Dame Margaret Natalie Smith CH DBE (28 December 1934 − 27 September 2024) was a British actress.

Known for her wit in comedic roles, she had an extensive career on stage and screen over seven decades and is one of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actresses.

She received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for six Laurence Olivier Awards.

Smith was one of the few performers to earn the Triple Crown of Acting.

• The details of how furniture being gouged out makes you think of adolescent werewolf that Remus was (cooped up and aggressive), and why he would enjoy the full moon runs with Marauders. ('best times of his life' as he says. Whatever feelings he has of the near misses, his spirit in Forest Again is "happy to be back in place of adoloscent wanderings". This is important for Remus' characterisation)
• Ron standing on a broken leg to yell at Sirius ("if you want to kill harry, you'll have to kill us too!") moves him (show of loyalty? After all of these years?) but also makes him feel guilty: "Lie down. You will damage that leg even more."
• Hermione, who was petrified and asking Harry to be quiet - the moment she spots Harry is in danger from Sirius, she kicks the person she was petrified of moments before (book Hermione is nuanced!) XD And Ron throws himself on Sirius' wand hand. Basically Sirius is getting beaten up by kids.
• "Going to kill me, Harry?" - ah, Sirius. He feels enormous amount of guilt for their deaths and doesn't deny that he "killed them". Sirius goes completely silent when Harry says, "You never heard her, did you? My mum trying to stop Voldemort from murdering me". He tried to plead his case before Harry said this, and now, he basically hands over the power to Harry in the scene and let Harry do whatever he wants. He even tries to push Crookshanks off, to get him out Harry's wand's way. (Crookshanks' love for Sirius is deeply endearing btw)
• I know people focus a lot on the cracks in Sirius and Remus' friendship, but this wordless communication where Remus figures out who was the actual traitor (Sirius doesn't say a word, btw - he just points at Scabbers, and Remus immediately gets it) is… utterly radical after 13 years of suffering.
• "Get away from me werewolf" - to show Ron say this, a child from largely progressive Weasley household, is to show deeply prejudiced the wizarding world is.
• The fact that Remus is on his side after 12 years, makes Sirius sit on bed with a "shaking hand". It is similar to Remus' voice that was shaking with "suppressed emotion." (Crookshanks goes to comfort Sirius, and goes to his lap)
• One of the ways Remus' guilt at not telling about Sirius' animagus form manifested is that he watched Harry on the map, in a way to handle the untoward incidents that may happen himself. (i mean he would have done it regardless, but this is way to keep his secrets as well)
• There are two desires in Sirius - the desire to protect Harry, the desire for vengeance against Peter. The stronger desire, we see, even in the smaller moments is to do right by Harry. It is exactly what Remus invokes when Sirius tries to grab Scabbers from Ron - "You owe Harry the truth, Sirius" and he immediately stops struggling.
• "My mind seems to be less so when I was with them" - the Marauders granted a very deep-seated need in Remus, a way to experience his wolf as not a terrible monstrous thing, but a source of joy, a way of integrating that self into his identity without shame.
• Remus uses "err" when he is minismising the severity of a situation. "Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing to tell Snape.." (adding @urupotter and @thecat-isblogging-blog thoughts on this when we discussed )
• Also, Hermione's role as an advocate in these chapters begins here - she asks Remus the right questions, and she will continue to do so in coming chapters, making sure everyone's story is heard. It is in keeping with the book's ideas of justice and mercy - and while Hermione is the advocate, Harry is the deliverer of justice - one who decides what to do.

