Cornelius Fudge & Aragog
chapters fourteen & fifteen of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Riddle’s diary is stolen from Harry’s dorm room, and Hermione figures out what’s going on, but is Petrified before she can tell Ron or Harry. As a result, the two watch as Fudge and Lucius Malfoy arrive, arresting Hagrid and suspending Dumbledore – and then, on Hagrid’s request, follow the spiders into the Forbidden Forest, where they are nearly eaten but do learn a few things about the last time the Chamber of Secrets was open.
“Look, Albus,” said Fudge, uncomfortably. “Hagrid’s record’s against him. Ministry’s got to do something-”
(by Laurence Peguy)
Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid’s hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. “Already here, Fudge,” he said approvingly. “Good, good…”
(by Wacca)
So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest.
(by Laura Freeman)
Ron looked exactly like Harry felt.
(by Tealin Raintree)
“My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so wilingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid.”
(by Michael Dunn)
about the chapters
Something You May Not Have Noticed
Oliver Wood’s enthusiasm for Quidditch always cracks me up, but I think this chapter boasts my favorite moment of all when, the morning of a match, he has his Gryffindor team all sit together in the Great Hall and he personally dishes out scrambled eggs for them. Perhaps being the captain has also led to his viewing himself as the ‘Team Mom,’ or perhaps he simply cares so much about his team being ready to play that he wants to see to it personally that they’re well-fed. But the mental image is hilarious, and I wish I could see Fred and George’s faces when he does it.
The Power of Magic
Somehow in bewitching his Ford Anglia to fly Arthur Weasley also managed to give it some sort of sentient personality, for now it seems able to live and think on its own, and to choose to protect Harry and Ron from the Acromantulas. This is an interesting form of magic, and I wonder if it is a separate spell that Arthur intentionally cast or simply a by-product of some of his other spells (perhaps it’s simply “full of” magic). We’ll see this happen with other seemingly inanimate objects too, like the Hogwarts suits of armor forgetting words to songs. I can’t help but wonder what other objects might be able to behave similarly if given the chance.
Life at Hogwarts
I find it striking that once again Dumbledore seems all but omniscient, as it’s pretty clear he’s aware that Harry and Ron are hiding in Hagrid’s hut, invisible. There are several possibilities as to why, of course – perhaps he can sense a human presence, or invisible objects; perhaps he’s got some form of surveillance on the school that alerts him to students out of place; or perhaps he’s got some form of surveillance on Harry particularly – but no matter which explanation you choose, I think it’s fascinating. He’s so permissive of Harry’s roaming the school, even when he knows that the creature on the loose could easily kill him! His quirkiness in the way he runs his school is certainly hard to figure out sometimes.
Something to Remember
The rules McGonagall sets down for her students are logical enough, and almost certainly intended simply to keep students from being alone in the hallways of the school. But one line jumps out at me in particular: “No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher.” Not just unaccompanied – but specifically, a teacher must be with them. Why would such a strict rule need to exist pertaining just to bathrooms…?
You keep saying “Stunned” when I think you mean “Petrified”…
Esmestrella said this on April 28, 2009 at 11:43 am
I’m pretty sure Dumbledore can cast plenty of wordless magic so uses a silent Homenum Revelio to know they are there under the cloak.
I love this guide and your analysis of the books.
It’s great to watch it progress.
Keep up the good work!
Elizabeth said this on April 28, 2009 at 11:59 am
I always thought, that being a leglimens, Dumbledore could just sense Harry´s thoughts in Hagrids Hut. Also, isn´t it ironic that Arthur creates an object of which `you can´t see where it keeps his mind`?
kim said this on April 28, 2009 at 12:37 pm
JKR said in an interview (I cant find it right now but it’s there) that Dumbledore knew Harry and Ron were in Hagrid’s hut because he cast a “homenum revelio” spell before entering. It’s worth noting that he probably cast it because he expected Hagrid to have company ;)
Lola said this on April 28, 2009 at 5:01 pm
I think (just now) that the Ford Anglia has a personality because of Arthur himself. He cares about/spends time with his Muggle paraphernalia so much that he just let some of that into his spells, and so this quirky car that always seems to save people when it comes around (fatherly?) was created.
