Bank holiday nonsense with a small side helping of meta

[birdsofshore]

I didn't read much this week, so I don't think I have any recs for you. *Checks pockets* No, sorry. But as is traditional, I have some nonsense for anyone who is in a playing mood. I can't remember how I came across this, but I HAD to try it straight away, even though I didn't really have 18 mins to spare.

Harry Potter top 200 Quiz

You have 18 mins to type in as many of the top 200 Harry Potter characters as you can. What a challenge! I got 102 and was so pissed off with myself for not remembering more. To be completely honest, I only got so many because if you type, eg, "Weasley", you get a point for ALL the Weasleys. I'm not saying I would have forgotten any Weasleys, but some other families, I would have.

My memory is actually atrocious. For lots of characters, I knew exactly who I was trying to think of, but I could not get their names! For instance, I'd be thinking "oh ffs, the Daily Prophet poison pen journalist. She uses a Quick-Quotes Quill. Miranda Richardson plays her in the films, OMG WHAT IS HER NAAAAAAAME?"

Anyway, go and do this quiz, if you are going to, and then you can come back and read about all the people I forgot, and feel smug because you are a much much better fan than me ;-)

Well, terribly, I could not think of the name of even ONE Minister of Magic (unless you count Kingsley). I did try, but nope. My worst omission overall was Mad-Eye Moody. Sorry, Moody! I didn't even think of you for a millisecond.

I also missed Viktor Krum, Profs Trelawney, Sprout and Grubbly-Plank (with the Profs, I was desperately trying, but could not remember any of their names), Ludo Bagman (embarrassingly I had to look him up, as I didn't even remember who he was). Oliver Wood and Igor Karkaroff obviously occupy very little space in my head, as do Fenrir Greyback and Frank Bryce. I mean, Frank WHO? *looks at wiki* Oh yes, *blush*, HIM.

All of which makes me wonder if I have this terrible distorted Harry Potter head canon, shaped by fanon, and to some extent the films? Because, according to this quiz, Blaise Zabini is mentioned:

- only 47 times in canon,
- five times less frequently than Ludo Bagman, who I had to look up
- fewer than Frank "Who?" Bryce
- fewer than Alicia Spinnet, Mr Borgin, and Elphias Doge.

How can this be? Blaise features pretty hugely in fanfiction and thus in my head, especially as I'm an H/D shipper. You can't turn around in H/D without Blaise being there being witty, urbane and devastatingly handsome. Yet in canon he only gets 5 more mentions than Bertha Jorkins.

Ron's Aunt Muriel is mentioned more frequently than Blaise Zabini! O.o People didn't even know whether Blaise was a boy or a girl, until Half-Blood Prince came out, but I remembered HIM without any trouble when it was time to do the quiz, because of all his saucy fanon appearances. I don't know what this all means, but it has confusled me.


If you did the quiz, I would love to know who you remembered, and who you forgot.

Comments

[blue-eyed-1987.livejournal.com]

This was interesting, because I'm not in the HP fandom, and I haven't read the books in years, so it was certainly challenging!

I remembered Pigwidgeon, but not Gregory Goyle O.o

It could not remember a minister's name either! And yeah, I spent ages going: David Tennant's character. WHO IS HE

The points you make about Blaise are interesting, especially how fandom can pick up and run with a character, you know?

[gryffindorj.livejournal.com]

DAMN IT! I forgot all the ghosts! Damn it all! I am so mad at myself about that. I got 104 though.

I was surprised James Sirius Potter was the only next gen kid on there. No Teddy? I mean he's actually in the book not the epilogue. I liked you could put in a last name and it filled in a bunch.

[thusspakekate.livejournal.com]

I got 135, but damn, it was difficult. It took me a long time to realize that non-verbal creatures counted as well, so I got Mrs Norris and Crookshanks in under the buzzer, but I totally forgot about Hegwid and Buckbeak! I remembered most of the major characters and didn't miss anyone until Oliver Wood. Sorry man, you just slipped his mind.

One of the problems I had was not remembering how to spell some names. Like, I knew Karkaroff, but I was way off on the spelling. And its Ernie MACmillan, not McMillan. Well then. and Madam Maxime, not Maxine. Oh.

