Harry Potter Book Club - Chapter 16 A Very Frosty Christmas- Page 10

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:38pm

Indeed! Rumor is that in keeping with the theme of seven, the last book release will be on 7/7/07! (Which conveniently falls on a Saturday, just like the last few release dates.)

Seriously, my entire trip planning will be screwed if this isn't the release date. The goal is to do 5 weeks of Europe trotting, and end in London for a week of HP madness. (Oh, and that British history nonsense. )

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:43pm

That would be awesome! I think that it is very likely that the delay in the movie release is because that is when they want to release the last book. That is going to be such a bittersweet day.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:52pm

If it's not a fat book, I think that I will cry.

Oh, and how bout we wait at least two weeks before analyzing HP7? For those of us who want to savor and reflect.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:59pm

So should be go ahead and make a date to start our discussion on July 21, 2007?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 9:02pm

I just might have plans that day already, but I'll keep you in mind if nothing better comes along...

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 9:03pm

Well, don't start before 3.

[pndmnd]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 9:05pm

I think this is an indication of how little things progress in Chapter 8. This is the most and longest that this thread has been off topic! Yoda--Thank goodness you're going to post the new questions tomorrow.

[Overthemoon6]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 9:10pm

Lol. Yea.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 9:12pm

Well I guess that by tradition we should start at 8 AM Monday July 23.

This discussion isn't entirely off topic, just slightly to the side of the topic.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 8:48am

Chapter 9 The Half Blood Prince

The next morning the Trio receive their new schedules. Ron and Harry are happy to learn that their OWLs are high enough to continue with Potions with Professor Slughorn. They have their first DADA class with Snape, who begins to teach them how to perform nonverbal spells. Harry cannot control his temper with Snape and is given detention for "cheek." Harry receives a note from Dumbledore scheduling his first private lesson. The trio attend their first Potions class with Professor Slughorn, who introduces several advanced potions and has the class compete for a bottle of Felix Felicis, or liquid luck. Harry follows suggestions written in the margins of his second hand Potions book and manages to make the best potion to win the Felix Felicis. Hermione is suspicious of the textbook, but can find nothing sinister about it. Harry finds a note at the back of the book declaring that, "This book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince."

*Discussion Questions*

We haven't seen many adult wizards use nonverbal spells. Why do you think that is? Are they so difficult that, like apparation, some people just don't bother with them? If so why are the students being expected to master them?

Is Hermione being overly cautious about the Potions textbook? Is Harry being reckless to use it? Is the answer somewhere in between?

What do you think is the third thing Hermione smells in the Amortentia? Freshly mown grass, new parchment, and...?

How does Slughorn's approach to teaching Potions compare to Snape's?

Thank you to Smartpenguin78 for his help with the questions. Updated On: 3/10/06 at 08:48 AM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:10pm

We haven't seen many adult wizards use nonverbal spells. Why do you think that is? Are they so difficult that, like apparation, some people just don't bother with them? If so why are the students being expected to master them?

I suppose it's an indication of the more troubled times the magical community is living in now - nonverbal spells give you a split-second advantage over your opponent if they don't know when or with what you're going to hex them! I assume many adults don't use nonverbal spells because it requires more concentration, and they're rarely in situations where it's vital to bother with that much effort instead of just saying them aloud.

Is Hermione being overly cautious about the Potions textbook? Is Harry being reckless to use it? Is the answer somewhere in between?

I think Hermione's resentment over Harry besting her in Potions better explains why she disapproves of the text, more so than being cautious. I think the answer is somewhere in the middle; Harry hasn't had any problems with the extra help yet, but at some point down the line, he may unwittingly get himself in a pickle if one of the HBP's tips proves to be dangerous or sinister.

What do you think is the third thing Hermione smells in the Amortentia? Freshly mown grass, new parchment, and...?

The smell of fresh ink spelling out "A+" on her papers? Or...Ron's favorite jumper?

How does Slughorn's approach to teaching Potions compare to Snape's?

Less malicious, much more jovial, inspires the kids with rewards, rather than fear of failure or reprimand.

