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

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 116296


 
> Hannah:  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.

Finwitch:

That's why Harry would/could only do it for kids who are younger than 
him -1st-3rd years or some such. As *assistant* teacher. And of 
course, he'd have to be *pre-educated* in the HQ of the Order. It 
*could* happen you know...

Hannah:  
> 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!

Finwitch:

Or take Harry in as assistant teacher? Or better yet, use *both* 
Harry & Time Turner. Or send someone else (Lupin?) disguised by 
Polyjuice Potion... Not to mention Fawkes' extraordinary speed... and 
no wonder he needs a pensieve!

Hannah:
 
> 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.

Finwitch:

Indeed, it is time we see some relatives/spouses of Hogwarts staff. 
One reason why Aberforth Dumbledore is my candidate, being the one 
*known* relative, and a brother to the headmaster, no less. And I 
believe that DADA *can* be taught without any reading or writing 
involved. Who says he's to assign any essays he'd need to read 
afterwards? You can always have practical exam (Lupin did, why not 
Aberforth?)

After all, you'd need a wand and wits more than ability to read or 
knowledge of what someone else thinks of it when facing a Dark Wizard 
(who probably won't do things as they tell you in text-books) or a 
Dark Creature for that matter. You don't learn to defeat a boggart by 
books (as Hermione shows us in PoA).

You might learn the theory on how to cast a Patronus out of books, 
but to do it, you need that HAPPY thought and further, defeating a 
Dementor with the Patronus is yet another, more difficult matter 
where no books can help you. To be able to find and keep a happy 
thought long enough to cast patronus when a Dementor is trying to 
suck it out of you... Not a thing a book can teach you, I'd say.

DADA is self-defence, both in mind and body. I don't know if anyone 
but Aberforth would think to add physical fitness into the 
curriculum, even if he doesn't add some sort of martial arts as well. 
Fitness *would* give you a better chance to survive - and to RUN.

Also, as Aberforth Dumbledore was a member of the original OOtP, and 
was probably there when Grindelwald was about, why not?

Finwitch