Notes and queries

[louiselux]

Harry used an unforgiveable curse, and he wasn't punished. He crucio'd Bellatrix Lestrange.

And why did Dumbledore say, at the end of the book, in his office ...'it means you're still a man.' Was there a possiblity that he'd be anything else? It's significant that Dumbleore says says 'man', instead of 'boy'.

The room where Sirius dies is called the Death Chamber, which, coupled with the ledges, made me think initially that they might execute people there, which seemed a bit too sinister, even for Fudge. But then I remembered that Dumbledore did say that there is a room at the Dept of Mysteries devoted to an emotion, and the emotion he's referring too is obviously love. Why would they have a room devoted to an emotion? Probably to try and understand its power. Maybe there's a room devoted to understanding death too, and that's what the Death Chamber is. Perhaps there's desire, destruction, delirium, despair and dream as well. *g*

A chamber devoted to love, one to death, and what else?

And what are the Unspeakables again? Are they unutterable or merely unmentionable?

Comments

[lexin.livejournal.com]

Harry used an unforgiveable curse, and he wasn't punished.

Or not yet. There is (obviously) book 6.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. It could well be another angst-filled opening chapter-another trial at the ministy for Harry. Poor lad. So not only is he grieving for Sirius he'll also be under arrest. So book 6: Harry Potter and the Next Prisoner of Azkaban? Unless Dumbledore get him off the charges somehow.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

Mebbe no-one except Bellatrix noticed he used it in all the fuss... After all, difficult to convict when there's no witnesses or anyone willing to testify.

[illiterate.livejournal.com]

And why did Dumbledore say, at the end of the book, in his office ...'it means you're still a man.' Was there a possibility that he'd be anything else?

My guess is that there is an unspoken "as opposed to a monster, like Voldemort" in there. Harry is still a thinking, feeling, caring individual, and thus-- a man. I think Dumbledore fears that Harry will somehow head down the same path as Voldemort, so this is significant for that reason as well.

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Might I swim against the current a moment and suggest the room is devoted to not love but compassion or loyalty? Voldemort is perfectly capable of love - his love of power and chaos illustrates this - but:

1. He has zero capacity for compassion. The closest he can come is the desire to save or protect someone/something that might be useful to him.

2. He is loyal only to himself. He'll kill and torture his followers with glee, but he's shown no signs of true loyalty or devotion to them.

Yes, Harry used a Cruciatus Curse (clumsily) with no repercussions for the moment. I don't believe for an instant that it wasn't recorded, though. The Ministry's got surveillance all over the UK to pick up everything from a Killing Curse to Aunt Marge inflating - so long as the caster is a minor. The Ministry itself has to have some sort of safeguards in place to detect that. There is also a record in Harry's wand. I still think the whole thing is going to come back to bite him in the arse.

Shutting up now. :)

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Might I swim against the current a moment and suggest the room is devoted to not love but compassion or loyalty?

Yes, you may. *g* It's a good point: love can mean so many things, not all of them good, and all of them unfathomable. What Lily showed for Harry when she saved his life was love, mixed up with sacrifice, loyalty and compassion. Voldemort is love gone bad.

I still think the whole thing is going to come back to bite him in the arse.

*nods head*