[HPforGrownups] Re: HRH and their Prefect badges

[T.M. Sommers]

No: HPFGUIDX 75383

Rebecca Stephens wrote:
> --- C M <cmurph18 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>Me: So we have him, 1) Calling the first years
>>"midgets," 2) Failing 
>>to lay a smackdown on his older, unruly brothers who
>>we all know damn 
>>well would've laughed in his face, 3) Considering
>>buying Firewhisky 
>>at the Hog's Head and 4) Attempting, along with
>>Harry, to buy brain-
>>boosting products to help with exams.
>>
> 
> I can only judge by what I see.  I see several
> incidents of him not living up to his responsibility
> (incidentally, I wouldn't have counted considering
> ordering firewhiskey among them, though I can't say
> why) and I see *one* incidence of him fulfilling his
> responsibility without prompting (meeting on the
> train).  If I stick my hand into an opaque jar and
> pull out three or four green marbles and one purple
> marble, I will not assume the jar is mostly purple
> marbles - though it's possible that it is.  I have to
> go by what is in the book.

If we are going to stick strictly to the book, there is no solid 
evidence that I can recall that any of the above violates any 
rules.  'Midget', might, for all we know, be the accepted term 
for first-years, analogous to 'plebe' at Annapolis.  Just because 
Hermione doesn't like it doesn't mean it violates a rule.  Again, 
we have never been shown a rule that Fred and George were 
violating.  Ditto with the brain-boosting products.

Regarding Fred and George, Percy couldn't tame them, either, so 
he must have been a poor prefect, too.

Furthermore, in the last two items, Ron was merely tempted. 
Since when does resisting a temptation disqualify one from any 
office?  Anybody, even the weakest person, can stick to the 
straight and narrow when not tempted to stray; but to do the 
right thing when one is actually tempted to do otherwise takes 
real strength.  Compare Twain's "Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg."