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It’s been a million years since I’ve posted here but @rumplesgirl finally convinced me to join in on the fun. I won’t write a recap, and my thoughts are really jumbled since I haven’t done a rewatch yet, but I want to try and go over a few things I’ve been thinking over. The first of which, and I’ve been thinking about this for a while, is that we’re not seeing a linear timeline. Also I know RG mentioned the BIG internet throry I told her regarding William = the Man in Black, so I’ve been keeping this in the back of my head as I watch while trying to not let it influence my interpretation.
I’ve been toying around with the idea that the scenes with Dolores, William, and Logan are happening in the past, and will show us the events leading up to the big malfunction 30 years ago (hence why I’ve been trying to rewatch before I posted). Some things I noticed from this episode were:
– how violent the hosts were towards Logan, when in the pilot, it was mentioned over and over again that “they wouldn’t hurt a living thing”. One of them almost kills Logan, and then later, a group of them take him out back to beat him up. Either Logan is a host, or something happens to him that forces the company to enact some heavy safety protocol towards other guests considering how firmly they established L&W’s standing in society (and connection to “almost owning” WestWorld).
– Logan and William have a conversation in passing about what happened to Arnold (who apparently killed himself!?) and it seems like it didn’t necessarily happen that long ago. It seems like a fairly recent event they’re discussing.
– Dolores has basically been out of her loop for days, choosing her own adventure, even killing other hosts, which we’ve never seen before. From previous episodes, it has been made clear that hosts are on a loop, reliving the same day over and over again, with no memory of the day before regardless of the events (and yes, some are waking up but I think we’ll save that for later).
– UM Lawrence!? So obviously this was a BIG reveal that this is a different timeline, considering how minutes before we’d seen the MIB basically drain his blood and leave him for the workers to retrieve, fix, and put back in the field. So either they work very, very quickly, or we’re seeing a past storyline Lawrence was involved in. This was also the same town that the MIB took him to find his “wife and daughter”.
I think that this past timeline will show us what happened (most like to Logan) to influence the changes we see in the park today. Hosts live in constant loops that they can’t swerve from with limited timelines, the very organized storylines versus organic ones Logan and Billy are involved in, the very firm programming to not hurt a living thing, and the deleting of memories from previous events. Dolores is obviously a pretty big part of the puzzle, seeing as she’s the last one standing from Arnolds time, and as we’ve seen, has a lot more to her than she’s letting on. I wonder if Ford created Teddy and gave him a backstory to try and keep her in line because he knew Arnold had programmed her with more “answers”?
I have a million more thoughts to this but I need to rewatch again to put it all together more coherently. I have lots of notes that I’m not even referencing at all LOL. But so far I’m loving this show, and I look forward to all the pieces being put on the table.
[adrotate group="5"]Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
Chapter 4: At Flourish and Blotts
“Where did you come out?” Ron asked.
“Knockturn Alley,” said Hagrid grimly.
“Excellent!” said Fred and George together.Summary:
Harry spends the remainder of the school holidays at the Burrow, and the Weasleys go out of their way to make him feel at home. When it’s time to go shopping for school supplies, Harry uses Floo Powder for the first time as a mode of transport. Despite the warnings to speak clearly, he is taken not to Diagon Alley, but Knockturn Alley, the seedy underbelly of the magical world in London. Harry exits a grate in Borgin and Burkes, a shop long known for it’s dabbling in the Dark Arts, where he overhears a conversation between the shop owner and Lucius Malfoy, who is trying to sell some objects from his household that may “embarrass him” due to recent Ministry raids.When Harry leaves the shop, he is lucky to run into Hagrid who leads him towards Gringotts to meet the Weasley family, who has been worried by Harry’s disappearance. As they arrive at Flourish and Blotts to purchase their schoolbooks, they find that Gilderoy Lockhart, a famous author, is doing a book signing, and a large crowd of (mostly female) wizards have gathered for the event. When Lockhart sees Harry, he pulls him to the front, and announces to all that he will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts.
