House points and Dumbledore (Re: Snape and respect)

[sophineclaire <metal_tiara@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51044

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Maria Kirilenko 
<maria_kirilenko at y...> wrote:
> 
> Tom wrote:
> > I mean, come ON: Dumbledore PERSONALLY overturned
> > the official results of the House Cup in PS/SS. Sure,
> > WE know why that happened, and as readers who identify
> > with Harry, WE'RE glad to see him win, but let's face 
> > it - that is concrete and indisputable favoritism. 
> 
> 
> Alla answered:
> So, Harry and Co did not deserve the points for defeating 
> Quirrelmort? I think that this was justice, not favouritism. Sure, 
> Dumbledore could award points earlier and not make show out of it 
at 
> the feast, but it does not change the fact that those points were 
> earned, in my opinion.
> 
> Me:
> 
> I really have to agree with Tom here. HHR and Neville did deserve 
some sort of praise, maybe even in the form of points, but I think 
that assigning the exact number of points needed to win the House 
Cup was extremely blatant favouritism. Sure, it was wonderful to see 
it happen, and I do think that 150 points McGonagall took off 
Gryffindor were excessive, and that scene never fails to bring tears 
to my eyes, but it *was* demoralizing for *all* non-Gryffindor 
students, and it was demoralizing to Snape.
> 
> Dumbledore could have handled the situation with much more grace 
that he did.
> 

   Plus, I don't remember Hufflepuff getting any points on behalf of 
the death of Cedric Diggory. Sure, there may have not been a House 
Cup that year and house points wouldn't make up for the loss of a 
young life, but it's obvious that no one is giving them house points 
on the basis of their work ethic are they? It's all about Winning in 
the wizarding world, not being a good worker.

ahem...

   I dunno. Maybe DD is trying to make Harry's life at Hogwarts a 
little easier, at least when there isn't a threat of immediate 
death, then it was on Privet Drive. But that's the sort of thing 
that really ruffles me. Yes, there are circumstances in someone's 
life that warrent an extra pat on the back or an extra mark here or 
there. But there are other people who, just because they seem to 
have a well-rounded life on the surface, are often overlooked 
because people believe they've had or will have enough breaks in 
life. I wonder if a reward here or there for doing work or achieving 
something on his own would make a difference in Draco's life, or 
Crabbe's or Goyle's. More so, have it come from someone outide of 
Slytherin *cough*dumbledore*cough*. Something to say, "We know 
you're not Harry Potter: Our-wizarding-saviour-whom-we-hope-never-
dies, we we do care and acknowledge what you are doing as being the 
right/good/correct thing to do." 

   But of course, look at all those points Slytherin had. As a 
House, they won because their house worked for those points. Some of 
them had to give the right answers in class and do extra credit 
assignments and win at Quidditch, only one student got caught out of 
bed and was punished for it. All in all, I say Snape runs a tight 
ship at HMS Slytherin. As much as the loss and gain of points were 
very much the efforts of 3/4 individuals, Why couldn't DD recognize 
that by giving them Special Services to the school Awards, as 
individuals? ( as much as I think that was an Ironic award to be 
given in COS). It merely shows the school as well as astute 
Gryffindors that their worth is based on three people and not on the 
efforts of the house as a whole.

Well, that was really disconnected