Fast Moving Killas discussion

Please post at least 1 discussion question and one response for chapters 11 through 14. I made this discussion shorter to balance out the last two sections.

Here is my question:

When Harry and Ron were looking at the mirror, how did they not notice Dumbledore who was watching them intently? Do you really think Dumbledore sees himself holding socks when he looks in the mirror?

The story has really started to pick up and so much has been covered that I would like to throw in two questions:

The first concerns chapter 14 Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. I’d like to know what you all thought of this chapter. To me it felt like an unnecessary sidetrack from the main story of uncovering the secret behind the philosophers stone. It all felt like an unnecessary risk for Harry et al. to deliver a dragon that could get them thrown out of Hogwarts.

The second question is about the mirror of erised. What does harry see in the mirror and why does Dumbledore consider the mirror’s powers to be dangerous? What does this reveal about Harry as a character? I believe it serves as an example that even the best of wizards can still fall prey to evil. And for a little fun, what do you think you’d see if you looked in the mirror?

In response to Joe P's question about chapter 14:

I do agree that the parts with the dragon were unnecessary and was probably J.K. Rowlings's way of adding more length to the book and an excuse to let Harry see the mysterious person drinking unicorn blood in the Forbidden Forest.

To answer your other questions; Harry sees himself with his family, something that he always wanted. This reveals that Harry has always felt alone throughout his life with no one to love and support him. The mirror gives him a small taste of this, which can be dangerous since it can leave people to be stuck in the past, never being able to move on.

In response to Tony's inquiry into how Ron + Harry didn't notice they were being watched by Dumbledore:

In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry becomes obsessed with the Mirror of Erised after first discovering it during a late-night escapade. The mirror shows one’s deepest desires rather than just reflecting reality. For Harry, this means seeing his parents, whom he has longed to know. He returns to the mirror multiple times, and on one of these occasions, Ron accompanies him. It’s during this visit that Dumbledore later reveals he had been watching Harry.

But how did neither Harry nor Ron notice Dumbledore standing there?

1. The Mirror’s Effect on the Viewer
The Mirror of Erised is not just any ordinary magical object—it has an almost hypnotic quality that completely consumes those who look into it. When Harry gazes into the mirror, he loses all sense of his surroundings. He’s entirely transfixed by the vision of his parents. Ron, though not as emotionally attached to the mirror as Harry, is still deeply engrossed in what he sees: himself as Head Boy and Quidditch captain. This suggests that the mirror alters perception, making those looking into it less aware of their physical environment.

2. Dumbledore’s Mastery of Stealth
Dumbledore is a supremely powerful wizard, and he’s known for his silent, graceful movements. He is perfectly capable of moving unnoticed if he wishes, and there’s even speculation that he could have used a Disillusionment Charm or some other method of magical concealment to remain unseen. This is a man who, despite his age, could react quickly enough to face Grindelwald in battle and defeat him in what was described as one of the greatest wizarding duels of all time. Sneaking up on two distracted students? Child’s play.

By this point, the whole thing feels less like a whimsical children’s tale and more like a barely controlled descent into madness. We’ve got secret chambers, three-headed dogs, and a growing sense that something dark and terrible is brewing beneath the surface of all this broomstick-flying and wizarding charm. The deeper Harry, Ron, and Hermione dig, the clearer it becomes that Hogwarts isn’t just a school—it’s a labyrinth of mysteries, half-truths, and the kind of old magic that hums in the bones of the castle.

Harry’s obsession with the Mirror of Erised is downright haunting. Here’s a kid who’s spent his life being kicked around, only to stumble upon a reflection that promises everything he’s ever wanted. It’s a drug, a hallucination wrapped in nostalgia and longing, and Dumbledore—ever the cryptic puppet master—warns him off it with the kind of vague wisdom that only raises more questions. And then there’s Snape, lurking in the shadows, a walking contradiction of menace and mystery. Is he protecting Harry? Hunting him? Both?
The stakes are rising. The game is afoot. And the trap is slowly closing around them all.
My questions for anyone who got this far:
1. Quidditch isn’t just a game here—it’s a battlefield. Harry’s first match is loaded with danger, sabotage, and a near-death experience. Do you think it was Snape who tried to knock him off his broom, or was there another force at work? And why would anyone want to kill a first-year in a school sport?
2. Hagrid is lovable, sure, but the man is a walking liability. From dragons to three-headed hellhounds, he has a habit of dropping classified information like a drunken spy. Is he just too trusting, or is there something more dangerous about his inability to keep a secret?

Did Chatgpt write this

In response to Ryan’s second question:

I believe that hagrid is both too trusting and loose-lipped with the secrets that have been entrusted to him. As a result, he often slips information to Harry and crew which they should not know under normal circumstances. While Rowling presents this as a minor flaw of an otherwise lovable character who only wants the best for the gang, these mishaps more often than not put them in grave danger. For example, inadvertently enticing them to search out what’s under fluffy which almost costs them their lives. Additionally, why does he have a three headed murder dog anyways? Is he trying to get someone killed? And why does he have the kids escort his fire-breathing, man-eating dragon baby which is already too much for him to take care of? He clearly has a disregard for the safety of the students of Hogwarts!

In chapter 13 why did harry not want to play against Slytherin and what was Ron and Hermione response. What did harry decide and what help him come to this decision.

In response to Tony’s question I think it’s very possible that harry and Ron didn’t notice Dumbledore because they were to focused on what they were seeing in the mirror instead of the drownings. Dumbledore says he was holding socks in his image. I don’t believe that is the case. I feel like he was seeing something more related to Harry than himself. Like maybe the success Harry will have at school or maybe something worse that could happen in the future.

In response to Tony’s question:

Yes, ChatGPT did write this