Teacher vs. student help on tasks (WAS Re: Cheating in GoF...)

[Megan]

No: HPFGUIDX 27613

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Jenny K." <nausicaa at a...> wrote:
> > Quoting Megan <virtualworldofhp at y...>:
> > 
> > > Something that's bothered me ever since I read
> > > GOF--wanting others'
> > > opinions on this.  In the rules, Dumbledore
> > > clearly states that the
> > > champions cannot ask for help from their
> > > teachers.  Yet later Hermione
> > > shushes Harry (or something similar, don't have
> > > the book in front of
> > > me) so as not to reveal how SHE helped him on
> > > the first task.  Is this
> > > an error/inconsistency because Hermione is
> > > ALLOWED to help him, yet
> > > the book later changes to the perspective of NO
> > > ONE is allowed to help
> > > Harry on the tasks??
> > > 
> > > -Megan
> > 
> > I was always of the opinion that Hermione didn't want 
> > it to get around that she was *that* smart.  Possibly 
> > in line with the emerging-*girl* aspect of the 
> > story...she doesn't mind being thought of as smart, but 
> > doesn't want to be a know-it-all (anymore?).  Or, 
> > another thought would be that she doesn't want a 
> > particular someone (Krum perhaps?) to know how smart 
> > she is *OR* that she's helping the "competition".
> > 
> > Jenny K.

*finally found the quotes she was looking for* 
No, it has to be an inconsistency.  Here is an outline of what I was
talking about:

Crouch says in the rules to Harry: "The other champions are not
permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to
complete the tasks in the tournament."

So if that is the case, why do Harry and Hermione practice in secret?
("...then returned to an empty classroom with Hermione, using the
Invisibility Cloak to avoid teachers.")--GRANTED, this could be simply
because they were out of their common room after hours, but not
necessarily hiding the fact that Hermione was helping Harry with the task.

BUT then why does Hermione later say (when Lee Jordan is examining the
egg) "'He's supposed to work out the clue on his own,' Hermione said
swiftly. 'It's in the tournament rules...'
'I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too,'
Harry muttered, so only Hermione could hear him, and she grinned
rather guiltily." (POA 365)

There ARE NO rules against getting help from classmates, and Harry
KNOWS it--so why do he and Hermione act like it is illegal?  Isn't it
also inconsistant later on for the second and third task that he
OPENLY seeks help from Ron & Hermione, even asking Madam Pomfrey in
the library for magical devices of breathing underwater, and having
Professor McGonagall allow them to use her room to practice hexes and
spells?

And I don't think one could argue that this is simply because Hermione
didn't know it was illegal...she has no reason to believe it is (in
fact she didn't even hear the rules, which included any fact about
seeking outside help)--and Harry also confirmed this, even though
Crouch said in the VERY beginning only TEACHER help was forbidden.

-Megan, hoping to find a detail the meticulous HPfGU-ers missed!