The Sneak Mark (was "Slytherin" Hermione?)

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 112712

Tonks wrote:
>>Sometimes when someone goes against a contract and against what they
promised there are consequences that are not know at the time. So it
is here as well. If you made a promise not to tell anyone, then you
should NOT tell anyone.<<

HunterGreen:
It was *not* a contract.
[OotP, chpt 16, pg 346, US edi.]
" 'I-I think everyone should write their name down, just so we know 
who was here. But I also think,' she took a deep breath, 'that we all 
ought to agree ot to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, 
you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge -- or anyone else -- what we're 
up to.' "

That's hardly a contract. It was just a piece of paper actually. 
Hermione talked it into a contract, but at no point was that word 
used.

Tonks:
>> There is no excuse for what Marietta did,
just as there is no excuse for what Wormtail did.<<

HunterGreen:
You aren't trying to equate what Wormtail did with what Marietta did, 
are you? Because those are two very different situations. Wormtail 
was a member of an organization whose only aim was defeating 
Voldemort. The DA was originally set up as a study group to learn 
defensive spells. Maybe some of the members thought of it as an 'anti-
Umbridge' group, but that's not what it was. They weren't learning 
spells to defeat Umbridge. I think the 'anti-MoM' and 'anti-school 
rules' ideal that the group had is what made Marietta so 
uncomfortable. Was what she did wrong? Yes. No excuse for it? Not at 
all.

Tonks:
>> Blaming Hermione is not going to get Marietta off!! Hermione is 
not the bad guy here, Marietta is. She may be weak willed and we can 
have pity on her, but there is a very fine line between what she did 
and what Wormtail did, and we need to remember and learn from that.<<

HunterGreen:
Well, Hermione and whether or not the sneak mark was fair is what 
this thread is about. Marietta's actions were dragged in to get 
Hermione off the hook. I still think putting a hex on the paper 
without telling anyone about it was unfair, even if it was apt (i 
just think she should have warned everyone that that something will 
happen if they betray the group). 
And, again, there is not a fine line between what Wormtail did and 
what she did. There is a large disctinction between getting two of 
your best friends and their son killed, then framing another friend 
for the murder and killing 12 other people, and telling the 
headmistress about an illegal group that might get some students 
expelled (not KILLED). Considering the atmosphere of the school at 
the time, and the opinions of her family (her mother at least), I can 
guess there was a considerable amount of pressure on Marietta. I 
don't think she was right in telling, but I can understand why *she* 
thought it was the right thing to do (whereas, in Wormtail's case, he 
knew betraying the Order *wasn't* the right thing to do).