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"I don't think the wizarding world ever considered it as a war (though I would be interested if you can point to canon in the books to the contrary) particularly since there was only one battle at the very end, and only a small part of the wizarding world ever took sides." - roonwit
Wars are more than major battles. Especially modern warfare. Modern warfare consists of reigns of terror; of one side torturing, killing and physically/psychologically intimidating the other side into submission ... and final defeat. From my own personal experience - without getting too personal - I point to the recent (ie - last 20 years) conflicts in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Congo and Northern Uganda. Not done in the way of the American Civil War (with great and notable battles in specific locations), but genuine bloody warfare - one faction against another - nonetheless. (The definitive battle in the Second Wizarding War took place at Hogwarts, but the general-in-charge Tom Riddle hardly restricted his war strategy to that. It was evident everywhere and, as it progressed, the whole British WW became all too aware of the situation.)
The start of the war of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters against the rest of the British WW was marked with Dumbledore's speech to the students of Hogwarts at the end of Gof: "It is my belief - and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken - that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you, in this Hall, have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn assunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst." The peace (ie - non-war state) that the WW had experienced since the First War ended on Oct. 31, 1981 was now at an end. That is what Dumbledore was telling the staff and students assembled in the Hall on that day. And he was right.
The title of chapter 38 in OoP is entitled, "The Second War Begins."
From HBP, Chapter One --
"While the Prime Minister surreptitiously touched the wood of his desk, Fudge continued, 'But Black's by-the-by now. The point is, we're at war, Prime Minister, and steps must be taken.'
'At war?' repeated the Prime Minister nervously. 'Surely that's a bit of an overstatement?'
'He Who Must Be Named has now been joined by those of his followers who broke out of Azkaban in January,' said Fudge. 'Since they have moved into the open, they have been wrecking havoc.' "
When Harry and the Weasleys went to Diagon Alley in HBP, they noticed how it had changed. The Daily Prophet articles about how the wizard responsible for the First War on the WW was back and was - with his army of DEs, Dementors, Imperiused people, giants and at least one werewolf - , killing and kidnapping witches and wizards (eg - Amelia Bones, Ollivander, E. Vance, Florean Fortescue) along with Muggles, and causing destruction throughout the land put the WW back in fear mode. They were back in a wartime situation. "Harry noticed that many of the people who passed them had the same harried, anxious look as Mrs. Weasley, and that nobody was stopping to talk any more; the shoppers stayed together in their own tightly knit groups, moving intently about there busingss. Nobody seemed to be shopping alone."
When Hannah Abbott's mother was killed by a member of the enemy army in HBP, don't tell me the 16-year-old girl did not see a wizarding war taking place. Same with the family of that nine-year-old boy Imperiused by the enemy side to try and kill his grandparents. (By the way, that last example brought to my mind the true yet unfathomable stories I've heard about young children in the wars I mentioned at the top of this post who were kidnapped by one or the other armies in their particular conflict and were forced to mutilate or kill their own relatives.)
From what we are led to believe in chapter 21 of HBP, every issue of the Daily Prophet was filled with war news; most particularly, who had been killed, injured, captured or arrested (p.427-428, Raincoast). As Ron put it on p.442, "I'm losing track of what's happening to everyone's relatives." These relatives are ordinary members of the British WW. And I don't buy for one moment that they do not know that they are at war, and with whom they are at war.
And, of course, DH is all about the Second Wizarding War. People being rounded up and tried - and having their wands taken away - on false charges of stealing magic from the so-called real wizards. Underground radio broadcasts giving citizens the real information (ie - the war news) that the occupiers have suppressed. (LV and his lot are the occupiers I just referred to; taking over the government, the legal system, the media, the military, the transportation system (ie - Apparation in and out of the Ministry, the Floo network) and the whole infrastructure of the previously-free British WW. Nobody in the country could not notice that. Could not be aware that they are at war.)
There seem to be quite a few Muggle-borns in the WW. And there is no doubt that they know war has been declared against them. They are being rounded up, their children are not allowed to go to Hogwarts, they are being sent to Azkaban. Such as Ted Tonks and Dean Thomas are on the run from the enemy side who has taken control. And these Muggle-borns have lots of friends, no doubt. They, too, realize that there is a war on. (For some reason brings to mind the Jews in Germany, Poland, etc. during the Muggle WW2 who were forced to flee, to lie about their identity, and who were hidden by some unbelievably courageous non-Jewish German, Polish, Dutch, etc. families.)
And then there was the final battle at Hogwarts. The final battle in the war. A war in which it had appeared that the enemy (LV et al) had won ... but which wouldn't really be over - as all knew - until Undesirable Number One had been caught and eliminated. Harry's picture with the large reward offered for him posted up all over for the WW to see, and in The Prophet and The Quibbler too.
The Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army were the professional soldiers in this war. But, on the homefront, it was being observed and fought by all British wizards and witches. They couldn't avoid it. Their families were being killed and threatened. Their way of life was totally turned upside down. And then, when they were alerted that a major battle - perhaps to the finish - was to take place at the best wizarding school in the UK, the brave wizarding civilians came to do their part. To end this life of terror and despair they had been forced to live ... or die in the attempt. For us, it might be about Harry Potter but, to the citizens of the UK WW, it was about ending the war. About living free and in peace on their beautiful island, as they had in the period between the First and Second wars. Having something to celebrate again (taking this back to what DD said in Chapter One of PS).
A civil war is still a war. And, considering his personality and his history, there is no reason to believe Tom Marvolo Riddle would have stopped at Britain. World domination seems his style
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"We know that Lupin had a house because, at the end of GoF, DD told Sirius to "lie low at Lupin's." - laura W
"Actually, that always puzzled me because Lupin doesn't look like he could afford a house or its upkeep, and he does seem to be at Grimmauld Place a lot during book 5.. Also Lupin's could mean a flat, or even whatever accommodation he could be renting or even just borrowing or staying at with the owner's permission. Thus there might not be space for a wife or family there. But in any case I imagine Lupin spent a lot of time at the Tonks family home, and it would be Tonks' mother making the decision where to bury her daughter and son-in-law so I do think they would be buried there, near to where their surviving family would be living." - roonwit
'Fraid I still disagree with you here. (Grin)
When DD said that to Sirius about staying with Lupin, I just assumed he meant the house where Lupin grew up. He did have a mother and father and I assume they had a house somewhere in England. So, I assume that house would go to Remus after their deaths. He wouldn't have to pay to buy it. Even if he only had an apartment, however, there is no reason that a married couple could not live comfortably in an apartment. I know many who do. Even with a baby. A two-bedroom apartment is quite sufficient.
And i take Lupin's comment to Harry in DH, "Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their only daughter to marry a werewolf" as given. I do not believe Ted or Andromeda ever approved of their daughter's choice of a husband. And I don't think he spent much time in their presence.
Laura
I Support JKR
edited by lw to correct a couple of typos
This post has been edited by Laura W: Jun 23 2008, 05:52 AM
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Jun 20 2008, 06:41 PM
