One bit that feels unsatisfying is the complete underreaction to Harry’s “oh btw Voldemort’s alive, here, I brought him with me.”
So instead I Obliviated most of his memories, then Transfigured him into this.” Harry raised his hand, and silently pointed to the emerald on his ring.
Splat. Boing. Splat. Splat.
“Huh,” Moody said, leaning back in his chair. “Minerva and I will be putting some alarms and enchantments on that ring of yours, son, if you don’t mind.
I immediately thought of a scene in the Eye of the World:
It was his sword she touched, not him, her hand closing around the hilt at the very top. Her fingers tightened and her eyes opened wide with surprise. “A shepherd from the Two Rivers,” she said softly, a whisper meant to be heard by all, “with a heron-mark sword.”
Those last few words acted on the chamber as if she had announced the Dark One. Leather and metal creaked behind Rand, boots scuffling on the marble tiles. From the corner of his eye he could see Tallanvor and another of the guardsmen backing away from him to gain room, hands on their swords, prepared to draw and, from their faces, prepared to die. In two quick strides Gareth Bryne was at the front of the dais, between Rand and the Queen. Even Gawyn put himself in front of Elayne, a worried look on his face and a hand on his dagger. Elayne herself looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. Morgase did not change expression, but her hands tightened on the gilded arms of her throne.
While that would be an over-reaction in the HPMoR scene, at least there should be, well, some reaction to discovering that Harry is wearing the biggest threat of their time on his finger.
Saying nothing is a reaction.
We’re talking about poeple who knows how to keep their reactions shut down and seems to have secret agenda to hide from each other. They underreact also about Harry’s being Tom Riddle Jr.
You’re right, I just re-read it, and there is other passages where they react a lot more.
I guess the silence is a way to show their astonishment and perhaps remains of disbelief.
One bit that feels unsatisfying is the complete underreaction to Harry’s “oh btw Voldemort’s alive, here, I brought him with me.”
I immediately thought of a scene in the Eye of the World:
While that would be an over-reaction in the HPMoR scene, at least there should be, well, some reaction to discovering that Harry is wearing the biggest threat of their time on his finger.
Saying nothing is a reaction. We’re talking about poeple who knows how to keep their reactions shut down and seems to have secret agenda to hide from each other. They underreact also about Harry’s being Tom Riddle Jr.
I don’t think Moody is trying to keep a poker face here.
You’re right, I just re-read it, and there is other passages where they react a lot more. I guess the silence is a way to show their astonishment and perhaps remains of disbelief.