The Train Stomp vs. Dissin' The Slyths

[datalaur <datalaur@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51447

Pippin:
> On the other hand, I was immediately sure that Harry and co had  
> gone too far in the train scene. I was more bothered by the  
> pushing  of the bodies out into the corridor than anything else. 
> Only Snape has treated a  hexed student so callously. In 
> contrast, Hagrid was much more solicitous of wounded Draco. I 
> am also expecting trouble for the Weasleys, both because Molly 
> foretold the Twins would find themselves in front of the Improper 
> Use of Magic Office, and because Hagrid predicted in CoS that 
> Lucius would come storming up to the school if Ron cursed his 
> son.
> 
> I think this foreshadowing is part of what is different about the 
> scene, along with the attack from behind, which we have been 
> told is improper. There also seems to be something strange 
> about the way all five of them are able to attack at once. The Trio 
> did something similar in the Shack, but this time they couldn't 
> even see the Twins out in the hall. That seems eerie, and makes 
> me wonder if JKR plans to introduce some wizard equivalent of 
> collective madness. 

I find both disturbing, the SS/PS due to what I cannot help but 
perceive as Dumbledore's insensitive handling of the House Cup.  
Points were well deserved, yes, but to do it in the manner it was 
done... despite reading the various posts, I cannot imagine that 
publicly-humiliated teenagers would have picked up on any of the 
subtlties postulated.  As some have noted, Dumbledore's actions were 
a good way to alienate Slyths even more, and quite possibly tip some 
who were wavering into the enemies' camp.  I find the whole extra 
ration of humiliation thoughtless and foolhardy.  Surely there is no 
indication that -- even if Dumbledore intended some sort of lesson -- 
that the Slyths learnt it.  So Dumbledore either was insensitive or 
ineffective (or both).  

The train scene is even worse.  Having read this over several times 
(US version), I find the immediate physical attack understandable but 
the lengthy callous reaction afterwards very alarming.  What Malfoy 
said was highly nasty -- but *not* any kind of threat in the sense 
that Malfoy personally is going to do anything.  It can even be read 
as a warning.  But I can see why Harry and co went ballistic.  I 
don't blame them for that at all.

Nonetheless, there's a five-on-three attack, with no indication that 
the Slyths even went for their wands.  The twins then make sure to 
step on the unconscious bodies and then "Harry, Ron and George 
kicked, rolled and pushed" the bodies out in the hallway, after 
noting lightly that the hexes look like they shouldn't have been 
combined.  (Even though the hexes individually seem relatively 
innocuous, none of the Gryffs are knowledgeable enough to know if 
there were other side effects besides tentacles... and far worse, 
none of them CARE at all despite that the Slyths are unconscious what 
must be at least an hour, if not *hours* (there's a good bit of talk, 
and at least 5 games of exploding snap, and then Harry mentions "the 
rest of the journey" and "all too soon" the train slows).  

Not one of the Gryffs expresses the slightest concern that the Slyths 
*still* haven't woken up and might actually be hurt.  Fine, the 
attack was provoked and the initial stepping/kicking was childish 
spitefulness  but this last I find unconscionable.  After the heat of 
the moment has passed, the Gryff behavior is absolutely NOT something 
to be proud of.  

The other thing is... why didn't any other students do anything?  
Nobody noticed, over this extended period, that three felled students 
are in the corridor?  (No one gets up to go to the bathroom or change 
out of school robes?)  No one remarks upon it during the crowded 
disembarking?  Are these Slyths even more estranged from the other 
Slyths than we thought (some stood for Harry, remember?).

And last, yes, there ought to be some consequences for the Gryffs for 
this attack.  Don't know if the magic use itself is forbidden  -- 
even if not strictly prohibited, fighting is not allowed in Hogwarts 
halls so why would it be allowed on the train?   And then of course 
there is the public humiliation of the Malfoys, which will surely 
have some impact for Draco from his father, and color any future 
interaction between Draco and Harry.

Too bad Harry didn't just punch Malfoy in the mouth, while Fred and 
George held back the goons.  That's the sort of heat-of-the-moment 
anger I can understand and expect from teen Gryffs... not a total 
lack of concern for people they've rendered unconscious (and maybe 
worse -- the Gryffs don't *know* and they don't *check*) for an 
extended period.  

laur