[HPforGrownups] Re: Fleur's Intelligence

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 13218

Hi again --

I should really lay off the typing soon ....

ourobouros_1999 at yahoo.com wrote:

> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...>
> wrote:
> <snip>
> > I disagree that the mere fact that she's the BeauxBatons Champion
> means she is *not* stupid.  What if she happens to be the most
> intelligent of the BeauxBatons bunch but isn't really all that bright?
>
> Er.... I don't think JKR, even considering the longstanding enmity
> across the Channel, would make the French all stupid.

My point was really more that being School Champion does not necessarily
mean one is intelligent  -- see more below.  I wasn't suggesting that
JKR would make all the French students "stupid."  But, we don't know
anything about any of the Beaux Batons students other than Fleur.

> Yes, I agree that Fleur doesn't do anything extremely intelligent.
> Neither Krum nor Cedric are protrayed as being the Hermiones of their
> classes either. They must have a certain level of competence,
> however, to be champions, which probably means that Fleur isn't an
> airhead. I don't think Mme Maxime would have picked someone without
> any talent.

I don't think it's necessary to be a "Hermione" to be school champion.
None of the 4 seem to be on that level of academic achievement.
Dumbledore says that the Tasks were designed to test "their magical
prowess -- their daring -- their powers of deduction -- and, of course,
their ability to cope with danger."  Of the above, really only powers of
deduction requires mental agility.  Magical prowess could be just innate
ability after all.  Anyway .. bottom line is that I'm not convinced at
this point that Fleur is necessarily intelligent *just because* she was
selected as the Beaux Batons Champion.

Penny


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