A Response To Lauri, And A Word On The DA

[Louis Badalament]

No: HPFGUIDX 83639

Lauri,

I would, of course, be delighted to submt this post in article form 
to Steve Vander Ark.  What's the best way to approach him?  Should I 
just e-mail him directly, or invite him to see this post first, here 
at Harry Potter For Grownups? How is this sort of thing generally 
done?  Bear in mind that I'm completely flattered that you would 
think this piece of mine is worthy of such a resource as The Harry 
Potter Lexicon.  Thank you so much!  And yes, it is amazing how 
Rowling has made these stories both predictable and unpredictable.  
It's rather like that part she came up with in Book 5 
about 'discordant notes in a familiar song,' or some such, (I'm 
paraphasing.)  Looking back, though, I've always found it incredible 
that, after three years to theorize by ourselves, none of us was 
able to think up a woman like Dolores Umbridge.  Speaking 
personally, I actually *was* betting that DADA Teacher #5 was going 
to be a servant to the Ministry of Magic, but I was sure she'd be 
something along the lines of a simple spy, quietly soaking up the 
goings-on around Hogwarts and blabbing all to Fudge.  I would 
*never* have dreamt of anyone that went as far as Umbridge. 

I'd like to make a few further observation here about the Defense 
Against the Dark Arts in general, and then throw out some more 
theories of my own, if you all don't mind.  In Book 1, what was 
taught at DADA wasn't worth mentioning.  In Book 2, the students 
were treated to highly sensationalistic 'tall tales,' about Dark 
Arts Defense, rather like little tykes learning about how to be a 
cop from a Saturday-morning cop cartoon show.  In Book 3, they 
learned how to deal with Dark animals.  In Book 4, they were taught 
how to deal with human assailants.  Book 5 focused primarly on 
denying the existence of Voldemort.  Now, I'm taking a shot in the 
dark here, but I'm guessing that whoever wins the position in Book 
6, he'll be a man who'll know things about Voldemort, personally, or 
Dark Lords generally.  Now that the Ministry is done denying 
Voldemort, I feel it's quite likely Dumbledore will want to give the 
kids a bit more history on who they're up against.  

   Also, I'd like to throw out a personal opinion about the DA.  I 
don't think it'll be dissolved at all.  Why, you ask?  Draco 
Malfoy.  Draco Malfoy, almost entirely.  Let's look at the little 
prat, shall we?  Here's a fellow who wants nothing more than to do 
everything, achieve everything that Potter has or can achieve, and 
outclass him all the while.  I feel that he works towards this goal 
on both a conscious and unconscious level.  Potter has a set of 
friends that shadow him almost everywhere?  Why, so does young Mr. 
Malfoy... although his relationship with them lacks any depth or 
meaning, and they, themselves, aren't worth talking about.  Potter's 
the Seeker on the Gryffindor team?  Well, so's Draco, in the next 
book, and *he's* on the best broomstick on the market.  Bear in 
mind, he is not *always* able to achieve this 'Malfoy doppleganger' 
state in every single aspect.  I, for one, was completely surprised 
that affluent Mommy and Daddy Malfoy did not run out and buy Draco a 
personal Firebolt the moment he was conscious that Harry had one - I 
suppose that even the *Malfoys* have limits on how much that kid is 
spoiled.  And, of course, there was absolutely *nothing* Draco could 
do about Harry being a Triwizard champion.  

But the pattern still continues, into Book 5.  Where Harry has the 
respect and admiration of Gryffindor (generally), Malfoy has the 
Slytherins all singing his song.  At the same time Harry is getting 
Cho Chang as a girlfriend, Malfoy picks up with Pansy Parkinson.  
Where Potter is involved in the DA, Malfoy enlisted into the 
Inquisitoral Squad, which exists, at least in part, to flush out the 
DA.  It must've tickled him pink to have his first real 'one-up' on 
Harry when he was installed as Slytherin prefect.  

    But now, at the end of Book 5, Draco's out for Harry's blood.  
Essentially, Harry robbed Draco forever of the ability to boast 
about his father, and the knowledge of that will eat at Draco's 
thoughts and personality all summer.  The Inquisitoral Squad may 
have been disbanded, but Potter has a loyal group of friends in the 
DA.  They're not simply a group of wannabes, some of them have 
seen 'active service,' and all of them overwhelmed him and turned 
him into a slug.  He won't forget *that* in a hurry.  

    No... if Potter's going to have a little club dedicated to 
FIGHTING the Dark Arts, I'm sure *he's* going to start a club of his 
own that EMBRACES the Dark Arts!  Remember; Draco has NEVER been 
focused on just Harry, alone; he's got to obtrude upon everything 
and everyone Harry's *connected* with.  Just look at how badly he's 
antagonized Hermione and Ron, especially, in large part just for 
being Harry's friends!  Don't you think the little jerk's going to 
be any better to Harry's 'new' friends?  The DA's going to need to 
stick together, especially, because Draco doesn't let go of a 
grudge, and he won't stand for Potter having the upper hand on him.  
He'd *love* to start up a club to undermine Headmaster Dumbledore 
the way Potter's little gang undermined Headmistress Umbridge.  I 
think it'll be the perfect way to bring the Second War straight into 
the school.  
 
Anyway, this is some of the more wild, *unsubstantiated* 
suppositions on my part, but I hope you all at least had fun reading 
it.  

  
-  Louis Badalament