And I got frustrated with the minor minor student characters, because I was trying like..Stephen Cornfoot and Anthony Goldstien, and all these RANDOM people who are mentioned in passing, but have somehow stuck in my brain, even though there were a load of adult characters who were mentioned in passing MORE THAN ONCE who I completely forgot about. But I can't get mad at myself about not remembering Wilkie Twycross (the apparition instructor, apparently).

I actually thought about Frank Bryce, but I had no clue that he was even named. In my brain, he was just "the gardener" and nothing came up when I tried that, lol.

I do think what we remember is shaped by fanon, but I don't think its a bad thing. It depends a lot on what you like to read and write. If you like a lot of Hogwarts-era fic, why would you come across Ludo Bagman that often? Maybe if Harry got an internship at the Department of Magical Games and Sports...or went on to be a professional quidditch player, but otherwise? Meh. There are so many subplots and potential avenues for exploration provided by canon, its ok if you don't follow them all. I mean, Andromeda Tonks (nee Black) isn't even on the list!

I'm glad that if you put in the last name, you got credit for all of them. I could remember Marvolo and Merope, but I really didn't deserve credit for Morfin.

I do feel kind of bad about forgetting Stan Shunpike though.

[birdsofshore]

Ah, I forgot Pigwidgeon, so you did pretty well!

Different characters serve different purposes in fandom, I suppose, and they also seem to go in phases, sometimes.

[birdsofshore]

I remembered most of the ghosts, but I tried one of the founders, and must have spelt them wrong, because it rejected it, so I didn't try the others.

104 is good, I think! 18 mins goes quickly while you are trying to remember stuff.

[birdsofshore]

I remembered Stan, but I couldn't think of his naaaaaaame! My stupid brain is so stupid. Sounds like you did really well.

I agree about Andromeda - another character we see a lot of in H/D fic for various reasons, but not in canon.

[birdsofshore]

I like long and rambly, it's interesting!

Bizarrely. Blaise was mentioned in book 1 and then not again til HBP! Do you remember, no-one knew if he was a boy or a girl til then? So he really doesn't feature much in canon, (well, not for 5 books, anyway) it's mostly fanon, I reckon.

Most of those characters you list are a bit mysterious to me as well. I remember Albert Runcorn easily *whispers* because he's in the films. I just don't have a good memory for details, at all.

[birdsofshore]

I know, you would think he would be mentioned lots of times! It's only because we are so Draco-centric, as you say, that we expect that, I suppose. I wasn't in fandom either, but I've heard the boy/girl thing mentioned a lot. There's a funny song by a Wrock band which is about no-one being able to see Blaise properly or speak to him / her until 6th year, because there's just a fuzzy shape :D

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

I got 128. My first column misses were Slughorn, Luna :(, and Kreacher. BUT I TYPED IN ROGER AND PIUS AND DEMELZA AND IT DIDN'T GIVE ME POINTS. Maybe because I didn't know how to spell their last names...

Other embarrassing misses: Buckbeak, Xenophilius Lovegood, Mr. Ollivander, Madame Maxime, Lee Jordan, Phineas Nigellus Black, Stan Shunpike, Amos Diggory, Grawp, Cormac McLaggen, the Fat Lady, and BLAISE!!

But I am proud of myself for remembering Armando Dippet, Aidan Lynch, Hestia Jones, Mafalda Hopkirk :D

[fantasyfiend09.livejournal.com]

Ugh! That was so frustrating! I got 112, but I was about to beat my head into the wall with Pomfrey! I remembered her first name was Polly, but it wouldn't give me that. Oh, and Scrimgeour! And I couldn't get the spelling for Pig's full name and they wouldn't take Pig.

Despite that, I had far too much fun. ;) Thanks for sharing this!

I wasn't too surprised by Zabini's low showing, but I was shocked that Nott didn't even make the list. I typed in both names before accepting that he wasn't in the top 200.

I was interested that I overlooked a lot of characters I find really annoying. It's like my mind has blocked out Smith, Myrtle, and Trewlaney completely! :D

I do feel sheepish I forgot every house-elf, but remembered Fluffy and Fang. *blush* Hermione would kill me.

