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[edit] Chapters

Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Ascending

Chapter 2: In Memoriam

Chapter 3: The Dursleys Departing

Chapter 4: The Seven Potters

Chapter 5: Fallen Warrior

Chapter 6: The Ghoul in Pyjamas

Chapter 7: The Will of Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 8: The Wedding

Chapter 9: A Place to Hide

Chapter 10: Kreacher's Tale

Chapter 11: The Bribe

Chapter 12: Magic is Might

Chapter 13: The Muggle-Born Registration Commission

Chapter 14: The Thief

Chapter 15: The Goblin's Revenge

Chapter 16: Godric's Hollow

Chapter 17: Bathilda's Secret

Chapter 18: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore

Chapter 19: The Silver Doe

Chapter 20: Xenophilius Lovegood

Chapter 21: The Tale of the Three Brothers

Chapter 22: The Deathly Hallows

Chapter 23: Malfoy Manor

Chapter 24: The Wandmaker

Chapter 25: Shell Cottage

Chapter 26: Gringotts

Chapter 27: The Final Hiding Place

Chapter 28: The Missing Mirror

Chapter 29: The Lost Diadem

Chapter 30: The Sacking of Severus Snape

Chapter 31: The Battle of Hogwarts

Chapter 32: The Elder Wand

Chapter 33: The Prince's Tale

Chapter 34: The Forest Again

Chapter 35: King's Cross

Chapter 36: The Flaw in the Plan

Epilogue: Nineteen Years Later

[edit] Overview

Once again we join Harry Potter as he enters what would be his seventh year at Hogwarts. The book is written from the point-of-view of the now 17-year-old Harry as he prepares to complete the mission set for him by Dumbledore at the end of the previous year. Arguably the darkest book in the series, this volume shows Lord Voldemort tightening his grip on the Wizarding world as he remolds it into his own pure-blood design.

While the series progressively covers seven years in Harry Potter's life, the first five volumes are largely self-contained stories. Unlike them, this book is written more as the second half to a two-part novel that is tightly tied to the previous book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Note: While this book is among the longer ones in the series, at 607 pages (Bloomsbury / Raincoast edition), it is also set in somewhat larger type. If it were the same size type as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, it would be 520 pages (approximately) to 223 for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

[edit] Book Highlights

• New places visited: Godric's Hollow, Malfoy Manor, Shell Cottage, Lovegood home
• Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: Amycus Carrow
• Title refers to: the Deathly Hallows

[edit] Extended Analysis

• Overall Analysis
• Character Development
• Major Themes
• Real-World Connections

Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Ascending

[edit] Synopsis

There is silence for a moment. Then Snape and Yaxley both Apparate in at the same time, pointing their wands at each other. After recognizing each other, they head for a large mansion. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are gathered at Malfoy Manor, their new headquarters. Severus Snape informs Voldemort that the Order of the Phoenix is moving Harry Potter from the Dursley home to a secret location the following Saturday, at sunset. Snape tells Voldemort that the information comes "from the source [they] discussed." This contradicts the information that Yaxley obtained from an Auror named Dawlish, but that is determined to be unreliable. Snape tells the assembled Death Eaters that the Order suspects the Ministry has been infiltrated. Yaxley reports that he has succeeded in placing Pius Thicknesse, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, under the Imperius curse, a huge step toward the Death Eaters' taking over the Ministry of Magic. However, Voldemort says that Thicknesse is only one man, "and Scrimgeour must be completely surrounded by our people before I act." Voldemort mentions that his wand, having the same magical core as Harry Potter's wand, could prove ineffective against Harry. He demands Lucius' wand, claiming that Malfoy will no longer need it and that he and his wife were unfaithful to the Dark Lord. Bellatrix Lestrange comments that she, unlike her sister, Narcissa, has always been faithful. Voldemort jokes about her niece, who apparently has just married Remus Lupin. Voldemort then uses Lucius' wand to kill his captive, Professor Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies instructor at Hogwarts, for teaching the subject and for publishing an opinion suggesting that the decreasing numbers of pureblooded wizards was beneficial and that blood purity should no longer matter, giving her to Nagini as her "dinner".

[edit] Analysis

A major difference between the Order of the Phoenix and Death Eaters is brought into sharper focus here. Death Eaters constantly compete with one another to ascend in the Dark Lord's eyes. Some are affronted that Snape is invited to sit at Voldemort's right hand; the Malfoys' position at the foot of the table is obviously galling to them and shows how far and how quickly they have fallen from favor. In the Order, however, the organization's unified goal to assist Harry and defeat Voldemort are far more important than an individual's status within their group.

Throughout the series, Snape is the one character whose true motives and loyalty have never been clearly established. Is he a redeemed Death Eater secretly carrying out Dumbledore's orders, or had he merely been biding his time, gathering information, awaiting the Dark Lord's resurrection? Now Snape is deeply embedded in the Death Eaters' inner council and has become a trusted Voldemort confidante. He also acts as a conduit for information about the Order. It is unknown whether Snape's information is accurate or how he obtained it. Voldemort is likely using Legilimency in an attempt to read Snape's mind and thus judge how reliable the information is, although Snape is skilled in Occlumency, and, conceivably, could block Voldemort's intrusions. Disputes over Snape's loyalty appeared to have been resolved when Snape killed Dumbledore (at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince). Most importantly, why did Dumbledore steadfastly maintain such unwavering trust in him? Also, the circumstances surrounding Dumbledore's death are ambiguous, and many readers have argued that Snape did not truly murder Dumbledore but was acting according to some prearranged plan between them. And while many questions go unanswered, it is doubtful that Voldemort completely trusts Snape. The old adage, "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer" may very well apply here, and it could have just as well applied to Dumbledore. Also, many fans believe that Dumbledore may not actually be dead, although Rowling is adamant that he is. Whatever Snape's actual course or motives may be, this will remain unknown until the book's end.

Some critics may feel that introducing the Charity Burbage character solely to kill her off may be literary laziness by the author. However, this demonstrates just how bloodthirsty Death Eaters are, which makes murdering someone reasonable. That she is a Hogwarts professor shows that the school is not as sacrosanct as it has previously seemed. And who better to kill than the Muggle Studies instructor? However, this scene might have had more impact if readers had been introduced to Professor Burbage when Hermione was taking her class during her third year.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why has Malfoy lost favor with the Dark Lord? Having lost that favor, why would Voldemort want him returned from Azkaban?
2. Even though Voldemort's wand may not work properly against Harry, it is not so hindered in acting against Professor Burbage. Why would Voldemort use Lucius' wand rather than his own to kill the Muggle Studies instructor?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Who might be the 'source' that Snape and Voldemort refer to?
2. Lucius Malfoy was sent to Azkaban at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Yet, he has returned. There was no news of breakouts at Azkaban during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. What does this say about the Ministry?

[edit] Greater Picture

During Voldemort's meeting with his Death Eaters, Wormtail is dismissed to attend to a prisoner, who is evidently disrupting the proceedings. While it is never confirmed who this prisoner is, it is learned later that Ollivander is being held captive in the house.

Snape's information about the Order's choice of dates to move Harry is accurate, though he does not, apparently, know the plan's full details. Later, it is learned that Snape not only knows the complete plan, but it was he who planted the additional details into Mundungus' thoughts so that he could suggest them to Mad Eye Moody. However, readers do not as yet have that information. Lacking that, this chapter seems to reinforce the belief that Snape is loyal to the Dark side.

Chapter 2: In Memoriam

[edit] Synopsis

For the first time in six years, Harry is fully emptying his school trunk, deciding what to take with him and what should be left behind when he leaves the Dursley house for the last time. While unpacking, he cuts his hand. Harry, who is four days away from his seventeenth birthday, the age he can perform unrestricted magic, has yet to learn how to heal wounds. He plans to ask Hermione to show him. Hunting carefully through his trunk, he finds a shard from the broken two-way mirror, given to him by Sirius. When he heads to the bathroom to tend the cut, he stumbles over a cup of tea left outside his bedroom door, which he assumes to be a booby trap planted by Dudley. After cleaning up the broken tea cup and emptying his trunk, he looks through a pile of newspapers and picks up the copy containing Dumbledore's obituary.

The obituary reveals that Dumbledore's father was sentenced to Azkaban for attacking three Muggle children. Albus quickly overcame his father's notoriety through his exceptional performance at Hogwarts, winning many honors there and corresponding with many learned witches and wizards.

Three years later, Albus' brother, Aberforth, joined him at Hogwarts. The two brothers were unalike, Aberforth being more reserved and likely to settle differences by dueling, where Albus would debate the issues, but they were friends. After finishing school, Albus planned to travel the world with his friend, Elphias Doge, the obituary's author, when his mother, Kendra, died suddenly, leaving Albus the sole provider for the family. While Elphias traveled the world, another tragedy struck the Dumbledores: the sudden death of Albus's younger sister, Ariana. Albus and Aberforth became estranged after, and Albus never talked about his family. Putting this sad chapter behind him, Albus went on to achieve many notable successes, including discovering twelve uses of dragon's blood and defeating Grindelwald in an epic duel.

Looking at Dumbledore's picture, Harry realizes that he barely knew the man; their conversations were always about him. Tearing out the obituary, he puts it in a book and then retrieves that day's Daily Prophet. Harry reads about an upcoming series of exposés on Dumbledore, excerpted from hack journalist Rita Skeeter's biography about him. Harry flips to the interview with Skeeter, who spins her usual stylized lies about him and Dumbledore. She suggests that Dumbledore dabbled in Dark magic, his sister, Ariana, was a Squib, Aberforth broke Albus' nose at Ariana's funeral, claiming Albus killed her, and that the epic duel between Albus and Grindelwald may have been something other than it seemed. About Harry, she hints that the relationship between him and Dumbledore was odd, even inappropriate, and that Harry was seen running from where Dumbledore fell. And even though Harry testified against Snape, the long-standing grudge between them is public knowledge.

Harry is outraged, but there is little he can do. Distractedly turning over the mirror shard, he glimpses a sky-blue flash, the same color as Dumbledore's eyes. Studying the mirror closely, he only sees his reflection, and there is nothing blue nearby that could have been reflected in it. Dumbledore's eyes will never gaze upon him again, but all the same, he tucks the shard safely away in a front pocket.

[edit] Analysis

This chapter reveals glimpses into Dumbledore's previously unknown history, something that the author has kept concealed. Doge's comments and Rita's interview imply that there is some significant mystery about Dumbledore's history, although anything written by Skeeter should be considered with skepticism. Regardless, Dumbledore's past appears to be darker and more secretive than most knew. And while Dumbledore's death has left a significant hole in Harry's life, much of that emptiness is now caused by what Harry never knew about his mentor. While Harry is still grief-stricken by the loss, he is also left confused, adrift, and doubting as to what Dumbledore's intentions actually were; he also wonders whether Dumbledore ever loved him or was merely using him as a weapon to defeat Voldemort. Even allowing for Skeeter's poisoned pen, there are many mysteries about this mysterious wizard that will need significant explanation before Albus Dumbledore can finally be laid to rest.

The blue flash in the broken two-way mirror will also be significant. Is this Dumbledore somehow watching from beyond the grave? Harry apparently hopes so, considering his sudden care with the mirror shard.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Could some of what the Daily Prophet states about Dumbledore be correct?
2. Why would Rita Skeeter write a biography about Dumbledore? How accurate is it likely to be?
3. Why did Harry know so little about Dumbledore's past? Had Harry ever made an effort to learn about him? How much did Harry, or anyone, have the right to know?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why would Dumbledore's father have attacked three Muggle children?
2. What might the blue flash in the mirror be?
3. Who might have left the cup of tea outside Harry's bedroom door? Why would they leave it there?

[edit] Greater Picture

It will be learned that Rita Skeeter's source was the elderly and senile Bathilda Bagshot, a Dumbledore family friend, and who was also known by Lily Potter. Rita apparently slipped Bathilda some Veritaserum to retrieve her memories. However, the only story that Bathilda can share, and thus the only one that Rita can report, is an outsider's point-of-view; that, coloured by Rita's highly acidic quill, will result in an extremely slanted, highly inaccurate, and damaging story. Harry will labor under these skewed beliefs until he learns the truth from Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus' brother, much later in the book.

The cup of tea left outside Harry's bedroom is significant. It was Dudley who left the tea, a rather feeble attempt to make amends for mistreating Harry during their childhood and also to express his gratitude for Harry having saved him from the Dementors the previous year. However, the teacup may foreshadow Harry's search for Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes that Harry needs to destroy.

It will be learned that the young Dumbledore was obsessively driven to pursue the Deathly Hallows in the title. Like Harry, he desired to be reunited with his dead loved ones, and he believed that one Hallow possessed that power.

Chapter 3: The Dursleys Departing

[edit] Synopsis

Uncle Vernon has changed his mind again. The Dursleys were informed by Arthur Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt that Harry's life will be in danger when he turns seventeen, and that the Dursleys, as his relatives, are likely under the same threat. Since then, Vernon and Petunia have either been willing to accept the Order's protection or preparing to refuse it. Today, they are convinced that Harry plans to put their house in his own name as soon as they are gone. Harry repudiates this, asking why he would want to do that. All the happy memories? In any event, he already owns a house.

Harry's arguments are bolstered by Order wizards who have arrived to transport and protect the Dursleys: Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones. When Dudley says he is going with Dedalus and Hestia, Uncle Vernon's protests are rather deflated, and he suddenly decides that has been his intention all along. Dudley wants to know why Harry is not coming with them; Uncle Vernon says he does not want to, to which Harry agrees. Dudley now admits to not thinking that Harry is a waste of space and goes so far as to thank Harry for saving his life. He shakes hands with him before leaving. Aunt Petunia looks as if she might want to say something, but marches off after Vernon and Dudley.

[edit] Analysis

Harry is about to depart the Dursleys' for the final time, although it is not to return to Hogwarts as he usually does, but to embark on his secret mission for Dumbledore. This time, the Dursleys are also leaving, and the author may be indicating that this parting is permanent. Dudley's reaction to Harry is surprising, however. He is grateful to Harry for having saved him from the Dementors (in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and expresses concern over what might happen to him. (It is suggested that it was Dudley who left the cup of tea outside Harry's bedroom, an apparently contrite act for his bad behavior over the years.) Although Dudley is a Muggle and was unable to see the Dementors, he was still able to feel their presence, and it seems that the encounter has somehow changed him, giving hope that he will mature into a better person than either Vernon or Petunia. The elder Dursleys, however, seem as antagonistic as ever, although Petunia nearly shows a rare emotional glimmer, as if teetering on whether or not to reach out to Harry during this final encounter, but at the last moment, reels herself in and walks away. Harry's own reaction seems mixed. While he endured an unhappy life at Privet Drive, it was his home for many years and leaving it is still difficult—this is yet another incomplete chapter in his life that must be closed.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How long could it be that Dudley has felt about Harry this way?
2. What might have changed Dudley's feelings towards Harry?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Was Dudley totally responsible for his abusive behavior towards Harry? If not, what contributed to it, and, under different circumstances, how might Dudley have turned out?
2. Could Dudley's friendly gesture open the door to a future relationship between him and Harry?
3. Could Aunt Petunia feel the same way Dudley does? If so, why is she unable to express it?

[edit] Greater Picture

Petunia's behavior is telling in that it shows she once dearly loved her sister, Lily. It was Petunia's jealousy and spite over Lily's magical ability, something Petunia desperately also wanted to have, that drove them apart. This was probably Petunia's last chance to connect to Harry and her dead sister in some meaningful way, but she instead chooses to abandon that avenue by saying nothing and walking away.

Chapter 4: The Seven Potters

[edit] Synopsis

After the Dursleys leave Number 4, Privet Drive, Harry gathers his belongings, including the caged Hedwig, his Firebolt, and his rucksack and waits for Order of the Phoenix members to arrive. Sooner than expected, a rather large group, including Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, appear in the back garden. Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody says that they are flying out on broomsticks, Thestrals, and a flying motorbike; six members will be disguised as Harry Potter with Polyjuice Potion to trick any nearby Death Eaters. They have few alternatives, since Privet Drive is now being monitored for any Apparation, Portkeys, or Floo Network use. This monitoring, ostensibly for Harry's safety, is being done by the Ministry of Magic, which is becoming increasingly controlled by Lord Voldemort.

The six Harry decoys include Ron, Hermione, Fred and George Weasley, Fleur Delacour, and Mundungus Fletcher. The real Harry is to go with Hagrid in a sidecar bodged on to Sirius Black's motorbike to Ted Tonks's house, where they will be transported to The Burrow via a Portkey. The remaining six pairs, one defender and one Harry each, will travel separately to various safe-houses, all finally transferring to The Burrow.

Almost immediately after clearing the garden, Death Eaters attack them. Hedwig is struck by a Killing Curse aimed at the real Harry. Hagrid's attempts to dodge the four Death Eaters chasing them result in the sidecar breaking free; Harry stops it falling and is rescued by Hagrid, but he loses everything except his rucksack. He destroys the falling sidecar to disable a Death Eater, then notices that one of the two remaining Death Eaters is Stan Shunpike, evidently under the Imperius curse. Not wanting to kill an innocent person, Harry attempts to disarm him, whereupon the remaining Death Eater yells, "It's the real one!" and falls back.

Near the Tonks' home, the Death Eaters, including Voldemort, surround them again. Hagrid leaps off the motorbike to tackle a Dark wizard a few feet from Harry. Voldemort, using Lucius Malfoy's wand, casts a lethal curse at Harry, but golden flames spontaneously erupt from Harry's wand, destroying Malfoy's without Harry casting a spell. Voldemort, incensed, demands a wand from Selwyn, another Death Eater, but he and the other Death Eaters suddenly vanish. Unable to stop the motorbike, Harry crashes into a muddy pond.

[edit] Analysis

Hedwig's death, while sad, actually serves several purposes.

First, it shows how ruthlessly evil Death Eaters actually are. There is a wide-spread joke in England that, if the Germans had wanted to invade England unopposed, they should have sent in paratroopers, each cradling a cute little puppy in his arms; no true Englishman would harm a pet. Death Eaters indiscriminately firing curses that kill pets clearly indicates their inhumanity.

Second, it builds suspense. Hedwig's cage is clutched between Harry's knees in the sidecar; the curse that killed Hedwig missed Harry by mere inches.

Third, it eliminates an encumbrance. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry decided to leave Hogwarts to search for Voldemort's Horcruxes; as he is about to embark on a dangerous adventure, he would either have to put Hedwig in someone else's care, or try to care for her while he is traveling. His Firebolt, unfortunate as its loss may be, was also a burden, although it tied him to his late godfather, Sirius Black, who gave it to him during his third year at Hogwarts.

Finally, it can be argued that Hedwig's death represents an end to Harry's childhood. Harry, having lost more and more innocence with Cedric Diggory, Sirius, and Dumbledore's deaths, is now an adult in the wizarding world. Hedwig provided Harry comfort and security, but when she is brutally killed, Harry loses one of the few remaining things tied to his childhood; he realizes just how fragile those ties are.

It is also interesting to note Voldemort's appearance in this chapter. In the previous six books, Voldemort only appeared to Harry four times, each time near the book's end. That he appears to Harry this early shows how much power Voldemort has gained in the Wizarding world, and puts us, and Harry, on notice that there are ever fewer places that he will be safe.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How could the Death Eaters recognize the real Harry Potter from the decoys?
2. Why do Voldemort and the Death Eaters suddenly vanish?
3. Why did Harry use such a mild curse on Stan Shunpike, who probably would have killed him?

[edit] Further Study

1. When Harry was to be moved to a safer location, Mundungus seemed apprehensive about the plan and in participating in it. What are some possible reasons for his reaction?
2. Why could Harry's wand destroy Voldemort's borrowed wand without Harry casting a spell with it?
3. Harry's departure from the Dursleys was a closely guarded secret. How could the Death Eaters have found out?
4. Voldemort has generally remained hidden from the wizarding population. Why does he now openly show himself during the pursuit?

[edit] Greater Picture

Hedwig's death may be a precursor to what happens later in the book. It has been suggested that having Harry lose his beloved pet and best friend is one manner in which the author hardens Harry's heart so he is able to continue his fight against Voldemort.

Harry's wand casting a spell of its own volition is never fully explained. Dumbledore, in the Waystation, says that in the duel in the cemetery, Harry's wand and Voldemort's had recognized each other as having a common source (the phoenix Fawkes' tail feathers) for their cores, and recognized Harry and Voldemort as kin by their blood (and possibly also the soul shard). Harry was the stronger wizard at that encounter, as he was prepared to die while Voldemort feared death. Dumbledore surmises that because of this, Harry's wand imbibed power from Voldemort's, and against that power, Voldemort's own power, plus Harry's courage, "what chance did that poor stick of Lucius Malfoy's stand?" While this is arguably no explanation for the wand acting on its own, it is all the explanation we ever receive in the series. We can speculate that wands have some very limited sentience, as we have been told many times that "the wand chooses the wizard;" we see this again in the wand working well, or not, depending on how it was transferred from one wizard to another. It is possible that the wand, in its own limited way being aware of Harry's "kin" and enemy Voldemort attacking, had acted on its own to remove the opposing wand. All we are actually told is that Harry and Voldemort have entered an area of magic and wandlore where none have ventured before.

One possibility is that it was not Harry who cast that spell, but rather that part of him that was Voldemort. The part within Harry, which Voldemort himself does not know about, could be protecting itself. Against that, however, we must point out that rather than Harry acting without intent, it seems to be the wand acting without Harry's input. Quoting: "his wand acted of its own accord. He felt it drag his hand around like some great magnet..." (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, UK / Canadian edition p. 56) One supposes that if the author had intended to indicate that it was Voldemort's soul fragment doing this, Harry would have felt his hand moving of its own volition, rather than feeling the wand pull his hand around. However, there is insufficient evidence to be certain of her intent.

Chapter 5: Fallen Warrior

[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

1. 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?
2. Why does Harry want to leave The Burrow? Is that a wise decision? What stops him?
3. Why does Harry always act so predictably? What does Lupin tell him?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Did a traitor within the Order of the Phoenix tip off Voldemort about Harry leaving the Dursleys? If so, who might that be?
2. If there is not a traitor within the Order, how could Voldemort have uncovered the secret plan?
3. 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.

Chapter 6: The Ghoul in Pyjamas

[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

1. Why does the Trio keep their mission's purpose secret from Order of the Phoenix members?
2. How can Horcruxes be destroyed? How does Hermione learn how?
3. Why was it so easy for Hermione to summon the restricted books from Dumbledore's office? Why does she need them?
4. Why does Mrs. Weasley continually assign the Trio separate chores? Does she really believe this will work?
5. 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

1. Why does Harry want to go to Godric's Hollow? Why is Hermione against it? Explain who is right.
2. 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.

Chapter 7: The Will of Albus Dumbledore

[edit] Synopsis

Harry is awakened by Ron Weasley after Harry witnessed, as if dreaming, Voldemort's search for Gregorovitch, an unknown but slightly familiar name. Today is Harry's seventeenth birthday, the legal age to perform unmonitored magic. Excitedly, he successfully casts some spells to test whether the Ministry's "Trace" still monitors him. At breakfast, he receives many presents from friends and mentors. The Weasleys give him a gold watch, a wizard's traditional seventeenth birthday gift. Mrs. Weasley explains that this one is used, it once belonged to her late brother, Fabian Prewett. Harry gives her a grateful and understanding hug. Later, Ginny Weasley ushers Harry into her bedroom. She does not have a present but wants to give Harry something to remember her by, in case he meets someone else. Harry replies that dating opportunities will be very slim; she kisses him and he begins kissing her back, but they are abruptly interrupted by Ron. He and Ron leave the room as Ginny turns away, apparently crying. Upset, Ron warns Harry not to give Ginny any false hope about renewing their romance. Harry, realizing Ginny's future is unencumbered whereas his only concerns Voldemort, promises it will not happen again.

At the birthday party, newlyweds Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks congratulate Harry, although Lupin seems rather sad while Tonks looks radiantly happy. Halfway through the festivities, Arthur Weasley's Patronus arrives announcing that Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour is accompanying him to the Burrow. Lupin and Tonks leave abruptly upon hearing this, puzzling many. Scrimgeour arrives and, perfunctorily wishing Harry a Happy Birthday, asks to speak privately to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Albus Dumbledore's will bequeaths them several items. Harry is surprised it took so long to reveal the will, but Hermione says the Ministry surely wanted to thoroughly examine Dumbledore's estate, and obviously took the maximum time allowed by law to test willed property for any Dark magic. Ron receives a Deluminator, a magical object that captures and releases light. Queried by Scrimgeour as to why Dumbledore would leave him such a rare instrument, Ron admits that he did not think Dumbledore was particularly fond of him; Hermione, to counter Scrimgeour's suspicions, disputes this, saying he is being too modest. She is given a book, The Tales of Beedle The Bard, which seems to be an early edition written in runes. Asked why Dumbledore would leave her this, she is unable to answer. Harry inherits the Quidditch Snitch he caught during his first-ever Quidditch match at Hogwarts. Hermione mentions the Snitch's "flesh memory"; it remembers the first person that touches it, a property used to resolve games where two Seekers seem to grab the Snitch simultaneously. Nothing happens when Harry picks it up, to Scrimgeour's apparent disappointment: he had seemingly been expecting it to open and reveal something hidden inside. There is a second bequest for Harry: the sword of Godric Gryffindor. However, Scrimgeour claims the sword is a "vital historical artifact," and the Ministry is unwilling to relinquish it to Harry. A heated argument erupts between Harry and Scrimgeour, alarming Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Scrimgeour, offended, leaves.

Later that evening, the Trio examine their objects. Harry remembers catching the Snitch in his mouth; placed to his lips, a cryptic inscription appears on it in Dumbledore's writing: "I open at the close." None can decipher its meaning. Both Harry and Hermione have no idea what The Tales of Beedle the Bard is. Ron, astonished, tells them it is a famous book of wizarding nursery stories. Hermione reminds Ron that she and Harry were raised by Muggles and never heard Wizarding stories like "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump." Ron, on hearing that a Muggle fairy tale is named "Cinderella", asks if it is disease. Unable to determine what their bequests mean, the Trio head off to bed.

[edit] Analysis

Harry testing to see if the Ministry of Magic's Trace for underage magic has expired is inconclusive. The Trace does automatically disappear when a witch or wizard comes of age, but the Ministry is unable to detect underage magic in a Wizarding household where the adults are constantly casting spells. In Wizard homes, it is the parents' responsibility to monitor their children for improper use. Although the Trace on Harry does disappear on schedule, if Voldemort's followers within the Ministry had somehow kept it active, Harry would likely be unaware, and it could have revealed the Trio's location once they left the Burrow and began their mission. There may, however, be something else that can reveal their presence to Voldemort.

While Voldemort's dark cloud increasingly threatens the wizarding world, Harry's birthday party offers a happy, if momentary, respite, as well as some insight into several characters. Lupin and Tonks' differing emotional expressions at the gathering seems a bit odd and could be interpreted several ways, but Tonks' radiant happiness suggests she is pregnant. That this comes at a very difficult and dangerous time is likely deeply distressing to Lupin, who already had troubling doubts about his suitability as a husband. He may be harboring similar fears regarding fatherhood and is worried that he and Tonks may not survive the war, leaving their only child an orphan.

The Weasleys' birthday gift to Harry is far more than a traditional token commemorating his entry into adulthood. Giving Harry her deceased brother's watch shows that Mrs. Weasley loves Harry like a son; Harry understands its significance and is deeply grateful, and he considers the Weasleys as his family. Ginny, meanwhile, is still in love with Harry, but she has nearly abandoned hope that they will ever be together. Ron's concern for his sister's emotional well-being indicates an emerging maturity and that he cares for others, not just himself, although he still has a ways to go before fully reaching adulthood. Ron is also learning about relationships, having read a book the Twins gave him on girls and dating. He has been applying its advice to Hermione, who seems to respond favorably. Ron, who had repeatedly remarked that he needed lessons about girls, is impressed enough with the results that he gives Harry a copy for his birthday, although he asks Harry not to show it to Hermione.

That Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour would personally deliver Dumbledore's bequests to Harry, Ron, and Hermione at The Burrow is not just unusual, but highly suspicious. Except for the Sword of Gryffindor, these are fairly innocuous objects, but having once belonged to an extraordinary wizard makes them exceptional, at least to the Ministry of Magic. Clearly, the Ministry suspects that there is some ulterior motive for Dumbledore leaving these particular items to the Trio, which is why it took them so long to examine Dumbledore's estate. The Ministry's suspicions are probably correct, but there is no way for us or the Ministry to know yet what those motives could be. It is doubtful that Gryffindor's sword belonged to Dumbledore, but he obviously wanted to bring it to Harry's attention, although for what purpose is yet unknown. It may seem odd that Dumbledore left Harry so little considering their close relationship, although it is unknown just what his entire estate entailed or how much was left to Albus' brother, Aberforth. The Ministry is also suspicious that Dumbledore would leave Ron and Hermione anything, suspecting his relationship with either was minimal. However, Dumbledore obviously left the Trio these specific objects for a reason, and additional bequests to Harry would have overridden those items' particular significance. Although the Trio realizes that Dumbledore is communicating posthumously, they are clueless as to what his cryptic message means. By speaking to Harry from beyond the grave, Dumbledore shows that death is not always a finite ending. Those who have died can continue to affect the living in many ways—through memories, their personal legacy, and so on. However, in the wizarding world, the dead can play a more substantial and interactive role, as has been seen not only by the ghosts, but in other ways, such as through the living portraits, the spirit echoes, memories in a Pensieve, etc. It is understandable why Harry continually hopes magic will reunite him with his parents. In this case, Dumbledore has left a cryptic trail for Harry to follow, although just where that trail begins and where it will eventually lead is still unknown.

The fact that the Golden Snitch from Harry's first Quidditch game had been caught in an unusual way seems to play a significant part in this chapter, seven books later. One must wonder whether the plot arc for the series was developed with this level of detail before pen was ever set on paper, or whether the availability of the Snitch and its unconventional means of initial contact with Harry was fortuitous.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why is Ron upset that Harry kisses Ginny?
2. Other than marking Harry's seventeenth birthday with a traditional gift, why would Mrs. Weasley give Harry her late brother's watch? What is Harry's reaction and why?
3. Why would Lupin and Tonks abruptly leave the party before Scrimgeour arrives?
4. Why did the Ministry wait so long to reveal Dumbledore's will?

[edit] Extra Study

1. What might be the significance of each bequest that Dumbledore left the Trio?
2. Considering Dumbledore's affection for Harry, why wouldn't he leave him more in his will?
3. Why would Dumbledore leave Gryffindor's Sword to Harry, an object that probably never belonged to him?
4. Why does the Ministry withhold Gryffindor's Sword from Harry? Is it really because it did not belong to Dumbledore as they claim, or is there another reason?
5. Ron, who has always been slower to develop emotionally than Harry or Hermione, shows signs that he is maturing into adulthood. Give examples of this.
6. Why would Lupin appear sad while Tonks looks happy?
7. What might the inscription, "I open at the close," that is engraved on the Snitch actually mean?
8. Why would Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour personally deliver Dumbledore's bequests to the Trio?

[edit] Greater Picture

Each object Dumbledore left the Trio proves vital to their mission to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. The Deluminator that Ron received was called a "put-outer" in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Initially, its only purpose seems to be to extinguish and later reilluminate lights. However, it also detects other peoples' conversations about its owner and guides the holder to their location. After Ron leaves Harry and Hermione, the Deluminator will lead him back to them.

Hermione's bequest is a well-known book of wizard fairy tales containing a story about the Deathly Hallows, which are three magical objects; someone, probably Dumbledore, marked the fable, "The Tale of the Three Brothers," with the Deathly Hallows' symbol. One Hallow will prove vital to combating Voldemort, who is also seeking it.

The Snitch contains another Hallow, and its inscription's meaning, "I open at the close," is revealed near the book's conclusion when Harry realizes that 'the close' means death.

Although it is never known if Dumbledore ever actually owned Gryffindor's Sword, his leaving it to Harry in his will is a clue that the Trio will need it to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. We already know that Basilisk venom will destroy a Horcrux; as the only known source of that is in the Chamber of Secrets deep under Hogwarts, it is not immediately certain how useful that information will be for us. We will later find out that Gryffindor's Sword was used to destroy a Horcrux, and perhaps Dumbledore intends that the sword be available to Harry to destroy the other Horcruxes. In fact, two of the remaining four Horcruxes will be destroyed by this sword.

Chapter 8: The Wedding

[edit] Synopsis

Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's long-awaited wedding takes place at The Burrow in the afternoon. Harry drinks Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as the Weasleys' "Cousin Barney". Many guests arrive, including Luna Lovegood (who annoyingly sees through Harry's Polyjuice Potion disguise) and her father, Xenophilius, a few part-Veela cousins of the Delacours, the Weasleys' Auntie Muriel, and most famously, Viktor Krum. Viktor, of course, is delighted to see Hermione, causing Ron to struggle with jealousy. Hermione, flustered, drops her little beaded handbag, which falls with a suspiciously heavy "clunk".

During the reception, Viktor sits at the disguised Harry's table and asks if Harry knows who Xenophilius is, because if he was not Fleur's guest, he would duel him immediately for wearing "that filthy symbol on his chest". Krum says the medallion, which has a circle with a slash within a triangle on it, represents Grindelwald, a Dark Wizard who terrorized Europe, killing many, including Krum's grandfather. Grindelwald was finally defeated many years before by Albus Dumbledore. Many Durmstrang students once copied the sign, but Viktor despises it. As Krum brandishes his wand, Harry's memory is tweaked: during the Triwizard Wand Weighing Ceremony in his fourth year, Mr. Ollivander recognized Krum's wand as a "Gregorovitch creation". This is the name of the man that Voldemort is seeking in Harry's dream. Harry concludes that Voldemort may be searching for him to obtain a more powerful wand than Harry's, as Gregorovitch might be a more skillful wandmaker than Ollivander.

Harry leaves Viktor after the latter makes admiring comments about Ginny Weasley, inciting Harry's jealousy. He then meets and reveals his identity to Elphias Doge, who wrote about Albus Dumbledore's life in the Daily Prophet obituary. When Harry asks about Rita Skeeter's story and if Dumbledore was involved in the Dark Arts, Elphias becomes furious, denying Skeeter's account. He is further enraged when Auntie Muriel interrupts, saying she supports Skeeter's claims and criticizes Doge for glossing over Dumbledore's murky past in his obituary. Muriel's allegations are shocking: she claims that Albus' ailing sister Ariana was a Squib, a disgrace that their mother, Kendra, kept hidden by keeping Ariana locked in the cellar. Muriel speculates that Ariana murdered Kendra in an unsuccessful escape attempt, all while Albus was at Hogwarts achieving fame and gaining accolades. After Kendra's mysterious death, Albus was forced to head the family, but had done a darned poor job of it; shortly after, Ariana also died, possibly, Muriel implies, murdered by Albus. Muriel also claims that, according to her friend, Bathilda Bagshot, who knew the Dumbledores well, Aberforth blamed Albus for Ariana's death and punched him during the funeral, breaking Albus' nose. Auntie Muriel denies that Ariana was ever sickly; she says her cousin was a Healer at St. Mungo's at the time, and Kendra never brought Ariana there. However, what most surprises Harry is that the Dumbledores lived in Godric's Hollow, Harry's former home, and where his parents are buried.

Suddenly, Kingsley Shacklebolt's Patronus arrives and announces that Rufus Scrimgeour is dead and Voldemort had taken control of the Ministry. He warns, "They are coming" - Death Eaters hunting the wedding guests, particularly Harry.

[edit] Analysis

Harry's faith in his mentor Dumbledore, already shaken by the "revelations" appearing in the Daily Prophet interview with Rita Skeeter, and only slightly repaired by talk with Elphias Doge, here takes another blow from Auntie Muriel. Dumbledore's past is far more secretive and complex than Harry ever imagined, and he is gradually realizing just how little he actually knew his mentor. As with his father and godfather, the man Harry so admired and trusted had a hidden dark side. Youth, however, tend to only see their heroes' sterling characteristics, failing to realize that every person is a multi-dimensional composite containing faults as well as qualities, and that while these traits can clash, they also create balance. Harry has also yet to learn that it is one's past mistakes and transgressions that often makes them into the better person they eventually become. Nor will anyone ever be totally flawless, although Harry still largely sees the world as black or white, ignoring the multi-hued and sometimes muddied tones that blend, shade, and contrast life. Years before, Dumbledore had said to Harry, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Harry, though relieved to be able to apply that to himself, so as to distinguish himself from Tom Riddle, as yet does not consistently apply that to others, notably Dumbledore.

Readers may also wonder why Harry is so quick to believe such questionable sources like Auntie Muriel and Rita Skeeter, while being rather dismissive about Elphias Doge's more sympathetic memories. Although Harry wants to believe Doge and had sought his reassurance about Dumbledore, he doubts Doge's words. This may partially be because Muriel is so assertive and specific, making her appear more credible to Harry than Doge, who comes across as vague and deferential. Nor should it be assumed that Doge's recollections are any more accurate than Muriel's memories or Skeeter's research, simply because they are favorable. And Skeeter, despite her spurious journalistic methods, often uncovers accurate facts, although they are usually embellished beyond recognition when they reach her readers. Regardless, Harry, conflicted by these multiple "truths", is deeply troubled by his already growing confusion and concerns about Dumbledore, including those regarding his dark past, what his actual intentions were, and whether or not he truly loved Harry or had merely groomed him as an instrument to execute his cryptic plan.

Although Harry is dedicated to completing his mission, he will be distracted by these allegations about Dumbledore's past and his motivations, and by his confusion and frustration with the meager and perplexing information he was provided. Harry will become consumed with uncovering Dumbledore's past, so much so that it affects his mission.

Knowing that Gregorovitch is, or was, a wand-maker, we can surmise that Voldemort has determined Harry's phoenix-feather wand to be his greatest threat. This certainly tallies with Harry's belief: having felt the wand cast a spell on its own during the escape from Privet Drive, Harry's faith in his wand is incredible. In chapter one, we did learn that Voldemort considers Harry's wand as a threat. It is unclear if Voldemort has learned about the connection between his wand and Harry's; while he does have Ollivander captive, it has not been revealed if he has interrogated Ollivander regarding this. Whether he intends for Gregorovitch to craft him a more powerful wand that can defeat Harry, or if he simply believes that a wand from a different maker would not suffer the same fate as Malfoy's, also an Ollivander wand, or he is merely after other information on wand lore, is still unknown.

Several characters are also highlighted here. Although it is never explained just how Luna Lovegood was able to peer through Harry's Polyjuice Potion disguise, it certainly indicates that despite, or even possibly because of, her unusual personality, she possesses some extraordinary and uncommon magical powers that may have been inherited from her late mother, rather than her father. This could make her an even more powerful ally for Harry. Meanwhile, Viktor Krum's unexpected reappearance has a detrimental effect on Ron, who immediately feels jealous and threatened by Viktor's rekindled interest in Hermione, although Ron has yet to fully recognize just what his feelings for her truly are.

