This morning I resumed the commute and listen. Aberforth has told the sad tale of his sister Arianna. Obviously this is the event that changed everything for Dumbledore. He made different choices after that. It's interesting how much of this book is about Dumbledore and how Harry has come to accept who Dumbledore actually was.
Neville has turned up from the odd magical tunnel to Horwarts and it looks like he's having a difficult year at school. It looks like they'll be going back to Hogwarts, as we all knew they must, to find the last Horcrux.
I'm just at this spot in my (fifth? sixth?) re-read!!
Speaking of Neville, here's a cute look at the Battle of Hogwarts from a different perspective--Trevor's!
They have made it to Neville's refugee camp via the magic tunnel. Neville has finally become worth twelve of Malfoy. Luna, Dean, Jinny, Fred, George, and others have arrived as well. Harry, like McClellan, has the army he trained but is unwilling to use them.
There is some pointless discussion of why the lost diadem is called the lost diadem and how it is unlikely to be the horcrux. It's pointless because we all know that Voldemort found it and make it a horcrux. There wouldn't be all this talking about it if the horcrux ended up being Tom Riddle's special services award. Besides, Voldemort said that it was someplace only he knew about. If the Voldemort was the first to find it, then that could be the reason it has been lost all this time and Tom Riddle is the one who found it.
Anyhow, Luna and Harry take off to look at Ravenclaw's statue after some intervention by Ginny. Honestly, Luna would be my choice anyhow. You know that Luna isn't going to panic in a tight situation. I like that the Ravenclaw common room has a different way of gaining passage, however it probably sucks to be a Ravenclaw first year.
They find the statue and Harry stupidly gets out from under the cloak so he can be discovered by Carro. I wonder if the diadem could be inside the statue of Ravenclaw. There would be some great irony that it would be lost all this time and be right there in the Ravenclaw common room. Tom could have gotten it out horcruxed it and reparo'd it back. Except why would be in the Ravenclaw common room to find it in the first place? Probably not. Where was I? Oh yeah, Harry gets discovered, Carro summons Voldemort, and Luna doesn't panic and stuns Carro. That's where I'm at.
Harry, like McClellan, has the army he trained but is unwilling to use them.
Gud, can I marry you? Anyone who can make Civil War allusions when commenting on Harry Potter makes me swoon.
I had the same response, Kathy. I started to write, "Maybe someone should have given Harry whatever Grant was drinking," and then I stopped due fear of geekery. I should have known I was not alone.
History geeks are so hot.
I too went all gooey inside at the McClellan reference.
So much has happened. The Ravenclaws poke Sister Carro and Luna is happy they are pleased, which cracked me up. Brother Carro and Prof. McGonagall show up, Carro is rude and is put out of action. McGonagall leaps right into action on hearing that Harry is working on Dumbledore's instruction. I've always liked McGonagall.
Snape and McGonagall duel and Snape flees. If Snape is on the good side, and I suspect he is from various actions I commented on earlier, how long until he lets the good guys know. Maybe I'm wrong and Snape isn't on the good side, but then why didn't he go after Harry at Grimwald place and why the light punishment for stealing the sword? OTOH, that first bit of information on Harry's departure seemed too important if Snape is playing double agent. I'm still leaning toward good though because of Grimwald place.
Anyhow, the school gets ready to fight and the Diadem is still lost. The armor suits have been brought to life to defend the castle, which is awesome.
Back at Neville's refugee camp, lots of other people have arrived. Oliver Wood included. Wood is another of my favorite characters. If they just tell him Voldemort is planning to do away with Quidditch, this whole thing will be over pretty quick. There are the order members, of course. The Weasleys including Percy. It's great that Percy has come to his senses and made up with his family, I especially like how fast George puts it all in the past. Too bad it means Percy is a dead man.
Ginny has the expected argument against going home. I can't blame her either as literally everyone she cares about (excepting Aunt Muriel) is there. I don't expect her to actually stay in Neville's refugee camp as she said she would. Nobody tries to tell Luna to go since she is underage. I expect this means Luna still has a role to play. Ron and Hermione have taken off and I assume have had a brainwave about the location of the Diadem. If they actually meant a bathroom, there is only one bathroom of any note. Do they suspect Myrtle knows something? They know you need to speak parceltongue to get into the CoS, so it has to be Myrtle. Funny if Myrtle is the key to finding the Hogwarts Horcrux.
Voldemort has given his warning Vogon style and the evacuation has begun, though some remain to fight. That's roughly where I have left off. I'm not exactly sure why Harry is hanging out in the great hall instead of looking for the Diadem though.
