Jinxed?

[Berit Jakobsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 90606

It seems like a lot of the posters here take it for granted that the 
DADA job at Hogwarts is jinxed. I can't see how anyone can possibly 
arrive at such a conclusion. The HP books imply quite strongly that 
this is a *rumour* that has been started. A rumour based on the fact 
that the last four years, no DADA teacher has lasted more than a 
year. This is clearly an attempt by students and others to try to 
explain what is going on. A classical example of what happens when 
people don't know or understand what is happening. And when people 
can't understand or don't see the logic in something, they invent 
supernatural or "magical" reasons. Ignorance leads to superstition.

If we were to look at each and every instance, we'll discover that 
they all had perfectly natural causes: (Quirrel died, but doesn't 
count since he lasted more than a year). Lockhart regrettably damaged 
his memory and therefore ended up (even more) useless as a teacher. 
Who's to blame? A jinx? No, those were the results of his own 
actions. Lupin didn't last a whole year. Because of a jinx? A better 
explanation would be the "occupational hazard of being a werewolf". 
Impostor!Mad-Eye Moody? Again: Him not lasting more than a year as a 
Hogwarts teacher was solely due to his own actions, not some 
mysterious jinx. Umbridge? Needless to say; she is also solely 
responsible herself for not lasting more than a year!

These DADA teachers (with the possible exception of Lupin who of 
course can't help he's a werewolf) had to take the consequences of 
their own choices and actions. It's quite lame in my opinion to let a 
jinx excuse their bad choices in life.

I'm not saying there aren't any jinxes around in the magical world; 
just that there is no canon evidence suggesting the DADA job is 
jinxed. It's just a rumour. Plain old superstition. What we read in 
the books is "they're saying it's jinxed". We don't see Dumbledore or 
the staff walking around trying to solve any jinx-puzzle. As far as I 
recall, we don't see the staff spreading this rumour at all (Hagrid 
comments on the rumour, but doesn't support it or back it up; he just 
states that there is a rumour goung around). Only the students do 
(and maybe the Daily Prophet?). It would certainly be in DD's 
interest to break that jinx. If it existed. After all; DADA teachers 
are killed, having their memories destroyed, thrown out because of 
prejudices, turning evil and plotting to deliver the boy who lived to 
Voldemort, and turning so cynical they're willing to use any means to 
reach their goals. If all this was due to ONE cause, a jinx, 
shouldn't DD be using more of his time to find and stop this serious 
threat to not only his DADA teachers, but to Hogwarts and its 
students?

Compare the rumour of the DADA jinx with the rumour of the existence 
of a secret chamber. DD and the staff took it very seriously indeed 
when the old tale and rumour of the secret chamber and its monster 
was backed up by "evidence": The petrifications of cats, ghosts and 
students. Likewise DD has had plenty of "evidence" for the DADA job 
being jinxed; after all, none of the last four teachers has lasted 
more than a year, and terrible things have happened to them. But 
funnily enough there is no uproar, no fervent investigation on the 
jinx-issue... Could it be because DD understands and knows that the 
jinx-rumour is just that: A rumour?

I rest my case :-)

Berit
http://home.no.net/berjakob/snape.html