A small side plot in this chapter briefly focuses on Harry and Ginny. During the wedding ceremony, Ginny glances at Harry and winks at him, which prompts Harry to remember the wonderful times they spent together in the previous book, rather than pay attention to the actual wedding. Later, when Viktor Krum inquires about Ginny, Harry immediately responds that she is already seeing someone who is "big" and "a jealous type." Despite the impending war with Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and Harry's decision to formally end their relationship, the bond between Harry and Ginny remains as strong as ever.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What is the symbol that Mr. Lovegood is wearing? Why does it provoke such a strong reaction from Viktor Krum?
2. Who is Gregorovitch and why does Voldemort seek him?
3. Why would Voldemort seek a new wand?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Who is telling the truth about Dumbledore's past and his family?
2. Why does Harry seem to give more credence to Auntie Muriel's and Rita Skeeter's recollections about Dumbledore than he does to Elphias Doge's memories? Whose memories are the most credible? Why?
3. How could Luna Lovegood see through Harry's Polyjuice Potion disguise? What does this say about her magical abilities?
4. Why does Hermione's small handbag land with such a loud thunk?
5. Why would Albus Dumbledore's sister be treated as a "squib" by her mother?

[edit] Greater Picture

Harry is correct in surmising that Voldemort is searching for a new wand. Although Harry and Voldemort's wands are "brothers", it will be learned that, during their confrontation in the cemetery in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry's wand not only overpowered Voldemort's, it forged a deeper connection and withdrew some of that wand's powers into itself, making it the superior weapon. Voldemort, though unaware of this, is apparently seeking a more powerful wand that can defeat Harry's, specifically one that was associated with the legendary wandmaker, Gregorovitch.

It will be learned in a later chapter that Ollivander was tortured by Voldemort for information. Ollivander will admit having revealed to Voldemort that Harry and Voldemort's wands are "brothers."

Chapter 9: A Place to Hide

[edit] Synopsis

Panic erupts over the shocking announcement. Some guests disapparate, showing that the protective charms surrounding The Burrow have been broken. The rest stand armed with their wands, ready to face the Death Eaters. Amid the crowded scene, Hermione, Ron and Harry disapparate to Tottenham Court Road. They enter a dark alley and change their clothes, Hermione having already packed everything they needed for their mission into her purse (which has been enchanted to fit spellbooks, clothes, money, camping gear, etc.). The Trio, with Harry under the Invisibility Cloak, enter a shabby all-night café along the road, trying to get some rest. Ron suggests going to the Leaky Cauldron but Hermione immediately vetoes that idea as being too dangerous and that Voldemort will be watching there. Instead, she advises disapparating to the countryside so they can send a message to the Order.

When two workmen enter the café and take seats near the Trio, Ron and Hermione lower their voices. As the workmen draw their wands, Harry, under his Invisibility Cloak, recognizes them as Death Eaters. He Stuns one, although he misses the second Death Eater: the spell ricochets off the window and hits the waitress. Meanwhile, the remaining Death Eater has bound Ron, and blown up the table behind Harry. Hermione Petrifies him. Inspecting the Death Eaters, Harry recognizes the big blond one he Stunned from the battle at the Astronomy Tower the previous year. Ron identifies him as Thorfinn Rowle. The Petrified one is Dolohov. Harry first encountered him at the battle in the Ministry.

The Trio are reluctant to kill the Death Eaters, so Harry suggests wiping their memories so they are unable to remember finding Ron and Hermione. (Harry was under the Invisibility Cloak the entire time.) Harry also suggests repairing the diner so it appears as if nothing happened. Hermione performs a Memory Charm on the Death Eaters and the waitress, while Harry and Ron fix the physical damage. Hermione wonders how they were found so quickly and asks if Harry could still be carrying the Ministry Trace to detect underage magic. Ron insists that it breaks at age 17 by law, although Hermione suggests a new one could have been put on by a Death Eater. Ron says none have been near Harry since he turned 17. After some discussion, Harry suggests going to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, the house Sirius left to Harry and the former Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Overriding the others' objections, Harry says that only Severus Snape can enter, and anywhere else they go could have many Death Eaters.

The Trio disapparate to Grimmauld Place. Upon entering, they are startled by Mad-Eye Moody's voice, and the Tongue-tying Curse left for Snape briefly affects them. A dusty, rotting Albus Dumbledore form appears in the entryway. Harry yells out that they did not kill Dumbledore, and the figure dissolves back into dust. Hermione checks and finds nobody else in the house; they go up the stairs to the drawing room.

Harry's scar is burning again, only this time he feels Voldemort's rage. Hermione is upset—it was this channel that allowed Voldemort to lure Harry to the Ministry two years ago, where Sirius was killed. Ron, meanwhile, wants to know if Harry can see the Weasley family, if that is who Voldemort is angry at. A silver Patronus arrives, and Arthur Weasley's voice announces, "Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched." Ron and Hermione collapse in relief; Harry, concerned about Ginny, is also relieved. Suddenly feeling sick from the pain in his scar, Harry dashes for the bathroom. Sprawled on the tile floor, he "sees" the large blond Death Eater from the café being tortured for failing to capture Harry and the others. He is sickened by what he witnesses, including a petrified-looking Draco Malfoy, who Voldemort forces to do the actual torturing.

[edit] Analysis

Only Hermione's meticulous planning and quick actions saves the Trio, allowing them to escape quickly. Everything they need for their quest was already packed in her beaded bag. The location Hermione Disapparated them to was a spontaneous choice, although, initially, it appears to be a poor decision because Death Eaters found them so quickly, and it is unlikely they were there by coincidence. If Harry no longer carries the Ministry trace, nor does it appear from the text that he used any magic when the Trio first arrived in Tottenham Court Road, just how, then, did the Death Eaters immediately detect the Trio's location? Apparating to Grimmauld Place also seems risky; not only is its location known to Severus Snape, a Secret Keeper who has returned to Voldemort's service, but he would likely suspect that Harry might flee there.

There are signs that the stress caused by their escape is affecting Hermione. She says, and Ron and Harry agree, that they would rather be in Grimmauld Place where they could be attacked only by one Death Eater, Snape, than out on the street where there are many. She seems to have forgotten that as Snape became a Secret Keeper for the Headquarters' location at Dumbledore's death, he can now reveal Grimmauld Place's location to as many Death Eaters as he chooses to. As such, if the Trio are known to be at Grimmauld Place, any number of Death Eaters could appear at the door.

Harry again shows his reluctance to use more powerful defensive spells against his enemies; Ron and Hermione are similarly reluctant. When Harry was attacked leaving Privet Drive, he cast Expelliarmus, a non-lethal disarming spell, to avoid harming Stan Shunpike, who he believed was acting under the Imperius Curse. Lupin later criticized Harry for his refusal to employ stronger magic in life-threatening situations and dismissed Harry's argument that he was protecting an innocent person. Harry was also reluctant to use the Cruciatus curse on Bellatrix Lestrange at the Battle in the Ministry (in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), resulting in its weakened effect. However, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry unhesitatingly cast an unknown spell (Sectumsempra) to counter Draco Malfoy's sudden attack, nearly killing Draco as a result. Although horrified by the outcome, Harry, fueled by anger, intended to inflict harm on Draco, resulting in its detrimental effect, although it was not his intention to kill him. Here in the café, Harry continues this pattern by Stunning the Death Eaters, and Hermione similarly uses the non-lethal, full body bind jinx. The Trio's decision to spare the Death Eaters' lives at the café is also questionable. Outwardly, this seems merciful, but it shows they may still be unprepared to serve in the Order of the Phoenix, unable to cope with warfare's extreme demands. Dangerous times often call for desperate measures that would never be considered under normal circumstances, including killing your enemies to protect yourself, defend your allies, and accomplish a mission. The Trio may be unable to handle Dumbledore's difficult quest, although in this particular instance, their restraint probably saved the waitress, accidentally hit by a ricocheting spell, from serious injury or even death. Ironically, the Trio's humanitarian act may only have spared the two Death Eaters long enough to suffer a more horrendous fate. Harry later watches through Voldemort's eyes as at least one Death Eater is severely tortured for failing the Dark Lord.

Also, it is interesting that Rowle was tortured for letting Harry escape. Rowle never saw Harry, only his wand flash. However, Dolohov did see Harry, when he was Petrified; granted, that was before Hermione altered his memory, but we already know that Voldemort has a rare skill with memories, and Hermione, as good a witch as she is, had never cast a memory charm before. Why was Rowle tortured, but not Dolohov? While there is no answer, it seems evident that Voldemort frequently reacts with irrational rage, rather than calm reason, striking out (often fatally) at whoever is nearby, as well as the person who has failed him. It is also possible that Rowle was tortured for failing to capture any of the Trio (not just Harry) and that Dolohov was punished at a time Harry was not tuned in to Voldemort's thoughts. Alternately, it is possible that Dolohov, a veteran Death Eater from Voldemort's first rise to power, and thus knowing Voldemort's propensities, had deliberately hung back to allow Rowle to deliver the bad news and receive the resulting outburst.

Draco Malfoy's terrified expression as Voldemort forces him to torture the Death Eater is particularly revealing to Harry, forcing him to see Draco differently. Draco is genuinely repulsed and sickened by inflicting harm on another, just as he was when Voldemort ordered him to murder Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, a task he was unable to perform and which was ultimately executed by Snape. It would appear that Draco can never overcome his fear and revulsion to violence, and now realizes that being a Death Eater entails far more than he ever imagined. Despite Draco's bullying arrogance and cruel personality, he lacks his family's truly evil nature. This will likely endanger Draco's life even further if Voldemort considers him too weak and fearful a servant, although that is probably why Voldemort recruited him, wanting to punish Lucius Malfoy for his failures.

Harry is also repulsed by violence, and, despite Lupin's earlier admonishment, Harry continually attempts to avoid killing as a defense, even against those trying to murder him and his friends. Murder damages a soul, and we have learned that Dumbledore went to some lengths to keep Draco's soul intact. Can Harry, the series' hero, be sentenced to have his soul so damaged? It may be that Harry, Hermione, and Ron, to retain their souls' integrity, must complete the series without killing anyone. By the same token, when a good character is seen apparently killing an evil one, it will be to defend a third party; presumably, it being a defensive act will nullify or prevent the soul being damaged.

[edit] Questions

1. Why did the Trio immediately Disapparate from the wedding reception when Death Eaters were approaching, rather than standing and fighting? Was this the wiser choice?
2. Why would Harry choose to hide at Grimmauld Place, whose location Snape, a Secret Keeper, can reveal to Voldemort and other Death Eaters?
3. Why did the Trio spare the Death Eaters' lives in the café? What does this say about tbe Trio's characters and how they react when faced with life or death warfare?
4. Should the Trio have killed the Death Eaters? Did not killing them make any difference?
5. How did Arthur Weasley know to send his Patronus to Grimmauld Place to update the Trio?
6. If the Ministry Trace is no longer on Harry, how might the Death Eaters have found the Trio so fast?
7. Why would Draco Malfoy, now a Death Eater and Voldemort's servant, appear petrified in Harry's vision?

[edit] Greater Picture

Escaping to Grimmauld Place is riskier than Hermione and Harry seem to think. As mentioned, Snape could have told Death Eaters about the house and how to enter it. In fact, the Trio will notice that it may have been searched by Death Eaters, and they will soon learn that Death Eaters are keeping Grimmauld Place under constant surveillance, even though the house's exact location remains unseen to them, indicating they have not been instructed on how to enter it. For now, the Trio seems assured they will remain safe and undetected there.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were tracked by Hermione uttering Voldemort's name, which will be revealed later to be tabooed. Voldemort knows most people fear his name and has probably cultivated the belief that bad consequences result by speaking it. Following his return to power, the only ones who now dare to utter his name are those fighting him, specifically the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry, in particular; knowing that, Voldemort cast a spell on his name—anyone speaking it immediately alerts Death Eaters. Ironically, it is Hermione, who most feared speaking Voldemort's name, who does so in Tottenham Court, alerting the Death Eaters. Also, whether the effect of breaking protective spells, that we see later in this book, is already in place, is unknown.

Harry's reluctance to engage in killing, even during a war, will continue, and, throughout the book, he will never kill anyone. He has even been reluctant to use the Cruciatus curse on his enemies, although this will change under a specific circumstance. And on that occasion, unlike when he attacked Draco the previous year with the Sectumsempra spell, Harry will suffer no regrets or guilt afterwards, and he was motivated to defend someone close to him.

Chapter 10: Kreacher's Tale

[edit] Synopsis

Harry awakens in the early hours, pondering the daunting task Albus Dumbledore gave him and the tales about Albus's young life. Bored, he explores the mansion. On the second landing, the room previously used by Ron and Harry has been searched, presumably by Death Eaters. Sirius Black's room on the next floor has also been searched, and, amid the mess, Harry finds stray sheets of paper, including a handwritten letter from his mother to Sirius thanking him for the broomstick he gave Harry for his first birthday. There is also a photo that shows baby Harry riding the broomstick, although Lily's image has been torn away. The letter's second page is missing, but the first one mentions Bathilda Bagshot, a famous wizard historian who often visits, and that Dumbledore borrowed James Potter's Invisibility Cloak. The letter ends halfway through Lily's sentence saying that she is, surprised that Dumbledore... Harry searches unsuccessfully for the second page.

Hermione enters, and Harry shows her what he found. He immediately wants to go to Godric's Hollow to meet Bathilda Bagshot and ask about his parents and the Dumbledore family, but Hermione discourages this. As they head down the stairs, Harry notices a sign on a room with Regulus Black's full name; it matches the initials R.A.B. on the note found inside the fake Locket Horcrux. Convinced it must be the same person, Hermione calls Ron. She opens the locked door, and they hunt for Slytherin's Locket, but find nothing. Hermione suddenly remembers seeing a locket in the drawing room when it was being cleaned during their previous stay. Harry recalls that no one was able to open it, and it was tossed it away, along with the soporific music box and Wartcap powder. Harry suspects that Kreacher, the Black family House-elf who was continually retrieving discarded items, may have hidden it in his kitchen cupboard. They rush to the kitchen, but the Locket is not there.

Harry summons Kreacher, who says that Mundungus Fletcher stole the Locket and also tells them about his old master, Regulus Black. When Voldemort required a House-elf, Regulus gave him Kreacher. Voldemort took him to a lake and forced him to drink a potion that made him think horrible thoughts. Voldemort put a locket into the empty basin and refilled it with more potion. Kreacher, abandoned and in misery, crawled to the lake's shore to drink and was pulled under the surface. However, Kreacher returned to his master as he had been ordered to.

Regulus, who finally rejected Voldemort's beliefs, apparently learned that the Locket was a Horcrux and had Kreacher take him to where it was hidden. He ordered Kreacher to force him to drink all the potion, and, once the basin was emptied, replace the real Locket with a fake one. Kreacher was then to take and destroy the real Locket. Regulus drank all the potion in the basin, then went to the water's edge to drink and was pulled under by Inferi. Kreacher took the Locket, but was unable to destroy it. Because Regulus had ordered Kreacher never to reveal anything to his family, Kreacher alone knew Regulus' fate. And here, Kreacher, distraught over failing his master, bursts into sobs.

Harry, though he remains upset at the role Kreacher played in Sirius' death, is bothered more by Voldemort exploiting Kreacher. Hermione says House-elves are used to brutal treatment, so he never resented how Voldemort abused him. Also, from Kreacher's perspective, Sirius betrayed the Black family by leaving home. The Trio's next step is finding the Locket. Harry wins Kreacher's allegiance by telling him that their mission is to destroy the Locket, as Regulus wanted. When he gives Kreacher the substitute locket left in the basin, Kreacher is so overcome by being given a Black family heirloom that it takes over half an hour for him to calm down. Harry then orders the elf to fetch Mundungus. Kreacher Disapparates to find him.

[edit] Analysis

This chapter is particularly revealing regarding the Trio's Horcrux quest, although Harry's relationship to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, the house he inherited from Sirius Black, should also be examined. While the house provides the Trio a safe haven, and Harry was happy here during his brief visits with Sirius, he does not consider it home, nor does he now find it comforting; instead, its murky, decaying interior is filled with sad reminders of Harry's lost godfather who endured his own unhappy childhood there. Like the fugitive Sirius, who was long confined inside while hiding from the Ministry, Harry finds the residence to be as much a grim prison as it is a protective refuge. Even its name reflects its bleakness. The Trio must also contend with Kreacher, the belligerent House-elf Harry also inherited, and the fanatical Mrs. Black's screaming portrait. As depressing as Grimmauld Place might be, however, for now, it is secure and comfortable. And apparating there has also yielded a fortuitous, if unexpected, result: a clue leading to a Horcrux.

Although many readers correctly guessed his identity, one of the most intriguing mysteries in the series, who is R.A.B., is finally definitively solved. Regulus Arcturus Black is arguably the most important unseen character in the series. Like Draco Malfoy, Regulus quickly learned that being a Death Eater required far more unpleasantness than he had ever imagined or was capable of providing. And once recruited, there is no leaving the Dark Lord's service alive. Unable to escape with his life, Regulus instead devised the plan to steal what he clearly believed to be Voldemort's single Horcrux, knowing he would be killed in the process, but dying in the belief that he had outwitted the Dark Lord.

More is also learned about Regulus' and Kreacher's characters, their relationship with each other, to Voldemort, and what motivated them. Until now, the fanatically faithful Black family House-elf has been seen only as a rather nasty and unpleasant servant who is forced by circumstance to serve Harry, and who, if possible, would probably use any means to expose him to Voldemort. Not only does Kreacher's story explain how Regulus recovered the Locket Horcrux, but it also spotlights the callous ill-treatment the wizarding world inflicts upon enslaved House-elves, and what little regard there is for their well-being or personal rights. Harry remains conflicted over Kreacher, angry that he betrayed Sirius to Voldemort, but also sympathetic to how the House-elf was exploited by the Dark Lord. Hermione explains that House-elves expect to be mistreated, and Harry comes to understand that they are hapless pawns, often abused and misused at their master's discretion. The name "Kreacher" implies that he and other House-elves are considered as little more than domesticated animals, albeit intelligent talking ones. Although he appears to be a despicable, inconsolable (and half-mad) wretch, Kreacher's character has been shaped by the maltreatment heaped on him over the years, and by the strain of his being prevented from revealing anything about Regulus' death, probably coupled with remorse for being involved in it, and having been unable to follow his Master's final orders. Like many wizards, Sirius also treated the House-elf poorly, although their mutual loathing was a factor. Under Harry's continued kind, gentle treatment, however, it is possible that Kreacher could be transformed.

As something of a side light, here, we should note Kreacher's return to his master. After being pulled under the lake by the Inferi, Kreacher had "come back". He does not explain, he simply says he had returned to his master. It is a fair supposition that he had used the House-elf form of Apparation to do so, and perhaps it is just something that he naturally does and therefore has no name for it. We already have seen that House-elves can Apparate within Hogwarts, where Apparation is normally prevented by the school's protective charms. We can assume that Voldemort has prevented Apparation in the Horcrux cave to force any would-be thieves into running the gantlet of the lake and the Inferi, but equally clearly he has failed to prevent House-elves from Apparating in the cave. Whether this is an oversight on Voldemort's part, which would support his discounting non-Human magic, or whether it is simply impossible for human spell-casters to prevent elf Apparation, we do not know.

Lily's letter to Sirius Black is a typical thank-you note and unlikely contained anything important to Death Eaters. That makes it even more intriguing as to why only its second half is missing; what remains provides useful information for Harry, however. Lily mentions the elderly Bathilda Bagshot, a famous wizard historian, who Lily apparently knew well, and who knows much about the Dumbledore clan. Harry immediately wants to go to Godric's Hollow, not only to meet Bathilda and learn more about Dumbledore and his family from her, but also to see his birthplace. Hermione vetoes this, arguing that it is unrelated to their mission, too dangerous, and she suspects Voldemort may have set a trap there. Hermione instead encourages Harry to trust his own feelings and memories about Dumbledore, rather than believing malicious rumors and unsubstantiated innuendos spread by Ron's Aunt Muriel, Rita Skeeter, and others.

The letter also reveals that Dumbledore borrowed James' Invisibility Cloak, although for what purpose is still unknown. This is designed to remind us that Dumbledore had this Cloak in his possession when James died, and perhaps to pique the reader's curiosity as to why he might have wanted it. The letter is also significant in that it is probably the first time Harry has seen his mother's handwriting or read her own words. For Harry, who has tended to identify with his father more than his mother, it awakens new-found feelings that tie him closer to her.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Harry wants to meet with Bathilda Bagshot to learn more about Dumbledore. Who else might have been interested in talking to Bathilda about him and why?
2. Why does Hermione tell Harry to rely on his own memories about Dumbledore, rather than what others have to say?
3. How has Kreacher's behavior toward Harry changed? What might account for this?
4. Why didn't Kreacher destroy the Locket Horcrux? Given what is known about Horcruxes and Elf magic, could he have destroyed it?
5. Why is Harry both judgmental and sympathetic to Kreacher? What is Hermione's explanation and do Ron and Harry agree?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why would only the second page of Lily's letter's and her image from the photo be missing? Who might have taken them and why?
2. What could Harry learn about his parents and Dumbledore from talking to Bathilda Bagshot? Would her revelations be any more truthful, accurate, or unbiased than anyone else's?
3. Why does Hermione advise Harry against going to Godric's Hollow or talking to Bathilda Bagshot? Should Harry listen to her advice? Explain.
4. Harry suspects Death Eaters searched Grimmauld Place. Why might that assumption be wrong? Who might have searched it and why?
5. How did Regulus Black know that the Locket was a Horcrux? Why was he willing to forfeit his life to destroy it?
6. Kreacher says the potion he was forced to drink made him think horrible thoughts. What might those thoughts have been?

[edit] Greater Picture

The missing half of Lily's letter is significant, although not in the way readers might expect. It will be revealed that it and the photo were taken by Snape, who apparently took them for personal reasons rather than because it contained any vital information relating to Voldemort or Dumbledore.

Kreacher being able to easily Apparate in and out of Voldemort's highly secure sea cave demonstrates how elf magic differs from Wizards. This ability, which we have seen several times in Hogwarts now, will be seen again in a later chapter when Dobby rescues the imprisoned Trio and several others by Apparating into a magically protected area.

Also, Hermione's fears about Godric's Hollow will prove to be well-founded, although it will later be her idea to go there.

Chapter 11: The Bribe

[edit] Synopsis

Three days pass and Kreacher is still gone, while dark figures, apparently Death Eaters, are constantly outside watching Grimmauld Place. While the Trio await Kreacher's return, the tension strains their nerves. Tiring of Ron and Hermione's bickering, Harry heads for the kitchen, hoping Kreacher will reappear there. Halfway down the stairs, he hears a tap on the front door, then metallic clinks and the grinding of the chain. Harry draws his wand as a cloaked figure enters. As Dumbledore's moldering form rushes at him, the mysterious stranger calls out, "It was not I who killed you, Albus," causing Dumbledore to crumble back into dust. Harry, aiming his wand, shouts, "Don't move!" causing the curtains on Mrs. Black's portrait to fly open. Her screeching insults bring Ron and Hermione running from upstairs. A voice yells, "Hold your fire, it's me, Remus!" Hermione redirects her wand at the screaming portrait, Ron lowers his wand in relief, and after further convincing, Harry is finally persuaded it really is Lupin and lowers his wand. Lupin, speaking as their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, reprimands Ron and Hermione for lowering their wands too soon. Lupin confirms that Death Eaters are monitoring the house, although they apparently are unaware anyone is there. Any place associated with Harry is being watched.

They descend to the kitchen where, over butterbeer, Lupin updates them on recent events. He is stunned about the Death Eaters at Tottenham Court Road, although he assures Harry it is impossible that the Trace is still active, confirming Ron's statement. Lupin reports that most wedding guests Disapparated to safety, and that Death Eaters have infiltrated the Ministry. Mr. Weasley heard a rumour that Scrimgeour was tortured before being killed, but he apparently never revealed Harry's location. Death Eaters searched the Burrow and found the Spattergroit ghoul, but avoided getting too close; everyone else at the Burrow was interrogated for hours. Although Death Eaters forced their way into other Order-related houses, no one has been killed, but some, like the Tonks, were tortured. Death Eaters were able to penetrate the magical charms surrounding the Burrow because they now have the Ministry's might behind them. Asked how they can legally justify their search, Lupin pulls out a Daily Prophet. On the front page is Harry's picture and the headline: WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE.

Harry pushes the paper aside. Lupin says the Ministry claims that the murdered Scrimgeour actually resigned. He was replaced by Pius Thicknesse, who Lupin says is under the Imperius curse. This effectively makes Voldemort the Minister for Magic. Although many wizards suspect what is happening in the Ministry, none dares to speak out, fearing reprisals and unsure who to trust. Voldemort remains hidden to create fear and confusion. While Dumbledore's death was certain to make Harry the rallying point for resistance fighters, implicating him in Dumbledore's murder has cast doubt. Lupin also says the Ministry is rounding up Muggle-borns, claiming they acquired their magical powers by theft. Anyone without at least one close wizard relative is suspect. In addition, wizard children can no longer study magic at home or abroad, but only at Hogwarts, although this is only a means to further weed out Muggle-borns – to attend Hogwarts, you must be able to prove Blood status.

Lupin says the Order suspects Dumbledore assigned Harry a secret mission, which Harry confirms without confiding any details other than it also involves Ron and Hermione. Lupin offers his assistance, even if they are unable to share what they are doing. When asked about Tonks, Lupin says she will be fine at her parents house. Hermione suspects he is withholding something, and he reveals that Tonks is expecting a baby. Harry chastises him for abandoning his pregnant wife, but Lupin claims she is better off without him and that she should never have married an outcast. He fears their child will be a werewolf like him, and even if it is not, he is an unfit father. Outraged that he would desert his family, Harry shouts that Lupin is a coward. Lupin, offended, rages out the front door, ignoring Hermione's pleas to stay. Hermione, supported by Ron, reproaches Harry, who now feels bad over how he treated Lupin, but still feels he was right.

Ignoring Ron and Hermione, Harry browses the Prophet. Dumbledore's name jumps out at him, along with a photo of the entire Dumbledore family: Percival, Kendra, Albus and Aberforth, and baby Ariana. There is also a headline: EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT FROM THE UPCOMING BIOGRAPHY OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE by Rita Skeeter. The article describes Kendra as proud and haughty. After her husband's imprisonment in Azkaban, she moved the family to Godric's Hollow, Harry Potter's former home, where few knew them. Skeeter claims that Kendra thought she could hide Ariana, who was believed to be a Squib. The article concludes with, Next Week: Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts—the Prizes and the Pretense.

Kreacher suddenly returns with a flailing Mundungus Fletcher, who attempts to use his wand. Hermione disarms him, and Ron wrestles him to the floor. After some encouragement from Kreacher wielding a pot, Mundungus says he used the Locket to bribe a Ministry woman who caught him selling goods without a license. The woman was short, wearing a hair bow, and looking rather like a "toad." Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchange shocked expressions; the old scars on Harry's hand begin to prickle.

[edit] Analysis

One must wonder somewhat about the Death Eater interest in the house at Grimmauld Place. It is clearly under surveillance, though no apparent attempt is made to enter it. Clearly the Death Eaters believe that some Order member, possibly Harry, may be hiding inside, although it is learned later that any place associated with Harry is being watched. We already know that Severus Snape is a Secret-Keeper for the house's location; if it is believed that Harry may be in the house, why does Snape not reveal the secret to a Death Eater squad so they could enter and ransack the place? If Snape is reluctant, why does Voldemort not order Snape to reveal the secret? If, however, Snape attempted to enter Grimmauld Place after the Order of the Phoenix left, Mad Eye Moody's Tongue-tying Curse that greeted the Trio at the front entrance may be preventing Snape from divulging its location.

Although Harry's reaction to Lupin seems undeservedly harsh, he immediately saw Lupin's offer as a thinly-veiled excuse to leave Tonks, believing that he is an unfit husband and father and that she deserves someone better. Having lost his own parents and godfather, being raised in a loveless household, and left feeling betrayed and set adrift by Dumbledore, Harry is infuriated that Lupin would abandon his pregnant wife in such desperate times and allow their unborn child to be raised without a father. This is particularly infuriating as Lupin, despite being a werewolf, has risked his own life serving in the Order of the Phoenix fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters, is always loyal to his friends, and has exerted a significant positive influence on Harry and many other students while he was a teacher at Hogwarts. Lupin, like so many others when they appraise themselves, apparently fails to consider this, and, despite loving Tonks, instead feels that his outcast status in the wizarding world far outweighs his sterling attributes and his responsibilities as a husband and father. Lupin leaves Grimmauld Place in a rage, and he and Harry seem permanently divided, but Harry's outburst will deeply affect him. Harry is also affected by their confrontation. And though Harry now regrets over-reacting to Lupin, he remains convinced he is right.

Harry is also deeply affected by Rita Skeeter's book excerpt. Again discovering how little he knew about Dumbledore, Harry is confused by these revelations of Dumbledore's past, and his family's behaviour, and wonders how the Dumbledore he knew could have come from the past Skeeter describes. Harry is particularly dismayed to discover how far Kendra Dumbledore seemed willing to go to conceal her daughter Ariana.

The Trio have no doubt that the "toad" woman is none other than Ministry official Dolores Umbridge. Although they have located the Locket Horcrux, they must now devise a plan to retrieve it from her—an extremely difficult and dangerous undertaking. It is unclear yet if she knows the Locket's significance.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How did Lupin know where to find the Trio? How did he enter Grimmauld Place undetected by the ever-present Death Eaters?
2. Why does Lupin offer to help with the Trio's mission?
3. Why does Harry call Lupin a coward, even though Lupin is willing to risk his life to help with their mission?

[edit] Extra Study

1. If Death Eaters and Snape, who is a Secret Keeper, previously searched Grimmauld Place as Harry suspects, why are they unwilling or unable to enter it now?
2. Harry, and we, are certain that the Ministry woman that Mundungus Fletcher described is Dolores Umbridge. Is it possible she knows what the Locket is?
3. How can the Trio be so certain that the "toad woman" Mundungus Fletcher describes is actually Dolores Umbridge.

[edit] Greater Picture

Although Lupin is deeply angered and offended by Harry's outburst, it will cause him to return to Tonks and, eventually, to realize that he is indeed a fit husband and father. Lupin later asks Harry to be godfather to his newborn son, indicating that their relationship has healed.

It is almost certain that Umbridge is absolutely oblivious to the Locket's status. To her, it is only a heavy, ornate locket with an inlaid S, which she is unable to open. She would never suspect that it might be a Slytherin relic; having extorted it from a petty grifter on the streets, it cannot be much more than a cheap trinket, certainly not an artifact worth thousands of Galleons. And Horcruxes, being a mechanism for a person's immortality, would certainly be carefully protected and unavailable for sale on a street corner. We will see later that Umbridge uses the Locket as a prop to bolster her claim that she is related to the Selwyn family, on strength of the inlaid S.

Chapter 12: Magic is Might

[edit] Synopsis

August passes, and, each day, several mysterious strangers, always different, lurk outside Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. On September 1st, the day students return to Hogwarts, at least half a dozen men in long, dark cloaks appear, watching outside the house. The Trio, meanwhile, has been taking turns spying on the Ministry of Magic under the Invisibility Cloak to learn its operations and routines. Returning under his Cloak, Harry Apparates onto Grimmauld's front stoop, landing badly, and worries that his elbow was momentarily exposed. A nearby lurker seems to have glimpsed something, then appears uncertain and relaxes. Safely inside, Harry heads to the kitchen, which is nearly unrecognizable due to Kreacher's cleaning efforts. Proudly wearing the Black heirloom locket Harry gave him, Kreacher fusses over him, promising dinner will be ready soon. Ron and Hermione, sitting at the kitchen table, are poring over copious notes and hand-drawn maps. Harry hands them a Daily Prophet he pinched, warning them it contains bad news. The headline reads: SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED AS HOGWARTS HEADMASTER. Picturing Snape in Dumbledore's office, Hermione suddenly jumps up and runs from the kitchen.

The article reports that Alecto and Amycus Carrow have been appointed as the new Muggle Studies and Dark Arts instructors. Harry recognizes the Carrows' photos: they are the Death Eaters who were atop the Astronomy Tower the night Dumbledore was murdered. Ron and Harry believe the other teachers will remain at the school only to protect the students, although Harry also thinks they probably have little choice—with the Ministry and Voldemort behind Snape, it is either stay at Hogwarts or be sent to Azkaban. Harry mentions the more than usual Death Eaters outside; it is almost as if they are expecting them to march off, lugging their trunks, to King's Cross station to catch the Hogwarts Express. As Kreacher serves hot soup, Harry comments that at least they now know where Severus Snape is.

Hermione returns lugging Phineas Nigellus Black's empty portrait; she somehow stuffs it into her beaded carrying bag. If Snape sends Phineas from his Hogwarts' portrait to Grimmauld Place, she explains, he will be unable to see or hear anything from inside the bag. When Harry mentions he saw, "a bloke in navy-blue robes," at the Ministry that day, Ron off-handedly remarks that Magical Maintenance wears navy blue robes. Hermione chastises him for not revealing that sooner, although Ron, whose father works at the Ministry, has already provided much helpful information. Hermione stresses that every minute Ministry detail is important: the staff, layout, routines, uniforms, and so on; their lives may depend on it. Harry interrupts to say that they should do it tomorrow, they know enough, and it is too dangerous to wait any longer, although both Ron and Hermione look frightened. Harry says Umbridge may have already chucked out the Locket. They have been watching for four weeks, and it is unlikely they will learn more—it is time to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic.

Harry suddenly excuses himself to go to the bathroom, but pain is shooting through his scar. Grasping the wash basin, he sees himself gliding down a twilit street lined with gabled houses in some unknown European village. A door cracks opens and a high-pitched voice asks for Gregorovitch. A foreign woman insists he has moved. A wand raises, followed by a green flash. Hermione's urgent voice interrupts his vision, and, slumped on the floor, Harry gets up and unlocks the door. Despite Harry claiming nothing is wrong, Ron and Hermione insist they heard him cry out. Harry admits he saw Voldemort murdering a woman and her family. Hermione is upset that Harry refuses to block out Voldemort using Occlumency, but Harry believes knowing his actions is useful. Voldemort is hunting Gregorovitch, the foreign wand maker who crafted Viktor Krum's wand. Ron wonders why he wants another wand maker, considering he has Ollivander locked up. Harry speculates that Voldemort may believe that Gregorovitch can explain why his wand failed against Harry's. Late into the night, they review their plan to invade the Ministry.

The next morning over coffee and hot rolls, Hermione reviews what they need: robes, tokens, Polyjuice Potion, Invisibility Cloak, Decoy Detonators, Puking Pastilles, Nosebleed Nougats, Extendable Ears . . . Kreacher promises steak and kidney pie when they return. In turns, they Disapparate under the Invisibility Cloak, arriving in an alleyway near the Ministry. As the first Ministry workers begin arriving, Hermione stuns one, a woman named Mafalda Hopkirk. After plucking a few hairs off the unconscious woman, Hermione drinks the Polyjuice Potion. After some trickery, Ron and Harry also find employees to impersonate. Ron becomes a maintenance worker named Reg Cattermole, although Harry does not yet know his own identity. Entering an underground public restroom with other employees, they insert tokens into cubicle doors and step into toilets that flush them dry into the Ministry of Magic's Atrium.

The Atrium has changed since Harry's last visit. It is darker, and the central golden fountain has been replaced by a frightening statue with a witch and wizard seated upon ornately carved thrones depicting writhing nude and ugly-faced men, women, and children. Harry is bumped by a man calling him Runcorn. His subservient tone indicates that Runcorn is a high official. A Death Eater named Yaxley approaches Ron (as Cattermole) and orders him to attend to the rain in his office. Before striding off, Yaxley makes threats about Cattermole's wife who is appearing before the Muggle-Born Registration Commission that day. In a lift (elevator) Hermione whispers hints to Ron for fixing the indoor-weather problem before he heads to Yaxley's office on Level Two. The lift moves again and stops at Level One. The doors slide open, and a squat, toad-like witch wearing a velvet bow in her hair steps in.

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter and the next, readers can see how fear and suspicion have permeated the wizarding world and the way in which Voldemort exploits that to seize control. By gradually infiltrating wizard institutions such as the Ministry of Magic, falsifying scientific research, and manipulating the media (The Daily Prophet) to disseminate propaganda, Voldemort was able to implement his plan to eliminate blood traitors and Muggle-borns like Hermione, who are accused of acquiring their magic by having stolen it from other wizards. Many Death Eaters and other Voldemort sympathizers (mostly Slytherins) already worked at the Ministry, making its takeover relatively easy. As a result, new laws and regulations are constantly being enacted, and all wizards must now register to prove their magical lineage; any known or suspected Muggle-borns are interrogated and separated from their families, their eventual fates uncertain. Intimidation, coercion, spying, and threat tactics are also employed to suppress opposition, while corrupt, ambitious bureaucrats like Dolores Umbridge, although not Death Eaters, willingly help spearhead the Dark Lord's evil rise to power to benefit themselves. Meanwhile, Voldemort deliberately remains elusive to create doubt and confusion among the general wizarding population and to avoid giving his enemies a specific target to rally against. Even Hogwarts has fallen victim, and every wizard child must now attend only that school. This will enable Death Eaters to indoctrinate impressionable young minds to Voldemort's depraved beliefs, as well as provide a convenient mechanism to identify and cull Muggle-borns.

It also appears that Voldemort's grandiose scheme may include conquering the Muggle realm, if the new statue in the Ministry of Magic atrium is any indication. The monument, like the previously destroyed "Fountain of Magical Brethren," appears to represent the Ministry's new public mission. The figures, a magical family seated on thrones made of struggling Muggles, reveals how much control Voldemort has gained over the Wizarding realm and how little, if any, concern he and the Ministry now has for Muggles' welfare. Indeed, the statue can be interpreted as Wizards conquering and suppressing Muggles.

Any reader doubting that one individual can attain the power to convert an entire state to their perverted political design need only to draw parallels between Voldemort's Muggle-born persecution and Adolph Hitler's extermination of six million Jews and other so-called "undesirables" in Nazi Germany during the mid-20th century. Both movements were driven by a maniacal but charismatic dictator who, exploiting the masses' anxieties and prejudices, advocated an elitist, ruling class and purging their order of "racially impure" citizens who were blamed for causing most social, political, and economic ills.

