text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 13

Synopsis
Dolores Umbridge assumes that Hermione, as she appears to be Mafalda Hopkirk, was sent by Travers to record the hearings. She tells the Minister that with Mafalda recording, they can start right away. A Ministry employee's wife is also being interrogated. Harry watches as Hermione descends in the elevator with Umbridge. When Thicknesse asks what brings "Albert" to the first floor, Harry claims he needs to speak with Arthur Weasley.

Alone now, Harry dons the Invisibility Cloak and searches for Umbridge's office. Despite meticulously planning, the Trio apparently failed to consider they might become separated once inside the Ministry. Now Hermione is stuck in court proceedings while Ron attempts to stop it raining in Yaxley's office. Harry stumbles into an open area where employees are assembling anti-"Mudblood" pamphlets. Harry spots Moody's magical eye affixed to a door. Below, brass plaques read, Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission.

To create a diversion, Harry sets a Decoy Detonator free. It explodes, emitting a large, black smoke cloud. During the confusion, Harry enters Umbridge's office, finding it decorated exactly like her Hogwarts office, with the horribly cute kitten plates on the wall and lace doilies on the desks. Peering through the small telescope on the door, he sees everyone is gathered around the Decoy Detonator's remains. He removes Moody's eye, and pockets it, then tries unsuccessfully to Summon the Locket.

A file on Arthur Weasley notes him as a pure-blood likely to be contacted by "Undesirable Number One", Harry himself. Mr. Weasley is also being Tracked. Harry also finds Rita Skeeter's book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Inside is a photo of two teenagers, but before Harry can read the caption, Pius Thicknesse enters and leaves Umbridge a note. It seems unlikely the Locket is here and Harry returns, unseen, to the lift. He must now find Ron and collect Hermione from the courtroom. Luckily, Ron steps in on the second floor. The lift stops again and Mr. Weasley gets on. On the next floor, Ron exits, but Harry is blocked by Percy Weasley getting on, but realizing his father is there, gets out on the next floor. Mr. Weasley blocks Harry, claiming Runcorn planted information about Dirk Cresswell. When Harry warns Mr. Weasley that he is being Tracked, he believes it is a threat.

Covered with the Invisibility Cloak, Harry heads for the courtrooms to extract Hermione while Ron works on Yaxley's office. Harry recognizes an unnatural chill. Dementors are guarding Muggle-born witches and wizards waiting to be interrogated. Mary Cattermole is called. Inside the courtroom, two Dementors are kept at bay by a cat Patronus, and Umbridge, Hermione (as Mafalda), and Yaxley, are interrogating Cattermole, demanding to know whose wand she stole. Seeing the Locket around Umbridge's neck, Hermione compliments her about it. Umbridge claims the S initial is for Selwyn, an old Wizarding family she is honoured to be related to. This proves too much for Harry, who Stuns Umbridge, and, before he can react, Yaxley. Harry releases the chains binding Mary, while Hermione creates a duplicate Locket to replace the real one. Escorted by Harry and Hermione's Patronuses, the three exit the courtrooms. Gathering the other Muggle-borns, Harry says the new official position is to disguise themselves and leave the country or at least avoid the Ministry.

At the lifts, Ron warns them that the Ministry knows they are there and is closing off the fireplaces. They must hurry to escape. Harry sends the Muggle-borns through the remaining open fireplaces. Amidst the confusion, Yaxley appears, ordering workers to seal all fireplaces. As Ron escapes with Mary Cattermole, Yaxley fires a curse at Harry as he exits with Hermione. Back in the lavatory, Yaxley appears in the cubicle behind Harry. Grabbing Hermione and Ron, Harry Disapparates. He briefly sees Grimmauld Place's front door, then hears a bang, and they are Apparating away.

Analysis
Once inside the Ministry, the Trio sees how extensively Voldemort's corruption and perversion has spread, and the extreme measures being implemented to separate the "racially impure" from "pure-blooded" wizard society. Anyone not directly serving Voldemort is controlled through his minions, mostly with threats and violence. It appears there is little resistance and as Voldemort gains more power, many wizards fear for themselves and/or their loved ones, who could be branded as traitors or "undesirables" and be incarcerated. There are still many in the general Wizarding population who are simply ignorant to what is happening, while others are fearful and/or uncertain what to believe or who to trust. Voldemort has deliberately crafted this confusion by quietly and insidiously seizing control of the Ministry and other key institutions while spreading anti-Muggle propaganda. He remains unseen; though his return has now been public knowledge for a year. Remaining concealed allows rumour to do his work, spreading fear and doubt while never providing the public a specific target to rally against. We will see later that Voldemort is reported as being in several places simultaneously. Meanwhile, the thoroughly corrupt and reprehensible Dolores Umbridge revels in her position as Head of the Muggle-born Registration Committee. Bloated with power, she has dedicated herself to purging "impurities" from the Wizarding world, much as she did while at Hogwarts, and readily abuses her authority to persecute those deemed unworthy. From what can be seen at the hearing Umbridge is presiding over, it appears that all Muggle-borns are being rounded up, probably to be sent to a Wizard-style concentration camp for deportation, or worse, extermination. Though shielded to some extent by their Blood status, "blood traitors" are nonetheless being watched more closely as well. Though the Trio successfully retrieved the Locket Horcrux, their lacking a back-up plan in the event they became separated while inside the Ministry is surprising. Randomly selecting individuals to impersonate without knowing their identities or rank, or considering that they may be called upon to perform their Ministry duties was also a careless and risky move. Hermione especially appears to have been rather lax in failing to anticipate this, considering her usual diligent attention to details and analyzing all likely scenarios. The Trio also was extremely lucky that Umbridge had the Locket with her on that particular day, an event that seems to have taken both Harry and Hermione somewhat by surprise. At this point, we can see that the mission's objectives were almost bizarrely ill-defined; while they had intended to try and learn where Umbridge might actually keep the Locket, there was no plan to deal with the possibility that it might be outside the Ministry, and so there was, for instance, no attempt to locate Umbridge's residence and then search for the Locket there. It also seems that this information could have been gathered by one person alone using the Invisibility Cloak rather than all three entering the Ministry in their Polyjuice Potion disguises. If that was the plan, it is curious then that Harry never searched for Umbridge's home address while he was in her office. Being that they still lacked vital information as to the Locket's whereabouts when they infiltrated the Ministry, it is also questionable as to why they put their plan into action on that particular day, though Harry seemed propelled more by an urgent need to act, rather than strategic timing. It is also unclear how the Trio positively identified the "toad woman" as being Dolores Umbridge before investing so much time and effort into planning their assault, though, fortunately, their hunch was correct.

Indeed, Hermione's entire plan seems unworthy, opting for a dangerously elaborate and overly complicated scheme when a simpler strategy may have been safer and more effective, and could have protected their secure hiding place. Rather than infiltrating the highly-secure Ministry, the Trio might have been able to intercept Umbridge (perhaps using the Imperius Curse) before she entered or just after she left the Ministry. Also, once determining that Umbridge wears the Locket to work, one person alone could have slipped into her office under the Invisibility Cloak, stun her, perform a memory charm, and then removed and replaced the real Locket with a substitute, just as Hermione did. Like the Trio's reluctance to use extreme defensive tactics against their enemies, their unsophisticated plan and their rather erratic performance reflects their general inexperience and still growing maturity: they may still be unready to be full-fledged Order of the Phoenix members. And though it is unlikely the Order would ever have allowed the Trio to undertake such a dangerous mission, Dumbledore apparently felt only they could accomplish this. However misbegotten, chaotic, and nearly disastrous the Ministry caper may have been, it was ultimately successful and fortuitously resulted in many innocent victims being rescued. It also shows that the Trio works well together and can quickly and calmly adapt to changing circumstances.

Retrieving Mad Eye Moody's magical eye from Umbridge's door was also a risky and impetuous decision by Harry, but his emotions overruled his logic, and he was simply unable to leave any part of Moody in Umbridge's possession. This also provides a necessary closure for Harry, allowing him to later bury at least a small portion of Mad Eye. One gathers that the eye's loss from the outer side of Umbridge's door will not hinder her spying on her subordinates; the eye, staring fixedly, seems to only provide camouflage for the small telescope inside the office door.

Harry glimpsing Dumbledore's image in what he momentarily believed was a mirror in Umbridge's office may be a subtle reference to the familiar-looking blue eye he has been seeing in the mirror-shard, though it is unknown yet whose eye this actually is. The original magic mirror, before it was broken, was described as about the size of a small book. It is probably the combination of its size, plus Harry's half-belief that the eye in the mirror-shard is Dumbledore's, that leads him to briefly mistake the book for a mirror.

Rowling's description that Umbridge's over-cute kitten decor appears just as it did at Hogwarts may be a subtle clue that, despite Umbridge's traumatic experience with the Centaurs, readers can expect to see the same vile woman as in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

As a side note: While Umbridge is not a Death Eater, her high position within the Ministry may occasionally place her in close contact with Voldemort. Readers can only imagine his reaction had he noticed either the real or the fake Locket Horcrux dangling round her neck, particularly if she claimed it as a legacy of her family. Despite being a "pure-blood" advocate and staunchly loyal to the Ministry (and thus indirectly, if unknowingly to the Dark Lord), her life would probably be forfeit. Voldemort, who would know that the substitute Locket she currently possesses is a fake, could likely trace this to Harry by connecting it to the Ministry raid. Much information could be extracted by Voldemort from Umbridge's memory that would lead him to Mundungus Fletcher, and, from there, to Grimmauld Place where the Locket was stolen, and thus to Harry. Voldemort could then surmise that Harry is hunting his other Horcruxes and that the real Locket Horcrux (and possibly the others) may have been destroyed, in addition to the Diary Horcrux. As this would jeopardize Harry's mission, we can only hope that Voldemort will leave the Ministry's daily operation to his minions.

