Question: Ron's wand gets broken, and for the rest of the year, he has to use it even though it doesn't cast spells properly. Why doesn't the school just get Ron a new wand? His parents can't afford one because of how expensive they must be, but surely one of the teachers could take him to Ollivander's and help him get another one.
Answer: It's not the school's responsibility to provide equipment for students. It can be humiliating for a student and the family to receive charity. It also sets a precedent for Hogwarts having to supply any number of things for students, and creates a situation where they could be taken advantage of. Realistically, this is a book plot point. It may not be logical, but the story would not play out and end as it does if Ron had a proper wand.
Question: HRH thought it was suspicious that Draco wanted to stay at Hogwarts during the Christmas break. As they learned, he wasn't committing the attacks against Muggle-borns after all, so is there some other reason why he stayed?
Answer: There would be a reason he stayed, though it's never known what it is. It's usual for a certain number of students to stay at Hogwarts during the Christmas break. In Draco's case, it is likely his parents were traveling or had other business to attend to and Draco either didn't want to go with them, or else his mother and father preferred he not come. Draco's father may also have asked his son to stay over to keep an eye on Harry's activities, although he never told Draco what was going on.
Question: When Harry first meets Dobby in his bedroom, in Chapter Two, he asks Dobby if the danger at Hogwarts has something to do with Voldemort. Dobby shakes his head no. But it is later revealed that Lucius Malfoy's plot did involve Voldemort after all. Why did Dobby lie to Harry?
Answer: Lucius Malfoy didn't know the diary was a horcrux and had part of Voldemort's soul in it. It was unintentional and nobody could know beforehand Voldemort was involved in all of it. Including Dobby.
Lucius most certainly knew that "Tom Riddle" was Voldemort. The entire plot centers on that Lucius was up to no good.
I didn't say he didn't know it was Voldemort's diary. I said he didn't know it was a horcrux. He just knew the diary was bad news and tried to pass it on to the Weasleys.
Answer: Dobby is not lying. But he is not able to reveal the name Voldemort, due to his bond to his master, and instead tries to give a - quite unintelligible - hint about who is behind the plot: "I've got just one question, Dobby, " said Harry, as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. ' You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? well-" "it was a clue, sir." said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious, "was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?" (at the very end of book 2, about third to last page).
Question: When Lucius arrives at Hagrid's house, he says that he "called" the school and found out that Dumbledore was with Hagrid. Would Hogwarts have a telephone, seeing how a lot of Muggle technology is shunned in the wizarding world?
Answer: He did not mean that he called on a telephone. It is possible he used the floo network to communicate with the school, but in this instance, he means that he "called on" the school, or more precisely, called on Dumbledore to deliver bad news. To "call on" someone or something, means you go to see them in person.
Question: If Hagrid was blamed for killing Myrtle, why was he allowed to join the Hogwarts staff as Gamekeeper? Surely parents of students and other staff would object to him remaining at the school.
Answer: Hagrid wasn't accused of killing Myrtle. It was wrongly believed that Aragog, the giant spider, was the monster that killed her. Hagrid was found responsible for having brought the creature into Hogwarts and keeping it hidden there. That is why he was punished by not being allowed to use magic, though he was later exonerated of any wrongdoing.
Answer: Dumbledore trusted him and gave him the job as gamekeeper.
Question: I am confused as to why the House Cup winner (Gryffindor) is named at the feast where Hagrid returns. Shortly after, there is a mention of "the rest of the final term" passing quickly. If school is still in session, couldn't the students' actions/behavior still change the total amounts of points?
Answer: No, the points are tallied and the cup is awarded by a specific time, which is the Leaving Feast. There is only a short period of time after the feast before the students go home for the summer. Anything a student might do during that time does not count against their House for that year. Any penalties or rewards given to a House after the feast could be carried over to the following year.
Question: Riddle said he knew Harry would try and solve the mystery of who was behind the attacks. Particularly if one of his best friends was involved, but how did he know Hermione was one of Harry's best friends?
Question: When it's the first Quidditch practice session and Ron and Hermione come onto the pitch why didn't Wood get rid of them? It seems out of character for Wood to let people who aren't on the teams from any houses anywhere near the pitch.
Chosen answer: He knows they are Harry's friends and they are Gryffindors.
Question: If all of the staff knew that Gilderoy Lockhart was a fraud, then why would they let him teach at Hogwarts?
Answer: One of the running bits throughout the series was that no Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers lasted longer than one year. Few wanted or would apply for the job. Professor Snape always wanted it, but Dumbledore would not consider him, ostensibly due to his dark history, but also for other reasons. Lockhart was the only other applicant for that year and he was better than nothing. The extent of Lockhart's fraud wasn't known yet.
Question: Ginny says that the last thing she remembered is Tom coming out of the diary, but we don't know where that actually occurred. Where is he coming out of his diary?
Question: Did Professor Snape have an ulterior motive for participating in the Dueling Club, or was it just simple personal interest?
Answer: Snape is mostly sure that Lockhart is a fraud and is looking for any chance to expose him.
Question: According to the Harry Potter Lexicon website (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/timelines/calendars/calendar_cs.html), exams would have taken place on June 3rd if Dumbledore had not cancelled them. But the students would go home on June 19th. My question is, what would students do between the 3rd and the 19th if there were no exams?
Answer: Swim in the lake, pack up their things, spend time with friends. As mentioned in later books, there are days when some students do not have exams while others are writing too.
Answer: I agree with what RayWest said. Another possible factor is that Ron damaged his wand when the flying car crashed into the Whomping Willow, which upsets the Hogwarts staff and Ron's parents. I can imagine Mrs. Weasley wanting him to deal with the consequences of his actions for the rest of the school year.
Good point, and Ron, in addition to being in trouble with the school, also got his father into hot water with the Ministry of Magic over the flying car. I can't imagine, after all that, Ron asking anyone to get him a new wand.
raywest ★