Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 6
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Chapter 6 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: The Ghoul in Pyjamas
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[edit] Synopsis
In the days following Mad-Eye Moody's death, the Order has deduced that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are preparing for a secret mission assigned by Dumbledore. Mr. Weasley and Lupin accept that the Trio are unable to confide anything, but Mrs. Weasley is persistent. When she is unable to persuade them to return to Hogwarts or reveal any information, she constantly assigns each one chores, nominally to help with the wedding preparations, but actually intended to keep them separated. Ginny tells Harry that her mother is probably hoping to delay their departure by preventing them from planning the mission. Harry wonders aloud if Mrs. Weasley is hoping that someone else will bump off Voldemort. When Ginny, pale-faced, asks if that is their mission, Harry feebly claims he was only joking.
Grimmauld Place can no longer be used as Order Headquarters and many members now have their meals at the Burrow; with Dumbledore's death, everyone privy to its hidden location and function has become a secret-keeper, able to reveal that the Black family home is their Headquarters. This includes Severus Snape who is now deeply entrenched within the Death Eaters' council. Moody had set some protective charms against Snape at the entrance, but it is uncertain if they will work.
Mad-Eye's body is still missing, and the media has reported nothing about the fusillade of magic used during the escape. The Ministry of Magic is apparently keeping people unaware that Death Eaters have grown more powerful, or that there was another mass Azkaban breakout.
In her distraction, Mrs. Weasley allows Harry, Ron, and Hermione a short break from their chores. As Hermione sorts books, deciding which ones to take, Harry again tells her and Ron that they can remain behind. Both reply that they could have backed out six years earlier, and they have had ample time to reconsider. Hermione has already modified her parents' memories and hidden them in Australia, and Ron shows Harry the family ghoul in the attic that has been magically altered to resemble Ron with spattergroit. Anyone curious about Ron's absence from Hogwarts will likely avoid getting too close to anyone with such a contagious and fatal disease. The group are still without a plan for when they leave the Burrow. Harry wants to go to Godric's Hollow, but Hermione vetoes this, warning that Voldemort likely has it under surveillance. They should instead hunt for the real Locket Horcrux that was stolen by the mysterious R. A. B.
When Ron asks how Horcruxes can be destroyed, Hermione admits to having Summoned Dark Magic books from Dumbledore's study. One, Secrets of the Darkest Art, gives full instructions on making Horcruxes; she wonders whether Riddle read it. Harry believes he probably did, and Dumbledore was certain that Riddle already knew how to make a Horcrux before asking Slughorn if it was possible to make multiple ones. Hermione says that Horcruxes by their nature are very strong, and the only way to destroy one is to damage it so it cannot be mended by normal magical means. For instance, Harry stabbing Riddle's diary Horcrux with the Basilisk fang – Basilisk venom is one of a very few things that will destroy a Horcrux. Hermione also believes it is unlikely that Voldemort will reunite his shredded soul on his own; that would require that he have deep remorse for what he had done, something Voldemort is unlikely to feel, and it would cause him excruciating pain. Harry wonders how Dumbledore destroyed the Ring Horcrux and muses again about how little time there was to ask questions. Mrs. Weasley suddenly bursts into the room, breaking up the conversation, and assigns Harry, Hermione, and Ron separate tasks.
Mr. and Mrs. Delacour arrive the next day. Mr. Delacour is charming, Mrs. Delacour is a domestic genius, and everything falls into place around them. Everything is wonderful, everything is lovely. As Harry's birthday approaches, Mrs. Weasley asks him what he would like. Harry says there is little that he needs, and he certainly does not want a big fuss. Thinking about the effort required to arrange a wedding, complicated by the thicket of security spells hiding his presence, Harry is concerned about the strain he is putting on everyone.
[edit] Analysis
Harry's last-ditch effort to persuade Ron and Hermione to remain behind does show concern for their safety, but it also displays a serious character flaw: his constant need to face adversity alone. In fact, much of Harry's strength and success result from his friends' support, abilities, and loyalty, although he fails to fully recognize this; his mission to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes would likely fail without their continual help. Harry's isolation during early childhood has limited his perspective somewhat, causing him to approach many difficulties by himself. Unwanted fame, peer resentment, and exploitation by adults have also had a detrimental effect on him.
Although Harry is a pivotal element in the fight against Voldemort, he has yet to completely realize that many other wizarding families have suffered severely, and will continue to suffer, under the Dark Lord's reign of terror—this is not Harry's battle alone, and Ron and Hermione steadfastly refuse to abandon Harry or the mission. Hermione, as expected, has meticulously packed into her magical bag everything they will need, and both Hermione and Ron have acted to protect their respective families during the mission that Harry is expected to take on.