Review

 * 1) Why did Harry remove Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye from Umbridge's office? Did this help or endanger the Trio's mission?
 * 2) How will Harry's taking the Eye affect Umbridge's job?
 * 3) Why is Arthur Weasley being tracked? Why or why not might he have suspected this before Harry told him?
 * 4) Why does Umbridge wear the Locket?

Further Study

 * 1) Why did the Trio fail to have a back-up plan in the event they became separated while inside the Ministry? What alternative plan(s) could they have had?
 * 2) Hermione's scheme to infiltrate the Ministry seems ill-planned. Devise your own method to find and retrieve the Locket.
 * 3) If Umbridge had not worn the Locket on that particular day, what would the Trio have done? Would they likely have had another chance to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic using the same plan? Explain.
 * 4) Does Dolores Umbridge know what the Locket really is? Give reasons both for and against this.
 * 5) How were Voldemort and his Death Eaters able to gain control of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts, and other Wizarding institutions so quickly and easily? Why has there been so little resistance?
 * 6) Why does Voldemort remain unseen to the general public, even though it is widely known that he is alive and controls the Ministry and other institutions?
 * 7) What might happen to Muggle-born wizards after being rounded up by the Ministry? How does this compare to historical events in mid-20th century Europe?

Greater Picture
Over the next several chapters, the Locket Horcrux begins to affect each Trio member as they take turns wearing it around their necks; it preys on them physically, mentally, and emotionally. When Ron puts his ear to the Locket, he is able to detect something akin to a "heartbeat" pulsing within it, indicating that it may share some of Voldemort's life force. The Horcrux may actually be somewhat sentient, as when Harry is trying to retrieve Gryffindor's Sword to destroy the Locket, the Horcrux, sensing danger, defends itself by attempting to strangle him. Also, once opened, it presents a shadow play designed to turn Ron, who is then holding the Sword, against Harry and Hermione, in the hopes of saving itself. Unlike the Trio, Dolores Umbridge seems unaffected by wearing the Locket, possibly because the Locket senses she poses no threat to its existence, and she may be more closely aligned to its Dark nature.

The Trio's foray into the Ministry of Magic, while ultimately successful, was nearly disastrous because they failed to consider all scenarios and lacked a back-up plan to handle even the simplest and most likely event: that they would be called upon to perform the duties of the Ministry employees they were impersonating and would thereby be separated. A far more sensible plan would be to first identify who they could best impersonate, then observe their duties and habits. In a later chapter, they will infiltrate another high-security Wizarding institution, Gringotts Bank. While that mission will be successful, it also nearly ends in disaster, and they once again fail to have an alternate plan. They have to quickly improvise an alternate escape route when things go awry.

The two youths whose photo Harry briefly glimpsed in Rita Skeeter's book are the teen-aged Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. Harry will see the photo again in a later chapter and read not only the caption but the associated chapter of Skeeter's muck-raking book. As a result, Harry's already-shaken faith in Dumbledore will be eroded even further.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 17

Synopsis
As they depart the cemetery, Hermione is positive she saw something move in the distance. Harry thinks it may be a ghost, but Hermione draws her wand. Seeing dislodged snow by the bushes where Hermione was pointing, Harry surmises that if it was Death Eaters, they would be dead now. They put on the Invisibility Cloak, glancing around as they leave. Heading down a street, they have no idea where Bathilda Bagshot’s house might be. They come upon an overgrown hedge surrounding a ruined cottage, most of which is still standing, but one side has been blown apart. On the gate, a sign appears:

''On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981, Lily and James Potter lost their lives. Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever to have survived the Killing Curse. This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters and as a reminder of the violence that tore apart their family.''

Messages from visitors are scribbled on the sign. Hermione thinks this is disrespectful, but it cheers Harry, who feels only gratitude. A mysterious, elderly woman approaches. Even though she is obviously a magical person, Harry is surprised and suspicious that she can see through the Invisibility Cloak. Harry asks if she is Bathilda Bagshot; she nods and leads them to a house with a garden as overgrown as the Potter residence. Inside, Harry whiffs a foul odor clinging to her, though it may be the house, which is covered by thick dust. Harry hears Bathilda calling, "Come!" from another room, causing Hermione to jump. Harry spots photographs atop a dresser and removes the dust. A half-dozen photos are missing from their ornate frames, but Harry recognizes a young blond man in one as the same person in Rita Skeeter’s book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Despite Harry repeatedly asking who it is, Bathilda only vaguely stares at him, causing Harry to wonder how she was able to tell Rita Skeeter much about the Dumbledore clan. Harry tells Hermione that the man in the photo is the thief he saw in Voldemort's mind, who stole the item from Gregorovitch.

Bathilda motions for only Harry to go upstairs with her; as he follows her, Harry pockets the thief's photo. Harry asks if she has something for him. Bathilda's eyes close, and Harry feels his scar prickle and the Locket Horcrux twitch against his chest as the room momentarily darkens. Joy surges through his body, and he hears his own voice saying, "Hold him!" Harry inspects the dressing table that Bathilda points to, but turning, he witnesses a revolting sight: a huge snake pours from what was Bathilda's neck, her lifeless body collapsing to the floor. Nagini attacks, biting Harry's arm and sending his wand flying. The resulting noise brings Hermione frantically running upstairs. Releasing Harry, Nagini lunges at Hermione, barely missing her. Harry, grabbing his dropped wand, yells that Voldemort is coming. Nagini lunges again as Harry drags Hermione across the bed. Hermione casts Confringo, and the spell ricochets around the room, burning Harry's hand, as they leap out the window. Voldemort, grasping at Harry, screams in fury as he and Hermione Disapparate; his anger sears Harry's scar.

Pain mingles with Voldemort's memories of a cold, fateful night sixteen years before: Hallowe'en costumes, a father's smile, a toddler playing on the floor inside a cozy house. Outside, a gate creaks open as a dark figure strides through. A man yells, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him. Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" More screams, then green flashes, and a woman's crumpled body lies upon the nursery floor. One final flash, and pain-shot darkness. Then, through Voldemort's eyes, Harry sees Bathilda's bedroom again as Voldemort retrieves the dropped photo of the thief.

Hermione's voice pierces the void, pleading for him to awake. Opening his eyes, Harry sees he is inside the tent. It is hours after their escape and Harry has been ill; Hermione used the Hover charm to get him into his bunk and a Severing charm to pry the stuck Locket from his chest. Dittany healed Nagini's bite wounds. While Harry relived Voldemort's memories, he was delirious, moaning and screaming. Harry relates how Nagini was hidden inside Bathilda's corpse, withholding the most gruesome details. Nagini only spoke to Harry when they were alone because it was in Parseltongue. Nagini immediately summoned Voldemort when Harry identified himself. Harry asks for his wand, but Hermione tearfully confesses that it is broken, probably by her ricocheting spell. Stunned, Harry asks that she try repairing it with her wand, but like Ron's fractured wand that never worked the same, Harry's wand is too badly damaged, and it snaps in half again when he tests it. With Ollivander held captive by Voldemort, Harry is unsure how he will obtain another wand. Though clearly upset, Harry tells Hermione she is not to blame, then borrows her wand to take the watch, wanting to be away from her. Hermione sits by the bunk quietly sobbing.

Analysis
Harry confronts death in Godric's Hollow, but rather than witnessing it hot and fresh as when Dumbledore, Cedric Diggory, and Sirius Black were killed, he now sees only its cold, decayed aftermath, forcing him to accept that he’ll never truly know his mother and father. Harry's own recollections of that tragic night are faint, limited to a green flash and his mother's screams. While inside Voldemort's memories, he was able to see the entire horrendous event as it unfolded through Voldemort's eyes. Not only does this reopen old wounds, it creates new ones that only intensify his grief and despair. But as painful as those memories are, they also provide him a clearer picture regarding what actually happened on that cold, long-ago night, tying him closer to his parents and clarifying his role in vanquishing the Dark Lord.

Visiting his parents' graves, and seeing the destroyed cottage in which he once lived, deeply disturbs Harry, driving home the reality that the tragic events sixteen years before were real. Until now, these were merely sad stories told to Harry, but seeing the graves and the house in person is emotionally wrenching, and it serves to fully integrate him into past events. And seeing his parents’ forlorn, final resting place forces him to confront death's finality and accept that the dead can only live on in this world through others' memories. Harry is comforted and uplifted, however, by the kind messages visitors have left at the Potter's residence over the years.

Harry's difficult childhood has resulted in his never fully trusting or relying on others, and he usually prefers to confront most situations alone. He has made great strides in overcoming this trait, however, learning to accept friends' and mentors' support and guidance, though some, like Ron and Dumbledore, have also failed him. He takes a great leap of faith here when he willingly follows the mysterious elderly woman, believing she is Bathilda Bagshot and trusting that she can help. This time Harry's reasoning proves faulty. Even the decision to go to Godric's Hollow was driven more by a desire to see his birthplace, visit James and Lily's graves, and resolve his conflicted feelings about Dumbledore, rather than to uncover clues relating to their mission; the error nearly costs Harry and Hermione their lives. It is uncertain if Harry can ever show that much faith in the unknown again. It is also a little surprising that Hermione, who is usually far more cautious and suspicious than either Ron or Harry, not only suggested going to Godric's Hollow, but agreed to follow the old woman, despite her odd behavior. Hermione did express discomfort with the situation more than once, and so the most likely reason for her behavior is that she did not want to argue with Harry and upset him so soon after his emotional encounter with his parents' graves.

