After the Burial
Ron and Hermione are studying the Apparation handbooks in preparation for their test, and Harry, too young to take the test, is keeping them company. Hagrid sends a message saying that Aragog, the giant spider, has died. He asks if Harry, Ron, and Hermione could attend the funeral. Between the three, they decide not to go; it is such a silly thing to get detention over, after all.
Hermione suggests Harry have another try at Professor Slughorn's memory during class, as it will be pretty sparse with students off taking Apparation tests. Ron suggests using the Felix Felicis potion to help Harry get Professor Slughorn's memory. Hermione agrees, but Harry is reluctant; he had been saving it, although he is unsure for what – but it has something to do with Ginny breaking up with Dean, and Ron somehow getting a girlfriend he actually likes.
With only three people in Potions class (Harry, Ernie, and Draco), Professor Slughorn sets an open challenge: make whatever they like. Harry notices that Draco is looking thinner and a bit unhealthy, and believes that whatever he is doing in the Room of Requirement is not going so well. Slughorn is impressed with Harry's Euphoria Elixir, but again manages to escape when they are alone. Returning to the Gryffindor Common room, Harry learns that Hermione passed Apparation, but Ron failed by half an eyebrow.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron head for the dorm, where Harry drinks some Felix Felicis. To Ron and Hermione's amazement, Harry decides to attend Aragog's funeral. Covered by his Invisibility cloak, Harry returns to the Common room, followed by Ron and Hermione. Lavender, unable to see Harry but seeing Ron and Hermione arriving together from the boy's dorm, flies into a jealous rage. Heading out the portrait hole, Harry brushes against Ginny; she thinks it is Dean, and rounds on him.
Ron's failing the Apparation test by such a small margin is fully in character; his use of magic seems somewhat slap-dash and, perhaps, marginally competent at times. One wonders if the author's selection of the reason for his failure is a nod to idiom; "missed it by half an eyebrow" seems a very likely sort of colloquialism.
We see, again in this chapter, signs of Hagrid's almost child-like simplicity. His reaction to any setback is to get drunk, which he manages quite quickly here. Hagrid's being amazed at Aragog's children not affording him safe passage is also a sign of his innocence; for all that he is now probably sixty years old, he does not seem to understand that obligations are not indefinite, and that a covenant Aragog considers binding may not bind his descendants, and will not protect Hagrid's friends.
We see indications, if we needed any, of Slughorn's self-centredness. He mentions to Harry that all the mead he has brought is quite safe, he had a House-Elf drink some from each bottle to ensure it was not poisoned. Harry is disquieted by this revelation, as it is an admission that Slughorn sees nothing wrong with putting the life of a house elf at risk. We can give him the benefit of the doubt, here, and assume that he had another Bezoar to hand in case a bottle had been poisoned, though this is not mentioned. However, it is possible that this display will lead Harry to be more involved, or at least less dismissive, of Hermione's efforts with the Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare.
This is the first time Harry's powers of persuasion have been truly seen, although as he was under the influence of Felix Felicis at the time, we can't be certain if he would be so persuasive without its help. This is also the first time that Harry has spoken about his parent's death in this manner, and probably the only time without experiencing extreme emotion, knowing it will help fight Voldemort. Even in death, James and Lily are still able to battle the Dark Lord. Readers should recall some chapters back that Professor Dumbledore said Harry was uniquely equipped to obtain Slughorn's memory. Dumbledore may have known about the Felix Felicis, although using it may actually have been unnecessary; Dumbledore knows that Harry having Lily's eyes, and Lily being one of Slughorn's favorite students, would be a powerful and emotional persuasion tactic. That, and being well plied with alcohol, is enough to coax Slughorn into divulging the memory; remembering Lily's sacrifice in fighting Voldemort also helped. Although Slughorn will have forgotten the incident when he awakes, he probably would have appreciated the irony that it was his own Good Luck potion that allowed Harry to retrieve a memory from him that he tried so hard to keep hidden.
Hermione suggests Harry have another try at Professor Slughorn's memory during class, as it will be pretty sparse with students off taking Apparation tests. Ron suggests using the Felix Felicis potion to help Harry get Professor Slughorn's memory. Hermione agrees, but Harry is reluctant; he had been saving it, although he is unsure for what – but it has something to do with Ginny breaking up with Dean, and Ron somehow getting a girlfriend he actually likes.
With only three people in Potions class (Harry, Ernie, and Draco), Professor Slughorn sets an open challenge: make whatever they like. Harry notices that Draco is looking thinner and a bit unhealthy, and believes that whatever he is doing in the Room of Requirement is not going so well. Slughorn is impressed with Harry's Euphoria Elixir, but again manages to escape when they are alone. Returning to the Gryffindor Common room, Harry learns that Hermione passed Apparation, but Ron failed by half an eyebrow.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron head for the dorm, where Harry drinks some Felix Felicis. To Ron and Hermione's amazement, Harry decides to attend Aragog's funeral. Covered by his Invisibility cloak, Harry returns to the Common room, followed by Ron and Hermione. Lavender, unable to see Harry but seeing Ron and Hermione arriving together from the boy's dorm, flies into a jealous rage. Heading out the portrait hole, Harry brushes against Ginny; she thinks it is Dean, and rounds on him.
Ron's failing the Apparation test by such a small margin is fully in character; his use of magic seems somewhat slap-dash and, perhaps, marginally competent at times. One wonders if the author's selection of the reason for his failure is a nod to idiom; "missed it by half an eyebrow" seems a very likely sort of colloquialism.
We see, again in this chapter, signs of Hagrid's almost child-like simplicity. His reaction to any setback is to get drunk, which he manages quite quickly here. Hagrid's being amazed at Aragog's children not affording him safe passage is also a sign of his innocence; for all that he is now probably sixty years old, he does not seem to understand that obligations are not indefinite, and that a covenant Aragog considers binding may not bind his descendants, and will not protect Hagrid's friends.
We see indications, if we needed any, of Slughorn's self-centredness. He mentions to Harry that all the mead he has brought is quite safe, he had a House-Elf drink some from each bottle to ensure it was not poisoned. Harry is disquieted by this revelation, as it is an admission that Slughorn sees nothing wrong with putting the life of a house elf at risk. We can give him the benefit of the doubt, here, and assume that he had another Bezoar to hand in case a bottle had been poisoned, though this is not mentioned. However, it is possible that this display will lead Harry to be more involved, or at least less dismissive, of Hermione's efforts with the Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare.
This is the first time Harry's powers of persuasion have been truly seen, although as he was under the influence of Felix Felicis at the time, we can't be certain if he would be so persuasive without its help. This is also the first time that Harry has spoken about his parent's death in this manner, and probably the only time without experiencing extreme emotion, knowing it will help fight Voldemort. Even in death, James and Lily are still able to battle the Dark Lord. Readers should recall some chapters back that Professor Dumbledore said Harry was uniquely equipped to obtain Slughorn's memory. Dumbledore may have known about the Felix Felicis, although using it may actually have been unnecessary; Dumbledore knows that Harry having Lily's eyes, and Lily being one of Slughorn's favorite students, would be a powerful and emotional persuasion tactic. That, and being well plied with alcohol, is enough to coax Slughorn into divulging the memory; remembering Lily's sacrifice in fighting Voldemort also helped. Although Slughorn will have forgotten the incident when he awakes, he probably would have appreciated the irony that it was his own Good Luck potion that allowed Harry to retrieve a memory from him that he tried so hard to keep hidden.
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