[HPforGrownups] Re: Sirius: Sensory Deprivation and Slashing the Fat Lady

[alicit at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 47543

In a message dated 12/1/2002 2:53:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
judyshapiro at directvinternet.com writes:

> And Monika replied:
> >I will agree on
> >this. Okay, those portraits seem to have feelings, but I still
> >rather consider them as "objects". 
> 

then Judy Serenity replied:

> Are you sure you want that as your philosophy?  If things that have
> feelings can be considered objects, with which one can do as one
> pleases, then what objection can be given when Lucius treats house
> elves, and even non-magical humans, as objects to be tortured for fun?
> 

Now i say:

Well, there is a big difference between House elves et.al. and the pictures.  
The Fat Lady has feelings, but there is no reference to her being able to 
feel pain.  The Slashing seems to have cut the Fat Lady, but not hurt her.  
The reason she's hiding is because she's ashamed of being disfigured like 
that.  

Now, I agree that it is rather cruel to slash the painting, and it does harm 
the Fat Lady emotionally, but it does seem to be a superficial harm, she gets 
back to her old self in a little bit after Filch patches her up(I don't have 
my canon with me so I cannot be exact, sorry).  I think that the Slashing was 
a "you can't make an omlette without breaking eggs" thing for Sirius; what's 
temporary damage to a painting compared to the possible deaths of the 
innocent Gryffendors at the hands of Pettigrew?

-scheherazade, whose short posts somehow come out longwinded anyway


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