Smart Enough for Hogwarts?; The Trio gets Mad; House Elves/Wives; Job

[Angela Burgess]

No: HPFGUIDX 26716

joym999 at aol.com wrote:
<<There is NO evidence that Stan or Ernie or anyone else (except Hagrid and that's different) flunked out of Hogwarts, nor have we been presented with any evidence that some wizards and witches are not intelligent enough to go to Hogwarts.>>

I could be wrong here, since I don't have my copy of PS/SS, but didn't Neville say something about his family being worried that he wouldn't make it in to Hogwarts?  I think that this was because he didn't show any magic until he was dropped out the window by his uncle.  Like I said, I could very well be wrong.  Please feel free to correct me if I am.  I loaned my copy of PS/SS to a friend out of wishful thinking at the beginning of the summer and still have not gotten it back (nor do I think she's read it!:().

She then writes:
<<Rosmerta works in a pub in Hogsmeade whose name I've forgotten which some LOON will no doubt remind me of.>>

Three Broomsticks

Amber said:
<<Someone, help me! What could Hermione or Ron do to plausibly get Harry really upset?>>

Well, what if there is yet another secret about James and Lily that Harry (and thus we) doesn't know?  Something really scandalous....then Ron and Hermione say something about it in that caring I-know-you-don't-want-to-think-about-this-but... way that close friends can have that really ticks Harry off because he was already upset.  While this is a long way of explaining it, it happens quite frequently, at least in my experience.  After they all make up, they explain that they were just trying to help and Harry says "Yeah, I know, I just didn't want to deal with it and certainly not in that way" or something along those lines.

To incorporate getting all three of them mad at each other and NONE of them speaking, Hermione and Ron could get into a fight as to who got Harry mad at them in the first place.

My own personal thoughts:
As far as the house elves vs. house wives discussion goes, I must say that Pippin draws an interesting comparison that is much more applicable to today's society than the slavery argument.  I agree that there would be problems with the idea of giving wages, insurance, days off, etc. to house wives (What about those women who are deeply in poverty who can't work because they have children but the husband has left and doesn't pay child support?  Would you give the same wage to a house husband as to a house wife?  What about the women/men whose spouse makes so much that they essentially already have a salary?  What about the women like this who despite the wealth are mistreated? etc.).  These are all examples that could be translated to the wizard world.  What about the family who has a house elf but all their money has been depleted by ancestors who had no concept of money?  The wife/husband argument doesn't really work...What about house elves who are given clothes for no reason?  Which leads to, if this was the case, what would be "just cause" for letting a house elf go?  Any ideas, anyone?  Although, I must say, that this has probably moved to the OT-Chatter realm...I'll check the list tomorrow for responses, but I'm currently offline and it is MUCH easier to start the thread in this mass-post than it is to write several different emails when I'm not sure of the address off the top of my head.

Lastly,  my job must be one of the easiest to translate to the wizard world.  As a teacher, I would *hope* that I would have a job at Hogwarts.  But also, as a French teacher, maybe I could be a liaison entre Hogwarts and Beauxbatons.  Or even between the Ministries of Magic of Great Britain and France?

Angela
(who is slightly elevating herself is her imaginary witch world!) ;)

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