, BBC or otherwise. Jo has hinted that the Sorting Hat may not be infallible (World Book Day 2004 (http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2004/0304-wbd.htm)), but she has never said that someone would switch houses.She's since said that the hat does not make mistakes.

Oh cool thanks.

Lost myself there for a moment.

Does anyone think that the Chamber is more important now. Maybe Harry will find something else there.

anyone wondering why harry didnt ask dumbledore what happened when he drank the potion when they were in the cave ? like y didnt he ask what dumbledore saw and heard ?

i don't think that harry really had time to. he heard DD saying "kill me" while drinking it, but after that they had to fight the inferi, harry had to half carry DD back to the cave, apparate both of them back to hogwarts then he was frozen.
why do you think DD saw or heard things? i had assumed he was saying "kill me" because he was in so much pain/agony from the poison.

I am suspecting that Snape helped Lily, the same way Hermione helped Neville. That would account for Lily 'defending' him against James. And I totally believe Severus had a crush on her at the time.
I don't think Snape and Lily were friends because in OOTP we see that when Lily tells James not to trouble Snape he tells her he doesn't need help from a Mudblood... so why on earth would he help Lily.

Did you notice Lily's reaction to that, though? It really shook her, it hurt her much more than you'd think it would have if a near or total stranger had said something like that. Wouldn't it hurt more if someone you thought was your Friend called you a filthy name than if someone you didn't really know did?

Don't know if this is the right place to ask this or not but here it goes ... I remember hearing that during the filming of the PoA J.K. told the director not to put in a graveyard as it was located elsewhere in Hogwarts and that it would come up later - if this is the case why wasn't DD buried there? And will it come up in book 7? Wonder why Harry didn't go visit his parent graves before now?

Don't know if this is the right place to ask this or not but here it goes ... I remember hearing that during the filming of the PoA J.K. told the director not to put in a graveyard as it was located elsewhere in Hogwarts and that it would come up later - if this is the case why wasn't DD buried there? And will it come up in book 7? Wonder why Harry didn't go visit his parent graves before now?

I don't think that there was a graveyard at Hogwarts proir to Dumbledore dying. I think that Jo knew that there would eventually be a grave at Hogwarts, and she didn't want one in the PoA movie because of it. At that point, we did not know that Dumbledore was going to die, nor did we know that he would be buried at Hogwarts, but Jo did.

As to why Harry didn't visit his parents' graves before now, I think he didn't really have a chance. The Dursleys certainly would not have taken him. When he was at school I don't think he thought of leaving to do it. Now that he is about to come of age, he has the chance, and I'm sure he is going to take it.

In the book it says that making felix felicis is very difficult and takes a while and u have to be lucky and all that, so why doesn't Potter and crew just drink a little bit of it right off the bat and make a whole lot (which is pretty much guaranteed to work) so that they have a huge supply? Why doesn't everyone just do that? I know this is a stupid question, but I know that if I had the option I would just make as much of this stuff as possible and then I could "get lucky" for the rest of my life.

In the book it says that making felix felicis is very difficult and takes a while and u have to be lucky and all that, so why doesn't Potter and crew just drink a little bit of it right off the bat and make a whole lot (which is pretty much guaranteed to work) so that they have a huge supply? Why doesn't everyone just do that? I know this is a stupid question, but I know that if I had the option I would just make as much of this stuff as possible and then I could "get lucky" for the rest of my life.

Slughorn tells his sixth year NEWT Potions class:

"...if taken in excess, it (felix felicis) causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence. Too much of a good thing, you know...highly toxic in large quantities."
I don't think it would be wise to take Felix often. :)

There was a lot of discussion previously about Slytherins and are they all evil and will we ever see a good Slytherin. Do you think Slughorn is the one we have been waiting for? Just as an example, of course. He seems like the ultimate Slytherin, very ambitious and self-serving but not evil.

Slughorn tells his sixth year NEWT Potions class:

"...if taken in excess, it (felix felicis) causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence. Too much of a good thing, you know...highly toxic in large quantities."
I don't think it would be wise to take Felix often. :)
When I read this, I was wondering if that's what happened to Ron in the DoM. It pretty much described his symptoms, except for the blood bubble in the corner of his mouth.

I thought that too Desraelda...


But what I am Still curious about is When did Malfoy get his Hand of Glory? Did we know prior to this book that he had it? (not counting movies of course) I remember him asking for it, but never getting it.

