|
== Analysis ==
Harry produces a Patronus, but concentrating on the Snitch, he iswas unable to see whathis formPatronus, it takes.but Lupin, however, appears shaken by what he sees, though he later congratulates Harry on it. If Harry managed to produce a corporeal Patronus, then nearly everyone in the Quidditch pitch now knows he can produce one and what form it takes. However, only Lupin seems to understand the shape's significance.
It is interesting to note that evenEven though it was Draco and his cohorts who were disguised as Dementors, Harry, believing they were real, was unaffected by them. However, when he faced the Boggart in its Dementor form, and knowing it was a fake Dementor, was affected enough that he again heard his mother's screams and fainted. This would strongly indicatesuggest Harry is gradually overcoming his fears, even though real Dementors would likely still have a powerful effect onaffect him.
Unable to remember the numerous new passwords, Neville made a list and then apparently lost it, allowing Black to find and use it to enter the Gryffindor dormatory. The repercussions for Neville are severe: he is humiliated in front of his classmates and punished by McGonagall, further eroding his already fragile self-confidence. We learn later just how this list fell into Sirius' hands,. however,And though McGonagall is quite right that keeping such a list was indeed a bad idea, though expecting any student to memorize sothe many ever-changing passwordpasswords is rather unfair.
Ron was terrified by his experience with Sirius Black, but Black’s behavior in Gryffindor Tower seems at odds with his mass murderer record. Though he slashes Ron’s curtains with a knife, neither Ron or Harry are harmed. They wonder why, when Ron yelled, Sirius ran awaybolted. Presuming, as everyone does, that Sirius was targeting Harry, it would have been simple enough for such a vicious killer to permanently silence Ron and quicklyswiftly move on to the next bed to findand his real target. Why did he not?
Meanwhile, there is a wideningnew rift develops between Ron and Hermione. Hermione's refusal to express any sympathy or take responsibility for Scabbers' apparent demise could indicate that something is preventingcausing her from behavinginappropriate appropriatelybehavior. Being that she has just patched things up with Ron and Harry after a long and difficult estrangement, she may be reluctant to admit that there is anotherto problemanything that could threaten their friendship. Another factor: Hermione's stubborn nature causes her to rarely, if ever, believesbelieve she is in the wrong, and there is no absolute proof that Scabbers is actually dead rather than just missing. Hermione is also, increasingly tired and shrill, andis clearly under much stress from her studies. Considering Hermioneshe has always easily been at the top of her class, this is difficult to understand, though having to prepare Buckbeak's appeal, which Ron and Harry had promised to help with but had lost interest in, is also adding to her stress.
Harry has his first encounter with Ravenclaw's Seeker, Cho Chang, the first girl he is strongly attracted to. Harry ''"felt a slight jolt in the region of his stomach that he didn't think had anything to do with nerves."'' Cho is pretty and also a very good flier, who, at least once, thwarts Harry for the Snitch despite having a slower broom. This may make her even more attractive to Harry.
This is also the first and only time that Harry plays a game against Ravenclaw. In all of the other books something in Harry's adventures always causes him to miss playing against them at other times.
Also, it should be noted that Madam Hooch's rhapsodizing about the Firebolt actually feels quite misplaced. Readers may not understand why it feels wrong, but they should be somewhat disturbed by it all the same. Looking back through this book, we find that [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Prisoner of Azkaban/Chapter 11|two chapters earlier]], we see that when Professor McGonagall confiscated the broom, she saidgave she was going to haveit Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick to examine it for hidden jinxes. Thus, Madam Hooch has been working with the broom for almost four months, from late December to mid-April, which is certainly enough time for the (non-magical) charm to have worn off.<!--A good point! Glad you added this.-->
== Questions ==
|