Hayley said this on April 28, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Thanks Esmestrella, right you are. Sloppy usage on my part. Fixed.
John Kearns said this on April 29, 2009 at 6:56 am
Elizabeth/Lola – I had totally forgotten about that interview but you’re absolutely right. I’ll add it to the commentary, thanks for pointing it out. :) There is a slight problem in that when this spell is cast in book 7, Harry can feel it “swooping low over him” like a “shadow,” and here he feels nothing. And of course, the fact that Dumbledore is casting the spell at all only makes his position all the more interesting….
Kim – It’s an interesting idea but I’m not sure the Legilimency would work, as it’s always been made pretty clear that eye contact is essential for it.
Hayley – I love your idea about the car taking on Arthur’s personality, and I think it makes loads of sense. That’s exactly the type of magic I wish we knew more about!
John Kearns said this on April 29, 2009 at 7:06 am
In the case of the rule “No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher.” may be because the last time the Chamber was opened a girl(MM) died in the bathroom.
Jacob said this on April 29, 2009 at 10:15 am
Why would they arrest Hagrid again, when they know who else went to school 50 years ago?
Kim said this on May 12, 2009 at 8:58 am
To Kim’s comment, maybe Fudge didn’t want to admit he was wrong in arresting Hagrid. Fudge has always wanted to ignore the fact that Voldy is gaining power. And Lucius Malfoy would want to put the blame on someone besides Voldy, and Hagrid is the perfect scapegoat
Alyssa said this on May 31, 2009 at 11:14 am
Hayley, that’s a really interesting idea!
Mickey said this on September 25, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Kim & Alysso, it was not generally known that Tom Riddle was Voldy. Dumbldore knew but Fudge did not.
Bill said this on October 1, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Fudge it’s not a very clever man. He just wants to arrest somebody in order to “get something done”. And I think Hagrid scares him also, he (Fudge) is not a very tolerant person, we see that in other books.
Paula said this on October 26, 2009 at 12:58 pm
The quote under the first picture on this page sums Fudge up for me – “Ministry’s got to do something-”
He’s uncomfortable, which suggests he suspects he’s in the wrong. But the ministry has to be doing something, even if it’s sending the wrong person to suffer emotional trauma in Azkaban (or locking up Sirius or Stan, for that matter). Typical ministry attitude.
Caitlin said this on November 20, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Kim, I never picked up on the irony of Arthur’s creating an artefact where “you can’t see where it keeps its mind.” Of course, nobody is suggesting he did it deliberately. But I think people should, in fact, be wary of the Ford Anglia. I suspect it is very much Arthur’s creature, so of course it comes racing to save Arthur’s son. But beware of what this car might do to you if you are NOT a friend of the Weasleys!
Grace has Victory said this on November 25, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I’m surprised that Hagrid is over 50 years old. I’d never thought of that in the context of the books. Even the movies didnt’ portray him that old. Being part Giant must keep him youthful looking
Nancy said this on November 25, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Nancy, JKR has stated that wizarding life-expectancy is longer than Muggles’, although she is vague on the details of how this works. Dumbledore apparently lives to be 116, and Bathilda Bagshott must be significantly older. If Hagrid is now about 64, that is probably only middle-aged among wizards. I’m assuming that magical children grow at the same rate as Muggle children, but after age 17, they deteriorate at a much slower pace.
Cultural point: if Hagrid is still working at age 88 (as the Epilogue states), then retirement age might not be until 90 or even 100. I imagine most Hogwarts students would have working grandparents and retired great-grandparents.
Grace has Victory said this on November 25, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I think it’s funny that Harry ends up simply choosing the same new courses for third year as Ron because Harry figures that “if he was rubbish at them, at least he’d have somebody friendly to help him.” I’m not sure what particular help Harry expects Ron to be, as they both have displayed only an average academic performance at school so far.
I also love how George completely misinterprets the reason why Percy is in a state of shock over Penelope Clearwater being petrified. Actually, I’m a little surprised (given their knack for mischief) that the twins aren’t a bit more perceptive about what’s really going on with their elder brother this year.
Andrea said this on February 17, 2010 at 7:45 am