As the Weasleys and Harry are about to leave the shop, Lucius and Draco Malfoy approach them, clearly disdainful at the amount of attention Harry has received. As tensions rise between Arthur and Lucius, Ginny defends Harry, which leads Lucius to take an odd interest in her school books. After Lucius insults Arthur’s family, a fight breaks out between the two men, and the group is subdued for the rest of the day, mostly due to Molly’s obvious disappointment in her husband.
ANALYSIS:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
There are quite a few major reveals in this chapter. We see Knockturn Alley for the first time, a dark and dingy area of wizarding London. It’s the first time we’re told that there are still remnants of a darker time or darker magic still existing in our world, as it’s almost assumed that disappeared along with the Dark Lord. We learn that Lucius Malfoy has some “undesirable” objects in his possession still that he’d like to get rid of, but also that he is strict and disapproving of his sons performance at school, and desperately hates anyone not of pure wizarding blood. We learn who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, a rather vain, fame hungry man named Gilderoy Lockhart, who uses Harry for his own publicity. We see how truly poor the Weasley family is when they have to scoop all the coins that are left in their vault at Gringotts just to make sure they can buy supplies for all of their children. And most certainly, the hatred and intolerance of Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy.
What’s most intersting to me about this chapter is JK Rowlings use of juxtaposition (hence my quote from Tale of Two Cities). We know how Harry feels and is treated at the Dursleys, which is in stark constrast to how he feels and is treated at the Burrow, where he is liked, and loved, and fed (I think Molly certainly knows or suspects the Durlseys practically starve him) and is allowed to have fun and be with friends.
“What Harry found most unusual about life at Ron’s however, wasn’t the talking mirror or the clanking ghoul: It was the fact that everybody there seemed to like him.”
We see this contrast even during the short scene with Lucius and Draco in Borgin and Burkes. While Molly and Arthur love all of their children and want them to succeed unconditionally, there is not a huge sense of competition between the children to be better than the next (except for maybe Percy). Lucius not only expects Draco to have high marks, but to beat others purely because of their family blood, because he’s a Malfoy. He disapproves because Draco doesn’t beat Hermione in marks, not any of the other pure blood children.
“I would have thought you’d be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam.”
Other notable examples are: Diagon Alley is safe and bright and the children are allowed to wander on their own before meeting up with their parents, while all the adults are fear stricken at the thought of Harry wandering Knockturn Alley alone. Harry tries to hide the wealth of his vault when he sees how bare the Weasley one is. Gilderoy Lockhart is a very famous wizarding author, who thrives on more fame and attention, while Harry, who may arguably be the most famous wizard of the moment, would rather stay in the shadows and not draw any more attention to himself. He is mortified when Lockhart brings him up in front of the crowd, to take pictures for the Daily Prophet.
But more importantly, and most obviously, is the sharp juxtaposition between Arthur and Lucius. Both of long lines or pureblood wizards with a very “different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard.” The men obviously don’t like each other, but it’s certainly not just because the Weasleys are poor while the Malfoys are rich. One cold and discerning, the other warm and bumbling. One with a clear disdain for all things Muggle related, whether objects or people, and the other completely fascinated by it’s world.
“But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?”
“I went on the Underground -”
“Really?” said Mr. Weasley eagerly. “Were there escapators?”What’s illuminating is that final straw isn’t when Lucius insults Arthur, his family, his home, or his wealth (or lack there of). It’s when Lucius Malfoy insults Hermione’s parents. Even after the fight is broken up by some assistants at the bookstore, Lucius can’t leave without one last insult, as he thrust Ginny’s tattered schoolbook. This chapter is used to set up not only the very long Malfoy-Weasley feud, but the turmoil and struggles Harry, Ron and Hermione will all have to face over the rest of the school year.
FORESHADOWING:
Every single item identified in Borgin and Burkes: the cabinet Harry hides in, the deadly opal necklace, and the Hand of Glory.
Lucius Malfoy’s interest in Ginny’s schoolbooksDISCUSSION POINTS:
Why does Lockhart grab Harry in Flourish & Blotts?
What you do think Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley might think disgraces wizardkind?
