Prefects taking points--a Flint?

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 71625

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "paulamore" <paulamore at y...> 
wrote:
> In OoTP, a big deal is made when the Inquisitor's Squad starts 
taking 
> points from houses (other than Slytherin).  I think Ron says that 
> this power is denied to prefects.  Yet in CoS, Percy takes 5 
points 
> from Gryffindor for, IIRC, Harry and Ron sneaking to Myrtle's 
> toilet.  Is this a Flint?

Possibly. But the Flint might be Ernie using imprecise language. 
What Ernie Macmillan says is 'It's only teachers who have the power 
to dock points from Houses'.

He does this after Malfoy has announced he'll be taking points from 
Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. So what Ernie *might* mean is that only 
teachers have the power to dock points from *other* houses. Prefects 
have the power to dock points; but only from their own house.

This fits with Percy docking 5 points from Gryffindor, and also 
makes perfect sense. If prefects can dock points from other houses, 
it would be used as a weapon in the inter-house war. It would 
completely undermine the prefect system, as kids would be taught to 
see prefects as 'enemy' rather than 'authority'.

On the other hand, a prefect docking points from their own house, 
would be a signal that you have done something *seriously* wrong. So 
bad that even your own House is prepared to lose points (and 
possibly even the House cup) for what you've done.

That's effectively what Percy says - that'll show you I'm serious. 
It's probably quite a rare thing for a prefect to do; I'd think 
they'd far rather hand out a detention.

Pip!Squeak