@brain-and-nerve​

I know that they had to make cuts for time but I’m sad that we lost this particular chapter.

Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some [Pepperup Potion] by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire. - Percy has noticed that Ginny isn’t her usual self and is trying to fix it. It’s NOT Percy’s fault that he doesn’t realise what’s really wrong with Ginny. NOBODY worked that out propery. *side-eyes fandom*

Oliver Wood’s enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why Harry was to be found, lat one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud. - Are there no showers in the changing rooms?! That’s an essential feature for any sport taking place in the winter, especially in Scotland! 

‘You look troubled, young Potter,’ said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet. - How does ghost post work??

‘Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Harry!’ - TMI, Nick!

I wonder if there is some kind of bond between Mrs Norris and Filch. Maybe Mrs Norris is a Maledictus like Nagini?!

Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. - I wonder if James and Sirius did, too.

Peeves breaks the vanishing cabinet, which means Montague can see into Borgin and Burkes when Fred and George shove him inside it in OotP, which means that Draco finds out about it from Montague, which means he works out that it’s linked to the one in Borgin and Burkes and takes it to the Room of Hidden Things to sneak Death Eaters into Hogwarts...

It was really smart of Nick to involve Peeves and get Harry out of detention. I think it’s only fair that Harry goes to his shindig in return.

‘Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?’ said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. ‘Sounds dead depressing to me….’ - *rimshot*

The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander’s mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from Harry’s mind. - We were robbed, I tell you.

Hermione bossing Harry to go because SHE really wants to go to the Deathday Party.

It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer. - ROBBED!

I’d forgotten that Myrtle first appears at the party.

... there was a great maggoty haggis... - *gag*

The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face Harry had ever seen, half-hidden behind lank hair and thick pearly spectacles. - Shirley Henderson was too old to play Myrtle, anyway, but they could have done more to dress her down.

Peeves is such a dick.

I feel for Nick, getting upstaged at his own Deathday Party.

Can’t imagine how scary it was for Ron and Hermione to see Harry suddenly charge upstairs, talking about a voice killing someone.

Then Ron said, 'Let’s get out of here.’ ‘Shouldn’t we try and help –’ Harry began awkwardly. ‘Trust me,’ said Ron. ‘We don’t want to be found here.’ - Ron had the right idea!

Ah I’m EXCITED because the Golden Trio is my jam and this is their Chapter! 

Anyway @wearywanderer @xingshining @ginneeweasley

@alluringcliche @feelsandotps @wearywanderer @xingshining

I’m wondering what personal story I’m going to share today!

Also, I’m sleepy I hope that doesn’t affect (?)/ effect (?)/ change/ manipulate/ twist/ adjust (I am avoiding looking up the difference between the words “affect” and “effect” for the 100th time in my life) my normal chapter liveblog. I was dedicated to writing this tonight, tho. 

I forget that they didn’t automatically leave after that tense evening discussion

I have a headcanon that the pouches on The Daily Prophet’s owls have a charm that vanishes the money and deposits it into a Gringotts bank account. Otherwise the birds would get so heavy-ladened after a while and I imagine that the Prophet’s bird’s would be frequently stolen from. Imagine working at the Prophet’s owlery. That would be a little fun for a time.

Hagrid just trusts Harry with rummaging through his coat to find his money. He’s either really sleepy or far too trusting. 

“yeh’d be mad ter try an’ rob [Gringotts].” /// lol Hagrid so had a chat with Harry about this memory later.

I’d like to see more of the tense dynamic between Fudge and Dumbledore. I bet Fudge would have been so funny to watch come undone under the weight of being Minister and slowly going from asking DD for help nearly every day to telling the reporters/ editors at the Prophet to slip in snide comments about DD. I want to watch that train wreck. 

Hagrid’s reasoning to why the Wizarding World is separate from the Muggle one is kind of odd to me. “everyone’d be wantin’ magic solutions to their problems.” Like honestly the actual result of that would probably be a capitalistic one in which the average magical person would be able to sell their magical “solutions to problems” for money. This would just lead to the magical community becoming very wealthy. That’s not really a bad thing (on the surface/ from a wizard’s POV). I think the most logical answer is: “Our community is so different from the Muggle one that creating rules to enforce for the two societies coinciding would be so difficult that we keep ourselves separate in order that we can both create individual systems that works for each society.Also, we are trying to avoid causing strain with a power imbalance.” 

“Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up” /// I grew up very short with a very tall dad, so I really can relate haha. I would have to occasionally remind him how my stride was two of his. 

I wonder what Hagrid was knitting. 