When Hermione learns that Snape is the new Hogwarts Headmaster, she immediately stuffs Phineas' portrait into her bag to prevent him from spying on them and relaying any information to Snape via his other portrait in the Headmaster's office, although he has had ample time to have already done that. At this point, Phineas' allegiance is unclear, and although he has always appeared loyal to Dumbledore in the past, that is no guide to the current situation. It is likely that Phineas' loyalty will have changed with the new Headmaster, as the portraits, we heard earlier, are supposed to be loyal to "the Headmaster of Hogwarts", which Snape now is. It is also possible, though less likely, that Phineas' loyalty to Dumbledore was false; Phineas certainly seemed, on occasion, reluctant to take instructions from Dumbledore. Indeed, if Phineas is Dumbledore's ally, it would seem that he should have relayed helpful information from Dumbledore's Hogwarts portrait to the Trio at Grimmauld Place, although that apparently has not occurred. Dumbledore seems to have deliberately withheld information from the Trio that would aid their mission, and his portrait may be doing the same, although just why is unclear.

Phineas may have already informed Snape that the Trio are in residence at Grimmauld Place. However, if he has, that information does not appear to have been relayed to Voldemort. Even though Death Eaters are constantly watching outside, they seem uncertain as to whether the Trio is actually within, though perhaps what they are actually unsure of is where exactly the house is.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What accounts for Kreacher's changed behavior towards the Trio? Can he now be trusted?
2. What does the new statue in the Ministry of Magic atrium represent?

[edit] Further Study

1. Hermione wants Harry to block Voldemort's thoughts by using Occlumency, while Harry wants to keep the channel open. Which is the better choice and why?
2. How do you think the Trio expect to recover the Locket after entering the Ministry? Where is Umbridge likely to keep the Locket?
3. In addition to recovering the Locket, what additional information can the Trio gather while at the Ministry that would be useful for their mission?
4. What comparisons can be made to Voldemort's persecution of Muggle-born wizards and historical events from mid-20th century Europe?

[edit] Greater Picture

As we know, Harry's apparent utter inability (or stubborn refusal) to learn Occlumency was a contributing factor in the events leading to his godfather Sirius' death. However, it is this same failure, we believe, which now allows Harry to view some events occurring in Voldemort's life; Harry already senses their value to the Trio's mission, despite the physical pain it causes, and he is therefore resistant to Hermione's repeated pleas that he practice Occlumency to block them. Later, it is revealed that Voldemort will largely lose control over his skill at Legilimency and Occlumency, at least as far as Harry is concerned. After possessing Harry's mind once before and finding it a disturbing experience, Voldemort never attempts to enter it again; Harry, however, will eventually be able to penetrate Voldemort's mind almost at will and, apparently, without Voldemort's knowledge. By reading Voldemort's thoughts, Harry later uncovers vital information that will help destroy the Horcruxes.

Although Hermione stuffs Phineas Nigellus' portrait into her magical bag to prevent him spying on the Trio, she fails to consider that he may still be able to hear them. When Hermione accidentally leaves the bag open in a later chapter, Phineas overhears some vital information that he relays to Severus Snape, although this will actually aid the Trio. Phineas will also provide the Trio with helpful updates regarding Hogwarts, although it remains unknown which side, if any, Phineas is actually on.

Chapter 13: The Muggle-Born Registration Commission

[edit] Synopsis

Dolores Umbridge immediately assumes that Hermione, as she appears to be Mafalda Hopkirk, was sent by Travers to record the hearings she is holding. She tells the Minister that with Mafalda recording, they can start right away, which is good, there are ten today, and one of them the wife of a Ministry employee. Harry watches as Hermione descends in the elevator with Umbridge. When Thicknesse asks what brings "Albert" to the first floor, Harry says that he needs a word with Arthur Weasley, who he was told was on that floor.

On his own, now, Harry dons the Invisibility Cloak, stooping to hide his feet, and prowls the halls searching for Umbridge's office. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had meticulously planned how to get into the Ministry, but they failed to consider the possibility of getting separated. Now Hermione is stuck in what will probably be a full day of court proceedings while Ron is trying to stop it raining in Yaxley's office. Bemused, Harry stumbles into an open area where he sees pink sheets of paper flying around from desk to desk. The pages are being assembled into pamphlets. Examining one under the Cloak, he finds that the pamphlets are anti-"Mudblood" propaganda. A witch makes a rude comment about their boss, indicating a door. Harry sees Moody's magical eye, affixed to the door and pointing fixedly upwards. Under it is a brass plaque reading Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, and beneath that, another reading Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission.

Although busy with their pamphlets, the office staff would surely notice a door opening on its own. Harry sets a Decoy Detonator free; it explodes on the far side of the room emitting a large, black smoke cloud. While everyone is looking for the smoke source, Harry enters Umbridge's office, finding it exactly like her Hogwarts office, with the horribly cute kitten plates on the wall and the lace doilies on the desks. Looking through the small telescope on the inside of the door, he sees everyone is gathered around the Decoy Detonator's remains; he wrenches the telescope from the door, removes Moody's eye, and pockets it. He tries Summoning the Locket, without success.

Searching Umbridge's office, he finds a file on Arthur Weasley, who is listed as a pure-blood, but is likely to be contacted by "Undesireable Number One", Harry himself. Arthur is also being Tracked. The search is otherwise fruitless, but taking one last look around the office, Harry sees Dumbledore looking at him from a small mirror. Upon closer inspection, the mirror is actually a book: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore by Rita Skeeter. Flipping it open, he sees is a picture of two teenagers, but before reading the caption, the office door opens. Pius Thicknesse enters and writes a note to Umbridge; Harry exits, unseen under the Cloak, passing the pamphlet witches who are still investigating the Decoy Detonator, and returns to the lift. He must now find Ron, get down to the courtrooms, and collect Hermione; it seems unlikely the Locket is here. Luckily, as the lift reaches the second floor, Ron steps in; before they can exchange more than greetings, though, the lift stops again and Arthur Weasley and a blonde witch get on, deep in conversation. Arthur shoots Harry a distasteful look, but gives Ron advice about a spell that might work on Yaxley's office. On the next floor, Ron and the blonde witch get off, but Harry is blocked by Percy Weasley getting on, and is unable to follow. Percy, looking up from his reading, suddenly realizing his father is there, and gets out on the next floor. Harry tries to follow, but is blocked by Mr. Weasley, who makes accusations that he planted information about Dirk Cresswell. When Harry tells Arthur that he is being Tracked, Arthur considers it a threat. Arthur exits on the Atrium level, and Harry puts the Invisibility Cloak back on. He will have to extricate Hermione while Ron is stopping the rain.

Heading to the courtrooms, Harry recognizes the unnatural chill created by Dementors; the creatures are guarding Muggle-born witches and wizards waiting outside the courtroom. A wizard is led from the courtrooms by two Dementors. Mary Cattermole is then called in by Umbridge, and Harry follows her. Inside, two Dementors are held at bay by a cat Patronus, and Umbridge, Hermione (as Mafalda), and Yaxley, are examining Cattermole, demanding to know whose wand she stole. As Umbridge leans forward, the Locket around her neck swings out. Taking a chance, Hermione asks about it; Umbridge claims the S initial is for Selwyn, a very old Wizarding family she is honoured to be related to. This is too much for Harry, who Stuns Umbridge, and, before he can react, Yaxley. Prompted by Hermione, Harry casts a Patronus, just in time to save Mary Cattermole. He tries, twice, to release the chains on Mary, while Hermione creates a duplicate Locket to replace the real one. Escorted by Harry and Hermione's Patronuses, the three leave the courtrooms. Gathering the other Muggle-borns, Harry says the new official position is to disguise themselves and leave the country if possible, at the very least stay away from the Ministry; they can exit from the Atrium.

Meeting Ron at the lifts, Mary Cattermole runs to hug him, believing he is her husband, Reg. Ron warns them that the Ministry knows they are there and work crews are closing off the fireplaces. Harry says they can still escape if they hurry. At the Atrium, Harry orders the crews to stop, though one wizard protests. Harry threateningly asks if he wants his family tree examined the way Dirk Cresswell's was. Muggle-borns are sent in pairs through the remaining fireplaces, but the real Reg Cattermole appears from the lifts. Amidst his and Mary Cattermole's confusion, Yaxley appears, demanding that the fireplaces be sealed. Pointing to the wizard who questioned him, Harry says he was allowing Muggle-borns to escape. As the commotion builds, Ron and Mary Cattermole escape; as the truth dawns on Yaxley, he fires a curse at Harry exiting through the fireplace with Hermione. Arriving in the bathroom, Harry sees Yaxley appear in the cubicle behind him. Grabbing Hermione and Ron, Harry Disapparates. He briefly sees Grimmauld Place's front door, then hears a bang, and they are Apparating away.

[edit] Analysis

Once inside the Ministry, the Trio can see how extensively Voldemort's corruption and perversion has spread, and the extreme measures being implemented to separate the "racially impure" from "pure-blooded" wizard society. Anyone not directly serving Voldemort is controlled through his minions, mostly with threats and violence. It appears there is little resistance, and as Voldemort gains more power, many wizards fear for themselves or their loved ones who could be branded as "undesirables" and be incarcerated. There are still many in the general Wizarding population who are simply ignorant about what is happening, while others are fearful and/or uncertain what to believe or who to trust. Voldemort deliberately created this confusion by quietly and gradually seizing control of the Ministry and other key institutions while spreading anti-Muggle-born propaganda. He remains unseen—though his return has now been public knowledge for a year, by staying concealed he allows rumour to do his work, spreading fear and doubt. We will see later that Voldemort is reported as being in several places at once. Meanwhile, the thoroughly corrupt and reprehensible Dolores Umbridge revels in her position as Head of the Muggle-born Registration Committee. Bloated with power, she has dedicated herself to purging "impurities" from the Wizarding world, much as she did while at Hogwarts, and readily abuses her authority to persecute those deemed unworthy. From what can be seen at the hearing Umbridge is presiding over, it appears that all Muggle-borns and suspected blood traitors are being rounded up, probably to be sent to a wizard-style concentration camp for deportation, or worse, extermination.

Although the Trio successfully retrieved the Locket Horcrux, their lacking a back-up plan in the event they became separated while inside the Ministry is surprising. Randomly selecting individuals to impersonate without knowing their identities, rank, or considering that they may be called upon to perform their Ministry duties was also a careless and risky move. Hermione, especially, appears to have been rather lax in failing to anticipate this, considering her usual diligent attention to details and analyzing all likely scenarios. The Trio also were extremely lucky that Umbridge had the Locket with her on that particular day, an event that seems to have taken both Harry and Hermione somewhat by surprise. Given that, their mission's purpose into the Ministry was perhaps to try and determine where Umbridge might actually keep the Locket: for instance, to locate Umbridge's residence and then attempt to retrieve the Locket from there. It also seems that this information could have been discovered by one person alone using the Invisibility Cloak rather than all three entering the Ministry in their Polyjuice Potion disguises. If that was the plan, it is curious then that Harry never searched for Umbridge's home address while he was in her office. Being that they still lacked vital information as to the Locket's whereabouts when they infiltrated the Ministry, it is also curious as to why they put their plan into action on that particular day, although Harry seemed propelled more by an urgent need to act, rather than being completely prepared. It is also unclear how the Trio positively identified the "toad woman" as being Dolores Umbridge before they planned their assault, although, fortunately, they were correct.

Indeed, Hermione's entire plan seems unworthy, opting for a dangerously elaborate and overly complicated scheme when a simpler strategy might have been safer and more effective. Rather than infiltrating the highly-secure Ministry, the Trio may also have been able to intercept Umbridge (perhaps using the Imperius Curse) before she entered or just after she left the Ministry. Also, once determing that Umbridge wears the Locket to work, one person alone could have used the Invisibility Cloak to sneak into her office, stun her, perform a memory charm, and then remove and replace the real Locket with a substitute, just as Hermione did. Like the Trio's reluctance to use extreme defensive tactics against their enemies, their unsophisticated plan and their rather erratic performance reflects their general inexperience and still growing maturity; they may be unready to be full-fledged Order of the Phoenix members. And though it is unlikely the Order would ever have allowed the Trio to undertake such a dangerous mission, Dumbledore apparently felt only they could accomplish this. However misbegotten, chaotic, and nearly disastrous the Ministry caper may have been, it was ultimately successful and fortuitously resulted in many innocent victims being rescued. It also shows that the Trio works well together and can quickly adapt to changing circumstances.

Retrieving Moody's magical eye from Umbridge's door was also a risky and impetuous decision by Harry, but his emotions overruled his logic, and he was simply unable to leave any part of Moody in Umbridge's possession. This also provides a necessary closure for Harry, allowing him to later bury at least a small portion of Moody. One gathers that the eye's loss from the outer side of Umbridge's door will not hinder her spying on her subordinates; the eye, staring fixedly, seems to only provide camouflage for the small telescope inside the office door.

Harry glimpsing Dumbledore's image in what he momentarily believed was a mirror in Umbridge's office may be a subtle reference to the familiar-looking blue eye he has been seeing in the mirror-shard, although it is unknown yet whose eye this actually is. The original magic mirror, before it was broken, was described as about the size of a small book. It is probably the combination of the size, plus Harry's half-belief that the eye in the mirror-shard is Dumbledore's, that leads him to briefly mistake the book for a mirror.

Rowling's description that Umbridge's cutesy kitten decor appears just as it did at Hogwarts may be a subtle clue that, despite Umbridge's traumatic experience with the Centaurs, readers can expect to see the same vile woman as in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Harry remove Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye from Umbridge's office? Did this help or endanger the Trio's mission?
2. How will Harry's taking the Eye affect Umbridge's job?
3. Why is Arthur Weasley being tracked? Why or why not might he have suspected this before Harry told him?
4. Why does Umbridge wear the Locket?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why did the Trio fail to have a back-up plan in the event they became separated while inside the Ministry? What plan could they have had?
2. Hermione's plan to infiltrate the Ministry was dangerous. Devise your own plan to retrieve the Locket.
3. If Umbridge had not worn the Locket on that particular day, what would the Trio have done? Would they likely have had another chance to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic using the same plan? Explain.
4. How were Voldemort and his Death Eaters able to gain control of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts, and other Wizarding institutions so quickly and easily? Why has there been so little resistance?
5. Why does Voldemort remain unseen to the general public, even though it is widely known that he is alive and controls the Ministry and other institutions?
6. What might happen to Muggle-born wizards after being rounded up by the Ministry? How does this compare to historical events in mid-20th century Europe?

[edit] Greater Picture

Over the next several chapters, the Trio realizes they are being affected by the Locket Horcrux as they take turns wearing it around their necks; it preys on them physically, mentally, and emotionally. The Horcrux may actually be somewhat sentient, so much so that as Ron puts his ear to the Locket, he is able to detect something akin to a "heartbeat" pulsing within it. When Harry is trying to retrieve Gryffindor's Sword to destroy the Locket with, the Horcrux, sensing danger, defends itself by attempting to strangle him. Unlike the Trio, Dolores Umbridge seems unaffected by wearing the Locket, possibly because the Locket senses she poses no threat to its existence, and she may be more closely aligned to its dark nature.

The Trio's foray into the Ministry of Magic, while ultimately successful, was nearly disastrous because they failed to consider all scenarios and lacked a back-up plan in such an event. In a later chapter, they will infiltrate another high-security Wizarding institution: Gringotts Bank. That mission will also be successful, but they will again fail to have a back-up plan, and, when things go awry, they must quickly improvise an alternate escape route.

The two youths whose photo Harry briefly glimpsed in Rita Skeeter's book are the teen-aged Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. Harry will see the photo again in a later chapter and read not only the caption but the associated chapter of Skeeter's muck-raking book.

Chapter 14: The Thief

[edit] Synopsis

Harry, Ron, and Hermione find themselves lying on the ground in a forest. At first, Harry thinks it is the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts but quickly realizes the trees are too young. Ron's shoulder has been badly Splinched while Disapparating. Hermione has Harry summon the Essence of Dittany from her bag and partially heals Ron's injury with it, although he remains faint from shock and blood loss. Hermione Disapparated them from Grimmauld Place because Yaxley grabbed her when they Apparated to Grimmauld Place. When Yaxley slackened his grip, Hermione jinxed him, broke free, and then Apparated them all to the forest where the Quidditch World Cup was held three years previously. It is unlikely they can return to Grimmauld Place. As Hermione has been a Secret Keeper since Dumbledore's death and led Yaxley to Grimmauld Place, it is probably now known to him. Harry blames only himself for losing their hiding place, having wasted precious time to retrieve Moody's magical eye from Umbridge's office door.

Remembering that Death Eaters previously found them moments after Hermione Disapparated them to a familiar place, Harry and Ron debate whether they should stay or move on, but Ron is too weak to travel and Harry decides they will stay put. As Hermione casts the protective spells, Harry summons the tent from her bag, recognizing it as one they used at the Quidditch World Cup. When Hermione starts to speak Voldemort's name, Ron halts her, saying it feels jinxed, and requests that Harry and Hermione refrain from using it. Hermione apparently chooses not to argue with an injured Ron.

Hermione retrieves the egg-sized Locket, which bears the initial "S" inset in small green stones on its cover. Harry determines it must be opened before it can be destroyed, but it is tightly shut. Ron detects a small heartbeat within, but Harry and Hermione are uncertain if they hear anything. To keep it safe until it can be destroyed, Harry places it around his neck. He and Hermione then prepare to stand guard using Harry's Sneakoscope.

Standing watch alone that night, Harry starts having awful thoughts. Rather than feeling elated over finding the Locket Horcrux, Harry feels lost, unsure how to proceed, and clueless as to how to destroy the Horcrux. Though worried about Kreacher's safety, Hermione and Harry had decided against summoning him, fearing a Death Eater may come by side-along apparation. And his scar is hurting again.

Suddenly, Harry is inside Voldemort's mind again and sees a man with a snowy white beard suspended upside down. Voldemort, addressing the man as Gregorovitch, demands something that Gregorovitch claims was stolen from him long ago. Voldemort enters Gregorovitch's memories and sees a tall, blond man who Stuns him and, laughing, exits through the window. When Voldemort kills Gregorovitch, Harry returns to himself. Hermione dismisses the notion that he was reading Voldemort's mind and insists on taking over the watch, claiming Harry is too tired. Inside the tent, where Hermione is unable to hear, Ron asks Harry what Voldemort was doing, and wonders how Gregorovitch can make a new wand for Voldemort if he is tied up. Harry relates Gregorovitch's memory about someone who stole something small from him, and thinks he has seen the man before. Ron asks if Voldemort might be trying to make another Horcrux, but based on Hermione's research, Harry thinks Voldemort's soul may be too shredded to allow that. Harry falls asleep wondering about the blond thief. With Gregorovitch gone, whoever he is, his life is in danger now.

[edit] Analysis

Harry's using magic to Summon the dittany from Hermione's bag is partly a demonstration. When the Trio fled the wedding to Tottenham Court Road, the two Death Eaters found them immediately, although Harry did not cast any magic before the Death Eaters arrived. Since then, all the magic that Harry had performed was while he was at Grimmauld Place or within the Ministry of Magic, two locations where it would be undetectable. This was the first time that he performed magic in the open. If Harry still carried the Ministry's Trace that detects underage magic, as he suspected he was, this first unprotected use of magic would have brought Death Eaters, but it did not. Therefore, there must have been some other mechanism that allowed the Death Eaters to find him.

Once again, the Trio was reluctant to inflict harm on an enemy, even under combat conditions. Other Order of the Phoenix members probably would have killed Yaxley, who Hermione believes has now become a Secret Keeper and can expose Grimmauld Place's location to Voldemort. Hermione instead opted to Disapparate the Trio to the countryside, sacrificing their hiding place rather than take a life. Apart from killing Yaxley, Hermione presumably also had the option of incapacitating him and then working a Memory Charm on him, though Hermione may be aware that Memory Charms do not seem to work well when Voldemort counters them. Hermione was responding to a chaotic and dangerous situation, however, and it may have prevented her from thinking rationally enough to consider all other options.

Hermione's reacting incorrectly under stress is seen again here. While it is almost certainly true that Yaxley is now privy to Number 12, Grimmauld Place's location, this does not automatically make him a Secret Keeper. Hermione may be over-generalizing from her own experience. It is true that having been privy to the secret, Hermione has become a Secret-Keeper herself, but that happened only because Dumbledore, the original Secret-Keeper, had died. For Yaxley to become a Secret-Keeper for the house's location at Grimmauld Place, it would be necessary for the person who revealed that secret to him to die. So long as Hermione remains alive, Yaxley can enter the house, but he is unable to reveal where it is to any other person. Snape remains far more threatening, as he is a Secret Keeper and so can freely divulge Grimmauld Place's location. The one factor that increases the risk is that Yaxley now knows that three Order members were still resident at Grimmauld Place, which might inspire Snape to reveal that secret, or cause Voldemort to require Snape to reveal it. Just why Snape has not entered the house, or shared this information with other Death Eaters so they could enter, is puzzling.

Until now, Dumbledore's quest has mainly tested the Trio's intellectual and magical prowess rather than their physical abilities. Forced to leave their cozy hiding place, they must now endure the harsh environment while on the run, coping with cold winter weather, limited food supplies, and being cut off from their allies, who, until now, at least knew their location. Losing their headquarters is a huge blow to the mission, but fortunately, Hermione was well prepared for this eventuality and has stored everything they need inside her bag. However, despite Hermione providing them with a snug tent containing a kitchen, bunks, and other necessities, it hardly compares to Grimmauld Place's amenities and Kreacher's attentive care. The hardship causes the Trio's morale to plunge to an all-time low, but for Ron, used to three hot meals a day and comfortable living conditions, it proves especially difficult. But they may have needed just such an incentive to force them into leaving Grimmauld Place and search more aggressively for the other Horcruxes, rather than sequestering themselves in an endless attempt to hypothesize what and where they might be.

While Ron may be less suited for the quest than Harry and Hermione, having grown up in the Wizarding world, he can contribute in ways they are unable to. His ability to detect a "heartbeat" within the Locket while Harry and Hermione cannot may indicate that he has far more magical ability then he ever realized. He will also become more adversely affected by close physical contact with the Locket Horcrux than the other two, although it is having an immediate effect on Harry when he first wears it. These emerging traits and this stage of the quest's hardships could be a major turning point in Ron's maturation and magical development.

Knowing that Voldemort is searching for Gregorovitch, a wandmaker, it initially seems apparent that Voldemort wants a new wand or is looking for an explanation as to why Harry's wand always defeats his own. No matter what wand Voldemort wields, Harry's wand seems impervious. If Voldemort only wanted a new wand, presumably he would have Gregorovitch make him one, with the expectation that a wand made by a different artisan would be protected from the same fate as the other wands he used on Harry. As was seen with Mr. Ollivander, Voldemort's persuasion techniques tend to leave an artisan in a rather unsuitable state to perform fine craftsmanship. However, having found Gregorovitch, Voldemort asks him about something he is thought to have once owned. Although Gregorovitch claims he never possessed it, Voldemort sees in his memory that someone stole it from him, although it is unknown what that object was or who the thief might be. As Voldemort then murders Gregorovitch, it seems our assumption about Voldemort wanting a new wand is incorrect. What then, is Voldemort seeking?

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What does Ron mean when he says Voldemort's name feels like a jinx? Why do the others respect his request not to say it?
2. Why is Ron able to detect a "heartbeat" within the Locket, while the other two cannot?
3. Why did Voldemort capture Gregorovitch?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why does Harry have awful thoughts while he is taking the watch?
2. Who might the blond thief be?
3. Considering the mental connection that exists between Harry and Voldemort, why does Hermione dismiss the notion that Harry is reading Voldemort's mind?
4. How might losing their comfortable hiding place actually help the Trio's search for the Horcruxes?

[edit] Greater Picture

Ron's instinct that Voldemort's name feels "jinxed" will prove to be more than mere superstition on his part. It is learned later that Voldemort's name is tabooed; anyone speaking it immediately alerts Death Eaters and Snatchers, Voldemort's bounty hunters, to their location. Voldemort knows that unlike most other wizards, Order of the Phoenix members in general, and Harry in particular, do not fear speaking his name, thus making it easy to locate him. This is yet another example of Harry's predictable behavior often being used against him, just as when he revealed his presence by executing what has become his signature spell, during the attack while leaving the Dursley house.

Although Harry's presence remained undetected when he uttered Voldemort's name inside Grimmauld Place, speaking it may have broken some protective charms on the building. We do not know why it did not seem to; possibly it was the age of the protective spells, or that the protective spells were cast by a Dark wizard that prevented it from breaking. Additionally, the fact that Grimmauld Place is unplottable may make it impossible to determine exactly where Harry is. It is possible that the magically-enforced taboo caused Harry to experience another painful session inside Voldemort's mind immediately after he spoke his name. Ron's twitchiness about Voldemort's name has resulted in it being largely unspoken to date, and that continues through this chapter and several more.

The object Voldemort seeks is the Elder Wand, one of the three titular Deathly Hallows. Voldemort, raised in a Muggle orphanage, has never heard of the Deathly Hallows; he knew nothing about the Resurrection Stone when he made Gaunt's ring into a Horcrux, and he has never searched for Death's Invisibility Cloak. The Elder Wand, however, has its own history apart from the Hallows, and that attracted Voldemort's attention. It is because he believed that Voldemort was ignorant about the Hallows' significance that Dumbledore never tasked Harry with recovering them, though he knew where they all were. Dumbledore believed that the Horcruxes were the greater danger.

It will be revealed later that the young blond thief is the evil wizard Grindelwald, who Dumbledore defeated in a duel and captured the Elder Wand from.

Chapter 15: The Goblin's Revenge

[edit] Synopsis

Before Ron and Hermione wake, Harry buries Moody's magical eye under a tree. They then shift camp to a small market town, but Harry is unable to enter because Dementors are there. Ron is amazed; normally, Harry produces an excellent Patronus, but he now seems incapable. It occurs to Hermione that he may be affected by the Horcrux. He immediately feels better when she takes it from him, but believes he was not possessed by it because he remembers everything he did; he overrules Hermione's suggestion that they not wear the Locket: if it is stored in the tent and the tent is lost, then what? Hermione reluctantly agrees, but suggests taking turns wearing it and puts it around her own neck.

They wander the countryside, camping in a new location each night. Harry, Ron, and Hermione endlessly debate where the other Horcruxes could be. Harry is adamant that one is at Hogwarts, that being the only place Tom Riddle ever considered home. Ron thinks Dumbledore would have found it by now, but Harry reminds him that Dumbledore never claimed to know every Hogwarts secret. They find the orphanage in London where Tom Riddle lived, but it has been demolished and replaced by offices. Hermione wants to root around in the foundations, but the others veto her suggestion.

They continue traveling throughout the country. Ron, used to three hot meals a day, is steadily becoming annoyed with Hermione's cooking attempts. One night, as he complains about the fish Hermione has served, Harry hushes them both—he hears someone. Hermione silently deals out Extendable Ears, and a group Summoning and preparing salmon can be heard. The party is Ted Tonks, the goblin Griphook, and his compatriot, Gornuk. Also nearby is Dean Thomas and someone named Dirk, who was being transported to Azkaban but overpowered the Auror guard, Dawlish. Dirk relates a tale from Griphook, who heard it from Bill Weasley. Apparently, several Hogwarts students, including Ginny, sneaked into Snape's office and broke into the glass case containing the Sword of Gryffindor. They were caught and given detention. About a week later, Snape transferred the sword to the Lestranges' Gringotts vault. But Griphook immediately recognized the sword was a fake—an excellent copy, but Wizard-made, and lacking certain Goblin properties. As an afterthought, it is mentioned that the students had been "cruelly punished." We also learn that the group believes Harry was telling the truth about Snape killing Dumbledore, and if anyone wants to know what is really happening, they should read The Quibbler. Lately, Xeno Lovegood has been publishing truthful stories, without mentioning Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

Shortly after, the party moves off, and Hermione pulls Phineas Nigellus' portrait from the bag to summon him. When he appears, Hermione blindfolds him so he is unable to report their location. Phineas updates them about Ginny, Neville, and Luna, whose punishment was their being sent to work in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. Hermione asks if the sword had previously been removed from its case, perhaps for cleaning. Phineas retorts that Goblin armor rejects ordinary dirt, accepting only that which will make it stronger. Harry wants Dumbledore to be brought from his office portrait, but former Headmasters can only travel to their own portraits outside Hogwarts and to other portraits within the castle, but nowhere else. Phineas, however, tells Hermione that Dumbledore had used the sword to break open a ring.

Excited, Harry and Hermione realize that the sword absorbed Basilisk venom when Harry killed the Basilisk with it. Now it can destroy Horcruxes, but they have reached a "dead end" determining where the real sword is located. After some guessing and discussion, Harry asks Ron for his opinion, but Ron appears unenthusiastic and agitated, and accuses Harry of not knowing what he is doing. After a heated argument, Ron nearly attacks Harry, but Hermione casts a shield charm to block him. Ron removes the locket, tosses it down, and threatens to leave; when Hermione says she is staying, Ron accuses her of siding with Harry and storms off into the night, Disapparating before Hermione can stop him.

[edit] Analysis

This chapter is critical in that it not only reveals that Dumbledore destroyed the ring Horcrux, but that there is an additional way to use Basilisk venom to eliminate Horcruxes. Until this point, the only known venom source is the Basilisk fangs in the Chamber of Secrets underneath Hogwarts. Now, the Sword of Gryffindor, which absorbed the Basilisk venom, can be used to destroy Horcruxes. While a Basilisk fang or Gryffindor's Sword is needed to dispatch Horcruxes, the sword that was in Snape's office and is now secured in a vault at Gringotts Bank is only a replica and will not do the job. The question becomes, where is the real Sword of Gryffindor?

Meanwhile, the mission suffers a severe blow by Ron's abrupt departure, which was motivated by several factors. Of the Trio, he is the last to reach adulthood, and, still clinging to his rather childish behavior, is unable to make the commitment and sacrifices needed to pursue such a difficult quest. Less independent and self-sufficient than the other two, Ron is used to creature comforts, regular meals, and being mollycoddled by his mother, and is usually content to tag along after his older brothers and allow Harry and Hermione to take the lead. Ron has also deluded himself somewhat as to what Harry's mission actually entailed and seems to have forgotten that Harry strongly discouraged him from accompanying him. Injury, frustration, and Harry's seeming indecisiveness are also affecting him, although Harry is nearly as frustrated and angry as Ron by what little and confusing information Dumbledore left him. Ron mistakenly assumed that Dumbledore provided Harry all the necessary information. His anger, fears, and immaturity may also have been exacerbated by his close proximity to the Locket Horcrux that has affected each Trio member in turn by preying on them mentally, emotionally, and physically while they are wearing it. Even though Ron's ability to detect the Locket's "heartbeat" may have indicated that he was more vulnerable to its Dark nature, allowing it to exert a greater force on him than it did the others, it does not fully excuse his deplorable behavior.

Although his full name is not mentioned here, the Dirk who is traveling with Ted Tonks may be Dirk Cresswell, one-time head of the Goblin Liaison Office in the Ministry of Magic. This would explain why he was traveling with Griphook, as well as suggest why he had to leave the Ministry—in an earlier chapter, we saw that Dirk had been investigated and "found" to be of Muggle ancestry.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Hermione want to search the building foundation where Voldemort's orphanage used to be? What might she have found? Why are Harry and Ron against this?
2. Why does Ron abruptly leave the Trio? What might be affecting his decision?
3. Why does Hermione distrust Phineas Nigellus enough that she blindfolds him whenever she summons him to his portrait? Why didn't she worry about this while at Grimmauld Place?
4. Could Phineas have revealed their presence to anyone while they were there, and who might that be?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why does Hermione take on the cooking task? Is the author assigning her a traditional female role for a reason?
2. Why does Harry bury Moody's magical eye, rather than keep it? Could it have been used to aid their mission? If so, how?
3. Why doesn't the Trio make contact with the other parties they hear in the woods, especially knowing that friends like Dean Thomas and Ted Tonks are among them?
4. Why would The Quibbler, a paper known for its outlandish stories, now publish the "truth" about Harry Potter? How can it be trusted to be the truth?
5. The Trio overhear that Ginny, Neville, and Luna were "severely" punished for attempting to steal Gryffindor's sword, yet Phineas Nigellus' portrait tells them that Snape only assigned the students detention in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. Why would Snape give them such a light punishment for such a serious offense?
6. Knowing that Basilisk venom destroys Horcruxes, why doesn't the Trio sneak into Hogwarts to collect its fangs from the Chamber of Secrets to use as weapons?
7. Each Trio member was affected emotionally and physically by wearing the Locket Horcrux. Did Dolores Umbridge suffer any ill-effects while she wore it? If not, why?

[edit] Greater Picture

When Harry killed the Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor, its venom empowered the sword to destroy Horcruxes. The reader may wonder why the Trio simply does not go to Hogwarts to gather the dead monster's fangs that are still lying in the Chamber of Secrets and use them to destroy the Horcruxes rather than searching for the sword. While that may seem logical, it is probably a safe assumption that Harry will only be able to enter Hogwarts one time; he is unable to flit in, nab a fang, and nip back out again because once there, his presence will likely be quickly detected, forcing him to stand and fight. Nor can they get an ally there to retrieve a fang and smuggle it to them because the Chamber of Secrets can only be opened by someone speaking Parseltongue, although Ron will later overcome this obstacle. With Snape as Headmaster and the Carrows teaching Muggle Studies and Dark Arts, there is now a permanent Death Eater presence at the school. However, hearing that the Sword has been moved to Gringotts Bank, and that it is a fake anyway, it becomes unnecessary for Harry to have to go to Hogwarts to be able to destroy the Locket Horcrux, although he will eventually need to eliminate another soul shard that is hidden there. For now, it is a great relief to him, and the reader, to know how Horcruxes can be destroyed, even if the Trio must still locate Gryffindor's real sword. It does become clearer, however, as to why Dumbledore attempted to bequeath the sword to Harry. It is also logical to assume that it was Dumbledore who switched the real sword for the fake, with the intention that Harry would then find the genuine blade to destroy the Horcruxes. It will be revealed that Dumbledore knew he only had short time left to live, which is probably when he included the sword in his will as a clue to Harry that he would need it. Dumbledore apparently also arranged for an, as yet, unknown ally to dispatch the real sword to Harry in an upcoming chapter.

To Ron's credit, he does attempt to rejoin the group immediately after his angry departure, but he runs into some unexpected trouble. Also, Dumbledore had anticipated that Ron, being the most immature and least prepared for the quest, might fail the others at some point during the mission. Dumbledore's bequest (the Deluminator) to Ron is actually a means for him to find his way back, should he ever become separated from the Trio, although Ron unexpectedly learns this later.

Chapter 16: Godric's Hollow

[edit] Synopsis

Harry awakens the next morning half-expecting Ron to be in his bunk, but it is empty. Harry and Hermione delay packing, knowing Ron will be unable to find them once they leave. Unable to wait any longer, they Disapparate to a wind-swept hillside. Hermione breaks down in sobs, while Harry puts up the protective spells around their campsite. For the next few days, Harry watches for Ron's dot on his Marauder's Map, certain he has returned to Hogwarts, but it never appears. At night, Harry and Hermione spend hours discussing where Dumbledore could have hidden Gryffindor's Sword. Harry is uncertain if he is angrier at Ron for leaving, or at Dumbledore for failing to give him more information. Ron's words haunt him: "We thought you knew what you were doing . . . We thought Dumbledore had told you what to do . . . We thought you had a real plan!" Ron was right; Dumbledore left him with virtually nothing, and the remaining Horcruxes are still just as unattainable.

At night, Hermione brings out Phineas Nigellus' portrait. Despite his threat never to visit it again but curious for information, he agrees to show up blindfolded every few days. Phineas only reveals sporadic information about Hogwarts, although Harry and Hermione learn about a low-level student mutiny. Snape has reinstated Umbridge's decree prohibiting three or more students from gathering or any unofficial student societies, although Harry deduces that Ginny, Luna, and Neville have probably restarted Dumbledore's Army. Harry briefly yearns for Hogwarts' comforts, only to remember he is "Undesirable Number One."

The weather grows colder, and the two constantly move to new locations throughout the country. Christmas trees begin appearing in sitting room windows. One night, Hermione shows Harry a strange hand-drawn symbol in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. She is unable to decipher it, but has determined it is something other than an eye icon or an ancient rune in the syllabary. Harry recognizes it as the same triangular symbol on Xenophilius' robe at the wedding. Krum claimed it was Grindelwald's mark. Hermione is puzzled that a Dark mark would be drawn in a children's book. Harry, curious about his own past, wants to go to Godric's Hollow; surprisingly, Hermione agrees, believing Dumbledore may have hidden the sword in Godric Gryffindor's birthplace. When Harry expresses suprise, Hermione pulls out A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot and reads a passage about Godric Gryffindor. Harry remembers Ginny's Aunt Muriel telling him at the wedding that Bathilda Bagshot still lived in Godric's Hollow. Both silently notice that Harry deliberately avoided referring to Muriel as Ron's aunt. A thought suddenly occurs to Hermione—maybe Dumbledore entrusted the sword to Bathilda.

Harry and Hermione immediately make plans to go to Godric's Hollow. Hermione first wants to practice Disapparating together under the Invisibility Cloak, plus a few other spells, but Harry only thinks about seeing his birthplace. It is another week before they depart for Godric's Hollow. Hermione has obtained some Muggle hairs for the Polyjuice Potion, and they transform themselves into a middle-aged married couple, then Disapparate under the Invisibility Cloak to Godric's Hollow. Hermione worries about leaving tracks in the snow, but since they are disguised, Harry suggests removing the Cloak and just walking. Spotting a cemetery behind a nearby church, they head for it. A war memorial in the town square suddenly transforms into a statue of a man and a woman holding a baby. Astonished, Harry recognizes the two figures as his parents and realizes the baby is him. Inside the graveyard, they unexpectedly discover Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore's graves; Harry again wonders why Dumbledore never shared their common roots. On the grave marker is the inscription: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," although Harry is uncertain what it means. While searching for the Potters' gravesites, Hermione spots something. Carved on an old tombstone is the same symbol as in the book and on Xenophilius' robes, although the stone's letters are badly weathered; Harry can only make out the first name, Ignotus.

They continue hunting until Hermione calls out, "Harry, they're here . . . right here." Their white marble headstone is only two rows behind Kendra and Ariana. Below their names is the inscription: The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death

Confused, Harry thinks this sounds like a Death Eater concept, but Hermione says it means to defeat death by existing beyond it. Harry finds little comfort in its meaning, knowing his parents' moldering remains lie beneath the frozen ground and cries a bit. Hermione takes his hand. Harry feels bad that he forgot to bring something for his parents, but Hermione, unasked, conjures a Christmas wreath with roses that Harry lays on the graves. As Harry puts his arm around Hermione's shoulders, she places hers around his waist, and they quietly turn to leave the cemetery.

