Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Chapter Four:
The Seven Potters

"If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives -!"
"- because it's the first time for all of us."

Notes by Michele L. Worley
Page editor Belinda Hobbs

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 43 - 62
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 42 - 57
Timeframe: Sunday, July 27, 1997

In which Mad-Eye arrives with Ron, Hermione, and various Order members in tow, announcing a change in plans. Six of them are to use Polyjuice Potion to act as decoy Harry Potters while seven act as protectors, which each protector/Potter pair heading to a different safe-house. Upon getting airborne and splitting up, all of them are attacked, and Hedwig is soon killed. Harry gives himself away by using the Disarming Charm, and he and Hagrid barely escape with their lives, crashing into the Tonks' back garden.
.

Interesting facts andnotes about the text of this chapter:

even Mundungus, whom he had tried to strangle the last time they had met

In October of Harry's sixth year, when Mundungus came into Hogsmeade to sell various items he'd stolen from Grimmauld Place (HBP12). This is a very neat reminder of Mundungus' little weaknesses, and where items from the Black family's home might have gone.

Hermione and Mundungus were shooting upwards

So both of them are shorter than Harry.

Ron, Fred, and George were shrinking

All three of them, therefore, are taller than Harry.

"Harry, your eyesight really is awful," said Hermione

So her eyesight is much better than his.

and rammed Hedwig's cage between his knees

Having Harry carry Hedwig (and being further marked out by being the only Harry Potter travelling like this) seems like a bad plan to me if the ide is to confuse the Death Eaters as to which Harry Potter stands out as the real one. I concede that having the others carry stuffed owls helps cover this up, though, provided the Death Eaters don't notice that one owl is alive and the rest are stuffed.

As it develops later, the plan depended on the Death Eaters assuming that the heaviest protection and most formidable protectors would be on the real Harry Potter rather than any of the fakes, which is why Mad-Eye drew a particularly heavy attack (DH5).

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Selwyn

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Delacour, Fleur

• Diggle, Dedalus

• Dursley, Dudley

• Dursley, Petunia Evans

• Fletcher, Mundungus

• Granger, Hermione

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Hedwig

• Lupin, Remus

• Moody, Alastor ("Mad-Eye")

• Potter, Harry

• Shacklebolt, Kingsley

• Shunpike, Stanley ("Stan")

• Riddle, Tom (as You-Know-Who, Voldemort)

• Tonks, Nymphadora

• Weasley, Arthur

• Weasley, Bill

• Weasley, Fred

• Weasley, George

• Weasley, Ron

• (at least 28 unnamed Death Eaters)

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Crabbe, Vincent

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Dursley, Vernon (as one of the Dursleys)

• Goyle, Gregory

• Potter, Lily Evans (as one of Harry's parents)

• Potter, James (as one of Harry's parents)

• Prime Minister, the

• Thicknesse, Pius

• Tonks, Andromeda (as one of Tonks' parents)

• Tonks, Ted (as one of Tonks' parents)

• Weasley, Ginny

• Weasley, Molly

• (surname not given), Muriel (aunt of Molly Weasley)

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• number four, Privet Drive (back garden, bedroom, cupboard, downstairs hall, kitchen)

• Tonks' parents' place - back garden with muddy pond

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Molly's Auntie Muriel's place

• Moody's house

• Shacklebolt's place

• at least two other safe houses, unnamed (since six were referred to)

Exceptional character moments:

• Harry, seeing flaws in Mad-Eye's plan but holding his tongue to see if Mad-Eye were going to address those points.

Spells:

• Accio

• Apparition (mentioned; also Voldemort may have Disapparated at the end)

• Avada Kedavra (remembered as a flash of green light, also cast)

• blood protection charm, unnamed

• Confringo

• Disillusionment Charm

• Expelliarmus (also referred to in verb form Disarm)

• Impedimenta

• Reparo

• Stupefy

• Trace, the

• Wingardium Leviosa

• unnamed spell - making gold flames appear

Links and Resources:

• Bestiary

  • dementors

  • spiders

  • thestrals

• Death Eaters

• Floo Network

• Harry's dreams

• items and devices

  • broomsticks - also Firebolt

  • eye, magical

  • flying motorbike (not referred to as a motorcycle, and it is Sirius' old bike, now with modifications by Arthur Weasley - dragon-fire button)

  • Portkey

• Ministry of Magic

• number twelve, the

• Polyjuice Potion

• slang

Memorable lines:

• "If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives -!"
  "- because it's the first time for all of us," said Ron.

• "Yeah, thirteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance," said Fred.
  

• "Even You-Know Who can't split himself into seven."

• "Wow - we're identical!"
  "I dunno, though, I think I'm still better looking," said Fred, examining his reflection in the kettle.
  

• "Bah," said Fleur, checking herself in the microwave door. "Bill, don't look at me - I'm 'ideous."
  

• "I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo."

• "Why'm I with you?" grunted the Harry nearest the back door.
  "Because you're the one that needs watching," growled Moody, and sure enough, his magical eye did not waver from Mundungus...

Strictly British:

• blimey

• bloke

• bogies

• fancy

• gits

• mug tree

• ready fer the off

• rucksack

• scuppered (not exactly strictly British, but what the hey)

• shut it

• soppy

• specky

• toldjer ("told you", not really strictly British in my opinion, just slurred)

Timelines/Calendar:

Same day as the previous chapter, so it is 27 July. Note that Tonks and Lupin are already married, which helps confirm that chapter 1's action has already taken place.