I feel like the HP fandom should have had a running joke by now that any deserted store in a strip mall was the entrance to a wizarding community. Tho it seems like the entrance was not visible or had a like “don’t look at me” charm on it rather than how St. Mungo’s was hidden behind a deserted shop. 

“Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry’s shoulder and making Harry’s knees buckle.” /// That I can’t relate to lol. 

“I’m all of a flutter.” /// What a funny and great way to put that lol.

Dedalussssssss!!! One of Harry’s first magical “acquaintances” XD and the truly brave soul who (along with Hestia Jones) watched the Dursley’s for nearly a year. I don’t usually make the joke but... “Rubeus Dedalus Potter you were named for-”

“’What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?’ [asked Harry] ‘D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts,’ muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he’s rather not think about it.’”/// 1. I died. I forgot about this line! 2. He went on a year-long break from work to do some research. That is so Ravenclaw. 3. What if Quirrell became known for wearing beanies instead of a turban? 4. I forgot how it was possible that Quirrell could shake Harry’s hand right now. 5. I forgot why Harry’s scar didn’t hurt right now. (I’ll probably remember soon enough, but I wouldn’t mind reminders if I don’t.)  6. You know those words that trip you up for no good reason? Yeah, well I’ve got quite the arsenal of those, but one of them happens to be “squirrel” (why? idk?) and this man helped me remember that the word has two “R”s in it.

“Harry wished he had about eight more eyes.” /// Harry Spider

I wonder what is the cool new broomstick model right now. 

Gringotts colors are scarlet and gold and I never noticed before. I think they wore black in the movies or just like nice work clothes. Also, I would like to go to Shell’s Cottage and hear Bill and Fleur tell me all about how Gringotts got started. I am fascinated. 

The poem on the door about stealing from Gringotts is so funny to me bc I am just thinking about how cabs have like signs that say that the driver doesn’t carry over a certain amount of money. These are two very different philosophies of deterring a thief. 

Three times JKR foreshadowed to us just how stupid it would be to try and rob Gringotts. 

Our Muggle banks and safety deposit boxes are so much more efficient and I am grateful. 

 Hey there Griphook! Well be seeing you again!

So Dumbledore would have told all the professors what they were hiding in Hogwarts, due to asking them for their help to do it right? But did they know why they were hiding the Sorcerer’s Stone? Did they too know that they were trying to suppress Voldemort’s return? I kinda hope they did. It seems to be that Hagrid did.

I like to imagine these seemingly perpetually grumpy goblins actually love their twisty roller coaster-ish cart rides under London. 

“Harry didn’t know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money.” /// So happy for him!!

Hagrid told him to get his uniform first almost like a parent haha. 

Reminder that Harry disliked Draco for his awful character right from the very beginning and that Draco set himself up for the foul life he ended up with by never seeing the goodness in others as something that he should want too. (I don’t say this to any of you four Questers bc I think you all would agree, but I just had to say it.)

I like how popular and big football is that even wizards know what it is and use it to compare to Quidditch. OMG I’m so stupid I’m just remembering one of the best eras in post-HP publishing history and getting emotional about it. Does anyone remember the 2014 Quidditch World Cup. I obsessed over it that summer and read every word that Ginny wrote and ahhhhh I miss it. I miss Quidditch and Pottermore publishing updates with chapter art and meta and character backgrounds. What a golden era post-DH. 

I like that Hagrid said that toads went “out of fashion years ago” so that means that, at one point, toads were vogue and that’s amazing by itself. I bet the professors hated that time. The constant low croaking coming from everyone’s pockets. 

“For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in [Ollivanders] seemed to tingle with some secret magic.” /// I love that feeling when it happens in real life. Like when you discover a cute little stream on a hike or a beautiful old library. 

I sometimes wish I had the memory of Ollivander. 

The second “you have your mother’s eyes” drink!

Ollivander had some personal space invading issues. (And it irks me.)

I know I already said that I want to know about like three things in this liveblog, but I’m desperate to know more about wandlore too. I want more facts.

I kind of like that the more difficult it was to find Harry a wand, the happier Ollivander got. That’s a good attitude to have right there. That’s how you know you love your job.

Voldemort’s wand was 13 inches and Harry’s was 11 inches. That means that there’s a chance that Voldemort’s phoenix’s core feather was longer than Harry’s and, therefore lower on Fawkes’ tail. 

Gosh wands are expensive. 

Goodbye, Ollie, see you later. 