[edit] Analysis

Although Harry wanted to "go it alone" on this mission, he now sorely misses Ron's presence and realizes how much he relied on his help and friendship. This may be a crucial turning point for Harry in learning to trust others and accept help. Ron's painful absence is also a sharp contrast to Hermione's steadfast loyalty, and it is doubtful that Harry could have gotten as far as he has without her assistance, although, in the past, he and Ron have tended to dismiss her contributions and abilities except when they needed specific information about something. Her careful planning and foresight has allowed the Trio to move relatively efficiently and comfortably throughout the country during their Horcrux search. Her diligent research methods and cool, logical mind will continue to be a useful resource to the mission. However, living by her wits and surviving day-to-day in a life-threatening situation has also greatly improved her practical skills and abilities, forcing her to also rely on intuition, speculation, and immediate action rather than just books for definitive answers. Her quick, sharp reflexes have repeatedly saved the Trio from disaster, as when she Disapparated them away from Bill and Fleur's wedding and Grimmauld Place, and likely will do so again in future chapters.

It is interesting to note that the Potters' statue is (appropriately) disguised as a war memorial. Not only did James and Lily fight against Voldemort in life, but they continue their battle in death through their son, Harry.

Seeing Kendra and Ariana's tombstone disturbs Harry. This reminder that Dumbledore had a history he withheld from Harry, or that Harry never asked about, reignites Harry's anger and confusion over Dumbledore's cryptic plan. The inscription on Kendra and Ariana's gravestone, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," further frustrates Harry, who fails to understand how deeply Dumbledore loved his mother and sister. Harry again wonders why Dumbledore never revealed their common roots, although the Dumbledores only lived in Godric's Hollow a short time and had moved there to keep Ariana's condition hidden. Also, this reminder of Ariana's existence causes Harry to think about Rita Skeeter's book, and to wonder how much truth backs her stories.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why do Harry and Hermione avoid mentioning Ron's name?

[edit] Further Study

1. Why has Harry never been taken to visit Godric's Hollow and his parents' home and graves, despite it being a monument to their memories?
2. Who might Ignotus be? The sign on his tombstone seems to be the same one Xeno Lovegood wore at the wedding, that Grindelwald used, and that appears in Dumbledore's copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Why would this sign be on Ignotus' tombstone?
3. Why does Phineas Nigellus Black give Harry and Hermione updates about Hogwarts? Can this information be trusted?
4. What might the inscription, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” mean? Who likely chose those words for Ariana and Kendra's grave stone and why?
5. Harry searches for Ron on the Marauders' Map but is unable to find him at Hogwarts. Where might Ron be and what would he be doing?
6. Harry has no idea where to search for Gryffindor's Sword, although there is something that could possibly help him retrieve it. What is this, and why doesn't it occur to Harry? How difficult would it be to obtain this item?

[edit] Greater Picture

Although Harry has abandoned his dream to be reunited with his dead parents, when he learns about the Deathly Hallows (and the Resurrection Stone), this possibility will be revived.

Harry and Hermione have no idea where to search for Gryffindor's sword, and they are taking a huge gamble and using precious time in hope that Dumbledore hid it in Godric's Hollow. However, there could be another way to retrieve the Sword. Readers likely will remember that in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry pulled Gryffindor's Sword from the Sorting Hat when he fought the Basilisk. While this could be one possible way to obtain the sword, neither Harry or Hermione considers this. However, there is certainly no guarantee that the Sorting Hat can or would provide the Sword on demand, or if it is at all possible to obtain the Hat that is safely secured in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office. Even if Harry's allies inside Hogwarts attempted to retrieve it, given the Castle's tight security, it could be a difficult undertaking for any student, even resourceful Dumbledore's Army members, to breach the Headmaster's office, particularly now that Snape is in residence there. And given Ginny, Luna, and Neville's previous unsuccessful attempt to steal the Sword of Gryffindor, their punishment could potentially be far more severe for a second offence. However, as the Sorting Hat may generally be considered an innocuous magical object, it is possible that it could be removed from the Headmaster's Office more easily than the Sword. And considering how effortlessly Hermione was able to Summon the restricted books from Dumbledore's study, the Sorting Hat might likewise be retrieved. However, Snape is likely well aware of the Sorting Hat's abilities.

Harry will eventually obtain Gryffindor's Sword, not with the Sorting Hat, but with help from an unidentified ally. However, the Sorting Hat will again prove important later in the story when it provides Gryffindor's Sword to Neville Longbottom, who Harry asks to destroy one of Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in the event that he, Ron, or Hermione are unable to.

Chapter 17: Bathilda's Secret

[edit] Synopsis

As they depart the cemetery, Hermione is positive something moved in the distance. Harry thinks it may be a ghost, but Hermione draws her wand. When Harry sees dislodged snow by the bushes where Hermione was pointing, he surmises that if it was Death Eaters, they would be dead now; he suggests putting on the Invisibility Cloak, and they glance around repeatedly as they leave. Heading down a street, they have no idea where Bathilda Bagshot’s house might be. An overgrown hedge surrounds a ruined cottage, most of which is still standing, but one side has been blown apart. On the gate, a sign appears:

On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family.

Messages from visitors are scribbled on the sign. Hermione thinks it is disrespectful, but it cheers Harry, who feels only gratitude. A mysterious, elderly woman approaches. Although she is obviously a magical person, Harry is surprised and suspicious that she can see them under the Invisibility Cloak. When she beckons them to follow, Harry asks if she is Bathilda Bagshot; she nods and beckons again. They are led to a house with a garden as overgrown as the Potter residence. Inside, Harry whiffs a foul odor like putrid meat clinging to her, although it may be the house, in which everything is covered by thick dust. Bathilda goes into another room, and Harry hears her calling, "Come!" causing Hermione to jump. Inside, Harry spots photographs atop a chest of drawers and removes the dust. A half dozen photos are missing from their ornate frames, but Harry recognizes a picture of a young blond man as the one in Rita Skeeter’s book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Harry repeatedly asks Bathilda who it is, but she stares vaguely at him, causing Harry to wonder how she was able to tell Rita Skeeter about the Dumbledore clan. Harry tells Hermione that the man in the photo is the thief he saw in Voldemort's mind who stole the item from Gregorovitch.

Bathilda motions for only Harry to go upstairs with her, and Hermione remains behind; Harry pockets the thief's photo on his way out. In the bedroom, Bathilda inquires if he is Harry Potter. He answers affirmatively and wants to know if she has something for him. Bathilda closes her eyes, and Harry feels his scar prickle and the Locket Horcrux twitch against him as the room momentarily darkens. Joy surges through his body, and he hears his own voice saying, "Hold him!" Bathilda points to a dressing table in the corner. Harry inspects it, but as he turns, he witnesses a revolting sight: a huge snake pours out from what was Bathilda's neck, her lifeless body collapsing to the floor. Nagini attacks, biting Harry's arm and sending his wand flying. The resulting noise brings Hermione frantically running upstairs. Nagini releases Harry and lunges at Hermione, barely missing her. Harry, grabbing his dropped wand, yells that Voldemort is coming. Nagini lunges again as Harry drags Hermione across the bed. Hermione casts Confringo, and the spell ricochets around the room, burning Harry's hand, as they leap out the window. Voldemort, reaching out to grasp Harry, screams in fury as he and Hermione Disapparate; his anger causes unbearable pain in Harry's scar.

Pain mingles with Voldemort's memories of a fateful night sixteen years before: Hallowe'en costumes, a father's smile, a toddler playing on the floor inside a cozy house. Outside, a gate creaks open as a dark figure strides through. A man yells, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him. Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" More screams, then green flashes, and a woman's crumpled body lies upon the nursery floor. One last flash, and pain-shot darkness. Then, through Voldemort's eyes, Harry sees Bathilda's bedroom again, and Voldemort is picking up the dropped picture of the thief. Hermione's voice pierces the void, pleading for him to wake. Opening his eyes, Harry sees that he is inside the tent. Hermione says they escaped, but it is hours later and he has been sick; she used the Hover charm to get him into his bunk and a Severing charm to pry the stuck Locket off his chest. Dittany healed Nagini's bite wounds. While Harry relived Voldemort's memories, he was delirious, moaning and screaming. Harry relates what happened upstairs and that Nagini was hidden inside Bathilda's corpse, although he spares Hermione the most gruesome details. Nagini only spoke when she and Harry were alone because it was in Parseltongue. Nagini immediately summoned Voldemort when Harry identified himself. Harry asks for his wand, but Hermione tearfully confesses that it is broken, probably by her ricocheting spell. Stunned, Harry wants her to try and repair it with her wand, but she hesitantly reminds him that Ron's broken wand never worked the same. He pleads with her to try anyway, but, too badly damaged, it snaps in half again when he tries it. With Ollivander held captive by Voldemort, Harry is unsure how he will obtain another wand. Although clearly upset, he tells Hermione it was not her fault, then borrows her wand to take the watch, wanting to get away from her. Hermione sits next to the bunk in tears.

[edit] Analysis

Harry is confronted with death in Godric's Hollow, but unlike witnessing it hot and fresh as when Dumbledore, Cedric Diggory, and Sirius Black were killed, he now sees only its cold, decayed aftermath, dimming his hope to one day be reunited with his parents. Harry's own recollections about their murders are faint, remembering only a green flash and his mother's screams. While inside Voldemort's memories, he was able to see the entire horrendous event as it unfolded through Voldemort's eyes. Not only does this reopen old wounds, it also creates new ones that only intensify his grief and despair. But as painful as those memories are, they also provide him a clearer picture of what actually happened that tragic night, tying him closer to his parents, and clarifying his role in vanquishing the Dark Lord.

Seeing James and Lily's graves, and the destroyed cottage that he once lived in, is deeply disturbing and drives home the reality that the tragic events sixteen years before actually occured. Until now, these were merely sad stories told to Harry by others, but seeing the house in person is emotionally wrenching, and it serves to fully integrate him into past events. And while Harry always harbored a slim hope that magic would somehow reunite him with his long-dead parents, seeing their forlorn, final resting places forces him to confront death's finality. He is comforted and uplifted, however, by the kind messages visitors have left at the Potter's residence over the years.

Harry's difficult childhood has resulted in him never fully trusting or relying on others and he usually prefers to handle most situations alone. He has made great strides in overcoming this trait, however, learning to accept friends' and mentors' support and guidance, although some, like Ron and Dumbledore, have also failed him. He takes a great leap of faith here when he willingly follows the mysterious elderly woman, believing she is Bathilda Bagshot and trusting that she can help. However, this time, Harry's reasoning proves faulty. Even the decision to go to Godric's Hollow was driven more by a desire to see his birthplace, visit James and Lily's graves, and resolve his conflicted feelings about Dumbledore, rather than to uncover clues relating to their mission; the error nearly costs Harry and Hermione their lives. It is also a little surprising that Hermione, who is usually far more cautious and suspicious than either Ron or Harry, not only suggested going to Godric's Hollow, but also so willingly followed the old woman, despite her odd behavior. It is uncertain if Harry can ever show that much faith in the unknown again.

Readers can again see to what extremes the despicable Rita Skeeter will go to obtain information. She likely used some magical means, probably a memory charm or Veritaserum, to extract the vulnerable Bathilda's faulty memories, then stole the photographs for her book. Skeeter may also be indirectly responsible for poor Bathilda's death, as Voldemort apparently surmised that Skeeter's book might lure Harry to Godric's Hollow and Bathilda to seek information, prompting Voldemort to murder her and set the trap that nearly ensnared Harry and probably would have killed Hermione.

Although Harry assures Hermione she is blameless for breaking his wand, he is clearly upset and angry with her, leaving Hermione in tears and driving an invisible wedge between them. Like with Lupin, Harry's reaction is undeservedly harsh, especially considering Hermione risked own her life to save his. However, Harry is devastated by his wand's loss, and his logical thinking (and gratitude) has been temporarily overruled by misplaced anger and grief, although he quickly realizes Hermione was not at fault here.

It is perhaps worth noting here that the conversation about Harry's broken wand is the first time either Harry or Hermione has spoken Ron's name since his departure, and it will prove to be important.

It should also be mentioned that when Harry hears or speaks Parseltongue, he is unable to distinguish it from English – we saw this as far back as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where he had to imagine he was seeing a living snake before the words he spoke to the Chamber's entrance would emerge in Parseltongue. That is why he was unaware anything was amiss when Nagini spoke to him disguised as Bathilda, and it also explains why Hermione jumped when Bathilda was calling from the other room. Harry heard her saying, "Come", while all Hermione detected was a strange hissing noise.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How and why do Harry and Hermione react differently to the written messages left outside the Potters' house?
2. What happened to the missing photographs in Bathilda's house? What were they likely pictures of?
3. Why was Hermione startled when Bathilda called from the other room?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why did Harry and Hermione decide to follow the old woman, not knowing who she was, and despite her not speaking to them?
2. Harry has been confronted by death before, but how is he affected differently by it after seeing his parents' and the Dumbledores' graves?
3. Does Harry really blame Hermione for breaking his wand? If so, why? Could she have avoided it?
4. Harry's wand had become very powerful and easily destroyed Lucius Malfoy's wand without Harry casting a curse. Why, then, was Hermione's spell able to break it?
5. Why did no one ever check on the elderly and senile Bathilda, a well-known witch, despite her living alone and the garden being overgrown?
6. When Voldemort arrived at the Potters' cottage, why did James confront him rather than try to Disapparate to safety with Lily and baby Harry? Why didn't Lily escape with Harry as soon as James shouted out that Voldemort was outside?

[edit] Greater Picture

Although Harry seriously erred in trusting the "old woman" he believed was Bathilda Bagshot, he will again put his trust in a stranger when one night soon a silvery doe Patronus appears, and he follows it in the hope an ally sent it to help. This time his assumption will be correct, and he will also be reunited with a valued friend.

In a later chapter, Dumbledore's shade will explain that even though Harry's wand had grown very powerful, because it imbibed additional power from Voldemort's yew wand (brother to Harry's wand), that power can only be directed against Voldemort, regardless of what wand the Dark Lord may be wielding at the time. Against other wizards, Harry's wand had no additional advantage than before. That is why Hermione was accidentally able to destroy Harry's wand with her own.

Chapter 18: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore

[edit] Synopsis

The next morning, Harry is still mourning his lost wand. Without it he feels weak, vulnerable, and stripped naked, as if his magical power died with it. But this wand was special. The broken halves, barely held together by the damaged phoenix feather, are shoved into the pouch around his neck. Harry's hand brushes the Snitch that is also inside, and he is momentarily tempted to throw it away, believing it is as useless as everything else Dumbledore left behind. His fury at Dumbledore is unleashed. In desperation they had gone to Godric's Hollow, believing it held answers and would lead to some secret path laid out by Dumbledore. Instead, he left them groping blindly, without a plan or a map, and it nearly cost them their lives. Now Harry is without a wand, without the sword, and the dropped thief's photo has given information to Voldemort.

Still upset, Hermione timidly brings Harry tea and shows him an unopened copy of Rita Skeeter's book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore that was in Bathilda Bagshot's sitting room. A note sticking out reads: Dear Batty, Thanks for your help. Here's a copy of the book, hope you like it. You said everything, even if you don't remember it. Rita

Harry assures Hermione that he is not angry about his wand, it was only an accident, and he is grateful to her for saving his life. As the book's pages rifle through his fingers, Harry feels a perverse pleasure—now he will know Dumbledore's secrets. Looking at photographs, he sees a young Dumbledore and the handsome companion he saw in Umbridge's office, and who he now recognizes as the thief in Gregorovitch's memory. The caption reads: Albus Dumbledore, shortly after his mother's death, with his friend Gellert Grindelwald.

Harry and Hermione exchange incredulous looks—Grindelwald! Reading a chapter titled, "The Greater Good", they learn that Dumbledore graduated Hogwarts with many honors and accolades. He intended to take a Grand Tour with his friend, Elphias Doge, but Kendra Dumbledore's sudden death canceled it. Although Doge had claimed that Dumbledore made a grand sacrifice to care for his family, the book implies otherwise, quoting several Godric's Hollow citizens. Enid Smeek recounts that Albus did little to curtail his brother Aberforth's wild behavior and kept his sister, Ariana, hidden away. Although the Dumbledores remained reclusive, Bathilda Bagshot reportedly established a friendship with the family. Skeeter claims that although Bathilda's memory may have been affected by age, she was able to extract enough facts to piece together the scandalous story of Kendra's death, which was passed off as a spell backfiring. She also debunks Ariana being sickly and claims Albus had an affinity for the Dark Arts and may have supported Muggle oppression.

The same summer that Albus returned home to care for the family, Bathilda Bagshot took in her great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald, a student as brilliant as Dumbledore, who was expelled from Durmstrang. He later became a notorious Dark Wizard, although he was relatively unknown in Britain. He and Albus quickly formed a close friendship. In a letter to Gellert, Dumbledore writes that he agrees Wizard dominance over Muggles is for the greater good, but they must rule responsibly and only use force when necessary. He believes that was Gellert's mistake at Durmstrang, although he says that if Gellert had not been expelled, then they would never have met. Rita states that this letter proves that Albus Dumbledore once intended to overthrow the Statute of Secrecy and establish Wizard rule over Muggles. It contradicts his later stance supporting Muggle-born witches and wizards and protecting Muggles' rights.

But barely two months after their friendship began, Dumbledore and Grindelwald parted ways and did not see each other again until their legendary duel. Bathilda Bagshot believed the rift involved Ariana's death. Gellert was in the house when it happened, and he came home distressed, leaving by Portkey the next day. Bathilda says Aberforth blamed Albus, and they came to blows at the funeral. Bathilda goes on to say that Gellert's departure was unfortunate, as he would have been a comfort to Albus. It was never understood why Aberforth blamed Albus for Ariana's death, although it is speculated that it was related to Albus' friendship with Gellert, who had been expelled from Durmstrang for near-fatal attacks on fellow students. It was not until five years later that Dumbledore succumbed to the Wizarding world's pleas to end Grindelwald's vicious rampage. Questions lingered after Grindelwald's defeat, however. Was it his affection for Grindelwald that delayed Albus to take action? How and why did Ariana die? Was it an accident or the first attempt at implementing their "Greater Good" plan?

The chapter ends here, and Harry is stunned as he endures yet another loss: Ron, his phoenix wand, and now his unwavering trust in Dumbledore, who once embodied nothing but goodness and wisdom. Hermione reminds him that it was Rita Skeeter who wrote the book, but Harry points out Dumbledore's own words in his letter to Grindelwald. Hermione says that, unfortunately, Grindelwald's slogan, "For the Greater Good", probably stemmed from Dumbledore's ideas and became Grindelwald's justification for his atrocities. Those words were reportedly carved over the entrance to "Nurmengard", the prison Grindelwald built to jail his enemies. Hermione attempts to attribute Dumbledore's actions to his youth, but Harry reminds her that they are the same age, and they are fighting Dark Arts, not championing them. Hermione claims she is not defending what Albus did, but says he had just lost his mother and he was alone. But Harry points out he had a brother and that he kept his Squib sister locked up, although Hermione doubts she was Squib. She says that the Dumbledore they knew would never have allowed Muggle oppression, and whatever he believed when he was seventeen, he chose a different path and spent his remaining life fighting evil. Hermione surmises that Harry is really angry because Dumbledore never told him this himself, which Harry acknowledges may be true. But he wonders how Dumbledore could have left him in such a mess, and if he ever really cared about him.

[edit] Analysis

Harry and Hermione believe that Godric's Hollow was not only nearly fatal, but a useless dead-end, and Harry is angrier than ever with Dumbledore for having provided so little information for his quest. It is unclear if Dumbledore ever intended for them to go to Godric’s Hollow, but he must have surmised that Harry would eventually visit his birthplace and would suspect information could be hidden there, although Dumbledore may have considered it too risky and obvious a place to secrete clues. Despite their miscalculation, the trip actually proves somewhat productive. As noted, Harry and Hermione discover yet another instance of the symbol that was inked into The Tales of Beedle the Bard that Dumbledore bequeathed to Hermione; he may have intended for Harry to find it, lending further proof to its importance. Also, Hermione obtains Rita Skeeter's book, which provides valuable information about Dumbledore's past and his previously unknown association with the notorious Dark Wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, who he eventually defeated in a duel. Grindelwald's photo in Bathilda's house also ties him to her and Godric's Hollow. Harry also confronts his own past in Godric's Hollow, and by visiting his former home and his parents' graves, it provides some closure to this sad chapter in his life, and will allow him to eventually move forward emotionally.

Once again, Harry is deeply disappointed by someone he loved and admired: James, Sirius, Lupin, and now Dumbledore. This time, however, Harry is not just disappointed, his faith and loyalty are nearly depleted, and Rita Skeeter seems to have proved his suspicions about Dumbledore. Curiously, despite Skeeter's sullied reputation for fabricating or sensationalizing facts, and Harry's own experience being victimized by her libelous stories, he readily believes everything in her book, perhaps in part because Dumbledore's own words lend credence to Skeeter's claims. Harry's belief may be spurred by his anger and concerns about Dumbledore's true motives, further fueling Harry's faltering trust and doubts that Dumbledore ever loved him. But Harry fails to remember Dumbledore once telling him, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are." Hermione is likely correct that Harry is more upset that Dumbledore concealed his past from Harry, rather than by what he actually did. She points out that despite Dumbledore's early and short-lived flirtation with the Dark Arts and his attraction to its seductive power, that is not the man they knew him to be. Like James Potter, he chose to overcome his earlier flaws and dedicated his remaining life to fighting evil and Muggle oppression. Harry, still entrenched in his own youthful and somewhat naïve idealism, believes goodness and wisdom is a straight, one-way journey from birth through adulthood, and he fails to understand that it is often a route filled with roadblocks, detours, and occasional back alleys. However far Dumbledore may have strayed from his own true path, he, unlike Grindelwald, found his way back again.

Harry mourning his lost wand shows he lacks confidence in himself and partially explains his rather harsh reaction to Hermione. He believes that much of his abilities comes from his wand, rather than it being a conduit for his own magical power. It is as if he has lost yet another loved one who provided guidance and strength. Like his owl, Hedwig, and, many years earlier, his destroyed Nimbus 2000 broomstick, the wand was a comforting source of security and familiarity, as well as symbolizing his entry into the wizarding world. He is correct, however, that this wand was special, and it apparently had developed unique powers and qualities that further tied him to Voldemort and his yew wand, although these failed to protect it from Hermione's curse. Its loss is a huge set-back to the mission, and while wizards can use other wands, not just any wand works well. Until Harry can obtain a suitable replacement, he will have to make do sharing Hermione's.

It is noted above that Harry was particularly devastated when he lost his Nimbus 2000 broomstick. Curiously, his destroyed Firebolt, a gift from his late godfather, did not affect him as deeply. Perhaps it was overshadowed by other events such as Hedwig's death at the same time, Moody's demise during the attack, and Sirius' and Dumbledore's recent murders. Also, it being a few years later, Harry's maturity has replaced his need to be overly attached and dependent upon inanimate objects for emotional security, although his broken wand is clearly an exception to that.

As a side note, readers perhaps noticed that J.K. Rowling may be employing a bit of humor when Rita Skeeter informally addresses Bathilda Bagshot in her note as "Batty." That, obviously, is a term for being mentally addled, which Bathilda likely was in her later years, and probably is what allowed Skeeter to manipulate her into yielding her memories.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Harry considers the trip to Godric's Hollow as being useless. Was it? If not, why?
2. It is not uncommon for a wizard to have more than one wand during their lifetime. Other than inconvenient timing, why is Harry so strongly affected by his wand's loss?
3. What was the "Greater Good" and for whose good was it really intended?
4. Why is Harry so disappointed in Dumbledore, despite the good man that he was? Is Harry's opinion fair?
5. Is Hermione right that Harry is angrier at Dumbledore for not telling him about his past, rather than for what he actually did?
6. Why did Dumbledore keep his past a secret? Was he obligated to reveal it to Harry?

[edit] Extra Study

1. How might Rita Skeeter have persuaded Bathilda Bagshot to share her memories about Dumbledore and Grindelwald? How reliable were those memories and would that matter to Skeeter?
2. What might have caused the rift between Dumbledore and Grindelwald?
3. Was Albus blinded to Grindelwald's true nature, despite his knowing what happened at Durmstrang? What would account for this?
4. Why would Grindelwald leave Godric's Hollow immediately after Ariana's death? Could he have been involved?
5. Why did Albus wait so long to confront Grindelwald in their historic duel?
6. Considering Rita Skeeter's reputation for sensationalistic and fabricated stories, why is Harry so quick to believe that everything in her book about Dumbledore is true? Could her claims be correct?
7. Why does Hermione doubt that Ariana was a "squib"? Is there any concrete proof supporting her opinion?

[edit] Greater Picture

We will learn in a later chapter of this book that Dumbledore's earlier comment to Harry, that it is one's choices that truly makes a person what they are, is based on the tragic events involving his family that forever changed his personal path.

Harry will acquire several different wands during his mission and learns that under certain conditions, wands can change their allegiance. Mr. Ollivander's claim that, "the wand chooses the wizard" is more important than Harry ever realized and will affect his final confrontation with Voldemort.

Chapter 19: The Silver Doe

[edit] Synopsis

Harry has trouble sleeping, imagining footsteps and voices in the wind, and gets up during Hermione's watch. He suggests packing and leaving early. Hermione agrees, reinforcing what Harry imagined, and even thinking she saw somebody once or twice. With a motionless Sneakoscope however, any imminent danger seems unlikely, though they Disapparate under the Invisibility Cloak just to be safe.

They arrive in the Forest of Dean at an old campground Hermione once visited with her parents. The snow and bitter cold keeps them inside the tent the first day. Harry takes the watch; he senses this night is different. In the twilight hours of impenetrable darkness, a bright silver light appears drifting soundlessly through the trees. It glides toward Harry until, unable to call for Hermione, he gets a clear view. A silver-white doe steps out, gazes at him, then turns and walks away. Harry follows it deeper into the forest until it halts in an apparently deserted area, then vanishes into the darkness. Using Hermione's wand, Harry casts a light. A frozen pond, hidden by darkness, becomes visible in the light—the Sword of Gryffindor is lying on the pond's bottom.

After several failed attempts to get the Sword without getting wet, Harry remembers Dumbledore's words when he last retrieved it; only a true Gryffindor could have pulled the Sword out of the Sorting Hat. Stripping down to his underwear, he breaks the ice and jumps in. Diving down, he grabs the hilt and pulls upward. But the Locket, sensing danger, tightens around his neck, strangling him. Kicking and fighting, Harry is unable to loosen the chain's chokehold. Suddenly, someone grabs him, cuts him free, and drags him from the pond. Dazed and shivering, Harry looks up and sees a drenched Ron.

Ron denies casting the doe Patronus – believing it was Harry's, until Harry reminds him that his is a stag. To test the Sword's authenticity, they decide to destroy the Locket. Because Ron actually retrieved the Sword, Harry feels he should slay the Locket. Setting it on a nearby stone, Harry says "Open" in Parseltongue. It opens and two eyes on the Locket's sides stare back—Tom Riddle's eyes. A voice insults Ron, attempting to prey on his fears and insecurities, but when this fails, distorted Harry and Hermione heads appear, hurling taunts and ridicule at Ron, then they kiss. The real Harry yells to stab the Locket, and, seeing red glints in Ron's eyes as he draws back the blade, he hurls himself aside. Ron destroys the Locket and Voldemort's soul shard.

Harry consoles a guilt-ridden Ron, reassuring him that Hermione missed him and that there is nothing between her and Harry. Reconciled, they head to the camp. Harry is welcomed back while Ron is pummeled by Hermione's furious fists. Harry halts their fight, but a shouting match continues. Ron claims he tried to return immediately after leaving but was apprehended by Snatchers, Ministry-hired bounty hunters searching for Muggle-borns and blood traitors. By the time Ron escaped, Harry and Hermione had already moved. Ron explains that the Deluminator detects conversations about the person holding it. When he heard Harry and Hermione speak his name, the first time they had spoken it since his departure, he was able to determine their whereabouts. It was Ron they heard at their last camp, but they left before he could find them. The Deluminator brought him to where the doe Patronus and Harry were. They then tell Hermione about the doe, the Sword, and destroying the Locket Horcrux. Ron gives Harry a wand he 'snatched' from a Snatcher to replace his broken one that Ron overheard them talking about. Hermione threatens Ron one last time, and the three finally get some sleep

[edit] Analysis

While this chapter is a pivotal turning point in each Trio member's emotional development, Ron undergoes the most significant change. Dumbledore, aware Ron needed extra guidance, left him the Deluminator to help him find his way back should he become separated from the others. Ron's return highlights how significant his role in the Trio truly is, and it marks a distinct milestone in his maturation. From here on, he becomes a more assertive, independent, and contributing member, rather than a passive follower whose insecurity allowed him to take a back seat to Harry, Hermione, and also his older brothers. Ron, unknowingly, has served an important function within the group: Harry and Hermione are talented and resourceful wizards, but, being Muggle-raised, they lack significant knowledge about the general wizarding world. Ron has often guided them by filling in these gaps. It is unlikely Harry and Hermione could succeed without Ron supplying these missing pieces. His humorous, easy-going nature also helps bond the Trio and counter-balances Harry and Hermione's more intense and somewhat dour personalities. Ron also proves he is a true Gryffindor by overcoming his fears and doubts about the mission and returning to a dangerous situation to search for and help his friends. He also demonstrates immense bravery by rescuing Harry from the freezing pond. Harry expresses his gratitude by insisting that Ron destroy the Locket Horcrux; although, at least initially, and when the Horcrux is fighting for its life, Ron may be uncertain that this is a favour. While Hermione is furious at Ron for leaving, his brief absence actually proves useful. Upon his return, he provides vital information about Voldemort and the war, warns them that the Dark Lord's name is now "tabooed", and explains what Snatchers are. By being too elusive and cut off from their allies, the Trio have made their quest more difficult and dangerous. From here on, they will utilize information gathered from various allies.

A different facet to Hermione's personality is exposed in response to Ron's return. For the first time in her life, she is so overcome with hurt and anger that she loses control, and, unable to think rationally, reacts without logic or forethought. Only Harry's intervention prevents her from inflicting physical harm on Ron. Although furious that he deserted the mission, Hermione was likely feeling abandoned and betrayed by someone she cares deeply about. Although her actual feelings for Ron remain unreconciled, this may be a significant step toward her realizing her true emotions. This outburst may also show that Hermione is learning to act more intuitively and freely without always waiting until she feels she knows all the answers before taking action. Ron, meanwhile, literally comes face-to-face with his own unresolved feelings for Hermione when he witnesses the kissing Harry and Hermione images the Locket projects as it attempts to protect itself. Harry, who apparently understands Ron's true feelings better than Ron, quickly reassures his friend that there is nothing between him and Hermione.

Harry not only shows another side to his innate courage, but also his growing ability to trust others. Despite not knowing if friend or foe sent the doe Patronus, and after the nearly disastrous encounter with the bogus Bathilda Bagshot, Harry takes yet another leap of faith by following the doe in the hope that this time it was sent to help. However, youthful curiosity may have helped to over-ride caution, and Harry avoids consulting Hermione, knowing she would be far more suspicious and leery following their near-fatal experience in Godric's Hollow. It is confirmed, however, that the silver doe was indeed dispatched to help; the question now is, who sent it and why?

An adult reading this chapter may also note that Ron mentions nothing about having told Bill and Fleur where he was going, or even that he was leaving, when he departed Shell Cottage. This rather leads one to wonder what Bill and Fleur thought when they found his room empty. We do see that Ron had taken the time to pack a rather large knapsack for the trip, rather than just setting out after the light from the Deluminator as he implies in his story; we can only hope, for Bill and Fleur's sake, that at the same time he remembered to at least leave them a note, although they may not have been too surprised by his leaving, knowing Ron had been on a mission with Harry and Hermione.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Harry and Hermione's conversation about Ron's wand prove to be so important?
2. How did Ron's shameful desertion actually help the Trio? What made him return? Why is Hermione so angry at him?
3. Why does Harry want Ron, rather than himself, to destroy the Locket Horcrux? How does Ron react to this?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Who could have sent the doe Patronus? Why?
2. How did Gryffindor's Sword get in the pond? Who might have been responsible for putting it there and why?
3. If someone intended for Harry to find the sword, why was it left in such a dangerous place where he was almost killed?
4. Why was the Locket strangling Harry?
5. Why would the Locket project an image of Harry and Hermione kissing?
6. In Harry's third year, just before Sirius Black slashed Ron's bed curtains, Harry had a curious dream in which he was pursuing a glowing silver creature through a forest. Could there be any relation between that dream and the silver doe in this chapter? Explain that relationship.
7. James Potter's (Harry's father) Animagus form was a stag and Harry's Patronus is a silver stag. Could these have any relationship to the doe Patronus? Explain.

[edit] Greater Picture

Ron will also bring back information about "Potter Watch", an underground wizard news radio program that airs updates about Harry and the war against Voldemort.

We learn later that the doe was Severus Snape's Patronus. Carefully examining the text shows that Hermione had her beaded bag open when she told Harry where they had stopped. Phineas Nigellus's portrait inside it overheard Hermione and reported that to Snape. Snape thus knows that Harry and Hermione are in the Forest of Dean, though not exactly where; the Forest of Dean is a largish place, several wooded sections totaling about 40 square miles. (It is located a few miles west of Gloucester in the south-west of England.) It is open to question how Snape found Harry, given the protective spells Hermione had set around them. This must, of course, be supposition, but we already know that many spells are limited by distance, Apparation being one; it is likely that once he was within a few miles of Harry, Snape could use Legilimency to see what Harry was seeing, and thus determine where he was. This would be easier for Snape because he had previously spent time in Harry's mind. Snape may also have planned to send the Patronus over many successive nights in the hope that Harry would eventually see it and follow it to where the sword was hidden, though in this instance it was evidently only their first or second night there. Also, it will be seen in a later chapter that more than one Patronus can be cast at a time, and there may have been multiple ones roaming the forest searching for Harry.

One interesting note. It will be learned later that if a wizard captures another wizard's wand, that wand's allegiance can be transferred to the new owner. Ron provides Harry with a wand he took from a Snatcher, making it possible that Ron is actually that wand's new master. However, it is still possible for Harry to use it, although likely with less effectiveness than if he had been the one who forcibly obtained it. Harry will later seize and wield Draco Malfoy's wand, finding that it performs well for him. Harry capturing Draco's wand will also play a significant role in Harry's final confrontation with Voldemort, who has stolen the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb.

Chapter 20: Xenophilius Lovegood

[edit] Synopsis

The next morning, Hermione and Ron remain distant, though Ron is quite cheery when he and Harry are alone. Their recent upswing in luck has created a more optimistic mood. Each updates the other about recent events, and Ron reveals the tracer taboo on Voldemort's name. It is jinxed to track anyone speaking it, and to break protective spells surrounding that person. That is how they were found so quickly in Tottenham Court Road. While speculating about who conjured the doe Patronus, they effectively eliminate Kingsley and Dumbledore. They also discuss Dumbledore and Grindelwald's close friendship. After Harry has some slight trouble using the blackthorn wand Ron grabbed from a Snatcher, the three retire to their tent where Harry takes first watch.

Ron mentions a radio program, Potterwatch, that reports accurate news; the show requires a password, but Ron missed the last show and is unable to tune it in. Hermione, still ignoring Ron, suggests visiting Xenophilius Lovegood. She shows Harry Dumbledore's biography and Dumbledore's letter to Grindelwald that is printed in the book. The A in Albus' signature is the same symbol that Mr. Lovegood was wearing, the same as the one in The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and on the Peverell tombstone in Godric's Hollow. Harry is reluctant, however, citing their recent Godric's Hollow misadventure, but Hermione insists these connections are important. Ron sides with Hermione, saying that Xenophilius has lately been publishing pro-Harry articles in the Quibbler. Harry, though suspecting Ron is only currying Hermione's favor, agrees to go.

The next morning the Trio Disapparate to Ottery St. Catchpole village near The Burrow and, according to Ron (and truthful to the fourth novel), close to the Lovegoods. After walking under the Invisibility Cloak for a few hours and Disapparating a few miles further north, a strange-looking cylindrical house is spotted rising vertically to the sky. Convinced this must be the Lovegood house, they climb a hill and find three hand-painted signs indicating the The Quibbler editor resides there. Seen along the path are odd plants and creatures that Luna has worn and mentioned. An unkempt-looking Xenophilius Lovegood answers the door but seems unwilling to invite them in. Xeno appears anxious and his eyes frequently dart about while leading them upstairs to a room containing an old-fashioned printing press churning out Quibblers, which Xeno rapidly covers, muffling the sound somewhat. Hermione is shocked by an Erumpent Horn mounted on the wall; Xeno claims it is a Crumple-Horned Snorkack horn, despite Hermione disagreeing. When Xeno is reluctant to offer Harry any assistance, Ron and Hermione press him to help, just as he urges his readers to. When asked about Luna's whereabouts, Xeno claims she is fishing for freshwater Plimpies at the stream, and leaves to summon her. Harry notices a stone statue of a woman wearing a bizarre-looking headdress. Moments later, Xeno returns with an infusion of Gurdyroots. Noticing the Trio's interest in the statue, Xeno explains that it is modeled after Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her now-lost Diadem headdress. Luna, he says, is beyond the Bottom Bridge catching enough Plimpies to make soup for dinner. Harry asks about the symbol Xeno wore to Bill and Fleur's wedding. Xenophilius wants to know if Harry is referring to the Deathly Hallows sign.

[edit] Analysis

Xeno Lovegood's odd behavior and disheveled appearance indicates that something is probably wrong here, although just what is unknown yet. And though he has been actively supporting Harry Potter in his newspaper, and urging readers to do likewise, Xeno now seems quite reluctant to assist the Trio in any way, and only agrees to help when he is pressured. Luna's absence also seems peculiar, and Xeno's claim that she is catching fish for their supper should be considered suspicious.

Several non-human elements play a crucial role in this chapter in addition to human ones. This is the first time an identifiable Ravenclaw artifact has been mentioned. While some fans speculated that the wand in Ollivander's shop window may have been Ravenclaw's, this is the first time that any specific object has been positively connected with her. Knowing that we are looking for artifacts once belonging to the four Hogwarts Founders, attention should probably be paid to Ravenclaw having had a diadem that people have been searching for. (A diadem is a jeweled ornament in the shape of a half crown, worn by women and placed over the forehead, also called tiara.)

Also, the radio, or wireless as it is also known, is important because it demonstrates that there are ongoing secret channels to provide truthful information about Harry Potter, Voldemort, and the war. Like Xenophilius Lovegood's stories in The Quibbler, the Potterwatch wireless program helps to inform and rally the wizarding community by airing accurate news and updates. By acting as a unified voice, it creates solidarity among wizards and encourages its listeners, who have either been too fearful or uninformed, to resist the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. These broadcasts are similar to how radio maintained communication with populations suppressed by war and, later, communism in the mid-20th century. It also shows the powerful effect the media can exert over over the masses; whether this power is used for good or evil depends on who controls it and how it is disseminated.

