The Not a Book Club Club discussion

Discuss Chapter 17 - Chapter 23

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. 17
-Malfoy's comment about addled brains really gets to Neville. I feel so bad for Neville.

-Fred and George do know their stuff. It can't be easy to figure the right formulations out. Quite a lot of potion work and charms I'd assume.

-Sirius shouldn't be encouraging Harry's behaviour. Again, irresponsible.

Ch. 18
-I enjoy how much time we spend in the classroom in this book. Just small scenes like them practicing the Silencing Charm adds so much depth.

-Harry's tuned into Voldy's feelings again.

-The Room of Requirement is so rad.

-The first D.A. meeting is a lot of fun. Harry should teach after his Auror career is over.

Ch. 19
-So the Sorting Hat considered putting Hermione in Ravelclaw. Interesting.

-You'd think Ron would be used to some teasing – Fred and George have a go at him regularly. Guess it's different coming from people you hardly know.

-How are the Slytherins allowed to torment Ron like this? A bit of heckling is okay but the song and the crown badges go overboard.

-Harry and George gave Malfoy exactly what he wanted with their ''Muggle-dueling''.

-I'm pretty sure Umbridge can't ban them for life. School career – yes. Life outside of Hogwarts – no. That's utterly ridiculous.

Ch. 20
-Typical teenagers. Don't think of waiting until the next day to see Hagrid. Just march on down there, risking getting into trouble themselves if they're caught and Hagrid as well.

-Say what you will about Umbridge, ''yes, as gamekeeper fresh air must be so difficult to come by'' is a good comeback.

Ch. 21
-Some hidden info that Rowling sort of buries in Hagrid's class about the thestrals. She gets the reader to focus on Umbridge and being so angry at her that you don't really pay attention to what Hagrid is actually saying. The thestrals can look after themselves and have an amazing sense of direction.

-Awww, Harry's first kiss! With a crying Cho Chang. Nobody wants to kiss a crying person for their first kiss. What a disaster.

-Harry the Horcrux saves the day. At least Mr. Weasley.

Ch. 22
-Dumbledore suspects that Harry saw the attack through the eyes of the snake because of the horcrux connection.

-People with portraits in two places can move between them. Pretty rad.

-I think this is when Sirius yells ''OUT'' to Kreacher and he takes it literally – when Bellatrix escapes Azkaban, he goes to her to serve her.

-How did Sirius get a wand?

-I remember being terrified when Mr. Weasley was attacked during my first read.

-Harry is so stressed and worried that he attacked Mr. Weasley. How can Dumbledore let him stew like this and feel so guilty when Dumbledore knows it wasn't Harry? It's kind of cruel.

-The theory of witches and wizards blending in on the way to the hospital doesn't work in my head. The waiting room has a bloke with an elephant trunk and a person with extra hands sticking out of his/her chest. How does one blend in like that?

-''A clean cauldron keeps potions from becoming poisons.'' That's solid advice.

-Nice segue from Willy Widdershins being covered in ____ to Fred asking about ''duty''. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it's really quite silly. Duty....

-Moody doesn't seem like the type to say ''You-Know-Who''.

Ch. 23
-Phineas makes a good point here: ''Have you never paused, while feeling hard-done-by, to note that following Dumbledore's orders has never yet led you into harm?'' Also ''puffed-up popinjay'' = lol.

-I often forget that Ginny has been possessed. Clearly she has not.

-Kreacher did leave, Sirius. You moron.

-Arthur trying stitches is fantastic. So true to his character.

-Lockhart's appearance here is too funny.

-Broderick Bode received his Devil's Snare. Perhaps the old man with the ear trumpet from the previous chapter gave it to him?

-It's really unfair that Grandma Longbottom constantly compares Neville to his father. It has to be tough, being compared to a man you can't remember ever knowing you. Man, my heart aches for Neville.

Dara, I love reading your chapter notes :-)

I'm glad you're enjoying them!

Yes, excellent chapter notes!

Mr Weasley with stitches and Lockhart were so fun to read.

And, yeah, Neville's Gran is really hard on him but I also think she does it out of love and what she thinks will get the best out of him. I always liked her in the small scenes we get to see her, even here in the hospital. We really get a sense of her strength and character. And then, of course, in the 7th book when the death eaters try and capture her to make Neville act right and she stuns Dawlish and makes a break for it.

Hard to fault Harry and the twins for the Malfoy beat down. Everyone has a threshold for how much bullshit they can take

-I think butterbeer has a low alcohol content. It does have 'beer' in the name. Makes sense that it'd be stronger on elves - they're so small. There are drinking restrictions I think - Ron wants firewhiskey but isn't allowed. What's the drinking age in Britian, 18? Maybe wizards are more lax.

-Dragon blood has 12 magical uses. Perhaps one is healing so the blood in the steak would be beneficial.

-I don't think they even teach cursive anymore. Let me tell you, it was a nightmare as a lefty.

Yes, you need to be 18 to buy alcohol. I think Wizards are more relaxed. I am slowly reading the next book and they star that the coming of age is 17. Rather than 18.