• Snape having to play nursemaid by bringing Lups his goblet of Wolfsbane would not have endeared Lups to him. XD (But it also shows Snape's gritted teeth approach to things he considers danger and how to neutralise that danger)
• Snape's first set of dialogue is "I told Headmaster again and again you have been helping Black into castle..". Translation: My father figure that I unfortunately projected onto has been dismissing my feelings and my concerns and now I can spitefully show him the proof. ("I will be very interested to see how Dumbledore takes this")
• And Remus lets his anger show up more openly and it is cold and dismissive: "You fool. Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
• Hermione tries to advocate for Lups, saying he should be heard. This is her role in the chapter - when Harry is too emotional and Ron is too confused, she takes over as the advocate in the chapter, while Harry is the judge.
• Harry sees that Snape is beyond reason, so he decides to follow Hermione's lead and advocate for Lups instead.
• "You would have died like your father too arrogant to believe that he was mistaken in Black" hints to what Snape is feeling in this scene, not to mention being inside the Shrieking Shack where he was sent by Sirius once as a trick, make him regress even more. (Also he dies in Shrieking Shack in Deathly Hallows)
• When Snape threatens Harry, "Get out of the way or I will make you" - the trio try to disarm him at once and he gets knocked out. I love Ron and Hermione don't hesitate to do this (even though Hermione panics, "we attacked a teacher"). They are truly ride or die for Harry.
• Sirius breaks, and Remus in response "gets a steely note" in his voice ("give me that rat"). The moment Peter appears, Remus will begin to grow colder and colder in the scene.
• "His wet eyes seemed to be burning into his face". "fathomless eyes" "sunken eyes suddenly overbright". There is so much emphasis on Sirius' eyes for his emotion - even in GOF, his eyes "shuttered" when talking about his imprisonment. Such a powerful description of his energy and emotionality. It makes you feel his presence as a character.
• "Well hello Peter, long time no see" "You might have missed finer points when you have been squeaking around on bed" LMAO. the passive aggression in this man.
• Voldemort's closest supporters, most likely the Lestranges, are aware that Peter is the informant. Not everyone seems to be aware - Snape clearly isnt. This is to show hierarchy within Death Eaters. There is also an implication that Lucius may be aware - which is fun again when you look at power dynamics in his "friendship" with Snape. The implication in DH is that Lucius took him under his wing, something that Snape is clearly grateful for (he reacts unconsciously to him being named as DE in GOF), but Snape is not in on the Chamber of Secrets plot, nor about Peter. Also Snape is working against the Malfoys. So many criss-crossing loyalties. XD
• "Throat too tight to speak, Harry nodded." - an indication that Harry is near tears too.
• Remus rolling up sleeves to get ready to kill Peter. What a gentleman.
• When Peter speaks to Harry, Sirius loses it. And then when Peter invokes James to manipulate Harry is when Remus comes forward along with Sirius to throw Peter to the floor. (it's a subtle detail because Remus is quiet and asking polite-sarcastic questions - but it shows how angry he is). For me, the interesting part about Remus' behaviour in the chapter is that he is already on Sirius' side without question. So all the questions he is asking Peter is almost like he is working up his rage more and more.
• "You should have died, died rather than betray your friends, as we would have done for you!" "You should have realised, if Voldemort didnt kill you - we would." Sirius is talking about the loyalty Peter refused to show (that they would have showed), and Remus is doling out what would be the expected punishment for that lack of loyalty: "Goodbye Peter"
• I am in awe of the fact that Sirius, who was in prison for 12 years and has much right to decide what to do with Peter as much as Harry does, immediately hands over the decision to Harry when Harry asks it. And even when Sirius is threatening Peter, "if you transform, we will kill you", he checks with Harry, "you agree Harry?"
• The chapter ends with this sentence, "Crookshanks led the way out of the room, his bottle brush tail held jauntily high." LOL, he has been vindicated!

• the awkward way Sirius offers Harry a home. He is so unsure! He dominates the scenes of previous chapter, and he is a powerful personality despite being pretty much a walking corpse with alive eyes. And then he turns into something very endearing, when he is all: "of course I though you wouldnt want to -I understand. I just thought-"
• And then - when Harry assures him he wants to live with him, "Sirius' gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference made it startling, as though a person ten years youngers was shining through the starved mask" . I imprinted on this relationship right then and there, and there is no other dynamic that moves me as much as this in the series.
• Harry gropes in the mist for Sirius' arm, and grabs onto him when Dementors come. "They werent going to take him". Adding link to my meta which explains in more detail the beginning of the intense bond between Harry and Sirius.