Most importantly, the strange symbol the Trio has repeatedly encountered is identified by Xenophilius. However, his odd behavior is suspicious, especially considering he has been such a staunch Harry Potter supporter. The Trio soon become wary, but they will learn, at last, that the symbol refers to the Deathly Hallows, and it is not a Dark mark as Viktor Krum mistakenly claimed. However, it will take Harry some time to work out just what the Hallows are, whether or not they relate directly to his mission, and whether Dumbledore intended for him to pursue them separately.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why does the trio seek out Xenophilius Lovegood? How can he help them?
2. Why does Xenophilius have a statue modeled after Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her headdress? Could this be significant to Harry's mission? If so, why?
3. Where is Luna?
4. Why did Viktor Krum and others believe the Deathly Hallows symbol represented Dark Magic, when apparently it did not?
5. What is the sign of the Deathly Hallows?

[edit] Further Study

1. How is the radio used in the fight against Voldemort? How could it be used against Harry?
2. Why is Xenophilius, an ardent Harry Potter supporter, reluctant to help the Trio?
3. Why would Xeno suddenly cover the printing press?

[edit] Greater Picture

The "Potterwatch" wireless program will become crucial once Ron is able to tune it in. Not only does it act as an ongoing conduit for truthful information about Harry and Voldemort, but it will help Harry to reconnect ties to old friends and align himself with others who are fighting a common cause. The latest radio reports about who has been killed or captured will also remind Harry that Voldemort's reign of terror affects not only him, but many others.

Harry seeing the model of Rowena Ravenclaw's lost Diadem is crucial because this is the first mention of any artifact connected to Ravenclaw that may have survived to the present. Later, Harry will discover that the true Ravenclaw Diadem was made into a Horcrux by Voldemort. Harry has unknowingly come into contact with the Diadem. While searching for a place to hide his Potions book inside the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he used the Diadem as a marker to remember the book's location. However, Harry obviously was unaware that he was handling one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.

Xenophilius' odd behavior is also important, for in the next chapter we will learn that when the Trio arrived at his house, he sent an owl to the Ministry alerting them that they were there. The careful reader will note the owl in the garden as the Trio approach the house, and it flying up past the window as Harry looks out when Xeno says he is going to fetch Luna; those who recognize this later may assume, as Harry would, that the owl was being sent to fetch Luna. We will learn shortly that Xeno informs the Ministry because Luna was captured by Death Eaters while returning home from Hogwarts for Christmas, and Xeno is hoping that by informing on Harry, he can secure her release.

Chapter 21: The Tale of Three Brothers

[edit] Synopsis

Xenophilius Lovegood explains that the Deathly Hallows mark he wore at Bill's wedding, is not Dark at all, though a burly young man there thought it was. It is actually a sign indicating one is on a Quest for the Deathly Hallows, and it is from The Tale of the Three Brothers. Harry has never heard of it, but Ron and Hermione have; when Hermione says she has a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Xenophilius asks her to read the story aloud.

Xenophilius elaborates upon the subject, although he seems uneasy. The Tale of the Three Brothers relates how three brothers cheated Death and received artifacts from him. These were a wand, called the Elder Wand, which was unbeatable in a duel; a Resurrection Stone, which, when turned three times, summons souls from the afterlife to the living world; and Death's own Cloak of Invisibility. These items are the Deathly Hallows, and despite it being a fairy tale, the Three Hallows actually exist. Recalling the symbol on Ignotus Peverell's grave in Godric's Hollow, Hermione asks if there is any connection with the Peverell family. Xenophilius replies that it is believed that Ignotus is one of the three brothers in the story, though to himself, Harry recalls the Peverell name from somewhere else.

When Xenophilius goes to prepare dinner, the Trio discuss the three Hallows. Hermione admits the wand has the best documented history. Magical history has many stories of super-powerful wands, and there seems to be a consistent link from the past to the present. The Resurrection Stone is dismissed as being a modified Philosopher's Stone, but there is speculation that the Invisibility Cloak is the one in Harry's pocket. It has withstood the test of time, appearing new and unworn, unlike ordinary invisibility cloaks that eventually become threadbare and lose their effectiveness.

Harry, curious, goes up to Luna's bedroom. Although Luna is supposedly fishing for their dinner, her room is dusty and appears unused; Luna ought to be at home for the holidays. Harry again asks Xenophilius about Luna's whereabouts and why there are only four plates set for dinner. Xenophilius tries to prevent the Trio from leaving, then admits that "they" took Luna away to an unknown location as a punishment for his stories in The Quibbler. Hermione spots approaching broomsticks; Xenophilius uses the distraction to draw his wand, but Harry has pushed the other two aside as Xeno's spell hits the Erumpent horn, which explodes, blowing Xenophilius down the stairs. The Trio are buried under rubble, while the printing press has dropped across the staircase. Downstairs, two Death Eaters, Travers and Selwyn, demand to know why Xeno summoned them and tried to blow them up. Upstairs, the Trio dig themselves out, and Hermione throws the Invisibility Cloak over Ron. She fires a Memory charm at Xeno as he claws his way through the rubble, then blasts a hole through the floor. As they fall, Harry sees the Death Eaters. Hermione safely Disapparates them to a field.

[edit] Analysis

The Trio have come here, in part, because Xenophilius Lovegood is sympathetic, publicly, to Harry's cause. However, we see that Death Eaters have forced him to abandon his support by imprisoning his daughter, Luna. Controlling family members via state-ordered or state-backed kidnapping is common in totalitarian regimes throughout history. Considering how dangerous it is for anyone to support Harry, it is questionable as to why Lovegood continued publishing The Quibbler openly at his home rather than hiding underground like so many other wizard families, or why Luna was allowed to remain at Hogwarts, which is now under Voldemort's control. But like Luna, Lovegood's odd views and outlandish beliefs have warped his perception of reality, and he may simply have been oblivious to the perils, or believed he was immune to any danger. Unfortunately, this has cost his daughter's freedom, and possibly her life (and threatens his own) if he fails to cooperate with Voldemort's Death Eaters. Now Lovegood will do anything to save Luna, including betraying Harry Potter.

We have seen that Viktor Krum and others believe the Deathly Hallows symbol is a Dark mark. It is possible that most people, including Krum, never understanding its true meaning or origin, associate it with evil only because Grindelwald adopted it, and, after disgracing himself at Durmstrang, went on to become one of history's most notorious wizards. From then on, the Deathly Hallows symbol was forever tainted and considered "Dark." That a benign image can become associated with evil is hardly unprecedented. The swastika is such a modern-day icon: its origins date back to ancient history as a benevolent and sacred symbol in many Asian and Middle Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and others. It was later discovered to be linked to ancient Indo-European people, including the Aryans, prompting Nazi Germany to adopt it in the mid-20th century as their emblem to represent racial purity and superiority. Although Asian cultures still consider it a symbol for luck, fortune, and victory, the swastika is primarily remembered (and still used) in the West as symbolizing Nazi hate and prejudice. Presumably, this same pattern has resulted in some Wizarding realms associating the Hallows mark with Grindelwald, just as the Dark mark (the skull and snake) represents Voldemort.

Although Harry now knows what the Deathly Hallows actually are, it will take him time to completely understand their significance. The Invisibility Cloak is likely the same one that Harry owns, lending credibility to the belief that the other Deathly Hallows exist. In particular, the Elder Wand likely has some real existence, as is shown by the documented murders that apparently follow its possibly mythical trail. If the Elder Wand truly exists, and Harry finds it, it could be a powerful weapon against Voldemort. Harry is once again cast into confusion; whoever controls all three Hallows is supposedly "the master of Death." Dumbledore had set Harry the task of finding and destroying the remaining Horcruxes; would possessing all three Hallows make that task easier? Should he devote his energies to uniting the Hallows and thus possibly avoiding the almost certain death he faces at Voldemort's wand?

Hermione once again shows how she is able to react quickly while under fire when she safely Disapparates the Trio out of danger.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How does Xenophilius' explanation about the Deathly Hallows symbol differ from what Viktor Krum told Harry at Bill and Fleur's wedding?
2. Why would Viktor Krum and others believe that the Deathly Hallows symbol was a Dark mark?
3. If Xenophilius has been supporting Harry Potter in his paper The Quibbler, why does he report him to the Death Eaters? Was he justified in doing this?
4. Why is Harry suspicious regarding Luna's whereabouts, and where might she be?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why did Xenophilius and Luna never go into hiding so he could continue to publish pro-Harry articles in The Quibbler? Should he have allowed Luna to remain at Hogwarts? If not, why?
2. Of the three Deathly Hallows, why is the Resurrection Stone dismissed as the least likely to exist? Is that explanation plausible? Of the Trio, who would be the most interested in it and why?
3. Why does Hermione cover Ron with the Invisibility Cloak while deliberately allowing the Death Eaters to see her and Harry before she Disapparates the Trio to safety?
4. What modern-day comparisons can be made to a benevolent symbol like the Deathly Hallows becoming an evil icon?

[edit] Greater Picture

The Deathly Hallows that Xenophilius Lovegood mentions are real, though it is unlikely that there could be three brothers who literally tricked Death. It is believed they may be based on the Peverells, a family that both Harry and Voldemort could be descended from; it is suggested that they could be simply extremely talented Wizards. Meanwhile, we will learn that the artifact Voldemort has been seeking is actually one of the Hallows, namely the Elder Wand. It is still unknown where the Elder Wand is, but we will discover that it was actually in Dumbledore's possession at his death. Voldemort will discover this and retrieve the wand from Dumbledore's tomb. As legend proclaims this wand unbeatable in duels, Voldemort believes it will overpower Harry, as his own wand and Lucius Malfoy's were unable to. However, the story of the Three Brothers has told us that the Elder Wand's master is always vulnerable to defeat, and that this is how Dumbledore not only came to possess it, but also lost its allegiance. Although Harry does not actually obtain the Elder Wand until the war's end, it will still prove to be a powerful weapon against Voldemort.

Harry, as mentioned, seems to recall hearing the Peverell name somewhere. He will remember that the ring Marvolo Gaunt brandished under Bob Ogden's nose in a memory Harry experienced in Dumbledore's Pensieve was "the ring of the Peverells". Harry has seen this ring on Tom Riddle's finger in a memory retrieved from Professor Slughorn, on Dumbledore's damaged hand when he collects Harry in the summer, and lying on one of Dumbledore's work tables. Where it is now, and what significance it has, are as yet unknown.

We will learn in the next chapter that Hermione, even under pressure, is reacting with great intelligence and forethought. With only moments to act, she protected both Ron's family and Xeno. By allowing the Death Eaters to see her and Harry, she protects Xeno by confirming that he sent a legitimate summons. She also used the Invisibility Cloak to hide Ron's presence from the Death Eaters (and presumably from Xeno with the Memory Charm as well), to protect him and also his family. If Ron is discovered with Harry and Hermione, rather than confined at home with Spattergroit, Voldemort and his Death Eaters will target the Weasley family, just as they did the Lovegoods. Concealing Ron safeguards his cover provided by the ghoul. Hermione's family is also in danger, but she has hidden them in Australia, with new identities and altered memories.

Chapter 22: The Deathly Hallows

[edit] Synopsis

Hermione, as she sets the protective spells, explains that she wanted the Death Eaters to see Harry so that they would know that Xenophilius Lovegood had not lied to them. Ron had to remain hidden because he is supposed to be confined at home with Spattergroit; if Luna is being held captive for her fathers' behaviour, what would the Death Eaters do to Ron's family if they knew he was not where the Weasleys claimed he was? As for her own parents, they are safe in Australia, their memories modified.

Back in their tent, Hermione complains that visiting Xeno Lovegood was a waste. She discounts the three brothers fairy tale, but Harry is drawn to it. Being able to conquer death and not be killed by Voldemort pulls on his imagination and gives him hope. Ron agrees with Harry; it would be hard to fabricate such a story while under intense pressure, which Xeno certainly was, trying to keep Harry there. Ron also points out that it was Hermione who said there was significant evidence supporting the Elder Wand's existence. Hermione counters that the dead cannot be brought back to life, but Harry remembers his father and mother, and Cedric emerging from Voldemort's wand. Seeing both Hermione and Ron eyeing him warily as he talks about resurrecting the dead, he instead asks about the Peverells. Hermione says they are among the oldest Wizarding families recorded, but the male line died out a long time ago. There could be female descendants who did not bear the Peverell name. Harry suddenly recalls where he has heard the name: Marvolo Gaunt, You-know-who's grandfather, had shown the Ministry representative a ring bearing the Peverell symbol as proof of their ancestry. Harry decides that the ring, that bears scratches is the Deathly Hallows symbol, is in fact the Resurrection Stone. He also remembers that Dumbledore had James' Invisibility Cloak on the night James died, and leaps to the conclusion that Dumbledore was examining it because it was a Hallow. Harry remembers the tale of the Three Brothers' conclusion and wonders, if the holder of the three Hallows can master Death, is this what it will come to? Him against Voldemort? Hallows against Horcruxes? He also guesses that Dumbledore left him the Snitch in his will because the ring is inside.

Harry realizes that Voldemort must be searching for the Elder Wand to defeat Harry. Voldemort has probably never heard the Tales of Beedle the Bard, but knows about the Elder Wand, the Hallow that cannot hide itself, and seeks it to destroy Harry's wand. Hermione is still unsure. Both she and Ron believe that Harry is making a fairy tale into reality, and they believe he should only follow Dumbledore's clear instructions to destroy Horcruxes. Over the next week, however, Harry becomes obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. He is certain the Resurrection Stone is somehow hidden inside the Snitch, but he is still unable to open it or understand its cryptic inscription, "I open at the close." Ron and Hermione want Harry to concentrate on the Horcruxes rather than the Deathly Hallows.

Gradually, Ron takes charge of the expedition, suggesting new places to search. One night in March, he is finally able to tune in the wireless to "Potterwatch", the radio show he has been looking for since Christmas. Produced by Lee Jordan, "Potterwatch" is the only wireless program that reports the truth; everyone else toes the Ministry line. Tonight Lee reports on the deaths of Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, and the goblin Gornuk. Dean Thomas and a second goblin are believed to have escaped. Lee also mentions that Bathilda Bagshot is dead. Following his report, Kingsley Shacklebolt speaks about Muggle casualties, and issues a plea to assist them from the depredations of Death Eaters. Lupin then explains why he is certain Harry is alive. Following this, there is an opinion piece by either Fred or George about how "You-know-who" cannot be everywhere he is reported, as there would have to be about nineteen of him. Continuing in this humorous vein, he goes on to say that rumours that Voldemort can kill by looking at one are false, apparently people have confused him with a Basilisk, and he closes with a quick lesson in telling the difference. Finally, Lee Jordan takes the microphone back and closes with a plea for calm.

After the show, Harry accidentally speaks Voldemort’s name, causing the protective enchantments around the tent to collapse. Snatchers immediately surround them.

[edit] Analysis

Although Hermione believes the Lovegood visit revealed nothing important and discounts The Three Brothers tale, like the trip to Godric's Hollow, information has been provided that the Trio has yet to realize is important to their mission. The Deathly Hallows will be tied to defeating Voldemort, although Harry's initial interest in them is apart from this. To someone who has lost so many loved ones, a Resurrection Stone is a particularly desirable and seductive object to possess, and Harry reconsiders that magic could reunite him with his parents. And while Hermione wants to stick with Dumbledore's plan to only search for Horcruxes, Harry's continuing fascination with the Hallows will eventually help him work out their significance. Meanwhile, the revelations about Dumbledore's past still troubles Harry, and his faith and trust in his Headmaster continues to waver. Harry also doubts whether Dumbledore ever really cared for him and wonders if he is merely a pawn in Dumbledore's scheme to defeat Voldemort.

Another interesting plot point is highlighted. The Trio agree that Harry's Invisibility Cloak could actually be the one from The Tale of the Three Brothers, which Xenophilius says may have been the Peverells. The youngest brother bequeathed the Cloak to his son. Considering Harry received the Cloak from his father, it is possible that it was handed down to him through the generations, making him a direct descendant from the Peverell line. It is also possible that Harry and Voldemort share a common Peverell ancestor, not that blood ties account for much anymore as wizarding families are ripped apart by Voldemort's war. As seen in Sirius Black's family, close relatives, divided by their blood-purity beliefs and loyalties to Voldemort, will readily disown and even kill one another.

Readers can also see here how Ron's character has undergone a significant change. No longer a passive and insecure follower, his guilt over his brief desertion, as well as Hermione's severe chastisement, have propelled him into a becoming a more mature, confident, and proactive young man who assumes responsibility to guide the mission, relieving Harry and Hermione from many of the day-to-day burdens. From here on, Ron will no longer be content to dwell in others' shadow, and he begins charting his own life's course.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why might Harry be interested in the Deathly Hallows? Why do Ron and Hermione think he should only concentrate on Horcruxes?
2. How and why does Ron take charge of the mission?
3. Was the visit to the Lovegoods a waste as Hermione claims? If not, why?
4. How does listening to Potterwatch affect the Trio?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Knowing that ghosts exist, why would Hermione be so skeptical about the Resurrection Stone?
2. What might the inscription, "I open at the close" mean?

[edit] Greater Picture

Chapter 23: Malfoy Manor

[edit] Synopsis

With Snatchers surrounding the camp, Hermione only has time to jinx Harry's face to hide his identity. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are bound with other prisoners, who turn out to be Dean Thomas and Griphook. The Snatchers assume the Trio are students on the run and question their identities so they can check their names against those on a wanted list. Hermione claims she is Penelope Clearwater, a half-blood. Ron identifies himself first as Stan Shunpike, then, when the Snatchers recognize that name as being fictitious, as a fictional member of the Weasley family. Harry identifies himself as a Slytherin student named Vernon Dudley. The Snatchers think this is also a lie until he correctly describes the Slytherin Common room: he and Ron (using Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Crabbe and Goyle) were inside it during their second year at Hogwarts. However, the Snatchers recognize Hermione's picture in the Daily Prophet and find Harry's glasses. The scar beneath his puffy, jinxed forehead is barely discernible, which leaves them unsure. They also find Gryffindor's Sword.

Harry, meanwhile, is once again seeing through Voldemort's eyes. He is gazing upon a black fortress with a tall tower; a single light shows at the top. It is time to fly . . . and through a window too narrow for a human to pass. Within, an ancient man, saying that he was expecting Voldemort to come, but says that he never had it.

Believing he has captured "Undesirable Number One", the Snatchers' leader, Fenrir Greyback leads the other Snatchers and their captives to the Dark Lord's headquarters, Malfoy Manor. They are met there by Narcissa Malfoy, who says her son, Draco, can positively identify Harry Potter. Lucius believes Voldemort will forgive him when he turns over Harry Potter, but before summoning the Dark Lord, orders Draco to verify that it is actually Harry. Draco, fearful, claims he is unsure it is him. Narcissa, noticing that Harry's wand does not match Ollivander's description, wants Lucius to be absolutely positive before summoning Voldemort with his Dark Mark. Greyback suggests identifying the Mudblood (Hermione), and Narcissa says she recognizes her from Madam Malkin's robe shop and saw her picture in the Daily Prophet. Lucius prods Draco to identify Ron and Hermione, and he reluctantly says it could be them.

Bellatrix enters; although she is also uncertain that it is Harry, she wants to inform Voldemort immediately. Lucius forcibly stops her from touching her Dark Mark, claiming it is his right to inform Voldemort that Harry Potter has been caught. Greyback interjects, saying he captured Potter and demands the reward. He also wants Hermione. As Lucius is about to touch his Dark Mark, Bellatrix shrieks; she has spotted a Snatcher holding Gryffindor's Sword. When he is reluctant to hand it over, she Stuns all the Snatchers except Greyback, who is now on his knees. Bellatrix screams that they are all in peril if her Gringotts vault has been breached.

Hermione is cut loose from the others so she can be interrogated about the sword, while Greyback imprisons Harry, Ron, Dean Thomas, and Griphook in the cellar. Luna and Ollivander are there. From below, they hear Hermione's screams as Bellatix tortures her with the Cruciatus Curse to learn if the sword was stolen from the Lestrange's Gringotts vault; Ron is reduced to tears listening. With Luna's help and light from the Deluminator, Harry, Ron, Dean, and Griphook are soon free, though Griphook is too badly injured to stand.

Emptying his pouch looking for something that will help, Harry sees a flash of sky blue in Sirius' mirror shard, and frantically begs for help. Hermione, despite being tortured, tells Bellatrix the sword is a fake. Harry hears Lucius Malfoy saying they can check that, and as he sends Draco down to fetch the goblin, Harry tells Griphook that he must say the sword is fake. Draco collects Griphook, and as the door closes behind him, Dobby apparates into the cellar. Dobby confirms that he can disapparate with humans.

Again, Harry peers through Voldemort's eyes, seeing the old man telling Voldemort that killing him will bring him no nearer to what he seeks.

On Harry's orders, Dobby first rescues Luna, Dean, and Mr. Ollivander, apparating them to Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur's home. The cracking noise of Dobby disapparating is heard upstairs, and Lucius Malfoy orders Wormtail to investigate. Harry and Ron attack as he enters. Wormtail grabs Harry, choking him with his silver hand. Harry reminds him that he is owed a life debt. Wormtail hesitates and momentarily relaxes his grip, releasing Harry, but the silver hand turns and fatally strangles Wormtail.

Ron is desperate, and he and Harry run upstairs to save Hermione, armed only with Wormtail's wand. They hear Griphook declare the Gryffindor Sword is a fake. Bellatrix, satisfied that Hermione has not been inside her vault, summons Voldemort, and offers Hermione to Greyback as a reward to satisfy his desire. Harry feels his scar explode, and sees Voldemort, angry at being summoned, killing the old man. Ron disarms Bellatrix with Wormtail's wand. Harry catches Bellatrix' wand and Stuns Lucius Malfoy, then dodges curses cast by Draco, Narcissa, and Greyback. Bellatrix, holding a silver knife to Hermione's neck and threatening to kill her, orders them to drop the wands; Draco collects them. Dobby reappears, dropping the crystal chandelier on Bellatrix, Hermione, and Griphook, and disarming Narcissa. Draco clutches his face, injured by flying crystal, as Harry grabs all three wands from him and Stuns Greyback. When Bellatrix addresses Dobby as an enslaved House-elf, Dobby declares he is a free elf and has come to save Harry Potter and his friends. Harry tosses a wand to Ron, who has extracted Hermione from the chandelier wreckage, and tells him to go. Harry disapparates with Griphook and Dobby. As they apparate to safety, Harry realizes that Dobby has been mortally wounded by Bellatrix's silver knife. Dobby gazes at Harry, who is holding him, and dies, his last words being "Harry . . . Potter . . ."

[edit] Analysis

Several characters show personality traits that have only been glimpsed previously. Ron's feelings for Hermione are further developed when he sobs her name as she is being tortured by Bellatrix, and when he fiercely tries to prevent her falling prey to Fenrir Greyback's perverted desires. This marks yet another turning point in Ron's maturity as he is faced with possibly losing someone he cares deeply about and must act to save her, regardless of his own safety.

Although Voldemort demands absolute fidelity and obedience from his servants, it appears most support him only out of fear or for personal gain, although there is certainly no guarantee that loyalty will be rewarded or lives spared. This has led to inner conflicts among his followers that are starting to undermine Voldemort's rule. Bellatrix and Lucius vie with one another for power and favor, forcing Narcissa Malfoy to choose between her sister and her husband. Although we don't see it here, we suspect that her devotion is likely to her husband and son. Fenrir Greyback, meanwhile, desires material compensation, while the weak-willed Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew) sought the Dark Lord's protection only to evade the Order of the Phoenix, who would likely have executed him for betraying the Potters and Sirius Black. Wormtail was also burdened by his life debt to Harry, an obligation he had no choice but to fulfill, and which Voldemort fatally punished him for when he did. Voldemort likely was unaware of the life debt when he crafted the silver hand, as it is almost certain that Wormtail would never willingly have confessed this to him; however, knowing how meek and cowardly Wormtail was, it is likely that Voldemort crafted the silver hand to retaliate against any disloyalty.

Draco Malfoy, meanwhile, clearly shows that he is not his father's son; when Draco is again forced into a difficult situation, he is torn between intrinsic compassion, family loyalty, and fearing Voldemort. Although he obviously recognizes Harry and the others imprisoned at Malfoy Manor, as with Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower (in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and the Death Eater that Voldemort forced him to torture, he resists taking any action that will endanger them. Only pressure from his family and being unable to lie convincingly does he admit that Harry's two companions could be Ron and Hermione. Although Draco unlikely has any fonder feelings for Harry and the others than he ever did and is still an obnoxious bully, he is neither vicious nor a killer. Like Harry's cousin, Dudley, there is an invisible line his innate humanity prevents him from ever crossing. Despite being raised with "pure-blood" rhetoric and elitist conditioning, he was mostly a half-hearted Voldemort follower, likely trailing along out of duty, for adventure, and the prestige he believed it bestowed. Like Regulus Black, he lacks the inherent evil to be a true Death Eater, and his refusal to harm Harry and Dumbledore goes against everything he was taught and thought he believed in. By now, Draco probably realizes that Voldemort is only using him to punish his family and will likely kill him and his parents. Ultimately, Draco shows strength and morality by protecting the Trio, even though betraying them could help win back Voldemort's favor for his family. Consequently, Draco fails to realize that his compassion makes him a far better person than his flawed, reprehensible father; instead, he believes himself a cowardly failure.

Dobby's role is also examined here. In his last act, Dobby dies a martyr and a true hero. He defies the humans who enslaved him for so long and breaks the promise he made to Harry during his second year never to try and save his life again. Breaking this promise comes exactly when Harry is in mortal danger and when only an elf's unique magical abilities can save him. Dobby's life has revolved around the hope that Harry would improve other House-elves' situations by defeating Voldemort, and his admiration is clearly reflected by his dying words. Dobby is far from the fearful, cowering enslaved elf Harry first met in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. His noble, grand courage is climaxed by his daring rescue, but perhaps most importantly, he dies a free elf, which Harry will note on his tombstone.

Although the unfortunate experience at Malfoy Manor has resulted in Dobby's tragic death, Dean, Griphook, Luna, and Ollivander are rescued from an uncertain, but likely deadly, fate. Also, Bellatrix Lestrange's frantic behavior may signal something that the Trio will need to know.

One point perhaps worth mentioning is that once again the difference between House-Elf Apparation and human Apparation is seen. In the first chapter, Death Eaters Apparate just outside Malfoy Manor's gates and then proceed on foot; similarly, the Snatchers Apparate to just outside the same gates and proceed on foot once admitted. This is a clear indication that Apparation has been barred inside the Manor grounds. Yet Dobby Apparates in and out. It is curious, perhaps, that Harry and Ron, once they have defeated Bellatrix, are able to Apparate out of the manor; though the spells around the Burrow apparently prevented Apparation in either direction, perhaps Voldemort or Lucius worked a more advanced version of that spell, so it is only Apparation into the manor which is prohibited.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How could Dobby Apparate into the supposedly impenetrable cellar? What other impenetrable area has been seen where an elf Apparated into?
2. Why does Draco claim not to recognize any Trio member? Why does he finally admit that it could be Ron and Hermione?
3. How does Draco's character compare to his family's, particularly his father, Lucius Malfoy? What accounts for this?
4. How does Hermione being tortured affect Ron?
5. Why does Wormtail's silver hand strangle him now?

[edit] Extra Study

1. How did Dobby know where to find Harry and the others?
2. Why do Lucius and Bellatrix argue over who will summon Voldemort that Harry has been captured?
3. What might be the after-effects of Hermione's torture?
4. Whose eye might Harry be glimpsing in the mirror fragment? If it is not Dumbledore, why would Harry trust that this person will help?

[edit] Greater Picture

In discussing Draco Malfoy's humanity, it should be noted that Dumbledore had also recognized this trait in him. As we will find out shortly, by the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore knew that Voldemort had assigned Draco the task of murdering him. This was why Dumbledore extracted Snape's promise, that, if necessary, Snape would kill Dumbledore: primarily to save Draco's soul from that first, destructive act that would cost him that humanity and irretrievably push him to the Dark side. Dumbledore was also aware that Draco would likely be unable to fulfill his mission, and suspected that another Death Eater would complete the job; Snape would allow Dumbledore to die with dignity and by his own design, whereas other Death Eaters probably would not. Draco is not entirely redeemed however, and in a later chapter, he will attempt to capture Harry for Voldemort, although he may be motivated by trying to reprieve his family from the Dark Lord's wrath.

Harry, witnessing Bellatrix's near-panic when the Sword of Gryffindor is discovered, and remembering Griphook's earlier words that the replica Sword of Gryffindor from the Headmaster's office had been moved to Gringott's vault, will correctly guess that the sword is being stored in the Lestrange vault, and that there is another object there that Voldemort highly values. Harry will correctly surmise that this is another Horcrux, and that it is Hufflepuff's Cup, that being the only Founders' artifact he has seen.

Chapter 24: The Wandmaker

[edit] Synopsis

Harry realizes they have successfully apparated to Bill and Fleur Weasley’s seaside cottage, despite his uncertainty at takeoff. He asks about Hermione, and Bill says she is inside and is alright. Looking down at Dobby, Harry pulls the knife from his body and covers him with his jacket. As Dean carries the injured Griphook into the cottage, Harry's scar prickles, and he can see those at Malfoy Manor being punished by Voldemort.

Harry wants to bury Dobby himself, without magic. Asking for a spade, he sets about digging a grave in the garden. His scar burns, but he realizes that he has at last learned to master the pain and can shut out Voldemort’s thoughts with his grief. . . though, of course, Dumbledore would have called it "love". His own thoughts turn to Wormtail and the brief merciful act that cost him his life. Dumbledore foresaw that, but what else had he known? Harry resolves to only hunt Horcruxes as Dumbledore wanted, rather than also searching for the Deathly Hallows.

Ron and Dean join Harry. Ron reports Hermione is fine, Fleur is looking after her. Ron and Dean have brought spades and help Harry dig. After placing shoes, socks, and a hat on Dobby’s body, they carefully place him in the grave and bury him. Luna thinks they should say a few words, and each in turn gives thanks to the tiny elf who saved their lives. Harry places a large rock on the grave as a headstone and inscribes the words: HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF

Inside the cottage, Harry overhears Bill saying that it was fortunate Ginny was on holiday from Hogwarts, otherwise she could have been taken by Death Eaters before they reached her. Now she is safely hidden with the other Weasleys at Aunt Muriel’s where they are protected by the Fidelius Charm. There is also one protecting Shell Cottage. When Bill says that Ollivander and Griphook can be moved to Muriel’s in about an hour, Harry objects, saying he needs to talk with them, a little surprised by his own authoritative voice.

Harry wonders how Dobby knew to rescue them. The blue eye that was in the mirror shard brings Dumbledore’s words back to him: Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. Although Harry feels closer to understanding what Dumbledore intended for him to do, he also does not understand. Dumbledore had given Ron the Deluminator knowing he would need a way back. And he understood that there was regret within Wormtail. But what did Dumbledore know about him? Had he deliberately made everything so difficult to give Harry time to work everything out? Harry tells Bill and Fleur that he needs to speak to Griphook and Ollivander, overruling Fleur’s objections that they are still too weak. Bill starts to protest, but Harry reminds him that he is also in the Order and knows that Harry is on a mission for Dumbledore.

Harry, along with Ron and Hermione, first meets with Griphook, who is clutching Gryffindor’s Sword. When Griphook says that Harry is an odd wizard for burying an elf and rescuing a goblin, Harry is unsure if it is praise or insult. Harry asks for his help to break into a Gringotts vault, stunning Ron and Hermione. Griphook claims it is impossible, but Ron contradicts him, citing the break-in seven years ago; Griphook retorts that the vault was empty then. Harry assures Griphook he is not seeking personal gain. Griphook slowly agrees; the respect and protection Harry has shown for goblins and elves has convinced him that Harry is probably the only wizard who would not break into Gringotts for its treasures. Although Harry says the issue is not goblins versus wizards, Griphook points out that all magical creatures are suppressed under wizard rule and elves are being slaughtered. Who amongst the wizards protests? Hermione says they do, and, as a Mudblood, she has no higher position than the goblins and elves under Voldemort's new order. Griphook asks what Harry seeks in the Lestrange’s vault, being as he has the real Gryffindor’s Sword, but Harry says only that there are other things in the vault. Griphook says he will think about it, but he is tired and wants to sleep.

Hermione pulls Harry aside on the stair landing wanting to know if a Horcrux could be in the Lestrange vault. Harry confirms this; Bellatrix's terrified reaction when she thought they might have been inside it has convinced him. Ron reminds him that they are supposed to be searching in places important to Voldemort, but Harry thinks Voldemort would envy anyone with a key to one of the deep Gringotts vaults, something only the oldest Wizarding families could have. Harry also believes that Bellatrix and her husband are unaware that the extremely valuable artifact of Voldemort's they are keeping is a Horcrux, just as he never revealed the truth to Lucius Malfoy about the Diary. The safest place to hide anything, says Harry, is in Gringotts.

Harry talks to Ollivander, who thanks Harry for saving him. Harry asks if his broken wand can be repaired, but Ollivander says it is too badly damaged. Harry then shows Ollivander the two wands taken from Malfoy Manor. Ollivander identifies the first as Bellatrix’s walnut and dragon heartstring wand. Draco’s is hawthorn and unicorn hair, although he says that it may no longer actually belong to Draco because Harry captured it. He explains that wands can transfer their allegiance—the wand chooses the wizard. While a wizard can use almost any wand, if the wand has not bonded with the wizard, it is less effective. A conquered wand usually bends to its new master’s will, and this allegiance can be won without killing an opponent. Ron pulls out Wormtail's wand and asks if it is safe for him to use; Ollivander identifies it as the chestnut and dragon heartstring wand he was forced to make for Peter Pettigrew, and says it will serve Ron reasonably well if he did capture it. Harry asks about legends concerning wands that have passed ownership through murder. Ollivander nervously says he believes there is really only one, to which Harry responds, “And You-Know-Who is interested in it, isn’t he?” Ollivander acknowledges this and admits that he confessed to Voldemort while under torture about the twin cores in his and Harry’s wands. He also told Voldemort that he could just use another wand against Harry. But Harry says that did not work, his wand destroyed the other. Ollivander has never heard of anything like that happening before; Harry’s wand did something unique. Voldemort will now be seeking a wand more powerful than Harry's. Harry says Voldemort probably knows that his wand was broken by using the Prior Incantato spell on Hermione's confiscated wand. It will reveal that her spell broke Harry's wand and that she tried unsuccessfully to repair it.

Ollivander confirms that Voldemort knows about the Elder Wand and is probably seeking it not only to defeat Harry, but because he believes it will make him invincible. However, the wand's master is still vulnerable and must always be wary and fear attack. And while Ollivander believes the Elder Wand does exist, it is unlikely that it passes ownership only through murder. It gained a bloody history because it is such a desirable object, and many have fought for it. Ollivander is stunned when Harry asks if he told Voldemort that Gregorovitch once had the Elder Wand, but admits he did, although it was only a rumor that Gregorovitch may have started to help his business. When Harry asks him about the Deathly Hallows, Ollivander does not know what he is talking about. Harry believes he is being truthful and thanks him for the information. Harry then tells Ron and Hermione that Gregorovitch possessed the Elder Wand a long time ago, although when Voldemort found him, he no longer had it. It was stolen by Grindelwald. Harry suddenly "sees" Voldemort approaching Hogwarts’ gate but continues talking. With the wand, Grindelwald became the most powerful dark wizard of that time. Only Dumbledore could possibly defeat him, which he did in their legendary duel. Dumbledore captured the Elder Wand, and it is now at Hogwarts. Ron wants to go there immediately, but Harry says they are supposed to be hunting Horcruxes, not Deathly Hallows.

Everything suddenly grows dark and cool, then Harry sees himself walking along side Snape by the lake at Hogwarts. He dismisses Snape, saying he will speak with him shortly. The white marble tomb comes into view, and Voldemort splits it open with his wand. Dumbledore’s shrouded body lies within. The shroud layers fall away and under his folded arms is the Elder Wand. Voldemort wonders how Dumbledore could ever have believed that the tomb would protect it from him. As he reaches in and grabs the wand, sparks erupt from its tip. It is ready to serve its new master.

[edit] Analysis

Ollivander's comment that the Elder Wand's master must always fear attack is revealing, meaning that whoever wields the wand, despite its superior power, remains vulnerable and can be conquered. We saw the same warning in the Tale of the Three Brothers, where the brother with the Elder Wand was murdered in his sleep the very night after he first used the Wand in a duel. Harry realizes that if Grindelwald was the blond thief who stole the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch, and Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, that even without killing him, the wand's allegiance must have shifted to Dumbledore. Considering Grindelwald's and the wand's combined power, it is a testament to Dumbledore's considerable magical abilities that he was victorious. It is also a testament to Dumbledore's humanity that he spared Grindelwald, allowing him to be permanently incarcerated for his heinous crimes, although Dumbledore's prior relationship with Grindelwald may have tempered his actions. However, that humanity came with a price: leaving Grindelwald alive left a trail leading directly to the Elder Wand. Harry correctly surmises that Voldemort now knows the Elder Wand exists, and he will likely attempt to obtain it; Harry later sees Voldemort at Hogwarts as he is about to retrieve it from Dumbledore's tomb. However, Harry, whose obsession with the Deathly Hallows had put the mission at risk, decides to abandon his pursuit for them and instead focus only on finding and destroying the Horcruxes, a decision he makes despite his lingering doubts about Dumbledore.

Harry deeply mourns Dobby's death, and his choosing to dig Dobby's grave manually is, for him, a gesture showing respect, gratitude, and love to the House-elf who forfeited his life to save him. Using magic to quickly and easily excavate and refill a dirt hole would only have lessened Dobby's bravery and heroism in Harry's mind, and he feels obligated to exert himself physically to affirm Dobby's sacrifice before laying his fallen friend to rest. He also clothes Dobby's body to honor him as a free Elf, clothing symbolizing an Elf's sovereignty. Harry further acknowledges Dobby's independence on his tombstone for all to see. Ron and Dean helping to dig the grave not only shows respect for Dobby, but also their solidarity to Harry. Luna leading the others to say a few final words about Dobby is probably one of the rare times wizards have paid tribute to a House-elf.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Does Griphook really believe that it is impossible to break into Gringotts? How might it be done?
2. What does Griphook mean when he calls Harry an "odd" wizard? Why is Harry unsure if he is being praised or insulted?
3. Hermione claims that Muggle-borns have as little status as non-human magical folk under Voldemort's rule. Is this accurate or not? Explain why.
4. If the Elder Wand is the world's most powerful wand, why is its master always vulnerable to defeat? How might Dumbledore have won its allegiance from Grindelwald without killing him?
5. Is Gringott's really the safest place to hide something as Harry claims? Explain.

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why does Harry dig Dobby's grave without using any magic? Why do Ron and Dean help him?
2. Why does Harry clothe Dobby's body before burying him?
3. Is Harry correct that Dumbledore wanted it to take time for him to figure out how to complete the mission? If so, why?
4. Why did Voldemort never reveal to Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy that the objects he entrusted them with were his Horcruxes? What might they have done if they had known?
5. Why would Voldemort torture Ollivander for information rather than using a memory charm or a truth potion? Which method is more reliable?
6. Why didn't Dumbledore kill Grindelwald in their duel? Was letting him live a wise choice? Explain why.
7. Why would Dumbledore wish to be entombed with the Elder Wand, knowing Voldemort could easily retrieve it?

