First Time Readers

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Ch 16-17

Episode Summary

If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too! All of us First Time Readers and First Time Listeners. So join Jon, Jenn, Danny, and Kristen as they talk over chapters 16-17 of the Prisoner of Azkaban. They talk over some theories about what will happen, impressions of the characters, and what your biggest fear would be.

Episode Notes

Chapter 16 - Professor Trelawney’s Prediction

• Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working.

Q1 - What do you think differentiates between a charm and a spell?

• Their second from last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep padding pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh, ignoring the misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.

Q2 - Which of professor Lupins final exam obstacles would trip you up?

• “Hermione!” said Lupin, startled. “What's the matter?” “P-P-Professor McGonagall!” Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. “Sh-she said I'd failed everything!”

Q3 - If you had to make up a prediction, what would you say?

• Her eyes started to roll. Harry stood there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing - and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own: “The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight ... before midnight .. the servant will set out ... to rejoin … his master.”

Q4 - What are your thoughts about this prediction?

Q5 - Is Trelawney a true seer?

• Hermione didn’t wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed the fat lady’s portrait open and vanished from sight.

Q6 - Has Hermione changed at all from this book to the previous two?

• “Ron, I - I don’t believe it - it’s Scabbers!”
• There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an ax.

Chapter 17 - Cat, Rat, and Dog

• But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws. Something was bounding towards them out of the dark -an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog. Harry reached for his wand, but too late the dog had made an enormous leap and its front paws hit him on the chest. He keeled over backwards in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth.

Q1 - What is the worst injury you’ve had?

Q2 -  If your best friend was in the most haunted place in the world, would you go rescue them?

• Harry and Hermione dashed across to him. 'Ron- are you OK?' Where's the dog?' "Not a dog; Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. 'Harry, it's a trap -' What 'He's the dog…. he's an Animagus. Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius black.

Q3 - Did you suspect the dog was Sirius black?

• “If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!” he said fiercely, though the effort of standing up had drained him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Q3 - How has Ron’s character progressed over these books?

• Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance..

Q4 - Is Harry’s anger justified here? 

Q5 - Why is Black being so unclear here?

• Then lupin spoke, in an odd voice, a voice that shook with some suppressed emotion. “Where is he, Sirius?” Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again. Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand, and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered. “But then .. Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind. Why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless - Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, unless he was the one ... unless you switched. without telling me?” Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face. Black nodded.

Q6 - Do you understand what they are talking about here?

• Her voice wavering out of control, and all the time you've been his friend!' You're wrong,' said Lupin. I haven't been Sirius's friend for twelve years, but I am now ... let me explain. 'NO!' Hermione screamed, Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too - he's a werewolf!” What's my rat got to do with anything?' "That's not a rat.' croaked Sirius Black suddenly. 'What d'you mean of course he's a rat - No, he's not;' said Lupin quietly. 'He's a wizard.' An Animagus, said Black, 'by the name of Peter Pettigrew.