Readers can again see to what extremes the despicable Rita Skeeter will go to obtain information. She likely used some magical means, probably a memory charm or Veritaserum, to extract the vulnerable Bathilda's faulty memories, then stole the photographs for her book. Skeeter may also be indirectly responsible for Bathilda's death, as Voldemort apparently surmised that Skeeter's book could lure Harry to Godric's Hollow and Bathilda to seek information, prompting Voldemort to murder her and set the trap that nearly ensnared Harry and probably would have killed Hermione. The elderly and frail Bathilda may also have succumbed to natural causes or died of shock when Voldemort appeared at her home, allowing Voldemort to simply take advantage of the situation. However, Skeeter's book is likely what drew his attention to Godric's Hollow.

Though Harry assures Hermione she is blameless for breaking his wand, he is clearly upset, leaving Hermione in tears and driving an invisible wedge between them. As with Lupin earlier, Harry's immediate reaction is undeservedly harsh, especially considering Hermione risked her own life to save his. However, Harry, believing that his wand is his only hope against Voldemort, is devastated by its loss, and his logical thinking (and gratitude) has been temporarily displaced by anger and grief, though he quickly realizes Hermione was blameless. The wand's loss is a blow to the mission, but Harry may be more affected by losing a treasured object rather than a valuable weapon.

It is perhaps worth noting here that the conversation about Harry's broken wand is the first time either Harry or Hermione has spoken Ron's name since his departure; it may prove important.

It should also be mentioned that when Harry hears or speaks Parseltongue, he is unable to distinguish it from English. We first saw this when the boa constrictor at the zoo spoke to him in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and explicitly as far back as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where Harry had to imagine he was seeing a living snake before the words he spoke to the Chamber's entrance would emerge in Parseltongue. This explains why Harry was unaware anything was amiss when Nagini, disguised as Bathilda, called from the other room, while Hermione was suddenly startled. Harry heard "Bathilda" saying, "Come", while all Hermione detected was a strange hissing noise.

Review

 * 1) How and why do Harry and Hermione react differently to the written messages left outside the Potters' house?
 * 2) What happened to the missing photographs in Bathilda's house? What were they likely pictures of?
 * 3) Why was Hermione startled when Bathilda called from the other room?

Further Study

 * 1) How could "Bathilda" have recognized Harry and Hermione in their Polyjuice disguises and while they were under the Invisibility Cloak?
 * 2) Why did Harry and Hermione decide to follow the old woman, not knowing who she was, and despite her not speaking to them?
 * 3) Harry has been confronted by death before, but how is he affected differently by it after seeing his parents' and the Dumbledores' graves?
 * 4) Does Harry really blame Hermione for breaking his wand? If so, why? Is he justified feeling the way he does?
 * 5) Could Hermione have avoided breaking Harry's wand? Explain why or why not.
 * 6) Harry's wand had become very powerful and easily destroyed Lucius Malfoy's wand without Harry casting a curse. Why, then, was Hermione's spell able to break it?
 * 7) Why did no one ever check on the elderly and senile Bathilda, a well-known witch, despite her living alone and the garden being overgrown?
 * 8) When Voldemort arrived at the Potters' cottage, why did James confront him rather than Disapparate to safety with Lily and baby Harry?
 * 9) Why didn't Lily escape with Harry as soon as James shouted out that Voldemort was outside?

Greater Picture
Although Harry seriously erred in trusting the "old woman" he believed was Bathilda Bagshot, he will again put his trust in a stranger when one night soon a silvery doe Patronus appears, and he follows it in the hope an ally sent it to help. This time his assumption will be correct, and he will also be reunited with a valued friend.

In a later chapter, Dumbledore's shade will explain that even though Harry's wand had grown very powerful because it imbibed additional power from Voldemort's yew wand (brother to Harry's wand), that power can only be directed against Voldemort, regardless of what wand the Dark Lord may be wielding at the time. Against other wizards, Harry's wand had no greater advantage than before. That is why Hermione was able to accidentally destroy Harry's wand with her own.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 24

Synopsis
Harry realizes they have successfully Apparated to Bill and Fleur Weasley’s seaside cottage, despite his uncertainty at takeoff. Bill reports that Hermione is inside and is alright. Pulling the knife from Dobby's lifeless body, Harry then covers him with his jacket. As Dean carries the injured Griphook into the cottage, Harry's scar prickles as he watches Voldemort punishing those at Malfoy Manor.

Harry wants to bury Dobby himself, without magic, and uses only a spade to dig a grave in the garden. His scar burning, he subdues the pain and blocks out Voldemort’s thoughts with his grief. . . though, of course, Dumbledore would have called it "love". His own thoughts turn to Wormtail and the brief merciful act that cost him his life. Dumbledore foresaw that, but what else had he known? Harry resolves to only hunt Horcruxes as Dumbledore wanted, rather than also searching for the Deathly Hallows.

Ron and Dean return, carrying spades to help Harry dig. After clothing Dobby's body with shoes, socks, and a hat, they gently place him into the grave and bury him. Luna suggests saying a few words, and each in turn gives thanks to the tiny Elf who saved their lives. Harry places a large rock on the grave as a headstone and uses a wand to inscribe: HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF

Harry is greatly relieved to hear that Ginny is no longer at Hogwarts and that she and the other Weasleys are safely hidden at Auntie Muriel's house. Shell Cottage is likewise protected by charms. Bill says Ollivander and Griphook can be moved to Muriel’s in about an hour, but Harry strongly objects. He must talk with them first.

Harry wonders how Dobby knew to rescue them. The blue eye in the mirror shard brings Dumbledore’s words back to him: Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. Although Harry feels closer to understanding what Dumbledore intended for him to do, he still wonders. Dumbledore had given Ron the Deluminator, knowing he would need a way back should he leave the mission. And he understood that there was regret within Wormtail. But what did Dumbledore know about him? Had he deliberately made everything so difficult to give Harry time to work everything out?

Harry insists on speaking to Griphook and Ollivander, overruling Fleur’s and Bill's objections that they are too weak; Harry reminds Bill that he is an Order of the Phoenix member and knows that Harry is on a mission for Dumbledore.

The Trio first meets with Griphook, who is clutching Gryffindor’s Sword. Griphook thinks Harry is an odd wizard for burying an Elf and rescuing a Goblin, though Harry is unsure if that is meant as praise or insult. Harry asks for Griphook's help to break into a Gringotts vault, stunning Ron and Hermione. Griphook claims it is impossible, but Ron contradicts him, citing the break-in seven years ago; Griphook retorts that the vault was empty then. Harry assures Griphook he is not seeking personal gain. Slowly, Griphook agrees to consider it. The respect and protection Harry has shown Goblins and Elves has convinced him that Harry is probably the only wizard who would break into Gringotts for something other than its treasures. When Harry insists the issue is not Goblins versus wizards, Griphook points out that all magical creatures are suppressed under wizard rule and Elves are being slaughtered. Who amongst the wizards protests? Hermione says they do, and, as a Mudblood, she holds no higher position than the Goblins and Elves under Voldemort's new order. Griphook asks what Harry seeks in the Lestrange’s vault, being as he has the genuine Gryffindor’s Sword; Harry responds only that the vault contains other objects. Griphook agrees to consider Harry's offer, but now wants to sleep.

Later, Harry tells Ron and Hermione that Bellatrix's terrified reaction when she believed they were inside her vault has convinced him that a Horcrux is hidden there. Unlike Voldemort's other hiding places that were personally meaningful to him, Harry thinks he would envy anyone with a Gringotts vault, something only the oldest Wizarding families could have. Harry suspects Bellatrix and her husband are unaware they are storing Voldemort's Horcrux, just as he never revealed the truth about Tom Riddle's Diary to Lucius Malfoy. The safest place to hide anything, says Harry, is in Gringotts.

Ollivander declares that Harry's damaged wand is irreparable. He also identifies the two wands taken from Malfoy Manor. The first is Bellatrix’s walnut and Dragon heartstring wand. Draco’s is a hawthorn and Unicorn hair wand, though it may no longer actually belong to Draco because Harry captured it. Ollivander explains how wands can transfer their allegiance—the wand chooses the wizard. While a wizard can use almost any wand, it is less effective than his own. A conquered wand usually bends to its new master’s will, and this allegiance can be won without killing an opponent. Ollivander identifies the chestnut and Dragon heartstring wand as the one he was forced to make for Peter Pettigrew. It will serve Ron reasonably well if he captured it. Ollivander also explains about legendary wands passing ownership through murder; he believes there is really only one, and acknowledges that Voldemort is curious about it. Ollivander admits he was tortured into confessing that Voldemort's and Harry’s wands share twin cores. He advised Voldemort to use another wand against Harry, but Harry says his wand destroyed the other wand, surprising Ollivander; Harry’s wand did something unique. Voldemort will now seek a wand more powerful than Harry's. Harry believes that if the Prior Incantato spell is used on Hermione's confiscated wand, then Voldemort will know that her spell broke Harry's wand and she was unable to repair it.

Ollivander confirms that Voldemort wants the Elder Wand, believing it can defeat Harry and make him invincible. However, the Elder Wand's master is always vulnerable to attack, and Ollivander believes the Elder Wand can pass ownership without murder; its bloody history grew because many fought and died to possess such a desirable object. Ollivander admits telling Voldemort that Gregorovitch once had the Elder Wand, though Gregorovitch may have started that as a rumor to boost his business. Ollivander knows nothing about the Deathly Hallows or the Elder Wand's connection to them.

Later, in the clifftop garden, Harry tells Ron and Hermione that Gregorovitch once possessed the Elder Wand, though it was stolen long ago by Grindelwald. Harry suddenly "sees" Voldemort approaching Hogwarts’ gate but continues talking. With the Elder Wand, Grindelwald became the most powerful Dark wizard of that time. Only Dumbledore could defeat him, and he captured the Elder Wand that is entombed with him at Hogwarts. Ron wants to go there, but Harry says they must only hunt Horcruxes, not Deathly Hallows.

