[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's Friends/ Tempting Harry / DADA teachers/ Wand woods/ Percy

[Richelle Votaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 43790

Olivia Gray writes:

> Hermione and Ron maybe his closest friends but I hesitate to say they
> were his only friends. Harry seems close to all of his dormmates,
> Dean, Seamus, and especially Neville (Big plans for that boy, I can
> feel it). Also all of the Weasleys,Hagrid, and the Quidditch team.

I really don't see Harry as close to any of his dormmates, considering how
much time they must spend together.  Other than Ron, of course.
Particularly Neville.  If he were close to Neville, surely he'd have thought
to ask him about his parents at some point?  Seeing as Harry felt rather
ashamed that he'd never asked when he found out from Dumbledore, I get the
impression if they'd have been closer he would have.

Carol writes:

> I didn't like it when Mrs. Weasley turned on Hermione.  On one level it
was
> rather humorous, but I didn't like what it said about Mrs. Weasley.  On
the
> other hand, I think Molly knows Harry better than she knows Hermione,
Harry
> having spent more time with the Weasleys than Hermione has.  Also, I'm
sure
> Molly feels more protective toward Harry than toward Hermione since Harry
> lost his parents while Hermione still has hers.

The way I saw it was that no one, not even someone she seemed to like, such
as Hermione, is going to stand between Molly and Harry.  She will protect
him against whatever and whoever.  Regardless.  She didn't really care that
Hermione was one of Harry's best friends, if there was even the most remote
chance that what was said was true, she was going to side with Harry.

Jo Serenadust writes:

> I wasn't positive about this either until I checked the book, but it
> appears that the bit about bringing Harry's parents back was only
> added to the movie version and I remember being jarred by it at the
> time.  It definitely isn't in the book.

Ah, thank you for clearing this up.  I thought it sounded rather, well,
"Star Wars." :)

Constance Vigilance writes:

> My understanding was that Quirrel was the DADA teacher, and
> presumably a good one, for some years until he decided to go on
> sabbatical for some practical experience - with the results we all
> know. Then after he came back as Quirrelmort, we don't know how many
> years prior to Harry's introduction that he taught at Hogwarts.
> Presumably, he was there for at least one year previous, because
> Percy was familiar with him. Based on teaching at Hogwarts for a few
> years, then going on sabbatical for a few years, then teaching at
> Hogwarts again for at least two years, we can assume that Quirrel is
> likely older than he looks. Basically, I'm disputing the theory that
> Quirrel is young.

Technically speaking, let's theorize for a moment that Quirrell was Snape's
age.  35.  He'd have been out of school for 17 years.  Suppose he wanders
around doing whatever wizards do for five years.  Then gets on at Hogwarts.
He could still have been teaching there for 12 years.  That's a good bit of
experience.  And I think it was stated somewhere that he took a year off
(one, not more) to have some real world experience.  Which makes me think he
didn't have much real world experience to begin with.

Constance Vigilance again:

> Lupin? I don't think anyone is accusing him of being too young to
> teach. Therefore, I don't think any of the DADA teachers have been
> particularly young.

No, but he seems to look old for his age.  Young face, graying hair and so
on.  Besides, he's probably what, 35?  37?  Not too young to teach, if
Snape's not too young to teach.

Smellee writes:

> Finally, Lily's mahogany wand is also anti-lightning and mountains? I
> am not sure how wood symbolizes mountains, but thats what the site
> says.

That's James' wand that was mahogany.  Lily's was willow.  A symbol of
mourning and forsaken love.

Olivia writes:

> A Slytherin may be known for ambition, but from what we've
> seen, it's blind ambition. They'll do anything and everything to get what
> they want whereas Percy wants to succeed, but he'll do it by following the
> rules.

I think that's the key difference between Gryffindor Percy and the
Slytherins.  Slytherins will "use any means to achieve their ends."  Percy
is a stickler for rules. Of course, he's got himself in a bit of trouble
now, as his boss has turned up dead.  We'll see if he stays that way or not.

Richelle


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"May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out."
---- Lady Galadriel, The Fellowship of the Ring
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