DADA job (was Re: CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 29)

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 116286


> catkind wrote:  In every book yet we have had a new character as 
DADA 
> teacher, and they've come to a sticky end as Potioncat says.  
> Therefore I predict that NEITHER of these things will happen in 
the 
> next book.
>   
> I don't think JKR is that unoriginal, and it would be too obvious -
> it only worked in OotP because of the twist that it was clear from 
> the very start that Umbridge was nasty and had to go.  We've done 
> nice teacher who has to leave.  We've done disguised nasty teacher 
> twice.  We've done incompetent teacher.  We've done openly nasty 
> teacher. What else is there?
>   
> So surely it has to be someone we know? Snape, one of the members 
of 
> the Order, an Auror, maybe even Dumbledore or Harry himself in a 
> pinch.  I'm rooting for Snape because I think it would be the most 
> interesting read.  
>  
> Whoever gets the job we'll all be on the edge of our seats waiting 
> for something dire to happen to them, and they'll be thoroughly 
> scrutinised for evil tendencies.  Sounds to me like a great front 
> for interesting happenings elsewhere!
> 
> So I'm for a known character, and a strong red herring that 
they're 
> up to no good/ about to get killed in a nasty way, but that they 
> should survive.  
> 
> catkind

Hannah: I agree that maybe JKR has lulled us all into a false sense 
of security with the DADA teacher pattern (last one year, leave in 
dramatic circumstances).  It doesn't seem like JKR to use a formula 
like that for every single book.  And catkind's quite right that 
we'll all going to expect the character to either be evil or killed 
off, just going on past experience.   

I would be surprised if Snape didn't get the chance to do the DADA 
job eventually, but maybe not until the epilogue (if he survives 
that far).  I don't think it will be in the next book because of the 
potential awkwardness with his DE role.  I suspect he will remain 
Potions teacher, especially as JKR seems to be setting Harry up (in 
the careers advice session) to continue with Potions in years 6 and 
7.  

It definitely can't be Harry.  For one thing, DADA teacher is a full 
time job, and he needs to finish his education.  Secondly, he 
wouldn't be able to teach NEWT level classes since he's not reached 
that standard himself - and how would he be able to properly control 
students his own age and older than him (DA is different as it is a 
club and they are there voluntarily), oarticularly Slytherins. 

I like the idea of DD taking on the role, though he'd have a job to 
fit it into his busy schedule - he's already Headmaster, Cheif 
Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, and Commander-in-Cheif of a paramilitary 
organisation in the middle of a war.  He'd definitely have to use 
the time turner!

I still think it will be a new character.  It could be Tonks, or 
Kingsley, or Bill, or Krum, or whatever, but it just doesn't seem 
that likely.  They all have their roles to play in events already, I 
don't see them deciding to teach.  The whole DADA teacher thing also 
gives JKR a very easy way of introducing new characters, and 
allowing them to become important in a short space of time.

My bet is that it will either be someone who knew Lily Potter (and 
can supply that revelation which we never seemed to be given in book 
5), or it will be a relative of an existing staff member, hence 
JKR's secrecy about it.  Then I hope Snape gets it in book 7.

Hannah