Everything suddenly grows dark and cool, then Harry sees a white marble tomb loom into view. Voldemort splits it open with his wand. Within lies Dumbledore’s shrouded body, the Elder Wand tucked under his folded arms. Voldemort wonders how Dumbledore could have believed the tomb would protect it. As he grasps the wand, sparks flare from its tip. It is ready to serve its new master.

Analysis
Ollivander's comment that the Elder Wand's master must always fear attack is revealing, meaning that despite whoever wields the wand with its superior power, the wand alone does not make that wizard invincible, leaving him vulnerable enough to be conquered. We saw the same warning in the Tale of the Three Brothers, where the brother with the Elder Wand was murdered in his sleep the very night after he first used the wand in a duel. Harry realizes that If Grindelwald was the blond thief who stole the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch, and Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, that, even without killing him, the wand's allegiance must have shifted to Dumbledore. Considering Grindelwald's and the wand's combined power, it is a testament to Dumbledore's considerable magical abilities that he was victorious. It is also a testament to Dumbledore's humanity that he spared Grindelwald, allowing him to be permanently incarcerated for his heinous crimes, though Dumbledore's prior relationship with Grindelwald may have tempered his actions. However, that decision had a price: leaving Grindelwald alive left a trail leading directly to the Elder Wand. Harry correctly surmises that Voldemort now knows the Elder Wand exists, and he is likely seeking it; Harry later watches Voldemort at Hogwarts as he is about to retrieve it from Dumbledore's tomb. Seeing how easily Voldemort can retrieve the wand and knowing its power, we should perhaps wonder why Dumbledore never made other arrangements for its disposal following his death. Harry, meanwhile, now realizes that his obsession with the Deathly Hallows had endangered the mission. He abandons pursuing them to instead only focus on finding and destroying the Horcruxes, a decision he makes despite lingering doubts about Dumbledore.

Harry deeply mourns Dobby's death, and his choosing to dig the grave manually is, for him, a gesture showing respect, gratitude, and love. The House-elf was not only his protector, but also a valued friend who forfeited his life to save Harry and the others. Using magic to quickly and easily excavate a dirt hole would only have lessened Dobby's bravery and heroism in Harry's mind, and he feels a need to exert himself physically to affirm Dobby's sacrifice before laying his fallen friend to rest. Also, for Harry, who is overcome with emotion, the physical exertion helps alleviate his anguish and anxiety and affords him time to reflect calmly and rationally on recent events. Dobby's death, rather than inciting Harry's rage and vengeance, instead focuses him solely on defeating Voldemort. This tragedy and its aftermath have not only helped Harry gain much needed perspective regarding his mission, but it enables him to retake command. Harry, Ron and Dean also clothe Dobby's body, an act that honors him as a free elf, clothing symbolizing a House-elf's sovereignty. Harry further acknowledges Dobby's independence on his tombstone for all to see. Ron and Dean helping to dig the grave not only shows respect for and gratitude to Dobby, but also their solidarity with Harry. Luna leading the others in saying a few final words is probably a rare instance where wizards have ever paid tribute to a House-elf.

Harry choosing to dig Dobby's grave by hand seems to echo Hagrid's digging a grave for Aragog in an earlier book. It is certainly true that for Harry and Hagrid digging their respective friends' graves by hand is more respectful and emotionally healing than using magic. Quite possibly, Harry and Hagrid are not alone among wizards in feeling that using magic, with its effortless appearance, to bury someone is somehow less meaningful. Readers may have been taken aback by the unceremonious way Professor Slughorn magically filled in Aragog's grave after the earlier incident, but we see here that Dobby's grave is similarly filled magically. From this, we conclude that Slughorn's action was standard practice, rather than possibly unseemly haste to get to the mead he had brought for the wake.

Griphook's tight hold on the Sword of Gryffindor should also be noted by us. Harry is asking Griphook to assist him in a supposedly impossible enterprise, and Griphook is reluctant. We might wonder if Griphook's price for that assistance could be the Sword, of which he seems very possessive.

Also, Griphook's argument that Gringotts Bank is impenetrable, despite the earlier break-in in the Philosopher's Stone, certainly seems weak. He may be attempting to dissuade Harry from pursuing his risky plan, or is downplaying the previous lapse in security. If the Trio succeeds, however, Gringotts will likely have to restructure their security systems to pacify nervous clients who are likely hiding many secrets within their vaults.

Review

 * 1) Does Griphook really believe that it is impossible to break into Gringotts? How might it be done?
 * 2) What does Griphook mean when he calls Harry an "odd" wizard? Why is Harry unsure if he is being praised or insulted?
 * 3) Hermione claims that Muggle-borns have as little status as non-human magical folk under Voldemort's rule. Is this accurate or not? Explain why.
 * 4) If the Elder Wand is the world's most powerful wand, why is its master always vulnerable to defeat? How might Dumbledore have won its allegiance from Grindelwald without killing him?
 * 5) Is Gringott's really the safest place to hide something as Harry claims? Explain.

Further Study

 * 1) Why does Harry dig Dobby's grave without using any magic? Why do Ron and Dean likewise help?
 * 2) Why do Harry, Ron and Dean clothe Dobby's body before burying him?
 * 3) Is Harry correct that Dumbledore meant for it to take time for Harry time to figure out how to complete the mission? If so, why?
 * 4) Why did Voldemort never reveal to Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy that the objects he entrusted them with were his Horcruxes? What might they have done if they had known?
 * 5) We know Voldemort had not kept his plans for immortality secret from his followers. Bellatrix Lestrange is clearly an extremely skillful, knowledgeable and ruthless Dark Witch, how did she not recognize the Horcrux for what it was? Or did she?
 * 6) Why would Voldemort torture Ollivander for information rather than using a memory charm or a truth potion? Which method is more reliable?
 * 7) Why didn't Dumbledore kill Grindelwald in their duel? While letting him live may have been a humane decision, was it a wise choice? Explain.
 * 8) Why would Dumbledore wish to be entombed with the Elder Wand, knowing Voldemort could easily retrieve it?

Greater Picture
By carefully examining Harry's questions to Mr. Ollivander, we can see that Harry is attempting to determine who is the Elder Wand's current master. Harry knows that Draco Malfoy forcibly removed the wand from Dumbledore's hand, and that it was unused before being placed inside the tomb with Dumbledore's corpse. Harry has already discovered that a wand that is borrowed or simply given to someone, as Ron did with the blackthorn wand he captured from a Snatcher and gave to Harry, usually works much less efficiently than the user's own wand. In fact, Ron, who captured it, was probably the blackthorn wand's actual master. Harry's questions seem intended to confirm that this theory about the Elder Wand is true. If it is, Voldemort will likely discover that the Elder Wand performs far less effectively than he anticipated. The opposing theory, that the Elder Wand only changes allegiance when its master is murdered, seems supported by its bloody history; however, Harry realizes that Dumbledore fully commanded the wand despite Grindelwald's remaining alive, and Grindelwald, in turn, did not have to kill Gregorovitch to gain the wand's full power. Although Ollivander does confirm this theory, Harry remains unsure, and over the next weeks while they are planning the assault on Gringotts and recovering from their injuries, Harry repeatedly wonders if he did the right thing, allowing Voldemort to claim the Elder Wand.

As a side note, one might wonder how Ron was able to use the wand that Harry had simply given him in Malfoy Manor. By sheer luck, that wand was Pettigrew's, which Ron had wrested away from him in the cellar. Though it had since been confiscated by Draco, it was surrendered by Ron rather than forcefully taken from him, and so Ron probably remained its new master. Harry pulling the wand away from Draco would have been less relevant to it, as Draco was never its master.

Hermione complains later that Bellatrix Lestrange's wand performs poorly for her; this is because, being nearly unconscious from pain, she took no part in the multiple disarmament jinxes or possession struggles. Thus, that wand is now loyal to the last person who captured it, most likely Ron, who jinxed it from Bellatrix' hand. Knowing what he does now, Harry might be able to rectify that problem by having Hermione forcibly remove the wand from Ron's hand, though he does not. Possibly, his decision, conscious or otherwise, to withhold this solution may be partial retaliation for Hermione's comments regarding how Harry should be able to use the blackthorn wand; however, it is equally likely that it simply does not occur to him. Also, even if Harry did have Hermione forcibly take the wand from Ron, the wand might sense that such a deliberately orchestrated act was a bogus "capture", and it would therefore remain under either Ron's, or possibly even Bellatrix', control.

This side excursion into wand lore becomes important in the final chapters. Dumbledore felt it was safe to be entombed with the Elder Wand because he had arranged that Snape would kill him at an opportune time. As Dumbledore would have never been defeated, dying by his own design, the Elder Wand's power would have died with Dumbledore. This could also partly be the reason why Dumbledore insisted on Snape killing him rather than someone else. However, the plan was foiled as the Elder Wand's allegiance was transferred to Draco Malfoy, who disarmed Dumbledore just prior to Snape killing him. The new owner has since been disarmed by another person, Harry, who, unknowingly, now commands the Elder Wand because he controls Draco's wand, the specific tool with which Draco disarmed Dumbledore. As Ollivander points out, it is forcibly capturing the wand, rather than murder, that alters its ownership. Although Voldemort physically possesses the Elder Wand, it is partly because he never won its allegiance that he is defeated by Harry in the final battle. Voldemort, who does not know that Dumbledore's death by Snape's hand was prearranged, and unaware of Draco's disarming of Dumbledore, believes that Snape is the master of the Elder Wand and will eventually kill Snape in his futile attempt to win the wand's allegiance.

