Chapter 29 -- The Phoenix Lament

[gehayi]

In which Fleur shows class, Tonks makes a scene, Harry is stupid, selfish and insensitive, and we are told repeatedly that Gandalf Rasputin Dumbledore is DEAD.

Comments

[marauderthesn]

Penetrate! Push! Thrust! Ejaculate!

Fleur is my hero. Tonks...not my hero. So, so far from being my hero.

Go you for the use of nassima's picture in this section; it was perfect. The thing is, I think Remus/Tonks could have been written in such a way that, even though I was never going to love it to death, I could have lived with. All that needed to happen was for Remus to seem happy to be with her and for Tonks to not be clingy and selfish. Didn't happen.

[lls_mutant]

Yeah, like "wow, there's this really cool girl who's funny and smart and keeps her sense of humor during serious stress, and she actually wants to be with me? No, I can't bring a girl like that down... okay. But only because she's so cool."

But in reserved Remus British type dialogue. Preferably WITH contractions.

[lls_mutant]

Great spork! Especially counting the times people had to say Dumbledore died. I was rushing through that chapter.

I agree that McG was horribly OOC this chapter. What drove me nuts was really two things: we can't run the school without Dumbledore! (how many times have you had to do that, my dear?, although when she said the bit about a Professor murdering the headmaster, that was understandable), and her little more love comment. It reminded me of bad S/R fics where all the teachers smile tolerantely like it's cute when Remus and Sirius make out in their classroom.

And I'm glad someone else read Molly's offering of the tiara as an apology and olive branch that wasn't out of place. I've seen Molly get more grief for that, but she was saying a lot more than "let's discuss wedding plans!" She was saying "wow, you really do love my son, and let me make this gesture to show not only that I'm sorry, but that you are going to be part of our family."

[runcible_spoom]

Yes, the tiara moment was classic Future Mother-In-Law Apology Gesture, IC for Molly, and richly deserved by Fleur. Of course, just because one is brave, loyal, in love, and wearing the tacit approval of one's mother-in-law on one's head doesn't mean one won't be a conceited Bride from Hell. The Weasley Wizard Wedding will be girly drama galore, and we can only hope that it's written well.

Wotcher!

[woman_ironing]

Tonks and Remus doesn't bother me at all. They lurve each other because lurve is one of the themes of the book. I like Tonks when she's miserable; she's English, after all. Remus angsting because she's too good for him and he's just an animal is so sweet. Remus, all men are animals! He's probably the first ever vegetarian werewolf - a New Werewolf. At the full-moon no packet of tofu is safe.

The strangest thing about the aftermath of Dumbledore's death is that no-one makes a cup of tea.

Re: Wotcher!

[gehayi]

The strangest thing about the aftermath of Dumbledore's death is that no-one makes a cup of tea.

You're right! That's absolutely bizarre. And here I thought that tea made everything better.

I can't take any more of this hot weather

[woman_ironing]

What I should have said is, 'I like Tonks when she's miserable; I'm English, after all.'

[pepperjackcandy]

I think that the weakness of the Remus/Tonks is the Harry-centric viewpoint. I mean, this is a guy who's so dense he apparently has to be slapped upside the head with the identity of the love of his life.

He's totally not going to notice that Tonks is pining. And he'd never do the math on who she's pining for.

And I read Remus's response as "Stupid girl's making a mistake fixating on me. It's my job to protect her from herself by pushing her away." Which could be disinterest, but it could also be "noble self-sacrifice" or whatever.

[gehayi]

I think that the weakness of the Remus/Tonks is the Harry-centric viewpoint. I mean, this is a guy who's so dense he apparently has to be slapped upside the head with the identity of the love of his life.

The problem is that JKR doesn't have to tell it solely from Harry's viewpoint. The first chapter is from the viewpoint of the Muggle Prime Minister, and the second is omniscient narrator. So she could have told one chapter from Remus's viewpoint, and one from Tonks's, and one from Snape's, and so on. And she could have then built backstory more easily, without having to worry about Harry the Oblivious. It would have made a better book, too.

[redcoast]

I disagree. She's always stuck to Harry's point of view now, and the only time she breaks from it, she keeps to a strictly limited point-of-view. The only other character whose heads she's gotten into for POV are Frank Bryce and ... Vernon Dursley. Weird. But think about it: both are Muggles who know little about the story. Anyway, I think if she picks a pattern she should stick to it.

As for Remus/Nymphadora ... I just don't like it. Now, if the love reveal had been Remus sobbing over Tonks's dead body? Awesome. Like I said before, I don't want him to be happy unless he earns it.

[pepperjackcandy]

Like I said before, I don't want him to be happy unless he earns it.

I think I must've missed the other times you've said this, so may I ask why.

[dementedsiren]

Harry looked over Hermione's shoulder and saw an unrecognizable face lying on Bill's pillow, so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque.

Harry wants to know if Madam Pomfrey can't fix Bill's wounds with a spell.

"No charm will work on these," said Madam Pomfrey. "I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites."

Okay, I sure I should know better than to expect logic from the book at this point - but if it's werewolf bites that can't be cured, and Bill's injuries won't heal, does that mean all of those horrible disfiguring injuries were made only by Fenrir's teeth? Not that I would necessarily discount that, but it seems a bit far fetched... and I can't imagine that werewolf scratches are so damned incurable...

But who needs logic anyways?

[pepperjackcandy]

I think that the "werewolf bites can't be cured" thing is an explanation for why Remus has that obvious scar across his face in the PoA movie.

I still think they should've cast Hugh Grant in the role.

[gehayi]

Don't those marks on Remus's face in the movie look like:

a) scratches, i.e. claw marks?
b) scars? If they're scars, wouldn't that mean they've healed, rather than remaining open wounds?

If she's trying to retcon the movies, I think she's making a mistake. That explanation doesn't explain!

[pepperjackcandy]

I read "there is no cure for werewolf bites" as meaning that they can't magic the wounds away like they can so much else, like when MP grows Harry's arm bones back in CoS.

The wounds would then heal the old-fashioned do-it-yourself way that injuries to Muggles heal, resulting in a scar.