I thought that too Desraelda...


But what I am Still curious about is When did Malfoy get his Hand of Glory? Did we know prior to this book that he had it? (not counting movies of course) I remember him asking for it, but never getting it.
There's a thread discussing the Hand of Glory. I was surprised Lucius bought it for him considering it was used by thieves.


http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=62567

Thanks found it and posted in it right after posting here... :)

ok, upon my re-reading of OotP before HBP came out, a quistion bugged me, and then HBP came out and in all the excitement and speculation, I forgot, until now.
When Harry was yelling, I think at Harry and Hermonie, doesn't he say that he saved the trio from dementors? I can't remember when he did that. Perhaps I misread, but, seeing as how I'm re-reading the HBP, I'm being lazy and hoping that someone else knows. Thanks.

I think he was talking about PoA, when he drove all those dementors off with his patronus. He not only saved himself, but also Sirius, and because they were on the grounds at the time, I'm guessing Ron and Hermione as well.

When reading HBP i was struck by the appiritions testings. It was just sprung on us so suddenly. The instrucker, Wilkie Twycross, was described as:

-and a small wisard whom Harry took to be tha Apparition instructor from the Ministr. He was oddly colorless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair, and an insubstatial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away.
and:

Twycross stepped forward, turned gracefully on the spot with his arms outstretched, and vanished oin a swirl of robes, reappearing at the back of the Hall
Wilkie's arpiarance might definatly play a part, but how could he aparate without the "faint pop"?
I might be wrong, but doesn't J.K.R. say that invisibility cloaks aren't the only way to become invisible. there is a thread that speculates on how DD knows how everything is going on in different places.

I don't have the exact quote, but i remember hearing about it on the forums. This might noteven have anything to do with eachother though. Just casual speculation. :huh:
but maybe it is just too late and i need to go to sleep.

Wilkie's arpiarance might definatly play a part, but how could he aparate without the "faint pop"?
I might be wrong, but doesn't J.K.R. say that invisibility cloaks aren't the only way to become invisible. there is a thread that speculates on how DD knows how everything is going on in different places.
There was some speculation on this in Little Questions answered v.3, although not with the information of Wilkie, but the fact that Dumbledore and Voldemort seem to make little noise while the Twins for example make quite a bit of noise. It does seem to have a thread of its own, but you couldn't discuss Wilkie in there for a while as it is in History of Magic, but if you are interested: The Sounds of Apparating (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=52382). I think that the sound a wizard makes probably has to do with their skill level. Wilkie, as an apparating instructor would probably be very skilled as would Dumbledore, but younger, or not as skilled people such as Mundungus (who made quite a bit of noise himself in OotP) make more noise. Although I am not sure what to make of the fact that he is almost transparent, that doesn't bode well for the safety of apparating over time.

As for another way to become invisible, I believe we have seen that, not that there aren't necessarily more. In OotP, Harry has a dissillusionment charm put on him by Moody and becomes what I guess would be described as being invisible. I guess Dumbledore becoming invisible would be a way for him to know what is going on, along with legilimency, although I don't know how much he would be willing to use either on a frequent basis. I think his good communication networks via the paintings in his office and his ability to read people probably go a long way into how he knows what is going on, among other things. I looked for the thread on that in case you were interested, but I couldn't seem to find it. :shrug:

That's what confused me. Except for the mouth organ/harmonica in Riddle's box of stolen items, I don't think it was mentioned.

The quote is on Page 278. "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

"And on that enigmatic note, he waved to Harry, who understood himself to be dismissed?"

That's the part I don't understand. How does "enigmatic" fit in. Is Dumbledore hiding something that I missed after that?

Ok, here's my take on it :)

DD had LV's ring on the table at one time and it had been used as a horcruse (spelling?). After the next visit to the pensieve Harry spotted the harmonica and thought that it might also be a horcruse since the ring was. That's why DD said "Very astute, Harry, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ".

Just to add to the images of Peverell coats of arms, I found two more, as well as a Peavey one, with Peavey being the name from which Peverell was derived. All appear to have a lion on them (though they aren't clearly drawn):
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/Peverell.html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jalanne/PV_Peverell_coat_of_arms.jpg

The phrase "Deo Non Fortuna," which appears on each of these images, means "through God, not luck." Both the lion and the motto on the Peverell coat of arms do not seem to apply to the Slytherin descendents we have met so far, but I guess you never know.

