Hermione's Reaction to... Was: Re: Harry's first Kiss (is it a smoke screen?)

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 105982


Paul wrote :
> Ron fought with valor and he is willing to stand with HP in 
> this war. Nobody can deny that. But he can't understand the full 
> extent of his decision. And that because he didn't see someone close 
> to him dying. He didn't suffer overwhelming physical and emotional 
> pain.

Del replies :
Ron knows *very well* what following Harry might entail : death for
himself and his loved ones.
He could have died in PS/SS, at the hands of the giant chess Queen. He
had seen what she had done to the previous piece she had laid her
hands on. He couldn't fool himself. Harry and Hermione didn't either :
they were afraid for his *life*. And still Ron *chose* to do it.
In CoS, his sister almost died at the hands of a *shadow* of LV. In
OoP, his father almost died too. Just because they did not *actually*
die doesn't mean Ron doesn't understand the extent of his involvement
in the war. He might not be living with the constant thought of his
loved ones dying, like his mother, but I am sure that he does
"understand the full extent of his decision."

And he suffered overwhelming physical and emotional pain too. Both the
way he sat on that bucket in the cupboard next to the staff room when
he learned about his sister's disappearance in CoS, and his attitude
while waiting for news of his father in OoP show pretty clearly that
he suffered great emotional pain at those moments. Even Harry notices
the pain the Weasley kids are going through at those times.
And as for physical pain, it might not be as bad as some things Harry
went through, but he sure suffered like mad when Sirius broke his leg
in PoA. And still he stood up, literally, to defend Harry.

Paul wrote :
> He didn't face death or pure Evil. Only HP saw the raw face of 
> war and cruelty and only he is destined to become murderer or a 
> corpse.

Del replies :
Sorry Paul, but it doesn't take a Prophecy for any soldier to realise
that he will have to kill or be killed. *Everyone* involved in the
war, Prophecy or not, can be faced with that possibility of having to
choose between killing or being killed. Harry just knows that in his
case, it will happen for sure. The others can still hope it won't for
them. But many of them most probably will have to face it anyway someday.
And I don't believe Harry saw anywhere as much death, horror and evil
as those who fought the first war did.

Paul wrote :
> That's the story and that is where we must focus people. HP 
> series is not mainly a teenage love story. It is the Odyssey of HP.

Del replies :
Well, I don't know how to tell you that nicely, Paul, so I'll just be
frank but please don't be offended, OK ? You cannot tell me or anyone
else how we're supposed to see the books. You can see them exclusively
as the Odyssey of HP if you like, but you can't force us to see them
that way if we don't want to. And I don't want to, because it *bores*
me to death to consider them that way. Sorry. There are people out
there who identify Harry's story with Alchemy or with different kinds
of spiritual journeys, it's their right and I won't go telling them
off for that, even if I couldn't relate less to what they are saying.
Mind you, I'm not saying that HP is only a love story either, even
though I could argue that every book, every life, is about finding
love and acceptance. But I won't, because I don't mind admitting that
the love stories are only sub-parts of the bigger story in HP, which
is the war against LV. But I happen to *like* those sub-parts, so I
will dwell on them if I want. Non mais >:-) !

Del