Read-a-Thon: GoF

[Kanksha]

Originally Posted by witchsmart

I'm actually quite surprised that Draco would talk about Voldemort so openly, or hint at it at least, especially knowing that Harry was there. It seems like a very rash thing for Draco to do, since he knows that Harry is very close to Dumbledore, the man he was trying to kill.

This is exactly what I wondered as well! Did he want Harry to know he was a Death Eater? I know he's boastful, but I wouldn't think he was that rash and impulsive. What if Harry had told Dumbledore? Dumbledore always takes things seriously, he doesn't dismiss them as unimportant. He didn't in this case listen to Harry, because he was already aware of the facts, but Draco didn't know that. It doesn't take much to confirm whether or not someone is a Death Eater. Draco's entire mission would have gone down the drain.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

Why had Professor Trelawney decided to venture out of her tower?

We see Professor Trelawney venturing out of her tower a lot in this book. I think she had been greatly affected by the events of the previous year with Umbridge, and did not like the solitary confinement in her tower as much anymore.

Why didn't Dumbledore tell Harry that Slughorn would be teaching potions?

It just didn't come up, Harry assumed it was DADA and not Potions. Although Dumbledore would have known that Harry would draw this very conclusion, and he let him. Presumably so that he wouldn't brood over it during his holidays. And so that he, along with the readers, would be surprised at the opening feast.

What was "mysterious" about the remark Hagrid gave about Harry using the Dark Lord's name?

I can't imagine why. I looked this up, it's pg. 161 of the UK edition and it makes no sense however I think of it.

Why would there be a "chain" across the Hogwarts' gates?

More of the security precautions taken by Dumbledore.

Why would there only be four Aurors stationed to protect Hogswarts? Do they still have a shortage in the Auror Office?

As witchsmart said earlier, most Aurors would be busy on Voldemort and DE duty, plus Hogwarts had Dumbledore.
Also the Ministry wasn't very happy with Dumbledore, perhaps they were being petty?
Although, that would be exceedingly careless of them, since all the children in Britian, including those of Ministry workers, were at Hogwarts!

[xhanax315]

Originally Posted by Kanksha

More of the security precautions taken by Dumbledore.

I know it was for extra precautions, but didn't just seem a bit ordinary?

[Kanksha]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I know it was for extra precautions, but didn't just seem a bit ordinary?

Knowing Dumbledore, I doubt it would be an ordinary chain. If Dumbledore put it there, he must deem it extraordinarily good enough

[xhanax315]

Chapter Nine:

HBP, U.S. Version, Page 174
"My grandmother this Charms is a soft option," mumbled Neville.
"Take Charms," said Professor McGonagall, "and I shall drop Augusta a line reminding her that just because she failed her Charms O.W.L., the subject is not necessarily worthless."

I must say that I love this quote from Mcgonagall. How had she known that Augusta failed her Charms O.W.L.?

HBP, U.S. Version, Page 185 "And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and -"

I'd like to know what other 'Ron' characteristic Hermione smells.

What do you think Ron would've smelt?

How had Hermione's hair grow "bushier and bushier" from her potion's fumes?

[witchsmart]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I must say that I love this quote from Mcgonagall. How had she known that Augusta failed her Charms O.W.L.?

Perhaps she taught Augusta at school? I'm not sure how old Neville's grandmother is, but Professor McGonagall has been teaching at Hogwarts for a very long time. Either that, or she might have gone to school with her, and maybe had known her O.W.L. results in that way.

I'd like to know what other 'Ron' characteristic Hermione smells.

Perhaps his hair, or whatever musty smell he has when he doesn't shower.

What do you think Ron would've smelt?

Bacon, chicken wings, and essence of Hermione.

How had Hermione's hair grow "bushier and bushier" from her potion's fumes?

I guess it's an effect of the smoke and steam coming out of her cauldron. It may have caused it to frizz up and become completely uncontrollable. I remember that they included that bit in the movie.

[xhanax315]

Okay, I forgot to add one from Chapter Nine:

How had Slughorn gotten the Felix Felicies if it takes six months to brew and yet he's been in hiding? (WWP, page 78)

[vlad]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

Okay, I forgot to add one from Chapter Nine:

How had Slughorn gotten the Felix Felicies if it takes six months to brew and yet he's been in hiding? (WWP, page 78)

Well I believe he had it being prepared while he was in his vacations, he could always take the potion with him. Or perhaps it had been made long ago ans Slughorn was keeping it for an appropriate occasion to offer it. Or maybe there is some in the Potions' stock at Hogwarts.

Something I always wandered is why don't people use Felix Felicis much more often, I mean, it would make life easier sometimes...