• Madam Pomfrey having a chocolate the size of a boulder that she has to break apart with the hammer. XD And then she tries to shut Harry up by forcing a chocolate down his throat.
• "You surely dont believe a word of Black's story?" "Sirius Black proved he was capable of murder at 16. You havent forgotten he tried to kill me?" Ah, Snape. Dumbledore is siding with Marauders again in his head, and that, among other things, will trigger his final lash out.
• Harry understands Dumbles' broader intention (fly Buckbeak to Sirius' window) and Hermione thinks of bigger plans: "If we steal him now, the committee is going to think Hagrid set him free." And Harry spots immediate threats: the werewolf that might run right at them.
• "How can you stand this? How can you stand watching it happen?" - Harry doesnt know how to not act. It is one of the reasons in Deathly hallows that when he decides to not go after the wand, it is the scariest thing he had done in his life. He could not remember not acting.
• "Get your filthy hands off it" - Harry's dislike for Snape deepened in this book, and gains even more personal edge than before. (it is also in reaction to Harry's anger when Snape suggests they have been confunded. "We' re not confunded!" Harry roars)
• "Where are you Dad? Come on" : Harry realising he had seen himself, but conjures a Patronus in the shape of his father's Animagus form is just poetry. Legit one of the most beautiful moments in the series. (And Harry realised… "Prongs," he whispered). This book is also the most contained and stand alone when it comes to Harry's development.

• It is interesting here that Dumbledore is a bit amused by Snape's meltdown, Snape incensed - but by middle of GOF, their dynamic develops to this ("Sometimes I think we Sort too soon"). It was pointed out by econteacher on discord about how Barty Crouch Jnr as FakeMoody would play this book's fracture against Dumbledore and Snape, since they dont seem to be properly communicating in GOF ("Dumbledore happens to trust me. I refuse to believe he gave you permission to check my office" and how Jnr arrives at the scene of his father's murder: "Snape said something about Crouch."). The Dumbledore-Snape relationship is reaffirmed and repaired by end of GOF book, by Snape's show of loyalty to Dumbledore in front of Fudge (where Snape straight up shows his Dark Mark to Fudge to stop him from mouthing off Dumbledore), and him going to Voldemort on Dumbledore's orders.
• Lups confirming to Hagrid he didn't eat anything in the night points to interesting stuff about his memory when he is transformed.
• Lups wanting to leave as quickly as possible because he feels he has let down Dumbledore - by keeping Sirius' animagus form a secret back in school to now, and the fact he was loose on the grounds in the night.
• Ron takes Pidwidgeon out of harm's way when he notices Crookshanks eyeing him. XD And then he gets Crookshanks to sniff him. "What do you reckon? Definitely an owl?" this moment is so adorable. Crookshanks purrs, and Ron decides, "Thats good enough for me"
• "I only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey " ahhhhhh kill meee
• Sirius gifting Ron an owl as an apology of what he put him through.
• Harry threatening Vernon cheerfully with Sirius name rofl "He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and is on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me though.. keep up with my news.. check I'm happy"
• POA ends on such a bittersweet hopeful note.

• Wendelin the Weird really mocks the idea of wizards facing persecution from Muggles, and the anecdote shows how they have more power.
• @starlingflight had an hc that the Weasley family went to meet Bill because of the events of last year and because Ginny really looks up to him. In PS, they went to visit Charlie in Romania during holidays, and in CoS, they went to meet Bill. This is the second time they are going to Bill in a very short time. Peak eldest sibling/ third parent moment.
• I love the detail in Ron's letter about Molly not letting Ginny into the last tomb, which had all sorts of mutant skeletons. This takes on a layer given what happened to Ginny in Chamber of Secrets.
• Uncle Vernon complains about Sirius' hair and then shoots a look at Harry's own. I love the connection the narrative makes between Harry and Sirius from the very beginning - the hair, when Uncle Vernon looks to Harry after he makes a comment about people "deserving punishment"
• Ah Marge. The way she treats Harry is special kind of vile. There is a special kind of nastiness to her giving Harry dog biscuits as a present, and then later on in the same chapter alluding to Harry as weak, runty pup that she had someone drown (and then implying Lily has bad blood - "if there is something wrong with the bitch, then there is something wrong with the pup"). Also, although Harry is written as "default white" - this is one of the times I felt such a strong undercurrent of racism here.
• And Harry, after first two books of his management of Dursleys, finally rejects them and runs away. ("I had enough" - both Harry and Sirius say at some point with their families)
• Interesting that in CoS, Harry is quick to believe Ron and Hermione have forgotten all about him when he didnt get their letters (major abandonment issues acting up, exacerbated by circumstances ofc), but by POA, he is confident that even if he is an outlaw in wizarding world, Ron and Hermione would want to help him. Ron and Hermione slowly help healing Harry <3
• Right when Harry is considering his life as an outcast, he is being watched by Sirius, who appears right after Harry has rejected Dursleys as caregivers of any kind, and is the wizarding world outcast. (Also, Sirius has swum the north sea and escaped prison, and he wants to "catch a glimpse")
• Sirius laughing at the scene of the crime is such a stark image. We see him do this at the end of the book, when Peter accuses him. ("Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room"). When Peter accuses him of breaking out of Azkaban using dark Powers, Black "started to laugh, a horrible mirthless laugh that filled the whole room." I love this absolutely contrarian impulse in him, that he is laughing at the sheer gall of Peter to accuse him after everything. It also feels like a habit from his home life - designed to piss people off when they accuse him of something, most likely unjust. And it is the same response that happens in his breakdown over James's death on the street - it is the mirthless laughter that begins because of audacity of Peter, and it goes into breakdown over James's death.
• Harry returns every day to look at the Firebolt. Jock boy.
• Sirius = the Grim. XD interesting how he is associated with a death omen. @artemisia-black has a meta about this.
• Ron and Mr Weasley share the same stress response: ears turning red.
• Mr and Mrs Weasley recreate the same dynamic as Molly as Sirius in OOTP. Molly does not want Harry to know, Arthur wants Harry to know to be on his guard. This is telling of Rowling's fixed ideas on intrinsic traits of a gender - the man wants to give Harry more agency to be in charge, while the woman is cautious (I'm not making this up, there is literally an interview with Melissa Anelli where she said this about Molly vs Sirius scene: that she wants to contrast "cautious feminine principle" with Sirius' "take charge" masculine principle")
• This book feels so melancholy to me. There is a suspense aspect built up with Harry spotting the dog, seeing that it is a death omen, and Sirius saying "he is at hogwarts". On first read, these are scary things. But when you know what you know, this is just dripping with sadness.

