Patterns - next DADA prof - Quidditch

[dfrankis at dial.pipex.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 20208

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote, among other 
things

> Okay, I thought I listened to the entire Newsround interview, but 
Steve's caught something I hadn't:  the famed female DADA professor 
will be arriving with the next book!  So, let's get the possibilities 
rolling.  We've discussed Fleur, we've discussed Mrs. Figg--any other 
suggestions?  Mme. Maxime?  The Sphinx?  Molly Weasley (she did go to 
Hogwarts--I'm sure she can do a lot more with that wand than make 
white sauce and Summon contraband out of her sons' pockets)?  Someone 
we haven't met yet?  Will Dumbledore decide that Arithmancy can go on 
the back burner 'til Voldemort is defeated and press Vector into 
service as DADA professor?
>

I believe that the next DADA teacher will be someone we haven't met 
yet, or even had mentioned.  This is because, in every book so far, 
the DADA teacher has been completely unknown to date.  Also, Harry 
always gets to meet or at least hear of them before they are revealed 
as the DADA teacher, in Moody's case only glancingly.  Thus Quirrell 
in the Leaky Cauldron, Lockhart at F&B's, Lupin on the train, and 
Amos Diggory's appeal to Arthur over Mad-Eye.  I realise, of course, 
that Quirrell's case is exceptional as Harry isn't yet to know that 
there is such a thing as defence against the dark arts.

That said, JKR does like to set up these patterns only to twist and 
break them - think of the Hogwarts Express in COS, Diagon Alley in 
GOF, meet-the-Weasley family in PS/SS, Quidditch in GOF, one-on-one 
with Voldemort in POA - which is why the continuing repetition is so 
enjoyable.

I find the Quidditch games particular fun for this reason.  Apart, 
maybe, from the first (I'm a little hazy) I'm pretty sure there is 
*not one* Quidditch match which does not serve some plot purpose (I 
exclude those where Harry is not there).  When I read PS/SS, not yet 
knowing what sort of book it was, and came to the first Quidditch 
match, I thought, Oh no this is real Boys Own stuff - if there's a 
lot of this it will get boring, or even embarrassing as our hero 
saves the sporting day yet again.  I now think JKR knew perfectly 
well that's what it seemed like, and has beautifully subverted the 
genre to her own ends.

David