[edit] Greater Picture

By carefully examining Harry's questions to Mr. Ollivander, we can see that Harry is attempting to determine who is the Elder Wand's current master. Harry knows that Draco Malfoy forcibly removed the wand from Dumbledore's hand, and that it was unused before being placed inside the tomb with Dumbledore's corpse. Harry has already discovered that a wand that is borrowed or simply given to someone, as Ron did with the hawthorn wand he captured from a Snatcher and gave to Harry, usually works much less efficiently than the user's own wand. In fact, Ron, who captured it, was probably the hawthorn wand's actual master. Harry's questions seem intended to confirm that this theory about the Elder Wand is true. If it is, Voldemort will likely discover that the Elder wand performs far less effectively than he anticipated. The opposing theory, that the Elder Wand only changes allegiance when its master is murdered, seems supported by its bloody history; however, Harry realizes that Dumbledore fully commanded the wand despite Grindelwald's remaining alive, and Grindelwald, in turn, did not have to kill Gregorovitch to wield the wand's full power. Although Ollivander does confirm this theory, Harry remains unsure, and over the next weeks while they are planning the assault on Gringotts and recovering from their injuries, Harry repeatedly wonders if he did the right thing, allowing Voldemort to claim the Elder Wand.

As a side note, one might wonder how Ron was able to use the wand that Harry had simply given him in Malfoy Manor. By sheer luck, that wand was Pettigrew's, which Ron had wrested away from Pettigrew in the cellar. Though it had since been confiscated by Draco, it was surrendered by Ron rather than forcefully taken from him, and so Ron probably remained its new master. Harry pulling the wand away from Draco would have been less relevant to it, as Draco was never its master.

Hermione complains later that Bellatrix Lestrange's wand performs poorly for her; this is because, being nearly unconscious from pain, she took no part in the multiple disarmament jinxes or possession struggles, so that wand is now loyal to the last person who captured it, most likely Ron, who jinxed it from Bellatrix' hand. Knowing what he does now, Harry may be able to rectify that problem by having Hermione forcibly remove the wand from Ron's hand, though he does not. Possibly, his decision, conscious or otherwise, to withhold this solution may be partial retaliation for Hermione's comments regarding how Harry should be able to use the hawthorn wand. However, even if Harry did have Hermione forcibly take the wand from Ron, the wand might recognize that such a deliberately orchestrated act was a bogus "capture", and it would therefore remain under either Ron's, or possibly even Bellatrix', control.

Chapter 25: Shell Cottage

[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 is confusing. 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 to say 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 that Gryffindor stole the sword 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 to enjoy making things difficult for Fleur. When Bill insists that Griphook 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 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 helping to 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 Wizards has been glossed over in history books written by biased historians. Voldemort has been actively recruiting non-human denizens, and Griphook and many other magical creatures may believe they could fare better, or at least no worse, under Voldemort's domination than they have had serving Wizards, possibly resulting in them either supporting Voldemort or adopting 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

1. Why does Harry no longer want to pursue the Deathly Hallows, even though Dumbledore obviously pointed him in that direction?
2. Why does Lupin ask Harry to be godfather to his newborn son? Why does Harry accept?
3. Does Harry intend to honor his agreement with Griphook? Will Griphook honor it? Explain.

[edit] Extra Study

1. If the Deathly Hallows are not directly related to Harry's mission, why would Dumbledore bring them to Harry's attention?
2. Why would Fleur request that Ollivander, rather than Bill, return Aunt Muriel's tiara?
3. Does the Sword of Gryffindor actually belong to the Goblins as Griphook claims?
4. Why do Goblins consider Wizards untrustworthy? Is this distrust warranted?
5. 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.

Chapter 26: Gringotts

[edit] Synopsis

Their plan is simple: go with Griphook to Gringotts Bank. Hermione, disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange, can open her vault and retrieve the Horcrux. They have Bellatrix's wand that Harry captured during the fight at Malfoy Manor, and strands of her hair for the Polyjuice Potion. Hermione is worried because Bellatrix's wand does not perform well for her, although Harry is pleased with Draco's hawthorn wand. He thinks Hermione's problem is that she did not capture the wand's allegiance as he did with Draco's. Harry, eager to leave Shell Cottage, frets over how they can prevent Griphook from keeping Gryffindor's sword after breaking into the Lestrange vault.

Harry has told Bill and Fleur that they are leaving early, and not to see them off; Hermione will be in disguise, and Harry does not want Bill guessing what they are planning. Before apparating out, Harry sadly glimpses Dobby's grave and wonders how the House-elf knew to save them. Hermione strides over in her Bellatrix disguise, so convincing it causes Harry to shiver with loathing. Ron, who has been given a false identity, grouses about his appearance. Harry, with Griphook on his shoulders, will be hidden under the Invisibility Cloak.

They Apparate into the Leaky Cauldron and, once inside Diagon Alley, are surprised at how it has changed. Many Dark Arts shops now line the street while the nicer stores have been boarded over. Witches and wizards who have lost their wands beg in the street. Harry's "Undesirable Number One" wanted posters are everywhere. Their plan proceeds reasonably well; Hermione makes a convincing Bellatrix, although Harry warns her about being too polite to subordinates. A stranger approaches and addresses "Bellatrix"; Griphook whispers that it is Travers, a Death Eater. Travers is surprised to see Bellatrix outside Malfoy Manor after hearing that everyone involved in the recent events there had been confined to the house. Hermione says the Dark Lord shows more mercy to those who have served him well. Her performance seems to erase Travers' suspicions. He is also going to Gringott's, and automatically falls in beside her. They must pass two human guards at the doors with Probity Probes. Harry Confunds the guards to allow Hermione to pass unchecked; their apparent confusion seems to cause Travers a moment's pause. Inside, the Goblins request Bellatrix's identification. When Hermione hesitates, one nervously says that her wand is sufficient proof, although Hermione claims it is new. Harry suspects the Goblins know that Bellatrix's wand was stolen and are looking for an impostor. Griphook whispers to Harry to use the Imperius curse on the Goblin, Bogrod, which convinces him this wand is correct. Travers becomes suspicious; he knows there are no wandmakers available, and Harry uses the Imperius curse on him as well. Bogrod asks for the Clankers and leads Hermione and Ron, with Harry, Griphook, and Travers following, from the marble main hall into a passageway. The door slams behind them, and Harry sends Travers away to hide. Bogrod, also still under the Imperius curse, summons a cart that descends deep within Gringotts. After many twists and turns, the cart passes through a security waterfall that washes away all protective charms. When the cart overturns and dumps them out, Hermione is no longer Bellatrix, and Ron is himself. Harry, positive the other Goblins know they are impostors, wants to continue as planned, placing Bogrod back under the Imperius Curse. Griphook escorts them to the Lestrange vault which is guarded by an aged, half-blind dragon that is heavily tethered. Griphook subdues it using the Clankers, simple metal noisemakers. Harry guesses that the dragon has been trained that the Clanker noise will be followed by pain, and it cowers in fear.

Hearing pursuit approaching, Harry forces Bogrod to open the vault, which is filled from floor to ceiling with precious objects. The vault closes behind them; Griphook says Bogrod can get them out again, but they must search quickly. Hermione screams in pain when she picks up a goblet. The vault's protective charm causes the contents to start multiplying and become searing hot every time something is touched. Harry spots Hufflepuff’s cup, but it is out of reach. Hermione levitates Harry, and he snags the Cup with Gryffindor's sword, while Hermione, Ron, Griphook, and Bogrod struggle to stay above the hot multiplying objects below. Griphook is being buried in burning gold, and Harry pulls him up; as he sets himself down, he drops the Sword and the Cup. Griphook grabs Gryffindor's Sword while flipping up Hufflepuff's Cup. Harry catches it, ignoring the searing heat. Borne by an avalanche of treasure spilling from the opened vault, Griphook runs off with Gryffindor's sword, calling to the gathered Goblins that thieves are in the vault. Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurl curses at the Goblin throng. Harry releases the half-blind dragon, and, jumping on its back, the Trio blast openings into the ceiling for it to fly through as they make their escape.

[edit] Analysis

Although the Trio and Griphook spent much time carefully planning the Gringotts break-in, it may not have been as well thought-out as they believed, which is surprising considering their near-disastrous experience at the Ministry of Magic. It should have occurred to them that Gringotts had probably been alerted about a possible attempt to breach the Lestrange vault, and that Bellatrix's wand had been stolen. It is possible that Griphook, distrusting Harry's agreement, may have intended for the Trio to be discovered so he could immediately reclaim Gryffindor's sword for Goblins. Although there is no definitive proof for this, it seems he should have known what security measures were in place, and could have advised the Trio on how to avert them. The caper also placed a heavy burden on Hermione, who had to convincingly portray Bellatrix. Although she appears to have pulled off the deception relatively well, it is unclear if Gringotts had been tipped off.

As they arrive in Diagon Alley, the Trio, who have been relatively cut off from the magical community, now see the direct result that Voldemort's take-over has had on the Wizarding world. Many familiar stores are gone, boarded up, or have been replaced by Dark Arts shops that were probably in Knockturn Alley. Muggle-borns, homeless and their wands confiscated, have been reduced to begging in the streets.

At this point, it almost seems that Harry has reached a dead end in his quest. Of the six Horcruxes that he believes to exist, three (the diary, the ring, and the locket) have been destroyed. He has found a fourth, but has lost the means to destroy it, and while he believes that the fifth may be Nagini, he has no idea what or where the final one is. How shall he proceed?

Readers may remember Travers as one of the Death Eaters who appeared at Xenophilius Lovegood's house when Xeno alerted the Ministry of Magic that Harry, Hermione, and Ron had arrived there. The Trio likely did not recognize him, as they probably only glimpsed him briefly as they made their escape. Travers was also mentioned when the Trio were infiltrating the Ministry; Umbridge assumed that Travers had sent Mafalda Hopkirk to be her recorder, thus taking Hermione away for what promised to be a full day in court.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why does Harry choose to proceed to the vault rather than escape, even though he is convinced the Goblins know they are imposters?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why did Griphook flip up the real Hufflepuff's Cup to Harry as he (Griphook) ran off with Gryffindor's sword?
2. Why didn't Griphook warn the Trio about the magical waterfall that washed away protective charms, the hot, multiplying objects in the vault, and other safeguards?
3. Before going into hiding, how might Fred and George's joke shop have been affected by the changes in Diagon Alley?
4. Now that the sword is gone, how will the Trio be able to destroy the remaining Horcruxes? How can they get the sword back?

[edit] Greater Picture

As we know, Basilisk venom destroys Horcruxes. With the Sword of Gryffindor now no longer available, Harry may have to go to the only place that he knows that venom exists: the Chamber of Secrets beneath Hogwarts. As it turns out, there will be a more compelling reason for Harry to return to Hogwarts; Voldemort, enraged when he discovers that a Horcrux has been stolen, will shortly visit all his Horcruxes to reassure himself they are safe, and Harry, tuned into Voldemort's thoughts, will learn that one Horcrux is hidden at Hogwarts. Thus, he will be forced to visit the school in any event. At the moment, though, Harry is more interested in collecting Horcruxes than destroying them; we will see that he does not even consider how to destroy the Cup Horcrux, being more concerned with preventing Voldemort from reaching the one at Hogwarts.

Chapter 27: The Final Hiding Place

[edit] Synopsis

Harry has no way to steer the dragon, and he, Hermione, and Ron can merely hang on for dear life. Fortunately, it seems unaware that they are aboard. They clutch the dragon's scales tightly, but if it banks or rolls over, they will fall off. The dragon continues flying north, seeming to know where it is headed, despite being half-blind. Harry wonders if Voldemort has been informed yet that the Lestrange vault was breached. When he is, Voldemort will know his Horcruxes are being hunted and that the hunters may have found others.

After some hours, the dragon descends. When it glides over a small lake for a drink, the Trio jumps into the cold water, making it safely ashore through the reeds. Harry immediately casts protective charms, and they change into dry clothes and tend their burn wounds with Dittany. Although they have successfully retrieved Hufflepuff's Cup, Gryffindor's Sword is lost, rendering them powerless to destroy the remaining Horcruxes; Ron grumbles over Griphook "double crossing" them. Pain suddenly streaks across Harry's forehead, and he sees a Goblin cowering on his knees before Voldemort; wizards in a semi-circle look on. Voldemort screams in rage when the Goblin tells him the Potter boy and his two accomplices took the Cup. Slashing the air with the Elder Wand, the Dark Lord slays him. Bellatrix, Lucius Malfoy, and the other wizards dash from the room in terror; anyone left behind is fatally felled. Voldemort wonders if the other Horcruxes are known to Harry, and is uncertain if he can actually feel when the Horcruxes are being destroyed. Voldemort knows the diary was lost, but he still lacked a body then and believes that was why he was unable to detect it. He suspects Dumbledore was involved; Dumbledore never trusted him. Voldemort is confident, however, that the ring Horcrux remains intact—no one ever connected him to the Gaunts, after all. And the sea cave is too well protected for anyone to penetrate its security, therefore the Locket must still be safe. He will go to Hogwarts to check on the one there; but Nagini must stay with him, must stay safe. But Dumbledore might have known his middle name, might have made that connection, he will check that one first. Then to the lake; that one is surely safe, still it must be checked. And then the one at Hogwarts, though that is certainly safe, nobody else knows about that place.

Harry opens his eyes to Ron and Hermione peering down at him. Harry says Voldemort knows they are hunting his Horcruxes and that the last one is hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. Harry, still unaware what it is, knows Voldemort is heading there to check on it and believes it is the safest one because Snape is there. Harry decides they will go to Hogsmeade; they can figure out later how to slip into Hogwarts. Covering themselves with the Invisibility Cloak, they Apparate to the small village.

[edit] Analysis

As the plot heads towards its conclusion, the Trio races to Hogwarts to find the last Horcrux, although they do not know what it is and, having lost Gryffindor's Sword, cannot destroy it and the others. As a reminder, Dumbledore told Harry that he believed there were six Horcruxes: the diary, the ring, and the locket, all now destroyed; the cup, probably Nagini, and one other. Harry now has evidence that the unknown one is hidden somewhere in Hogwarts, in a place that Voldemort believes nobody else knows about.

Meanwhile, Voldemort's supreme confidence in himself has begun to crumble after Harry and company successfully steal Hufflepuff's Cup from Gringotts Bank. Despite his elaborate planning and extensive security measures, clearly his Horcruxes are at risk of being identified or destroyed, although Voldemort is still unaware that any other than the Diary have been destroyed. Although Dumbledore was the only one he ever feared, Voldemort's rationalization that he is the superior wizard has deluded him into a false sense of invincibility. However, underlying fears and insecurities now appear to be eroding what little sanity remains, causing Voldemort to frequently fly into uncontrollable rages and randomly lash out, often fatally, at any follower unfortunate enough to be within striking distance. Voldemort not only underestimated Dumbledore's ability to uncover and foil his plans, but also Harry's resourcefulness in identifying and locating the remaining Horcruxes.

To cope, Voldemort lulls himself into believing that he can "feel" when his Horcruxes are slain and takes comfort with the false notion that he was unable to detect the Riddle Diary Horcrux being destroyed only because he still lacked a body then. However, he remains ignorant that the Horcruxes within Gaunt's Ring and Slytherin's Locket no longer exist, or that Harry now knows what, or at least where, the remaining Horcruxes are. However, when Voldemort finally does realize this, it will place him on a deadly and irreversible collision course with Harry.

As a sidenote: While the Trio are riding the dragon, they are in danger of falling off and must wait until the beast descends before being able to dismount. However, unless there is some magical reason preventing it, it seems that they could have Disapparated to safety while astride it, although this apparently never occurred to them. It may be the case that Apparation, requiring that the practitioner turn in place, may not be something that can be done easily in such a situation; or it may be that the necessary "deliberation" step is impossible for the Trio while they are holding on for dear life. Also, it does appear in an earlier chapter that Mundungus Fletcher is able to Disapparate while similarly beset, however, his criminal life has no doubt enabled him to make speedy escapes from difficult corners something he had to learn.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Griphook take Gryffindor's Sword?
2. Why is Voldemort convinced he will "feel" if his other Horcruxes are destroyed? What proves or disproves this belief?
3. What precautions did Voldemort take to protect his Horcruxes? Did they fail? If so, why? What else could he have done?
4. Why does Voldemort believe that the Horcrux hidden at Hogwarts is the safest? Is he correct?
5. What is the place in Hogwarts that no one knows about? Why is Voldemort convinced that no one else knows about it? Who does know?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Is Ron correct that Griphook "double crossed" the Trio by taking Gryffindor's Sword? Explain.
2. Even if the Trio can find the last Horcrux, how can they destroy it and the other Horcruxes now that they no longer have Gryffindor's Sword?
3. Why and how did Voldemort underestimate Dumbledore's abilities to uncover his plan? Why does he now underestimate Harry?
4. Why does Voldemort believe he can never be connected to the Gaunt family? How was this tie uncovered?
5. Is it safe for the Trio to go to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts without first devising a plan? Are Death Eaters expecting the Trio?
6. How well did the Trio's previous break-ins at the Ministry of Magic and Gringott's Bank work, and what did they learn from each incident that they can apply to sneaking into Hogwarts?

[edit] Greater Picture

Harry has identified nearly all the Horcruxes, but he is still unaware that he carries a Horcrux within him, as indicated by his scar. Voldemort also fails to realize this, the Horcrux having been accidentally created during his attempt to kill baby Harry with the Killing curse that rebounded and struck Voldemort instead, leaving behind a soul shard. Voldemort's snake, Nagini, is also a Horcrux, as Dumbledore suspected.

The place at Hogwarts that Voldemort believes only he has discovered is the Room of Requirement, which, of course, is known to Harry and the many Dumbledore's Army members. This is yet another example of Voldemort's over-confidence; having found the Room of Requirement, likely by accident, and possibly while pacing the halls looking for a place to hide some Dark experiment, Voldemort assumes he is the only wizard smart enough to discover it. This, despite the overwhelming evidence of a millennium's accumulated junk in the room when he first entered it, although perhaps he assumed the room had lain forgotten for centuries. Also, after being instructed by Voldemort on how to locate and enter this room, it would seem that Draco should have realized that it was the Room of Requirement, and that he would have mentioned something to Voldemort about Dumbledore's Army meeting there, and that Dolores Umbridge's Inquisition Squad, of which Draco was a member, raided it. It is possible that Draco fully realized this, but, fearing for his and his family's lives, silently listened to Voldemort's instructions, or he may have been unaware that Voldemort believed he was the only person who knew about the room's existence. Draco may also have been hoping that his secret activities in the room would be discovered, thus exposing Voldemort's plan to murder Dumbledore through no fault of Draco's.

Chapter 28: The Missing Mirror

[edit] Synopsis

As soon as Harry. Ron, and Hermione Apparate into Hogsmeade Village, a screeching alarm announces their presence. A Death Eater attempts to Summon the Invisibility Cloak they are concealed under, but it fails to respond, keeping the Trio hidden. As they back down a side street, Hermione wants to Apparate out of Hogsmeade, but Harry says that protective spells have probably trapped them there. A sudden chill sweeps in and darkness starts enveloping everything around them: Dementors, sensing their fear, close in. Unable to withstand their suffocating presence, Harry casts a Patronus, scattering the Dementors, but revealing their location. "It's him, down there, I saw his Patronus, it was a stag!" yells a Death Eater. A nearby door cracks opens, and a harsh voice calls out, "Potter, in here, quick!"

The Trio dash inside and up the stairs. They find themselves in the Hog's Head Inn. From an upper window, Harry recognizes the tall barkeeper talking to the Death Eaters outside as Aberforth Dumbledore, Albus' younger brother. Aberforth claims he accidentally set off the Caterwauling curfew alarm while putting his cat out and insists it was his goat Patronus; the Death Eaters initially disbelieve him, but, thrown off the trail, and not wanting to risk losing a convenient location to trade black market goods, decide to leave. Aberforth gives the Trio something to eat, rebuking them for risking their lives coming to Hogsmeade. Harry spots the twin to the mirror Sirius gave him; Aberforth explains he bought it from Mundungus Fletcher, who stole it from Grimmauld Place. Aberforth has been watching them with it. Harry recognizes Aberforth's eye as the one in the mirror shard and realizes that he sent Dobby to rescue them. Aberforth confirms it was him and is saddened to hear that Dobby is dead.

Ron thinks Aberforth sent the doe Patronus, but Aberforth sarcastically reminds him that his Patronus is a goat. Aberforth suggests they wait until the Caterwauling alarm is turned off in the morning, then escape into the mountains and Disapparate from there. Harry insists they must get into Hogwarts castle because Dumbledore asked him to do something. Scoffs Aberforth, "Did he now? Nice job, I hope? Pleasant? Easy? Sort of thing you'd expect an unqualified wizard kid to be able to do without overstretching themselves?" Ron and Hermione are obviously uncomfortable, and Harry remains silent, struggling with his own misgivings regarding Dumbledore, although he had already resolved to continue trusting him. Aberforth claims that others who trusted Dumbledore often suffered misfortune as a result. He urges the Trio to abandon their mission, believing the Order of the Phoenix is finished and Voldemort has won. It is time to save themselves. Against Harry's protests, Aberforth asks if Dumbledore was honest with him and told Harry the whole story. When Harry is unable to respond, Aberforth says that Dumbledore reveled in lies and secrecy, learning it at their mother's knee.

Attempting to ease the tension, Hermione asks if a portrait is Aberforth's sister, Ariana, but this backfires, causing Aberforth to brusquely ask if she has been reading Rita Skeeter's book. To spare Hermione further embarrassment, Harry says that Elphias Doge told them about it. "That old berk," sneers Aberforth. "Thought the sun shone out of my brother's every orifice." Harry says nothing, still attempting to conceal his uncertainty. Aberforth reveals that Ariana, aged six, was injured by Muggle boys after observing her performing magic. She was never the same, eventually going half-mad and unable to control magic. Their father hunted down the boys in retaliation, but he never told the Ministry why he assaulted them, because, once revealed, Ariana would have been permanently committed to St. Mungo's Hospital. Instead, the family kept her hidden, fostering rumors she was a Squib. With their father in prison, Aberforth and his mother, Kendra cared for Ariana as best they could. Aberforth was Ariana's favorite. Albus, involved with his studies and winning prizes, usually confined himself to his room when at home. One day, while Aberforth was out, Ariana flew into a rage. Unable to subdue Ariana's uncontrollable magic, Kendra was accidentally killed. Albus canceled his Grand Tour with Doge and returned home to care for Ariana and support the family while Aberforth finished his schooling. Aberforth claims Albus resented the sacrifice he was forced to make, although Aberforth had offered to leave school and take his place. Then Albus met Grindelwald, a wizard he considered as brilliant as himself. The two quickly bonded, and, drawn by their mutual attraction to power and fame, hatched an elaborate scheme to create a new wizarding order. When Aberforth learned about their grandiose plans, a three-way fight erupted; a stray curse killed Ariana. Aberforth claims Albus was glad his burden was lifted, but Harry says he always carried it, recounting the night Albus died. After drinking the potion in the sea cave, Albus was raving, pleading with an unseen person not to hurt them. Harry is certain he was begging Grindelwald to spare his brother and sister, although Aberforth remains skeptical.

Harry resolves to continue the mission. Knowing Voldemort could be killed, Dumbledore gave that knowledge to Harry. If Aberforth refuses to help sneak them into Hogwarts, then they will find their own way in. Relenting, Aberforth agrees to help and speaks to Ariana's portrait. She turns to leave, but rather than disappearing from the frame sideways as figures normally do, she instead disappears down a long, dark passageway behind her. Aberforth explains that there is only one way into the castle now, the old secret entryways are being guarded. Ariana soon returns accompanied by someone. As they reach the portrait, it swings open to reveal a tunnel; standing inside is Neville Longbottom.

[edit] Analysis

For Harry, uncovering the truth about Albus Dumbledore has been a journey nearly as long and difficult as his quest to find the Horcruxes, and this truth has come in many pieces, from various sources, and over time, creating a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Searching for answers has tested and strained Harry's loyalty and faith in Dumbledore, causing him to question whether or not the man he loved and thought he knew, had loved him in return, and was the good person Harry believed him to be. Aberforth Dumbledore provides crucial information that helps Harry to better understand Albus' past behavior regarding his family. This has restored Harry's faith in Albus somewhat, but not entirely.

Until now, Aberforth has remained a curious and vague background figure, but his character becomes more defined here as he assumes a prominent role filling in the story's many gaps. Despite their physical resemblance, the two brothers were vastly different in talents, disposition, and personalities. Aberforth was overshadowed by Albus' brilliance, but his antagonism toward his elder brother was less about sibling rivalry and petty jealousy, than it was suppressed anger and deep-seated resentment over Albus' using his superior talents, not only for gaining personal accolades, but as a means to shirk family responsibilities, letting the burden for Ariana's care fall upon Aberforth and their mother, Kendra. Her tragic death forced Albus to abandon his lofty ambitions to instead care for Ariana, though he retained sufficient belief in education's importance that he refused Aberforth's request to leave school so he could tend their sister in Albus' place. Albus' bitter despair (and perhaps martyrdom) over sacrificing his goals may have been a factor in him falling prey to Grindelwald's dark influence, but that hardly excuses Albus' behavior.

Although Albus and Aberforth maintained an amicable truce throughout their adult lives, they remained aloof with one another, perhaps mutually fearing they might learn who actually killed their sister. However, they may have overlooked that regardless whose curse fatally struck Ariana, each shared responsibility in her death by allowing their long-simmering hostilities to explode into an out-of-control confrontation, although Albus' brief foray into the Dark Arts with Grindelwald certainly was a significant factor in the events leading up to the tragedy. Interestingly, although the brothers never grew close, they lived near one another, Dumbledore at Hogwarts and Aberforth in Hogsmeade, sharing an occasional drink at the Hog's Head Inn.

Albus' death has hardly softened Aberforth's feelings, however. When Harry says he is on a mission for Dumbledore, a sneering Aberforth mocks him (and Albus), causing Harry to recall his own doubts and concerns about Albus and forcing him to acknowledge that Aberforth's harsh words contain truth. Like Aberforth, readers must also be wondering why such a young, inexperienced, and unqualified wizard, even an immensely talented one like Harry, would have been tasked with such a difficult and dangerous mission while being provided so little information. However, Harry resolves to remain loyal and trust Dumbledore, dedicated to continuing the mission. Harry also attempts to convince Aberforth that Albus did indeed love his family and tried to protect them from Grindelwald. The pessimistic Aberforth remains skeptical, but he, perhaps surprisingly, sets aside his capitulatory view regarding the war, as well as his doubts that Harry can succeed, and helps the Trio sneak into Hogwarts.

While Aberforth has provided many answers about Albus and Grindelwald, his recollection differs from what Rita Skeeter, Bathilda Bagshot, Elphias Doge, and Aunt Muriel claimed. And though Aberforth has given an apparently factually accurate account of his family, it should not be assumed that his is the truthful version. Truth is often subjective and nebulous, and it is affected by others' opinions, personal experience, imperfect memories, individual bias, and raw emotions. Rarely is there a singular maxim, and all versions should be studied, weighed, and filtered before a definitive conclusion can be drawn. Even then, many will still disagree. Although Aberforth has solved many mysteries, the puzzle remains incomplete—there is still much more to be learned about Albus Dumbledore.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. What is Aberforth's response when Harry tells him Dumbledore assigned the Trio a mission? What does Aberforth mean by this? Is he right?
2. Why does Aberforth believe the war is lost and Voldemort has won? Is he correct? Does he really believe Voldemort has won?
3. How does Aberforth's explanation about his family differ from Rita Skeeter's version in her book? How does it differ from Autie Muriel's and Doge's?
4. Why does Harry resolve to continue trusting Dumbledore, despite Harry's many doubts and concerns about him and the mission?
5. Why does Aberforth finally agree to help the Trio sneak into Hogwarts?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why would Aberforth have bought the mirror from Mundungus Fletcher? Did he know Harry had the matching twin? If so, how?
2. Harry tells Aberforth what Dumbledore said during his delirium in the sea cave. Is Harry's interpretation correct? Will this ever change what Aberforth believes?
3. Why was Aberforth watching the Trio in the mirror?
4. Is Aberforth's explanation about his family the truth or merely his version of it? Explain.
5. Hogwarts' former Headmasters typically have more than one portrait in different locations, often visiting them back and forth. If Aberforth has a talking portrait of his sister, why doesn't he have one of Dumbledore? Would this have helped or hurt the war effort?
6. If Ariana has a connecting portrait to Hogwarts, why doesn't Dumbledore's portrait communicate with Aberforth through her?
7. Why would Aberforth be in contact with Neville Longbottom?

[edit] Greater Picture

Although Aberforth claims to believe that Voldemort has already won the war, it will be learned that he has been secretly helping the resurrected Dumbledore's Army, and in the Battle of Hogwarts, he will be within the school and actively defending it against Voldemort. Given this, it is entirely likely that Aberforth, in claiming that Voldemort has won, is, consciously or otherwise, testing Harry's mettle, trying to determine the depth of Harry's commitment to Albus' cause. This would also explain his immediate willingness to help once Harry declares that he will proceed with or without Aberforth's help.

Chapter 29: The Lost Diadem

[edit] Synopsis

Neville is overjoyed to see them, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione are horrified by his battered appearance. Neville says this is nothing, wait till they see Seamus. To Aberforth's dismay, Neville informs him that more people will be Apparating in. Leading the Trio down the long, dark hallway, Neville explains that the seven known secret passageways into Hogwarts have been magically sealed, and Death Eaters guard the exits. Neville asks if they really broke into Gringotts and escaped on a dragon; everyone is talking about it. Harry confirms it is true.

Hogwarts has drastically changed since the Trio left. Neville tells them about the Carrows, the two Death Eater professors who now handle all student punishment, although the other teachers avoid sending anyone to them whenever possible. Amycus Carrow teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, although it is now called "Dark Arts." Students are forced to practice the Cruciatus curse on detention students. When Neville refused to curse anyone, he was beaten, despite being Pure Blood; some students, notably Crabbe and Goyle, have proven quite apt at the Dark Arts and love practicing them. Alecto Carrow, the Muggle Studies teacher, insists Muggles are dirty and stupid like animals. Neville obtained one scar after asking how much Muggle blood she had. Neville and other Dumbledore's Army members were pulling pranks and creating disruptions, but after Luna and Ginny left school and punishments became more severe, the rebellion died down a bit. When Neville was identified as a ringleader, Death Eaters went after his grandmother, who put Dawlish in St. Mungo's, and is now on the run, while Neville decided to "disappear".

Reaching Hogwarts, they enter an unfamiliar room to find a cheering crowd inside. The Trio are ecstatic to see all their old friends—Seamus Finnigan, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillan, Anthony Goldstein, Parvati and Padma Patil, and many more. Hammocks are strung from floor to ceiling, and the room is embellished with Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw colors and symbols; only Slytherin is missing. To Harry's astonishment, they are in the Room of Requirement. Neville has been hiding there for some weeks now, and the room has continually expanded as more and more D.A. members arrived. Seamus, whose swollen face Harry initially failed to recognize, says the room is secure as long as at least one D.A. member remains inside. The only thing it is unable to provide is food. When Neville was really hungry, the tunnel leading to the Hog's Head opened, and Aberforth has been sending supplies ever since.

Everyone wants to know about the Trio's exploits. They have been listening to "Potterwatch" on the radio, but there are many unconfirmed rumors. Before Harry can respond, searing pain cuts through his scar as he briefly glimpses a furious Dark Lord discovering that the ring Horcrux is missing. Little time is left, and everyone wants to help, believing Harry has returned to overthrow the Carrows and Snape. Harry explains they are only there to complete a task to help to destroy Voldemort, and insists everyone stay behind. He becomes panicked when more people pour in from the Hog's Head. Luna, Dean, Fred, George, Ginny, Lee Jordan, and Cho Chang climb through. Ron quietly says the others can help; they do not know what they are looking for, where it is, and there is little time. They do not have to reveal that it is a Horcrux. Hermione agrees, saying Harry does not have to do everything alone. Harry finally concedes and says they are looking for something belonging to Rowena Ravenclaw. Luna suggests it could be the lost diadem, a type of crown. Hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, Luna leads Harry to the Ravenclaw Common room and shows him Rowena Ravenclaw's statue, so that Harry can see the shape of what he is likely searching for. As Harry steps out from under the Cloak to read a tiny inscription etched on the marble diadem, Alecto Carrow appears and instantly touches the Dark Mark on her forearm.

[edit] Analysis

Against Harry's wishes, the last battle between him and Voldemort is primed to happen at Hogwarts, and his arrival here will likely trigger it. It seems appropriate, indeed inevitable, that Harry and Voldemort's final confrontation should occur at Hogwarts; the castle and its surrounding grounds have played a major role throughout the series, with much of the story's action set here. The castle, with its many ghosts and magical denizens, is nearly a character in its own right. It is also the place that both Harry and Voldemort most consider home, and in Voldemort's case, probably the only thing he has ever had anything close to loving feelings for, although that is an emotion he has never experienced. Harry also loves Hogwarts, and he has always derived strength and security from the venerable old castle, impatiently enduring his enforced summer hiatus at the Dursleys' until returning each September. This time, Harry's homecoming is not as a student—he is a soldier on a mission. He is dismayed, however, when reinforcements begin arriving, and rather than sneaking in, finding the Horcrux, then sneaking out again to continue his quest, Harry's appearance instead sets off a chain reaction of events that will culminate in the final resolution. And whether he likes it or not, Harry is the shining beacon that not only rallies and unifies the fragmented rebellion, but he will be pushed to the forefront to lead the climactic battle against Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

While Neville's battered appearance is shocking, his cheerful demeanor about it seems even more so. This clearly shows just how much Neville has changed from the ineffectual, frightened boy who first arrived at Hogwarts; his bruises are badges of honor. The Sorting Hat placing Neville into Gryffindor House had always seemed questionable, and many readers probably believe he would have been better suited to Hufflepuff, rather than a House known for bravery. But bravery comes in many forms, and Neville, despite his magical deficiencies, always faced the adversity in his life head on, and showed courage as early as the first book, when he challenged the Trio after objecting to their actions. This strength has gradually increased, and Neville has transformed from a shy, insecure, and nearly incompetent student, into a strong, capable wizard, mostly due to Harry's patient guidance.

Curiously, Harry's absence has also had a positive effect on Neville. With Harry no longer at Hogwarts, Neville, along with Ginny and Luna, have assumed leadership roles by ably leading Dumbledore's Army, rebelling against the Carrows and Snape. Neville shows that, given the right circumstances, he is a natural leader, as well as a true Gryffindor; he, and the other D.A. members, are ready and able to join forces with Harry in the final battle against Voldemort.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why doesn't Harry recognize the Room of Requirement?
2. Why doesn't Harry want the other students to help him with the mission or to lead them in overthrowing Snape and the Carrows? What changes his mind?
3. Why are there no Slytherin colors or symbols represented in the Room of Requirement?

[edit] Extra Study

1. How did news about the Trio's escape from Gringotts travel to Hogwarts so quickly?
2. Why is Neville so cheerful, despite his battered appearance?
3. How has Neville changed from his first year at Hogwarts? What accounts for that change?

[edit] Greater Picture

We can see that, against his will, Harry becomes the rallying point for defending Hogwarts. This is, at least for the next while, a position Harry attempts to avoid. Harry quite clearly wants to prevent any responsibility for the loss of life that will happen in the coming battle. It is only after the encounter in the Forbidden Forest, when Harry feels he has acted to protect his friends against Voldemort, that he chooses to show himself as the leader of the counter-attack against Voldemort.

His faith in Neville's abilities is such that Harry will shortly entrust Neville with a vital task: dispatching the final Horcrux in the event that he, Ron, or Hermione are unable to do the job. Neville will prove that he is up to the challenge.

Chapter 30: The Sacking of Severus Snape

[edit] Synopsis

Pain explodes in Harry's scar, and he finds himself on a rocky outcrop under a cliff. Good, he thinks, they have the boy. A loud crack brings him back to himself as Luna stuns Alecto Carrow. The noise awakens the students in Ravenclaw House, and Harry dives back under the Invisibility Cloak with Luna. Students begin milling about and become frightened at seeing the unconscious teacher lying on the floor. Outside the Common room, Amycus, unable to open the door, is frantically calling for Alecto, worried that the Dark Lord has been summoned without them actually having Harry Potter. Amycus is heard ordering Professor McGonagall to fetch Professor Flitwick, but then tells her to open the door. Inside, they find the unconscious Alecto. McGonagall is surprised when Amycus says Harry Potter may be there and that the Dark Lord had warned them that he might attempt to break into Ravenclaw Tower. Amycus, fearing Voldemort's wrath if Harry escapes, says he will pass off the alert as a school prank and punish a few students. When McGonagall objects to any student being punished for the Carrows' ineptitude, he threatens her and spits in her face. Harry steps out and slams Amycus with a Cruciatus curse, lifting his writhing body into the air and crashing it through a bookcase. Harry understands now what Bellatrix Lestrange had meant when she once said a person must actually mean it for an Unforgivable Curse to work. An astonished McGonagall thanks Harry for his gallant effort but urges him to flee the castle quickly. He refuses, saying there is something he must do. He asks if she knows where the diadem is, but according to McGonagall it has been lost for centuries. Harry is at a loss; the diadem was his most likely candidate for the Horcrux, and nobody knows where it is. Amycus comes to, and McGonagall uses the Imperius curse to relieve him of his wand, then casts a spell binding him to his still unconscious sister. Harry is again overcome by Voldemort's rage as he discovers the Locket missing from the stone basin on the island. Returning to himself, Harry updates Professor McGonagall about what is happening and that he must find something hidden in Hogwarts before Voldemort and his forces arrive. McGonagall replies that she and the staff will secure the castle against Voldemort for as long as possible while Harry searches. Harry tells McGonagall about the tunnel to the Hog's Head from which students can be evacuated. Voldemort will only be concentrating on Hogwarts, not Disapparating students in Hogsmeade village.