On a separate topic, we will shortly see that Griphook agrees to help Harry break into Gringotts, but his price is the Sword of Gryffindor. Over the next few chapters, we learn that Goblin ideas about property are far different than wizards; Goblins believe an object's maker retains ownership, and what wizards consider a sale is, to Goblins, merely a long-term lease. As such, Auntie Muriel's Goblin-made tiara and the Sword of Gryffindor should, as far as the Goblins are concerned, have been returned to Goblins, possibly when the original owners died. As soon as Griphook states his price, we see that there will be difficulties. Harry will want to keep the one artifact he knows can destroy Horcruxes. Though Harry and Ron resolve to keep the Sword until the final Horcrux is destroyed, then turn it over to Griphook, this plan will be rendered moot when Griphook, Sword in hand, abandons the Trio in the Gringotts deep vaults. The Sword, assisted by the Sorting Hat, will have its own ideas regarding where it belongs, however.

Additionally, this chapter provides a subtle clue revealing how Snape is able to fool Voldemort, "possibly the greatest Legilimens the world has ever known". As of now, Snape's true allegiance is still unknown to the first time reader, and Rowling hides a tiny but significant clue to alert us to Snape's loyalties and methods. As Harry buries Dobby, overcome with grief and gratitude for Dobby's sacrifice, he suddenly realizes that he can shut out Voldemort's thoughts at will, and deny the prickling of his scar. His feelings of grief are simply too overpowering, and the intrusion of Voldemort's thoughts feel insignificant in comparison. Finally, he has learned what he was unable to successfully achieve in his occlumency lessons – how to close his mind to intrusion. Harry realizes, almost as an aside, that grief has enabled him to block Voldemort. This is similar to how his pain at the loss of Sirius forced out Voldemort at the end of book 5, though there, we're led to believe, part of what drove Voldemort away was Harry's love of Sirius and longing to join him, even if only in death. An astute reader might pick up that the author has just told us how Snape has been able to successfully deceive Voldemort. Intense grief, which stems from feelings of love and compassion, can provide the mind with the power to block intrusion by Voldemort. Just as Dumbledore has instructed Harry, love is the one great power of which Voldemort knows nothing, and which therefore enables his defeat time and time again. Snape's great feelings of grief, remorse, and compassion for Lily Evans allows him the power to block Voldemort's attempts to see into his mind, just as Harry realizes in his own grief that he can now willingly control his connection into Voldemort's mind.

This clue is not insignificant for Harry's journey either, as the pain in his scar and his inability to control what appears in his own head has been a major plot point in the series prior to this moment. Harry's realization that his grief for Dobby enables him to shut out Voldemort is a pivotal moment in his conflict against Voldemort; it ultimately sets Harry on the trajectory that allows him to finally defeat Voldemort chapters later. From this point forward, Harry begins to consider the power that love has had all along, and its usefulness against Voldemort. This ultimately leads to his pivotal decision to willingly sacrifice his own life to protect others and enable the defeat of Voldemort in Chapter 34. Dumbledore, it seems, was right all along.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 25

Synopsis
Harry spends as much time as possible alone on the cliff tops. This is the first time an opportunity has arisen where, rather than deciding to act, he instead chooses to do nothing. Even to himself, his reasoning for not racing to Hogwarts to retrieve the Elder Wand before Voldemort grows weaker every time he considers it. Ron's doubting is hardly helpful, and even Hermione's support is confusing. Convinced now that the Elder Wand does exist, she believes the way it was retrieved, and the wand itself, are evil. Ron questions if Dumbledore is truly dead – there is the silver doe and the eye in the mirror. If it is not Dumbledore's eye, then who sent Dobby?

Later, Griphook agrees to help Harry, even though it is betraying Gringotts, but he wants payment: the Sword of Gryffindor. The Sword, Griphook says, was Goblin-made, therefore, it still belongs to Goblins. Griphook is affronted when Ron mentions there are other valuables in the vault he might want: he is not a thief. Griphook claims that Gryffindor stole the Sword from Ragnuk the First. Harry, Ron, and Hermione want time to consider Griphook's request.

Harry wonders if the Sword was stolen from the Goblins. Hermione says that wizard-written history books often gloss over what was inflicted on nonhuman races. Ron's suggestion that they swap the real Sword for the fake one is dismissed, as Griphook would immediately detect the replica. Offering an equal value item is proposed, but they have nothing to trade. Harry finally decides to offer the Sword to Griphook, but only after all the Horcruxes have been destroyed. Hermione dislikes this idea, it could take years. Harry agrees, but he does not have another plan.

Griphook agrees to Harry's carefully worded agreement. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook spend the next several weeks planning the Gringotts' assault, during which Harry realizes he dislikes the Goblin, who seems uncaring and cheerful that other wizards might be injured. He also seems to enjoy making things difficult for Fleur. She is gladdened that Ollivander will shortly move to Aunt Muriel's, and she can then juggle bedrooms. Harry tells her that he, Ron, and Dean are fine sleeping in the living room. Keeping Griphook happy is essential to the Trio's plans. He also informs Fleur that he, Ron, and Hermione will be leaving soon.

As Ollivander and Bill are about to depart for Aunt Muriel's, Fleur asks Ollivander to deliver Muriel's borrowed tiara. Griphook, eying the tiara almost eagerly, mentions that it was made by Goblins; Bill responds it was paid for by wizards.

Bill returns shortly after, reporting that everything is fine at Muriel's, though the Twins are running an owl order business from the back bedroom. As dinner ends, there is a loud bang at the door. Lupin identifies himself and announces that he and Tonks are parents to a baby boy, named Ted after Tonks' father. He asks Harry to be godfather, and Harry, stunned, accepts. The celebration goes through several bottles before Lupin departs.

Bill privately asks Harry if he has a deal with Griphook, warning him that Goblins have foreign ideas regarding ownership. They believe wizards are untrustworthy in matters regarding treasure, and that property stays with the maker, considering Goblin-made wares to be leased rather than purchased. Griphook evidently feels that Auntie Muriel's tiara should have been returned to the Goblins when the original owner died. Though Harry never admits he and Griphook have an agreement, he promises Bill to be careful, then returns to the celebration, which continues even after Lupin leaves.

Analysis
Rowling has pointed out separately, in an interview, that Harry deciding for the first time not to act upon something is an important part of his maturation. He sees an avenue he can pursue that will thwart one aspect of Voldemort's scheme, but he instead chooses to simply watch and make other plans that will lead to a resolution he has been striving for since the story began. Always before, Harry had seen a clear, straight path – going through the trap door, entering the Chamber, freeing Sirius, dueling Voldemort, flying to the Ministry, recovering a Horcrux – and has followed it. These rather linear actions created a familiar pattern, making Harry predictable to his enemies. Now there is a defined action that Harry can take, traveling to Hogwarts to prevent Voldemort from claiming the Elder Wand, but after careful consideration, he opts to ignore it.

Harry's agreement with Griphook is risky, and it is unclear if the Goblin can be trusted, though Griphook likely feels the same about Harry. It is obvious that the Goblin's only intent is to obtain Gryffindor's Sword, which he firmly believes belongs to Goblins, rather than helping to rid Voldemort from the wizarding world. As Hermione pointed out, the centuries of ill-treatment that Goblins and other non-human magical folks have endured under wizards has been glossed over in history books written by biased historians. Voldemort, meanwhile, has been actively recruiting non-human denizens, and Griphook and many other magical creatures may believe they could fare better, or at least no worse, under Voldemort's domination than they have had serving wizards, possibly resulting in them either supporting Voldemort or even adopting a neutral stance in order to conduct business as usual once the war has ended. This could be cause enough for Griphook to betray the Trio once the Horcrux is retrieved from the Lestrange vault. Harry likely suspects that Griphook may double-cross him, but he has little choice but to place his faith in him for now and follow through with their plan.

It should be noted that Griphook has personally been ill-treated by Voldemort's Snatchers and lieutenants, and is affronted by the Dark Lord's agents interfering in Gringotts' operations. One wonders why he resists Harry's efforts to fight Voldemort, demanding payment for what should result in more freedom if Harry succeeds. While this is left unanswered, Griphook seems fully in character. His mercenary nature would likely result in his exacting payment for any action he takes; that he is Harry's only hope to successfully enter Gringotts allows him to demand a higher price, which he does. He may also be anticipating that returning the Sword to Goblinkind will restore his prestige, possibly earning him a promotion within Gringotts or lead to other Goblin endeavors. And quite likely Griphook believes that Harry's effort is doomed to fail, and that even with Griphook's help, Voldemort will remain in power.

The rift between Harry and Lupin has finally been healed, and, partially due to Harry, Lupin realizes that not only is he a suitable husband and father, but a worthy human being and valuable Order of the Phoenix member, despite being a Werewolf. His being a Werewolf has actually been a tremendous asset to the Order, allowing him to infiltrate, at great personal risk, Fenrir Greyback's lycanthropic realm to gather valuable information. Lupin asking Harry to be godfather to his newborn son not only shows how deeply he cares for and respects Harry, but also that he and Tonks believe that Harry, being an orphan, is the most qualified person to guide and mentor baby Teddy should anything happen to them, though there is no certainty that any will survive.

Although it is never explained, it seems odd that Fleur would ask Mr. Ollivander, rather than Bill, to return Aunt Muriel's tiara. The author may be directing the reader's attention to this type of object for a specific reason.

Review

 * 1) Why does Harry no longer want to pursue the Deathly Hallows, even though Dumbledore obviously pointed him in that direction?
 * 2) Why does Lupin ask Harry to be godfather to his newborn son? Why does Harry accept?
 * 3) Does Harry intend to honor his agreement with Griphook? Will Griphook honor it? Explain.

Further Study

 * 1) If the Deathly Hallows are not directly related to Harry's mission, why would Dumbledore bring them to Harry's attention?
 * 2) Why would Fleur request that Ollivander, rather than Bill, return Aunt Muriel's tiara?
 * 3) Does the Sword of Gryffindor actually belong to the Goblins as Griphook claims?
 * 4) Why do Goblins consider Wizards untrustworthy? Is this distrust warranted?
 * 5) Are Goblins trustworthy? Explain.
 * 6) Hermione states that history books written by wizards can be inaccurate. Is this a valid statement? Explain. Does that apply to general history books?

