Chapter 10: Luna Lovegood

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This month, we will be discussing the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

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Discussion Leaders,
HG Severusa.Snape & HB Siyuske_Tryeth

Harry's unsettling dreams of locked doors and shadowy hallways continue. As the group leaves for King's Cross station for the school train there is the usual hubbub. Sirius transfigures himself into his usual disguise of a big, black dog, and accompanies them to the station.
Back on the train, Ron and Hermione go to a prefect’s meeting while Harry, Ginny and Neville find a compartment with Luna Lovegood who has a reputation among the students for being quite loopy. While waiting for the carriage, Harry first notices that there are strange horse-like animals pulling the carriages where in previous years they seemed to move by themselves. Luna seems to be the only other person who can see the animals.


Questions:

1) Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?

2) If Thestrals can only be seen by those who witnessed death, are you capable of seeing Thestrals just like Harry and Luna? (pretend that we are in the Wizarding world)

1) Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?

It's one way for me of giving every student an equal treatment. Well, for once, muggles can't directly go to hogsmeade, more or less hogwarts since they don't have the capacity. And I do believe that the founders, less one, believe that equality among muggles and pure wizards shouldn't be the gauge of power, nor magical ability.

2) If Thestrals can only be seen by those who witnessed death, are you capable of seeing Thestrals just like Harry and Luna? (pretend that we are in the Wizarding world)

It's actually quite intriguing to know about such creatures. However, I'm preety sure I haven't seen anyone dead yet. I do wish, I won't be able to see thestrals at all.

1) Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?

Though it may not be the same for all wizards or witches, I believe that London is where everything started. It's like their portkey to education and proper knowledge of magic. You might think that "Hey, isn't that Hogsmeade is the gateway to Hogwarts?", but what I'm pointing out is that London is the epicenter for them. Before you branch out to Hogwarts or the Ministry, London is the place to be.

2) If Thestrals can only be seen by those who witnessed death, are you capable of seeing Thestrals just like Harry and Luna? (pretend that we are in the Wizarding world)

I guess not. Seeing someone die is on my most heartbreaking scenes list. I don't want to live in fear of someone dead or missing them for most of my life. Though it may be cool, I'd rather pass on seeing a thestral.

1) Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?


- I think that London that is the starting point of every student to go to Hogwarts. Also to assure that all students will make it to Hogwarts safely. About to Hogsmeade, it's too unfair for the other students if they'll just go by themselves.

2) If Thestrals can only be seen by those who witnessed death, are you capable of seeing Thestrals just like Harry and Luna? (pretend that we are in the Wizarding world)

- I don't think I can't and I don't want to see someone dead. Death is a type of scenes that is totally heartbreaking. I can't handle myself from those type of scenes.

severusa.snape wrote:1) Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?

I guess it's a way to keep tabs on all incoming Hogwarts students. There's also a possibility that it is done for the students' protection as well and as RJ mentioned earlier, it is a good way to show all young wizards and witches that they are all treated equally even before the term begins, whether they're pure-blood, half-blood or a muggle.

severusa.snape wrote:2) If Thestrals can only be seen by those who witnessed death, are you capable of seeing Thestrals just like Harry and Luna? (pretend that we are in the Wizarding world)

Absolutely. Without a doubt.

Why does every student have to travel to London to catch the Hogwarts Express every school year? Why can't other students (specially those who live near Hogwarts) simply go to Hogsmead station?

It's part of a ritual. If you've been a member of a tight-knit community say, an educational institution, then you wouldn't be surprised about the said journey. It's part of a tradition the entire community has observed for quite a long time (I guess as far back as trains were invented). It's similar to the knocking of some great oak door by the head student (with the rest of her peers behind her) to be allowed in by the revered faculty (see the movie Mona Lisa Smile), symbolic of the tradition of acquiring knowledge, or lighting a candle at the start of every academic year (see Dead Poets Society) or attending a convocation to welcome the students at the beginning of every year (that which I do ever year). Rituals help communities in terms of forming and maintaining bonds. Its value is more mystical than practical. So even if it's possible for students who live nearby to just go to the station to meet the other arrivals, the value of kinship and camaraderie (everyone must suffer the same long wait inside the same moving train; very communal, very equalizing) would be lost.

1. i think, they should be fair to the students.... other young sorcerers came from other parts of the world, exhausted then they will need to catch up the train while the students that live near the hogsmeade came walking pleasantly to the station... so its unfair...

2. i've seen death. i was like four or five years old when my grandfather died. he died because of emphysema. i watched him catch for breath as he lay in the old "tumba-tumba" chair. while his sons and daughters helped him to survive, i simply watched him to death... what did i know??? i was just little that time!