Why would Mr. Malfoy want to inspect Ginny’s books?Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
1. What was your opinion of the Burrow the first time you read the novel?
This has always been one of my favorite chapters, mostly because this is the first time we really get a description everyday magical life, not just life at Hogwarts. It was so magical to me to imagine how this family lives, and it’s normal enough for us to connect to our own lives with just a few twists. The kids have chores, they raise chickens, they have dinner together, there’s lots of conversation as expected in a big family. But there are gnomes and ghouls and quidditch games, instead of weeds and leaky roofs and soccer (or football, which ever you prefer).
2. Why is Vernon so set on keeping Harry in his room instead of letting him leave and not having to see him for another year?
I’ve always wondered this myself. Wouldn’t it just have been easier to get rid of Harry? But then, Harry would want that, it would make him happy to leave and be with his friends. And the Dursleys certainly do NOT want Harry to be happy.
3. Although mentioned quite briefly, what does Ginny’s behavior when contrasted with her brothers’ descriptions of her tell you about her personality
Fred, George, and Ron, have all gotten the chance to get to know Harry outside of his “Chosen One” status. Ginny never has, to her he’s a celebrity and one that’s not too much older than her. She obviously has a crush, but I do think a part of her behavior is that he’s very famous, and that makes anyone nervous. We all probably have a few actors, musicians, authors, or even athletes that we would probably turn into a nervous wreck around, if the opportunity to spend time with them presented itself.
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
And what if Henry’s birthday is August 15th? Born on 8/15 at 8:15! I would love that Edit: and yeah, I know the math and the t word don’t line up. It would be cool though.
October 5, 2013. #nailedit
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday
“I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I’m not there, he said.”
Summary:
Harry has returned to the Number 4 Privet Drive for the summer holiday, and things are hardly going well. He misses Hogwarts and his friends dreadfully, and the Dursleys are treating him (and Hedwig) no better than they were before he went away to school. He also worries that he will fall behind in his studies, won’t be as good as Quidditch having had no practice, and why he hasn’t heard from any of his friends all summer. On Harry’s birthday, Uncle Vernon berates and shouts at Harry during breakfast, because he said Dudley hadn’t said the magic word when demanding the bacon to be passed to him. Merely mentioning the word magic is enough to send Uncle Vernon into a towering rage.Uncle Vernon launches into his plans for that evening, entertaining a prospective client, Mr. Mason. Harry’s role is simple: he will remain in his room, making no noise, pretending not to be there.
While in the yard later that day, Harry is surprised to see two large, green eyes staring back at him through the bushes. Before he can investigate further, Dudley nastily reminds Harry it is his birthday and asks why all his “weird friends” have not bothered to send any cards or presents. In retaliation, Harry says he is trying to magically set the garden hedge on fire, even though he knows that underage wizards are forbidden to practice magic outside of school. Dudley tattles to Aunt Petunia and, as a punishment for mentioning magic, Harry must clean the house all day.
That evening, as Mr. and Mrs. Mason arrive, Harry is sent to his bedroom and is shocked to find someone sitting on the bed.
ANALYSIS:
“Happy Birthday to me… happy birthday to me…”
Welcome to Book 2, Chamber of Secrets everyone! As with most of the series, the first chapter recaps the previous book. We are reminded about Harry, that he’s a wizard attending a wizarding school and a short synopsis of what happened in the previous year. The first chapter is also used to reinforce the contrast between Harry’s magical world and his family’s perfectly normal household (thank you very much). Although Harry has his own room now, his life has hardly improved. The Dursleys, crueler than ever, make his life as miserable as they can as he waits the long weeks to return back to school. He is obviously still physically mistreated, and is nearly starved while Dudley gets bigger and bigger. It’s the opposite of Hogwarts, a place he loves and feels at home, where he is valued as a person and celebrated for his (unwanted) fame, and isn’t treated like he’s a freak. When he is with the Dursleys, he is considered abnormal, and anything tying him to that other world is forbidden and locked away. Hedwig must stay in her cage and god forbid Harry use the “m” word. It’s not even surprising that his aunt and uncle have forgotten that it’s his birthday.
