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.
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.
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.
Of what was Barty Jr. dying in Azkaban? Could it have been remorse? And more objections to the use of dementors as prison guards
Speculation about DE cells and bloody ambushes, followed by my explanation of Why Avery Is Very Important Really and proposal that he was that mysteriously unnamed Fourth Man in the Pensieve scene of Gof.
Elaboration on the Fourth Man theory, with a good deal of snarking about Avery's backstory. More speculation about DE cells and bloody ambushes (complete with jumping up and down on couches screaming "Yay!!! Bloody Ambush! Bloody Ambush! Bloody Ambush!"), a cheerful proposal of an utterly subversive "Neville owes a life-debt to Barty Crouch Jr." theory, and a lackadaisical attack on the Good Ship LOLLIPOPS with the suggestion that Snape loved Florence Wilkes.
The FEATHERBOAS post. Contains some joking around over Fourth Man Avery's backstory and bloody ambushes, and a good long wrangle over the timing of the Longbottom Incident. Also a bit on Memory Charmed (or, in this case, Reverse Memory Charmed) Neville.
Yet more objections to the WW's use of dementors as prison guards. Evaluation of Peter's state of mind just post-Shrieking Shack.
Tongue-in-cheek speculation about Neville and the Longbottom Incident, with more timeline wrangling, as well as a "Memory Retrieval Potion" theory.
Part one of a three-part survey of Memory Charmed Neville theories. This part covers the "No Suppressed Memory At All," the "Psychological Repression," the "Spontaneous Magic," and the classic "Well-Intended Memory Charm" theories. It was also, by the way, my very first "TBAY" prefixed post.
Part Two of the Memory Charm Symposium, this one examines the "Wizarding Witness Protection Program," "Wizards In Black," "Hidden Source" and "Reverse Memory Charm" theories of Neville's purported memory charm.
Third and last part of the Memory Charm Symposium. Covers the "Cover Up At the Ministry," "DEPRECIATION" and "Memory Charm Most Foul" theories of Neville's purported Memory Charm.
Points out that canon actually suggests that the Longbottoms were not attacked in their own home at all.
Discussion of the precise nature of Crouch's, errr...reforms to the WW's judicial system - specifically of the use of the Unforgivable Curses on suspects - and speculation that Wilkes may have died in custody at the hands of Frank Longbottom, followed by a list of reasons that Snape might be so very hostile towards Neville.
A rather complicated TBAY post, mainly about the Wizarding World under Crouch and the extent to which it might have resembled Stalinist Soviet Russia, but also touching on the debate over whether or not the Twins are bullies, on the issues of netiquette, reader response and humour that had been raised in the course of that debate, on the various ad hominem arguments that had been circulating nastily around the list that entire summer, on an old SYCOPHANTS/Evil Overlords discussion, and--oh yes--incorporating a tiny bit from the Snape's Grudge thread as well. Apparently it was a bit *too* complicated for HPfGU, though, as very few people seemed to get the subsidiary points I was trying to make with it at all.
Part two of nine. Examines Crouch's political situation in the wake of Voldemort's fall and his motives in regard to the trial of the Longbottoms' assailants. Contains an analysis of the Penseive scene and the QwC exchange with Winky as parallel scenes. Also proposes that Crouch's relationship to his son replicates in microcosm his relationship to the wizarding world as a whole.
Part three of nine. Crouch's multiple narrative functions in the text, and the extent to which his hypocrisy enables JKR to use him to serve somewhat contradictory functions. Challenges the reading of Crouch as Tragic Hero on grounds that Crouch's degree of self-interest and hypocrisy prevents him from exhibiting the nobility of stature requisite in a classically-defined tragic hero. Also touches on the Crouch-Brutus parallel, suggesting that its use is ironic in intent.
Part four of nine. Evaluates the motives underlying Crouch's political decisions and how these relate to his narrative function. "Thematically hedgehogs" Barty Crouch Sr.
Part six of nine. Examines Crouch's behavior in regard to his son after the QWC and takes a cold hard look at his thematic role within the text.
Part seven of nine. Crouch's mirror relationship with his son, his redemption scene, and his thematic function within the context of the series as a bildungsroman. Also, some discussion of the relevance of mirrors not only to the Crouch subplot, but also to the series as a whole and to reading practice itself. Includes a rather snarky Lacan reference.
On wizarding justice and the extent to which the WW's conception of "human rights" matches our own
A Fourth Man Avery defense, and the possibility of a Fourth Man Nott. Younger Nott's plot potential. And a little bit on how Crouch Jr. would likely have killed his father.
Question of who has invisibility cloaks and whether James Potter's possession of one might indicate that he had been a member of the DMLE. Contains a truly egregious canon error, which was cleared up in the next post.
Evaluation of the canonical plausibility of a sequence of Longbottom Incident theories, followed by a discussion of the possibility that Crouch's invisibility cloak was left behind at the scene there, thus leading Crouch himself to feel convinced of his son's guilt. Also contains a canon correction to an error made upthread, and an attack on the MAGICDISHWASHER theory with the claim that scenarios in which people screw up royally are actually far more in keeping with the spirit of canon than those in which they are being very clever and planning everything from the very start.
What Crouch's measures actually entailed and what they allowed Aurors to do. Canonical evidence to support the claim that what the Aurors under Crouch were guilty of was NOT merely "killing in self-defense."
More on the question of possible evidence implicating Crouch Jr. in the Longbottom Incident, discussion of the reaction of the wizarding world as a whole to Crouch Sr. after Voldemort's fall, and a question about reader response to Barty Jr's performance in the Pensieve scene of GoF.
Yes, of course Fred and George are "really" engaging in blackmail! And it would seem to be illegal in Wizarding Britain, too. But more to the point, why all that emphasis on blackmail in GoF? (A question no one ever answered, alas.)
