In Defense of PoA (WAS Emotional Impact of CoS)

[s_luhtanen at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 27538

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., jonathandupont at h... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., cynthiaanncoe at h... wrote:
> 

> 
> I'm not saying that the ending wasn't cleverly done - just, well, 
its 
> still a cheap trick:-
> 
> Harry: Oh no! What are we going to do? Sirius is going to die!
> Hermione: Oh, by the way Harry, did I ever tell you that I can time 
> travel?
> Harry: Wizards can do that? But what about saving my parents? Or 
> Cedric in Book 4 that I shouldn't know about but Jon is inserting 
to 
> make a point?
> Hermione: Ah... but you see Harry - time travel is far too 
dangerous 
> to be used ever. Except, of course for the stunningly important 
> matter of helping me take a few more lessons. 
> etc.
> 
> Time travelling in a story that isn't based on it - in a plot that 
> isn't based on it - when its introduced out of the blue (and no, 
> Hermione's schedule doesn't count) just feels to me a lot like 
> cheating. Bit Deus Ex Machina as well, really.

Not really. It's not Deus ex Machina - Hermione's schedule had 
already introduced that possibility. It doesn't just appear out of 
nowhere. Harry had [i]already[/i] seen himself summoning the 
patronus - earlier. I also figure that he could do it because he KNEW 
he could. Magic works best when you believe in it, you know... It 
ONLY served to give Harry confidence.

Also, it doesn't solve all problems. Sirius still has to run. Just a 
little device to take you back in time a bit. It also got to 
Hermione's nerves AND she gave it away because of that (After saving 
Sirius and Buckbeak) - so that's why he can't go back to save Cedric 
with it - they don't have it!

Sirius wasn't cleared in GoF either - because Fudge refuses to 
believe Voldemort is back - except for Weasleys... So well, that's 
still the problem. But, it did help Harry a bit anyway! I just loved 
the scene where Harry told Vernon about his godfather...