[gamma-x-orionis.livejournal.com]

I just did it, and managed 130/200... the thing that threw me was that I kept putting in names and having them not be recognized because they only get mentioned once, or not at all, or not enough! (Helena Ravenclaw among them! And Druella, Abraxas, both Greengrass sisters, both Lestrange brothers, a lot of my pet characters really...)

I was also surprised by how many/few times some characters were mentioned. Bellatrix only got five more mentions than Cho, what. o_O

I missed a lot of non-human characters (Grawp, Norbert, Sir Cadogan and the Fat Lady among them, though I got Crookshanks and several owls), some people who I legitimately have no idea who they are (Mr. Roberts? Albert Runcorn?) and then a good number that I think I would have remembered if I'd had more time and if my brain didn't immediately stop working under pressure (Madam Pince, Bathilda Bagshot, Gellert Grindelwald, Madam Ponfrey Beedle the Bard, etc, etc).

[lokifan]

I got 115 in the end. Like you said, a lot I got only because of the surnames thing - I would never ever have remembered Auntie Muriel. And yeah - so many of Harry's year don't make it in (Hannah Abbott!) but one good subplot is enough. Can't believe I forgot the Fat Lady...

[khalulu]

I only got 92, so you all can feel very accomplished! I think if I'd brainstormed first before I started I'd have gotten more - I ran out of time before I ran out of ideas. I got the ghosts and many of the profs and some of the animals but forgot the house-elves and Ministry people.

[birdsofshore]

Nice work! How annoying it didn't give you all of the people. And it's funny that you missed Blaise, after me going on about him.

On a complete tangent, I love the name Mafalda Hopkirk :D

[birdsofshore]

LOL I typed Theo Nott about 6 times before giving up. Again, it's our Draco-centric view of the HP universe, I think.

Pomfrey's name is Poppy, and I missed Fang AND Fluffy (I tend to block out dogs from my mind, really).

[birdsofshore]

That's a great score. I was foxed by some of the people who weren't included, also, again I think because they feature in fanfic so much, eg the Greengrasses, the Lestrange bros. And who is Mr Roberts?

[birdsofshore]

I forgot the poor Fat Lady, too! I think her not having a name doesn't help...

115 is a fine score. I found it really hard to get over 100.

[birdsofshore]

We can sit in dunce's corner together :D No, seriously, I think some people's minds just retain details better. It was a fun game but I don't think it means our HP knowledge is crap or anything.

[dustmouth.livejournal.com]

Awww yeah- a hundred and eleven for me, I beat you by a whisker ;)
I had the problem where I read so much marauder timeline fics that I was typing in names that barely even register in cannon... I got to the last ten seconds before realising that I hadn't even managed to type in Hermione >_>

[birdsofshore]

Yes, fanfic strikes again! Poor Hermione.

I deliberately did badly so everyone could feel happy about themselves ;-) I sort of wish that was the case. In truth I was lucky to get as many as I did, my brain just went "uhh?" and fell over.

[dustmouth.livejournal.com]

I felt so bad for forgetting her- I'm afraid she was just too obvious- I remembered Voldemort really late too... just useless.

I'm sure you got all the difficult ones though- ho ho

[primeideal (from livejournal.com)]

(HP_Friendship lurker. :) )

Took this a while back, so I don't know who specifically I got or missed*, but, er, 156 overall. I need a life...I think this is also clear that I really enjoy the minor characters (especially in the Quidditch world.) ;)

*Edit: it does display (somewhat arbitrarily) a few you missed. No Pomfrey for me, oops.

[primeideal (from livejournal.com)]

Albus Severus is actually mentioned too, several more times than James.

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

Ahh I did the same thing! Theo Nott, Theodore Nott, Nott, WHY IS THIS NOT WORKING?

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

Same here! She's one of my favorites solely because JK introduced her in Book 2 very surreptitiously and then brought her back later on as a relatively important character. It really showed how much forethought she put into the books.

[birdsofshore]

Hello! 156, YOU WIN :D

You know, I really would think I could just blaze through them all and get 150, but it half killed me to get to 100. I was livid about the really obvious ones that my mind was just refusing to remember. I mean, how can you actually forget the name Rita Skeeter? It's sort of unforgettable!

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

The Muggle manager in the woods during the World Cup in GoF.