Anyone else find it interesting that "Peavey" is the name from which Peverell is derived and that Hogwart's resident poltergeist is named "Peeves"? Jo said in an interview that Peeves can't be gotten rid of (not even by Dumbledore)... he's like plumbing problems in an old house that aren't worth tearing down the whole place to fix.
Could Peeves be a "gift" to Hogwarts from Salazar Slytherin upon his leaving the school? :whistle:

I can't find another thread dealing with this, but all the normal disclaimers apply if my searching has been inaccurate...

This is probably a minor point, but one thing that struck me during the pensieve scenes was how Dumbledore, upon taking young Tom Riddle Jnr from the orphanage, tells him that to get to Diagon Alley, he must go to the Leaky Cauldron and ask for Tom, the landlord - he even remarks to Harry that Riddle flinches when Dumbledore mentions that someone else shares his name, as he wishes to feel unlike all others, in name and in deed.

Assuming that this is the same Tom The Landlord of the the earlier books, he must be knocking on a bit age-wise. According to HP-lexicon.org, Tom Riddle Jnr is born either in 1926 or 1927. Therefore this pensieve scene most likely takes place when Riddle is 10 or eleven, around 1927/28. If Tom is already the barman in 1928, he must be at least 18 years old according to British licencing laws, meaning he was born in 1910, approximately. So when Harry first meets him in 1991, he must be at least 81 years old!!

Now, I realise it's possible that Tom could still be the landlord at 81 years of age, but it would be, to say the least, unusual - retirement would surely beckon before then? And I never got the sense from the earlier books that Tom was particularly elderly.

There are a mountain of possible explanations to this, from Tom ageing at a different rate from others for some reason, to the current Tom The Landlord actually being Tom The Landlord Jnr! It just struck be as odd that this same landlord has been a witness to all of these events, and is still going strong. Did anyone else notice this, or think it was odd? :huh:

Wizards and witches seem to age a lot more than muggles, maybe because of the magic in them. Dumbledore is about 150 (dunno where i saw this now lol isn't it in HBP, I've only read it once so far so can't remember) so Tom the landlord could well be very old like so many others or it could of been his father and the new barmen is called Tom after his father.

Must be pretty old then, but we know that witches and wizards can live to very old. eg professor marchbanks, who was probably around 200 as she examined Dumbledore on his OWLs

Wizards and witches seem to age a lot more than muggles, maybe because of the magic in them. Dumbledore is about 150 (dunno where i saw this now lol isn't it in HBP, I've only read it once so far so can't remember) so Tom the landlord could well be very old like so many others or it could of been his father and the new barmen is called Tom after his father.
Jo told us this in an interview. Yes, they live much longer than we do. Except for Tom Riddle, who will probably die in his 70s at the hands of Harry (assuming Harry kills him at the end of Book 7) which ironically enough is young for a Wizard. McGonagall is in her 70s too, and Jo describes her as "sprightly". Aberforth is also most likely in his 150s, and he's still running the Hog's Head as well as he ever has.

Going back to apparating sounds, I think it could have something to do with skill level, though I always felt it is also something that the apparater has control over as well. I think it's fitting that the twins make loud noises when they apparate because they are lively boys who love commotion. I think that if they wanted to appear quietly, they could tone the sound down a bit, though perhaps not be as silent as the instructor was.

This isn't really from HBP, but did we ever find out what "in essence divided" meant? I thought maybe it would be explained in this book, but it wasn't.

Azshara - Could "divided" be referring to the Horcruxes? Just a guess, indicating one of the Horcruxes is in Nagini? I don't know.

This isn't really from HBP, but did we ever find out what "in essence divided" meant? I thought maybe it would be explained in this book, but it wasn't.
I would also guess that this is refering to Voldemort's Horcruxes. I also think this is perhaps where Dumbledore gets the idea that Nagini may be a Horcrux....

Harry knew the ring was once a horcrux, and the ring was on the table the last time Harry visited Dumbledore. This time Harry says, "The ring's gone...But I thought you might have the mouth organ or something." Harry remembers that Voldemort likes to keep trophies from his crimes against people, and Harry knew Voldemort turned one trophy into a horcrux, so why not another? However, Harry doesn't know (or doesn't remember Dumbledore telling him -- I can't recall when Dumbledore brought this to Harry's attention) that Voldemort only uses valuable trophies.