Greater Picture
Like the cup of tea that Dudley left outside Harry's bedroom door in Chapter 2, Rowling has guided the reader's attention to another seemingly insignificant object, a tiara, also known as a diadem. This would be the second tiara that has been pointed out to us, the other being the one on Rowena Ravenclaw's statue at the Lovegoods'. As we now believe, one Horcrux is Hufflepuff's Cup. That would seem to indicate that Ravenclaw's Diadem is a likely candidate to be another Horcrux, though its whereabouts are still unknown.

As mentioned, Harry's discussions with Ollivander were designed to determine who currently has the Elder Wand's allegiance. Despite Ollivanders' explanation, Harry still doubts that Voldemort's control over the Elder Wand is incomplete, and he will continue to doubt this until he directly confronts the Dark Lord. Harry fears he has given Voldemort an unbeatable weapon, and interestingly, this worry's description completely overshadows, for most readers, determining its ownership. The ongoing debates with Griphook are important here, as they serve to distract Harry, and us, from considering the Elder Wand's true ownership, something that becomes critically important shortly. Harry's mind might be eased, somewhat, if he considers that while the Elder Wand is truly the most powerful wand, Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, who then commanded the Elder Wand. Obviously, while that wand may make its owner more powerful, it does not make him invincible.

This chapter's action mainly focuses on limning Griphook's character, setting the scene for his quick departure in Gringotts' subterranean caverns, bearing the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry comes to dislike Griphook, a feeling we readers are apt to echo by this chapter's end, and that Griphook likely feels about Harry. Because of this preliminary description, Griphook's sudden exit, while dismaying, is certainly true to his character.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 26

Synopsis
Their plan is simple: accompany Griphook to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Hermione, disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange by using Polyjuice Potion, can open her vault and retrieve the Horcrux. They have Bellatrix's wand that was captured at Malfoy Manor, and strands of her hair for the Polyjuice Potion. Bellatrix's wand performs poorly for Hermione, however, worrying her, though Draco's hawthorn wand works well for Harry. He suspects Hermione is having difficulty because she did not capture the wand's allegiance as he did with Draco's. Harry, eager to leave Shell Cottage, frets over how to prevent Griphook from keeping Gryffindor's Sword after breaching the Lestrange vault.

Harry informs Bill and Fleur that they are leaving early, and requests Bill not see them off; with Hermione in disguise, Harry wants to prevent him from guessing their plan. Before Apparating out, Harry sadly glimpses Dobby's grave and wonders how the House-elf knew to save them. Hermione is so convincing in her Bellatrix disguise, that Harry shivers with loathing. Ron, also disguised, grouses about his appearance. Harry, with Griphook on his shoulders, will be hidden under the Invisibility Cloak.

Inside Diagon Alley, they are taken aback by the changes. Dark Arts shops now line the street while many familiar stores have been boarded over. Witches and wizards whose wands have been confiscated beg in the street, and Harry's "Undesirable Number One" wanted posters are everywhere. Their plan proceeds reasonably well. Hermione makes a convincing Bellatrix, though Harry warns her against being too polite to subordinates. Travers, a Death Eater, approaches and addresses "Bellatrix". He is surprised Bellatrix is outside Malfoy Manor after hearing everyone there had been confined to the house and that Bellatrix's wand was lost. Hermione dismisses his comment by responding that the Dark Lord shows mercy to those who have served him well. Travers' suspicions seem eased, and he accompanies the group to Gringotts. Two human guards there have Probity Probes that detect concealment charms. Harry Confunds them and Hermione passes unchecked, though their apparent confusion causes Travers a moment's pause. Inside, the Goblins request Bellatrix's identification. When Hermione hesitates, one nervously says that her wand is sufficient proof, though she claims it is new. Harry suspects the Goblins know that Bellatrix's wand was stolen and are looking for an impostor. Griphook suggests using the Imperius curse on the Goblin, Bogrod, who then accepts this wand as being correct. Harry also puts Travers under the curse when he becomes suspicious, knowing there are no wandmakers available. Bogrod requests the Clankers, then leads Hermione and Ron, with Harry, Griphook, and Travers into a passageway. The door slams shut, and Harry sends Travers away to hide. Bogrod, still under the Imperius curse, summons a cart that descends deep within Gringotts. After many twists and turns, the cart passes through a security waterfall that washes away all illusion charms. When the cart overturns and dumps them out, Hermione and Ron are themselves. Griphook believes the other Goblins know they are impostors, but Harry wants to continue and curses Bogrod again.

The Lestrange vault is guarded by an aged, half-blind Dragon that Griphook subdues by using the Clankers. Harry guesses that the cowering Dragon associates the Clanker noise with pain. Hearing pursuit approaching, Harry forces Bogrod to open the vault, which is filled with precious objects. The vault closes behind them. Griphook says Bogrod can release them, but they must search quickly. Hermione screams in pain. The vault's protective charm causes the contents to start multiplying and become searing hot every time something is touched. Harry spots Hufflepuff’s Cup, but it is out of reach. Hermione levitates Harry, and he snags the Cup with Gryffindor's Sword, while Hermione, Ron, Griphook, and Bogrod struggle to stay above the hot multiplying objects below. As Harry sets himself down, he drops the Sword and the Cup. Griphook grabs Gryffindor's Sword, and flips Hufflepuff's Cup up into the air. Harry catches it, ignoring the searing heat. Borne by a treasure avalanche spilling from the now-opened vault, Griphook runs off clutching Gryffindor's Sword, yelling that thieves are in the vault. Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurl curses at the Goblin throng. Harry releases the half-blind Dragon and the three jump on its back. The freed Dragon takes flight, the Trio blasting holes into the ceiling for it to fly through as they make their escape.

Analysis
Although the Trio and Griphook spent much time carefully planning the Gringotts break-in, it may not have been as well thought-out as they believed, which is surprising considering their near-disastrous experience at the Ministry of Magic. It should have occurred to them after witnessing Bellatrix's extreme reaction over the Lestrange vault, that Gringotts could have been alerted about a possible attempt to breach it, and that Harry has Bellatrix's captured wand. It is possible that Griphook, distrusting Harry's agreement, which Harry never intended to immediately honour, may have planned on the Trio being caught so he could reclaim Gryffindor's Sword for Goblins. Although there is no definitive proof for this, he apparently knew what security measures were in place, and should have been able to advise the Trio on how to avert them. The caper also placed a heavy burden on Hermione, who had to convincingly portray Bellatrix. Despite executing the deception relatively well, it is likely that Gringotts may have been tipped off.

As they arrive in Diagon Alley, the Trio, who have remained relatively isolated from the magical community, now see the direct result that Voldemort's take-over has had on the Wizarding world. Many familiar stores are gone, boarded up, or have been replaced by Dark Arts shops that probably were in Knockturn Alley. Muggle-borns, homeless and their wands confiscated, have been reduced to begging in the streets.

It almost seems that Harry's quest has reached a dead-end. Of the six Horcruxes that he believes to exist, three (Riddle's Diary, the Gaunt Ring, and Slytherin's Locket) have been destroyed. He has found a fourth, but has lost the means to destroy it, and while he believes that the fifth may be Nagini, he has no idea what the final one is, or where it is hidden. How shall he proceed?

Also, readers may remember Travers as one of the Death Eaters who appeared at Xenophilius Lovegood's house when Xeno alerted the Voldemort-controlled Ministry of Magic that Harry, Hermione, and Ron had arrived there. The Trio likely never recognized him, probably only briefly glimpsing him while they were escaping the Lovegood house. Travers was also mentioned when the Trio were infiltrating the Ministry; Umbridge assumed that Travers had sent Mafalda Hopkirk to be her recorder, thus taking Hermione, who was disguised as her, away for what promised to be a full day in court.

While in Gringotts, Griphook reinforces the goblins' belief, earlier expressed by Bill, that the items they make for wizards are never sold, but only rented to them. This is possibly related to the policies of software publishers and record companies, who state that they are not selling their goods, only licensing them, thus allowing the purchaser to use the material but not own it. We cannot, of course, know what was in the author's mind, though it is possible she was negotiating for sale of the electronic editions of her books at this point. We further note that digital versions of books ("ebooks") have the same sort of "licensing of content" terms, and that the digital editions of her books did not reach market until some years after publication of the entire series. We have no way of knowing whether there is any relationship between these factors, but the coincidence does seem striking.

Review

 * 1) Why does Harry choose to proceed to the vault rather than escape, even though he is aware the Goblins know they are impostors?
 * 2) Why does Travers become suspicious?

Further Study

 * 1) Why did Griphook flip up Hufflepuff's Cup to Harry as he (Griphook) ran off with Gryffindor's sword?
 * 2) Why didn't Griphook warn the Trio about the magical waterfall that washed away protective charms, the hot, multiplying objects in the vault, and other safeguards?
 * 3) Before Fred and George went into hiding, how might their joke shop have been affected by the changes in Diagon Alley?
 * 4) Now that the sword is gone, how will the Trio be able to destroy the remaining Horcruxes? How can they get the sword back?
 * 5) Are there other ways to kill a Horcrux other than the Sword of Gryffindor? If so, how come the Trio has not considered them?