Why did they not buy a trunk in Diagon Alley? Where did Harry even get a trunk that he carries around with him for 7 years? These are the real plot holes!  jkjkjk

@feelsandotps

I love that the Weasleys’ reaction to Harry not answering Ron’s letters is to ‘borrow’ their dad’s car and do a midnight jailbreak in the middle of Little Whinging while Ron lectures Harry about doing magic in front of Muggles :’)

Did Fred and George teach Ginny how to pick locks Muggle-style? This seems like a skill that could come in very useful for her. We know Ron can do it because he opens the lock to Hedwig’s cage.

Why didn’t you put Hedwig in FIRST, Harry?

You’d think Petunia and Vernon would be happy that Harry’s going.

Lucius Malfoy backstory and foreshadowing.

Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful and sensitive boy. - again Harry compares Draco to Dudley, just like the first time they met.

Wonder how the ghoul ended up at the Burrow.

Arthur’s department deals with keeping wizarding society secret from Muggles, which is one of the most important things in their culture, and yet it’s incredibly underfunded: only two workers, who have to do everything and who are obviously underpaid. Tells you everything you need to know about the Ministry of Magic.

Molly was up VERY early!

For a short, plump, kind-face woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a sabre-toothed tiger. - still makes me laugh, even now :’)

‘We never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy -’ - Percy, I can believe, but I think Bill and Charlie definitely caused SOME trouble. The only reason they didn’t ‘borrow’ the car is because Arthur didn’t have it when they were around. :P

I’d love to have a look at Molly’s cookbook library.

‘Just last night we were saying we’d come and get you ourselves if you hadn’t written back to Ron by Friday.’ - So HOW exactly were you two planning to do that, Molly? Apparation? Portkey? I’d really like to know!

‘She flicked her wand casually at the washing-up in the sink, which began to clean itself, clinking gently in the background.’ - Molly is a powerful witch.

Poor Ginny, imagine your number one crush appearing with no warning in your kitchen when you were 12.

Molly decides Harry can go to bed, even though he’s clearly the least tired. *lol*

Sad we didn’t get to see the gnomes in the film adaptation.

First mention of Mundungus Fletcher!

Mortlake is also the name of a suburb in western Outer London.

I don’t blame Arthur for writing that loophole, God knows his job doesn’t come with many perks.

Why Molly expected Arthur to tell the boys off for using his car is a mystery :’)

Love the description of Ron’s room and that he has a fish tank full of frogspawn. For potions? Just to watch tadpoles? Who knows. (Obligatory “Fuck Off Wormtail” at Scabbers.)

‘It’s a bit small, not like that room you had with the Muggles’ - the one that they imprisoned him in? Don’t think you have anything worry about, Ron.

@feelsandotps

He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been the happiest of his life. - Ugh, this is SO sad. :’(

I love the image of the last day before school - Mrs Weasley cooking up a feast, Fred and George letting off fireworks so the kitchen is filled with red and blue stars, hot chocolate... no wonder Harry doesn’t want to leave!

It’s always chaotic in the morning when you’re setting off on a long journey, no matter how much prep you do. *sigh*

The Anglia is BIGGER ON THE INSIDE. 8D

‘I mean you’d never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?’ - hahaha, I love it!

They had almost reached the motorway when Ginny shrieked that she’d left her diary. - oh, if only she’d left that at the Burrow...

‘The Dursleys haven’t given me pocket money for about six years.’ - I hate these people. They are SO rich and they don’t give Harry anything while Dudley gets ridiculous presents.

I love how Ron immediately jumps to “let’s just drive the car to Hogwarts”. I would have said“let’s just wait until your parents get back and they’ll fix it” and that’s why I’m not in Gryffindor. *lol*

‘Even under-age wizards are allowed to use magic if it’s a real emergency...’ - more foreshadowing! The Ministry really tries to get around this in OotP

Surely not every single magical child takes the Hogwarts Express, though? It makes no sense for kids from Ireland, Wales and the North of England to go to London just to get to Hogsmeade, let alone kids that already live in Scotland. There must be other arrangements for them?

Imagine how worried and panicked Arthur and Molly were when Ron and Harry didn’t appear on the platform. Imagine how Hermione felt when she couldn’t find them on the train!

Harry has never travelled on a plane because the Dursleys have always left him behind on their holidays.

Harry imagining their smooth and spectacular landing on the front lawn in front of Hogwarts is hilarious: even if they hadn’t crashed into the tree, I doubt the landing would have been that smooth, and the teachers would still have been annoyed with them for being so reckless.

Very amused at Harry and Ron mutually ignoring the whining of the engine until it dies and they erupt into PANIC.

I forgot how badly Ron’s wand was snapped. I think Harry’s wand in DH is worse but only by a little.

The car is actually responding to verbal commands! I wonder when it became sentient.