So, Harry was being astute. He was using his critical thinking skills. I find that to be reassuring -- that he was in fact taking the horcux business very seriously.
I wondered when I read it if there wasn't something odd about the table? Can it be used to bring back stuff from Pensieve memories? And where did the ring go? (or did I just miss that...I'm planning to re-read if I get the chance.)

Not entirely sure where to place this, so I thought this "Little Questions" thread might be a good spot.

What is with the dementors breeding? It was mentioned in the first chapter that they had escaped control and were breeding, resulting in the cold, hopeless mist. Plus, the "dementor-like" mist is mentioned again in Harry's thoughts in Chapter three, but its really left alone after that. To drop a bombshell early on that a creature as dark and dreadful as the dementors are out of control and breeding was nuts and grabbed my attention, but I felt a little depressed that it was left alone the whole story, not even mentioned by DD or anyone else. Comments?

The dementors are not just dropped. In several places they are mentioned in The Newspappers.

Haromine says "another dementor attack." but thats alll
How do dementors breed.

BUDDING?

Not entirely sure where to place this, so I thought this "Little Questions" thread might be a good spot.

What is with the dementors breeding? It was mentioned in the first chapter that they had escaped control and were breeding, resulting in the cold, hopeless mist. Plus, the "dementor-like" mist is mentioned again in Harry's thoughts in Chapter three, but its really left alone after that. To drop a bombshell early on that a creature as dark and dreadful as the dementors are out of control and breeding was nuts and grabbed my attention, but I felt a little depressed that it was left alone the whole story, not even mentioned by DD or anyone else. Comments?I think it was quite deliberate - remember dementors were brought up again as the subject of Snape's essay. I think JKR is setting up an interesting issue here - the dementors breeding and increasing the sense of depression and unease for muggles and wizards alike, and then the joke shop, the mockery of Voldemort (u no poo), and Harry's memories of Dumbledore's humour. I think humour is going to be important in fighting Voldemort in the next book - or at the very least it's important to JKR!

When Harry Asked Dd About His Hand He Always Said Later. Will He Still Tell Us

MAYBE THRUOGH THE PORTRATE. BUT I DON'T KNOW. DUMBLE DORE HAS TO BE IN THE NEXT BOOK SOMEWERE

I would also guess that this is refering to Voldemort's Horcruxes. I also think this is perhaps where Dumbledore gets the idea that Nagini may be a Horcrux....(Emphasis mine.) FirefightingMuggle appears to be agreeing with you, not ignoring you.
What is with the dementors breeding? It was mentioned in the first chapter that they had escaped control and were breeding, resulting in the cold, hopeless mist. Plus, the "dementor-like" mist is mentioned again in Harry's thoughts in Chapter three, but its really left alone after that. To drop a bombshell early on that a creature as dark and dreadful as the dementors are out of control and breeding was nuts and grabbed my attention, but I felt a little depressed that it was left alone the whole story, not even mentioned by DD or anyone else. Comments?
:wow: I know, this really interested me, too! There's some discussion on it in How on earth do Dementors breed? (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=60004)

Just one of the many tantalizing little bits of information that never quite get fully explained.

I Don't See How The Seventh Book Will Give Us All The Back Storie We Need When It Is Suposed To Be Shorter Than Ootp. I STILL THINK DD WILL HAVE TO COMUNICATE TO US SOME HOW. AND R.A.B. REGALOUS BLACK ANYONE? WHEN SIRUS GAVE HARRY THE MIRROR HE SAID HE HAD THE OTHER ONE. MAYBE R.A.B. HAS ONE?

There's some discussion on it in How on earth do Dementors breed? (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=60004)

Just one of the many tantalizing little bits of information that never quite get fully explained.I believe JKR has said they sort of grow like mushrooms out of dark and damp places or something - I'll have to go look on her site which is where I think the info was.

Here's my question (probably asked already - terribly lazy....) why couldn't Fawkes heal Dumbledore's hand? Or did Dumbledore choose not to have it healed...

I like that idea that it sets up the importance of humor, happiness, and love, the anti-dementor emotions. And I guess I didn't really mean that dementors were dropped from the rest of the tome, just the breeding part. Dementor sex...creepy.

Here we are - wasn't on her site but quick quotes is always on the spot:


One young Canadian boy earlier asked her how Dementers breed.

"I was just so pleased that he thought about it and pleased that I had the answer," Rowling told The Canadian Press.

These evil creatures don't, by the way, breed but grow like a fungus where there is decay.


