Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Prisoner of Azkaban/Chapter 11
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Chapter 11 of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The Firebolt
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[edit] Synopsis
Harry is in emotional turmoil, so distraught that he cannot even remember how he got from the Three Broomsticks and through the secret passage back into Hogwarts. Why had no one told him the truth about Sirius Black? Unfortunately, there is no opportunity to talk to Ron and Hermione that night, and Harry does not fall asleep until almost 5:00 a.m. He awakes at around noon to an empty Common room. The Christmas holiday has begun, and nearly everyone has left Hogwarts.
Harry is filled with rage and black thoughts of revenge; Ron and Hermione are unable to reason with him. Harry remembers Draco saying that if it was him, he would hunt Black down, but Ron tells Harry he would be better advised to listen to his friends rather than his enemies. To change the subject, Ron suggests visiting Hagrid, but this backfires when Harry seizes on it as an opportunity to ask Hagrid why he never mentioned Black. Ron is now reluctant to go, but Harry is adamant. They find Hagrid sobbing uncontrollably. Although Hagrid has been exonerated in Buckbeak's attack on Draco, his father's complaint has been upheld. Buckbeak must appear before the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. A distraught Hagrid is certain Buckbeak will be condemned, being that the committee members are all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. Harry, Ron, and Hermione promise to find precedents that will save Buckbeak. Hagrid considers setting Buckbeak free, but how does one explain to a Hippogriff that it has to go into hiding? And, after his unfortunate sojourn in Azkaban, Hagrid is terrified of breaking the law. This all helps distract Harry, and he, Ron, and Hermione search the library for cases of dangerous creatures avoiding execution. Unfortunately, they find little information.
With Christmas comes presents; Harry gets the usual hand-knit jumper (US: sweater) from Mrs. Weasley, bright red with the Gryffindor lion woven into it, plus various treats. There is also a long thin package containing a broom. Not just any broom — a Firebolt. Harry and Ron are stunned. It is the finest and fastest broom there is. Harry has no idea who sent it. Hermione is immediately suspicious, and says no one should ride it yet. Ron demands to know why but is interrupted by Crookshanks attacking Scabbers. In the commotion, Harry's pocket Sneakoscope starts whistling shrilly. Hermione and Crookshanks leave, and Harry tucks away the Sneakoscope in his trunk. Harry and Ron tend to Scabbers, who is looking poorly.
They head to the Great Hall where one table is set for twelve. In addition to themselves, only Professor Dumbledore, the four House Heads, Filch, and three other students are having Christmas dinner.Professor Trelawney joins them, and suddenly realizes there are thirteen at the table. She melodramatically declares that the first to rise will be the first to die, although Professor McGonagall is skeptical. Professor Lupin, who is apparently sick again, will not be joining them. Trelawney predicts his imminent "departure," but Dumbledore mildly says he does not think he is in any immediate danger, then checks with Professor Snape that Lupin has received a potion. As Harry and Ron rise from the table two hours later, Trelawney demands to know who got up first. Because they rose together, they are unable to answer. Hermione stays behind to speak to Professor McGonagall. Minutes later, Professor McGonagall arrives in the Common room and confiscates Harry's Firebolt. Because it is unknown who sent it, Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will test it for any Dark Magic that may be embedded in it. If it is jinx-free, Harry will get it back. It should only take a few weeks. Both Harry and Ron are furious with Hermione, but she says that she and McGonagall believe the broom was sent by Sirius Black.
[edit] Analysis
Ron shows his budding maturity here; rather than supporting Harry's desire for revenge as might be expected, Ron instead reasons with him, wisely advising Harry to heed his friends' advice rather than listen to enemies like Draco Malfoy. Ron's attempts to diffuse Harry's rage by redirecting his focus backfires when Harry finds a new target (Hagrid) to vent his frustration at. Hagrid's being in need of help himself is a good bit of timing; it allows us to perceive the depth of Harry's dismay at his discovery of Sirius' story, but prevents Harry from dwelling on it, as we can see he is likely to do. In this way, while we see Harry's concern and the depth of it, we do not become bored by his continuing reactions.
