Hermione is Umbridge

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 93036

Carol:
> Let me just say that I disagree with your idea primarily because 
JKR has repeatedly stated that she likes Hermione and that 
Hermione is an exaggerated version of her younger self. <
<<big snip>>
> John, BTW, is Hebrew for "God is gracious" and was the name 
of the most beloved apostle, so, given that we know JKR is a 
Christian, thechoice of that middle name for Remus may 
suggest a special place inher heart or in his relationship to 
Dumbledore. (It's a stretch, I realize, and I know Pippin won't like 
it, but I wanted to mention it as a possibility, anyway.) <<

On the contrary, thanks for pointing this out. The significance of 
John as a form of Jane hadn't occured to me.

Exaggerating the characteristics of people you hate isn't the only 
way to come up with a villain. You can also imagine what would 
happen if  your own character flaws got out of control.  JKR has 
admitted to doing this with Hermione.

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/2000/070
0-cbc-solomon.htm

"Hermione, with the best of intentions, becomes quite 
self-righteous. My heart is entirely with her as she goes through 
this. She develops her political conscience. My heart is 
completely with her. But my brain tells me, which is a growing-up 
thing, that in fact she blunders towards the very people she's 
trying to help. She offends them. "

 I  think that both Umbridge and ESE!Lupin illustrate aspects of 
Evil!Hermione, in much the same way that Draco is 
Evil!Ron and Riddle is Evil!Harry. I also see Hermione herself 
riding for a fall, though I think she'll learn the error of her ways. 
Her self-righteous streak is still going strong in OOP. She 
doesn't see, for example,  that  experimenting on the House 
Elves  is just as wrong as Fred and George testing their 
products on the first years.


Pippin