The Not a Book Club Club discussion

Discuss Chapter 31 - Chapter 37

NOTE: While this section is meant to focus on the specified chapters of this book, this read is meant for people who have already read the entire series.

As a result, unlike most of our group reads, full spoilers for the series will be allowed without spoiler tags in every discussion post.

If you haven't read some/all of the books (What's wrong with you?) proceed at your own peril.

Ch. 31
-Awww, Mrs. Weasley and Bill showed up for the third task.

-The third task is my favorite. All the obstacles are cool. I particularly like the Sphinx.

Ch. 32
-RIP Cedric Diggory. Noble, kind, humble, hard-working. Hufflepuff to the core.

-Dun dun duuunnnn. Voldemort has risen.

Ch. 33

-I always imagine the Dark Mark to be black and then turn red when Voldemort touches it but really, it's the reverse. I like my way better.

-''They who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death.'' and ''I, who has gone further than anybody along the path to immortality.'' Voldemort suggests that the Death Eaters know he made horcruxes.

-I don't like this chapter much. It's a lot of the villain explaining is Grand Plan, like Rowling is holding the reader's hand. I know this is supposed to be for children/young adults but I dunno. It's too showy. ''Look at Malfoy! He's the lead Muggle torturer!'' Too moustache-twirly. I just doesn't work for me.

Ch. 34
-Priori Intantatem is all kinds of odd. Harry seeing his parents? So emotional.

Ch. 35
-Moody is revealed! It's the Tenth Doctor!

-Why doesn't Fudge just use Veritaserum on Harry to find out the truth about Voldemort returning?

-How was Mrs. Crouch able to keep brewing Polyjuice Potion while in Azkaban? Even if she had a large pot to last, how was she allowed to keep it? Prison rules must be slack.

-Crouch Jr. got lucky that so much went his way. It's all very convenient.

Ch. 36
-Has Fudge always felt this way about Harry or just because of what Rita wrote? A little of both I think.

-The parting of the ways is where things get really interesting to me. Dumbledore's supporters fighting Voldemort but also having to deal with Fudge and the Ministry.

-Snape returned to Voldemort at Dumbledore's orders.

Ch. 37
-Dumbledore's speech about Cedric always brings a tear or two to my eyes.

-I love that Harry gives Fred and George his Triwizard winnings.

Love Harry handing over the winnings. Just reinforces what kind of person he is. And Fred and George sure make good use of it!

The Parting of the Ways is an excellent chapter; we really get to see what Fudge is made of and it's really disappointing. So worried about denying what's right in front of him and insecure at how much better a wizard and person Dumbledore is.

Hate that Cedric had to die and in such a shitty way. In the wrong place at the wrong time.

Something that always bugged me about this section is how the spirits (or whatever) come out of the wand. Dumbledore says it's the last spells Voldemort did but then James should have come out last, not Lilly, since Voldy killed him first. Small thing and I'm sure Rowling wanted mom to be last but it doesn't fit with the rules of the world

Well, the shadows come out in reverse order of how they were murdered so Lily would be first because she was killed after James.

Yeah but it's supposed to be in order, right? From newest to oldest. So Cedric, the old man, Bertha, then Lilly and then James. Since James was killed before Lilly he should have been the last to come out since he was the oldest kill.

Sorry for the wicked triple post. Effing iphone.

And maybe I'm just confused but it seems like James was the oldest kill so he should have come out last if it's going from newest to oldest

He did come out last because Shadow Lily tells Harry to hold on because his father is on his way.

Had to check, haha. It's Lilly that comes out last. James tells Harry "Your Mother's coming. She wants to see you ... it will be alright ... hold on"

Wow so I just checked my newer copy and they changed that scene for the newer additions. In my copy, I guess original release, it has Lilly coming out last.

Well at least she fixes her mistakes haha

That's interesting. Glad to see that they fixed it.

Seriously. Thought I was going crazy for a but there

Wrote a short, quick review.

Interesting they corrected that mistake. I'll pay attention when I get there in the audio to see what it says.

And I'll have to check my hardcover when I get home too. I'm pretty sure it's a first edition (of the US printing that is).

It makes me wonder what other things, if any, they changed. Might just need another reread

I don't have first editions of the first four. They're paperback. :-(

Yeah the ones I've been reading are the hardcovers so I guess she made the change pretty quickly.

Makes me wonder about the 7th book with the whole taboo on Voldemort's name. They use that to track Harry, Hermione and Ron after they leave the wedding but then they say his name the whole time they are at Grimmauld Place and no enchantments are broken. I mean, Death Eaters show up outside to watch the place but it seems they would've broken the house's enchantments by saying the name

Well, they knew they were in there but they couldn't get in because of the Fidelus charm. Granted, I don't know why Snape didn't divulge the secret.

Yeah that's the only thing that makes sense, the Fidelius Charm. Just wish it would've been explained a little more.

I guess that charm is a little stronger than others the taboo could break through. Or maybe because of the whole secret keeper thing

I think as long as the secret remains a secret, nobody can get in. Flitwick says in PoA that Voldemort could have stared into the Potter's living room and never known it was them unless the secret keeper told him.

Dara wrote: "I don't have first editions of the first four. They're paperback. :-("
I bought a hardcover box set of 1-4 so they would match my 5-7 when I bought them and make my ocd happy.

So my copy has his dad last. It say first edition us, July 2000.

Which version do you have Scott?

Rob wrote: "So my copy has his dad last. It say first edition us, July 2000.

Which version do you have Scott?"

Mine says the same thing. First American Edition July 2000. I'm going to attach a couple images so y'all don't think I'm crazy haha. I checked my girlfriend's edition and she has the same as mine, with the same order of Lily coming out last.

copyright

cover

page

Weird. I'll have to check my copy's printing date when I get home from work.

I have the edition that has his dad coming out last. But that's the one that my mom destroyed so it's all coming apart. Makes me sad.

Yeah interesting about the change!

I was curious why Harry has needed to stay with the rotten Dursleys for so long - its interesting that a powerful charm protects him there - I guess that gives it a tad more justification.

The first time I read this book, I was blown away when Cedric was killed. I kept expecting him to magically live - I just couldn't believe he was really dead. I think that hit me harder than the deaths in the following books, because I was so shocked.

Interesting that Draco and his friends are so open about the Dark Lord. And yet so many people won't admit anything even happened.

Molly was mad at Hermione for what Rita Skeeter wrote about her stringing Harry along. And I think Harry kinda scolds her.

Yep, Malfoy was giving Skeeter info all year with her as the beetle.

So true about Voldy's methods. Think everything about him is about fear and power. He has no qualms about killing, and I think most people follow him for fear of what he will do to them or their families if they don't.

True about Fudge as well. Just a weak man

This book in particular, with all its fear-sowing that you see how Voldemort works, I suspect helped a lot of kids "understand" terrorism in the wake of 9/11.

And I concur with Scott on the Harry/Hermione/Mrs. Weasley thing. She sees herself as a sort of mother figure and she is cold to Hermione for what she sees as Hermione stringing Harry along.

And yes, the walkie talkie is Skeeter as a beetle, a true bug.