Dissection: SS/PS ~ Chapter 16 Through The Trap Door

[Seafoam Understone]

Spoiler

My deepest apologies for the long delay in getting this chapter going. Life sometimes gets in the way.
Ok enough of that.

Here we see Harry actually growing more and more into the man he'll become.
Pressure is all around. Exams, expecting Voldemort to pop out at any moment around every corner, the safety of the Stone, Quiddich... a lot of heavy weight stuff for an 11 year old kid. Especially one still relatively new in this wonderful world of Wizards and Magic. But his biggest concern is his scar. The mystery of it's burning is nearly as agonizing as Professor Snape's potions exam.

While discussing this with his two new-found friends he's struck by an idea that Hagrid might know more on the mystery of the Stone. Rushing over and speaking with him we find that Hagrid would be a terrible secret keeper. Get him going on a subject that he loves and he'll carelessly ramble on until something important slips. Such as the secret of getting past Fluffy.
Alarmed that Hagrid told a total stranger (alibet loosely plied with some grog) the secret of dealing with the dog, the three rush off to find Dumbledore. Failing that they try to post watch on their number one suspect, Snape. But having been busted several times and at the risk of losing their house more points they confine themselves to the common room. There Harry makes a fateful decision.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.
The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.
"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first."
"You're mad!" said Ron
"You can't!" said Hermione,. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!
"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"
He glared at them.

Remarkable young man this. In a few short moments he went from young boy winning Quiddich matches to a mature adult decision. And selfless as well. His motives are to prevent the destruction of all that he and his friends hold dear. Likewise being willing to accept the consequences should he fail in his attempt. Willing to face death and adamantly choosing the right from the wrong.
Not too surprisingly his two friends agree to join him. They seem to be just as mature in their decision making as their friend. Realizing too the consequences they apparently decide loyalty is more important. They too are doing it for their families and others.

After a brief interruption by Neville of all people who dared to stand up to them, after all it was Ron's idea wasn't it? They make their way under Harry's invisibility cloak to the upper floors where Fluffy, they find is already asleep. Narrowly escaping getting eaten alive they find that not all their studies have been for naught. Thanks to Hermione's eagerness to pay attention in Herbology, they get past a deadly plant known as the Devil's Snare.
The next obstacle is no easier. But Harry's skill with a broom gets them through.
Next, it seems that it's Ron's turn. Here he shines and likewise takes a leadership role when it's called for. After directing his friends to their places on a giant chess board Ron moves the pieces about trying to outwit whatever magic is directing the white pieces until ...

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think -- let me think ..."
The white queen turned her blank face toward him.
"Yes...." said Ron softly, "it's the only way ... I've got to be taken."
"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.
"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me --- that leaves you to checkmate the king, Harry!"
"But--"
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"
"Ron ---"
"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"
There was no alternative.
"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go --- now, don't hang around once you've won."
He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor --- Hermione screamed but stayed on her square --- the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.
Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

Interesting side note. I've played chess for years and I've never known a knight to be allowed to make just ONE move forward. But I guess you can call it artistic license to get the story moved... either that... or she might've over looked it... so did the editor.
One more barrier to get through, possibly the most dangerous one of all. Snape's potions all laid out and a mind-bender of a logic puzzle. Yet again Hermione proves herself and both she and Harry take the correct potion, only Hermione is to go back and get help while Harry goes on alone.
Once through the fire he faces someone standing before a familiar mirror. But it isn't Snape, it wasn't Voldemort either....

[Menolly]

Oh...
Well done, Seafoam!!
It was worth the wait.

[Zahir]

This chapter actually demonstrates one of the few "character bits" that I feel have gotten lost in the films. Ron is not stupid. He is not foolish. He is uninterested in most school work and not much of a reader. He is in fact very very bright, when he applies himself (which for a variety of reasons he often doesn't bother to do). Hence the fact he is quite good a chess. Also, as originally seen, he has a great strength over Hermione--he is cooler than she is in a crisis. Hermione in the books tends to go to pieces under pressure whereas Ron rises to the occasion.

Hence, the changes over the course of the seven books are easier to trace. Hermione actually begins taking on one of Ron's virtues--his cool head under pressure--while Ron himself becomes more obviously clever and intellectually minded (nowhere near as much as Hermione, natch).

The obstacle course in this chapter provides an interesting way of contrasting characters--which is, I suspect, one of the reasons as a plot device it is often popular for stories with multiple leads. One can easily imagine Kirk, Spock and Bones facing a similar situation with similar matching of aptitudes to challenges. Likewise Buffy, Willow and Xander. Or Frodo, Sam and Gollum. Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion.

Achetypal stuff here, I'm telling ya!

[Cameraman Jenn]

Nice work. I too noticed the flub in the way a knight moves in chess. . I agree that this chapter is a nice setup to firmly establishing the three and their strongest points for the remainder of the books.

[duchess of malfi]

I would like to put in a good word for Neville here, too.

Having just reread the book, there are signs of his true courage everywhere. You just do not quite realize it all of the time the first time you read the book, as he is so often portrayed as being bumbling magically, as being little more than a squib (to use his own words).

Again and again, the kid faces up to things that frighten him (such as his detention in the Forbidden Forest or his first flying lesson), and goes ahead and does what needs to be done anyway. That's the definition of courage in my book.

Here he faces up to his friends, and tries to stop them - at an age when peer pressure is so important to so many - and knowing he cannot beat them magically. But he goes ahead and does it, because he feels it is the right thing to do.

True born hero, indeed.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I couldn't help but pick out every moment of Neville. He's one of my favorite charactors in the series. I love him more than I love Harry, Hermione and Ron. His story is even more tragic than anyone else's. His parents aren't given the peace of death, no, they are tortured so cruelly and so badly that it breaks their minds. Neville can't grieve for them and yet he can never know them or they know him either. He's spent his whole life in parental limbo raised by a crazy crotchety old woman who does nothing but belittle him and make him feel inferior and constantly compares him to others and finds him lacking. No wonder he's so timid and self conscious. For him to show bravery out from under all that is remarkable. Imagine the strength it took. Neville is the greatest.

[Seafoam Understone]

I couldn't help but pick out every moment of Neville. He's one of my favorite characters in the series. I love him more than I love Harry, Hermione and Ron. His story is even more tragic than anyone else's. His parents aren't given the peace of death, no, they are tortured so cruelly and so badly that it breaks their minds. Neville can't grieve for them and yet he can never know them or they know him either. He's spent his whole life in parental limbo raised by a crazy crotchety old woman who does nothing but belittle him and make him feel inferior and constantly compares him to others and finds him lacking. No wonder he's so timid and self conscious. For him to show bravery out from under all that is remarkable. Imagine the strength it took. Neville is the greatest.

Yeah, I agree that Neville is definitely a great character that has been treated well by the author...particularly in the later books of the series. She must've had a soft spot for the boy as well.
I think Neville's grandmother meant well and obviously her treatment of him did him more good than harm. He grew out of his shell and through out the series we read him doing more and more each year.
Standing up to the trio was a major achievement for him. Dumbledore did right giving him the final honor and points to win the house cup away from Slytherin. It helped his self-esteem that he triumphed over his persecutors and gave him a bit more measure in the eyes of his peers. Dumbledore's praise: "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies but a great deal more to stand up to your friends." definitely the words that this shy boy needed to hear.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I feel the need to write a tribute to Neville thread. His bravery is unsurpassed even by Snape.... yeah Guns, I'm sure I'll hear it from you...