Riddle's popularity/Dumbledore and evil (was re: Dicu...

[talondg]

No: HPFGUIDX 37675

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Edblanning at a... wrote:

> I think it is highly unlikely though, that an *unpopular* student 
> would be chosen as Head Boy. 

> I am also intrigued by the way so many people seem to think that 
> academic excellence is a requirement for being Head Boy. Evidently 
> one must be able enough that the extra duties will not compromise 
> academic studies, but I am under the impression that, at least here
> in the UK, it is personal qualities, including responsibility, 
> leadership skills and the ability to work well both 
> with staff and fellow students which are the most important factors.

I agree.

If I remember correctly, the members of the HQ Cadre were selected by
nomination by the senior class, and then the General picked from the
list of nominated candidates, with the assistance of both the Academic
wing and the "heads of houses".

I think the General and his staff had the ability to consider and
appoint other candidates not nominated.

It helps to have a certain measure of popularity to secure a
nomination, but I remember competance for the job carrying much more
weight in the decision making process than raw popularity. A few of
the "head boys" in my school were right bastards, but were good
leaders and suited to command.

As an aside, being "head boy" was a poor indicator of future success
in one's career. Quite a few of them had trouble decending from the
heights and starting over again at the bottom of the totum pole.
 
> The issue of what he knows is also intriguing. We know that 
> Dumbledore has problems containing all his thoughts, hence his use 
> of the pensieve. I have long had the feeling that there are some 
> areas in which he does choose to employ a near omniscience, and 
> others where he chooses to remain in ignorance.

An _informed_ ignorence. :)

There's ignorence-as-cluelessness, then there's
ignorence-as-tacit-approval, and then there's
ignorence-as-teaching-skill.

The latter two aren't really ignorence. You _know_ what's going on,
but you pretend otherwise unless you're forced to step in.

The Marauder's activities are to my mind, Dumbldore letting them run
wild a bit so they can learn some life skills - it's more supervised
than they think. Same with Harry's contact with Sirius in GoF.

The rescue of BuckBeak in PoA is ignorence-as-approval.

No, I think Dumbledore knows exactly what is going on around him, bit
only reveals his awareness if it suits a purpose or if he is forced to
by circumstance.

DG