Comments on: The Keeper of the Keys

By: willie

willie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:35:17 +0000

In Theater lingo, there is a term “green umbrella” for the key to a character —a prop, a gesture, a saying or an idea. I always think of this when I read about Hagrid’s pink umbrella.

By: May

May — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:36:27 +0000

True, Sky. But it makes me wonder whether or not you have to have certain qualifications in order to be chosen as Head Boy or Girl. It seems like being a Prefect isn’t a necessary prerequisite. You think being Quidditch Captain (James must have become one) suffices? Or does Dumbledore chooses whomever he thinks is capable, regardless of their titles?

By: Sky

Sky — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:00:37 +0000

May, I believe James had “deflated his head” a lot by his seventh year, and become a much better person… Also, he started dating Lily…

By: May

May — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 07:37:48 +0000

There’s something quite unusual I’ve noticed in Hagrid’s story: James and Lily being Head Boy and Girl, respectively. Lily being Head Girl is understandable, but James? Naughty, bully, mischievous James? He wasn’t even made Prefect, so how could he become Head Boy? The way Dumbledore chooses his selections can be quite intriguing at times.

The way Hagrid arrived at the Hut-on-the-Rock (seeing this in the Hogwarts letter made me laugh so hard!) is still a mystery to me. Did Jo ever clearly explain this phenomenon? He couldn’t have ridden a broomstick, as he’s so bulky. Nor could he have mounted his flying motorcycle, since it was nowhere to be found the next morning. I doubt Hagrid knew how to Apparate, seeing as how he didn’t even reach his seventh year at Hogwarts. Using a Portkey, possibly prepared by Dumbledore, might be the answer. And so are thestrals. Hagrid could have ridden on thestrals to tail the Dursleys and Harry since the moment they left their home, because thestrals have the magical ability to find things, don’t they?

Hagrid being the “Keeper of the Keys” has also a figurative ring to it. Hagrid is Harry’s first companion into the wizarding world… and rightly so, for Hagrid served as the “key” into Harry’s first plunge into the wizarding world.

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:06:47 +0000

Oh I forgot, about how Hagrid flew to the rock. Well I think it’s safe to assume Mary Poppins was a witch. After all she had clearly cast an undetectable extension charm on her bag. What was Mary Poppins’ favourite mode of travel? That’s right, an umbrella. What did Hagrid use to conceal his wand? I think we need to take a closer look at Hagrid’s pink brolly ;)

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:00:57 +0000

I’ve just finished rereading this chapter and found it quite emotional. I had forgotten just how bad Harry’s life was before Hogwarts which I can’t believe I did since I’ve read it at least 10 times. I think it’s because I’ve been so focused on DH recently that I had forgotten Harry wasn’t always the brave young man we see at the end of the series. Reading it reminded me of just how far Harry has come. He has changed so much from the small skinny kid who lived in a cupboard under the stairs and was beaten up by his brat of a cousin. I was getting a little emotional reading it and I feel a strange sense of pride in how far he has come.

By: pumpkin'

pumpkin' — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 06:38:55 +0000

How do we know that Vernon did knock Harry around a bit, but it’s not written?

By: Sky

Sky — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:39:10 +0000

Why are there so few pictures of Dudley getting his tail floating around? Someone needs to address that.

By: Grace has Victory

Grace has Victory — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:31:16 +0000

Crystal, there was a Marlene McKinnon in the first Order of the Phoenix. She “and her whole family” were murdered just a couple of weeks after the famous group photograph was taken, i.e. before Harry was born.

Anachronistically, Lily mentions soon after Harry’s first birthday how upset she is that the McKinnons have been killed. Presumably this was a different branch of the McKinnon family.

But I don’t think you are meant to remember exactly who the McKinnons are. They are just background padding.

By: Megan

Megan — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:20:36 +0000

Continuing to love this site–it’s keeping me motivated through finals week (study for an hour, read a chapter of the site, lather, rinse, repeat). The connection you make here to Dumbledore’s sister is really creative. That tragic sub-plot gained new, poignant force for me when (because of your insight) I imagined the same thing happening to a character I know much better.