Harry Potter and the First Time Readers

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Ch 10-12

Episode Summary

And we must unite inside her Or weʹll crumble from within...and the same is true of this podcast, so join Jon, Jenn, Danny, and Kristen as they talk over chapters 10-12 of Order of the Phoenix. They talk over some theories about what will happen, their impressions of the characters, and what Fred and George were doing with their peckers...

Episode Notes

Chapter 10 - Luna Lovegood

Q1 - Was Sirius irresponsible for going with the group to the train station?

• The girl beside the window looked up. She had straggly, waist length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrows and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer corks, or that she was reading a magazine upside down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and came to rest on Harry. She nodded.

Q2 - What are your first impressions of Luna?

• Harry knew that Nevilleʹs favorite subject was Herbology but for the life of him he could not see what he would want with this stunted little plant.

Q3 - Is Harry lame for not liking plants?

• Rather pink in the face, she closed the door and departed. Harry slumped back in his seat and groaned. He would have liked Cho to discover him sitting with a group of very cool people laughing their heads off at a joke he had just told; he would not have chosen to be sitting with Neville and Loony Lovegood, clutching a toad and dripping in Stinksap.

Q4 - Who do you think all of the characters will marry?

Q5 - Out of all of the articles in the Quibbler, which are you flipping to first? (How Far Will Fudge Go To Gain Gringotts, Corruption in the Quidditch League: How the Tornados are Taking Control, Secrets of the Ancient Runes Revealed, Sirius Black, Villain or Victim)

Q6 - Do you think Fudge has ever had a goblin cooked in a pie?

• ʹAnything good in there?ʹ asked Ron as Harry closed the magazine. ʹOf course not,ʹ said Hermione scathingly, before Harry could answer. The Quibblerʹs rubbish, everyone knows that.ʹ ʹExcuse me,ʹ said Luna; her voice had suddenly lost its dreamy quality. ʹMy fatherʹs the editor.ʹ 

Q7 - Ever been embarrassed like this?

Q8 - Where’s Hagrid?

• Harry felt utterly bewildered. The horse was there in front of him, gleaming solidly in the dim light issuing from the station windows behind them, vapour rising from its nostrils in the chilly night air. Yet, unless Ron was faking—and it was a very feeble joke if he was—Ron could not see it at all.

Q9 - What are these creatures and why can only Harry and Luna see them?

Chapter 11 - The Sorting Hat’s New Song

Q1 - Do we agree with Luna that Hagrid is a bad teacher?

• Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and, 

Divided, sought to rule. 

Q2 - Do you think it was just a parting of ways because of ideas that the founders disliked each other?

• And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into houses

Because that is what Iʹm for,

But this year Iʹll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that itʹs wrong,

Though / must fulfil my duty

And must quarter everv year

Still I wonder whether Sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or weʹll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you…

Let the Sorting now begin

Q3 - What do you think of the song?

Q4 - How can the hat know the school is in danger if it’s a hat?

Q5 - What’s a moment in your life where food had never tasted so good?

• ʹWe have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly‐Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.ʹ

Q6 - What did you think of Umbridge’s speech?

• ʹOut of order, am I?ʹ shouted Seamus, who in contrast with Ron was going pale. ʹYou believe all the rubbish heʹs come out with about You‐Know‐Who, do you, you reckon heʹs telling the truth?ʹ ʹYeah, I do!ʹ said Ron angrily.

Q7 - What do you think of Seamus not coming back and Harry’s response?

Chapter 12 - Professor Umbridge

Q1 - Have you ever been a test subject?

• ʹBeen having a nice little chat with her about whether or not Iʹm a lying, attention seeking prat, have you?ʹ Harry said loudly. ʹNo,ʹ said Hermione calmly. ʹI told her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you, actually. And it would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down our throats, Harry, because in case you havenʹt noticed, Ron and I are on your side.ʹ There was a short pause. ʹSorry,ʹ said Harry in a low voice.

Q2 - Is Hermione the best?

• "Anyway, it's a nightmare of a year, the fifth," said George. "If you care about exam results anyway. Fred and I managed to keep our peckers up somehow."

Q3 - What career do you think Hermione will take?

• ʹHow would it be,ʹ she asked them coldly, as they left the classroom for break (Binns drifting away through the blackboard), ʹif I refused to lend you my notes this year?ʹ ʹWeʹd fail our OWL,ʹ said Ron. ʹIf you want that on your conscience, Hermione…ʹ 
• Is that a Tornados badge?ʹ Ron demanded suddenly, pointing to the front of Choʹs robes, where a sky blue badge emblazoned with a double gold Tʹ was pinned. ʹYou donʹt support them, do you?ʹ ʹYeah, I do,ʹ said Cho. ʹHave you always supported them, or just since they started winning the league?ʹ said Ron, in what Harry considered an unnecessarily accusatory tone of voice.

Q4 - Is Ron a moron?

Q5 - Do you think Harry and Cho will get together?

Q6 - Which class would you want to attend during Harry’s first day?

Q7 - What’s your first impression of Umbridge?

Q8 - Was Harry smart to talk back to Umbridge?

Q9 - What do you think the detention will be?

• ʹWell?ʹ said Professor McGonagall, rounding on him. ʹIs this true?ʹ ʹIs what true?ʹ Harry asked, rather more aggressively than he had intended. ʹProfessor?ʹ he added, in an attempt to sound more polite. ʹIs it true that you shouted at Professor Umbridge?ʹ ʹYes,ʹ said Harry. ʹYou called her a liar?ʹ ʹYes.ʹ ʹYou told her He Who Must Not Be Named is back?ʹ ʹYes.ʹ Professor McGonagall sat down behind her desk, watching Harry closely. Then she said, ʹHave a biscuit, Potter.ʹ 

Q10 - Thoughts on McGonagall and her warning?