The Order of the Phoenix Re-Read: Chapter 9

[slowfox]

One of the reasons I like Arthur is for this line about the regurgitating toilet in Bethnal Green:

"Oh, it's a simple enough anti-jinx," said Mr Weasley as they mounted the stairs, "but it's not so much having to repair the damage, it's more the attitude behind the vandalism, Harry. Muggle-baiting might strike some wizards as funny, but it's an expression of something much deeper and nastier...

This is absolutely right, and I'm pleased that reference is made to this in the book. The books have long established that the wizards see themselves as superior to Muggles, and I s'pose part of the whimsical humour is there so that the reader can say 'Well huh, they're pretty stupid themselves...'.

And just how much money does Harry carry about his person as loose change??

...Harry turned his moneybag upside down and emptied not just ten Galleons, but the whole contents into the pool.

And then we're back at Grimmauld Place. I like Harry's line here:

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," said Harry, smiling.

Y'know, I had begun to wonder whether they'd already had their Hogwarts letters (don't they usually arrive round about Harry's birthday?). Ron being a Prefect was a nice touch:

Mrs Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!"

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?" said George indignantly...

Love the Twins, as always. And also, what about Ginny?

Then there's that pretty grim scene with Moody showing Harry the photograph of the old Order, where just about everyone present had been killed later. Yeah, kinda depressing, that bit...

Then we have Mrs Weasley's breakdown over the Boggart - that's kinda sad, and she's obviously under a lot of stress, as most of you have commented to date. And yes, half her family's in the Order, and no-one can give her any promises that they'll all survive :-(

"First sign of madness, talking to your own head," said a sly voice from the empty picture on the wall.

I do like the fact that there's a point to the empty portrait :-)

Comments

[aome]

I still burst out giggling at the "next-door neighbours" line when I read it. :D Poor F/G - Molly certainly doesn't think much of them until their obvious success in HBP, does she?

It does seem very odd that their letters don't arrive until the day before they're to go to school. It hasn't always been consistently on Harry's birthday, but it has always been within a week or two thereafter, it seems. I know JKR was just trying to shake things up so that each book didn't have the exact same start, but I did miss Diagon Alley in the two years Mrs Weasley got everyone's things by herself.

I also have to wonder how well Dean and Seamus were at their lessons. They never seem to get into quite the same trouble, and while Ron has obviously proven his mettle by accompanying Harry on a number of adventures, I do wonder if he was really the best pick. I understand why Dumbledore didn't choose Harry, and I'm sure JKR chose Ron so that Harry would feel even more isolated by being the only one of the trio left out, but I also would have thought that Dumbledore might have been more aware of that repercussion, as well. Hermione, of course, was an obvious choice.

Poor Mrs Weasley and her worries. I wonder why it is that Lupin is always able to treat his Moon-boggart in such an unconcerned fashion. People are not generally so calm when confronted with their worst fear.

[slowfox]

I still burst out giggling at the "next-door neighbours" line when I read it. :D Poor F/G - Molly certainly doesn't think much of them until their obvious success in HBP, does she?

Yep, love that line.

Also, I too wondered about Dean and Seamus - surely one of them would've made a Prefect possibility - they seem to keep under the disciplinary radar for most of the time, whereas Ron's record is hardly unblemished...

I would've loved to have seen Hermione's face if Lavender had been made Prefect instead :D