Greater Picture
As we know, Basilisk venom destroys Horcruxes. With the Sword of Gryffindor now no longer available, Harry may have to go to the only place that the venom exists: the Chamber of Secrets beneath Hogwarts. As it turns out, there will be a more compelling reason for Harry to return to Hogwarts; Voldemort, enraged when he discovers that a Horcrux has been stolen, will shortly visit all his Horcruxes to reassure himself they are safe, and Harry, tuned into Voldemort's thoughts, will learn that one Horcrux is hidden at Hogwarts, as he had long suspected. Thus, he will be forced to visit the school in any event. At the moment, though, Harry is more interested in collecting Horcruxes than destroying them; we will see that he does not even consider how to destroy the Cup Horcrux, being more concerned with preventing Voldemort from reaching the one at Hogwarts.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 27

Synopsis
With no way to steer the Dragon, Harry, Hermione, and Ron can merely hang on, hoping for an opportunity to land safely. Fortunately, the beast seems unaware they are aboard. They tightly clutch the Dragon's scales, but if it banks or rolls over, they will fall off. The Dragon continues flying north, seemingly knowing where it is headed, despite being half-blind. Harry wonders if Voldemort has been informed yet that the Lestrange vault was breached. When he is, Voldemort will know Harry is hunting his Horcruxes and may have located others.

After some hours, the Dragon descends and glides over a small lake for a drink. The Trio jumps into the water, making it safely ashore through the reeds. Harry immediately casts protective charms, and they change into dry clothes and tend their burn wounds with Dittany. Although they have successfully retrieved Hufflepuff's Cup, Gryffindor's Sword is lost, rendering them powerless to destroy the remaining Horcruxes. As Ron grumbles over Griphook double-crossing them, pain suddenly streaks across Harry's forehead. He sees a Goblin cowering on his knees before Voldemort while wizards in a semi-circle look on. Voldemort screams in rage when the Goblin reports the Potter boy and his two accomplices took the Cup. Slashing the air with the Elder Wand, the Dark Lord slays the Goblin. Bellatrix, Lucius Malfoy, and the other wizards dart from the room in terror— anyone left behind is fatally felled. Voldemort wonders if Harry knows what the other Horcruxes are, and if he, Voldemort, can feel when they are being destroyed. Voldemort knows the Diary Horcrux was lost, but believes he was unable to detect it because he still lacked a body then. He suspects Dumbledore was involved; Dumbledore never trusted him. Voldemort is confident, however, that the Ring Horcrux remains intact—no one ever connected him to the Gaunts, after all. And the sea cave is too well protected for anyone to penetrate its security, therefore the Locket inside it must still be safe. He will go to Hogwarts to check on the one there; but Nagini must stay with him, must stay safe. But Dumbledore might have known his middle name and made that connection, he will check that one first. Then to the cave; that one is surely safe, still it must be checked. And finally, the one at Hogwarts, though it is also certainly safe, nobody else knows about that place.

Harry opens his eyes to Ron and Hermione peering down at him. Harry says Voldemort knows they are hunting his Horcruxes and that the last one is hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. Harry, though unaware what it is, knows Voldemort is heading there to check on it, but believes it is the safest one because Snape is there. Harry decides they will go to Hogsmeade, then slip into Hogwarts. Covering themselves with the Invisibility Cloak, they Apparate to the small village.

Analysis
As the plot heads towards its conclusion, the Trio races to Hogwarts to find the last Horcrux, though they have no idea what it is and, having lost Gryffindor's Sword, are unable to destroy it and the others. As a reminder, Dumbledore told Harry that he believed there were six Horcruxes: the Diary, the Ring, and the Locket, all now destroyed; the Cup, probably Nagini, and one other. Harry now has evidence that the unknown one is hidden somewhere in Hogwarts, in a place that Voldemort believes no one else knows exists.

Meanwhile, Voldemort's supreme over-confidence in himself has begun to crumble after Harry and company successfully steal Hufflepuff's Cup from Gringotts Bank. Despite his elaborate planning and extensive security measures, clearly his Horcruxes are vulnerable to being identified or destroyed, though Voldemort believes only the Diary has been eliminated. Although Dumbledore was the only one he ever feared, Voldemort's belief that he is the superior wizard has deluded him into a false sense of invincibility, now that Dumbledore is dead. However, underlying fears and insecurities now appear to be eroding what little sanity he still retains, causing him to frequently fly into uncontrollable rages and randomly lash out, often fatally, at any follower unfortunate enough to be within striking distance. Voldemort may now realize that he underestimated Dumbledore's ability to uncover and foil his plans, as well as Harry's resourcefulness in identifying and locating the remaining Horcruxes.

To cope, Voldemort convinces himself he can "feel" when his Horcruxes are destroyed and takes comfort with the false notion that he was unable to detect the Riddle Diary Horcrux being destroyed only because he still lacked a body then. However, he remains ignorant that the Horcruxes within Gaunt's Ring and Slytherin's Locket no longer exist, or that Harry now knows what, or at least where, the remaining Horcruxes are. However, when Voldemort finally does realize this, it will place him on a deadly and irreversible collision course with Harry.

On an unrelated note, while the Trio are riding the Dragon, they are in danger of falling off and must wait until the beast descends before dismounting. Readers may wonder if they could simply have Disapparated to safety while astride it. While there may have been some magical obstacle, this either never occurred to them or, Apparition, requiring that the practitioner turn in place, may be too difficult in such a situation. That necessary "deliberation" step would be impossible while the Trio are holding on for dear life. However, it does appear in an earlier chapter that Mundungus Fletcher is able to Disapparate while similarly beset, though his criminal life has no doubt enabled him to make speedy escapes from difficult corners something he had to learn, and is therefore a skill the Trio lacks.

Review

 * 1) Why did Griphook take Gryffindor's Sword?
 * 2) Why is Voldemort convinced he will "feel" if his other Horcruxes are destroyed? What proves or disproves this belief?
 * 3) What precautions did Voldemort take to protect his Horcruxes? Did they fail? If so, why? What else could he have done?
 * 4) Why does Voldemort believe that the Horcrux hidden at Hogwarts is the safest? Is he correct?
 * 5) Why does Voldemort believe that no one can ever connect him to the Gaunt family? How was this tie uncovered?

Further Study

 * 1) What is the place in Hogwarts that no one knows about? Why is Voldemort convinced that no one else knows about it? Who does know?
 * 2) Is Ron correct that Griphook "double crossed" the Trio by taking Gryffindor's Sword? Explain.
 * 3) Even if the Trio can find the last Horcrux, how can they destroy it and the other Horcruxes now that they no longer have Gryffindor's Sword?
 * 4) Why and how did Voldemort underestimate Dumbledore's abilities to uncover his plan? Does he now underestimate Harry? If so, how?
 * 5) Is it safe for the Trio to go to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts without first devising a plan? Are Death Eaters expecting the Trio?
 * 6) How well did the Trio's previous break-ins at the Ministry of Magic and Gringotts Bank work, and what did they learn from each incident that they can apply to sneaking into Hogwarts?

Greater Picture
Harry has identified nearly all the Horcruxes, but he is still unaware that he carries a soul fragment, that will act similarly to a Horcrux, within himself. Voldemort also fails to realize this, as it was accidentally created during his attempt to kill baby Harry with the Killing curse that rebounded and struck Voldemort instead. The murder attempt sheared off yet another fragment from Voldemort's soul, and because Voldemort's own soul had been ripped from his body, the soul shard instead attached to Harry. Voldemort's snake, Nagini, is also a Horcrux, as Dumbledore suspected; this is never explicitly stated, but it is certainly implied by Voldemort's decision to keep the snake close at hand and protected (as we will shortly see) where Voldemort can defend her.

The place at Hogwarts that Voldemort believes only he has discovered is the Room of Requirement, which, of course, is known to Harry and the many Dumbledore's Army members. This is yet another example of Voldemort's supreme over-confidence; having found the Room of Requirement, likely by accident, and possibly while pacing the halls looking for a place to hide some Dark experiment, Voldemort assumes he is the only wizard smart enough to have discovered it. He seems to retain this view despite the overwhelming evidence of a millennium's accumulated junk in the room when he first entered it, though perhaps he assumed the room had lain forgotten for centuries, or else that the accumulated detritus had somehow migrated there by an automatic process of the castle. Also, after being instructed by Voldemort on how to locate and enter this room, it would certainly seem that Draco should have realized that it was the Room of Requirement, and that he would have mentioned something to Voldemort about Dumbledore's Army once meeting there, and that Dolores Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, of which Draco was a member, had raided it. Draco may have realized this, but, fearing for his and his family's lives, obediently listened to Voldemort's instructions in silence, or he may have been unaware that Voldemort believed he was the only person who knew the room existed. Draco may also have subconsciously been hoping that his secret activities in the room would be discovered, thus preventing Draco from having to carry out Voldemort's plan to murder Dumbledore.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 30

Synopsis
Pain explodes in Harry's scar, and he finds himself on a rocky outcrop under a cliff. Good, he thinks, they have the boy. A loud crack brings Harry back to himself as Luna stuns Alecto Carrow. The noise awakens the Ravenclaw students, and Harry dives back under the Invisibility Cloak with Luna. Students begin milling about, frightened by finding the unconscious teacher on the floor. Outside, in the hall, Amycus, is frantically calling for Alecto, worried that the Dark Lord has been summoned without Harry Potter having been captured. Amycus is heard ordering Professor McGonagall to open the door. Inside the common room, they find the unconscious Alecto. McGonagall is surprised that Harry Potter may be there and that the Dark Lord suspects he might attempt to break into Ravenclaw Tower. Amycus, fearing Voldemort's wrath if Harry escapes, says he will pass off the alert as a school prank and punish a few students. When McGonagall objects, Amycus threatens her. Harry steps out and slams him with a Cruciatus curse, lifting Amycus' writhing body into the air and crashing it through a bookcase. Harry understands now what Bellatrix Lestrange had meant when she once said a person must actually mean it for an Unforgivable Curse to work. An astonished McGonagall thanks Harry for his gallant effort but urges him to flee the castle quickly. He refuses, saying there is something he must do. He asks about the Diadem, but McGonagall says it has been lost for centuries. Harry is stymied; the Diadem was his most likely candidate for the final Horcrux, and nobody knows where it is. Amycus stirs, and McGonagall casts a binding spell on him and his still unconscious sister. Voldemort's rage overtakes Harry—the Dark Lord has discovered the Locket is missing from the sea cave. Returning to himself, Harry updates Professor McGonagall and says he must find something hidden in Hogwarts before Voldemort and his forces arrive. McGonagall replies that she and the staff will defend the castle for as long as possible while Harry searches. Harry tells McGonagall that students can be evacuated through the tunnel to the Hog's Head Inn. Voldemort will only be concentrating on Hogwarts, not Disapparating students in Hogsmeade village.

