DH:20 - Xenophilius Lovegood (Bloomsbury 2007)
Italics are impressions from my first read, when I did not yet know what was going to happen.
1) Ron accepts Hermione's anger as well earned. He continues to make a show of his remorse in her presence. There's that word again. Ron and Harry are both feeling cheery and optimistic, and things are looking much better now that they don't have to keep wearing that damned locket anymore.
2) Someone knew to send them the sword. But who? How much did they know, and how do they know it?
3) ..."scouring the bare hedges for non-existent blackberries." Non-existent? In winter? Ya think?
4) The Taboo. Voldemort's name has real power now, and apparently has since the DEs took the Ministry. It's just more good luck that neither Harry nor Hermione said it while Ron was gone. But I guess they didn't talk much in any case. Well, if they can no longer call him "Voldemort", I guess they should start using "Tom", then. I bet he'd love that.
5) Kingsley is on the run now, too. It would be handy if they met up with him, wouldn't it? I hope he ran into some other fugitives; a capable wizard like him would be really good at organising people and keeping them safe.
6) Ron wonders if Dumbledore sent the doe. Harry understands Ron's longing to have Dumbledore looking out for them, which must mean that his new upsurge of optimism has tempered his anger toward their former headmaster. Ron's faith in Dumbledore has become absolute following the Deluminator revelation. If that was the right thing to give him, the other bequests must be right, too.
7) Harry's new wand. It's not working very well for him. Less well even than Hermione's did. I wonder if wandlore covers that as well? If a wand given with the permission of the owner will work better than one that's been stolen? It really seems like high time Harry began seriously studying wandless magic, doesn't it? Hermione says using the wand is a matter of confidence and practice. Shouldn't someone as well-read as she know a little more about wandlore?
8) Ron's brought them a wireless. It really is handy that he took off, isn't it? He's come back with all kinds of helpful news and goodies.
9) Harry's chapter in Rita's book on Dumbedore. I so very, very want to read that. I bet it's scandalous. But then, so is everything else she writes.
10) Hermione wants to see Xenophilius Lovegood. The mysterious mark which links Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Ignotus's gravestone, Beedle the Bard and Xeno keeps appearing, and she wants some answers. Xeno may be able to provide them. And also, as publisher of the Quibbler and an avid Harry-supporter, he could serve as a useful rallying point for the resistance. Harry is dubious, though. He doesn't want "another Godric's Hollow", and he's not convinced that the sign is important. Ron sides with Hermione, partly because of the Deluminator, and partly because he's desperate to get back in her good books. "It won't be like Godric's Hollow. [...] Lovegood's on your side." Yeah, well, so was Bathilda Bagshot.
11) Ignotus's grave had dates on it. GIMME! PLEASE, JO! This has been driving me crazy. I have to think that Ignotus died in the High Medieval period, because nothing else makes sense in terms of everything else we learn about him.
12) Hermione doesn't know if Grindelwald is still alive. Is it just me, or is there a lot of stuff she doesn't know in this book? Surely if/when Grindelwald died, that date would be recorded in some magical history textbook.
13) Ron: "All's fair in love and war. [...] And this is a bit of both." Awww...Ron said "love"!
14) Shell Cottage. Ron spent a couple of months at Bill and Fleur's new place. He didn't want the rest of his family to know he'd run out on Harry and Hermione. I guess Bill can keep a secret.
15) The Lovegood house looks like a rook. Ooh! Chess reference! This Will Be Significant. If I was better at chess I might even understand the symbolism of Xeno Lovegood's place in this story. But there will be something specifically connecting chess champ Ron Weasley with this place.
16) "Pick your own Mistletoe." The Lovegoods are rather...druidic, aren't they? And like many people in the modern day who talk about druidic custom, they are regarded as a bit batty.
17) Xeno Lovegood. He greets them at the door sounding terrified, and immediately tries to send them away. He then tells them to come in quickly, presumably so as to keep from being seen. He throws a cloth over his printing press, shielding it from view. The man who has been advocating helping Harry suddenly does not want to help. This is a man with something to hide. I sense impending doom. Where is Luna?
18) "the room somewhat resembled the Room of Requirement on the unforgettable occasion that it had transformed itself into a gigantic labyrinth comprised of centuries of hidden objects." What's that sound? The banging of Jo's Clue Hammer? We are being reminded specifically of the Hiding Place, and my guess is we should be searching this room for clues.
19) The Erumpent horn. Someone has sold the Lovegoods a dangerous magical item. Xeno bought it just two weeks before from "a delightful young wizard". Who was it? This could be sinister.
20) The bust of beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw. Somehow, I have the feeling that Jo's Clue Hammer is aiming here, but I don't know for sure why yet.
