Choice of James as Head Boy (was Re: James, a paragon of virtue?)

[noesumeragi]

No: HPFGUIDX 123836



> "finwitch" wrote:
> Slytherin well... ambition? Resourcefulness? certain disregard for 
rules?   ready to do ANYTHING for your goal?
> Don't see Albus Dumbledore (or Aberforth) appreciating these 
values at all.
> 
> 
> skater314159 wrote:
> 
> (heavily snipped, more detail in post #123773)
>
> ambition: Hermione shows ambition in her school work (...) and 
McGonagal and Dumbledore support her by letting her have a time-
turner in PoA
> 
> resourcefullness: the trio have been VERY resourceful (...) and 
this is what allows them to defeat Voldemort and save the day.
>
> certain disregard for the rules: sneaking about after curfew under 
an invisibility cloak (that DD *gave* to Harry for his first 
Christmas...), (...)
>  
> ready to do ANYTHING for your goal: (...) they showed that Harry, 
Hermione and Ron are willing to sacrifice house points, their 
reputation or even their wellbeing to reach a goal that they have 
set for themselves. 
> 


noe now:

Exactly. DD uses and even encourage those traits when he deems that 
the goals obtained through that way are all good and right, exactly 
as Salazar Slytherin probably regarded his own goals about 
muggleborns and the like. 

But since those *neutral* traits were Salazar's chosen ones, 
Albus 'the biased gryffindor' cannot appreciate them *openly*, as he 
does when he gives out points for Gryffindor bravery and Hufflepuff 
loyalty.

At the end, Dumbledore chooses a coragenous, charismatic, 
gryffindor 'reformed bully' like James as a Head Boy . And yes, by 
then James has changed his ways and he is more matured; and yes, 
Albus respects and appreciates very much that kind of effort 
(fortunately also for DE!Snape); but I'm not *at all* sure that an 
ex-bully (or part-time bully, if you are teen!Snape) would make a 
good 'role model'. (exactly what I think the `Head Boy' post 
represents, IMHO)

Remember that Tom Riddle was also made Head Boy, so Slytherin 
qualities can be very much appreciated too.

noe