Harry and Luna hide under the Invisibility Cloak as McGonagall casts three cat Patronuses to summon the other Heads of House. They run into Snape in the hall. He continually darts his eyes about, perhaps detecting Harry there. When asked what she is doing there, McGonagall claims she heard a disturbance. She is evasive when asked about Harry, then slashes her wand. Snape, quicker, deflects her charm. They duel fiercely, magic so quick Harry has never seen the like. Professor Flitwick and Sprout come running to McGonagall's aid with a huffing Slughorn lagging behind. Outnumbered, Snape dashes into a deserted classroom where a loud crash is heard. Pursuing, McGonagall screams, "Coward!" Uncloaked, Harry and Luna rush inside, startling the other professors. Snape has leaped out the window. Harry thinks he must be dead, but McGonagall bitterly comments that, unlike Dumbledore, Snape had a wand and has learned a few tricks from "You-Know-Who". Harry sees a large, bat-like figure soaring across the school grounds. Slughorn finally enters, and McGonagall informs him that Snape is taking a "leave of absence." Harry slides into Voldemort's mind again and sees an Inferi-filled lake. Voldemort leaps from the boat in a murderous rage — he is headed for Hogwarts.

McGonagall orders students to be sent to the Great Hall, then tells Slughorn the time has come for Slytherin to choose sides. The professors set defensive charms and spells around Hogwarts, though they cannot fend off Voldemort indefinitely. Harry asks Flitwick if he might know where Ravenclaw's Diadem is, but Flitwick says no one in living memory has seen it. McGonagall enchants the school's statues and suits of armour to help defend the castle and orders Filch, who is ranting about students being out of bed, to summon Peeves the Poltergeist.

When Harry and Luna return to the Room of Requirement, Harry is shocked and dismayed that even more people have arrived, including Lupin, Shacklebolt, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred alerted Dumbledore's Army, and they in turn summoned the Order of the Phoenix. As younger students are being evacuated, Ginny, who wants to fight, is arguing with her parents to stay. Percy suddenly arrives and loudly apologizes to his family for being a deluded idiot and Ministry pawn; the Weasleys immediately forgive him. Looking around, Harry wonders where Ron and Hermione are. Ginny, who has been ordered to remain inside the room during the battle, says they are attending to something having to do with a bathroom, leaving Harry puzzled. His scar sears again, and he is gazing at Hogwarts through huge iron gates. Nagini is draped around his shoulders. Voldemort has arrived.

Analysis
As the story reaches a critical stage, time is running out; Harry is desperate to find the Ravenclaw Horcrux, and Hufflepuff's Cup must still be destroyed, though Harry still has no idea how to eliminate either Horcrux. Ron and Hermione, however, may have some idea regarding this, which might explain their sudden and mysterious absence. Voldemort and his forces will soon arrive at the castle, and Harry is at a loss as to where to search or if the Diadem is even the actual Horcrux. The final Horcrux being hidden at Hogwarts is fortuitous; it is a place Harry knows better than anywhere else, and at least as well as Voldemort does. Probably only Dumbledore and the Weasley twins know it better. This homecoming also infuses Harry with a much needed boost of strength and confidence that a less familiar locale would be unable to provide. And though Harry has no idea where the Diadem might be hidden, if it is at Hogwarts, his knowing many castle secrets will help narrow the search. Also, Harry's return not only puts him in a familiar and comforting setting, but it reconnects his alliances with old friends and other supporters, who immediately flock to Hogwarts upon hearing he has arrived. If Harry is to succeed, he must rely on everyone's help. We see, however, Harry's dismay when the Order of the Phoenix arrives; again, he feels that he is endangering his friends, unable to see that they are at risk in any event. Harry fails to realize that he has little responsibility or control for his friends' arrival, merely being the banner which people choose to follow. This is their battle as much as it is his.

Although Harry has used the Cruciatus curse before, this is the first time it has worked effectively for him. He recalls Bellatrix Lestrange once telling him that the conjurer must actually mean it in order for an Unforgivable curse to work properly, that righteous indignation is not enough. Previously, Harry only halfheartedly cast the Cruciatus curse (on Bellatrix Lestrange), unwilling to inflict pain and suffering on anyone, even a hated enemy. Now, however, Harry uses it to protect someone he cares about. And considering its effect on Amycus Carrow, this time, Harry obviously meant it.

Knowing Snape's skill at Legilimency, it is hardly surprising that he seems to be looking around for Harry. Snape likely perceived Harry's presence under the Invisibility Cloak. This skill likewise may be helping him deflect the magic McGonagall is throwing at him, though it is equally possible that McGonagall, knowing his ability, is using Occlumency, as much as she is able to, to block Snape's probes. We have no way of knowing how skilled McGonagall is in this particular branch of magic.

Some readers, sharing the Twins' views, may have felt that the Weasley family was better off with Percy having chosen his own course; others, echoing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, may have been dismayed at his estrangement. Most will, however, be pleased by his reunion with his family, particularly since he seems to have acknowledged Fred's pungent analysis regarding his recent behavior. The reunion's timing is probably chosen to avoid the heartbreaking spectacle of brother fighting brother, while retaining the suspense surrounding Percy's having inadvertently chosen the Dark side heightened to the last possible moment. Percy's estrangement was a minor side plot, but it clearly needed resolution before the family was completely torn apart, and this seems an appropriate way to resolve it.

Review

 * 1) Why would McGonagall engage Snape in a duel rather than merely saying she does not know where Harry is? Could she have defeated him without help from the other professors?
 * 2) Why is Voldemort in a murderous rage? Where is he when Harry "sees" him?
 * 3) Why is Harry now unsure that Ravenclaw's diadem is the Horcrux? Is there any evidence that another Ravenclaw artifact exists?
 * 4) What does McGonagall mean when she tells Slughorn it is time for Slytherin to choose sides? Do they?

Further Study

 * 1) Why is this the first time the Cruciatus curse has worked effectively for Harry?
 * 2) Snape's line, "Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva? Because, if you have, I must insist -", is incomplete. What might he have been about to say?
 * 3) What caused Percy's turnaround? Why did it take him so long?
 * 4) Which bathroom might Hermione and Ron have gone to? What task could have sent them there?
 * 5) How could so many Dumbledore's Army, Order of the Phoenix, and former Hogwarts students be able to enter Hogsmeade village without being detected by Death Eaters and the Dementors?
 * 6) How are the Hogwarts students to be evacuated by disapparating from the Hog's Head when it was stipulated two chapters earlier that disapparition from the town is impossible?

Greater Picture
The bathroom Ginny Weasley is referring to is actually Moaning Myrtle's lavatory, which readers should remember contains the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and that only someone speaking Parseltongue can open. It is unknown yet why Ron and Hermione would have gone there, or if they could open the Chamber, but this will play a significant role in the next chapter.

Snape's behavior when questioning McGonagall in the hallway, as discussed above, strongly indicates that he knows Harry is nearby, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. Snape, of course, should be able to detect Harry using Legilimency. It is still unknown, however, that Snape is Dumbledore's secret ally, and he would do nothing to interfere with Harry's mission. In light of this, it is probable that during his and McGonagall's fierce duel, even though both are powerful wizards and skilled duelists, and McGonagall would probably kill him if she could, Snape is defending himself while doing nothing that would harm her or Harry, finally fleeing before the encounter turns deadly.

Professor Flitwick's comment that no one in living memory has seen Ravenclaw's Diadem will prove to be untrue, as it has actually been seen quite recently, though without either we or the person holding it knowing what it was at the time. However, Flitwick's words will act as a useful trigger for Harry, setting a train of thought in motion that results in Harry finding the Diadem.

A very interesting point is touched on by one editor: how can the students Disapparate from Hogsmeade? For that matter, how can Dumbledore's Army members Apparate in, as they have been doing? Aberforth has said that Harry, Ron, and Hermione should wait until dawn, and then Apparate away and hide in the mountains. While he never explicitly says so, he strongly implies that Apparating out of Hogsmeade is impossible. In this case, perhaps, Harry may simply have made a lucky assumption. Clearly it is possible to Apparate into Hogsmeade, as he has done so. Perhaps he simply assumed that it would be similarly possible to Apparate out, and missed Aberforth saying that it could not be done. As the author never tells us, we can only speculate; but it is possible that when the evacuation starts, Voldemort has already lifted the anti-Apparition spells on Hogsmeade to allow his troops free movement. If so, this is a major stroke of luck for the Hogwarts forces; they would have been unable to evacuate the non-combatants otherwise. Also, just as Voldemort and his forces are able to eventually penetrate Hogwarts' defenses, it may be possible that with sufficient numbers, and the need for concealment no longer in force, the Order of the Phoenix is able to break Voldemort's protective spells.

A similar question that arises is, what about those students who are still unable to Apparate? There are wizards, we are told, who never Apparate, despite being fully grown or qualified, because of the Splinching risk. So quite possibly, in order to accommodate those Death Eaters who were unwilling or unable to Apparate, Voldemort might also have released any restrictions on the Floo Network. This, then, could be used in conjunction with side-along Apparition, and possibly emergency Portkeys delivered to the evacuation site to transport students.