• Ginny tries to join the trio and Ron tells her to "go away". @hinnyfied pointed out how Ginny followed both Ron here and when the train is dark. I really like glimpses of sibling relationships like this!
• Remus is here - he is asleep. (interesting that they take note that only students use Hogwarts Express and it is unusual for an adult to be there).
• Remus does wandless magic, and conjures flames in his palm. I really really love this detail. The "right to carry a wand" is heavily contested among "creatures" as Griphook resentfully mentions in DH - and it feels like something he has trained himself to be good at. @thecat-isblogging-blog also believes it is something for post transformation - when he may not have his wand and would be vulnerable.
• "Ginny looked nearly as bad as Harry felt, and gave a small sob." and Hermione goes and puts an arm around her. Again the Chamber comes up. ("Didnt any of you fall of your seats?" "No, Ginny was shaking like mad though.")
• Since this is a book where Harry starts to root his masculinity in James, the shame he feels for collapsing on train is a nice touch. ("I am not delicate!" Harry said crossly). Special thanks to @artemisia-black for her metas for this insight - I would not have looked at this with lens of masculinity if not for your metas!
• Interesting detail that both Dean and Lavendar also have no idea what The Grim is. Rest of the class knows - so it is embedded in wizarding culture. This is also a hint to Lavendar's blood status i think? I never picked up on this before.
• Dean Thomas appreciation, when Slytherins shout at Hagrid after the Buckbeak incident, Dean says, "It was malfoy's fault!"
• "giving Harry a look of loathing reserved just for him" - something about this sentence really cracks me up. lmao.
• Snape threatening Trevor really hits at Neville's worst insecurities. Trevor is a gift from his family after Neville proves that he is magical (and not a Squib, as they were fearing). So Trevor is a representation of that for Neville. So Neville's fear - is not being good enough, something Snape (and also his grandmother in a very different way, hits - as McGonagall says, "it's time for her to be proud of the grandson she does have, instead of the one she wishes she had" in HBP). Neville grows very subtly throughout the series.
• I love how Lyall and Hope's meeting via Boggarts (as per pottermore) adds another layer to why Remus takes it on in his first class.
• Remus is polite to Snape, but he slips in the same scene - when he is asking Neville about what his grandmother wears (so Neville can overlay it on Snape), he prompts, "and a handbag?" when Neville can't seem to remember. Remus is a very subtle character, and his slip ups about his feelings are also super subtle like this. There is no reason for him to prompt Neville on this - but there is a part of him is enjoying this. (It's that part of him on the map that goes: "keep your abnormally large nose out of other people's business")

