Skip to main content

harry potter - How did Lucius Malfoy get back to being a school governor?


I don't have access to my copy of Prisoner of Azkaban currently, but I'm pretty sure I remember correctly that Lucius Malfoy is one of he school governors, since he is a big part of Hagrid's appeal and Buckbeak's attempted execution. But as I was rereading Chamber of Secrets, I noticed this:



Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor. Draco was no longer strutting around the school as if he owned the place.



Am I wrong? Or is it someone else?



Answer



There's no indication that Lucius was reinstated as a Governor.


When the governors write to Hagrid, the book reads:




We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. [...]


There followed a list of the school governors.



It seems a little unusual for the governors to be deciding on this issue if Malfoy was still among their members. (And Harry et al. know that Lucius was fired as governor; they'd be able to point out a conflict of interest/foul play if he'd been reinstated and was ruling on his own case.)


Hagrid makes strong implications that he can stiffarm the governors and/or Ministry, but doesn't mention anything about his reinstatement:



“Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy’s pocket! Scared o’ him!” [...]


“That Commitee's in Lucius Malfoy’s pocket.”


“Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy’s like... threatened ’em, I expect... an’ the executioner, Macnair, he’s an old pal o’ Malfoy’s”




but that simply stems from the fact that he was well-connected, and exerted considerable political influence. He doesn't need to be a governor to do that (although he took advantage of it when he was a governor).


I searched the text of Prisoner of Azkaban for all mentions of the word "Lucius" and "governor"; there's nothing which mentions his reinstatement.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more