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by amanduhrae

Then how can Mad-Eye Moody see through it with his eye? Or was he just lying to Snape in GoF?

I am not sure; this is a good observation. I would say Moody's eye could be such a powerful and unique item (specially made, in my opinion) that the Cloak was not created to protect its wearers from the eye's penetration.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I know it was for extra precautions, but didn't just seem a bit ordinary?

I think one of the great things about Dumbledore is that he makes ordinary things extraordinary. For instance, he does not use an incredibly complex spell to make himself invisible, he simply uses an immensely powerful Disillusionment Charm. The chain across the gates is, as I see it, a similar scenario. It may look simple and easily penetrated, but Dumbledore likely made it extra powerful, giving a false appearance to Hogwarts's protection.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I must say that I love this quote from Mcgonagall. How had she known that Augusta failed her Charms O.W.L.?

I like to think that Minerva and Augusta went to school together. I think McGonagall's comment fits best in that context.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I'd like to know what other 'Ron' characteristic Hermione smells.

JKR did answer this:

J.K. Rowling and the Live Chat, Bloomsbury.com, July 30, 2007 Jess Mac: What was the third smell that hermione smelt in the amortentia potion in hbp (ie the particular essence of ron) J.K. Rowling: I think it was his hair. Every individual has very distinctive-smelling hair, don't you find?

Originally Posted by xhanax315

What do you think Ron would've smelt?

Probably some food item, since food is such a staple for his personality, and something related to Hermione. I am not sure of the third item - perhaps something Quidditch related.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

How had Slughorn gotten the Felix Felicies if it takes six months to brew and yet he's been in hiding? (WWP, page 78)

There was a lot of speculation on this a while back. My favorite suggestions are that Slughorn either kept a store of Felix Felicis with the rest of his possessions (just in case) or there is some Wizarding service that will mail buyers potions (like Fred and George's mail-order service of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes in DH). It is also possible that Snape had his own store of the potion, and Slughorn borrowed it from him (though I think this is less likely).

Originally Posted by vlad

Something I always wandered is why don't people use Felix Felicis much more often, I mean, it would make life easier sometimes...

This is answered in the book:

HBP, Ch. 9, The Half-Blood Prince, Page 187, American, HB "Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" said Terry Boot eagerly. "Because if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," said Slughorn. "Too much of a good thing, you know... highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally..."

The reason some people never take it is, I think, they either do not know about it or do not have the skill to concoct it. Thus, I also think it less plausible there is a mail-order potions service, otherwise Felix Felicis would be used by many more people, I think, and more often.

[Kanksha]

Originally Posted by MrSleepyHead

There was a lot of speculation on this a while back. My favorite suggestions are that Slughorn either kept a store of Felix Felicis with the rest of his possessions (just in case) or there is some Wizarding service that will mail buyers potions (like Fred and George's mail-order service of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes in DH). It is also possible that Snape had his own store of the potion, and Slughorn borrowed it from him (though I think this is less likely).

This leads me to another question actually. Or well, several. There was a cauldronful of the Felix Felicis on Slughorn's table. Harry got just one tiny vial of it. What happened to the rest of it? Surely it's too important to waste!

The same goes for the Polyjuice Potion and the Veritaserum and the Amortentia. Does it get used or is it stored indefinitely?

Malfoy steals and uses the Polyjuice Potion, surely he could have nicked some of the Felix Felicis as well?

And finally, all the Potions that are made by the students on a regular basis. Agreed, a large amount will be improperly brewed and thus worthless but some potions, particularly those made by the senior NEWT level students should be usable? Are they used? Or are they discarded?

[witchsmart]

Originally Posted by MrSleepyHead

This is answered in the book:

The reason some people never take it is, I think, they either do not know about it or do not have the skill to concoct it. Thus, I also think it less plausible there is a mail-order potions service, otherwise Felix Felicis would be used by many more people, I think, and more often.

Yes, otherwise I don't see why the Order or Voldemort's Death Eaters wouldn't take a swig of Felix Felicis before they go into battle. I wonder how that would work out, two opposing sides who are each feeling exceedingly lucky.

[kittling]

Originally Posted by Kanksha

This leads me to another question actually. Or well, several. There was a cauldronful of the Felix Felicis on Slughorn's table. Harry got just one tiny vial of it. What happened to the rest of it? Surely it's too important to waste!

Give the way Slughornn likes his creature comforts, and is obtainng valuable potions ingredients at every oportunity - my guess is that Slughorn sells it to make a bit of extra cash, I get the impression he has contacts who would willying buy stuff from him

The same goes for the Polyjuice Potion and the Veritaserum and the Amortentia. Does it get used or is it stored indefinitely?

