[HPforGrownups] James Potter Bio Facts

[Carolina]

No: HPFGUIDX 90144


This reply is to the thread, some  points have been raised that I would like 
to comment.

Debbie Roberson:

>Maybe I am just over skeptical, but as far as I can tell, no one's 
>ever TOLD Harry that his Dad was Gryffindor, he's always just assumed 
>so -  probably based on the fact that the Weasley's are all 
>Gryffindors and the Malfoys are, as far as we've seen, Slytherins.  

I agree. No one has done it, we have strong hints but that's all, and with 
Rowling strong hints are not always enough.

If it's so obvious that MWPP were in Gryffindor, someone could have commented 
that, if only Jame's affiliation given he is Harry's father, so it seems 
natural that in 5 years he would have adquired that knowledge, but no, he 
only assumes he was a Gryffindor, but he doesn't know.

Carol:

>I have a feeling that Hagrid doesn't really sit down and think things out. 
>("Oh, yeah. Sirius Black must have been a DE, mustn't he? So there was one 
>from Gryffindor.") Of course, he didn't know that the traitor was really
>Peter Pettigrew, who must have been a Gryffindor if James was. I can't
>seem them acting as a foursome without sharing a House, and since
>they're all boys in the same year, that would also mean that they
>shared a dormitory.  

>If it had been McGonagall or Dumbledore who made that initial remark,
>I would trust it, but Hagrid is not given to precision.

That phrase is priceless. Rowling can write whatever she wants in Hagrid's 
statements and she gets sure that no one is going to take him seriously. 
Hagrid defenders, please? Hagrid is other matter where strong hints of him 
being 'not given to precission' can't be taken at face value. Hagrid is a lot 
more than he shows, and he can be as precise as required. 

See how the mask of Hagrig functions? DD sais he would trust him with his 
life, and authomatically McGonadall suposses he's speaking only of who has 
his loyalties Hagrid with.

Hagrid could have past the last 50 years developing his magic skills with DD. 
No one would now. Hagrid, that clown? Who is going to suspect him of being 
able of doing anything except babycaring mosters? But the wizard that 
defeated Grindgewald would trust him his life, how curious.

I've got a the feeling that Sirius is one of the things present in Hagrid's 
mind. He should have past, as any L&P friend, some time mentally killing that 
Slytherin scum (Sirius), or that Gryffindor scum, right after they were 
murdered.

And in PS, the year in wich he saw Harry again, memories were likely to have 
been raised about his parents and their death, if only by association 
including the scum.  

So I think that even if he was generalicing(and ignoring the few, peripheral 
to his mind, rotten apples in other houses), he wouldn't have done that if 
Sirius was a Gryffindor, that would be too hypocrite. --Oh, yes, Slytherin is 
the worst of this world, but look at how I don't tell you that precisely your 
parents murderer (the one I should remember now seeing you after 10 years) is 
a Gryffindor, the best house of the world--

Unless Hagrid knew who killed them really, I'll put that comment in the 'pro' 
list for Sirius being in Slytherin.

Carol again:
<<One additional bit of support for that idea. We know that Lily was in
Gryffindor. When someone asked JKR which house Lily was in, she
replied, "Gryffindor, naturally." >>

Naturally. Well, then she could throw a line informing Harry that  'MWPP all 
in Gryffindor' and that's all, instead of dropping hints troughout the books.  

<<Since McGonagall regards James and Lily with equal affection and (as you 
say) uses first names for both of them, it does seem likely that they were 
both in her house. >>

But the quote from Geoff was:

"'What they're saying.' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort 
turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour 
is that lily and James Potter are - are - that they're dead.'
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.
'Lily and James.... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe 
it... Oh Albus.'"

(PS "The Boy who lived" p.14 UK edition)

and he said:
<McGonagall is rather old-fashioned and tends to use the pupil's 
surname or first name plus surname. It is not very often that she 
uses merely first names.>

Ok, I know she's strict and all, but:

1) When people have just died one tends to slip a bit of the protocol and use 
his names. I mean, I suppose that a considerable amount of the students and 
teachers that usually thought of CD as Diggory all of a sudden were thinking 
of 'Poor Cedric'. Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't have idea 
if this is true for the British. 

2) Lily should have been one of her best students, she was Head Girl, from 
Gryffindor. She married another Head Boy. McGonadall should remember her more 
than other students. Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is that the link 
that mades McG remember James can be being Lily's husband. 


Carol again:
<<Not proof, I realize, but I still can't see JKR putting characters she 
regards with real affection (Sirius and Remus as well as James) in any
house other than the one all her other favorites (Dumbledore,
McGonagall, Hagrid, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys) belonged to.>>

Snape isn't one of her favourite characters? I've got the feeling that we 
perceive with more affection those characters only because Harry perceives 
them that way. That we have loads of Gryffindors? Naturally, Harry is one. 
80% of his life interact with Gryfss and he has his house prejudices, so he 
likes them better and they share a lot of screen time. 

Hitomi:

<<<And also, JKR does go over the movie scripts, 
and the first film put James in Gryffindor, though they also made 
him a seeker...  stupid movie.  >>>

You said it, that's the problem with the movies. There's also a McGonadall in 
the same plaque but it's clear that Rowling didn't saw that, unless he was 
usually a chaser except in the year of the plaque, wich seems pretty 
plottles.

<<<But until we have conclusive evidence, we're safer assuming the 
Marauders wore the colors of red and gold.  The rest is just theory, 
at the moment.>>>

My problem is that asuming MWPP were Gryffindor gives me the feeling I'm being 
fooled by 'just hints' that do not seem conclusive enough to establish a 
fact. I think that, until proven with canon, MWPP in Gryffindor is only a 
theory.

<<Besides, Peter seems to be the exception to the rule in most 
aspects.  Weak DE, but the one who brought LV back to power; 
probably a Gryffindor, but one who turned, etc. >>

He was not the exception. He was as good as a wizard as them, he was not weak, 
only played that part as a good actor. If he is Gryffindor he is brave. I 
don't know how many Gryffindors are able to cut their own hand.

I just had to defend Peter, I think he's quite impressive a wizard.

Silmariel