[HPforGrownups] ghosts, magicians and babies - Minor Point

[Vivamus]

No: HPFGUIDX 119071

> > Vivamus:
> >
> >...edited...
> > 
> > (In fact, I'll go even farther and say that I think that 
> Neville is by 
> > far the best candidate I've seen in the books for the HBP, 
> even though 
> > he is a pure blood wizard.  ...
> > 
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> I like this idea; I've always been a big Neville fan, and 
> have been saying for long long time that Neville is an 
> extremely important character and a powerful wizard. I also 
> like to think that there are wizards in some of the minor 
> branches of the Royal family. 
> 
> I think Neville has been groomed in the background for the 
> entire series so far. JKR is dropping signs the Neville is 
> someone to keep your eye on, and when we finally see him at 
> his best, I think we will all be suitably impressed. So, 
> Neville as HBP, I'd like that. I guess maybe it's because I 
> alway root for the underdog. 

Vivamus:
I did enjoy some of your posts on him.  Yes, there is a *lot* of information
we've been given about Neville over the years.  If someone hasn't done it
yet, I'll put together a compendium of all we've been told about him in
canon.   Has someone done that yet?


> > Vivamus:
> > ...why, exactly, the Sorting Hat puts students in different houses.
> > Do they go to Gryffindor because they ARE brave, or because 
> they WANT 
> > to be brave? The SH put Harry in Gryffindor because that 
> was Harry's 
> > choice. ...
> > ...edited...
> > 
> > I am hoping we'll find out more about the sorting and the houses in 
> > the next couple of books.
> > 
> > ...edited...
> > 
> > Vivamus
> 
> bboyminn:
>  
> This is a common misstatement, Harry didn't choose 
> Gryffindor, he chose NOT Slytherin. I'm guessing based on 
> statements by Ron, Hagrid, and Hermoine, Harry probably has a 
> preference for Gryffindor, but he never had a chance to 
> actually state that preference. Therefore the Hat could have 
> placed him in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor, and while 
> the Hat saw aspects of all those houses, it put him in 
> Gryffindor. I think Harry has demostrated in every book, and 
> on more than one occassion per book, that he truly has the 
> Gryffindor spirit. 
> 
> Setve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)

I absolutely agree, Steve, that Harry is the quintessential Gryffindor.  You
are right, all he chose was "not Slytherin," although movie poisoning comes
into that a bit, because I believe there was more interaction in the books,
both in the sorting and in CoS when he questioned the hat.  My point is that
Harry's choice played into the SH selection.  If it did, then I think we
need to ask ourselves just how MUCH does choice play a part.  We know it's
not fiat, but what exactly IS it?  I don't think we've been given much of an
answer to that yet.

Vivamus