In the last book, I referred to Harry’s sass, and there is no shortage of it here. While in the previous book, Harry barely spoke during the first few chapters, here we start to see a slight change in his personality. Where last year he kept his snark limited to comments to Dudley, he deliberately taunts all of the Dursleys. We are starting to see his self confidence grow, and he becomes more assertive in his self defense. He also is starting to realize a little bit of the power that he has in just being a wizard. Yes, he can’t use his magic outside of school, but the Dursleys don’t necessarily believe he won’t, and just the mere mention of magic terrifies them. Unfortunately, the one thing that is really making the summer hard for him is that he hasn’t heard from his friends from school.
Something else that is revealed in this chapter is the Durlseys (mainly Vernon’s) sickening ambition. They’re not trying to keep up with the Jones’s, they’re trying to jump over the Jones’s (who have been waiting patiently in line) and snatch the prize out of their hands. Their plans for entertaining the Masons, are so disgustingly sycophantic, I personally, can’t believe that he actually thinks this is going help him climb the social ladder (much less earn him that vacation home in Majorca).
The clear mystery that is being presented in this chapter is who or what has been peering at Harry through the bushes. Clearly it’s somehow connected to the wizarding world, but it’s not apparent whether it’s friend or foe (although Harry considers both options). What we do know, is that it’s sitting on Harry’s bed.
DISCUSSION POINTS: (this is a hard one to do for an opening chapter btw)
Why do you think the Dursleys banish all mention or reminder or magic when Harry returns from school?
What does “the dinner party” reveal about Uncle Vernon and his schemes to climb the social ladder?
Why do you think Harry hasn’t heard from his friends all summer?
Who or what do you think is peering out from the bushes and/or sitting on Harry’s bed when he enters his room?
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
1) How would you classify Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?
I completely agree with Jo on this one. While I wouldn’t consider the series “children’s books” necessarily, I would consider the first 3 books appropriate for young readers, but smart and well written enough for adults to enjoy. I love how the books grow just as Harry does, and become more complex and darker as the series develops. But you also can’t really skip the first 3 books either, because details from them become important later one.
2) Thinking about the series as a whole, where do you rank HP: SS?
I do the same thing too Jo! Apparently Jo and I share a brain when it comes to HP (except for Percy). My favorites change as I read the series, but I usually put Sorcerers Stone at around 4 or 5. It’s the beginning, and it still fills me with the same wonder and excitement every time. I started reading the books at a much older age because well, I’m older than you guys. I think books 1-3 were out already and I devoured them in a matter of weeks. The Quirrel reveal definitely made me realize that this wasn’t just a series for kids. And as someone who lives in Florida who has an annual pass to Universal Studios, there is NOTHING like walking through the brick wall into Diagon Alley and hearing the music swell. You feel just as Harry did and it literally makes me cry every single time.
3) What do you think of JKR’s writing in this first book? Does it suffer from being her first published work?
I don’t think it suffers, but just as the books feel like they grow with Harry (and you as you read them), I think that JKR definitely grew up with them too. It’s helpful that our main characters are 11, so the style doesn’t seem too out of place, while if it were written about a 16 year old, it may have felt a little juvenile or at least not as strong.
4) What surprised or shocked you the most in re-read of book 1?
Like Jo, again, I was really surprised by how much rereading in this way made me really really hate Petunia. I also loved looking at it from a literary perspective in terms of themes and symbolism. It’s not that I didn’t know they were there, but I always just read the books without looking for much deeper meaning. I guess I was very much the general audience reader, as opposed to super fandom analyzing everything because all the things. So this has been really really fun to read the series in a different way, even if it makes me cry at things I’ve generally been able to read without having that sort of extreme reaction (after having read it numerous times, trust me I did the first time). I can’t wait to get started on Book 2!
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest
“Well, think again, boy – it’s into the forest you’re going and I’m much mistaken if you’ll all come out in one piece.”
Summary:
Professor McGonnagal is furious to find Harry, Hermione and Neville out of bed after curfew. She immediately docks 50 points from each of them, and the rest of the Gryffindor students make no attempts to mask their outrage at now being last in the competition for House Cup.After a week, they receives a note that they will serve their detention that night at 11pm.
