Prefects and points

[Arya]

No: HPFGUIDX 106000

>> Cathy wrote:
>> JKR is wrong...she made another mistake.  
>> I don't know where the mistake came in, but it is not Ron's fault
>> as she claims.  
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>snippage<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> Shaun wrote:
> Actually, my view, which I've mentioned before, is that to 
> reconcile these problems, I think a possible solution is that 
> prefects are allowed to take points from their own house, but are 
> not permitted to take them from other houses.
> 
> This would match Percy being able to take points from Ron, but 
> would make Draco's power to take points from those in other houses 
> new and unusual.
---------
Arya now: I like this idea and this was how I had reasoned the points
worked after the comments of OotP came out.  It was JKR's FAQ comment
that made it seem so much simpler, like 'prefects take
points--period'.  But, this simple, house-limited point-taking scheme
idea makes everything still just as simple (not as immediately
apparent though because it's not stated in canon) but even more
importantly--logical.  
----------

{SNIPPAGE} 
> Shaun wrote:
> That still means there's a discrepancy with JKRs FAQ answer - but 
> as it seems clear she was relying on a faulty memory of what she 
> wrote, I don't think that's that surprising.
> 
> Maybe Ron (in her mind) hasn't been authoritarian, and hasn't taken 
> any points - so to her, when asked this question, she thinks "Why 
> did I write that - it must be because I thought he might not know 
> this."
---------------------

Arya now:  I do think there is something to be said for the fact that
JKR answered this question with Ron looking like the one in the wrong.  
If it was a reader, like you or I who made this comment, it would be
our posibly biased view or image of him leading us to this conclusion;
but it's JKR answering a frequently asked question in a situation
where she isn't rushed to answer or put on the spot--she has time to
check things over, think things over and to just perfectly word her
answers and upload to her own site (and correct if she is wrong).  So,
the notion that JKR (as I think Cathy said) is "wrong" and giving Ron
a bad rap is possibly a bit presumptuous of us readers.  I've always
seen Ron as the comic relief of the trio (not a burgeoning general
who's ought to be Head Boy and a Quidditch Captain) and the constant
defense and insistance to build him up as an equal or even higher
character than Harry is baffling to me.  So when JKR answers her
question, whether it's off the cuff or long-thought out, and blames
Ron's ignorance on something that seems quite basic, I think JKR has
also inadvertanly confirmed (at least for those like me who've always
thought it) that Ron is the type of person who would be ignorant on
these sorts of things (usually through his own lack of effort).  

Oh there are all sorts of legions of Ron-o-philes out there who will
come out now and protest his worth and wit but, IMO, that's a lot of
speculation on what he *could* be and not on what he is.  And I
personally see JKR's comment fingering Ron and only Ron as "not a very
authoritarian" prefect who knew the rules as a confirmation that JKR
intends Ron to be not the brightest prefect in the bunch--which just
happens to fit the view I've had of him all along.  If she changes her
answer on the site, then I'm wrong, but I think some Ron-defenders
need to just posibly conceive of the notion that he really is just
meant to be the sidekick/comic relief/best mate/support to Harry
the-books-are-titled-after-me Potter.  

Arya