[HPforGrownups] Gryffindor's Prefects

[Diana Palmer]

No: HPFGUIDX 67488

  Michael Vaccian wrote:

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One of the interesting bits of the first few pages of OoP was the
Prefect angle (I, like Harry, had forgotten about that). Ron's
nomination raised interesting questions, and lead to an introspective
debate for Harry. I've always liked Ron and Hermione because they
proved to be competent sidekicks who are almost always in the loop.
In fact, many of Harry's successes are the result of team effort.

The danger for authors is sometimes to create perfect heroes. JKR
seems to defuse this with Ron's nomination as prefect, and touches on
the fact that Harry might not have all the skills required. Ron's got
a special quality -- one that goes beyond wizards chess. Ultimately,
Harry accepts this.

Thing is, DD's speech towards the end read like a slight put down for
Ron. No one doubts the worthiness of Hermione's candidature to the
position (no doubt a mixture of academic excellence and a tendency
to "go by the rules") but there seemed to be doubt regarding Ron's.
DD tells Harry in chapt. 37 that he's got enough on his shoulders
without added responsibility... which begs the question: should he
have been chosen in Ron's place? Did Ron really have extra je-ne-sais-
quoi which Harry, despite numerous advantages, couldn't quite match?

There's always the possibility that Ron, Hermy *and* Harry could have
ended up as prefects of course (and methinks DD wouldn't chose Ron
simply because he needed *anybody* to fill a vacant position and the
first name out of a hat would have done). Still, when you balance the
lingering doubt re: Ron at the onset with DD's assurance that Harry
was without question prefect material, it gave me cause to wonder.

Michael V.


<ME>

Lupin says that he was appointed as a prefect probably because 
Dumbledore wanted him to exercise some control over Sirius and James 
(OOP, p.170). Perhaps Ron's appointment as prefect was in hopes that he 
and Hermione could try to keep Harry out of trouble.

Diana