That's from this article here (http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/1000-canadianpress-moore.htm)

I wondered when I read it if there wasn't something odd about the table? Can it be used to bring back stuff from Pensieve memories? And where did the ring go? (or did I just miss that...I'm planning to re-read if I get the chance.)

The ring had to be destroyed. It encased a part of Voldermort's soul, it wasn't just a ring, it was a Horcrux. Dumbledore tell's Harry later when discussing Horcruxes that Harry had destroyed one (Riddles diary), and that he had destroyed one himself (Marvolo's ring).

This isn't really from HBP, but did we ever find out what "in essence divided" meant? I thought maybe it would be explained in this book, but it wasn't.

I think it means that (although the pic of the two snakes were rapped around one another) that in essence, they were divided. Harry and Voldermort are connected and bound together (i.e Harry's scar, Voldermort being able to send Harry dream's via it - that they seem to have some sort of connection where they can enter each other's minds, see what they're doing, posess one another etc) and I think that although they are connected they are in essence divided, they are not one being, it is therefore probably that the only way to dissolve the connection, is for one to kill the other. I think this is why Voldermort played into Trewlawny's prophecy, and why Harry can defeat Voldermort. For either to live, the connection must be broken.

Am I making any sense? :huh:

What Do You Think Dd Saw When He Drank The Potion In The Cave. Could It Be 'his' Worst Memory. I Never Knew Dumbledor To Be Scared. This Is Driving Me Crazy.

I like that idea that it sets up the importance of humor, happiness, and love, the anti-dementor emotions. And I guess I didn't really mean that dementors were dropped from the rest of the tome, just the breeding part. Dementor sex...creepy.She also carefully made contrast between genuine love and obsession - look at Slugwhoozit's quote about there being no way to 'create' true love, and obsessive love being one of the most dangerous things in the world. Love is increasingly a theme in these books - small wonder given the 'power the dark lord knows not' and it was played with in so many ways in this book. Look at Dumbledore's insistance that Voldemort has no true friends - he has never loved anyone even in a platonic way. Then the whole love potion thing, the totally physical hormonal silliness of Ron and Lavender (I loved the plunger noise personally...) and Harry's genuine happiness with Ginny. As you point out - anti-dementor and anti-Voldemort.

Malfoy said that Montague had eventually apparated out of the void between the vanishing cabinents even though he didn't have a license, but you can't apparate into hogwarts.

Could it be that the charms preventing apparition don't apply in 'the void'? I doubt the normal rules apply; if he could apparate properly into Hogwarts, why choose to end up in a toilet? :p

why choose to end up in a toilet?

I attributed that to his inability to apparate properly, since he didn't have a license

Little question:
Felix Lucky Potion, Six months to make
how is it that sluggy had this potion when...
1:he has been on the run for the past year
2:he only accepted the job less than six months ago


sorry its just been bothering me... i hardly think it was already there... maybe snape prepared it before he knew he wouldnt be the teacher...

Maybe that is how Slughorn kept away from the death eaters has some lucky potion brewing somewhere. I think Harry needs to learn how to make more but I also think they talked about what happens if you take it too often. I'm just starting my second read (on tape this time we have hard cover book and audio tapes) and haven't got to where they are at school yet sorry.

why choose to end up in a toilet? :pWell... he had been bouncing around the ether for quite a while... I mean...

Not that it really matters, but will McGonagall still be head of Gryffindor House now that she's the headmistress, or will she appoint someone else? Of course if Harry doesn't go back to Hogwarts like he said, then it matters even less.

Maybe they can make Hagrid head of Gryffindor? I don't expect to see Harry back at Hogwarts as a student again. I am hoping that when it's all over he will return as head of Gryffindor and as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher since the job will no longer be "cursed".

Maybe they can make Hagrid head of Gryffindor? I don't expect to see Harry back at Hogwarts as a student again. I am hoping that when it's all over he will return as head of Gryffindor and as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher since the job will no longer be "cursed".
JKR squelched that. I think it was in the World Book Day Chat that she said that she couldn't see Harry in an academic career because he's seen too much action.

Well, I'm not very sure if theres already a topic like this, I did do a search an nothing really fit the criteria.

When is Snapes birthday, I'm thinking something up an I need to know his birthday. Does anyone know, I'm not sure if I missed something in the books.

all i remember is that he's a sagitarius. try the astrology thread, i'm sure they have the exact date there.

