The Order of the Phoenix Re-Read: Chapter 8

[slowfox]

It seems weird that Arthur wasn't allowed to accompany Harry into the courtroom - especially since we know that there were audiences to Barty Crouch's trial previously.

If the owl was sent to Harry to alert him of the change of time and venue, how come it never arrives? As far as I can recall, no mention is ever made of such a message winging its way to him, either at the Ministry, nor back at Grimmauld Place.

It should come as no surprise, of course, that wizarding justice doesn't seem terribly just...

Harry felt a horrible sinking in the pit of his stomach. Whatever Mrs Figg might say, it sounded to him as though the most she had ever seen was a picture of a Dementor...

Hmm. So can Squibs see Dementors or not? I s'pose they must be able to, although the earlier point still stands that when Mrs Figg is admonishing Harry for attempting to put away his wand (and pre-fandom, that would've struck me as a wholly innocent phrase), she didn't actually know what threat it was that he was facing. Unless someone else communicated this to her.

Dumbledore obviously touches a nerve with Fudge when he reminds the Minister that it can't expel Harry from Hogwarts:

"Oho!" said Fudge."Not our business what he does at school, eh? You think so?"

Hmm - as we know, the Educational Decrees soon try to amend that.

Anyway, Harry's exonerated, we've had our first glimpse of Umbridge, and Susan Bones' mum's been given some screen time, which, given how incidental characters in this book seem to get named merely so that they can be bumped off later, surely can't be good news for her.

I s'pose the real meat of this chapter is that Dumbledore actively ignores Harry, which has got to be a pretty depressing experience, especially when you're being tried by the full Wizengamot, and a not wholly impartial Wizengamot at that.

Comments

[aome]

especially since we know that there were audiences to Barty Crouch's trial

Good point; didn't think of that. I suppose it was just to add to Harry's sense of fear and isolation. Not that Arthur would have been allowed to DO anything, mind.

how come it never arrives? As far as I can recall, no mention is ever made of such a message winging its way to him, either at the Ministry, nor back at Grimmauld Place

I assumed the owl was sent to Grimmauld Place and that of course they didn't get it because Harry was already gone. Yes, you'd think that Molly would make some reference to it but ... oh well. Either that, or they never sent any sort of owl, or deliberately gave the Owl the wrong directions or sent an Errol-type owl and is simply claiming they did. No way to prove it one way or another, after all. They can always claim an owl got lost, eaten, etc. I mean, since they weren't above abruptly changing the time in hopes that Harry would fail to show up (or be late, as happened), thus making him look even worse, then I don't think they'd be above just never sending any sort of notice. Albus seems to have anticipated this by conveniently showing up ridiculously early.

One of the things these interactions with Dumbledore show is how much eye contact means to us as humans. Dumbledore does slowly add to his interaction with Harry but refrains from looking at him all but once (until the end) but the interactions alone are not satisfying enough.

Because this is the next HP book I'll be reading to the girls (not counting any 1-4 re-reads), I keep looking at it with an eye as to what they'll think, when they'll be able to process it, what's appropriate. Sometimes it feels like they won't be ready for this for another four years :P but that hardly seems fair. I can just see that whenever I deem them ready, I'm still going to be doing a lot of explanation along the way.

[slowfox]

Hmm, yes, I think there'd be a lot of explaining required for OotP for the girls just at the moment. But, OTOH, if they're into the story...

Back to the story, it bothers me that the Ministry are evidently so against Harry that they really would fabricate notification of the change of time/venue, and that they'd think it justified to call a kangaroo court of a Wizengamot just to get at Harry.

So, on the one hand, he can clearly see that the world is against him, and on the other, it's looking like neither the Order, nor even Dumbledore, think he can be trusted. You can see how this might begin to get to the boy...

[cynthia_black]

The Squib stuff does bother me, and it's one thing I'd love JKR to clear up a bit for us - must admit I haven't checked her website to see if she has answered questions on that point though.

I think the difference between, say, Barty Crouch's trial and Harry's hearing is that the former was a post-war war crimes trial of the sort that Nazis and Nazi sympathisers were put through, and there was a lot of publicity surrounding the whole process (actually, there are an awful lot of parallels between WWII era and parts of the HP books). In Harry's case elements of the Ministry are trying to discredit Harry, to make him disappear from the scene quietly, and they therefore ensure it is a closed hearing.

and Susan Bones' mum's been given some screen time

Wasn't Amelia Bones Susan's aunt rather than her mother? I can't remember...

[slowfox]

You're right, it's Susan's aunt rather than her mum, as we learn later on when Susan goes through the rigmarole of formally introducing herself to Harry (like he hasn't spent five years at the same school with her, including, we know, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, if nothing else)!

[cesy]

It seems weird that Arthur wasn't allowed to accompany Harry into the courtroom - especially since we know that there were audiences to Barty Crouch's trial previously.
Yes, and by analogy with muggle trials, it would make sense for an underage wizard in particular to be allowed a parent or guardian with them in the trial.

Dudley already knows wizards exist, despite being a muggle. Why is it still breaking the statute of secrecy to do magic in front of him, and why can't he be brought as a witness? Does that mean that even overage muggleborn wizards can't do magic in front of their families?