Viktor Krum (first random musing from newbie Occam)

[occam6363]

No: HPFGUIDX 76981

This the first of a few random musings and questions from a newbie, 
inspired by reading some of the messages and my third reading of OoP. 
I'll be sending a few messages with different subjects to keep the 
threads neat -- will I get an O or extra credit from my list elf 
(greetings Merry Elf!!)?

VIKTOR KRUM

What's the buzz out there on Viktor? I think he's got all the makings 
of an important character and I'd be interested in others' opinion.

Hermione still corresponds with Viktor because she likes him and 
because it fits in with her strong social consciousness -- 
corresponding with Viktor promotes the aim fostering friendship 
between schools and nations, maintaining a united front against LV. 
She might even see this correspondence as her duty, apart from any 
personal attraction to Viktor. She certainly threw her heart and soul 
into SPEW and the defense of Buckbeak, and was keen to remind H and R 
throughout GoF, particularly more towards the beginning, that the 
Triwizard Cup was meant to encourage fellowship between the wizarding 
schools. I do not agree that she could be saying anything that even 
indirectly deals with OoP or the fight generally against LV, too 
stupid for Hermione, too dangerous. (I admit the possibility of 
Dumbledore perhaps giving her some kind of charm to protect the 
correspondence, but then I'm at a loss as to why Dumbledore would 
facilitate OoP-type activity by someone who is not of age.)

The most interesting things about Viktor are 1) he's out of school 
and of age, and 2) he's always seemed ashamed of the dark side of 
Durmstrang and certainly mortified by the unmasking of Karkaroff's 
true nature, 3) even though he's a WW-famous Quidditch player, he's 
always slouching around and seeming gloomy -- in this respect, he 
reminds me of athletes of the former Soviet-bloc era, who were 
identified young and vigorously groomed for the glory of the state, 
not necessarily their own happiness, and 4) he's shown exceptional 
good taste as well as unguessed-at depths by falling for Hermione -- 
who'd have picked a slouchy jock to be the first one to ask Hermione 
out on a date?

Viktor seems to be a very well-developed and sympathetic character 
for someone who's not seen that much page time yet, and I hope we see 
more of him in the last books. It would be a waste of a potentially 
heroic (maybe tragic, like Cedric) character if we don't. I'd be 
surprised if the only thing he did when he got out of Durmstrang was 
to continue as the Bulgarian seeker.

-- call me Occam