Ron and the Trouble with Veela

[Star Opal]

No: HPFGUIDX 50823

Star Opal [Me]:
> >But then why make her part veela at all? Why not just keep her a 
>beautiful,
> >capable (she is a champion) witch with a French accent?

Torsten wrote:
>Maybe just to add one more point for fans to argue about -

working it'nit? ^_~

>what's at work here, Ron's
>hormones or Fleur's possible special power? ^_~

The world may never know -- But I still say FPSP!

>Why point it out? To add another red herring and to give the reader a 
>better impression
>of just how gorgeous she is.

Oh Geeze, you know I'm beginning to get really paranoid about these books 
since joining this list. EVERYTHING is a potential red herring.

Star quoted:
"Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but 
nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise.
<snip>
But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many 
boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily 
speechless, just like Ron."  - GoF ch 16 pg 252

Torsten:
>So why just "many boys' heads", why not "all" or "nearly all"? It's very 
>unlikely the
>typical student has that much willpower. And why aren't the teachers 
>affected?

I go back to my PART veela theory. Her grandmother was a veela, right? So 
that would make Fleur only a quarter veela, with a quarter of the powers. So 
not "all" but "many boys' heads turned." Webster's says:

Man.y: more, most
1)consisting of some large, indefinite number (of persons or things); 
numerous 2) relatively numerous (preceded by as, too, ect.) <SNIP>

So many can mean most, or large indefinite number. Perhaps even "nearly 
all"?

"Some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron." 
So now we "some", stay with me, I do have a point coming. When Harry is 
under Imperius the first time he resists, but doesn't completely break it. 
While "[Ron] had had much more difficulty with the curse than Harry..." So 
this tells me that there are different levels of effect that mind/action 
controlling spells/curses/charms have on different people.

So, especially in a weaker state (such as passed down a blood line), her 
powers would have varying effects on different people. Some would not be 
effected like Harry, others would turn their heads, and still others would 
be temporarily speechless, like Ron.

As for teachers: Look who's teaching that year. Now if Lockhart were still 
teaching DADA we might've seen something, heh.

Star again:
> >But while Ron does tend to act or speak without thinking, its not things
> >that are completely out of character for him. Like defending his family 
>and
> >friends against insults. BUT asking someone out on a date isn't something
> >that Ron would normally do, much less in front of EVERYONE:

Torsten again:
>He didn't do it till then, since he's not been interested in girls before. 
>Ron acts without
>thinking when he's overwhelmed by emotions. We most often see it when it's 
>based on
>anger or lately jealousy, true, but here's it's love or strong sexual 
>attraction, call it what
>you want.

Look at the next part of my message. No matter what, it still sounds like he 
wasn't in control:

Star:
> >Sounds like a spell to me. "I don't know what made me do it!" "... it 
>sort
> >of came over me..." "I just sort of came to my senses.."

Torsten:
>But if Fleur's supposed-to-be Veela powers had been at work there, why was 
>just Ron
>behaving oddly? There were plenty other people around, but Ron mentions 
>none of
>them acting strangely, and he saw the whole scene of Fleur and Cedric 
>talking
>surrounded by peers before he lost his senses.
>Remember, "As the girl crossed the Hall,
<SNIP>
>If they were affected there, they should have been affected in the 
>corridor, too.

Remember we only have Ron's POV.

"I was just walking past her in the entrance hall - she was standing there 
talking to Diggory - and it sort of came over me - and I asked her!"

We don't know, who, how many, or in what state. He was probably walking by 
glanced and didn't notice anything after that. That is until he "came to 
[his] senses" and "ran for it" in which case I don't think he was looking 
around to see the answers to those questions.

Torsten:
>Ron's affected by Fleur's looks just like Harry is by Cho's, Ron just shows 
>his feelings
>more openly than Harry, all the time.

But Harry didn't _let_ Cho catch the snitch. That would be against the norm, 
if he did it would be more applicable. Ron DID ask Fleur out, a beautiful 
champion, three years older than him, who was talking to Cedric already, in 
front of everyone. Now if he'd of lassoed Fleur, maybe... (j/k)

>She wants to affect Ron at the dinner (like: 'I would give everything to 
>get ze
>bouillabaise'  ^_~)

LOL I just got this image of a Harry Potter outtakes. There's Fleur plotting 
with the other Beauxbatons. "Leeve it to me girls! I will get ze 
bouillabase!"

*clears throat* But I digress... I don't think she's doing it on purpose. I 
agree, if she was so sneaky I don't think the Goblet would have chosen her. 
I'm thinking that most the time, its a subconscious power, but she _can_ 
increase it if she chooses.

>Time to get out my main argument: Look at what exactly Veela power make men
>behave - they want to impress. They tell lies and consider to do 
>'impressive', foolish,
>dangerous things like jumping out of the Top Box. We see none of Fleur's 
>admirers do
>that, they are simply stunned, as teenage boys tend to be when confronted 
>with a
>gorgeous girl.

I call part veela theory!

>Also, she's a teenage girl that impresses other teenagers, but except for 
>that
>photographer no older male seems to be as affected as strongly, though 
>Veela power
>makes no difference there.

First of all we don't know how old the photographer is. We know he is a man, 
so at least 18, and we know he's "paunchy" which means he has a pot belly 
(according to Webster's). Second we do not know his resistance abilities.

Then there's also Roger Davies:  "Roger Davies was watching her talk  with a 
very dazed look on his face, and he kept missing his mouth with his fork." 
I'll admit straight off this one is iffy, but taken with Ron's reaction, _I_ 
think its something. I couldn't remember what year he is, so I can't comment 
on the age thing.

>More, if she had the power, shouldn't she have the drawbacks, too?
<SNIP>
>Finally, if she had the power and was aware of it, she would show some 
>reaction when
>someone (like Harry) easily resists it.

Part veela theory!

Rebecca:
>And I think it'll be of more import in the
>next book.  But that's just me.

I agree. I DO think she'll be back, as an assistant though, and if she comes 
back, than more will be made of her veela-ness.

>ps I'm still waiting for something odd about Trevor

*gives Trevor a wary glance* I'm telling you he isn't all he seems!

Star Opal
who wraps herself in the Part Veela Theory tighter than a Beauxbaton with a 
shall in winter.