A midget in glasses, was SHIP Banter and SHIP subjects

Wed Jan 29 09:41:14 UTC 2003

No: HPFGUIDX 50968

Erica wrote:

> mean(3) adj. 
> 
> Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes. 
> Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.

Excellent documentation, Erica!  Still, Ron's joke would appear to 
mean that he, and JKR, thought "mean stature" meant "lack of height" 
in this context.  Which, compared to Ron, Harry certainly has.

I could almost let that stand in for my favorite line; it's not so 
much the line itself as Ron's imitation of Trelawney.  However, I'll 
go with another Trelawney-inspired Ron line that always leaves me 
helpless no matter how many times I read it:

"And on Wednesday, I think I'll come off worst in a fight."
"Aaah, I was going to have a fight.  OK, I'll lose a bet."
"Yeah, you'll be betting I win my fight . . ."

Amy Z