Dangerous Harry (was Lost character), Sad Harry, Bagman trial

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 25672

mellienel2 wrote:

>But I'll bet any money in the days between 
>the third task and Dumbledore's speech, a whole bunch of Slytherins 
>and maybe even some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs (though less of 
those, 
>I imagine), have decided that Harry is indeed a dark wizard, or at 
>least to be afraid of him. Some Gryffs, probably, too. 

Oh yeah!  I don't have my book handy, but there is a sentence about 
how people are probably forming their own theories about how Cedric 
died, but that Harry, in his shellshocked state, hardly cares.  
Dumbledore's announcement would clear it up for most people, but I 
bet some suspicion lingers--that Harry Potter, always at the scene of 
the crime.  And always surviving when grown men would have been 
defeated . . . very suspicious.  Maybe Crouch/Moody even did his 
whole "there's only one person who's ever survived AK" routine in 
DADA class just to keep that seed of suspicion in people's minds.

frantyck wrote:

>That denial still bothers me awfully. It makes this book something 
>other than a child's book. If there is one thing about children's 
>books, it is that they do have balance, an ending, things work out 
>and all is won, or all is forgiven. Not here.

No need to apologize for this having shown up elsewhere in print--
besides, she didn't develop the idea nearly as much as you did.

I would like to see Harry break down and be comforted at some point, 
and in fact I think that being able to do that is a part of growing 
up too, especially for someone who never had that opportunity in 
childhood.  It seems very realistic to me that this child who has 
never had any comfort from adults would almost never give in to 
tears.  We've talked on this list before about how things that strike 
us huggy Americans as very reserved are par for the course by the 
Brits--this is a stereotype, of course, but there is a definite 
cultural difference at work here.  And he is particularly conscious 
of Ron's presence--a (just short of) 15 y.o. boy being embarrassed to 
show his feelings in front of another 15 y.o. boy is common enough in 
many cultures.

This story isn't over yet.  Harry is changing; the scene talking to 
Sirius in the common room, spilling everything that's been happening 
to him, shows he isn't totally sold on the stiff upper lip.  An adult 
who really listens, like an adult who hugs him like a mother, brings 
out an openness he's never been able to indulge before.  But he may 
always be more reserved than some of the readership.  <g>

Eric asked:

>(Come to it, I wonder if Ludo Bagman's "trial" was JKR's comment on 
the OJ
>Simpson whoop-tee-doo?)

I'm sure she'd deny it with her last breath, but you have to wonder.  
Despite the obvious double-standard accorded popular/rich/famous 
defendants in real life, did anyone else find the gushing member of 
the jury to be over the top?  I really can't believe anyone would be 
that blatant.  

Amy Z
71 days 'til the movie