I'd say he probably sells that off too, where as Severus seems to have kept a store just in case; it was probably useful to the order & to him as a spy for the order jmo

[witchsmart]

Originally Posted by Kanksha

And finally, all the Potions that are made by the students on a regular basis. Agreed, a large amount will be improperly brewed and thus worthless but some potions, particularly those made by the senior NEWT level students should be usable? Are they used? Or are they discarded?

We know they're kept long enough to be graded, and it is possible that they could be kept if needed, although I don't know if they would "go bad" after awhile. They can also be easily discarded with a quick, "Evanesco" spell, so it is difficult to say.

[Jigga]

Liquid Luck is like a drug. I bet people get addicted to it and hate the feeling of not being lucky so they must always use it. That's when it becomes dangerous. It's like Marijuana, used sparingly it harms nothing.

[xhanax315]

Chapter Ten:

• How does one create a spell?
• What would've been the stories being told down in the villiage about Tom Sr. running away with Merope?
• How was Marvolo able to have restraint over Merope and her powers?
• How does one leave the Pensieve?
• Who was the victim in the relationshio: Tom Sr. or Merope?

[amanduhrae]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

Chapter Ten:

• How does one create a spell?
• What would've been the stories being told down in the villiage about Tom Sr. running away with Merope?
• How was Marvolo able to have restraint over Merope and her powers?
• How does one leave the Pensieve?
• Who was the victim in the relationshio: Tom Sr. or Merope?

I think that someone creates a spell the same way someone creates a potion. A potion needs different ingredients to have a certain effect, just like someone needs different thoughts and movements and wand waves to create a spell.

Stories told in the village could be people just discussing how Tom Sr. was such a great person, and why did he have to run off with this girl who was no good?

Merope was always scared around Marvolo, so she wasn't able to do spells through fear, pressure, and exhaustion.

I'm guessing that when the memory is over, the person is just automatically spat out from the pensieve. Or, they can be pulled out in the middle of the memory by somebody looking down. Of course, I think there is a spell that few wizards, like Dumbledore, knows that can just take them out.

Tom Sr. was the victim, I think, because he was given the potion. He wouldn't have left her if he never fell in love. Merope's pain started from her own faults. However, I do feel that, since Merope was pregnant, Tom Sr. shouldn't have abandoned her. True, it wasn't his fault he had sex with her, but a baby didn't mean he had to marry her, or still be in love. He could've supported her since it was, after all, his baby, too. Didn't he want to get to know him?

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by Kanksha

This leads me to another question actually. Or well, several. There was a cauldronful of the Felix Felicis on Slughorn's table. Harry got just one tiny vial of it. What happened to the rest of it? Surely it's too important to waste!

The same goes for the Polyjuice Potion and the Veritaserum and the Amortentia. Does it get used or is it stored indefinitely?

I think at least a certain amount of the potions get stored - especially Polyjuice Potion, Veritaserum, and Felix Felicis, since they are the most useful potions, in my opinion. I see no reason why Slughorn would get rid of all the potions, since some of them could be, potentially, very handy.

Originally Posted by kittling

Give the way Slughornn likes his creature comforts, and is obtainng valuable potions ingredients at every oportunity - my guess is that Slughorn sells it to make a bit of extra cash, I get the impression he has contacts who would willying buy stuff from him

I think this is possible, but not as likely as I first thought. Since potions like Felix Felicis do not appear to be used too often, I am skeptical about how often they are sold. I do think it is plausible that Slughorn could sell vials of the potions to different buyers, but I do not think there is a potions warehouse he could merchant with.

Originally Posted by Kanksha

Malfoy steals and uses the Polyjuice Potion, surely he could have nicked some of the Felix Felicis as well?

I always wondered why JKR did not have the Polyjuice Potion be nearest the Slytherin's table, since it would have been incredibly easy to explain how Draco stole some. However, with all the commotion of that class period, I think it plausible Draco could find the opportunity to steal some Polyjuice Potion.

Meanwhile, the Felix Felicis was "standing on Slughorn's desk," much more in the spotlight, and, therefore, would have been much more difficult to steal from.

Originally Posted by Kanksha

And finally, all the Potions that are made by the students on a regular basis. Agreed, a large amount will be improperly brewed and thus worthless but some potions, particularly those made by the senior NEWT level students should be usable? Are they used? Or are they discarded?

I think it would be up to the students if their correctly brewed potions could be used. I do not think the school would be able to take the students' potions without their consent. Therefore, I think most (if not all) the potions are Vanished once the grading process is done, or else given back to the students.