Given how badly Ron and Harry treated the car, I’m amazed it saves them later.

Ginny was amongst them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair. - But Harry never noticed her, right?

Snape berates two injured 12 year-old boys in a freezing cold office and terrorises them with the threat of being expelled. Reminds me of how he behaves four years later in HBP when Harry has a broken nose and his face is covered in blood.

McGonagall’s first action is to light a fire and make sure the boys have a least a modicum of comfort (it was probably for her, too).

‘Explain,’ she said, her spectacles glinting ominously. - McGonagall is an anime character! *lol*

Yeah, Harry, why didn’t you send an owl? :P

Snape looked as though Christmas had been cancelled. - Hahaha!

‘serious damage to an old and valuable tree’ L-M-A-O like he gives a shit about that tree. I bet you he’d be glad to see it torn up by the roots and turned into pulp.

Harry immediately pointing out that technically they can’t lose points because the term hasn’t started and McGonagall’s pleased reaction.

Harry knew perfectly well they’d just be disappointed the Whomping Willow hadn’t squashed him flat. - Much like Snape.

Bless McGonagall for conjuring the boys some food and drink. She even provides the iced pumpkin juice Harry was craving earlier.

Ron forestalling Hermione’s lecture, he knows her that well already.

Yeah, it’s a really good thing McGonagall didn’t let Harry and Ron go down to the Great Hall given how Gryffindor reacts when they get into the Common Room. :’) I love that Harry notices Percy and that Ron immediately understands his elbow and they make a swift exit.

@feelsandotps

The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George’s bedroom were considered perfectly normal. - How can the Burrow ever be too quiet when the twins are in residence?

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. - ugh :(

I'd love to hear Harry explain the postal system to Arthur Weasley.

[Ginny] dived under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. - Could this description be any more romantic?

Pretending he hadn't noticed this, Harry sat down and took the toast... - Look at this cinnamon roll.

If Fred and George are still in their pyjamas, does that mean the others are dressed?

Fred is being stereotypical but on the other hand, he's not exactly wrong about Lockhart's effect on women.

... his Hogwarts badge pinned to his knitted tank top - At home?? There's literally no reason to do that. You are asking for trouble, Percy.

It took Errol a WEEK to get to Hermione's and back, he really is on his last legs (or wings). I'm highly amused that Ron reads the whole letter out loud.

Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies. - Wonder how long that thing's been in the family? Probably as long as Errol!

Harry had only seen Percy at meal-times so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time. - Is he applying for internships or something? It can't just be writing letters to Penelope. I'm surprised Molly doesn't shoo him out of there and tell him to get some fresh air.

George says that they need 'five sets' of Lockhart books but since he and Fred are in the same year and take all the same classes, surely they only need four sets. I also think Ginny probably got a lot of things from relatives as she's the only girl.

He had never mentioned his Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; he didn't think their horror of anything connected to magic would stretch to a large pile of gold. - He's absolutely right. Even if they couldn't use magical currency in the Muggle world, I can imagine Vernon and Petunia doing all they could to try and gain control of Harry's funds.

Half a dozen bacon sandwiches each... - They all ate that amount? Even Ginny??

Borgin and Burkes sounds terrifying. Glad that Harry was able to find a hiding place!

Lucius clearly knows his son - first thing he says is "don't touch".

Draco sounds a hell of a lot like Snape here, especially when he talks about James in that last memory in DH.

Draco has been complaining about Harry so much that Lucius is already at the "please, not this again" stage.

Lucius is clearly more worried about the Act than he seems if he's wanting to sell a bunch of stuff.

Draco got high marks but Hermione was higher. Except in DADA, I assume, where Harry always has the edge. Also I note that Draco doesn't mention that he's Snape's favourite.

'Important business' - wonder what Lucius was going to do with the diary before he bumped into the Weasleys.

Opals have been seen as 'unlucky' for centuries - see this article

A large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders - Acromantula foreshadowing. Maybe these are hybrids as I can't imagine a cage big enough for a wild one.

Hagrid carries Harry all the way to Diagon Alley like that? Like an errant kitten or puppy? *lol*

Hagrid, you MET the Dursleys, are you really surprised they stopped Harry from answering his letters?

To be fair, I can imagine how terrifying it would be for Arthur and Molly to lose Harry like that. Not to mention that he turned up in Knockturn Alley.

Mr Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand and returned them, good as new. - See this makes sense. I remember Hermione doing it in the movie and thinking that was far too advanced for a second-year.

I think Harry would love rollercoasters.

The Weasleys are basically living paycheque to paycheque. The Ministry clearly doesn't pay Arthur enough.

Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. - Meeting up with Penelope, obviously.

