Luna's importance to the series.

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 94973

> Seren wrote:
> <snip>
> The Sorting Hat has spoken of the need for inter-house unity. Now, 
> traditionally, we know that Gryffindor is aligned with Hufflepuff; 
> conversely, this means Ravenclaw is tradionally aligned with 
> Slytherin. We know that at least Draco Malfoy, the archtypal
> Slytherin, doesn't look down on Ravenclaw... he says so to Harry in
> Madame Malkin's robe shop. In GoF, Rowling reinforces the idea that
> Hufflepuff is normally sided with Gryffindor. While Ravenclawers are
> not nessecarily all for Slytherin, they are placed side by side. <snip>


> Bella responded:
> 
> <snip> I agree with you that Luna is important. 
> But it's not so much that she is more important than the DA. The DA 
> is the biggest thing toward house unity so far--bigger than Luna. <snip>

Carol:
I don't the fact that Draco doesn't look down on Ravenclaws, who are
chosen for their intelligence, indicates a traditional alliance
between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Nor does his contempt for Hufflepuff,
known for loyalty and hard work but not for qualities he prizes (like
cunning, ambition, and pure blood) indicate that Gryffindor (which he
doesn't mention) is traditionally allied with Hufflepuff.

There are Ravenclaws in the DA (which, as Bella notes, is more
important than Luna as an indication of interhouse unity if only
because it involves more people); Harry has a crush on Cho (until
OoP); the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws support Gryffindor against
Slytherin in the Quidditch finals. I don't see any indication that the
Ravenclaws and Slytherins are "placed side by side." 

Note also that it was Salazar Slytherin alone who left the group of
original founders: one against three (or three against one, as he must
have perceived it). For good or ill, the Slytherins are the odd men
(children) out, and evidently have been for a very long time. The
Sorting Hat, I think, wants to bring them back in, even if that means
it sits on the shelf unused for the rest of its unnatural life.

I do think (hope) a Slytherin will join the DA (I've posted elsewhere
that I think it will be Theo Nott, but it could be Blaise Zabini). I'm
also hoping that Harry will finally have a class that includes some
Ravenclaws. I'm betting that it will be N.E.W.T. Potions.

Carol