Mrs. Weasley's character also comes into focus here as she fails miserably to prevent the Trio from embarking on their mission. Despite all her efforts, she likely knows nothing will deter them from leaving and is frustrated that she no longer has any real parental control over Ron, although that does not prevent her from trying. However, her maternal concerns are not only for Ron, Harry, and Hermione, but for her entire family, who will be in grave danger if Voldemort discovers Ron is helping Harry. Mrs. Weasley's love for her family far outweighs any loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, and she has difficulty resigning herself to what they must do, although she likely believes that Dumbledore's task is far too difficult for such young, inexperienced wizards. Her actions reflect her personal feelings, which are apparently shared by most of the other adults.
Hermione claims it was easy to summon the Dark Arts books from Dumbledore's study, almost as if she was intended to retrieve them (which she may have been). Until now, with one exception, the Summoning charm has proven unblockable; one would think that if Dolores Umbridge, for instance, had wanted to secure Fred and George's confiscated brooms, she would have taken stronger measures to protect them from the Summoning charm. She may actually have done so, but underestimated the Twins' ingenuity and talent in developing new magic to overcome common spells, or she may simply have had an exaggerated confidence in her own (apparently average) magical skills. On the other hand, Harry found that the Summoning charm was blocked when he attempted to summon the (fake) Horcrux in the lake inside the sea cave in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. When he heard motion while attempting it, it was quite possible that some physical barrier blocked the spell. Voldemort's Blocking spell may also have contained Dark Magic, making it more powerful than a normal one. We do not really know yet whether the Summoning charm can be blocked without some physical intervention; however, Hermione evidently thinks it can be.
While Harry says here that Dumbledore was certain Riddle already knew how to make a Horcrux before speaking with Slughorn, that text does not appear in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. However, later interviews with the author do tend to confirm Harry's statement. In an interview following the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the author stated that the first Horcrux made was created by the death of Tom Riddle's father. This Horcrux would have been locked into the Peverell ring, which is seen on Riddle's hand when he is discussing making multiple Horcruxes with Horace Slughorn. As we already know that the Riddles died on the same night that Voldemort stole the Peverell ring from his uncle Morfin, the ring must already have been a Horcrux when that conversation took place. We must assume that, in the onward race of events, the author simply forgot to have Dumbledore mention this fact in our hearing.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Why does the Trio keep their mission's purpose secret from Order of the Phoenix members?
- How can Horcruxes be destroyed? How does Hermione learn how?
- Why was it so easy for Hermione to summon the restricted books from Dumbledore's office? Why does she need them?
- Why does Mrs. Weasley continually assign the Trio separate chores? Does she really believe this will work?
- Why does Harry try to dissuade Ron and Hermione from accompanying him on the quest? Is he right in doing so? If not, why? What is their response?
[edit] Further Study
- Why does Harry want to go to Godric's Hollow? Why is Hermione against it? Explain who is right.
- If Dumbledore was correct that Tom Riddle already knew how to make a Horcrux, why did Riddle seek advice from Professor Slughorn about how they were created?
[edit] Greater Picture
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when the Trio visit Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's, a portrait on the wall diagnoses Ron with spattergroit; the wizard in that portrait was suggesting cures that seemed worse than the disease. Ron denies that he is suffering from Spattergroit, saying it is just freckles. This is possibly where the idea for part of the ghoul's disguise came from. Over the next few chapters of this book, more is learned about Spattergroit, an incurable magical fungus infestation. Starting with pustules on the skin, it proceeds to spread through the throat; once it reaches the uvula, the victim is unable to talk. It is extremely contagious, and eventually fatal.
There are several incidents throughout the story where someone casts the Summoning Charm unsuccessfully. In some cases, the summoned item was either not present or the person casting the charm lacked a proper wand; however, in some instances, such as with Ravenclaw's Diadem, Gryffindor's Sword, and Harry's Invisibility Cloak, the object was present but simply failed to respond. However, unlike ordinary, everyday objects, these are powerful magical artifacts that may be impervious to Summoning charms. When Hermione fails to Summon the Locket Horcrux a little later, she suggests it is possible that it is magically prevented from responding, a fact that reminds Harry of how the fake locket Horcrux in the sea cave was similarly protected. However, in Hermione's case, the Locket is simply not in the house at that time, so it is unknown if it would have responded. If it is that common to protect objects from a Summoning charm, it might be surmised that when Hermione so easily retrieved the Dark Arts books from the Headmaster's office, it may be that Dumbledore intended for her to have them.
According to Hermione, only a powerful magical object like the Basilisk fang Harry used on Tom Riddle's Diary can destroy a Horcrux. While the Trio will desperately search for another equally powerful, but as yet unknown, object that can also do the job, considering that they are intensely discussing this among themselves, it seems rather odd that no one, particularly Hermione, thinks to bring Basilisk fangs on their mission. There is still ample time and opportunity to retrieve these from the Chamber of Secrets beneath Hogwarts Castle. Although Hogwarts will fall under Voldemort's control later in the book, it is currently headed by Professor McGonagall, the acting Headmistress, and still safe for the Trio to visit. When the Trio returns to Hogwarts at the book's end, it will be Ron who remembers this and retrieves a fang from the Chamber to destroy a Horcrux.
