[HPforGrownups] Re: Theory on the DADA-post's jinx

[Angel Moules]

No: HPFGUIDX 85421

On Wed, 2003-11-19 at 03:32, Jen Reese wrote: --- In
HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
<snipping>
>> I suspect that once Harry is gone from the school, the 'magnet' 
that
>> has been drawing bad luck to the job will be gone too. However, I 
must
>> amend that by pointing out that with the exception of Lupin, all 
the
>> DADA teachers were either incompetent or their integrity was 
seriously
>> compromised. Either way, they were corrupted in ways that almost
>> guaranteed their doom. 
>>

>Jen R: You know, I think even Lupin was undone in the end by his own 
>weakness--cowardice, as he himself says in POA . He didn't want to 
>risk Dumbledore's trust by telling him about the illegal animagi and 
>the secret tunnels; those omissions led to the finale in the 
>Shrieking Shack and ultimately, Lupin's fate. I don't see it as 
>corruption so much as a character flaw, though. (And I'm still not 
>convinved Quirrell's conversion was completely his doing--LV seems 
>to be very *convincing* when needed....). But you get no argument 
>from me on Crouch!Moody, Lockhart and Umbridge being deeply corrupt 
>to begin with.

Angel:
The Dark Arts is in effect bowing to the darkest desires of the human
soul, and taking the shortest cut to achieve those end, whether it be
lawful or no. 
In effect we had two DADA teachers in book V, both undone by their
weaknesses - Harry by his love of playing the hero, and Umbridge by her
officiousness.
The nature of the job is that unless we acknowledge our weaknesses and
play to our strengths then we will fail. Lupin's weakness isn't so much
cowardice as a generalised insecurity or a feeling that he doesn't
deserve to have friends. 
The other interesting thing is that we now know how easy it is to be
seduced by evil - Harry succumbing to LV in V. Until book V I would have
said that Ron was in danger of being seduced to the Dark because he's
always been in the shadows. Now JKR has let him achieve on his own
merits... or has she. Are the achievements of Book V really some evil
power in Ron <vbg>

Angel of the North, Newbie

brief intro: I'm 24, fanfic writer, Livejournallist, English and living
in London. Just graduated and looking for work. AotN