21) The sign of the Deathly Hallows. Ooh! Finally, we will learn what this much-discussed title means.
1) Ron accepts Hermione's anger as well earned. He continues to make a show of his remorse in her presence. There's that word again. Ron and Harry are both feeling cheery and optimistic, and things are looking much better now that they don't have to keep wearing that damned locket anymore.
2) Someone knew to send them the sword. But who? How much did they know, and how do they know it?
3) ..."scouring the bare hedges for non-existent blackberries." Non-existent? In winter? Ya think?
4) The Taboo. Voldemort's name has real power now, and apparently has since the DEs took the Ministry. It's just more good luck that neither Harry nor Hermione said it while Ron was gone. But I guess they didn't talk much in any case. Well, if they can no longer call him "Voldemort", I guess they should start using "Tom", then. I bet he'd love that.
5) Kingsley is on the run now, too. It would be handy if they met up with him, wouldn't it? I hope he ran into some other fugitives; a capable wizard like him would be really good at organising people and keeping them safe.
6) Ron wonders if Dumbledore sent the doe. Harry understands Ron's longing to have Dumbledore looking out for them, which must mean that his new upsurge of optimism has tempered his anger toward their former headmaster. Ron's faith in Dumbledore has become absolute following the Deluminator revelation. If that was the right thing to give him, the other bequests must be right, too.
7) Harry's new wand. It's not working very well for him. Less well even than Hermione's did. I wonder if wandlore covers that as well? If a wand given with the permission of the owner will work better than one that's been stolen? It really seems like high time Harry began seriously studying wandless magic, doesn't it? Hermione says using the wand is a matter of confidence and practice. Shouldn't someone as well-read as she know a little more about wandlore?
8) Ron's brought them a wireless. It really is handy that he took off, isn't it? He's come back with all kinds of helpful news and goodies.
9) Harry's chapter in Rita's book on Dumbedore. I so very, very want to read that. I bet it's scandalous. But then, so is everything else she writes.
10) Hermione wants to see Xenophilius Lovegood. The mysterious mark which links Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Ignotus's gravestone, Beedle the Bard and Xeno keeps appearing, and she wants some answers. Xeno may be able to provide them. And also, as publisher of the Quibbler and an avid Harry-supporter, he could serve as a useful rallying point for the resistance. Harry is dubious, though. He doesn't want "another Godric's Hollow", and he's not convinced that the sign is important. Ron sides with Hermione, partly because of the Deluminator, and partly because he's desperate to get back in her good books. "It won't be like Godric's Hollow. [...] Lovegood's on your side." Yeah, well, so was Bathilda Bagshot.
11) Ignotus's grave had dates on it. GIMME! PLEASE, JO! This has been driving me crazy. I have to think that Ignotus died in the High Medieval period, because nothing else makes sense in terms of everything else we learn about him.
12) Hermione doesn't know if Grindelwald is still alive. Is it just me, or is there a lot of stuff she doesn't know in this book? Surely if/when Grindelwald died, that date would be recorded in some magical history textbook.
13) Ron: "All's fair in love and war. [...] And this is a bit of both." Awww...Ron said "love"!
14) Shell Cottage. Ron spent a couple of months at Bill and Fleur's new place. He didn't want the rest of his family to know he'd run out on Harry and Hermione. I guess Bill can keep a secret.
15) The Lovegood house looks like a rook. Ooh! Chess reference! This Will Be Significant. If I was better at chess I might even understand the symbolism of Xeno Lovegood's place in this story. But there will be something specifically connecting chess champ Ron Weasley with this place.
16) "Pick your own Mistletoe." The Lovegoods are rather...druidic, aren't they? And like many people in the modern day who talk about druidic custom, they are regarded as a bit batty.
17) Xeno Lovegood. He greets them at the door sounding terrified, and immediately tries to send them away. He then tells them to come in quickly, presumably so as to keep from being seen. He throws a cloth over his printing press, shielding it from view. The man who has been advocating helping Harry suddenly does not want to help. This is a man with something to hide. I sense impending doom. Where is Luna?
18) "the room somewhat resembled the Room of Requirement on the unforgettable occasion that it had transformed itself into a gigantic labyrinth comprised of centuries of hidden objects." What's that sound? The banging of Jo's Clue Hammer? We are being reminded specifically of the Hiding Place, and my guess is we should be searching this room for clues.
19) The Erumpent horn. Someone has sold the Lovegoods a dangerous magical item. Xeno bought it just two weeks before from "a delightful young wizard". Who was it? This could be sinister.
20) The bust of beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw. Somehow, I have the feeling that Jo's Clue Hammer is aiming here, but I don't know for sure why yet.
21) The sign of the Deathly Hallows. Ooh! Finally, we will learn what this much-discussed title means.