Harry and Luna hide under the Invisibility Cloak as McGonagall casts three cat Patronuses to summon the other Heads of House. As they head off, they run into Snape, who had sensed Alecto's communication with Voldemort. He asks McGonagall if she has seen the Carrows while continually darting his eyes about, as if suspecting Harry is there. When Snape asks what brought her out of bed, McGonagall claims she heard a disturbance. When Snape inquires if she has seen Harry, McGonagall is evasive, then slashes her wand. Snape, quicker, deflects the spell with a Shield Charm. They duel fiercely, magic so quick that Harry has never seen the like. Professors Flitwick and Sprout come running to McGonagall's aid with a huffing Slughorn lagging behind. Outnumbered, Snape dashes into a deserted classroom where a loud crash is heard. Pursuing, McGonagall screams, "Coward!" Uncloaked, Harry and Luna rush inside, startling the other professors. Snape has jumped out the window. Harry, looking out, thinks he must be dead, but McGonagall bitterly comments that, unlike Dumbledore, Snape had his wand and has learned a few tricks from You-Know-Who. Harry sees a large, bat-like figure soaring across the school grounds. When Slughorn finally enters, McGonagall informs him that Snape is taking a leave of absence. Harry slides into Voldemort's mind again and sees an Inferi-filled lake and the ghostly green boat bumping into the shore. Voldemort leaps from it in a murderous rage. Harry says Voldemort is coming.

McGonagall orders the House Heads to send their students to the Great Hall. She tells Slughorn the time has come for Slytherin to choose sides. The professors set defensive charms and spells around Hogwarts to fend off Voldemort. Harry asks Flitwick if he might know where Ravenclaw's diadem is, but Flitwick says no one in living memory has seen it. McGonagall enchants the school's statues and suits of armour to help defend the castle and orders Filch, who is ranting that students are out of bed, to summon Peeves the Poltergeist.

When Harry and Luna return to the Room of Requirement, Harry is shocked and dismayed that even more people have arrived, including Lupin, Shacklebolt, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred says they alerted Dumbledore's Army, and they in turn summoned the Order of the Phoenix. Harry says the younger students are being evacuated, and the rest will be fighting. Most head to the Great Hall, leaving behind only Lupin and the Weasleys, who are arguing with Ginny who also wants to fight. Percy suddenly arrives. Fleur, attempting to defuse the icy situation, asks Lupin about little Teddy. Percy loudly apologizes for being a deluded idiot and Ministry pawn; his family immediately forgives him. Looking around, Harry asks where Ron and Hermione are. Ginny, who has been ordered to stay inside the room during the battle, says they left to take care of something having to do with a bathroom, leaving Harry puzzled. His scar sears again, and he is gazing at Hogwarts through huge iron gates. Nagini is draped around his shoulders. Voldemort has arrived.

[edit] Analysis

As the story reaches a critical stage, time is running out; Harry is desperate to find the Ravenclaw Horcrux, and Hufflepuff's Cup must still be destroyed. Voldemort and his forces will soon arrive at the castle, and Harry has no idea where to search or if the Diadem is even the actual Horcrux. The final Horcrux being hidden at Hogwarts is fortuitous; it is a place Harry knows better than anywhere else, and at least as well as Voldemort does. Probably only Dumbledore and the Weasley twins know Hogwarts better. This homecoming also infuses Harry with a much needed boost of strength and confidence that a less familiar locale would be unable to provide. Harry has no idea where the Diadem might be hidden, but knowing many of the castle's secrets will help him narrow the search. Also, Harry's return not only puts him in a familiar and comforting setting, but it reconnects his ties and alliances with old friends, who immediately flock to Hogwarts upon hearing Harry has returned. If Harry is to succeed, he must rely on these allies for help.

Although Harry has used the Cruciatus curse before, this is the first time it has worked effectively for him. He recalls Bellatrix Lestrange once telling him that the conjurer must actually mean it in order for an Unforgivable curse to work properly, that righteous indignation is not enough. Previously, Harry only half-heartedly cast the Cruciatus curse (on Bellatrix Lestrange), unwilling to inflict pain and suffering on anyone, even a hated enemy. Now, however, Harry uses it to protect someone he cares about. And considering its effect on Amycus Carrow, this time, Harry obviously meant it.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why would McGonnagall engage Snape in a duel rather than merely saying she does not know where Harry is? Could she have defeated him without help from the other professors?
2. Why is Voldemort in a murderous rage? Where is he when Harry "sees" him?
3. Why is Harry now unsure that Ravenclaw's diadem is the Horcrux? Is there any evidence that another Ravenclaw artifact exists?
4. What does McGonagall mean when she tells Slughorn it is time for Slytherin to choose sides? Do they?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Why is this the first time the Cruciatus curse has worked effectively for Harry?
2. What caused Percy's turnaround? Why did it take him so long?
3. Which bathroom might Hermione and Ron have gone to? What task could have sent them there?
4. How could so many Dumbledore's Army, Order of the Phoenix, and former Hogwarts students be able to enter Hogsmeade village without being detected by Death Eaters and the Dementors?
5. How are the Hogwarts students to be evacuated by disapparating from the Hog's Head when it was stipulated two chapters earlier that disapparition from the town is impossible?

[edit] Greater Picture

The bathroom Ginny Weasley is referring to is actually Moaning Myrtle's lavatory, which readers should remember contains the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and that only someone speaking Parseltongue can open. It is unknown yet why Ron and Hermione would have gone there, or if they could open the Chamber, but this will play a significant role in the next chapter.

Professor Flitwick's comment that no one in living memory has seen Ravenclaw's Diadem will not only prove to be untrue, but it has actually been seen quite recently. However, Flitwick's words will serve to be a useful trigger for Harry; they will set a train of thought in motion that will result in Harry finding the Diadem.

A very interesting point is touched on by one editor: how can the students disapparate from Hogsmeade? For that matter, how can Dumbledore's Army members apparate in, as they have been doing? Aberforth has said that Harry, Ron, and Hermione should wait until dawn, and then apparate away and hide in the mountains. While he never explicitly says so, he strongly implies that apparating out of Hogsmeade is impossible. In this case, perhaps, Harry may simply have made a lucky assumption. Clearly it is possible to Apparate into Hogsmeade, as he has done so. Perhaps he simply assumed that it would be similarly possible to Apparate out, and missed Aberforth saying that it could not be done. As the author never tells us, we can only speculate; but it is possible that by the time the evacuation starts, Voldemort has lifted the anti-Apparation spells on Hogsmeade to allow for free movement of his troops. If so, this is a major stroke of luck for the Hogwarts forces; they would not have been able to evacuate the non-combatants otherwise.

A similar question that arises is, what about those students who have not yet passed their Apparation tests? There are wizards, we are told, who still will not Apparate, despite being fully grown, because of the risk of Splinching. So quite possibly, in order to accommodate those Death Eaters who were unwilling or unable to Apparate, Voldemort might also have released any restrictions on the Floo Network.

Chapter 31: The Battle of Hogwarts

[edit] Synopsis

The enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall is dark with twinkling stars; the tables below are filled with students in dressing gowns or traveling cloaks. Every Hogwarts being, living or dead, is listening to Professor McGonagall giving instructions from atop the raised platform at the end of the room. Pomfrey, Filch, and the prefects will evacuate students from the school before the battle begins, although the older students can remain and fight. The Order and the professors have agreed upon a battle plan and divide into groups to man the towers and grounds. Everyone is tense with expectation over the approaching battle. Harry anxiously searches the room for Ron and Hermione while Voldemort's loud commanding voice, seemingly from nowhere, announces Harry Potter must surrender by midnight. Pointing at Harry, Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin, yells for someone to grab him. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw students jump up and aim their wands at Slytherin's table. McGonagall then orders Pansy and the other Slytherins, regardless of age, to leave the Hall first, followed by the other Houses, although many older students from the other three Houses remain behind. As students and teachers begin breaking into groups, McGonagall approaches Harry and reminds him that he is supposed to be looking for something. Swept up the marble staircase with the defenders, Harry breaks away down an empty corridor, but he is beginning to panic: he has no idea where to look for the Horcrux.

Harry races through the hallways, although without Ron and Hermione, he feels at a loss. Looking at the Marauder's Map, he is unable to locate their names. Harry has a thought: Voldemort had warned the Carrows that he would try to break into Ravenclaw Tower. This convinces Harry that the Horcrux is indeed linked to that House, and it must be the diadem, but he wonders how Voldemort found an object lost centuries ago. He has a sudden brainwave. Everyone says the diadem has not been seen in living memory. That does not, however, rule out ghosts. Harry finds Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, and asks who the Ravenclaw ghost is. Nick, somewhat affronted at not being asked to help, sends him to the Grey Lady. She tells Harry that in life she was Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter, Helena. Jealous of her mother's fame, she stole the diadem and ran away. She hid it in a hollow tree in an Albanian forest. On her deathbed, her mother sent a Baron who was in love with Helena to find her, but she spurned him and refused to go back. He became violent and fatally stabbed her, then killed himself in remorse. Harry realizes it was the Bloody Baron. Remembering that Voldemort spent his exile in Albania, Harry asks the Gray Lady if she shared her story with anyone else. She sadly admits she once told a student who had seemed so charming and understanding. Harry mutters that she is not the first person Tom Riddle manipulated, and surmises he found the diadem and created a Horcrux from it. He later hid it at Hogwarts in a place he believed no one else knew existed.

After talking with the Gray Lady, Harry runs into Hagrid, who has returned from his cave with Grawp and Fang after hearing Voldemort's voice. As they run through the halls, the first casualties are already appearing. A shattered stone gargoyle reminds Harry of the Ravenclaw statue at the Lovegood house. Another image appears to him: an old wizard's bust on which Harry once placed a tatty wig and a battered tiara in a room that few people other than Harry and Voldemort ever knew existed. Harry suddenly realizes where the diadem is—it is the same "battered tiara" that he had used to mark the hiding place of his Potions book in the Room of Requirement. As Harry races to it, he passes Professor Sprout and Neville lugging pots of Mandrakes to the battle. Hagrid takes off after Fang when the boarhound takes fright at an exploding urn. Harry passes Aberforth, who says it was stupid not to keep some Slytherin students as hostages. Harry says his brother would never have done that. He finally finds Ron and Hermione, who are carrying dirty, yellow, curved objects. Hermione says Ron had the brilliant idea to open the Chamber of Secrets and retrieve Basilisk fangs that can destroy Horcruxes. Ron shows him the mangled Cup Horcrux that he insisted Hermione destroy. Harry is amazed but wonders how they were able to open the Chamber without knowing Parseltongue. Ron says he remembered what Harry spoke when he opened the Locket Horcrux, although he had to try several times before it worked. Harry tells them about the diadem.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione race to the Room of Requirement through the escalating battle. There they find Ginny, Tonks, and Mrs. Longbottom, Neville's grandmother, who has sealed off the tunnel after Aberforth left the inn. Tonks leaves to find her husband, and Mrs. Longbottom goes to fight alongside Neville. Harry asks Ginny to step into the corridor, but orders her to come back inside later. When Ron says he wants to warn the house elves, an overjoyed Hermione flings herself into Ron's arms, kissing him. He kisses her back, their unspoken feelings finally shared. Harry has them step outside so the room can be changed, then thinks hard to himself: I need the place where everything is hidden. After the third run along the corridor, an entrance appears. Inside the large labyrinthine room, they search separately for the stone bust with the diadem. Harry spots it but is stopped by Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Using the Disillusionment Charm, they had been waiting outside when Harry re-entered the room, and followed him and the others in. A fierce duel erupts; a stray curse knocks the diadem into a refuse pile, and both Hermione and Ron are nearly hit by Crabbe's killing curses, although Draco yells at him to leave Harry alive for the Dark Lord. In the confusion, Malfoy drops his borrowed wand, Harry disarms Goyle, and Crabbe unleashes an uncontrollable fire, setting the room ablaze. Crabbe is lost amongst the flames, but the the trio escapes unscathed on broomsticks that Harry finds. They save Malfoy and Goyle as they fly from the room. Harry, seeing the diadem being tossed about by the fire, grabs it, only then making a direct flight path for the door.

Outside, they collapse on the hallway floor. As Harry looks, bemused, at the diadem in his hands, it emits a thin shriek and falls apart. Hermione says that Crabbe must have conjured Fiendfyre, one of the few things that can destroy a Horcrux.

Shouts and noises fill the hall; Death Eaters have penetrated the castle. Suddenly, Percy and Fred appear, dueling two Death Eaters, one of whom is Pius Thicknesse, in the hallway. The wall is blasted open from the outside, and Fred is killed in the explosion.

[edit] Analysis

If readers were holding out hope that some Slytherins, other than Slughorn, would join forces against Voldemort, they are now disappointed. Although it would seem likely that at least a few Slytherins, particularly the half-bloods, must oppose Voldemort and his Death Eaters, they are denied that opportunity; when Slytherin House, led by Pansy Parkinson, aims their wands at Harry, McGonagall elects to send the entire House away, probably to avert a violent, and possibly lethal, confrontation with the other Houses who will defend Harry. Any Slytherins that have doubts about the wisdom of siding with Voldemort against Harry are submerged in the crowd. If they choose to fight Voldemort, they will do so from outside the school.

On the brink of battle, several characters undergo some significant realizations about themselves. For most of his life, Harry has felt isolated and suffered from a need to "go it alone", often refusing others' assistance or accepting it only when pressured or as a last resort. Not only is Harry bolstered by his old friends and allies returning to Hogwarts, ready to fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but as he races through the hallways, he yearns for Ron and Hermione's help and companionship. Harry has made great strides in learning to trust and rely on others.

Hermione is overjoyed when Ron wants to warn House-elves of the imminent danger. His growing maturity has led to his concern for others' well being, not just his own or his immediate family's. He now recognizes that Hermione's efforts on the Elves behalf has been valid and that these creatures deserve the same respect and consideration as other magical folk. Ron also shows his natural intelligence when, during the intense battle, he realizes that Basilisk fangs can destroy Horcruxes, something Harry must have forgotten about despite having destroyed Riddle's Diary with one. Remembering the words Harry spoke in Parseltongue, Ron opens the Chamber of Secrets and retrieves the fangs. Hermione's genuine admiration for his cleverness, quick thinking, and leadership further enhances her feelings for him. These acts open the door to Ron and Hermione's hidden feelings for one another, although their happiness is quickly marred by tragedy.

That tragedy is Fred's untimely death, and not only does it cause intense pain and sorrow to those who loved him, it also tests their strength and courage. Racked with grief, Harry and the Weasley family must suppress their anguish and focus solely on the ensuing battle if they are to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Percy is particularly distraught, having just reunited with his estranged family. Hopefully he can find solace in having reconciled with Fred before he died, but for now, he diverts his grief and rage at the enemy to avenge his lost brother. Readers will recall that earlier in the book, George's ear was severed during the flight from the Dursleys' house. This may have foreshadowed him losing a larger part of himself, that part being Fred.

The rather morose Draco seen at Malfoy Manor has reverted to his familiar arrogant and bullying persona now that he is back at Hogwarts, lording over his faithful minions, Crabbe and Goyle. Away from his family's influence, Draco adopts a very different façade from the one he displays while in his parents' presence. However, that mask usually crumbles whenever Draco is faced with adversity, as it did when confronting Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, and being forced to torture a fellow Death Eater earlier in this book. Why he chose to remain in the castle when the other Slytherins departed to join Voldemort is unclear, and his true intentions will remain unknown, though it is hinted that Draco may have been planning to capture Harry and present him to Voldemort. Draco himself may be unaware just what his real motives are, vacillating between fearful indifference and seizing an opportunity to win back the Dark Lord's favor for his family. Draco is a vessel lacking a compass, and, as he may have learned from observing his mentor, Snape, maintaining a neutral position makes it easier to align one's self with either winning side. However, when Draco realized Harry was after the Diadem, he may have wanted to capture him with the hope that he could reprieve the Malfoys from Voldemort's retaliation and to redeem himself to his family.

Interestingly, when Draco and Harry confront one another in the Room of Requirement, Draco demands that Harry return his wand. However, even if Harry was inclined to return it, which he was not, it probably would be practically useless for Draco. When Harry captured the wand at Malfoy Manor, it likely transferred its allegiance from Draco to Harry, its new master. Indeed, Harry found that Draco's wand worked exceptionally well for him.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Ron want it to be Hermione who destroyed the Cup Horcrux?
2. Did it ever occur to Harry to use Basilisk fangs to destroy the Horcruxes? Why or why not?
3. Why is Hermione so ecstatic when Ron wants to warn the House-elves? What does this say about Ron's character?
4. Why is Harry unable to locate Ron and Hermione's name on the Marauder's Map?

[edit] Extra Study

1. Harry saves Goyle's and Malfoy's lives. Do they now owe him a "life debt" as Peter Pettigrew did? Explain.
2. At Malfoy Manor, Draco would not identify Harry to the Death Eaters. Why does he now want to capture him for the Dark Lord?
3. How does Malfoy's current behavior and demeanor compare to the way he behaved while at Malfoy Manor? How does it compare to how he acted during his earlier years at Hogwarts? What could account for these differences?
4. Will the Room of Requirement be operational again? Explain why or why not this might be.

[edit] Greater Picture

Ron having Hermione destroy the Cup Horcrux shows how deep the bond is between Harry, Ron, and Hermione: since Harry had already destroyed a Horcrux - the Diary - and Ron eliminated another - the Locket - then why should Hermione not destroy the third Horcrux? This is meant to show how Harry, who initially believed he should undertake the quest alone, depends on his friends far more than he ever realized. We will be reminded of this when, although it was Harry who was tasked by Dumbledore to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes, in the end, each Horcrux is eventually destroyed by a different person. Although Harry had wanted to search for the Horcruxes alone, Dumbledore always knew, and intended, that Ron and Hermione would accompany him.

Ron wanting to warn the House-elves about the attack is what causes Hermione to kiss him, overjoyed that he finally considers them as beings worthy of protection; as it turns out, however, the usually overlooked creatures are not warned, but they play an important role in the final battle against Voldemort.

Also, Draco Malfoy choosing to stay at Hogwarts rather than leave with the other Slytherins will prove an important factor in the story. First, it is his friend, Crabbe, who - accidentally - destroys the Diadem Horcrux in the Room of Requirement. Then, when Harry revives after being struck by Voldemort's ineffective Killing Curse, it is Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother, who is called upon to verify if Harry is dead. Because Draco is still inside the castle, Narcissa knows that the only way she can enter it, without risking Draco's life in further fighting, is as part of a victorious army, and she lies to Voldemort, thus sparing Harry's life.

Chapter 32: The Elder Wand

[edit] Synopsis

Harry cannot permit himself to grieve Fred's death; the castle is under serious attack. As curses fly overhead, Harry, Ron, and Hermione dive to the floor while Percy covers Fred’s body with his own to protect it. Ron tries pulling Percy away, but he refuses to budge. Hermione screams, and turning, Harry sees a giant spider, one of Aragog's descendants, crawling through the hole blown through the castle's outer wall. Harry and Ron simultaneously blast the spider. Looking through the hole, Harry sees more spiders climbing up the wall and fires stunning spells at them. As more curses soar overhead, Harry shouts, "Let's move, NOW!" Pushing Hermione and Ron on ahead, Harry stoops to lift Fred's body. Percy releases his protective grip and helps him hide it in a wall niche. Harry takes off after Ron and Hermione down the corridor. People are running everywhere, and rounding the corner, Percy suddenly roars, "ROOKWOOD!" and takes off after a tall man chasing students. Hermione calls Harry behind a tapestry where she is trying to restrain a hysterical Ron, who wants to follow Percy and kill Death Eaters. Hermione pleads with Ron that they are the only ones who can end it; they must find and kill the snake.

Hermione says they need to know where Voldemort and Nagini are. Harry also wants to fight but allows himself to slip inside Voldemort’s mind where he sees a shabby, but familiar room. Voldemort is thinking about the Diadem and the place only he knows exists. A battered Lucius Malfoy is present, asking about Draco, but Voldemort tells him if his son is dead, it is Draco's own fault for failing to join him like the other Slytherins. Lucius urges him to cease the battle so the Dark Lord can be certain to kill Potter himself, but Voldemort ignores him, knowing it is only an attempt to protect Draco. Voldemort orders Lucius to fetch Snape, and as he waits, he speaks to Nagini, who is suspended in a protective floating sphere. Harry snaps back into his own thoughts and tells the others that Voldemort is in the Shrieking Shack. Hermione is astounded that Voldemort is not fighting, but Harry says Voldemort knows he is hunting his Horcruxes, and he is waiting for Harry to come to him.

After some disagreement over who should go to the Shrieking Shack and dodging Death Eater curses, the Trio throw on the Invisibility Cloak and weave their way through the battle. On the upper landing, they run past Draco Malfoy, who is pleading with a Death Eater that he is on their side; Harry stuns the Death Eater as Ron punches Draco in the face. Below, Fenrir Greyback, appearing to Harry as a blurry, four-legged gray animal as he rushes past, is about to bite Lavender Brown. Hermione's curse hurls him against the staircase. A crystal ball crashing onto his head knocks him out, and Professor Trelawney, leaning over the railing, threatens to lob more. The entryway doors burst open and the spiders force their way in. As all the fighters shoot curses at them, Hagrid charges down the stairs yelling, "Don't hurt 'em, don't hurt 'em!" As Hagrid runs outside and disappears into the spider throng, Harry dashes out from under the Cloak chasing after him. His path is blocked by a massive, hairy leg belonging to a twenty-foot Giant. When Grawp appears calling for Hagrid, the bigger giant launches itself at him, and the two furiously wrestle. Fighting is everywhere now and flashing curses streak through the air. The trio head to the forest, but at its edge, a hundred Dementors glide towards them. Hermione calls out to cast Patronuses. Harry is too overcome by hopelessness to cast one, while Ron and Hermione's Patronuses quickly flicker out. Suddenly, three other Patronuses soar past as Luna, Ernie, and Seamus come running from the darkness. Luna encourages Harry to think of something happy, and with enormous effort, Harry casts his Patronus. The silver stag bursts from his wand, scattering the Dementors. As another giant lurches towards them, Harry shouts to Ron and Hermione to head for the Shrieking Shack.

At the Whomping Willow, they crawl through the tunnel leading to the Shack. Inside, Snape is talking with Voldemort, offering to find the boy so Voldemort can kill him himself. Voldemort declines, saying he ordered his Death Eaters to capture him alive; but, he goes on, the Elder Wand fails to perform the extraordinary magic he thought was possible. Snape, nervous, again offers to find Harry Potter, but Voldemort says that he expects the boy to come to him. Continuing, Voldemort tells Snape that he has been a valuable servant and regrets what he must do. He believes that when Snape killed Dumbledore, Snape won the wand's allegiance. Unfortunately, Snape must die so he can become the Elder Wand's true master. With no remorse, Voldemort sets Nagini on Snape, ordering her to kill. When Voldemort and Nagini leave, Harry and the others rush to Snape's side. Silvery-blue wisps stream from his mouth, ears, and eyes. Snape, barely alive, tells Harry, "Take . . . it . . . Take . . . it." A crystal flask appears in mid air, and Hermione thrusts it into Harry's hands. Harry gathers the drifting strands with his wand, putting them into the container. Snape asks Harry to look at him, and staring into Harry's green eyes, Snape's life ebbs away.

[edit] Analysis

Two significant deaths have occurred: Fred Weasley and Severus Snape. While Fred's death is a tragic loss, Snape's demise is a crucial element leading to the book's climax. Snape, and also readers, may have expected that Voldemort would eventually kill him. It is still unknown, however, whether Snape was serving Voldemort or Dumbledore, or even neither. Just as Dumbledore had, Voldemort appears to believe that Snape was always loyal to him, and even still useful, but Voldemort's quest to become the Elder Wand's master takes precedence over everything else, and he willingly sacrifices Snape to obtain that mastery. Whether Snape was a hero or a villain, his final act is to hand over to Harry what appears to be his memories. These memories could be the key that unlocks the secrets to Dumbledore's cryptic plan. It may also be significant that Snape's final request is to look into Harry's eyes, a physical feature of his that others have continually commented about throughout the series.

Lucius Malfoy, who Voldemort severely punished for failing to capture Harry Potter, is deathly afraid for his son, Draco's life. This is probably one of the few times Lucius has ever demonstrated any real emotion for another person, and it shows that, unlike Voldemort, Lucius is capable of love and desperately wants to save his only child. However, although Voldemort shows no concern for Draco and previously endangered his life only as a means to punish Lucius for his failure at the Ministry of Magic, Lucius continues to serve the Dark Lord. At this point, while Lucius may still be hoping to win favor and reward, and will likely retain his evil ways should Voldemort win, he probably remains with the Dark Lord mostly out of fear for his own and his family's safety.

It is also of interest to note Hermione's changing views regarding the connection between Harry's mind and Voldemort's. At this book's beginning, Hermione was deeply dismayed by Harry occasionally viewing Voldemort's thoughts and action, as it was via that channel that Harry had been deluded into taking himself and five students into a trap at the Department of Mysteries earlier. Harry continually resisted attempts to shut down this channel, feeling that any information about Voldemort is valuable. Over the course of this book, we have seen Hermione gradually accepting the same point of view, but this is the first time she has actively asked Harry to visit Voldemort's mind. This would seem to indicate her accepting Harry's ability to control and filter what he sees inside Voldemort's mind.

An interesting side note here. The book describes Fenrir Greyback as a gray blur on four legs that Harry took to be an animal. This suggests that he could have been transformed into his werewolf form as he attempts to bite Lavender Brown. In that event, there would be a full moon, but there is no mention as to whether Remus Lupin, also a werewolf, has been similarly transformed. Lupin is seen as a human when he arrives at Hogwarts to help fight the battle, but it is possible it is still too early for the moon to rise. It may be that Greyback is simply acting wolf-like; as we have heard and seen, he does attack like a wolf even when in human form, as when he savaged Bill Weasley. However, being able to survive such a severe blow to the head from Trelawney's heavy crystal ball with almost no injuries could indicate that he was a werewolf at the time. While it is never made absolutely clear what form he is in, it is true that Harry, who has never seen Fenrir transformed, recognizes him. As the author is careful about having every character properly named before Harry recognizes him or her, this does lend some weight that Fenrir is in human form, although it is curious as to why she would describe him in a manner suggesting his gray werewolf form.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Does Voldemort know that the Diadem Horcrux has been destroyed? If not, why?
2. Why does Voldemort believe Snape is the Elder Wand's master? Is he? If not, who might be?

[edit] Further Study

1. Why does Hagrid try to protect the attacking giant spiders? Whose side are they on?
2. Why didn't Draco leave with the other Slytherin students who joined Voldemort? What, if any, might his true allegiance be?
3. Why is Voldemort so certain that Harry will come to him?
4. Why does Voldemort kill Snape, a valuable servant, to win the Elder Wand's allegiance, rather than disarm him for it? Did Voldemort always intend to kill Snape?
5. Why does Voldemort have Nagini kill Snape, rather than doing it himself with a killing curse?
6. Why does Lucius Malfoy continue serving Voldemort, despite the Dark Lord having endangered his and his son's life?
7. Why was Harry too overwhelmed with hopelessness to cast a Patronus at the Dementors? How did he overcome that?
8. What are the silvery strands that Snape gave to Harry? Where have they been seen before? Why would he want Harry to have them?
9. Why would Snape want to look into Harry's eyes just before he dies?

[edit] Greater Picture

In the next chapter, we discover why Snape asked Harry to look into his eyes as he died. Snape knows he is dying; he has already handed over to Harry the memories that will give Harry the explanation that Dumbledore charged Snape with providing. They also provide Snape's own justification for his actions. From those memories, we will learn that Lily Potter was the only love of Snape's life, and perhaps it is for her that Snape had been doing all he did for Harry, little as it may have seemed at the time. We have been told repeatedly that Harry has Lily's eyes, and, as he dies, Snape desires to look into those eyes one last time.

Chapter 33: The Prince's Tale

[edit] Synopsis

After witnessing Severus Snape's death, Harry hears Lord Voldemort's magically amplified voice, speaking to everyone at Hogwarts. He then speaks to Harry, giving him one hour to surrender and threatening to kill everyone if he fails to comply. Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts through the tunnel, and Ron and Hermione enter the Great Hall, where the defenders are regrouping and the many wounded and dead lie. Harry sees Fred, who died earlier, and discovers Lupin and Tonks among the casualties. Unable to bear the sight, Harry runs to the Headmaster's office, where all the portraits stand empty, and finds Dumbledore's Pensieve.

Harry pours Snape's memories into the Pensieve, and, hoping to briefly escape his own mind, enters the memories. He finds himself in a playground. A young, small boy, who Harry recognizes as Snape, is watching two girls, Lily and Petunia Evans, from behind a small bush. After Lily shows some strange tricks to her older sister, unaware she is performing magic, Snape emerges and informs Lily that she is a witch and derides Petunia as a Muggle. Insulted at being called a witch, Lily follows her indignant sister and goes away, leaving Snape bitterly disappointed. It is apparent he was planning this for a while and it all went wrong.

The scene dissolves and reforms into a new one. Snape is telling a curious Lily about Hogwarts and magic, including Azkaban and the Dementors. When Lily inquires about Snape's parents, he says that they are still arguing and that his father does not like anything much, revealing Snape's unhappy home life. When Petunia appears from behind a tree and insults Snape, a branch above breaks and falls on her. Accusing Snape of breaking the branch, Lily goes away, leaving him miserable and confused.

The scene reforms again into a different memory. Snape is standing on Platform Nine and Three Quarters next to a thin, sour looking woman who Harry recognizes as Snape's mother. Snape is staring at a family of four which happens to be Lily's family. Petunia and Lily are in a scuffle about Lily going away to Hogwarts. Petunia calls Lily a freak for being a witch, and Lily retorts that Petunia had not thought so when she wrote to the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, asking for admission to the school. An embarrassed Petunia realizes that Lily and Snape had read her letter and insults them, and they leave on bad terms.

The scene reforms once more and Snape is hurrying along a Hogwarts Express corridor. He finds a compartment with Lily and two boys. He tries to speak with her but she is upset over her sister's hurtful words. Snape begins to say that she is only a Muggle but catches himself. He grandly announces they are setting off for Hogwarts and mentions that she had better be in Slytherin. One of the boys, the young James Potter, makes a scornful remark to his friend, Sirius Black that he would rather leave than be in Slytherin, and would prefer to be in Gryffindor. Sirius points out that all of his family have been in Slytherin. Snape gets into a little battle of words with both Sirius and James, until an indignant Lily asks Snape to follow her to different compartment.

And the scene dissolves again into the Great Hall at Hogwarts during the House sorting ceremony. Professor McGonagall calls Lily's name, and she is sorted into Gryffindor, much to Snape's dismay. Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter are also sorted into Gryffindor, joining Sirius Black. Finally, Snape is called and is sorted into Slytherin. He walks to the Slytherin table where he receives a pat on the back from a Prefect, Lucius Malfoy.

The scene changes to Lily and Snape walking across the courtyard, arguing. Snape wonders what has happened to their close friendship. Lily says they are still friends, even though she detests who Snape hangs out with, naming Avery and Mulciber specifically. Snape counters by reminding her of the trouble James and his friends get into and hints that Lupin is a werewolf. In the end, the fight is resolved when Snape is satisfied with Lily's criticism of James as an "arrogant toerag."

The scene switches for the sixth time and is the same memory Harry saw before when he peeked into Snape's Pensieve during their Occlumency lessons. Harry keeps his distance somewhat, not caring to witness this memory again. It ends when he hears the distant shout of "Mudblood" by Snape at Lily.

The scene changes to night time in front of the Gryffindor Tower. Snape is feeling very remorseful for calling Lily a Mudblood and had threatened to sleep outside the entrance had she not come to see him. Despite his deep, desperate apologies, the angry Lily is fed up with Snape and will not forgive him, and goes on to talk down to him for having friends with Death Eater ambitions. She leaves him and the scene dissolves.

The scene takes longer to reform and now becomes a hilltop in the darkness with a few leafless trees nearby. The adult Snape is panting and pacing on the spot and appears to be waiting for something. A blinding jet of white light flies through the air and Snape, disarmed, drops to his knees. Dumbledore stands before Snape and asks what message he has brought from Lord Voldemort. Snape replies with not a message, but a request from himself. He admits to Dumbledore he relayed everything he heard about the prophecy from Trelawney to Voldemort and that Voldemort believes the chosen child to be Lily's son. He reveals that Voldemort plans to hunt down and kill the entire family. Dumbledore is disgusted that Snape has asked Voldemort to spare only Lily's life without regard for her husband and son. Ashamed at being rebuked, Snape then pleads with Dumbledore to hide the entire family. Surprising Snape, Dumbledore asks him what he will give in return. After a long moment, Snape replies, "Anything."

The scene switches to Dumbledore's office. Snape, clearly grief-stricken, is slumped forward in a chair with a grim-looking Dumbledore standing over him. Snape asks Dumbledore why he failed to keep Lily and her family safe. Dumbledore replies that they put their faith in the wrong person, much as Snape had in trusting Voldemort to spare Lily's life. He also reveals to Snape that her son, Harry, survived. Snape states that he wishes he were dead with Lily, and Dumbledore tells him that if he truly loved Lily, he will help Dumbledore protect Harry when Voldemort returns. Snape reluctantly agrees. He makes Dumbledore give his word to never tell anyone that he is protecting James Potter's son, ever.

The scene shifts again and Snape is pacing up and down in front of Dumbledore, criticizing Harry and describing him as being like James. Dumbledore, however, replies that other teachers report him to be a likable and reasonably talented boy. Thumbing through his Transfiguration magazine, he asks Snape to keep an eye on Professor Quirrell.

With a whirl of color everything changes again and Snape and Dumbledore are now standing in the entrance hall as the Yule Ball is ending. Snape tells Dumbledore that Karkaroff's Mark is becoming darker as well and that he plans on fleeing if the Mark burns. When Dumbledore asks if Snape is tempted to do the same, Snape denies it and says he is not a coward. Dumbledore then remarks that he thinks students are Sorted too soon, leaving Snape shocked.

The scene dissolves for the twelfth time and reforms into the headmaster's office again. Dumbledore is semiconscious, his right hand blackened and dangling over the side of the desk. Snape is muttering incantations and pouring a golden liquid down Dumbledore's throat. When Dumbledore regains consciousness, Snape asks why Dumbledore even tried on the ring. Dumbledore says he was a fool. Marvolo Gaunt's ring lay on the desk, cracked, with the Sword of Gryffindor next to it. Snape says it is a miracle he got here and that the curse is extraordinary powerful. Snape believes Dumbledore may only have a year to live since all he can do is contain the curse, not stop it. Dumbledore replies that this makes things much easier to decide and begins discussing Voldemort's plan involving Draco Malfoy killing Dumbledore. Snape says it is only to punish the Malfoys and that Draco is expected to fail. Dumbledore correctly guesses that when Malfoy fails, Voldemort wants Snape to finish Dumbledore off, saying that Voldemort feels he will soon not need a spy at Hogwarts anymore, as it will be under his control. Dumbledore makes Snape promise to watch over the students in that event, and to be the one to kill him (Dumbledore). Snape questions this and Dumbledore says it would be helping an old man die. He would rather die on his own terms at the hands of Snape than foes like Death Eaters Bellatrix and Fenrir Greyback. Snape reluctantly agrees and the scene ends.

In the next scene, Snape and Dumbledore are strolling through the castle grounds at night. Snape asks what Dumbledore has been doing with Harry all these evenings alone, and Dumbledore replies that he has information he must give to Harry before it is too late. Snape challenges Dumbledore as to why he is not entrusted with the same information, to which Dumbledore replies that he does not like to keep all his secrets in one basket. They get into a row about Snape having to be a double agent on Dumbledore's orders and that Harry is no more trustworthy than Snape. Dumbledore begins to go on with his plan to Snape, however, Snape is angry that Dumbledore refuses to tell him what he has told Harry and threatens that he has changed his mind about killing Dumbledore. Dumbledore reminds him that he gave him his word and that he is also to keep an eye on Draco. Snape looks unsatisfied so Dumbledore invites him to his office that night.

The scene shifts to Dumbledore's office, and he is walking around Snape. Dumbledore tells Snape that Harry must not know what he has to do until the final moment, and that after Dumbledore's death, there will come a time when Voldemort fears for Nagini's life. He instructs Snape that, if there is ever a time when Voldemort refuses to let Nagini out of his sight and keeps her magically protected, Snape must tell Harry at that time. As Snape does not know what to tell Harry, Dumbledore says that Harry is a seventh Horcrux, inadvertently created by Voldemort, and that Harry must die in order for Voldemort to be killed. Snape feels tricked, upset that Dumbledore made him protect Lily's son only to have him die. Dumbledore asks if Snape has grown to care for Harry after all, but Snape spurns that possibility and casts his Patronus, a silver-white doe. Dumbledore, with tears in his eyes, asks Snape, "After all these years?", to which Snape says, "Always."

The scene switches to Snape talking to Dumbledore's portrait behind his desk. Dumbledore tells Snape that he must give Voldemort the correct date of Harry's departure if Voldemort is to trust Snape. Snape is also to suggest the Potter decoys using Polyjuice potion to Mundungus so that Harry is indeed safe.

The scene shifts to Snape face-to-face with Mundungus in a tavern. Snape is confunding him so that he will suggest the idea of multiple Potters, and forget that he had seen Snape or gotten the idea from him.

The scene shifts yet again, to Snape gliding on a broomstick at night. Up ahead are Lupin and George, disguised as Harry. Snape casts Sectumsempra at a Death Eater to prevent him from Cursing Lupin, but the spell misses and hits George instead.

The scene shifts again and Snape is in Sirius's old room. Tears flow down his face as he reads the old letter Lily sent to Sirius. He takes the second page with Lily's signature, and tears our her image from the picture of her and Harry with his broom, and leaves.

The scene shifts again and Snape is in the headmaster's office talking to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. Phineas tells Snape that Hermione and Harry are in the Forest of Dean, and Dumbledore's portrait appears happy. Dumbledore tells Snape to plant the sword of Gryffindor there, and that he must not be seen. Snape coolly says he has a plan, removes the real sword from behind Dumbledore's portrait, and leaves the room.

Harry returns to himself, lying on the carpet in the same room he just saw Snape leaving.

[edit] Analysis

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Petunia Dursley says, "I heard – that awful boy – telling her about them – years ago." "Her" is of course Lily, her sister, and "them" refers to the Dementors, who Petunia has just identified as the guards of Azkaban. It is interesting to note that "that awful boy" was actually Severus Snape; knowing Petunia, we expected this to refer to James Potter.

Our viewing Snape's memories shows readers something else unexpected. Previously, Harry had seen the memory after the Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. test in a chapter called "Snape's Worst Memory". Considering the extreme humiliation Snape suffers at James Potter's hands, one would believe that sufficient reason for it being his "worst memory". However, knowing Snape's strong feelings for Lily, the memory acquires a different meaning: it is the worst because one word in it had ended his friendship with Lily Evans, and she would later marry James and give birth to Harry.

While the reason is never explicitly given, it is clear that when Dumbledore, watching the students return from the Yule Ball, remarks that perhaps the students are Sorted too soon, Snape is shocked at the thought that his true place at Hogwarts as a boy, and his entire later life, could have been different had the Sorting been delayed until he was more aware of his own desires.

The conversation between Snape and Dumbledore on the castle grounds, appearing as Snape's fourteenth memory, is one of which bits have been heard before. Apparently this discussion took place the previous year, just before Ron's rather disastrous birthday. It was partially overheard by Hagrid, who, with his usual inability to keep a secret, passed on the bits he overheard to Harry and Hermione.

