HP and the democratic equilibrium(Re: Umbridge, brooms and DEs)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 87143

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kathryn Cawte" <kcawte at n...> 
wrote:

K:
> As long as he/she was planning on giving it back at the end of term 
(or
> whenever the student went home) I wouldn't have a problem with it. 
If she
> wants to keep it from being confiscated for any reason she 
shouldn't have
> taken it to the school in the first place.


Geoff:
My, my, I have popped a few felines into Trafalgar Square haven't I? 
Perhaps I should apply for Kneasy's job.

(1) I have serious doublts about prising the broom off Umbridge.

(2) That's a bit ridiculous as I think someone else has commented. It 
could apply to a bar of soap, a bag, a pair of pyjamas ad inf. You 
don't take things to school in the anticipation that they will be 
confiscated.
 

K:
> Not really seeing the problem - Harry (and other students) are 
allowed to
> bring the brooms to school at the discretion of the school (they're
> forbidden for first years after all so the school is granting them a
> privilege - the use of their own brooms). Since being allowed to 
have the
> broom at school is a privilege granted by the school it is within 
the rights
> of the school (as represented by Umbridge unfortunately in this 
instance) to
> revoke that privilege.


Geoff:
Umbridge is actually revoking the privilege of playing in the 
Gryffindor Quidditch team, not bringing a broom to school or using 
it. Not the same thing.

Picking up on another of your comments. Harry, Draco and co were not 
sent into the Forbidden Forest as a punishment in PS. They were sent 
to serve a detention with Hagrid who just happened to be going into 
the Forest. They might just as easily found themselves repotting 
plants with Madam Sprout or polishing the school brooms with Madam 
Hooch.

Geoff