Am I the only one...

[bciss1]

No: HPFGUIDX 134910

ersatz harry says:

> Still, I cannot agree that Hermione "falls apart" without the instructions, as you have said.

I have to agree with ersatz Harry on this one; I don't think that 
Hermione "falls apart" and I don't think that she is incapable of 
original thought and only following instructions either.  The way 
that I read it was that Hermione originally rejects the book because 
she sees it as cheating and later because she has a bad feeling 
about the HBP because of the dark spells written in the margins.  
This is just like when Sirius sent Harry the Firebolt in POA and 
Hermione didn't want Harry to fly it because she thought it was sent 
by someone with ill intentions.  Hermione is just more cautious than 
Harry and Ron and likes to be absolutely sure of her sources.  I 
think her refusing to use the book was absolutely in character for 
her--after all those suggestions could just have easily led to 
poisons or explosions rather than perfect potions grades.

bciss