Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 17
This book has been a lot like an NBA game for me. The first three quarters are played to get to the fourth. That's when - if it's going to get exciting - it gets exciting. Maybe it's because it was the second book and the novelty is wearing off or maybe it just moved more slowly and cryptically than the first, but the payoff at the end was worth it. I found myself reading faster than usual.
So I guess from now on I will always suspect that Voldemort/Quirrell/Riddle/????? is behind whatever threatens to close Hogwarts, threatens Harry or anyone close to him, threatens any student or just generally causes mayhem of any sort.
Voldemort's problem is his cockiness. How many times have we seen it in movies when the villian wants to make his prey suffer and delays the deed. Goldfinger could've shot Bond, but he had to elaborately try and kill him with some kind of laser-beam thing. "Do you expect me talk?" asks OO7. "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die." And Goldfinger walks out of the room and Bond escapes. The Dynamic Duo did this all the time. It is a fatal flaw for fictional felons. It's not enough for them to kill. They have to make you suffer.
So the Dark Lord (don't get confused with Star Wars here) is revealed to be a former Head Boy at Hogwarts aptly named Riddle, the heir of Slytherin and once again inept at killing his nemesis. When it comes to killing Harry, Voldemort is as inept as GilLo.
BTW, did I laugh when Professor Gilderoy Lockhart de-memorized himself? LOL, for sure on that one. Now he can't take credit for making the school a Voldemort-free zone. Excellent.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 18
This chapter could've been anticlimactic, but after the Weasley reunion and the usual Dumbledore debriefing and the Hagrid homecoming, we get to see Lucius Malfoy taken down a few notches on his self-importance scale. I think he's trying to make up for not being the heir.
When Harry tricks Malfoy into freeing Dobby, he displays a more observant side to go with his resourcefulness and bravery.
It is nice to know that Dobby really was trying to help Harry. He's no Phoenix, that's for sure, but maybe he will be of more use in the future.
I would tell Harry to enjoy his summer, but that won't be easy where he's headed. Maybe being a Prisoner of Privet will prepare him for the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Showing posts with label Riddle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Riddle. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Magical things
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 12
Why won't Harry tell Dumbledore everything? Is he afraid of expulsion? Does he have trust issues with adults because of the Dursleys? Is he simply a scared kid and doesn't know why?
I am surprised that the Polyjuice Potion worked and that Hermione's plan did as well. It must have been difficult, though, for Harry and Ron to look in the mirror and see Crabbe and Goyle. But it did get them the answer they needed from Malfoy even if it wasn't the one they wanted. Fortunately they didn't blow their cover when Malfoy showed them the news article about Ron's father.
Poor Hermione. How horrifying it must be to be Polyjuiced into a cat. If that ever happens to me, I'll be allergic to myself and scared of myself at the same time. Of course it might cure me of both if it doesn't kill me first.
Meow.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 13
Finally, there is a point to Moaning Myrtle. If she's not there, then Harry doesn't find the diary and Riddle's story ends up flushed to the bottom of the lake.
Riddle me this: Is a diary that writes back and allows you to observe 50-year-old events trustworthy? Or is it some sort of magic designed to throw Harry off the trail, or worse yet, entrap him or incriminate Hagrid?
I do think what Harry saw was true, or at least mostly. Hagrid does have an affection for odd creatures, so it's believable that he would let such a monster out. But he also said the monster wasn't a murderer. That's probably the truth too.
So what has escaped the Chamber that Harry should be most afraid of and who let it out? That's a riddle that doesn't have any answers yet.
Why won't Harry tell Dumbledore everything? Is he afraid of expulsion? Does he have trust issues with adults because of the Dursleys? Is he simply a scared kid and doesn't know why?
I am surprised that the Polyjuice Potion worked and that Hermione's plan did as well. It must have been difficult, though, for Harry and Ron to look in the mirror and see Crabbe and Goyle. But it did get them the answer they needed from Malfoy even if it wasn't the one they wanted. Fortunately they didn't blow their cover when Malfoy showed them the news article about Ron's father.
Poor Hermione. How horrifying it must be to be Polyjuiced into a cat. If that ever happens to me, I'll be allergic to myself and scared of myself at the same time. Of course it might cure me of both if it doesn't kill me first.
Meow.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 13
Finally, there is a point to Moaning Myrtle. If she's not there, then Harry doesn't find the diary and Riddle's story ends up flushed to the bottom of the lake.
Riddle me this: Is a diary that writes back and allows you to observe 50-year-old events trustworthy? Or is it some sort of magic designed to throw Harry off the trail, or worse yet, entrap him or incriminate Hagrid?
I do think what Harry saw was true, or at least mostly. Hagrid does have an affection for odd creatures, so it's believable that he would let such a monster out. But he also said the monster wasn't a murderer. That's probably the truth too.
So what has escaped the Chamber that Harry should be most afraid of and who let it out? That's a riddle that doesn't have any answers yet.
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