Join hosts Aureo, Irvin, Sophia, and guest Adam as they discuss the middle chapter in the Harry Potter series: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Order of the Phoenix chapter 6
In this episode:
- The middle chapter of the series – a turning point?
- Can you Apparate in the dark?
- Harry’s being treated like an adult
- Who knows Harry best?
- What is a weapon, anyway?
- Is Kreacher crazy or just mean?
- Irvin’s going to projectile vomit over Umbridge’s desk
- Ginny comes into her own
- “The world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters”
Resources:
- Death Eaters – Part 2: Voldemort’s Resurrection by Irvin
- Death Eaters – Part 4: The Azkaban Ten by Irvin
The Pub’s Jukebox: “Starcross’d Brothers” by Malfoy Manor
I second the motion that this chapter is an unintentional mid-point (and a happy coincidence). Besides the author’s acknowledged numerical hiccups, a chapter is not easily defined. Chapters will often end part-way through a scene (e.g. cliffhangers), so the exact breakdown is probably not set in stone until a book is nearly finished.
In terms of a big picture of the story, Voldemort’s return seems an obvious intentional mid-point. It might have ended up the page/chapter mid-point as well if the author/editor were more ruthless.
Regardless of whether Sirius or the Weasleys know Harry better, more salient here is that neither knows him well enough, or as well as they might think they do.
Sirius (like Snape – and wouldn’t both of them hate that parallel!) conflates him with James.
Molly forges ahead with I’ve-raised-several-teenage-boys expertise, without stopping to consider the particulars of this boy (and he is still a boy, despite everything, though well I remember the desperate yearning to be treated as an adult).
Arthur is more observant (he remembers a boy that went after a basilisk to save Ginny, hence warning him not to go after Sirius), but hasn’t been around Harry as much, and as noted, mostly during quiet, relaxed times. He’s more aware of what Harry has done (where Molly would rather forget), but not necessarily why.
An excellent summary! And gosh, I love that commonality of Snape and Sirius. I think it’s even brought up in the text once, where Snape is all like “I suppose you’ve noticed he’s like his father?” and Sirius answers “Yes!” very proudly.
Especially given the later note about Mrs Weasley still using Lockhart’s book, I went back to the end of CoS: The Weasleys were present for Harry’s explanation of all that went on, but gave the impression of not really paying attention (being still in shock, and just glad to have their daughter back).
It wouldn’t surprise me if neither Molly or Arthur really remembers the details, and (with Lockhart being there, smiling genially at everyone), Molly probably convinced herself Lockhart saved the day, and let Harry tell the story.
I have to imagine that the Weasley kids would have disabused Molly of that notion over the summer. The twins, in particular, were already prone to gently deride her obsession; I think they’d be eager to let her know what her beloved hero is like. And Ron was there when Lockhart was ready to let Ginny lie in the Chamber forever, I think that might’ve come up as well. And Percy would have plenty of derision for Lockhart’s pedagogy, aside from everything else. So I think the unanimous chorus of their kids kvetching about Lockhart would’ve penetrated Arthur and Molly’s minds, even if they were somewhat catatonic during the initial telling of the story.
Arthur and Molly would certainly have registered their kids’ complaints (Arthur more so, as I said earlier), but I don’t know whether it would have changed their minds: “Of course Harry did it all by himself, but he still had adult supervision.”
Voldemort is obviously a proponent of Jeet Kune Do – Bruce Lee similarly saw no point in using any fancy moves on mere mooks.
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House elves are tied (as the name implies) to a house. They will obey the person/family that owns the house. Both the house and Kreacher are in a bad way, unloved and festering. Hermione is partly right, in that showing respect helps mend the relationship, but it had to come from the top: no matter how well the trio might have treated Kreacher in OotP, it would be out-weighed by the rabid loathing Sirius felt for both the house and the elf.
Ooh – HOST: Sam here. I have read the series over 80 times!!
We should have Adam back and have you two compete in trivia!