I have one question that has stemmed from this discussion. How long is the "shelf life" of an average potion? Certainly, there will be some variation on how long a potion can be stored, but perhaps the reason why some potions are stored and others not can be explained like this. For instance, a sealed vial of Felix Felicis can last months, whereas Polyjuice Potion could, perhaps, lose its viability only days after it is brewed.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

How does one create a spell?

I agree with amanduhrae that spells are created through a combination of incantation, wand movement, and intent. If magic is present in an individual, I think that individual should be able to control that magic with his/her own idea for a spell, so that idea (along with the other prerequisites) congeals into a workable spell.

We know wizards can unintentionally perform magic not specific to a spell with the incorrect incantation, wand movement, etc.

SS, Ch. 10, Halloween, Page 171, American, HB "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Originally Posted by xhanax315

What would've been the stories being told down in the villiage about Tom Sr. running away with Merope?

We know the village of Little Hangleton lives on gossip (the first chapter of GoF, after the Riddles' murders), so I would imagine countless stories would be spread about the entire odd affair.

Originally Posted by xhhanax315

How was Marvolo able to have restraint over Merope and her powers?

It was an emotional control, I believe, not magical. Here is what Dumbledore thought:

HBP, Ch. 10, The House of Gaunt, Page 213, American, HB "I think you are forgetting," said Dumbledore, "that Merope was a witch. I do not believe that her magical powers appeared to their best advantage when she was being terrorized by her father. Once Marvolo and Morfin were safely in Azkaban, once she was alone and free for the first time in her life, then, I am sure, she was able to give full rein to her abilities..."

Merope was in constant fear and worry of her father and what he could do to her (as Dumbledore puts it, being "terrorized" by Marvolo), and that is what strangled her magical powers when living with her family.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

How does one leave the Pensieve?

Unfortunately, we never see Harry leave a memory be himself - he is always pulled out prematurely, by either Dumbledore or Snape. I think the individual in a memory always has the option and ability to pull him/herself out of the memory, but Harry never has that opportunity. I also agree with amanduhrae that the individual will automatically be pulled from the Pensieve once the memory is complete.

We do know that Dumbledore tugs on Harry's elbow to leave the Gaunt memory. This gesture enabled them to "soar weightlessly through the darkness." Therefore, I think a lone individual could merely make a quick, jumping gesture to signal he/she wishes to leave the memory.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

Who was the victim in the relationshio: Tom Sr. or Merope?

I think they were both victims in their own right, but Tom Riddle Sr. seems, to me, much more a victim. He was bound to Merope through magic, and once the enchantment was lifted, he was free of a life he did not choose. I can understand his abandonment of Merope, for he was likely very scared, angry, and happy to be under his own control again. However, after she was abandoned, Merope turned partly victim (albeit of her own accord) because Tom Riddle Sr. should have, at the least, understood her predicament and supported her in a way. I think, though, that he so despised Merope at this point, he did not care what happened to her and their unborn child; he did not want to be reminded of his period of being controlled by magic.

[TreacleTartlet]

Originally Posted by MrSleepyHead

Unfortunately, we never see Harry leave a memory be himself - he is always pulled out prematurely, by either Dumbledore or Snape. I think the individual in a memory always has the option and ability to pull him/herself out of the memory, but Harry never has that opportunity. I also agree with amanduhrae that the individual will automatically be pulled from the Pensieve once the memory is complete.

We do see Harry leave the Pensieve by himself in DH, after he has witnessed Snape's memories. After the memories finish it says:

'Harry rose up out of the Pensieve, and moments later he lay on the carpeted floor in exactly the same room: Snape might just have closed the door.

This ties in with amanduhrae's suggestion.

[xhanax315]

Chapter Eleven:

Okay nothing much to mention, just two questions to ask. Who had made the bet with McLaggen to eat the doxy eggs?
Hagrid mentions that Aragog's tribe is "gettin' a bit funny". Is it a coincedence that Aragog has fallen ill? Could Voldemort have gotten them to side with him? Is that the reason for them joining the fight in DH? (WWP, page 93)

[kittling]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

Chapter Eleven:Hagrid mentions that Aragog's tribe is "gettin' a bit funny". Is it a coincedence that Aragog has fallen ill?

I think it is because Aragog has become very ill as you suggest.

Could Voldemort have gotten them to side with him? Is that the reason for them joining the fight in DH? (WWP, page 93)

I was under the impression that the DE had attacked them and moved them out of thier home so LV could use it & that would be why they dislke the DE jmo

[FluorescentQ]

Who had made the bet with McLaggen to eat the doxy eggs?

I have heard a theory that the Weasley twins bet McLaggen to eat the eggs, since they had swiped a few doxies in OOtP. I wouldn't be surprised, since they don't seem that fond of McLaggen, and would want to prevent him from making Quidditch.