Pre-Hogwarts - Hermione - Clubs - Cricket

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 26538

***warning: this post was written at 4:30 a.m. and it shows***

Ebony wrote:

> While some of the children might be homeschooled, I think there is
> subtext in canon to prove that some sort of pre-secondary wizarding
> education exists.  Haven't we mentioned that some of the students
> seem to know each other?

This is a suggestion I don't remember.  Which students seem to know 
each other, aside from Draco, Crabbe and Goyle?  Those are the only 
ones I recall showing any prior knowledge of each other, and it seems 
easily explained by their dads being . . . chums.  Draco's friendly 
little introductory comment also shows he knows about Ron's family but 
also shows that he has never met him before.

Ebony again:

> I don't think Hermione shows off in the beginning because her ego is
> big.  I think she is a bit insecure and feels as if she needs to
> showcase her knowledge to prove her worth 

I think this is true of most braggarts; they suffer from small egos, 
not big ones.  (They're still braggarts.  But I agree, Hermione has 
improved 500%.  No need to twist my arm, I already have my 
S.C.H.A.B.B. membership card!)

Luke inquired:

> And what the heck's the name of the Lupin fan club around here?  I'm
> sure there must be one for my favorite character, right? 

I suspect there is none for the same reason there hasn't been a Harry 
fan club (until now . . . cue ominous, drums-of-war music)--love of 
Lupin goes without saying.  We could have a club for those few 
misguided souls who *don't* perceive Lupin's charms, if there are any.

Lisa paints a hopeful picture of happy nations meeting for peaceful 
state dinners, but I fear that ten months before the release of OoP 
(please please say it's not more), we seem to be suffering some kind 
of Balkanization.  By May, will we all have withdrawn to separate 
corners, shouting pro-Hermione, pro-Ron, pro-Percy, etc. declarations 
into the middle of the room, muttering evil plots to hex other 
contingents, with a few frantic fans rushing from C.R.A.B. to 
S.C.H.A.B.B. to P.I.N.E. trying to get people to sign treaties?  If 
it's come to needing a group even for fans of Harry, perhaps only the 
universal love of Lupin can unify us.  A new movement after all:  
"What the H.E.L.L." (What the Hey, Everybody Loves Lupin)!  It will be 
the saving us all!

Rowena wrote:

> Nor will I ever forget
> the expressions of total bewilderment on the faces of
> my American Who Fan Club as we watched the Cricket
> game in 'Black Orchid'. Nor did the explanations of
> our British born president help much - Quidditch is
> simple by comparison.

Just to entertain myself recently, I tried to explain the rules of 
baseball to an imaginary passenger--yes, these are the things one does 
to enjoy a long commute when one has listened to all the HP tapes 5 
times in the past 9 months already--and just getting through the 
basics was hard, never mind things like the infield fly rule and 
ground rule doubles.  My admiration for Little League coaches grows 
ever greater.

Amy Z
who has the rules of cricket in a book *and* has had it explained by 
an (admittedly discombobulated) Englishman but still doesn't get it

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 "I say to you all, once again--in the light of Lord Voldemort's  
 return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are  
 divided.
   "Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very
 great.  We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of
 friendship and trust.  Differences of habit and language are nothing 
 at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open."
                                               -Albus Dumbledore  
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