Harry in NEWT Potions Class? (Was: Is Snape confident?)

[srbeers]

No: HPFGUIDX 87628

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mommystery2003"
<mommystery at h...> wrote:
> I think we will see Harry in NEWT Potions, ... so the interaction 
> between all of them can continue.
> 

srbeers:

I'm inclined to agree, I think the dynamic of Snape's potions classes
and more specifically, the Occlumency classes in OoP, have been a set
up for a big show down between Harry and Snape; perhaps, even
including a challenge to duel. I also think that the next book would
be the perfect time for the 'war' between Harry and Snape to come to a
head.

Regarding Potions Class, I am of the belief that Snape will take over
Defense Against Dark Art, and a new Potions teacher with more relaxed
standards will take over. 

This allows the dynamic between Harry/Snape/Draco/Ron/Hermione to
continue, but shift the emphasis away from Potions.

To expand on this, I think the DA Club will continue as an officially
recognised school club; a club with Snape as the faculty advisor and a
club open to the whole school. That allows the battle between
Slytherin  and Gryffindor to continue.



> mommystery continues:
>
> ...edited...
> 
> ... in one respect Harry is spoiled and cosseted - he continually 
> breaks the rules, yet is rewarded at the end for doing so - is it any
> wonder Snape sees some of James in Harry?  

srbeers:

Harry is nothing like James, he doesn't attack people, he doesn't
create trouble or go looking for it. A vast majority of time, Harry's
aggressive actions are provoked and are more defensive than offensive.
 James, as a school boy, is more likely to be the attacker; Harry is
more likely to be the attacked.

Harry also has a strong conscience, and a good sense of right and
wrong. When Harry lies, the narrative specifically says he lies, even
when it would be obvious without the narrative specifying it. Harry
frequently reflects a guilty conscience and regret in narrative.

When Harry does break the rules, as in when he punched Draco, he was
provoked; few people can contain their anger in the face of a direct
and malicious insult to their dead mother. Harry's other rule
breaking, in the for of mischief, are no better or worse than any
other student. Harry's not perfect, he makes mistakes, he makes a
little mischief, he's a kid; that's what kids do. 

In the cases where serious rules are broken, Harry is invariably
acting for the greater good. Rules are not absolute, the are the
opinions of the people making the rules, and like all opinions they
are subject to change with the changes is social attitudes. But moral
right is far more stable and universal.

In PS/SS and more so in CoS, Harry goes against school rules because
the safe and easy path of following them has horrendous disastrous
consequences. When Harry resques Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets, he
doesn't come out of it expecting to be a hero, or expecting praise of
a medal; he comes out of it expecting to be expelled at least. Yet he
weighs rule along side the life of a friend, and the life of a friend
is far more important, much more worth preserving that school rules.

Let's take Percy as an example, after the current book, everyone is
convinced that Percy is 'ever so evil'. Yet Percy does what is right;
he follows the rules, he stands by his appointed leaders and supports
his elected government. He accepts the assurance of the wise and
knowledgable leaders of his world that a trouble making kid and an
eccentric old wizard are far less reliable that they, the leaders,
are. Based on the rules, Percy's actions are perfectly correct, but
based on what is right, we all know he was wrong.

Rules do not define moral right and wrong, they are merely an agreed
upon standard for an orderly world. 


> mommystery continues:
>
> What punishment did Black  receive for the prank he played on Snape? 
> What punishment did James receive for hanging Snape upside down?  
> None it seems...

srbeers:

We don't see any direct punishment, but then we are given scant
information about those incidences, so we really don't have enough
information to make a judgement on. Given the extreme of 'the Prank',
I suspect there was significant punishment, but as I said, we have too
little information to make an absolute statement.

Regarding, James hanging Snape upside down, I must ask how many
incidences of bullying in common everyday schools get punished
relative to the number of bullying incidences that occur? Very few I
would think, in fact, I would go so far as to say that, +99% of most
incidences of bullying go unknown and unnoticed by the staff, and
therefore, unpunished.

The code of the playground says that kids don't rat even on the bad
guy, and they endure and hopefully resolve these conflicts on their
own. Sadly, in the modern world, excess bullying is too frequently
resolved by gun fire, but that's another topic all together.

Just a thought.

srbeers