Of course they need a library...unless it's the collected works of Strom Thurmond or something.

Giles needs to have a talk with that woman.

Why don't we send Ripper in instead?

Hm. The elephant in a purple dressing gown is a familiar image, yet I don't remember the stories at all. Maybe I knew someone who had them?

At the risk of saying things that have been said . . . second chapter had no right to exist

I'm really confused by this. It had every right to exist and was in fact very important, moreso than the first chapter.

Thanks for the info Kathy!

I'm really confused by this. It had every right to exist and was in fact very important, moreso than the first chapter.

Wow, I don't agree. IMHO it bled all the tension from the rest of the book. Two of the characters in it meant nothing to the rest of the book, and the third's actions in the book would have carried a lot more weight without all the telegraphing. But, my opinion.

But it might not be telegraphing -- it might be a justification for a revelation in the next book.

Wow, I don't agree. IMHO it bled all the tension from the rest of the book. Two of the characters in it meant nothing to the rest of the book, and the third's actions in the book would have carried a lot more weight without all the telegraphing. But, my opinion.

Interesting, Knut. At the read-and-post LJ folks loved Chapter 2 because of the backstory, and (possible) plot misdirect. Also there was some feeling that it's setting stuff up for the last book.

Wow. I totally disagree with you, Knut! I think the book would be much weaker without Chapter 2. I really enjoyed the fact that it showed us these particular adults NOT from Harry's POV, and I think that Snape was probably bluffing throughout most of that scene. I loved seeing him interacting with Bellatrix, and it gave me a much clearer picture of what it's like for him among the Deatheaters. I felt that Chapter 2 fed into the character development of both Snape and Draco, which I'd not really dared hope for, and was delighted by in this book. I shall be gobsmacked if it turns out he isn't actually loyal to Dumbledore - I think that Chapter 2 makes it look like he's villainous, but I totally think he's loyal to the Order during this scene, and that he continues to be loyal to the Order throughout. We don't actually know what Draco's been told to do in Chapter 2, and I must confess that I initially supposed it was to attack Harry - it was only when Ron was poisoned that I realised Draco was trying to kill Dumbledore, and then I realised that Snape was going to have to kill Dumbledore to keep Draco safe. And the argument that Hagrid over heard in the forest, between Dumbledore and Snape, was surely about this - JKR has a history of misleading readers in this way, and I totally read that scene as being misinterpreted by the trio to fit in with their preconceptions about Snape. I'll be very surprised if that argument wasn't about Snape protesting what Dumbledore is asking him to do - ie continuing to do the whole undercover-with-the-deatheaters thing up to and including killing Dumbledore. (Who is quite possibly dying from his injury, and certainly seems to have done himself considerable further injury by drinking the green stuff.) Even after killing Dumbledore, Snape doesn't hurt anyone else. imho he's still loyal to the Order, even though the Order doesn't seem to realise it; he goes out of his way to NOT hurt Harry when Harry's trying to hit him with unforgiveable curses, he gives Harry advice on duelling and he totally loses his shit when Harry calls him a coward. Er. So, in conclusion - Yay for Chapter 2! imho. Um. YMClearlyV. (I'm still strongly of the suspicion that Snape was in love with Lily Evans, thus explaining the fact that realising he'd caused her death was 'the greatest regret of his life'. Snape slags off James Potter frequently, but he's never disparaged Lily. We know that they both studied Potions, and that they were both very good. We know that she was, in addition to being pretty, cheeky and in Slughorn's opinion would have made a good Slytherin. Sure, it's implausible that causing James Potter's death was the greatest regret of Snape's life - but causing Lily's? That's another kettle of fish.)

I'm with P-C and Fay actually. I couldn't figure the point of chapter 1 except as unnecessary exposition, but loved chapter 2.

I also agree with Fay on Snape. Which brings up a question I've been meaning to ask - has Harry ever been right about something that Dumbledore's been wrong about? I can't think of a single occasion. And will be likely throw the book across the room if it happens in this case.