Filch takes them, and Draco Malfoy, to Hagrid’s house where they learn they will serve detention by helping him find a wounded unicorn in the Forbidden Forest. They split up into two teams and on their search, Harry, Hagrid and Hermione meet a centaur living in the forest, Ronan. Hagrid asks him for information, but it is clear that it is difficult, if not impossible to get a straight answer of out a centaur. “Not interested in anythin’ closer’n the moon.”When Hagrid is forced to switch the teams around, Harry is left in a group with Draco and Fang. Their search soon leads them to find a dead unicorn, and then suddenly, something else is there too. They watch a hooded figure crawl towards the unicorn, lower its head over the animal, and begin to drink its blood. The figure looks directly at Harry after Malfoy screams, and Harry instantly feels a pain like he’d never felt before. As he staggers away, a young centaur named Fireze, bounds into the clearing and saves Harry.
The other centaurs aren’t very happy with Firenze saving Harry, letting Harry ride on his back, or the fact that he’d given Harry some important information. Through their conversation, Harry learns exactly why the Sorcerer’s Stone is so important, that You-Know-Who is back, and that he wants the Stone to give himself life again.
When they arrive back at the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry tells Ron and Hermione what had happened in the forest, and that he Is determined to stop Voldemort from completing his plan. When Harry gets back to his room, he finds his invisibility cloak under the sheets with a note that reads “Just in case.”
ANALYSIS:
“By strange paths has this Company been led, and so far to evil fortune. And now we must enter the Golden Wood, you say. But of that perilous land we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once got in; and of that few, none have escaped unscathed.’
‘Say not unscathed, but if you say unchanged, then maybe you will speak the truth,’ said Aragorn.”
Lord of the Rings – JRR TolkienOne of the things I realized rereading this chapter, was how J.K. Rowling uses the Forbidden Forest not just as a location or device to meet Voldemort for the first time, but how she uses it throughout the series. Its the first time I’ve honestly made the connection to forests from other tales: Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, etc. The first forest that was brought to mind was Fangorn, from The Two Towers: an ancient forest of living trees, inhabited by the wise and rare ents. Then I thought maybe it was more like Mirkwood, still old, but dark and full of dangerous creatures, and you must stay on the path at your own peril. I changed my mind and thought, it’s really Lorien, where you may enter, but you never leave unchanged. A place of change, where you go to grieve those you’ve lost and remember the dead, but filled with ancient, powerful creatures that give you enlightenment and hope. But really it’s a combination of these, and what the forest symbolizes as a whole. A rite of passage, knowledge and a journey to adulthood. In all of these tales, the forest is a mysterious place, inhabited by mysterious (and sometimes ancient) creatures or even Gods, symbols of all the dangers with which young people must face if they are to become adults. It is a place of testing, a realm of death, which our heroes must face and leave unscathed in order to find enlightenment, and they rarely leave unchanged.
Which brings us to our young Harry, who enters the forest and faces the man who killed his parents, or more literally, the creature Voldemort became after trying to kill him. Harry now realizes that Voldemort isn’t dead, like everyone thinks, and instead of shying away, Harry’s first instinct is to find a way to beat him. Harry left the forest without an injury, but he is forever changed by what has happened inside, and sadly, this won’t be the first time this happens. In every case Harry enters, he faces obstacles, and is closer to becoming a man, and taking his place in the world.
POSSIBLE FORESHADOWING:
The other centaurs are very upset with Firenze for helping Harry.Harry’s scar hurts when Voldemort is near.
“Always the innocent are the first victims,” he said. “So it has been for ages past, so it is now”
DISCUSSION POINTS:
Why are Ronan and Bane upset that Firenze helps Harry? What does Firenze think?Ronan and Bane both comment that Mars is shining brightly. Mars is the Roman god of war. How might that foreshadow upcoming events in the wizarding world?
Considering how dangerous the Forbidden Forest is, why would a) it be allowed for students to go there to serve detention and b) Hagrid split the students into two groups and allow one to wander about unsupervised?