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:16pm

We haven't seen many adult wizards use nonverbal spells. Why do you think that is? Are they so difficult that, like apparation, some people just don't bother with them? If so why are the students being expected to master them?
I agree with Tiff. I think that people realize that it is about to be all out war and that everyone needs to be as prepared as possible. I think that we haven't seen many people use nonverbal spells because there has been no need to sneak around or attack anyone. This is a sign that that is all about to change.

Is Hermione being overly cautious about the Potions textbook? Is Harry being reckless to use it? Is the answer somewhere in between?
I think that Hermione is right to worry about the book. Remember how "harmless" that journal that Ginny found was? Like the journal which met Ginny's need to feel accepted and "ok", this book is helping Harry get ahead and to feel accomplished in what has typically been a difficult subject for him.

What do you think is the third thing Hermione smells in the Amortentia? Freshly mown grass, new parchment, and...?
I think that Tiff could be right about the ink or Ron's jumper, maybe it is the smell of the countryside at the Burrow? She seems to feel at home there.
How does Slughorn's approach to teaching Potions compare to Snape's?
Slughorn is encouraging and uses positive reinforcement unlike Snape who just yells and treats everyone like crap. It is a much less stressful environment, but it also allows for Slughorn to be less observant than Snape was of his classroom.

[Atrias]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:23pm

Is Hermione being overly cautious about the Potions textbook? Is Harry being reckless to use it? Is the answer somewhere in between?

Hermione, while clearly one known to overreact (Firebolt, anyone?) she always does so with the best intentions, which are for Harry's own good. In fact, I'm very glad that she has that quality, as Ron certainly wouldn't have thought twice about warning Harry.

What do you think is the third thing Hermione smells in the Amortentia? Freshly mown grass, new parchment, and...?

Definitely something linked to Ron, especially as we later find out that something Harry smelled belongs to someone he's attracted to. But...gosh, what on earth would that be? I mean, at least if she had said goats, or something, we'd know it's that barkeep, but nothing about Ron's characteristics has ever been specific enough for us to make a guess, has it?

[camerangel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:23pm

Another thing to remember is what a pickle the diary caused in chamber of secrets. It was taken as harmless to begin with, Hermoine could be recalling that.

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:24pm

Maybe Corned Beef? Isn't that the kind of sandwhiches Mrs. Weasley sent Ron to the train with in SS?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:25pm

Also about that Firebolt, Hermione's initial concern was that is was sent by one Sirius Black. She turned out to be exactly right.

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:26pm

Hermione tends to be right about things unless she gets emotional about them. When she gets all upset her assumptions go a bit off track...

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:30pm

I really hope she doesn't think of Ron as corned beef, that is little disturbing.

[Atrias]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:31pm

Besides, he never ate those sandwiches.

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:32pm

Yeah, but he kept them in his pocket. I'm sure he smelled like them from time to time.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:34pm

Ron's corned beef-smelling jumper! Do we have a consensus?

(BTW, in the American books, do they use "jumper" or "sweater"?)

[Atrias]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:38pm

I think they use "sweater" in the earlier ones, but they're mainly sticking to the Brit vocabulary now.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:43pm

Oh, that's good. It seemed like such an insult to the American intellect to assume you wouldn't know what a "lift" or a "jumper" is. I don't even understand why they released the first one as "Sorcerer's Stone" when everyone else was reading the "Philosopher's Stone".

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:45pm

I always wondered about that one too. I am an anglophile so I knew what they all meant, but I just assumed that they changed the vocab for the younger reader's benifit.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 3:47pm

There was an interview on "Pottercast" with Arthur Levine and they discussed those issues. It simply came down to the conotation of the words. "Jumper" in America is a suit for a baby, they considered it best to change things like that to avoid confusion.
Now that they know the audience they no longer worry much about that, but especially the name of the first book really could have made millions fewer in America actually bother to pick it up. Which is a sad comment but true. "Sorcerer" really is a better title from a marketing standpoint. Even though there are many (myself included) who prefer the pure term.