I think his birthday's in January (Jan. 9 to be exact). I think that's from JKR's site, but can't quite remember precise source.

It is January 9: JKR announced it on her site a good while back.

January--Janus, the Roman god of protection in the time of war.

January 9, 1959 or 1960 (date was on Jo's website; the year range JKR gave during an interview).

It is January 9: JKR announced it on her site a good while back.

January--Janus, the Roman god of protection in the time of war.
Isn't Janus also the god with two faces? :cool: Very clever, for Snape, the double agent.

Even better, because the "two-faced" doesn't mean deceptive. Janus looks to the past and to the future--not unlike Snape's obsession over his past and his working for the Voldemort-less future, but not seeing the present in front of him for what it is, ie, Harry as Harry and not James reincarnated.

Snape is a capricorn, here is the description of a capricorn:
Capricorn is one of the most stable and (mostly) serious of the zodiacal types. These independent, rocklike characters have many sterling qualities. They are normally confident, strong willed and calm. These hardworking, unemotional, shrewd, practical, responsible, persevering, and cautious to the extreme persons, are capable of persisting for as long as is necessary to accomplish a goal they have set for themselves. They are reliable workers in almost any profession they undertake. They are the major finishers of most projects started by the 'pioneering' signs; with firm stick-to-it-ness they quickly become the backbone of any company they work for.

Capricornians make of themselves, resourceful, determined managers; setting high standards for themselves and others. They strive always for honesty in their criticism of self, they respect discipline from above and demand it from those beneath them. In their methodical, tough, stubborn, unyielding way, they persist against personal hardship, putting their families and/or their work before their own needs and welfare to reach their objectives long after others have given up and fallen by the wayside. In fact when practical ability allied with the drive of ambition are required in employees to make a project succeed, Capricornians are the people to hire. They plan carefully to fulfill their ambitions (which often include becoming wealthy), they are economical without meanness, and able to achieve great results with minimum effort and expense. Because of their organizing ability they are able to work on several projects simultaneously.

They have a great respect for authority but may not, if they reach high rank, be willing to listen to other opinions on things they are directly responsible for. As the ranking authority figure in a given situation they expect their underlings to be as self disciplined as they themselves are, and to perform every task undertaken to the highest standard. They are, nevertheless, fair as well as demanding. Among their equals they are not always the most pleasant of work fellows for they are reserved and too conservative, valuing tradition more than innovation, however valuable the latter, and they are often humorless. There is also a tendency to pessimism, melancholy and even unhappiness which many Capricornians are unable to keep to themselves, especially if they fail personally. In the extreme this trait can make them a very depressed individual; ecstatic happiness alternating with the most wretched kind of misery which is so subconsciously buried that he or she should seek help if such emotions become frequent. For the above reason, capable Capricorn should spend many hours in meditation, gathering the strength to control such inner emotions.

I dont care about Snapes bday... I wanna see him dead! I dont believe any of the " He is on the orders side" theory! Well we will come to know who is right when book 7 comes out! :p :p

Isn't Janus also the god with two faces? :cool: Very clever, for Snape, the double agent.

Who did the mouth organ belong to and did Tom return it to the rightful owner? DD stated, "I shall know whether it has been done [returned to owner]." HBP, pg 273

K K E - I think that was all to do with his ability for Occlumency, and in OotP he tell's Harry that he knew Kreacher was lying because he had the ability to know when he was being lied to. So probably would have used, one or the other method.

Do you think that there was someone else at the orphanage at the same time as Tom was there that the mouth organ could have belonged to?

The dementors have left Azkaban before the book begins, right? So, why does Voldy not break out his followers who got captured at the MoM? It seems to me like he would want all his followers with him, so why wait?

The dementors have left Azkaban before the book begins, right? So, why does Voldy not break out his followers who got captured at the MoM? It seems to me like he would want all his followers with him, so why wait?

Well we know that he's pretty angry at Lucius, so my guess would be he's angry at the others who were there at the Ministry of Magic with him. Bellatrix escaped, but at the beginning of the Half-Blood Prince it looks like Voldemort's been a slight bit angry at her too.

Why does Voldemort blame everything on the nearest Death Eater? He knows that they are stupid, weak, and cowardly; they've proven that over and over and over and over and over and over ad nauseam, so he shouldn't be surprised when they mess up. It seems like he just enjoys punishing them. What do you think?

Well he's evil isn't he? Lol, I would imagine he likes seeing them suffer as much as possible.