Shipping the Trio and the Twins

[David <dfrankiswork@netscape.net>]

Derannimer wrote
> 
> I've been reading through the "Romantic Pairings" FAQ lately 
> (*Gorgeous* work on the Fantastic Posts, btw), and some of the 
early 
> R/H vs. H/H posts contained an interesting theory: that R/H fans 
and 
> H/H fans split with each other on more than just Hermione. In 
other 
> words, that R/H fans read *many* aspects of the books differently 
> than H/H fans do. Some posters said that H/H'ers tend to go softer 
> on the Slyths, for example. 

I find this a very interesting question, too.  I'd say it touches on 
one of the central contradictions in my personality, that I want to 
find patterns in people's beliefs and behaviour, and seek out 
explanations for them, but when anyone identifies such a pattern my 
first impulse is to make sure I don't fit it.

That said, I have never been able to formulate any really 
satisfactory hypotheses about positions that are apparently 
correlated, e.g. 'young Hermione' and H/H.  I suppose first we need 
a massive multivariate poll.

There's also the tricky question of what you think is 'true' or will 
happen versus what you want to be true - not that I've come across 
anyone with beliefs that strongly contradict their preferences 
(e.g. "I think canon is firmly R/H but I feel Harry is the right 
person for Hermione").

Judy added:

> Well, as far as we can tell, Snape is celibate. However, he's not
> doing well when it comes to being contented, well-adjusted, 
> fulfilled, or happy.

I have this secret hope that Snape turns out to be nasty *because* 
he is happily married - he goes back to his Unplottable rooms after 
an unsuccesful night's prowling, ready to throw the towel in and 
accept Dumbledore's softer approach, and his partner urges him to 
new efforts of contrariness (as well as reminding him not to wash 
his hair or brush his teeth).  Doubtless someone will tell me it's 
been done in fanfic.

David, who would like to hear more of Elkins' views on the evil, 
twisted and deranged nature of the romantic paradigm