HP Reread - Scattered Thoughts pt 8
(Yes, it’s about the Cursed Child. Feel free to skip if you don’t like it.)
1. A very unpopular opinion apparently: this book is my favourite. It gives more spotlight to Ginny and has more focus on Harry and Ginny’s relationship than books 1 - 7 had (they were more friendship oriented in my eyes). There also is still quite a bit of focus on friendships in general. And I absolutely adore the man that Draco has become. (Sorry, guys, face it - he was mostly unbearable throughout books 1 - 7.) And well… there is Severus in it. Plus, I’m a real sucker for alternate universes and the butterfly effect applied in practice.
Also… CC actually feels a lot more like the other books in the series when you read this one just after finished the rest. To me at least. (It’s easier to lose oneself in the mood.)
2. I’ll be frank: my first reaction (when I first read the script after it was released) bordered on disappointment. I was deep into the Act One, there was nothing really catching my attention and then… Scorpius appeared. Sorry (again), guys, I think that Scorpius steals the show.
3. It seems to me that Harry projects at first (I think mostly about the situation with Scorpius). There are rumours about Voldemort’s child going around, the first Time-turner is found, he starts having nightmares and all of a sudden his past is back and almost knocking at his door. And let’s not forget his talk to Bane. And Scorpius does look a lot like Draco. My suspicion is that Harry’s brain makes a short circuit at some point and gets pushed back in mind to seeing a Malfoy as his enemy. He probably thinks that it’s like his sixth year, with Draco and his mission, but in fact it’s closer to the second year, when the real culprit wasn’t one of his Slytherin classmates.
4. On the matter of things that Harry would and would not do in eyes of fandom: I keep remembering the fight he had with Ron on the night before the First Task (GoF) and how often he snapped at Ron and Hermione in OotP. The thing is that in my eyes Harry is very emotional. Anger is Harry’s weakness and whenever stress accumulates, he starts having problems with controlling his emotions. One may of course condemn him for what he told Albus, as the words must have hurt the boy, but the rest of it - snapping in anger at people dear to him in certain situations - is something that has always been a part of his character. (And, BTW, the situation with Albus is exactly what has always scared me about parenting - what if that one time you say something that you shouldn’t and everything will go down the drain from there?) Anyway, condemn Harry for snapping and give him credit for the fact he regrets what he said and later making an effort to apologise for many things. End of this part of the story.
However, one thing should never be questioned - Harry’s love for his family. It blinds him at first, yes, but he also learns from his mistakes later. These scenes where they are looking for Albus and Scorpius, who are suck in the past because of Delphi, really show it.
4a. One thing that strikes me really strongly: Harry appears extremely focused on providing his kids with what he lacked their age. It works great with Lily and James, however, Harry kind of forgets at first that what he wanted and/or needed not necessarily is what his kids will, thus his problems with Albus. What Albus really needs is not necessarily what Harry thinks he needs. But at least they work it out in the end. (I still can’t decide just how similar these two are. I think I’m more on the side that similarities exist, but on the whole there are a little more differences.)
5. The first AU: Ron and Hermione. Ron is positively subdued there. He’s so serious that he almost doesn’t feel like himself, which happens to be in stark contrast to what he’s like in the original timeline. When he’s with Hermione, in the original timeline, I get a feeling that he’s even more funny than he was in the books.
Now, Hermione. She’s so Snape-ish it almost hurts. Maybe even more than Snape-ish, as even Harry didn’t lose as many points in his third year (questioning Severus during the DADA class) as Albus did in this one. On one hand I can understand that she probably thinks Albus is making fun of her. On the other, well… Bad self-control in its best shape. She’s bitter, unhappy, dissatisfied and frustrated. And it shows big time. I think she may feel a bit lonely, too, as the bond with the rest of the trio is not as strong as it was.
6. Cedric - I’ve seen quite a few posts about how he most likely become DE because of the complete humiliation he experienced during the Triwizarding Tournament, but I think it’s only one part of the problem. I suspect he may have felt wronged. There was a clear interference from some third part, but the blame was probably put on him only as someone not deserving to be a champion. In his eyes he was being punished for something that wasn’t his fault. And once the bitterness got hold of him, why wouldn’t he listen to someone who probably appeared sympathetic to him?
That being said, I feel that people underestimate the power of bitterness. Bitterness does destroy people. I’ve seen it IRL and well, there are at least three examples in the books: Severus Snape, Hermione Granger in the second AU and Cedric Diggory in the third one.
7. Severus is very Severus-like. Enough to say. An example - just imagine him drawling these replies.
SNAPE
Professor Snape will do fine. You may behave like a king at this school Malfoy, but that doesn’t make us all your subjects.
SCORPIUS
But you’re the answer …
SNAPE
How very pleasant for me. If you’ve got something to say boy, then please say it … if not, close the door on your way out.
SCORPIUS
I need your help.
SNAPE
I exist to serve. (CC, Act Three, Scene Five)
Also, his interactions with Ron & Hermione are pure gold. (Also bonus points for Ron for doing this:
I’m armed and – entirely dangerous and seriously advise you—
He realises his wand is around the wrong way and turns it right.
—to be very careful— (CC, Act Three, Scene Six))
8. The only complaint of some kind I have is related to the fact that I can’t understand how is the Fidelius Charm supposed to work here. Why do the boys not only see the house, but also what happens inside it (through the windows). Wasn’t supposed it to hide the house from the view?
9. SCORPIUS
(…)From the moment I first heard of it, I was desperate to go. I mean, Dad didn’t much like it there but even the way he described it … From the age of ten I’d check the Daily Prophet first thing every morning – certain some sort of tragedy would have befallen it – certain I wouldn’t get to go.
ALBUS
And then you got there and it turned out to be terrible after all.
SCORPIUS
Not for me. (CC, Act Two, Scene Six.)
It’s actually really interesting that despite everything Harry and Scorpius have positive impression of Hogwarts, whereas for Draco and Albus it’s opposite.
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