Least Fave Characters

[rja.carnegie at excite.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19537

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Magda Grantwich <mgrantwich at y...> wrote:

> Lockheart: I had a hard time understanding why Dumbledore would hire
> him except for comic relief or to give Snape some dueling practice.

I don't know if you meant to suggest that Dumbledore as head teacher
thinks the school day needs comic relief and appointed Lockhart for
that reason, but I like the idea.

I wonder, though, if the post of DADA teacher will continue as a
running gag like _Spinal Tap_ drummers and Number 2 in _The Prisoner_
- it isn't unreasonable that the post actually should be jinxed.
However, Dumbledore sees the school as the most important thing
he does, and perhaps we should wonder too whether he's just unlucky
with the DADA teachers he appoints, or whether he actually doesn't
want to put someone competent into that job.  Perhaps he distrusts
the whole subject, as glamourising Dark Arts and encouraging
original-thinking students to practise Dark Magic themselves?

Robert Carnegie
Glasgow, Scotland

"I read them all when I was seven and I hated them" - unnamed American
office worker on the Harry Potter books (www.dilbert.com, List of
Stupid Things Overheard)