Strawberry and peanut butter? Not sure about that combo! But I love that the first thing Harry does with his money is buy his friends a treat.

Deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called Prefects who Gained Power - The editor missed that double use of 'deeply'. Also, if it's a small book, there can't be many prefects who gained power. *lol*

I don't think Percy ever did become Minister of Magic, did he?

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs Weasley's age. - Fred wasn't far off.

Lockhart being surrounded by pictures of his own face tells you all you need to know about him, really.

Kenneth Branagh was perfectly cast.

The crowd seem very excited about Lockhart taking up a post that almost everyone knows is cursed. *lol*

Love Ginny standing up for Harry and for knowing that he didn’t want all that, which Draco can’t see because he would have loved it.

‘I hope they’re paying you overtime?’ - No and I bet you had something to do with that, Lucius.

I hope Lucius Malfoy got a broken nose, too. :D

Hagrid would make a very good bouncer.

@ginevra-molly-weasley

Harry spends all this time dodging Colin Creevey. Note that Ginny does not follow Harry around like this or make a nuisance of herself to Harry in any way, but Ginny’s the fangirl according to fandom.

Hedwig really holds a grudge, doesn’t she?

Ron’s wand actually injures a teacher but apparently that’s fine!

Why is Colin up this early? Was he developing that photo all night? He does not have a clue how much he’s bothering Harry.

I imagine this training would go much better if your team were actually AWAKE, Wood. Just saying. :P

‘Why couldn’t you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?’ Thank you, George!

Wood wastes so much time explaining his training programme that Gryffindor ends up clashing with the Slytherin team, which is what he wanted to avoid in the first place.

Note that the Slytherins don’t have any girls on their team.

Clearly Malfoy is a bit touchy about his talent if Hermione’s jab lands that hard. It’s a shame nobody gets to punch him for that insult.

I can’t believe Colin wants to get a photo of Ron throwing up slugs, what is wrong with this kid?

Hagrid snarking about Lockhart still amuses me, especially the way he cuts Hermione off.

So we know Riddle cursed the DADA job years ago but from what Hagrid says here, the curse has only recently started getting stronger. Is that because Harry is at Hogwarts with the Horcrux? Because Voldemort came back to the UK with Quirrell?

Oh, I wish we could have seen Lockhart’s face when Hagrid told him that Harry was more famous. And when Hagrid said he’d never read one of Lockhart’s books!

Was Ginny just wandering around the grounds? Or was Tom already getting to her?

Lockhart keeps Harry so long that the common room is almost empty!

Ron’s still vomiting up slugs hours later, poor boy.

@ginevra-molly-weasley

I love the description of breakfast at Hogwarts.

…the worst memory of anyone Harry had ever met. – the theories spawned by this single sentence! And for the record, no, I don’t believe Neville suffers from a Death Eater-induced Memory Charm.

Neville’s gran sent him a Howler? When? It must have been before Hogwarts because Harry would have noticed that.

It’s not entirely Ron’s fault, Molly, it’s Arthur’s, too. Poor Arthur.

Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.- Gracious of her. /sarcasm

I bet the Whomping Willow at full strength could have thumped Lockhart into next week. And it would have done everyone a favour.

Oh please, Lockhart, as if Harry isn’t internationally famous! EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO HARRY IS!

Baby mandrakes knock you out for several hours? Shame someone didn’t ‘borrow’ one of them and use it on Lockhart. >:)

Why didn’t we get to see the Venomous Tentacula, WB?!

Justin being down for Eton implies he’s very posh indeed. But he’s a decent sort, at least.

His wand… seemed to be damaged beyond repair. It kept cracking and sparking at odd moments, and every time Ron tried to transfigure… it engulfed him in thick grey smoke which smelled of rotten eggs. Unable to see what he was doing, Ron accidentally squashed his beetle with his elbow. – See, this is dangerous, I can’t believe they let Ron go through the entire school year with his wand like this! Even if he didn’t write to his parents, surely McGonagall or one of the teachers should have let them know.

I do think Molly and Arthur would have bought Ron a new wand, though, because, repeating myself, IT IS CLEARLY DANGEROUS FOR HIM TO HAVE A WAND THIS BROKEN.

Bless Colin for putting his finger on what’s bothering Malfoy. So brave.

Ginny wouldn’t join a Harry Potter fanclub or go around asking for his photo. She knows he doesn’t like publicity.

‘I didn’t get rid of the Bandon banshee by smiling at her!’ – I bet you tried, though, didn’t you? Really hard. ¬_¬

Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face – Ron’s already beginning to see that Lockhart’s all mouth and no trousers.