I'm a single undead gal trying to make it in the big city. I have to start somewhere and they're evil here. They don't judge. They've got necro-tempered glass. No burning up. A great medical plan, and who needs dental more than us?

Harmony ,'Conviction (1)'


Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


Consuela - May 23, 2011 8:59:16 am PDT #14850 of 28289
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

except Beedle the Bard.

Right, because that's a children's book, right? Yeah, she would have concentrated on histories and magical theory, not popular literature.

I did like the moment in Book 5 where she says "I cannot believe you guys STILL haven't read Hogwarts: A History, given how much Really Important Information I keep finding in it!" It's really amusing. But why should they, if they have Hermione available to provide the data for them?


Laga - May 23, 2011 9:11:02 am PDT #14851 of 28289
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.

I loved that Ron knew something Hermione didn't but I was a little dissapointed that Ron's knowledge of Beedle didn't help more in figuring out the Hallows.


Hil R. - May 23, 2011 10:06:41 am PDT #14852 of 28289
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

About how Hogwarts is run, from a little while ago -- I just got to the part in Chamber of Secrets where they bring Hagrid to Azkaban and suspend Dumbledore, and Lucius Malfoy says that there's a board of governors with 12 people on it, including him, that makes the decisions for Hogwarts, and even the Minister of Magic can't override those decisions. So I guess the Hogwarts money is in some sort of trust?


Consuela - May 23, 2011 10:12:20 am PDT #14853 of 28289
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

So I guess the Hogwarts money is in some sort of trust?

Well, just after I started this argument discussion, I got to the parts in Book 5 where the Ministry keeps passing laws granting it more and more authority over the management of Hogwarts.

So I think the answer is that it's a publicly-funded or supported school with a semi-autonomous board of directors. Because it's at least sort of public (JKR never really specifies), the Ministry for Magic can interfere more and more with its operations. It's like the California Legislature granting state executives the ability to micromanage the state university system--somewhat unprecedented, but not outside their legal authority.


Polter-Cow - May 23, 2011 10:12:46 am PDT #14854 of 28289
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

In other news, I cannot believe it took me until I heard the two words being spoken in proximity that I picked up on the Slytherin/slithering thing.


Laga - May 23, 2011 10:18:52 am PDT #14855 of 28289
You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance.

I just got it now!

I was very surprised to learn what 'muggles' was in the US in the 20s and 30s.

And do you know what phrase evolved into "Abracadabra"? I kept hoping a witch would remark on the insensitivity of muggles to use that word to represent magic being worked. Like how Earthlings have no idea about "Belgium".


Typo Boy - May 23, 2011 10:24:54 am PDT #14856 of 28289
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.

I'll google Abracadabra and muggles if explain "Belgium".


Hil R. - May 23, 2011 10:27:17 am PDT #14857 of 28289
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

Belgium: [link]


Consuela - May 23, 2011 11:07:37 am PDT #14858 of 28289
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix

I'll google Abracadabra and muggles

You don't have to google. What's the name of the Killing Curse in HP? Avada Kedavra.


Steph L. - May 23, 2011 11:15:03 am PDT #14859 of 28289
I look more rad than Lutheranism

You don't have to google. What's the name of the Killing Curse in HP? Avada Kedavra.

Wait, we're supposed to assume that "abracadabra" in the muggle world came from "Avada Kedavra"? Or is it explicitly said and I blew past it?

I assumed the similarity, but the other way round (i.e., "abracadabra" --> "Avada Kedavra") was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek play on words by Rowling the author, but not meant to reflect some Big Thing within the actual world of Harry Potter.