Why should Harry be expected to listen to anyone at Hogwarts?

[imamommy at sbcglobal.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 122759


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Lupinlore:
> There has been a huge discussion about Harry and whether or not he
> should trust Snape.  My question is why on earth would Harry trust 
> any of the staff at Hogwarts?  Because they are teachers and he is a
> student?  That is balderdash and reprehensible balderdash at that. 
> Were  Harry my son I would be praising him to the skies every 
> summer for refusal to place trust where trust has not been earned.  
> It is the responsibility of the teacher to prove themselves worthy 
> of trust and respect, not the responsibility of the student to 
> respect someone just because they managed to wangle a job out of 
> some Board of Trustees.
>  
> Tonks now:
> I totally disagree. A teacher or anyone in a position to be one's 
> superior is to be treated with the respect afforded their office. 
If 
> a parent has a problem with a teacher they have the right to be 
> heard. And if there is justification, the teacher can be let go. 
But 
> a CHILD is to be respectful to every adult simply because they are 
> an adult. And to a teacher because they are the child's superior. 
> They do not have to like the teacher, and they do not have to think 
> that the teacher knows best, they just have to treat the teacher 
> with respect. In a civilized society that is what people do!!! 
> Haven't we all had this arguement before?
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Sorry, Tonks, , I am with Lupinlore. Harry has no parents, 
therefore 
> he cannot complain to them about abusive teacher
> 
> If adults  don't care much about his emotional and physical well 
> being, Harry should protect his own interests, if there is no one 
to 
> interfere on his behalf, IMO.
> 
> Respect to the teacher, who mistreats him. Why? Simply because he 
> calls himself a "teacher". I say it is not enough to respect him.
> 
imamommy:
These issues, IMO, boil down once more to free agency.  Harry chooses 
to attend Hogwarts, of his own free will and choice.  He chooses whom 
to trust there.  He had until OOP chosen to trust DD.  If he is going 
to stay at Hogwarts, he is going to have to decide to place trust in 
some of his teachers, or he may as well not be there.  

He does not choose to trust Snape, but we have yet to see if he is 
choosing wisely.
 
> Lupinlore said:
> Who has earned Harry's trust (in terms of staff)?   Certainly not
> McGonagall, who shows herself time and again to be incompetent at
> securing fair treatment for him (Snip) And yes, it IS McGonagall's 
> job to secure justice for Harry in these situations.  This is 
> especially the case in that Harry has no parents to intercede for 
> him independently.  Certainly Harry cannot trust Snape, and 
> DEFINITELY not Dumbledore, whose sins against Harry are so numerous 
> that they can't be numbered. (SNIP)
> 
> 
> Tonks now:
> McGonagall is Harry's teacher, not his parent. Yes, he has no 
> parents, but things are tough all over. She is not his parent and 
it 
> is not her job. Her job is to teach and as Head of House to make 
> sure that the students are safe and well behaved.
> 
> Alla:
> Let me ask you a question. WHOSE job is it to protect Harry from 
> unfairness? Because I thought that if child is an orphan, the job 
of 
> his Head of the House is more than just to teach him.
>
imamommy:
I think McGonagall does quite a bit, behind the scenes, for Harry.  
Yet she also has a whole house full of students to look after, as 
well as lessons to prepare and teach, as well as relationships with 
her peers to maintain.  And I feel that she more than anyone gives 
the fairest discipline to Harry.

Also, Harry doesn't seem to expect her to fulfill any role other than 
what she has been doing.  He does not seek her counsel or 
assistance.  In the few instances where she freely offers it, he 
seems grateful, but he does not seek it.
 
> 
> Tonks:
> As to the comment about Dumbledore... I am with Hagrid. My wand is 
> out and pointed toward you >>>>  Never insult Albus Dumbledore in 
my 
> presence!!!!!
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> As I said earlier today, when I am in the good mood, I can be 
> forgiving towards Dumbledore, because he (contrary to Snape) seems 
> to be sorry at the end of OOP, but I absolutely agree with 
Lupinlore 
> that Dumbledore's sins against Harry are numerous.
> 
>
imamommy:
If I am not mistake, my tea leaves foretell that Harry is going to 
have to recognize, accept, and then forgive DD's numerous mistakes in 
order to reach the emotional strength he will need for the climax of 
the series.