• I love how immediately attuned Remus is with Harry, and how Harry actually does say what is bothering him after initially saying no. It is the lack of judgement from Remus, and his ability to let silence be. (Sirius does this with Harry too later on, and so does Ginny)
• I love that Harry thought Lups will deny what he had observed, but he not only validates it but offers Harry an honest explanation of why he didnt let Harry fight the Boggart. It is a respect for Harry's agency and intelligence that makes Harry immediately take to him. ("I am impressed, this suggests that what you fear most of all is - fear. Very wise, Harry")
• Snape, "unsmiling and watchful" that Harry and Lups are spending time together, and he has told Dumbledore that he is untrustworthy and is helping Sirius.S nape's "eyes were flickering towards Lupin more often than usual" even after brewing the Potion - Snape is super hypervigilant with Lups - there is genuine fear here. Given his teenage brush off, I can see why.
• Snape being Dumbledore's angry child: trying to hint to Dumbledore that Lups may be the inside help, and Dumbledore shutting him down, and Snape concedes to it because they are in front of Percy.
• Percy looked slightly abashed when Dumbledore mentions that no Dementor would cross the threshold of the castle while he is Headmaster. I wonder what Percy's views are on use of Dementors? He is very assimilationist. The next book, he is on Crouch's side for Winky debacle, so it is likely he thinks Dementors should have a look in the castle.
• "his robes were hanging more loosely around him" - interesting detail to show the aftermath of transformation on Lups. It is extremely taxing on his body.
• Lups both cant help himself from being concerned that Harry is sad about the match and cant help feeling guilty, that Whomping Willow, made for his use, is what smashed Harry's broomstick.
• Harry is so comfortable opening a topic with Lups that he finds deeply shameful: that he fell because of the Dementors, that he hears Lily's death when they get close. It is interesting that Jily death hangs so strongly over POA, and both Remus and later, Sirius act as a stand in for James in this book.
• "Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though he made to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it." - the summary of Remus and Harry's relationship in the entire series, and Harry breaks through this wall in Deathly Hallows.
• "White and shaking he was" "Give Harry to me, I am his godfather" "Black argued, but in the end he gave in" - so demonstrative of the fact that his first priority is always Harry
• Sirius was absolutely doing a performance of boredom for Fudge. It is his way of fighting, even in prison - his way of saying, "you havent broken me." Because we do see how Sirius really feels around Dementors at the end of the book - hands over his head, and moaning, "No Please"
• "Quite the double act" - McGonagall not mentioning Remus in the group while we get gossipy details like Remus mentioning that McGonagall told him about Harry and Trelawney. It feels like such a gossipy thing to say to a former student, and indicates fondness. So I'd like to think she is also careful and wary with regard to bringing Remus up in front of Ministry authorities, esp potentially sensitive things like Sirius and him used to be best friends.
• Harry looking into his parents wedding photo, with laughing Sirius :pleading_face:There is so much longing written into these scenes, and sadness. I have said before that Harry's series wide arc is to coming terms with his parents' death.
• ooh interesting stuff from Hermione. Hagrid talks about how Dementors werent keen to let him go, and Hermione says, "but you were innocent!" and hagrid snorts, "Think that matters to them?" interesting stuff for Hermione and her belief and disillusionment in institutions arc.
• Dumbledore offering crackers to Snape. Love how Snape indulges Dumbledore even as he hates it lollll.

