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Suggest pagesMuggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 25
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Chapter 25 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Shell Cottage
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[edit] Synopsis
Harry spends as much time as possible alone on the cliff tops. This is the first time an opportunity has presented itself where he has chosen not to act, and, even to himself, his reasoning for not racing to the Elder Wand before Voldemort grows weaker every time he considers it. Ron's doubting is hardly helpful, and even Hermione's support confuses him. Convinced now that the Elder Wand does exist, she believes the way it was retrieved, and the wand itself, are evil. Ron questions if Dumbledore is truly dead – there is the silver doe and the eye in the mirror. If it is not Dumbledore's eye, then who sent Dobby?
Fleur interrupts Harry, saying that Griphook wants a word. Griphook agrees to help Harry, even though it is betraying Gringott's, but he wants payment: the Sword of Gryffindor. The Sword, Griphook says, was Goblin-made, therefore, it still belongs to Goblins. When Ron suggests that there are other valuables in the Lestrange vault that Griphook might want, Griphook is affronted: he is not a thief. Griphook claims the sword was stolen by Gryffindor from Ragnuk the First. Harry, Ron, and Hermione request time to consider his request.
Harry asks if the sword could have been stolen from the Goblins; Hermione says that wizard-written history books often gloss over what was inflicted on nonhuman races. Ron suggests swapping the sword for the fake one in the vault, but Hermione points out that Griphook immediately detected the replica. Hermione proposes offering an equal value item, but Ron sarcastically retorts that they do not have any other Goblin-made swords. Harry suggests offering the sword to Griphook, but only after all the Horcruxes have been destroyed. Hermione dislikes this idea, it could take years. Harry does not like it either, but he does not have another plan.
Griphook agrees to Harry's carefully worded agreement, and they shake on it. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook spend the next several weeks planning the Gringotts' assault, during which, Harry realizes he dislikes the Goblin. Griphook seems too uncaring and cheerful over other wizards possibly being injured. He also seems cheered by making things difficult for Fleur. When Bill insists that he eat with the family rather than have meals brought to his room, he does so, but eats raw meat and roots. Fleur is gladdened that Ollivander will shortly move to Aunt Muriel's, and she can then juggle bedrooms. Harry tells her that he, Ron, and Dean are fine sleeping in the living room. Keeping Griphook happy is essential to the Trio's plans, and Herry believes the Goblin would object to sleeping on the sofa. He informs Fleur that he, Ron, and Hermione will also be leaving soon.
As Ollivander and Bill are about to depart for Aunt Muriel's, Fleur asks Ollivander to deliver Muriel's borrowed tiara for her. Harry notices Griphook eying the tiara, almost eagerly. Griphook mentions that it was made by Goblins; Bill responds that it was paid for by wizards.
Bill and Ollivander leave, while the rest have dinner. Bill returns shortly, saying everything is fine at Muriel's, and that the Twins are driving her crazy, running an owl order business from her back bedroom. As dinner ends, there is a bang at the door. Bill aims his wand, and outside, Lupin identifies himself. Remus announces that Tonks has had her baby, a boy, named Ted after Tonks' father. He asks Harry to be godfather, and Harry, stunned, accepts. The celebration goes through several bottles before Lupin departs into the storm and for home.
As they carry goblets into the kitchen, Bill asks Harry if he has a deal with Griphook, but Harry is unable to say. Bill warns that Goblin ideas of ownership are foreign. They believe wizards are untrustworthy in matters regarding treasure and believe that ownership stays with the maker, considering Goblin-made wares only to be leased rather than bought. Griphook evidently feels that Auntie Muriel's tiara should have been returned to the Goblins when the original owner died. Harry promises to be careful and returns to the celebration, which continues even though Lupin has left.
[edit] Analysis
The author has pointed out separately in an interview, that Harry deciding for the first time not to act upon something is an important part of his maturation. He sees a path he can pursue that will thwart one aspect of Voldemort's scheme, but he instead chooses to simply watch and make other plans that will lead to a resolution he has been striving for since the story began. Always before, Harry had seen a clear path – going through the trap door, entering the Chamber, freeing Sirius, dueling Voldemort, flying to the Ministry, recovering a Horcrux – and has followed it. These rather linear actions created a familiar pattern, making Harry predictable to his enemies. Now there is a defined action that Harry can take, traveling to Hogwarts to prevent Voldemort from claiming the Elder Wand, but after careful consideration, he opts to ignore it.
Harry's agreement with Griphook is risky, and it is unclear if he can be trusted, although Griphook likely feels the same about Harry. It is obvious that the Goblin's only interest is to obtain Gryffindor's Sword, which he firmly believes belongs to Goblins, rather than to help rid the Wizarding world of Voldemort. As Hermione pointed out, the ill-treatment that Goblins and other non-human magical folks have endured for centuries under Wizard rule has been glossed over in history books that were written by biased historians. Griphook and many other magical creatures may believe that they will fare better, or at least no worse, under Volemort's domination than they have under Wizards, resulting in them either supporting Voldemort or maintaining a neutral stance. This could be cause enough for Griphook to betray the Trio once the Horcrux is retrieved from the Lestrange vault. Harry likely suspects that Griphook may double-cross him, but he has little choice but to place his faith in him for now and follow through with their plan.
The rift between Harry and Lupin has finally been healed, and, thanks to Harry, Lupin realizes that not only is he a suitable husband and father, but a worthy human being and valuable Order of the Phoenix member, despite being a werewolf. His being a werewolf has actually been a tremendous asset to the Order, allowing him to infiltrate, at great personal risk, Fenrir Greyback's lycanthropic realm to gather valuable information. Lupin asking Harry to be godfather to his newborn son not only shows how deeply he cares for and respects Harry, but also that he and Tonks believe that Harry, being an orphan, is the most qualified person to guide and mentor baby Teddy should anything happen to them, although there is no certainty that any will survive.
Although it is never explained, it seems odd that Fleur would ask Mr. Ollivander, rather than Bill, to return Aunt Muriel's tiara. The author may be directing the reader's attention to this type of object for a specific reason.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why does Harry no longer want to pursue the Deathly Hallows, even though Dumbledore obviously pointed him in that direction?
- Why does Lupin ask Harry to be godfather to his newborn son? Why does Harry accept?
- Does Harry intend to honor his agreement with Griphook? Will Griphook honor it? Explain.
[edit] Extra Study
- If the Deathly Hallows are not directly related to Harry's mission, why would Dumbledore bring them to Harry's attention?
- Why would Fleur request that Ollivander, rather than Bill, return Aunt Muriel's tiara?
- Does the Sword of Gryffindor actually belong to the Goblins as Griphook claims?
- Why do Goblins consider Wizards untrustworthy? Is this distrust warranted?
- Are Goblins trustworthy? Explain.
[edit] Greater Picture
Like the cup of tea that Dudley left outside Harry's bedroom door in Chapter 2, Rowling has focused the reader's attention to another seemingly insignificant object, a tiara. This would be the second tiara that has been pointed out to us, the other being the one on Rowena Ravenclaw's statue at the Lovegoods'. As we now believe, one Horcrux is Hufflepuff's Cup. That would seem to indicate that Ravenclaw's diadem is a likely candidate to be another Horcrux, although its whereabouts is still unknown.
