Summary
On their way back from Quidditch practice, Harry and Ron
run into Ginny and Dean Thomas kissing in the entranceway to the common
room. Something about the scene makes Harry feel sick. Ron starts
screaming at Ginny, and she erupts, accusing Ron of never having
kissed a girl. Ginny reminds Ron how Harry kissed Cho Chang last
year, and how Hermione kissed Victor Krum the year before that.
Ron is embarrassed and outraged. Later, Ron asks Harry if he really
thinks Hermione kissed Victor Krum, but Harry changes the subject.
Harry is worried about the way he is starting to feel about Ginny
and tries to assure himself that he’s only being protective of his
best friend’s sister. Ron is still angry the next day and ignores
Hermione.
Meanwhile Harry keeps trying to boost Ron’s Quidditch
confidence before the match against Slytherin, but nothing seems
to work. The night before the game, Harry has an idea about how
to make Ron lucky. The next morning at breakfast, Harry hands Ron a
cup of pumpkin juice, but Hermione notices that Harry is holding a
small glass vial in his other hand. Ron drinks the juice, and Hermione,
assuming it was Felix Felicis that Harry slipped into Ron’s drink,
admonishes Harry. Later, Ron asks Harry if he spiked his pumpkin
juice with Felix Felicis. Harry raises his eyebrows and says nothing.
The game begins with Gryffindor in an early lead, playing perfectly.
Ron saves goals with ease, and Harry catches the Snitch and ends
the game. Hermione once again angrily accuses Harry of lacing Ron’s
juice with Felix Felicis. Harry explains that he only pretended
to spike Ron’s juice, because he knew just the suggestion of luck
would be enough to give Ron the confidence he needed. Later, at
the Gryffindor celebration, Harry spots Ron kissing Lavender Brown.
Harry sees Hermione darting out the door. Harry follows her into
an empty classroom, where she is frantically practicing spells and
hissing about Ron. Moments later, Ron and Lavender burst into the
same room, and Hermione walks out. Harry thinks he hears a sob as
she leaves.
Christmas is approaching, and Ron and Hermione continue
to fight. Ron insists that Hermione has no right to be angry with
him, because she kissed Victor Krum. Meanwhile, Hermione warns Harry
that lots of girls are planning on slipping him love potions. Romilda
Vane gives Harry a box of Chocolate Cauldrons, which he shoves into
his trunk. Harry decides to ask Luna to accompany him to Slughorn’s
Christmas party, as friends. Later, Harry, Ron, and Lavender run
into Hermione, who announces that she’s attending Slughorn’s party
with Cormac McLaggen. Ron is livid. At the party, Harry sees Draco
Malfoy being tugged into the room by his ear by Filch, who caught
Draco prowling the halls and trying to sneak into Slughorn’s party.
Slughorn decides it is OK for Draco to stay, but Snape insists on
having a word with Draco in private. Harry slips on the Invisibility
Cloak and follows them to an empty classroom, where Snape tells
Draco that he must be more careful. Draco is angry and defensive,
shouting back at Snape and insisting that he doesn’t need any help.
Malfoy storms out, and Snape follows moments later.
Analysis
Harry and his friends are just beginning to experience
the complications that inevitably go along with new romantic relationships.
Ron is extraordinarily upset to learn that Hermione has kissed Victor Krum
and uses his anger as a mask for his true feelings toward his best
friend. Although Rowling never explicitly states Ron’s romantic
interest in Hermione, it can easily be inferred from his actions, and
even Harry begins to question Ron’s intentions. Rather than confront
Hermione about her relationship with Victor, or try to pursue his
own relationship with her now that Victor is gone, Ron reacts by
simply ignoring her and offering no explanation as to why. His response
is immature but effective. Meanwhile, Harry is slowly developing
feelings for Ron’s little sister, Ginny Weasley, but he is so insecure
about Ron’s reaction that he tries to convince himself that he is
simply feeling protective of Ginny. Harry is trying to do the honorable,
selfless thing by pretending his feelings for Ginny are nothing
more than brotherly. Again, Harry displays his willingness to make
sacrifices to ensure the happiness of his best friend.
When Hermione finds out about Ron and Lavender Brown,
she is extremely hurt and feels betrayed by Ron. Accordingly, she responds
by inviting Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn’s Christmas party. At Hogwarts,
as at most schools, the students respond to romantic upset by getting
revenge. Just as Ron began a relationship with Lavender Brown to
get back at Hermione for kissing Victor Krum, Hermione takes Cormac
McLaggen, a boy she can barely stand to be around, to Slughorn’s
party, simply because she knows it will upset Ron. Harry feels conflicted
about the strange battle currently waging between his two best friends
but is distracted by his own issues with Ginny Weasley. Clearly,
romance adds a whole new layer of complication to Harry’s school
life, one that involves lots of sneaking around, backstabbing, and
fibbing. Regardless, the way Harry feels when he thinks of Ginny
seems to make up for any uneasiness amongst his best friends.
Even though Harry does not actually slip Ron any of the
Felix Felicis potion, the suggestion of luck ultimately proves just
as powerful as the potion itself. This episode is an example of
how the mind is more powerful than the body, a theme that emerges
repeatedly in the Harry Potter series. Dumbledore frequently reminds
Harry that it is his heart and his ability to trust and love that
protect him from Voldemort, not his physical prowess or magical
skill. Ron’s reaction to his supposed dose of Felix Felicis is indicative
of just how influential one’s state of mind can be on one’s circumstances.
The idea of the power of suggestion comes up again when Harry eavesdrops
on Snape and Draco. Even though Harry knows that Snape has been employed
as a double agent and needs to lie to Draco to insure that he has
further access to Voldemort, Harry’s distrust of both parties leads
him to rash conclusions. Certainly the conversation is suspicious,
but Harry is so overtaken by his dislike of Snape and Draco that
he assumes the very worst from what he overhears.