The following conversation, in Dumbledore's office, contains one element which should be instantly clear but is never explained. Explaining the reason for his actions, Snape summons his Patronus, which proves to be a silver doe, the same silver doe we had seen earlier which led Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor in the Forest of Dean. Dumbledore, knowing that life circumstances can change the shape of a wizard's Patronus, immediately recognizes the connection to Lily Potter. We never find out what Lily's Patronus was, though as Harry's father, James, had such powerful associations with the stag, taking that Animagus form, it is possible that Lily's Patronus, following form, was a doe. This is not necessarily true, however; it is equally possible that, no matter what Lily's Patronus was, Snape perceived her as a doe, mated to the stag that was James, and his Patronus reflected that perception. Dumbledore's question, "After all these years?", is asking if Snape had been protecting Harry out of his love for Lily for all these years.

Snape's love for Lily never faded throughout the years, and, unknown to Harry, that love caused Snape to always protect him. Snape's seeming malice towards Harry actually resulted from Snape's lingering hate and resentment towards James Potter; Harry was merely an unfortunate reminder. As Snape was about to die, he asked to gaze into Harry's eyes, presumably because they looked just like Lily's, a fact Harry has been repeatedly reminded of.

It is interesting to note that the only thing Dumbledore required Snape to do was, when Voldemort started protecting Nagini, keeping her at his side, that he should then tell Harry about Voldemort's Horcrux that he carried within himself, and that he needed to die in order to destroy that soul fragment. There was no need, according to his promise to Dumbledore, for Snape to provide Harry with all these other memories. Could Snape have been attempting to justify his past actions, to exonerate himself to Harry?

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. How was Harry able to get into the Headmaster's office, which needs a password to enter?
2. Based on what he has just learned, what might Harry do next?

[edit] Extra Study

1. How will Harry, who distrusted and hated Snape, cope with the reality that Snape was loyal to Dumbledore and had protected Harry, always at great peril to himself?
2. Is it possible that Lily could have ever felt more than friendship for Snape? Could she have felt more for Snape than for James?
3. Why and how did Lily, who initially despised James Potter, fall in love with him?
4. Why did Dumbledore call Harry's mother "Lily Evans" rather than "Lily Potter" when trying to convince Snape to switch sides? This is after Lily had married James Potter and shortly before Harry is born.
5. Now that Harry knows the reason for Aunt Petunia's bitterness and resentment towards him, is it likely to change their relationship? Explain.

[edit] Greater Picture

It is interesting to note that of everyone around him, Dumbledore most often confided in Snape, whereas up until this chapter, Minerva McGonagall had always appeared to be his closest confidante. Before, Snape always seemed on the periphery and his true allegiance questionable. Now it is revealed that Dumbledore and Snape enjoyed a close relationship forged by a common quest. When others asked why he trusted Snape, Dumbledore always alluded to a nebulous event, but never elaborated. Now, not only do we see what he was referring to, Snape's unrequited love for Lily, but also why Dumbledore refused to identify it: Snape extracted that promise from him. Finally, we understand why Dumbledore trusted Snape implicitly, and vice versa, and our, and Harry's, faith in Dumbledore is reaffirmed.

Chapter 34: The Forest Again

[edit] Synopsis

Sprawled on the Headmaster's office floor, Harry now understands his own destiny. Under his Invisibility Cloak, he proceeds to the Entrance Hall, almost bumping into Neville, who is returning from the grounds with Oliver Wood. They are carrying Colin Creevey's body into the castle. Oliver says he can handle this on his own, and Neville returns to the grounds to search for more casualties. Harry follows and reveals himself to Neville. Harry tells Neville that Nagini must be killed to defeat Voldemort. He says that Ron and Hermione also know, but if for some reason they are unable to, then Neville must kill Nagini. Neville says he will, and Harry puts the cloak back on and proceeds to the Forbidden Forest. Noticing Ginny helping a fallen girl along the way, he is tempted to stop and speak with her, but knowing it would be impossible for him to continue if he did, he goes on, past Hagrid's hut and to the Forest.

Harry's path is blocked by Dementors gliding around the forest's edge, and he lacks the strength to conjure another Patronus. Harry pulls the Snitch from his pouch. Remembering its inscription, "I open at the close," he realizes it refers to death. Pressing the Snitch to his lips, he whispers, "I am about to die." The Snitch breaks open and reveals the Peverell ring, which Harry now knows holds the cracked Resurrection Stone. Closing his eyes, he turns the stone three times, then opens his eyes. The shades of James, Lily, Lupin, and Sirius appear. All seem ghostly but are more solid-looking than just spirits. Lupin and Sirius both appear younger and each looks happy. His mother and father speak to Harry, telling him how proud they are of him and offer comfort as he prepares to die. Harry asks if dying hurts, but Sirius says it is painless and easier than falling asleep. Harry tells Remus that he is sorry that he will not know his son. Remus regrets he is unable to be there for him, but is glad Teddy will grow up in a better world that his death helped to make possible. The spirits promise to stay with Harry and protect him as he passes through the Dementors, acting as Patronuses. Harry is able to force himself to go on only because the spirits are there with him.

Harry makes his way through the thick, tangled woods, unaware of where he is heading; something appears to be guiding him. The spirits remain close to his side. As he nears Voldemort's camp, Yaxley and Dolohov think they hear something, although they believe it is probably only an animal. The one hour is nearly up, and it appears that Harry Potter will not come. Still cloaked, Harry follows them into a clearing where he sees two Giants and Voldemort's Death Eaters, including Bellatrix. Fenrir Greyback is skulking nearby, while Lucius Malfoy and his wife, Narcissa are also there, both looking defeated and apprehensive. Harry recognizes the camp site as Aragog's old dwelling, his descendants having been forced out by Death Eaters to fight for their cause.

"I thought he would come," Voldemort said, "I expected him to come." None spoke. Outside the ring of firelight, Harry pulls off the Cloak and tucks it, beside his wand, under his robes. The Resurrection Stone slips from his fingers, and the spirits vanish. Voldemort speaks again. "I was, it seems... mistaken."

Harry loudly replies, "You weren't."

Another voice yells, "HARRY! WHAT ARE YEH-!" It is Hagrid, tightly bound to a tree nearby. Rowle silences him.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort said, "the boy who lived." As Harry's final thoughts turn to Ginny, Voldemort casts the Killing Curse at him.

[edit] Analysis

Snape's memories have answered many questions, and the truth is not what Harry or the reader expected. It seems that Harry's doubts and fears about Dumbledore were not only justified, but Dumbledore had carefully been protecting him all these years only as part of his ultimate plan to sacrifice Harry to rid the wizarding world of Voldemort. Surprisingly, Harry accepts this, and he willingly goes to face Voldemort and fulfill his fate in order to save others. Snape is also vindicated, and his heroism and sacrifice are finally revealed. If Harry survives, he will eventually have to reconcile his long-held hatred for his belligerent teacher with new-found gratitude to the tragic man who protected him and aided his quest, losing his own life in the process.

The one bright spot for Harry is that he has finally attained his dream to be reunited with his parents, although, unlike the brother in the tale, he realizes that the boundary between the living and the dead can be crossed permanently only in one direction. By accepting this final piece of understanding, Harry becomes death's master. However, he feels justified summoning James and Lily's spirits only so they can escort him to the netherworld, not to attempt to resurrect them. Meeting his parents and hearing their words completes his emotional need for their love and approval. They also provide comfort and guidance as he is about to meet his own death.

In this chapter, we also see several indications of how deep Harry's love is for Ginny. First, as Harry is leaving Hogwarts, he spots Ginny, and of all the people Harry longs to bid goodbye to, it is his inability to speak to Ginny that hurts most, fearing he will be unable to continue if he stops. Also, and perhaps most telling, is that as Harry faces his death, it is the memory of Ginny's kiss that comes to him, rather than any recollection of his parents, or even Cho Chang, showing that of those in Harry's life, it is Ginny who had provided the most comfort. On Ginny's part, as Harry passes her on the way to the forest, he believes that Ginny sensed him passing, despite his being covered by the Invisibility Cloak. While he cannot know this for certain, as he does not look back, this indicates his trust in Ginny's love for him.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Unlike the brother in the Deathly Hallows tale, why does Harry feels he is justified in summoning his parents' spirits?
2. What does, "I open at the close" mean? Why does Harry only now understand its meaning?

[edit] Further Study

1. When Harry summons the spirits of his parents, Sirius, and Lupin, why doesn't he also call for Cedric Diggory, "Mad Eye" Moody, Dumbledore, or Fred Weasley?
2. Why does Harry drop the Resurrection Stone just as he confronts Voldemort?
3. Was Dumbledore justified in protecting Harry only so his life will be sacrificed to defeat Voldemort? Why does Harry so readily accept his fate?

[edit] Greater Picture

We will very shortly learn that Harry's death, as we could guess from the fact that two large chapters remain in the book, does not actually occur at this juncture. A great deal of explanation of what has happened, and final understanding of Dumbledore's plan and intent, will be provided to us in the next chapter.

Harry's dropping the Resurrection Stone, rather than being unplanned, is actually a conscious decision on his part. The Stone, now somewhere underfoot in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, is unlikely to ever be found again. Harry, it develops, feels correctly that the ability to summon the shades of the dead is something that does not belong in this world.

Chapter 35: King's Cross

[edit] Synopsis

Harry finds himself alone and naked in an otherworldly place. Hearing noise, he wishes for and receives clothing, then notices a hideous, child-like creature, nude and with flayed-looking skin, curled up on the ground. Dumbledore appears and lovingly greets Harry. He explains that when Voldemort took some of Harry's blood as his own, he thereby tethered his life to Harry's; Harry cannot die while Voldemort lives. Because he willingly sacrificed himself, Harry also is protecting his friends, shielding them during the duels with Voldemort, just as Lily had protected Harry by sacrificing herself. Moreover, rather than killing Harry, Voldemort's curse destroyed the seventh Horcrux within Harry's body.

Dumbledore also guesses that the reason the two brother wands interacted as they did during Harry's escape from Privet Drive is that after Harry and Voldemort's blood was joined, their wands, already connected by identical magical cores, and now wielded by wizards who shared not only pieces of their souls but also their blood, merged even closer. Furthermore, during Harry and Voldemort's duel, Harry was the stronger; Voldemort feared death, while Harry embraced the possibility. Harry's wand thus imbibed some powers from Voldemort's, making it more powerful than Lucius Malfoy's wand. That wand, even when wielded by Voldemort, was easily overpowered by Harry's. But why then, Harry asks, was Hermione's wand able to break his? Dumbledore speculates that Harry's wand was abnormally powerful only when it was directed against Voldemort, who it sensed was Harry's mortal enemy, as well as being his blood kin.

Harry asks where they are, although he himself suggests it resembles a deserted King's Cross station. He then addresses more important issues: the Hallows. Dumbledore asks Harry's forgiveness for withholding information about the Deathly Hallows. Dumbledore says he was obsessed with the Hallows in his youth, eager to escape death, and equally eager to shine and attain glory, while Aberforth looked on in disgust. That is why he resented having to care for his mother and sister, and the reason he was so happy to befriend Gellert Grindelwald. The two young wizards bonded over their mutual search for the Deathly Hallows. An undefeatable wand would surely help them rise to power in the wizarding world. Dumbledore wanted the Resurrection Stone to reunite his family, but Grindelwald saw it as a means to procure an Inferi army. And while neither had much interest in the Invisibility Cloak, as both were proficient in disillusionment, Dumbledore thought it could be used to hide Ariana.

Their friendship was short-lived, however, and the two got into a fight, along with Aberforth, over Dumbledore's family. Somehow, a curse went astray and fatally hit Ariana. Grindelwald fled and started on his rampage, but Dumbledore delayed dueling him, fearing he might learn who actually killed Ariana. Eventually, and after much bloodshed and desperate pleas from the wizarding world, he felt obliged to confront his former friend and defeated him - thereby winning the Elder Wand. Dumbledore learned that Grindelwald lied to Voldemort when he said he never owned the Elder Wand, perhaps trying to protect Dumbledore in a belated remorseful act. Finally, when Dumbledore retrieved the Peverell Ring, knowing it was a Horcrux, and discovered that it was in fact the Resurrection Stone, he gave in to temptation and put the ring on. He says that he was hoping to once again see his mother and his sister. But putting it on his finger triggered a curse that was to claim his life within a year.

By withholding this information about the Hallows, Dumbledore hoped it would take Harry longer to find them, thus giving him more time to understand their true nature and avoid the temptation for greed and power that he had felt. Death's true master, he says, is the one who does not seek to run away from it.

Finally, Dumbledore tells Harry that he has a choice: if he chooses, he can head to a platform, and he would likely find a train that would take him onwards, or he can return to the living world for a chance to finish Voldemort. Harry chooses to return, but he first asks Dumbledore if their conversation has been real or is it only in his mind. Dumbledore responds, "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?"

[edit] Analysis

In this chapter, more questions are answered. The creature on King's Cross' floor may have been Voldemort's soul shard inside Harry's scar; Dumbledore tells Harry that his soul is now wholly his own. According to the author, however, it was the remaining soul portion left within Voldemort's body. Recall that Voldemort himself was knocked out by the Killing Curse he cast on Harry; as it thrust Harry's spirit into the void that Harry made into King's Cross, Voldemort's soul was dragged along by the bond between them.

We now have two viewpoints regarding what happened the night Dumbledore retrieved the Ring Horcrux. Snape, of course, was absent when the ring was retrieved, so his memories would only reveal the aftermath, as we have seen. And Dumbledore seems reticent to explain exactly why he put the ring on. The Horcrux in the ring was likely aware that anyone putting the ring on would be cursed, and would, like any other Horcrux, be fighting for its survival. Earlier, the Locket Horcrux fought for its existence by attempting to strangle Harry and then preying upon Ron's hopes and fears; would the ring Horcrux have done any less? Dumbledore's desire was likely the same as Harry's: to be reunited with his family. Recognizing the Horcrux as the Resurrection Stone, would he not have been tempted to use the Stone to see them again? And would not the Horcrux, sensing this, entice him to put the ring on his finger, knowing that this should have killed Dumbledore before he could destroy the Horcrux?

Dumbledore said that Ariana's death was accidental. The question that has haunted Dumbledore all his life, and likely that has also been troubling Aberforth, was whose curse killed her. If it was Grindelwald, then presumably Aberforth would have sought revenge, and tried to kill him, although it is likely he would have been killed in the attempt. If it was Albus, then Aberforth would never have forgiven him, which is actually the state of affairs at the time of Albus' death. If it was Aberforth, then neither Aberforth nor Albus would be able to forgive himself. That none knew for certain left the situation clouded, and prevented Albus and Aberforth from reaching closure and moving on with their lives, following Ariana's death. Grindelwald, being considerably less caring, simply saw this as another case where he might be blamed, and took his usual course, running away.

Harry tells Dumbledore that Grindelwald lied to Voldemort, claiming that he never possessed the Elder Wand, perhaps in a belated effort to protect Dumbledore. Dumbledore believes Grindelwald may have felt remorse in his later years. It would seem his last act on Earth was an attempt to save the world from the likes of himself. He lied to Voldemort, although it was futile. Through reading his mind, or just through common sense, Voldemort determined that the Elder Wand was in Dumbledore's possession before his death, and correctly guesses that it had been entombed with him at Hogwarts. Harry realizes that the plan was to make Snape the future master of the Elder Wand, but Dumbledore comments that the plan did not work as intended.

Dumbledore, forever shamed by his delay to fight Grindelwald, chose to remain at Hogwarts, declining more prestigious appointments, solely to avoid succumbing again to power's seductive allure. It is difficult to imagine that Dumbledore, a brave and formidable wizard, could have ever feared anything or would leave others in peril. However, he ignored the Wizarding world's desperate pleas for help and avoided confronting Grindelwald for as long as he could because he dreaded learning that it may have been his own stray curse that accidentally killed his sister, Ariana. It is only after much bloodshed during Grindelwald's five-year rampage that Dumbledore finally relented and mustered the courage to face his former friend in a fierce duel. Dumbledore's delay seems incomprehensible, but he understood that truth can be a person's most fearsome and crippling enemy.

Harry now realizes that Dumbledore did indeed always love him, and Harry's faith and trust in him have been restored.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why did Dumbledore wait to fight Grindelwald? What finally prompted him to do so?
2. Who does Dumbledore say is Death's true master? Why?
3. Was Voldemort ever the true master of the Elder Wand? Why?
4. What might the creature curled up on the floor be? Why does Dumbledore say it cannot be helped?

[edit] Further Study

1. Where does Harry awaken, and what might J.K. Rowling intend for this place to represent?
2. If the scene with Dumbledore took place in Harry's mind, how does Dumbledore know so much that Harry did not?
3. What does Dumbledore mean when he tells Harry, "This is, as they say, your party."
4. Dumbledore admits that his plan regarding the Elder Wand did not work out as he intended. Exactly what was his plan, and what would have happened if it had unfolded as he expected?
5. Should Dumbledore have withheld information from Harry about the Deathly Hallows or told him more about them?
6. Why was Dumbledore afraid that Harry might be tempted by the Deathly Hallows? Was Dumbledore justified in thinking this?
7. Even though Dumbledore possessed the Resurrection Stone, was he ever Death's true master? Explain.
8. How was Dumbledore able to beat Grindelwald, even though Grindelwald mastered the "undefeatable" Elder Wand?
9. Dumbledore waited five years to duel Grindelwald. Does this long wait make him partially responsible for the deaths of Grindelwald's many victims? Explain.
10. Why did it fall upon Dumbledore to combat Grindelwald?
11. Even though Dumbledore assures Harry that he (Harry) is not dead, why is Harry given a choice to "move on" to the next world or return to the living? What does Harry choose and why?

[edit] Greater Picture

At last, the victorious look in Dumbledore's eye when he heard that Voldemort had used Harry's blood to create his new body is explained: through the conversation in this chapter, it is clear that Dumbledore realized that this would help Harry more than it would help Voldemort. As Harry had been protected by his mother's blood, so now would he be protected by his own blood, now running in Voldemort's veins. Dumbledore also knew that by using Harry's blood to re-animate himself, Voldemort had ensured that Harry's death would be impossible as long as this incarnation of Voldemort lived.

Regarding Harry's statement that Snape was meant to be the Elder Wand's master, Dumbledore admits that that had not worked out as planned. Harry sees this, but we do not as yet; in the next chapter, it will be learned that the Elder Wand had not allied itself with Snape, and Snape's death, in turn, has not given Voldemort control over it. And though Harry confirmed this thought with Mr. Ollivander, he is still at least a little unsure of himself. Dumbledore may have made the same misstep as Voldemort: despite having the evidence, in the form of the still-living (until Voldemort murdered them) Gregorovitch and Grindelwald, Voldemort mistakenly believed that the Elder Wand would fully align itself only with the wizard who kills its previous Master, rather than the wizard who forcibly removes the wand from its previous owner's possession. Ollivander was quite emphatic that murder is unnecessary, though with the Elder Wand, that trail does seem to have followed it. As the wand's allegiance was forcibly removed from Dumbledore's possession by Draco Malfoy, even though Dumbledore retained physical custody of it, Harry believes that it allied itself with Draco. It is uncertain whether Dumbledore shares this belief, but his admission that Snape does not currently master the Elder Wand would lead us to believe that Snape's death has given him a little extra understanding. The question remains whether the Elder Wand had aligned itself with Harry once it became "aware" (if a wand can be said to be aware) that Harry disarmed Draco, and was, in fact, using Draco's own wand, the one which had disarmed Dumbledore.

Not only did Dumbledore's plan for Snape to obtain the Elder Wand ultimately fail, but it seems rather risky from the start. As mentioned above, Dumbledore should have known that capturing the wand from its owner resulted in it switching its allegiance, as he certainly fully controlled the Elder Wand, as Grindelwald had had before him, when both Gregorovitch and Grindelwald were still alive – a point that Voldemort missed, not once but twice. Even though Voldemort came to possess the wand, he never commanded it. As it was known that Snape killed Dumbledore, there was a high probability that Voldemort would eventually deduce that Snape was the Elder Wand's master, and he would therefore target and kill Snape to transfer its ownership to him. That is exactly what happened, although, fortunately, and unknown to Voldemort, Snape was never the Elder Wand's master. As Dumbledore had a pre-arranged plan with Snape to kill him, it may be that he intended for Snape alone to witness his death, thus forcibly claiming, and secretly wielding the Elder Wand. Likewise, just as Dumbledore never foresaw that Draco Malfoy would disarm him and unknowingly control the wand (although he did not possess it), he may also have failed to anticipate that circumstances would force Snape to return to Voldemort when he did, placing him in a dangerously close proximity to the Dark Lord. If Dumbledore's scheme had worked as he intended, the outcome of the story would depend on whether Snape had chosen to entomb the Elder Wand with Dumbledore, or carry it himself. Entombed with Dumbledore, the wand would have remained Snape's even while Voldemort was carrying it; Snape's death would not have aligned the wand with Voldemort, as Voldemort would not have forcefully removed the wand from its previous owner, Snape. However, equally the wand would not have aligned itself with Harry, as Harry would never have had the chance to wrest it from Snape. If Snape had retained the wand, Voldemort would have had one additional step to retrieve it, and it is possible that Snape would have simply given the wand to Voldemort. In that case, again as the wand was not wrested from Snape, it would remain his, and thus somewhat ineffectual in Voldemort's hands. Only if Snape had resisted turning over the wand, and Voldemort had seized it by force, would the wand owe allegiance to Voldemort, and in that case, Harry likely would have had a much more painful time of things.

It should also be noted that if Draco had killed Dumbledore as he had been under orders to do (in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), then Voldemort would have murdered Draco to try and win the wand, although, unknown to anyone, Draco had since lost its allegiance to Harry when Harry disarmed him at Malfoy Manor.

It is worth mentioning, perhaps, that in discussing the interaction between the two wands, Dumbledore specifically refers to the wand that Voldemort was carrying as "Malfoy's poor stick". While we know, having been present through the author's eyes at the meeting in Chapter 1, that Voldemort was carrying Lucius Malfoy's wand, Harry does not know it. While there are several other points that would be known only to Dumbledore in this chapter, regarding his own family life and his friendship with Grindelwald, there is no clear path by which this knowledge could have reached Dumbledore, except possibly through Snape talking with Dumbledore's portrait. This one point does cause a certain amount of speculation about death and afterlife, as perhaps it is meant to.

Chapter 36: The Flaw in the Plan

[edit] Synopsis

Returning to the living world, Harry lies limp, pretending to be dead. Hearing the Death Eaters surrounding Voldemort, he deduces that Voldemort also was knocked unconscious. Voldemort revives and orders Narcissa Malfoy to confirm that Harry is dead. Feeling a heartbeat, she softly asks if Draco is alive. Harry whispers, "Yes"; Narcissa, knowing she can only enter the castle with the conquering Death Eaters, lies and pronounces Harry dead. To "prove" that Harry is indeed a corpse, Voldemort uses the Cruciatus curse to toss his body around in the air, although Harry feels no pain. Voldemort forces the weeping Hagrid to carry Harry as the entire group leaves the dark Forest. Hagrid accuses the nearby Centaurs of sitting idly by and letting evil win.

Voldemort calls out the fighters from Hogwarts to see their fallen hero. The Dark Lord announces that Hogwarts will be united under a single house, Slytherin. He entices Neville, a pureblood, to join him. Neville refuses and charges, only to be caught in a Full-body bind. Voldemort summons the Sorting Hat from the Headmaster's office and places it on Neville's head, setting it afire.

Several things happen simultaneously. The families of students sent home have arrived, howling war cries as they climb the outer walls. The Centaurs, ending their neutrality, charge the Death Eaters. Grawp reappears around the corner, headed for Hagrid. Neville frees himself from the body-bind curse, and drawing the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, hacks off Nagini's head, destroying the final Horcrux. Harry leaps up and places his Invisibility Cloak over himself, then casts a Shield Charm between Voldemort and Neville.

As the battle erupts again, the Death Eaters, retreating from the new threat from behind that now includes Thestrals and Buckbeak, enter the castle. Harry, under the Cloak, heads for the Entrance Hall, searching for Voldemort. Inside, House elves, led by Kreacher, are hacking the Death Eaters' ankles with kitchen knives. Voldemort is simultaneously dueling McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley. Bellatrix is likewise fighting Hermione, Ginny, and Luna. When Bellatrix barely misses Ginny with a curse, an enraged Molly Weasley pushes the three girls aside and challenges Bellatrix directly. As they fiercely duel, Molly proclaims that another Weasley will never be harmed and casts a powerful curse directly to Bellatrix's chest, killing her. Voldemort's fury over losing his most devoted follower blasts McGonagall, Kingsley, and Slughorn backwards. As Voldemort turns to Molly, Harry casts a shield charm between them. When Voldemort looks around to see who conjured it, Harry pulls off his Invisibility Cloak, revealing himself to the audibly stunned crowd.

Harry warns everyone to stay back - the battle is between him and Voldemort now. They circle each other warily. Voldemort claims that Harry continually survives by hiding behind better wizards who sacrifice themselves for him. Harry urges Voldemort, who he boldly addresses as Tom Riddle, to feel remorse for his evil deeds. He then tells him that Dumbledore outsmarted him, planning his own death, and that Snape was never the Elder Wand's rightful owner. The true master was Draco Malfoy, who unknowingly won the wand's allegiance when he disarmed Dumbledore, just before Snape killed him on the Astronomy Tower. When Harry overpowered Draco at Malfoy Manor and took his wand, the Elder Wand gave its allegiance to him; Harry reminds Voldemort that "The wand chooses the wizard". Also, Harry tells him, because he willingly sacrificed himself to Voldemort, the same magic that Lily Potter's death protected him with, now protects the fighters.

Voldemort casts Avada Kedavra as Harry simultaneously conjures Expelliarmus. But Voldemort's killing curse backfires, reflected by Harry's blood protection and the Elder Wand's allegiance to him, while Harry's disarming charm wrenches the Elder Wand from Voldemort's hand to his. With all his Horcruxes destroyed, Voldemort dies instantly.

A joyous victory celebration erupts in the Great Hall, but there is also tremendous sorrow for those killed in battle, including Lupin, Tonks, Fred Weasley, and Colin Creevey. Craving solitude, Harry slips away with Ron and Hermione and tells them everything that transpired after he left them. They go to the Headmaster's chamber where they are met with roaring applause from the portraits. Harry tells Dumbledore's portrait that he will never search for the dropped Resurrection Stone in the Forbidden Forest. He will keep the Invisibility Cloak as a family heirloom, and the Elder Wand will be secretly returned to Dumbledore's tomb in hopes that the wand's power will eventually die with Harry. Dumbledore nods his approval. Before returning the Elder Wand to the tomb, Harry uses it to repair his own broken wand.

Although Ron is disappointed that the Elder Wand is being returned to Dumbledore's tomb, Harry prefers his old wand's familiarity. He concludes that the Elder Wand would be more trouble than it is worth, and that he has "had enough trouble for a lifetime."

[edit] Analysis

The long, intricate story concludes with each puzzle piece set in place and Harry's questions answered; Voldemort has been defeated and Harry now knows that Dumbledore truly loved him. And although Dumbledore had tasked Harry with locating and dispatching the remaining Horcruxes, he knew Harry needed help. Ultimately, each soul shard was slain by a different person: Dumbledore destroyed Gaunt's Ring; Slytherin's Locket was impaled by Ron; Hermione shattered Hufflepuff's Cup; and Neville beheaded Nagini. Even Harry's enemies unintentionally helped him. Voldemort (unknowingly) slayed the Scar Horcrux with his deadly curse and Ravenclaw's Diadem was scorched by the Fiendfyre conjured by Crabbe. In the end, Harry dispensed only one, Riddle's Diary. However, he was instrumental in identifying and locating the Cup and the Diadem, although it was Luna Lovegood who suggested the latter. Although Harry intended to destroy the remaining Horcruxes alone, an act that could have taken years and in which he probably would have failed, he instead learns to rely on and trust in others. By having each Horcrux destroyed by a different person, Rowling shows that Harry is the sum of all his parts, with those parts being his friends' support, loyalty, love, and companionship, especially Ron and Hermione's. Draco Malfoy also played a crucial role—his refusal to positively identify Harry and the others at Malfoy Manor aided their escape. And though Malfoy is not fully redeemed, his soul remains intact.

Harry has also learned that death, grief, and loss are essential and inevitable parts of living; escaping them is impossible, and confronting them only makes one stronger. When Harry promises Dumbledore that the Resurrection Stone will be left in the Forbidden Forest, it shows that he has not only accepted death's finality, but embraced it, making him its true master; he resolves to never again summon his parents' spirits, understanding that it was never a true resurrection and that the dead must be left in peace. Having seen that James, Lily, Sirius, and Lupin are in a happy, serene place, Harry is content and knows that one day they will all be reunited. Meanwhile, Harry is now able to move forward and will live his own satisfying and productive life. And while Harry accepts that the things he has loved and lost can never truly be retrieved with or without magic, there is one exception: his wand.

Lupin and Tonks' deaths are not only a tragic loss of two beloved characters, but it leaves their only child an orphan. It is, therefore, no coincidence that Harry, their son's godfather, is also an orphan. Both Lupin and Tonks knew there was a high probability that they could both be killed, leaving their son, Teddy, to be raised without parents. While both loved and admired Harry and believed he would be a caring and responsible godfather, they also knew that his own experience growing up without his mother and father would enable him to guide and mentor young Teddy in a way few others could. It is quite likely that this understanding of Harry's nature was sparked or confirmed by Harry's outburst at Lupin earlier. That Lupin and James Potter were once close friends will probably also create an especially close bond between godfather and godson, much like Harry shared with Sirius Black.

Hagrid's shouting at the Centaurs, who refused to engage in battle because they disdained interfering in human affairs, shamed them enough that they finally joined forces against the Death Eaters. Also, Hogwarts' House-elves, whom Ron wanted to warn so that they would not be killed, show that Wizards' underestimation of them is incorrect: rather than cowering with fear, as most Wizards would probably expect, the elves strike at the Death Eaters. In this, they are led by Kreacher, a character who started the series as a spiteful and hateful House-elf opposing the Order of the Phoenix and despising Harry, but was eventually won over by Harry's respect and kindness, which Kreacher returned to him as loyalty.

If any reader still believes after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that Neville Longbottom should have been sorted into Hufflepuff House, they need only to remember Dumbledore's words to Harry in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that "only a true Gryffindor could pull that (the Sword of Gryffindor) out of the Hat". Neville is a favorite among fans, and many will be pleased that he, in the end, receives his fair share of victory.

Voldemort tossing Harry about with the Cruciatus curse without it inflicting any pain is a subtle clue to readers that the Elder Wand's allegiance actually belongs to Harry; it will not harm its true master. Also, Harry has been continually criticized by his mentors for acting too predictably to his enemies, particularly in using the Expelliarmus defensive charm. During his final confrontation with Voldemort, Harry knows that he (Harry) is the Elder Wand's true master. He again casts Expelliarmus, ejecting the wand from Voldemort's hand into his own as the Killing Curse rebounds off his body, fatally striking Voldemort. By doing the predictable, Harry acted unpredictably.

It is also interesting to note that Harry defeats Voldemort not by killing him, but allowing the Dark Lord's evil nature to be his undoing, causing his own death. Harry is victorious through his cunning, patience, persistence, and by building alliances, rather than slaying enemies. Throughout the entire series, Harry never kills anyone.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Why was Draco (briefly and unknowingly) the Elder Wand's master?
2. How did Harry become the Elder Wand's new master?
3. Why does Narcissa Malfoy inform Voldemort that Harry is dead, knowing he is alive?
4. Why does Harry feel justified keeping the Invisibility Cloak, but not the other Hallows?
5. Why doesn't Harry feel any pain when Voldemort uses the Cruciatus Curse on him?
6. Why did Voldemort's Avada Kedavra curse rebound and kill him instead of Harry?
7. Why did Harry's sacrifice protect those who were fighting the Death Eaters, but not Lupin, Tonks, and Fred?

[edit] Further Study

1. Why do the Centaurs end their neutrality and join the battle against Voldemort?
2. Why would Voldemort trust Narcissa Malfoy to confirm whether or not Harry was dead?
3. How is Molly Weasley able to defeat Bellatrix Lestrange, an extremely powerful and evil witch? Are Molly's actions an act of war or personal revenge?
4. Why does Harry choose his signature Expelliarmus disarming spell rather than another curse to attack Voldemort in their final duel?
5. What might the final outcome have been if Harry, the Elder Wand's true master, had been wielding it rather than Voldemort?
6. Why was Dumbledore, the Elder Wand's former master, unable to defeat Voldemort with it during the battle at the Ministry of Magic (in Order of the Phoenix)?
7. Why does Harry, now the Elder Wand's true master, choose to secretly return it to Dumbledore's tomb? What does Harry say about it, and what does he mean by that?
8. What could prompt Harry to retrieve the Elder Wand in the future?
9. What will prevent the wand from being stolen from Dumbledore's tomb?
10. What circumstances might compel Harry to find and use the Resurrection Stone?

[edit] Greater Picture

Just as Lily sacrificed her own life to protect Harry against Voldemort, so again does Harry's accepting death to save those fighting at Hogwarts protect them from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. This becomes evident as all the charms, hexes, and curses that Voldemort and his followers are hurling in the final battle seem remarkably ineffective.

Harry's decision to secretly return the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb poses an interesting problem; it is never specified just how the tomb will be protected from some other Dark Wizard. According to Mr. Ollivander, despite the Elder Wand's power, its master is always vulnerable to attack. Voldemort was able to trace the wand's history and follow it to Hogwarts where he easily breached the tomb. Without adequate protections, the wand could be once again retrieved from Dumbledore's tomb, even though Voldemort does seem to have closed off the trail by killing all those who knew of it. And though Harry is now the wand's master and it will perform poorly for others, if Harry is ever disarmed during an unguarded moment, even while wielding his own wand, just as Harry did with Draco, and as Draco did to Dumbledore, the Elder Wand's allegiance could be transferred to an attacker who conceivably could also steal it. Harry will need to be especially vigilant in protecting himself, a difficult task considering his future profession.

← Chapter 36 |

Epilogue: Nineteen Years Later

[edit] Synopsis

The epilogue is the final chapter of both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the Harry Potter series. It is set 19 years after Voldemort's defeat at the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry and Ginny are married and have three children, James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. They are at King's Cross to see off their two boys to Hogwarts, where Neville Longbottom is now the Herbology professor. James, the eldest, is already at Hogwarts, while Albus Severus, 11, is starting his first year. Lily, two years his junior, is moaning – very much as Ginny did in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – about being unable to go. Also present are Ron and Hermione, likewise married and with their own two children, Rose, who is also just starting Hogwarts, and Hugo. Ron tells Harry he has just passed a Muggle driving test after confunding the examiner – but he does not want Hermione to know. In passing, Harry sees Draco Malfoy and his wife with their son, Scorpius. Malfoy acknowledges Harry with a curt nod. Teddy Lupin, Remus' and Tonks' orphaned son, is spotted kissing Victoire Weasley, Bill and Fleur's daughter. Albus is worried that he will be sorted into Slytherin, but Harry reassures him and says that he is named after two Hogwarts Headmasters; one was a Slytherin (Snape) and possibly the bravest man he ever knew. Harry also confides to Albus that the Sorting Hat takes the student's own choice into consideration, as it had done for Harry when he was Sorted - something Harry has never told his other children. After the Hogwarts Express leaves, Ginny comforts Harry, saying their children will be fine. Harry reflects on his scar: it has not bothered him for 19 years. The epilogue ends with: "All was well."

[edit] Analysis

Rowling's epilogue provides a satisfying, but sketchy, update on the characters' post-Voldemort lives. However, in post-book release interviews, J. K. Rowling has given additional information. Harry and Ron are Aurors for the Ministry of Magic, although Ron also worked for a time in George's joke shop, which has become quite successful. The Ministry has radically changed from what it once was, and both Harry and Ron have been instrumental in overhauling the Auror department. Harry is now its head. Kingsley Shacklebolt is the Minister for Magic, with Percy Weasley working under him in a high position. Hermione also works for the Ministry in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and has also done much to improve life for non-human magical beings. Luna Lovegood pursues her interest in biology, and searches the world for magical and unusual creatures. She eventually marries Rolf, the grandson of the noted naturalist, Newt Scamander. Curiously, although Draco has married and has a child, Rowling does not identify his wife in the book. In the "J. K. Rowling... A Year In The Life" documentary created by ITV in the UK, the author does draw out family trees for the Weasley family, and a small tree for Draco, showing that he is married to one Asteria Greengrass, who did not appear in the books, and his son is named Scorpius Hyperion. The same tree indicates that George married one Angelina (quite probably Angelina Johnson), and has children named Fred and Roxanne. It is from this family tree that we learn Harry's eldest son's full name; in the book, he is only ever called James.

[edit] Questions

[edit] Review

1. Whom did Harry name his second eldest son after? Why?
2. What might Harry and Draco's relationship be today, based on how they interacted at King's Cross Station?
3. Why doesn't Ron want Hermione to know about his driving test details? Based on this experience, do you believe the two have changed much over all these years?

[edit] Further Study

1. Overall, how have the characters lives changed after Lord Voldemort's death, and could it be said that they've all changed for the better?

[edit] Greater Picture

Many fans have expressed annoyance at this epilogue, and at the post-publication interviews giving extra, and perhaps extraneous, details of the characters careers after the close of the main sequence of events. It is not the place of this work to criticize the epilogue in this manner; it is part of the published work, we should not debate the merits of its inclusion. We will mention that it does seem to show the ongoing development of the characters in the series. Neville, for example, has played to his strength, becoming an instructor of Herbology, his best subject at school. We see that, rather than remaining sworn enemies, as presumably their parents had been, Harry and Draco have achieved a nodding relationship, signifying that Draco has mellowed over the years. We see that Ron largely retains his immaturity in small ways, though in other ways he has matured significantly. And we see that Harry has gained what he has wanted all his life, a loving and stable family. This confirmation of the character development we expected has the effect of reassuring us that, while our long attachment to these characters perforce has ended, they have prospered since we left them, and so eases the pain of our parting with them.

Details given by the author in post-publication interviews, however, seem less pertinent. In particular, the small facts given concerning the future of various characters, while true to the characters themselves, often feel made up to quiet the fans, rather than being organically part of the characters we have come to know. For instance, in one interview, the author mentioned that Neville had married Hannah Abbott, now landlady of the Leaky Cauldron. This information seems to us something that could have been made up on the spur of the moment, in order to provide a pat answer to the question. For the sake of completeness, Neville should marry; Hannah Abbott is as good a choice as any. But making her the innkeeper at the Cauldron seems, if you will, tacked on, not a part of the little character of Hannah that has been exposed to us. For his reason, while we have reported some small details of what has been "revealed" since publication, we do not feel that it is worth cataloging such.