Breaking Magical Contracts (Re: The names in the Goblet)

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 96692

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Robert Jones"
<jones.r.h.j at w...> wrote:
> I'm still unconvinced.
> 
> Jen: This could explain why everyone just accepts Dumbledore's 
> explanation at face value. Even Karkaroff & Madame Maxime, when 
> arguing over two Hogwarts champions, don't suggest Harry can just 
> back out. You'd think from the concern DD shows over Harry competing 
> that if he *could* get out of it, DD would insist he do so. 
> 
>      Bobby: if it were only a matter of some dire consequences to 
> Harry if he tried to back out of the tournament, why didn't JKR just 
> say that?  I'm still sticking to my belief that Harry wasn't 
> obligated and JKR just kind of glossed over the point.
> 
>                                * * *
> 
> Jim: What bothers me about it is that Harry didn't enter into 
> anything. Can you sign a contract for me? You can not.  How can 
> Crouch!Moody bind Harry to a magical contract?  It's totally 
> counterintuitive. It's also reality, so I had to get over it.
> 
>      Bobby: I couldn't have said it better myself.  Hey, Jim, want 
> to buy Jen's car for one dollar?  She doesn't seem to mind if two 
> people agree to something that obligates a third party.

Easy on Jen, Bobby, she's acknowledging the fact Harry did in the end
become a Champion and compete.  I can think of one reason it could be
so:  in other tournaments in days of yore, Headmasters may have
entered the students' names into the Goblet, maybe without even asking
them first. Students pretty much did what they were told by their
elders in those days.  If this legacy was true it could explain how
Harry became obligated.  What we do know is Harry became a Champion.

It's counterintuitive in *our* day and age, but the Goblet apparently
has been around a long time.

Jim Ferer