"Old and Valuable" Whomping Willow - But Why?

[melclaros]

No: HPFGUIDX 109575

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "davewitley" <> I can't speak 
about the age (see Duffy Poo's post) but surely it is 
> valuable because Harry has damaged it?  

Mel:
Oh? Why is that? Because now it can be sold on Wizarding ebay as 
something "the boy who lived" broke?

David:
Snape wants to magnify the 
> seriousness of what Harry and Ron have done, 


Mel:
There is no reason to magnify the seriousness of what Harry and Ron 
have done. McGonnogal makes it clear that what they have done is 
exceptionally serious. The willow is only PART of what they've done 
and a minor one at that. As is grand-theft auto. What they've DONE 
is expose the WW to muggles. Any other student would have been 
expelled. Harry *can't* be expelled (which Snape knows) because his 
life would be in danger--and it would ruin the plot. Ron can't be 
expelled simply because it would ruin the plot.



David:
.  If it had been Draco who had smashed into it, 
> no doubt Snape would have stressed the resilience of the tree 
> instead.


Mel:
You have canon to back this up?



David: 
> Its magical qualities may make it valuable, too, as we don't know 
> how easy they are to grow.


Mel:
It's most likely that its magical qualities make it valuable. 
PERIOD. 
'Ancient' is Harry's description and probably comes from his 
impression of what it looks like--old and gnarly? Certainly large.
Snape says "old". Old is a relative term. I don't have the book in 
front of me and HATE quoting from the films, but in CoS-The Movie, 
Snape states the tree has 'been here since before you were born.'
No one mentions Draco at all, even in the film.

Melpomene