A child is, by definition, WRONG

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 120124


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" 
<delwynmarch at y...> wrote:
> 
> Geoff wrote:
> " The whole affair is event-driven. Harry and Ron wanted initially 
to
> tell Professor McGonagall; events dictated against that."
 
Del:
> How so? McGonagall was just feet away from them when they were in 
that
> cupboard. And not only her, but the whole Hogwarts staff. The only
> thing that prevented them from stepping outside that cupboard was
> themselves.

Geoff:
May I just re-quote part of my message 120065:

<quote>
Notice that they are about to go to Professor McGonagall (and not
haring off on their own) when the announcement for all students to
return to their dormitories is given; they hide in the staff room
cloakroom to overhear the news that Ginny has been taken into the
Chamber. Gilderoy Lockhart appears late and the staff remind him that
he has claimed to know where the Chamber entrance is. So..

'Lockhart gazed round at his stony-faced colleagues.
"I.. I really never... You may have misunderstood.."
"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor
McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make
sure everyone's out of your way..."

So he leaves saying that he will be in his office, getting ready...

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were
flared, "That's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses
should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the
Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow.."

(ibid. p.218) [This was COS "The Chamber of Secrets" UK edition]

So the person to deal with is Lockhart. The others are involved in
the preparations for closing the school.

Their take is that Lockhart is going to deal with the matter.
</quote>

I enlarged on this a tad in message 120085....

<quote>
"He and Ron know that Lockhart is going to deal with the matter,
although I suspect they may have misgivings knowing his track record
for getting it wrong. So they are leaving matters in his hands..."
</quote>

They might also have been a bit apprehensive about appearing out of 
the cloakroom like jack-in-the-boxes; outside of this, they felt 
there was nothing much they could do. 

Message 120085 again....

<quote>
'..Harry could see the sun sinking, blood red below the skyline. This
was the worst he had ever felt. If only there was something they
could do. Anything....'
</quote>

It was up to the "Gilded King". And it was his craven refusal to do 
anything - other than run out to avoid the risk - that triggered the 
whole incident.