[HPforGrownups] Was it a back-handed compliment?

[SHolden]

No: HPFGUIDX 50958

Lori:
During the course of my lurking, I read that there is some evidence
that Harry's and Hermione's magical talents are beginning to eclipse
those of Ron. One piece of evidence that was cited in this argument
was that Barty Crouch, Jr. (in the guise of Moody) told Harry and
Hermione they'd make good aurors, but did not extend the
same "compliment" to Ron.

My question is: was it really such a compliment? Remember that much
of what Crouch, Jr. said has proved to have a double meaning. For
instance, when he tells Harry, "If there's one thing I hate...it's a
Death Eater who walked free." (Harry assumes its Moody speaking as a
disgruntled auror, but we later discover that it really Crouch, Jr.
voicing his anger that he is the only Death Eater who stayed loyal.)

Me:
I would think that a compliment from a DE would be better than from an
Auror?  After I found out that Crouch Jr. was a DE I found that his
compliment to Harry and Hermione carried more weight, because he would know
the skills need to be a good Auror.

Lori:
Also, remember that as a loyal supporter of Voldemort, Crouch, Jr. is
not likely to have met an auror he really liked.

Me:

I completely understand.  But I don't think it has to do anything with
liking a person.  Crouch Jr. knows what a good Auror is because he's a DE,
wouldn't he know what it takes to get/catch a DE?  Also, don't forget that
he was impersonating Moody.  Crouch Jr. could *not* let his guard down, or
slip up, those that knew Moody would know something was up if he didn't act
like himself.  It would also be in character for Moody to notice such things
about his students, no one questioned the fact that he turned Malfoy into a
ferret, except McGonagall.  The real Moody is not a nice guy.

Sarmi



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