• I know the fight is about the Firebolt, but I always felt the true reason Harry is angry with Hermione is that she went behind his back. And Ron is siding with Harry. (Although it is funny that it is Crookshanks that technically placed order for the broom)
• Also, interesting note about Voldemort - he refers to Lily as "silly girl" and in the most disparaging way possible, when in reality it is her sacrificial magic that stopped him. This is in contrast to how he talks about James - "Face me like a man, straight backed and proud, like your father died". It is taunt, but a compliment infused in the taunt. (We will notice this in his fixation with his father, and rather passive interest in his mother as well - and the interest in his mother is because of her lineage - "I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, from my mother's side?")
• Hermione disappearing into her workload, and Ron, despite being angry with her, interested in what she is up to. He even asked Ernie if she missed any Muggle Studies classes, lol.
• How interesting that Lups mentions that the Dementor's Kiss is the fate that awaits Sirius Black, completely unprompted by Harry. It is clearly something that bothers him. ("Do you think anyone deserves that?"). Since he read it in the Prophet in the morning, it is clearly a news that he was still processing.
• "Do you really think so? Do you think anyone deserves that?" - it is obviously one way for him to process the news, but it is also a way for Lups to open space for Harry to talk about what he is thinking and feeling.
• Snape reminding McGonagall that Gryffindor will be out of running for 8th year in a row if they lose the match, lol. Snape and McGonagall's background Quidditch rivalry is hilarious. This happened in CoS too ("We should get Potter off the Quidditch team until he is ready to be truthful" "The cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick")
• Harry suggesting they make up with Hermione, and Ron tells him where she is. I get the feeling that Ron was waiting to make up with Hermione after the initial anger. He engages with her, tries to figure out her schedule and it seems to me that the only thing really stopping him is Harry's feelings and he was waiting for Harry's go ahead.
• "Ok side with Ron, I knew you would" - the beginning of the series, where the boys choose each other, and Hermione knows it. This changes when Ron becomes aware of his romantic feelings for Hermione, and that forces him to step back from his buffer role, and Harry and Hermione dynamic goes through transitional storm as a result.
• Hermione came to watch the match. The juxtaposition of the Fred and George juggling bottles and the festivities, and Hermione reading Home Life and Social habits of British Muggles (which she doesn't have to) really adds to the loneliness of the picture.
• I don't know if this was mentioned, but Lupin keeps asking Harry that maybe it's time to stop during the Patronus chapter. I do think it's because he is seeing the physical toll it's costing him, but I'd like to think it could also be because Harry has become an earpiece to James' last moments, and Lupin is caught off-guard. His grief is rising back up and it writes "Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he was doing this against his better judgement.(via @thecat-isblogging-blog)
• We can see Lupin losing a bit of his careful control when Harry asks him about Sirius. Not only has Lupin just gone through the circle of grief again in a space of a few minutes, but now Sirius being bought up is asking for his anger. When Harry assumes Lupins knew Sirius as well, Lupin responds very quick and 'out of character': "What gives you that idea?" he said sharply. (Also via Cat)
• Sirius breaks into the dormitory with a knife. He gifts Harry a knife for Christmas later on. (@artemisia-black brought this to my attention, but he seems to have a thing for knives. )
• Love how immediately Neville connects Harry to being his protector, he steps behind Harry when he sees Snape.
• Obviously Snape enjoys catching harry in trouble, but his dialogue here about worrying about Harry's safety (also his life mission) is also him. ("Let other people worry about his safety!").
• "Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business" - this insult is essentially displaying Remus' anxiety over Snape "sneaking around, trying to get them expelled". And Sirius' insult, is on his intelligence ("Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became professor"). Insulting people's intelligence is go to insult for both Sirius and Snape. James' insult goes for his appearance ("ugly git") which is appearance based, and most likely to do with his jealous streak regarding Snape and Lily. And Peter follows James' lead in the ugly insult and "advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."
• I will never get over the detail of Lups clapping his hand and looking around cheerfully when Ron comes in XD covered this scene between Lups and Snape in more detail here
• Remus made Sirius and James "feel ashamed of themselves sometimes". I'd imagine it would be similar to how he handled this - cover up for them as he did for Harry, and lets them hear it in private. Although some of the harshness of what Remus said here is because he agrees with Snape, and recognises his own guilt in this situation, so he is angrier.
• There is something about the fact that Hermione comes to them when she gets the letter that Buckbeak is being executed that is really, really vulnerable of her? She can wait until Hagrid tells them himself, but she needs them in this highly charged emotional moment.
• I love how immediate the trio's priorities shift - both Harry and hermione discuss the unfairness of the situation, and when Hermione says she has no hope, Ron says there is. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time Hermione. I'll help." Ron's offer of solidarity really gets to Hermione and she apologises to him. And that's pretty much all he needed to hear from her ("I am really sorry about scabbers") and he quickly moves to assure her- "he was a bit old. You never know, mum and dad might get me an owl now." (ron's issue with hermione is similar to his issue with Harry in DH - "you are dismissing my feelings and devaluing my needs. What is important to me is not important to you, and therefore I am angry.")
• Lucius is still a background antagonist in this novel, even though he doesn't make an appearance. And like Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid is once again in trouble because of his vulnerable status in the wizarding society.
• The exam chapters are so endearingly weird - the teapot into tortoise and how they are all worrying about how some of their tortoise still has spout, or breathe steam. And harry overdoing his cheering charms that meant ron had to be taken to a private classroom for over an hour cos he was doubling up with hysterical laughter.

requested by @lupinmoonlights