[HPforGrownups] Umbridge Vs. Voldemort WAS: Snape's abuse

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 131855

Phoenixgod:
> I am shuddering as I type this, but I agree with you Betsy.  I think
> Snape is a bad teacher, and a bad man, but he is an whole different
> animal from Umbridge.  Snape is bad, but Umbridge is EEEEVIL. She'd
> be as bad as Voldemort if she weren't so wildly incompetent.

Umbridge, incompetent?  And Voldemort *isn't*?!

Now, I'm not going to argue that she's a master tactitian, but I hardly 
think she deserves the label of being more incompetent than He Who 
Cannot Kill A Boy He's Got Tied To A Gravestone And Surrounded By Death 
Eaters.

The Quill of Doom was an *excellent* tool for cowing and shaming 
troublemakers.  The IS was a brilliant move on her part -- nobody 
polices kids better than other kids.  Sending Dementors to Privet Drive 
nearly *did* work, and she did it without anyone in the
Ministry getting the faintest whiff of it.  Also, she was at least 
smart enough to guess Harry's plan when he snuck into her office to see 
if Sirius was at Grimmauld Place.

The difference between Umbridge and Voldemort, IMO, is not one of 
absolute "evilness" (because they are both so evil -- but in such 
different ways -- that it is hard to judge which is worse).  Nor is it 
a question of competency, really, although I think Umbridge is *far* 
more capable than Voldy has shown himself to be.

The difference is motivation.  Voldemort wants to rule the world; 
Umbridge just wants everyone to think and act the way she believes they 
should.  True, she is willing to go to shocking lengths to assure her 
world view is THE world view, but her goal is mostly bureaucratic, when 
you get down to it.  She's power-hungry, sure, but in a completely 
different way than LV.  She *loves* the structure of the government -- 
manipulating people and laws as she sees fit is what she does best.  
Voldy, on the other hand, would destroy the Ministry outright, and set 
himself up as dictator.

The most amazing thing about Umbridge is that she really is a *dismal* 
witch in terms of magical power.  Unlike LV, she's hasn't got the 
advantage of being one of the most powerful wizards in the world, and 
*still* she manages to be much more effective than him in executing her 
diabolical plans.  You gotta admire that.

Laura