The Order of the Phoenix Re-Read: Chapter 7

[slowfox]

Y'know, it's only on this read through that I realised what the significance of the telephone number:

"No, no, I'm sure it's fine," said Mr Weasley, holding the receiver above his head and peering at the dial. "Let's see... six..." he dialled the number, "two ... four ... and another four ... and another two ..."

I know this is more prevalent in the States than here, but veteran texters will recognise 'magic' from that sequence. I'm ashamed to say that it's taken me this long to spot it. D'oh!

I do wonder what Muggles see as the telephone box does its Journey to the Centre of the Earth impression. I mean, they must notice, surely? Or maybe there are some of those Muggle-repelling charms they had at the World Cup spread about the place?

One of the things I've noticed about the series is that the whimsical humour with which the first book opened gets toned down and down as the books progress. Still something of a disappointment, then, to see that the Ministry have both an Official Gobstones Club and a Ludicrous Patents Office.

"Ah," he said, grinning, as he extracted a copy of a magazine called The Quibbler from its midst...

First name-check for The Quibbler, and a short while later, Bode gets name-checked, too.

One can't help but wonder what arrangements would've been made for Harry had he remained (as initially instructed) at the Dursleys? Presumably the Ministry knows that Harry's with the Weasleys, but if Grimmauld Place is Unplottable, do they actually know where that is? And given that this is Harry, wouldn't they want to?

Feels like a short chapter, this one, heavy on background info, perhaps a little light on progession?

Comments

[aome]

You didn't find the introduction to the Ministry to have some of the former whimsy? Perhaps you've become inured to it, or the otherwise somber tone of the book is muting that for you? Because I thought the idea of animated paper airplanes serving as inter-office memos, and weather-window people giving them a month of hurricanes when they wanted a pay rise was very cute. I also liked seeing the detailed listing of all the floors in the Ministry - including the idea of having, not just a patent office, but a ludicrous patent office. (Likewise, I later liked the listing of floors at St Mungo's.)

I don't think I spotted the telephone number spelling out M-A-G-I-C, myself, but I do recall someone else pointing it out in the initial post-OotP discussion. Very subtle and clever. :)

On the other hand, it's really quite dreadful, the blatant pompousness inherent in the fountain, with the magical non-humans gazing adoringly up at the witch and wizard. :P

Perhaps Harry should have remembered that even Shacklebolt and Sirius were enjoying the Quibbler - so it couldn't be THAT terrible, as they initially think upon meeting Luna. I don't think we ever find out what Shacklebolt thinks Sirius would enjoy - I wonder what it was?

[slowfox]

I don't think we ever find out what Shacklebolt thinks Sirius would enjoy - I wonder what it was?

Wasn't that the story about Sirius being a singer in some kind of band? Or was that a different story the Quibbler ran later on still.

also liked seeing the detailed listing of all the floors in the Ministry Sometimes, it felt a little to me like fan-service - that JKR was throwing fandom all these bones that she knew we'd enjoy, without them being strictly necessary to the plot.

I mean, consider GoF - there's stacks of detail in that book, yet very little of it is truly incidental. OotP tries for the same detail, but loses some of the foreshadowing. At least, that's how I recall it being...

[aome]

Yeah, but doesn't that describe a lot of whimsy, things that aren't really necessary to the plot? Like the tape measure measuring between Harry's nostrils all by itself?

And yes - we did find out about the Quibbler article a few chapters on. I just hadn't read that far (until last night) and didn't remember it at the time I was posting.

[slowfox]

Like the tape measure measuring between Harry's nostrils all by itself?


OK, yes, we did. But other details, like the Portkey to the Quidditch World Cup, that Crouch had a House-Elf do his bidding for seemingly no purpose, that Bertha Jorkins was still missing... Talking to people through fires, Krum always being in the library, Snape assuming Harry was stealing Polyjuice Potion ingredients. GoF had an incredibly intricate plot with lots of details spread all over the place, moreso, I think, than OotP...

[aome]

And yet, even GoF had *some* whimsical details that were not really part of the plot, like the description of the World Cup campsites. You're correct that a lot of the details in OotP are mostly to further the *same* plot (at least so far): that Harry is feeling incredibly isolated and angry, for one reason or another, and that the wizarding world is dividing itself. But they *are* part of the plot, and many other details are, too, like the family tree, the locket, Dumbledore not looking at him, the students whispering among themselves ... and then coming to hear Harry talk and deciding to join the DA. I think maybe the anger just makes things feel like they're bogging down, but I don't feel like it's starting that much slower. Frankly, it was GoF that made me feel like things were bogging down, at least the first time I read it - look how much of the book passes before they get to Hogwarts; it's much MUCH longer than the preceding books, and starts off with a chapter not about Harry at all. But GoF seems to signal a trend in that regard; it's only the first three books which really launch themselves in more immediately.

[cynthia_black]

I know this is more prevalent in the States than here, but veteran texters will recognise 'magic' from that sequence. I'm ashamed to say that it's taken me this long to spot it. D'oh!

I hadn't spotted that at all! Thank you for pointing it out!

It seems Fudge wanted to convict Harry in his absence - hence the last-minute change in time and place - so I'm not sure how much they really cared where he was. They certainly did know he was with the Weasleys, because they sent the memo about the change to Arthur's office.

[cynthia_black]

Oh, and first ever mention of Scrimgeour in this chapter too.

[slowfox]

Indeed so, although not enough to tell us whether or not he proves important...

[slowfox]

It doesn't leave one reassured about the mechanisms of wizarding justice, does it?

They certainly did know he was with the Weasleys, because they sent the memo about the change to Arthur's office.


Good point!

[cesy]

I hadn't spotted the phone number thing.

Harry wearing jeans and a t-shirt for a trial does seem silly.

Why doesn't he say goodbye to Ron and Hermione in the morning? You would have thought at least Hermione would think it was important to wish him luck.

Arthur's incompetence with Muggle stuff just doesn't make sense. Some wizards somewhere must be competent with Muggle things in order to stay as well hidden as they are. And what about all the Muggle-borns before Hermione? We know they exist.