Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 5
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Chapter 5 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Fallen Warrior
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[edit] Synopsis
After Harry and Hagrid land heavily at Ted Tonks's residence, Harry is treated for his injuries. Ted Tonks tells Harry that Voldemort was unable to kill Harry because the Order placed protective charms around the Tonks' house, causing Voldemort and the Death Eaters to "disappear" as Harry neared it. Hagrid, who was last seen sprawled on the ground unconscious, appears at the door, reassuring Harry. Ted Tonks' wife, Andromeda looks so much like her her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, that Harry almost mistakes her for Bellatrix.
The hairbrush portkey in Tonk's bedroom transports Harry and Hagrid to The Burrow where Order members are to meet. Only Mrs. Weasley and Ginny are there when Harry arrives. Hearing what happened, Mrs. Weasley is distraught—two other groups, Tonks with Ron, and Arthur Weasley with Fred were scheduled to arrive earlier than Harry.
Remus Lupin and George arrive next. However, George's ear has been severed by Death Eater Severus Snape casting "Sectumsempra". Because Dark magic was used, George's ear is irreparable. Believing an Order member betrayed them, Lupin quizzes Harry to test his identity, asking, "What creature sat in the corner the first time that Harry Potter visited my office at Hogwarts?" Harry answers correctly that it was, "a Grindylow in a tank." Assured he is not an impostor, Lupin says that Harry casting "Expelliarmus" probably identified him; it has become recognized as Harry's signature spell after confronting the Dark Lord two years before. Lupin strongly insists that Harry use stronger defensive spells.
When Kingsley Shacklebolt and Hermione arrive, Lupin verifies Shacklebolt's identity. Arthur Weasley and Fred arrive next, followed by Tonks and Ron on their broomsticks. They were delayed after encountering Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband, Rodolphus, who they seriously injured.
Shacklebolt departs, saying he is overdue at Downing Street. Bill Weasley and his fiancée, Fleur Delacour are the last members to arrive; "Mad Eye" Moody has been tragically killed by Voldemort as his companion, Mundungus Fletcher Disapparated from the scene. Members suspect Mundungus is the traitor, but decide that is unlikely, as Voldemort knew nothing about the Harry Potter decoys, which was Mundungus' suggestion.
As Bill and Lupin are about to search for Mad Eye's body, Harry announces that he is endangering the others and must leave. Everyone objects, insisting Voldemort cannot possibly know where he is. Beleaguered, Harry wanders into the garden. His scar starts hurting, and he can see Voldemort torturing Ollivander the wand-maker, after the botched attempt to kill Harry. Voldemort demands to know why Lucius Malfoy's wand failed against Harry and how Harry's wand could have destroyed it. As the vision ends, Ron and Hermione arrive and urge him to stay; he tells them what he has seen. Hermione wants Harry to keep his mind closed from Voldemort.
[edit] Analysis
While plot is stressed more than character in this chapter, Mad Eye's death is not only a great loss to the Order of the Phoenix, but it has a profound affect on Harry, who resists having others risk their lives to protect him. However, Harry fails to realize that Voldemort threatens the entire Wizarding community, not just him, or that the Dark Lord cannot be defeated by one person alone. At this point, Voldemort appears to have the greater advantage, and his power is growing. The Death Eaters knew precisely when and where Harry would be moved; the Order barely survived the attack, and it was at a great cost. It also appears that the Order's tight security has been breached: despite meticulous preparation, the secret plan to move Harry to a safe house was leaked, indicating a spy may be within the Order of the Phoenix. The most likely suspect is Order member Mundungus Fletcher, a rather disreputable character, although his loyalty has never been doubted until now. However, this idea is quickly discounted because Voldemort and the Death Eaters were unaware there would be Harry decoys, which was Mundungus' idea. Who, then, tipped off Voldemort?
Lupin scolds Harry for reacting too mildly and predictably during the attack, character traits his enemies previously exploited and that tragically contributed to Sirius Black's death at the Ministry of Magic. Because Harry cast Expelliarmus, a simple disarming spell, rather than a stronger defensive one, in the graveyard duel, Death Eaters have identified it as his signature move. Thus, when Harry used it against Stan Shunpike during the pursuit, the pursuing Death Eaters identified him and summoned Voldemort. Harry's argument that he was protecting Shunpike, who he believed was only acting under the Imperius Curse, does little to sway Lupin's opinion, and it may indicate that Harry is still too young and inexperienced to be a full-fledged member of the Order of the Phoenix. It is also uncertain if Harry is willing or able to change, having always found comfort and strength in familiarity. However, if Voldemort is to be defeated, Harry must find new strategies.
Harry also shows how alone and apart he feels by wanting to leave the safe house in a misguided effort to protect others, although his departure would do little to save anyone or alter the war's overall course.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Snape was able to heal Draco Malfoy's cuts from the Sectumsempra spell in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Why are Mr. and Mrs. Weasley unable to regrow George's ear that was severed by the same spell?
- Why does Harry want to leave The Burrow? Is that a wise decision? What stops him?
- Why does Harry always act so predictably? What does Lupin tell him?
[edit] Extra Study
- Did a traitor within the Order of the Phoenix tip off Voldemort about Harry leaving the Dursleys? If so, who might that be?
- If there is not a traitor within the Order, how could Voldemort have uncovered the secret plan?
- Why would Voldemort be holding Mr. Ollivander prisoner?
[edit] Greater Picture
Hermione is dismayed that Harry chooses to see Voldemort's thoughts, as well she should; it was through that channel that Voldemort implanted the false vision that led to Sirius' death in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. However, Voldemort found Harry's mind an extremely uncomfortable place to occupy; it was Harry's love for Sirius and others that drove him out. Dumbledore believed Voldemort closed that avenue in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because he was unable to cope with Harry's memories and emotions. Harry believes that if he remains aware that false images can be implanted, he will be shielded from Voldemort deceiving him again, although Hermione and Ron are less certain. Harry will occasionally glimpse Voldemort's thoughts throughout the book, and these images will prove invaluable.
Mad Eye Moody is presumably killed in the attack by Death Eaters, although Order of the Phoenix members never locate his body. Harry will later recover Moody's magical eye from Dolores Umbridge's office in the Ministry of Magic, but it is unknown if the Death Eaters actually found his corpse. This leaves open the faint possibility that Mad Eye may have survived the attack and is in hiding. Even Ron believes he may still be alive and has hidden himself somewhere, although Harry and Hermione are skeptical. Considering how paranoid Moody had become, it would hardly be surprising that he would conceal himself, even from friends and allies, and probably for long after the war ended. Moody could, therefore, reappear in a future Harry Potter sequel (if Rowling should write one). Mad Eye makes one final appearance in this novel, however; when Harry, Hermione, and Ron take refuge at Grimmauld Place, Moody's voice "greets" them as they enter—it is one of the jinxes that guards the former Order of the Phoenix headquarters from intuders. Another jinx taking the form of a moldering Dumbledore will also appear at Grimmauld Place. Rowling may be dropping subtle clues that the last has not been heard or seen from Alastor "Mad Eye" Moody or Albus Dumbledore.
George's severed ear may actually foreshadow a more tragic event involving the Weasley family.
