JKR's Messages (was Re: Hermione In Trouble?)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 120733


> Hickengruendler:
I think there are two reasons why Hermione did not tell anybody:
 
1.) She wanted to see which DA members were truly loyal. It's one 
thing to keep quiet about the group because you are loyal, it's 
another one to do it because you are scared. This way it was the DA  
member's own decision if they tell Umbridge or if they keep quiet. 
If Hermione had told them about the hex, than they surely wouldn't 
have said anything, but it would have been because they were forced 
to do it, not because of their own decisions. 



Alla:

Hmmm. That is true, as I said earlier if threat of punishment would 
have stopped Marietta from joining from the beginning, that would 
mean that she was not truly loyal in the first place, but just as it 
was any member's own decision whether to tell Umbridge or not, it 
should have been any member fully INFORMED decision whether to join 
or not in the first place.

I mean, I think ends DO justify the means in this situation, I am 
just not sure that they are FULLY justify the means.


Hickengruendler:

The loyal DA members might have felt offended, if they knew about 
the hex, and the group might not have become as close as they did. 
I can understand why Hermione didn't say anything, I have more 
problems with the hex itself. Especially that it was still on 
Marietta's face months later.


Alla:

Are you saying that she simply should have used less cruel curse? 
But then I guess I also wonder which one.

I suppose I may agree with you on principle, especially since 
punishment did not serve any helpful purpose for truly loyal DA 
members. I mean it served as deterring purpose, I guess and made an 
example of Marietta, something of look what happens to the traitors 
kind of thing, but it did not stop Umbridge from coming after them, 
if Kingsley would not interfere.

I suppose something less cruel also could have been enough.

Alla