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

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 116336


> > Hannah originally:  
> > 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.  <snip> 
> >
> > It definitely can't be Harry.  For one thing, DADA teacher is a 
> > full time job, and he needs to finish his education. <snip>  
> > 
> > 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, 
Chief 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. 
<snip>
> 
> 
> catkind:  Yeah, I guess Harry as DADA teacher was a bit far-
> fetched.  On the other hand, we have seen he is a good teacher, 
and 
> he will be somewhat less busy with only NEWT classes.  I could see 
> him for example taking practical lessons for the younger classes, 
> with someone else there for authority and theory, and for example 
> Lupin making lesson plans.  (I'm sure this has been discussed 
> already, but can't find it. )
> 
Hannah: I think he'll keep up the DA (I hope he does) instead of any 
official teaching role.  If NEWTs are anything like A-Levels, he's 
still going to be busy even though there are less subjects!  

Catkind continued:
> Is Dumbledore really that busy? I think Umbridge ousted him from 
> most of those impressive-sounding titles.  It's not clear how much 
> he actually has to do as Headmaster.  We also don't know what the 
> Order does much, apart from staking out the DoM every day except 
for those when DEs are visiting.  I admit this was also a rather far-
fetched suggestion, and is not what I am expecting.  
> 
Hannah: He was reinstated into all of them, according to the 
newspaper at the end of OotP.  Even so, I actually don't think the 
suggestion is all that far-fetched, I just think it would be quite 
impractical.  OTOH, JKR rarely lets the nitty-gritty practicality of 
things get in the way when she has a good storyline in progress.  I 
think I and other fans worry more about the difficulties of time 
tables and such like a lot more than she does.  Maybe he really will 
use a time turner, or delegate a bit more.

Catkind continued:
> I don't see why Snape's role in the Order should conflict with his 
> teaching DADA more than his teaching Potions.  

Hannah: I see your point here.  I suppose its because of the nature 
of the subject.  If Snape was teaching kids to fight LV all day, the 
Dark Lord might expect him not to do the job properly.  It could be 
tricky.  OTOH, Quirrel and 'Moody' both did the job to a reasonable 
standard (Moody even teaching Harry to resist the Imperious).  The 
whole Snape-DD-LV dynamic is too complicated to really understand 
what the position would be.  Maybe it's more that DD thinks teaching 
DADA would bring out the worst in Snape (worse than he is in 
Potions...)
> 
Catkind:
> But looking at it from the inside for a moment... Hogwarts is the 
> only wizarding school in England.  There can't be many good DADA 
> teachers kicking around, because there are no other schools for 
them 
> to be working in.  DD has already failed to find a suitable 
> candidate one year, and the year before that he asked a retired 
> Auror.  It is vitally important the kids have a good practical 
> education in Defence, after all, there's a war on.   So it seems 
> likely to me that either DD goes for an experienced teacher or 
> someone experienced in practical defence, i.e. an Auror. 
> 
> It could, of course, be a new Auror, but on the whole if we 
already know a character who would fill a role, JKR tends to use 
them and not introduce others.  
> 
> The suggestion of Krum is intriguing though.  What would Hermione 
> and Ron make of it?
> 
Hannah: I've never gone for the Krum theory myself, he doesn't 
strike me as a likely teacher, and JKR has said we won't see much 
more of him for a long time.  Ron and Hermione's reactions would be 
interesting.

I know what you mean about the Aurors, they would seem a good 
choice, but for the problem that LV has returned.  I should think 
every Auror available is going to be wanted out there in the front 
line, tracking down DE's and defying LV.  While teaching children to 
defend themselves is important, I wonder if it will be considered 
important enough to spare a precious Dark Wizard catcher?  
Especially since they haven't taken on any new ones for three years 
(I suspect a complacent winding down under the Fudge regime) and 
probably lost a lot of the older ones in the first war (not long 
ago).  With the grades they want, there aren't going to be large 
numbers of them.  I reckon even old Moody will be asked back out of 
retirement (and of course he'll agree).
Hannah