No sympathy for Kreacher

[Janet Anderson]

No: HPFGUIDX 124474

phoenixgod2000 points out:

>Besides finding the Kreacher talk in amazingly bad taste, I thought
>DD was wrong. He spoke about Kreacher being what other wizards *made
>him* but in other books he made sure Harry realized that it was the
>choices a person (or creature) makes which define them.

I am a 100% Dumbledore fan, but I think you are right about this.  Kreacher 
is no different than any other character in the book -- "It is our choices 
that show what we are."  And Kreacher is, in my opinion, to quote someone 
else, "a revolting little toerag," and if Hagrid ever visits Grimmauld Place 
and accidentally steps on him, I will be delighted.

Sirius Black was raised in the same hous.  Dobby was a house-elf for Lucius 
Malfoy. Lupin has been dealing for most of his life with anti-werewolf 
prejudice.  And none of them came within a mile of being anything like 
Kreacher.  (I don't believe in the ESE!Lupin theory.) Firenze was taught to 
hate and despise humans.  And what about Snape, former Death Eater?  All 
these people made conscious decisions -- CHOICES -- to do some things and 
not to do others.  If Dobby could make the choices he did, then Kreacher 
could also.  (I think Kreacher is probably mentally unbalanced, but then I 
think Winky is too, so I don't excuse Kreacher on that account, because 
Winky's bad choices such as alcoholism and self-neglect didn't impact the 
lives of others, the way Kreacher's did.)

And Kreacher *knew* what he was doing at the end.  That seems clear by the 
way he manipulated Harry.

Furthermore, if it were treatment that made the difference, then Kreacher 
would have responded positively to Molly's and Hermione's overtures of 
friendship.  Also, I think that even Sirius's roughest treatment was 
probably pampering compared to what Kreacher got under the regime of his 
beloved Mrs. Black.

In short, I put Kreacher on the same list as Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Fudge 
(yes, Fudge), and the Death Eaters -- I have no sympathy for him whatsoever. 
  He has made his choices, and those choices have shown what he really is.


Janet Anderson