HRH and their Prefect badges (was: The next Peter Pettigrew)

[oh have faith]

No: HPFGUIDX 71851


*Previously, on Buffy*  ^_^

Faith's Girl (that would be me) said:

> > And I don't think Dumbledore will make Harry a prefect - to be 
> > honest, he doesn't deserve to be made prefect like that. 
> 

The greatelderone replied:

> Why not? From the implications of chap 37 it seems Ron was choosen 
> only because Harry had too much on his plate during the time.

I also said:
 
> > It smacks 
> > of a spoilt brat; he didn't get the badge when Ron did, he was 
> > jealous, he whined -albiet to himself- and then he gets it. 
> 

to which the greatelderone replied:

> So whining to himself for a brief moment makes him a spoiled brat? 
> The fact that he didn't display his jealousy towards his supposed 
> best friend and congratlaed and encouraged him just shows how 
mature 
> he is imo. 

And finally, I say:

I didn't mean to say that Harry himself is a spoilt brat, because I 
don't think he is.  I said that being given the badge in this way 
smacks of spoilt bratness. Dumbledore still shouldn't make 
exceptions for him, just because of who he is.  That would be 
spoiling him.  Harry, as you say, has got over not being a prefect, 
he now knows the reason why he wasn't made one, so Dumbledore should 
just let him cope. Besides, there already *are* capable Gryffindor 
prefects in his year.  And next year, the honour rightfully belongs 
to two more pupils in the year below him.  However good Harry might 
have been, the decisions have been made, and they don't now really 
need another one. As such, giving him the badge would just be an 
honorific kind of make-Harry-feel-better gesture.  He'd be a 
special, extra 6th year prefect and that is special treatment. If 
you want to make the boy feel better, buy him a butterbeer!

 Harry may not be spoiled now, but he's still young and easy to 
influence, and he's the most famous boy in the Wizarding World - for 
his well-adjustment, they should treat him as much as possible like 
everyone else.  That means no special treats or honours, and so he 
doesn't get made a prefect a year later because he felt a bit put 
out at missing out at the proper time. Dumbledore's original 
decision may have been misguided (or it may not have; maybe Harry 
really did have too much else to cope with) but none the less he 
made it, and if he goes back on it just because he feels bad for 
Harry, his marbles really must be rattling around. Learning to 
accept things as they are and deal is a far more important lesson 
for Harry IMHO, and will make him better adjusted in the long 
run.       
 
*More flashbacks*  
greatelderone also said:

> And Ron got the badge out of merit? Seems more to me like it was 
> because the first choice was unavaliable and Dumbledore went for 
the 
> back up.
> 

I say:

Now, that's a bit unfair on Ron.  Okay, so DD had a choice of two 
and circumstances tipped the balance in favour of Ron, but that 
doesn't mean he was always second choice.  Maybe he was the better 
choice, and maybe it's good for him to finally have something that 
Harry doesn't have - having a bit of responsibility may also help 
him knuckle under, do the work and mature.  Harry doesn't really 
need a chance to prove himself, he's done it loads of times.  Ron's 
the one who needs that chance to get out of his brother's (and 
Harry's) shadows, and maybe this is it.  I'm not sure it would be 
fair on Ron either to make Harry a prefect at this stage.  In their 
little unit, Harry's the hero, Hermione's the brains, and Ron's.. 
well, what's Ron?  The comedy relief?!  If Harry were made prefect, 
then -in his mind- he'd just be the third-best prefect.   It's nice 
he has something of his own now. Again, DD should not make the 
decision of who gets the badge all about Harry.  

I also said, in reference to Ron not turning all Pettigrew:

> >And Harry treats him [Ron] well and with respect; He and Ron 
> > are the core of the group, they're the best friends while 
Hermione 
> > is the extra.  

Greatelderone (great name, btw ^_^) Replied: 

> 
> I disagree. Hermione is fast becoming Harry's best friend while 
Ron 
> has become more detached from the both of them. Afterall it is 
> Hermione who goes with him into the forbidden forest leaving Ron's 
> quidditch game, it is also Hermione who help him set up 
Dumbledore's 
> Army and it is also Hermione who tries to stop him from going to 
> London immediately after the fake vision.

I say:

It is quite telling that Ron had his Quidditch victory off-camera so 
to speak - he really did do it all on his own, and good for him. But 
I don't see that as detachment, I see it as something necessary for 
the emotional growth of his character.  He would have come with them 
in the forest had he had the chance, it's just he wasn't available.  

Hermione is being the sensible one after Harry has the fake vision, 
and that makes her a wiser friend than Ron, but I don't mean best 
friend in the sense of the quality of their character - I mean it in 
the sense of being great mates.  It's not like Ron is trying to make 
Harry screw up and do something stupid.  He just doesn't see the 
bigger picture as well as Hermione.  

I'm sure Harry and Ron both like Hermione tremdously and hold her in 
the highest regard (and so they should); but I stand by her being 
the "third".  The pattern is, Ron and Harry run off and do boy's 
stuff and have tremendous fun, then come back breathless and begging 
to copy her homework.  Harry and Ron are entirely into each other, 
while Hermione is detached enough to sometimes annoy them in the 
short term by doing things "for their own good".  I think Hermione 
is, at this stage, a "better" friend in the sense of being a wiser, 
more mature influence to have around, but Ron and Harry are the best 
mates.  Harry misses Ron far more when they're not talking in GoF 
than he misses Hermione when they quarrel in PoA - because he misses 
someone to talk about Quidditch and have brainless fun with.  That's 
what best friends do.   

^_^
Faith's Girl