Expulsion in Perspective.

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 57441

There is a long thread (or two) on the likelihood or more accurately
the UN-likelihood of Harry being expelled.

Many people are saying that Harry is allowed to get away with a great
deal of rule breaking without suffering the consequences that have
been implied simply because he is Harry Potter. 

While that is true to a limited extent, as is seen in the example of
Fudge meeting Harry at the Leaky Cauldron after Harry blew up his Aunt
and ran away from home. In this case, there are extenuating
circumstances (Sirius Black is assumed to be trying to kill Harry)
which makes overlooking a situation that has already been remedied
(Aunt Marge has been deflated and her memory modified) an easy and
reasonable thing to do. 

I think many significant people in the wizard world are aware that not
only is Harry 'The Boy Who Lived', but he is also the boy who must
continue to live because the has a destiny that must be fulfilled; a
destiny upon which the fate of the wizard world hangs. So this is an
example of Harry getting off simply because he is Harry. 

Although, I think other young wizards would be forgiven for having
commited similar offense; it was accidental afterall. But they would
not have gotten the personal attention and resources that Harry did.

Now let's talk about school. School discipline is mostly a bluff. The
biggest bluff, which will have the most meaning to US educated
students, is 'your permanent record' (cue spooky organ music). When
you are a bad boy (or girl) in school, you are constantly threatened
with the infraction of the rules of the moment going on your permanent
record. Which carries the implication that your whole future will be
ruined, and this black mark on your character will haunt you forever.
Just one problem, virtually no prospective school or employer has ever
checked or lent any weight to a students elementary school or high
school permanent record. It's a bluff.

Suspension and expulsion are the same way, their use is threadened as
a controlling tool far more often than they are actually implimented.
Usually, you will get several second chances, and it will usually take
a extreme breach of the rules to actually get suspended or expelled.
Again, up to a point, it is a bluff. 

So, I see the situations in which Harry expected to get expelled but
didn't, not as favoritism, but as the normal mechanics of school
intimidation, control, and punishment. 

It would take an overwhelmingly serious and inexcusable breach of the
rules for Harry (or Ron) to actually get expelled.

The teachers play this bluff with extreme skill making it seem like
Harry narrowly escaped explusion, and therefore continuing and
re-enforcing the belief that expulsion actually was possible. Harry
comes away from the incident never wanting to press his luck that far
again which is exactly the effect the teachers wanted. In a sense, a
students fear of explusion is a greater tool than expulsion itself.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn