notes for a later rant

[bronze_ribbons]

Opening sentence of Quidditch Through the Ages:

No spell yet devised enables wizards to fly unaided in human form.

Initial reaction: either the narrator of QTtA or DH is unreliable
Follow-up reaction: HP Lexicon lists the publication year of QTtA as 1952. However, the edition released to Muggles in 2001 mentions a 1994 Quidditch match (and several other events between 1952-1994, so one can't argue typo).
Watsonian interpretation: Snape devised his flying spell sometime after the publication of QTtA in the Wizarding world (1995? But it had to be available in 1991, because Snape confiscated it from Harry in SS/PS, and Oliver Wood had it checked out the previous April).
Watsonian interpretation x 2: QTtA was discreetly updated with additional chapters on more recent events in the manner of NYT obituaries and books such as Van Loon's History of Mankind (where the original author's name remains on the cover in order to sell it, but it includes chapters penned by another author after his death)
Watsonian interpretation x 3: Text of DH automatically takes precedence over text of QTtA, because DH narrator is omniscient (and therefore by default is not wrong) whereas QTtA narrator is a wizard (and therefore could be either wrong or underinformed)
Ribbons' reaction: Och, tae hell wi' it! *stomps off to write broomstick/blowtorch*

Comments

[shanti_writes.insanejournal.com]

JKR and her lovely inconsistencies.

Then again, everyone in DH was very shocked that Moldy Voldie was flying without a broom in the opening chapters. One of my dearest friends and fellow HP buff, kirasha even found the reference to "flying" without a broomstick so vague, in regards to Snape, that she thought he merely jumped out the window and levitated down and was 'flying' across the grounds, as in running very fast.

I think he was really "flying" - but QTtA was out/published long before the events of DH, and Voldie's flying stint was a complete shock to everyone who saw it, so in this case I think there is no real inconsistency.

But it is very weird. I didn't care for that bit. Doesn't Snape have enough bat-like references already? *grin*

[westernredcedar.insanejournal.com]

No NO NO! Flying Snape. No. No flying Snape. No. *stomp* NO.

I appreciate that your approach to dealing with the inconsistent and baffling and distressing flying is detailed analysis, whereas mine is utter incoherence and writing sarcastic flying!Snape crack. :)

Bring on the broomstick/blowtorch!

[cordelia_v.insanejournal.com]

Or, you know . . . she just needed a damn editor for DH. One who had read her earlier works.

But DH gives every evidence of having been written in haste, and not really revised afterwards. She's pants at continuity.

[aunty_marion.insanejournal.com]

I still have every intention, when I can get hold of two (identical!) second-hand copies of DH, of sticking each page onto a large sheet of paper, and then going through it and doing as tough an edit-job on it as I can. Just for my own satisfaction. Because it so desperately needed it.

Up, Up, and Away

[irena_candy.insanejournal.com]

"to fly unaided" undoubtedly means without the help of a wand. If a wizard wants to fly, all he needs is a wand pointing at the ground (and slightly to the back), and a good repelling charm. Since he can't move the ground, he's the one that will move. (This isn't useful in Quidditch because the players need both hands free to grab the quaffle.) The only real trick is to keep the spell going, without having to constantly re-utter it--sort of like putting software into a loop. That's probably what Voldemort learned and what he taught Severus.

Re: Up, Up, and Away

[bronze_ribbons.insanejournal.com]

Re your icon: love!

Re your explanation: I can't decide whether I should laugh admiringly (albeit hysterically) or flee to the hills.

Re: Up, Up, and Away

[irena_candy.insanejournal.com]

Run! Run while you still have time!! They're after you!!! *snarf*

[xanthophyllippa.insanejournal.com]

Sign of my depraved mind: I'd actually READ broomstick/blowtorch.

[bronze_ribbons.insanejournal.com]

I fail to see how that's depraved, considering that the the Toyohashi Tengu (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/quidditch/q_teams_asia-aust.html#toyohashi_tengu) are canon. ;-)

[bronze_ribbons.insanejournal.com]

P.S. You've read Seeker's Snape/Firebolt (http://www.castleskeep.net/WHOOPEE.htm) classic, yes? ;-)