[birdsofshore]

Yes, she's a master of planning. Did you see those notes of hers that showed how she plotted each chapter and all of the different strands running through it?

Having said that, I think she did change her mind about stuff as well, and not surprisingly for such an immense and complex world, there are quite a lot of plot holes. But it's awesome how she did it, no?

[birdsofshore]

LOL! That's the power of fanon distortion.

I read recently that JKR wrote a scene with Theo and Draco at the Manor, that got cut. She said she liked it so much that she tried to fit it into 2 books, but it had to go! I'd love to read it. Maybe that scene would have brough Theo up to the top 200 characters.

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

She is beyond fantastic. And I haven't seen those notes! Where can you find them?

[birdsofshore]

I think GoF must be either my least-read, or least-remembered book. I don't seem to know anyone in it at all O.o

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

I would love to read it as well.

[birdsofshore]

Lordy, where did I see them? *racks brains* I got the impression they were only the tip of the iceberg, as well, but they were fabulous and so clear. I will have a think and see if I can find them for you.

[birdsofshore]

Clever Mr Birds remembered! It's here:

http://unclutterer.com/2010/10/12/organize-your-writing-j-k-rowling-style/

with a link to see it closer here:

http://www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/jkrowlingpage.jpg

It actually makes me feel a little freaked out and wobbly just looking at it, and I am sure this is only the tiniest percentage of her planning.

[nathalieweasley.livejournal.com]

I have chills. Thank you so much! (and Mr. Birds as well)

[birdsofshore]

Yes! It's so... I don't know. It makes me incoherent, that's how cool it is!

[fantasyfiend09.livejournal.com]

Sigh. Yes, I meant Poppy. I probably mistyped on the quiz as well. *headdesk* The real problem was that I kept thinking Poppy Pomona, but knowing I was getting mixed up with Sprout.

[inspired-being.livejournal.com]

I went back and did this and got 94 *sigh* I'd probably get more given more time. I couldn't remember the Ministers names either, though I tried. And there were a few I remembered before I pressed start that I didn't end up writing down. I'm using the time as my excuse. *folds arms* Oh, and spelling! Some of those names are hard to spell so I wasted time googling correct spelling :S

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

I have a theory about Blaise! So far it goes like this:

1) Harry doesn't stare at Draco nearly enough (seriously, I spent several books pulling my hair and yelling (at no one, although allegedly at Harry) 'Why won't you look at Draco, you bloody fool? I'm sure whatever he's doing is much more interesting than your little emo crisis!' As you can see, I have such empathy!

2) When Harry does stare at Draco, he's so entranced by Draco's perfect features and beautiful hair he does so with such concentration everything else becomes invisible. Including Draco's friends. Even if they're talking to him at that exact moment.

Also, sadly, the book isn't told from Draco's POV (that would have been so much more fun! :D :D Not that Harry wasn't fun or anything. But Draco would have been hilarious! *wistful sigh* Am I in love with Draco Malfoy? Oh God. I am, aren't I?)

[birdsofshore]

Of COURSE you are! Why should you escape when the rest of us have to suffer? ;-)

My son told me when he was 9 that he was going to rewrite the whole series from the POV of Draco Malfoy, and it would all be "That twit Potter staring at me again today." :DD

You see, even he is not immune to the curse of being in love with Draco Malfoy. *sigh*

I can tell you this here, because it's lost in the mists of time, but I had an unpleasant realisation the other day that if Harry!bang was Draco!bang, I probably would have finished it by now.... *blush* And I really do love Harry. Honestly, I do!

[this-bloody-cat.livejournal.com]

In the mists of time! ♥ I admit I was procrastinating randomly clicking through your tags xD

I hope that's a promise he intends to keep! Who would want to read Draco Malfoy and the Unbearable Twit? :D

I had a similar realisation while writing Career Fair, TBH. It was a bit frustrating because I've written a couple of stories from Harry's POV (so obviously I should be able to do it, right? D:) But I really find Draco's so much easier to write -- or, okay, not necessarily easier, but certainly much more entertaining. My Harry just tends to... angst stupidly. Which your Harry doesn't. Because your Harry is all awesome mischief and bright awesome fire sparks. Except when he's serious Auror!Harry. But even then, he turns out not to be so serious in the end ;)