OotP Harry not a prefect & his Inner Voice

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 115136



> Salit wrote :
> 1. Everyone is astonished that he was not chosen."
> 
> Del replies :
> Everyone ? Who's that ? Ron, Hermione and the Twins : people who are
> already used to supporting Harry. Who else ?

Annemehr:
Well, technically, Kinglsey Shacklebolt. I bring him up mostly just
because I couldn't have been the only one to think of him immediately,
only to realise that, of course, he can have no idea who would be the
best prefect, let alone who all the Gryffindor 5th year boys are.


> Salit wrote :
> " 3. At the end of OOP Dumbledore admits to Harry that the only reason
> he did not make him prefect was that he felt he already was dealing
> with enough burdens. This clearly upsets Dumbledore much as that was
> the only point in the whole serie where Dumbledore shows strong
> emotions (not anger)."
> 
> Del replies :
> I don't know how to handle that one, because this statement by DD
> makes me cringe each and every time. Not really because of what it
> says, but because of *when* it is said. IMO it just doesn't belong in
> the discussion following Sirius's death, and each time I read it I get
> the same impression : that JKR felt like she had to give us some kind
> of explanation as to why she gave the badge to Ron but couldn't find a
> better way to do it. It simply doesn't ring true to me. But
> technically, you do have a point.
> 
> Del

Annemehr:
I wonder if maybe that passage was supposed to be awkward. Dumbledore
doesn't seem to have much of a clear idea at all about what to say to
Harry then, other than he needs to tell him the prophecy. DD seems to
start with the idea of taking the blame off Harry and onto himself
(with a short diversion to Sirius).  DD seems to end up unloading all
his own guilt, rather than comforting Harry, and that prefect thing
was the last little piece.  It certainly makes quite a contrast to the
end of GoF, where Harry truly felt DD helped him by having Harry pour
out the whole story of the graveyard.

By the way, another reason to make Ron prefect might have been to
ensure that the Gryffindor prefect was not anyone who might believe
the Daily Prophet about Harry.

Annemehr