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
It’s interesting that a few of us can’t pinpoint exactly what we’d see in the Mirror. I’m curious; is it because we truly don’t know or is it because we’re afraid to voice the answer?
I often wonder if he spent a lot of time standing before the mirror, just as Harry did, and he figured out how to shield his heart from it so that he couldn’t be hurt anymore.
I think Dumbledore spends a lot of time in front of that mirror, Harry or no Harry. I think he’s learned how not to “fall into” it, as it were, but he is still drawn to it and what it shows, whatever that may be. I think being able to shield your heart is a very interesting idea but I don’t know if that’s possible unless you really were the happiest man on earth. Perhaps it’s not shielding per se, but rather becoming numb to it.
I think we all *think* we know what we’d see, but it may not be what we’d actually see. Most of us think we’d see just ourselves, happy with our friends and family. But I know that there is a good chance that that’s not what I’d see. Not that I’m not happy in my life, or my job or my husband, but it’s a deep dark desire sort of thing. I fully admit to having those outside of what I currently have, and it doesn’t make what I have any less than what I may truly deeply desire.
My biggest question with Dumbledore is that by this book’s end (and without going into specifics), we know he can manipulate what the mirror reflects. So if he has that ability, could or would he, do it for his own benefit, to save himself some pain of past regrets? Or would he decide to NOT change it, as a reminder of what he used to be, to ensure he doesn’t make the same mistakes? I’m really interested to delve into Dumbledore’s motivations throughout the series, just for these 2 questions.
As my bestie and I discussed earlier: Is he merely taking actions to fulfill a prophecy, or is he trying to right the wrongs of his past?
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
I’ll answer my own questions:
Do you think that Dumbledore is lying about what he sees in the mirror, or is he able to control his desires so much that he can manipulate what he sees?
This is something I’ve struggled with for a long time. Having read the series, I know he’s lying, but is he right now at this moment? Is he powerful (and damaged) enough to be able to change what the mirror reflects, or is the mirror able to do that no matter what? Did he torture himself with his reflection of his family just as Harry did, enough to be able to change what he saw? I often wonder if he spent a lot of time standing before the mirror, just as Harry did, and he figured out how to shield his heart from it so that he couldn’t be hurt anymore.
Why didn’t Dumbledore reveal himself earlier, if he had known Harry (and Ron) had been visiting the mirror?
Oh I for sure think Dumbledore had been in that room each night until he figured out the right time to reveal himself. #DumbledoreIsShady
What do you think you’d see if you looked into the mirror?
As even Harry realized it’s a very personal question, your deepest darkest desire. And I’ll admit, I’d probably be a bit (a lot) skinnier, with a couple of kids, and all of my family beside me. (Don’t tell my husband, he doesn’t come here). I’d probably have a different job, at least one that I was really passionate about. A small shop here in the town I live in, making my own hours, and not having to drive 100 miles a day. And I’d probably see my best friends beside my family, one who is 3000 miles away, and one who passed away last year.
OR I would be a rockstar. No kidding, I was a musician for a looooooong time, and I just stopped because life happened. I miss playing every day.
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Going back to a topic a few pages ago, if Harry had befriended Draco rather than becoming enemies with him, what’s to say Harry’s influence wouldn’t have rubbed off on Draco rather than vice versa? How different would the readers view Draco if the story had been told from his point of view rather than Harry’s?
This is something I’ve been debating about since the beginning. Draco is a product of his upbringing just as Ron is. Not that I empathize, sympathize, excuse his behavior or even like Draco, it’s really interesting to theorize what the story could have been if Draco had been the one to befriend Harry instead of Ron. There are a lot of similarities to Harry/You-Know-Who/Snape, (and even Ron/Draco), for a reason. Harry seems to be the exception, rather than the rule, but with the right environment, or different choices, he easily could have been the next He-who-shall-not-be-named.
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Choice is such a huge theme throughout the series, even in the beginning. Had Harry’s choices of friends been different, we would have had a very different series on our hands (somebody get on that fanfic).
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