Delurk. Query as to why (in early 2002), the fandom seemed to prefer to believe that Snape never held his old Slytherin classmates in any regard or affection, followed by some speculation on Frank Longbottom.
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The death penalty in the Wizarding World, and the use of the Dementor's Kiss.
An American reader's initial impression of Hermione's ethnicity, followed by an analysis of the dialogue in PS/SS and an explanation of how it does not support JKR's later assertion that Hogwarts is the only wizarding school in Britain.
Lily's relationship with MWPP during their Hogwarts days.
Snape and his relationship to his old Slytherin housemates and DE colleagues. House Slytherin's apparent emphasis on loyalty.
Speculation that many people in the Wizarding World might be mistrustful of or even hostile to Aurors as a general class. And an explanation of why I dislike Moody that got me into a spot of trouble with a fellow listmember.
Hagrid and his tendency to unthinking prejudice and bigotry.
An attempt to soothe the ruffled feathers of a listmember who was offended by my characterization of Moody as a Law and Order Fascist. Some observations on the perils of Reader Response and a question: Where ARE the Bleeding Heart liberals of the Wizarding World?
Discussion of the Bleeding Heart liberals (or lack thereof) of the Wizarding World and the extent to which such attitudes might be considered a matter of Muggle influence. More on the character of Moody.
On the various ways in which it is possible for readers to state that they "like" a character (as a person, in terms of their narrative function, etc.), and the phenomenon of readers cutting more moral "slack" to characters for whom they feel affection than to those whom they dislike.
Negative spin on Snape's decision to take Sirius back to Hogwarts at the end of PoA, rather than feeding him to the dementors.
Karkaroff's moment of hesitation before fingering Snape to the Tribunal in GoF.
Why did Crouch teach Harry to resist the Imperius Curse? Plus a brief discussion of whether or not one can learn to resist Imperius
Reader response to various scenes of violence: the ferret-bouncing scene, Hagrid's slamming Karkaroff against a tree, and Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy's fist fight at the beginning of CoS
Was there no one who was GENUINELY duped or tricked or Imperio'd into serving Voldemort during the last war? For heaven's sake, where are all the patsies and weaklings?
Suggestion that Arthur Weasley might have been an Imperius victim of the last war, followed by speculation about the role of non-DE "fellow travellers" during that period. Question of who those "loads of people" Karkaroff is supposed to have put in Azkaban were supposed to be, anyway. And my explanation of why it is so important to me as a reader to see more patsies and weaklings in canon
Humor in the series, and the possibility of another volume not ending on a direct confrontation between Harry and Voldemort
Reader response to the infamous "Prank" and an explanation of why Moody's use of degrading and dehumanizing language in the Pensieve scene should have made me think more ill of him than Sirius' use of similar language in the Shrieking Shack did
More on the various reasons readers might have for liking or disliking certain characters: character types ("stocks"), narrative function, personal identification, etc.
Sirius, Snape and the "Prank." Lupin's and Sirius' behavior in the Shrieking Shack
Some discussion of why I find Pettigrew a more sympathetic character than Karkaroff, followed by the proposal that the wizarding world is a warrior culture, and that the members of House Slytherin are disadvantaged by the fact that their House's values are not those privileged by their own culture