Trelawney's prediction that Lupin will soon depart Hogwarts actually has a high probability of coming true. However, she has probably (subconsciously) based this on historical fact rather than on any divination ability, although she no doubt believes she has truly foreseen the unknown future. No Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has ever lasted more than one year at Hogwarts, and it remains to be seen if Lupin can break this pattern. It is true that Trelawney is hinting that Lupin will die, but we have come to expect this; Trelawney is over-dramatizing, an age-old fortune-teller's trick. Trelawney's prediction that the first to rise from the table will be the first to die is a similar over-dramatization, which will prove false. Once again, we are exposed to the massive amount of fakery that passes for a magical discipline in this exposure to Divination.
The confiscation of the Firebolt is likely to create a rift between Hermione and the other two. Hermione clearly sees the risk associated with this very expensive and anonymous gift, as does McGonagall; Harry and Ron are blinded to the risk by the glamour of the broom itself. One does wonder whether, rather than leaving it to Flitwick and Madam Hooch to analyze, the broom ought to be returned to the factory for a check out. Perhaps McGonagall feels that the factory would be best able to check out its motive spells, but less able to decipher Dark magic added to it than the school wizards.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- What is Harry's reaction when he learns that Black was responsible for betraying his parents to Voldemort, as well as murdering Pettigrew and twelve Muggles?
- Why does McGonagall confiscate Harry's Firebolt? Who told her about it?
- Who do McGonagall and Hermione believe sent Harry the Firebolt?
- Although Hagrid was exonerated in the incident involving Draco Malfoy and Buckbeak, why is he still upset? What have the Trio offered to do to help?
[edit] Further Study
- Why would Trelawney predict Lupin's "imminent departure?" Is there a more logical explanation than Divination?
- Why was the truth about the his parents' murders and his relationship to Sirius Black kept from Harry?
- Why are Harry and Ron so angry at Hermione? Was she justified in what she did?
- What does Ron mean when he says Harry should listen to his friends rather than his enemies?
- Why does Professor McGonagall choose to have the broom examined by Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick? Would it not be more sensible to have the Firebolt factory technicians examine it?
[edit] Greater Picture
Once again, the pocket Sneakoscope is providing a clue: someone untrustworthy is nearby. But the only people present are the Trio, plus Crookshanks and Scabbers. We have learned about Animagi, but Hermione has categorically ruled out that there is another registered Animagus around. It is likely that Hermione's perhaps excessive concern about rules leads her to the unconscious belief that other people also will be generally rule-abiding; the possibility that there may be unregistered Animagi does not seem to have occurred to her. We will find out later that the untrustworthy person is, in fact, Scabbers, who is an unregistered Animagus.
McGonagall confiscating the Firebolt starts another rift within the Trio. Harry and Ron both feel that Hermione is unfairly depriving Harry of his new broom. While Hermione is correct, that it could be jinxed and it would be unsafe to fly on, Harry and Ron are acting childishly, and they can only see the Firebolt's loss, rather than the legitimate reasons behind the confiscation and the real danger such an expensive and anonymous gift could realistically pose. As a result, neither speaks to Hermione for almost four months, until the Firebolt is returned in mid-April. It is interesting, and also unnoticed by Harry and Ron, that although Hermione turns in Harry's new broom to McGonagall, she never reveals to any Hogwarts teacher what she knows about the Marauder's Map or the secret tunnels listed on it, despite knowing that Sirius Black could possibly use one to enter Hogwarts undetected. Hermione's loyalty to her friends, as well as fearing their reprisals, has always overruled her need to adhere to school rules. However, this time the Firebolt posed too great a danger for her to ignore.
It is also probable that the reason for not sending the Firebolt back to the factory for analysis is involved here. Likely, analysis at the factory, by wizards familiar with the workings of the Firebolt's charms, would take only about a week; by leaving it with Flitwick and Madam Hooch, the analysis process takes several months, which allows the rift between Hermione and the other two time to widen and solidify, and also allows time for Harry to brood about its loss.
