Hermione and the Polyjuice potion/Acronyms

[uncmark]

No: HPFGUIDX 37469

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Laura Huntley" <huntleyl at m...> wrote:
> Susanne said:
> >An I the only one who had the feeling that Hermione had some
> >ulterior motive, besides wanting to find out who was behind
> >the attacks?
> >Her whole behavior made me think she really, really wanted
> >to try out the Polyjuice potion, and not just to be helpful.
> 
> To me, that would be going directly against Hermione's 
personality.  Generally, she doesn't do things because she wants to 
(of the trio, she is the most likely to restrict herself on the basis 
of rules/what is right/what is smart), she does them because they are 
necessary/right/etc.  

The term 'ulterior' motive brings to mind something hidden or 
sinister. Hermione's character, being complex, had several 
motivations. Let's pick them apart.

Pure justice: Find the heir of Sltherin
Self-Preservation: As a muggleborn, she was a target.
Revenge: She wanted Malfoy to get what was coming to him.
Ambition: She wouldn't mind being the central hero.

We could probably guess others, but none of these really satisfy the 
definition of 'ulterior' for me. Ambition? maybe, but it's not really 
hidden. Anyone who works as hard as Hermione obviously wants to be 
best.

> As for her behavior once the plan is in motion -- this is just 
> Hermione being..well, Hermione.  In all arenas of her life (it is 
> especially noticeable in the academic sense), once she decides to 
> do something, she *does* it and she does it *right* -- full speed 
> ahead and to the very best of her ability.  She may be slow to 
> comply to such a risky plan, but once she's committed herself to 
> it, there's no stopping her.

I think Hermione's showing the ability to think outside of the box. 
She wants to do well at the beginning of Book 1 and is driven to read 
her schoolbooks cover to cover as soon as she got them. 

She made her first breakthrough at Halloween with the troll. Too 
terrified to act, she could have whipped the troll easily. Ron and 
Harry saved her and would have been punished for it if Hermione 
hadn't done something unbelievable to her a few days earlier. Lie to 
a teacher!

In Book 2 Hermione thinks up the plan for Polyjuice potion. Later she 
is the one who figured out the monster of the chamber was a Basilisk. 
(It helps that she memorized Fantastic Beasts) and in Book 4 she 
alone figured out that Rita Skeeter was an unregistered animagus.

I'm remembering Hermione's line from Book 1 "Books! And cleverness! 
There are more important things--friendship and bravery and--"

Hermione had the cleverness. She read the books, and she has the 
friendship. I think she has the common misconception about bravery. 
It isn't the absence of fear, it's facing fear and making the hard 
choices necessary. 

I think Hermione's something special. Viktor Krum, a quidditch star 
who could have had his choice of almost any Hogwart's girl recognized 
it. I think Ron and Harry (and Neville) recognized it. I just hope 
Hermione does. 

BTW speaking about Polyjuice, did anyone else see the Hermione Action 
Figure from the Harry Potter Slime Chamber Collection? It has cat 
ears and whiskers!

Uncmark