Umbridge, detention, scars, and plotlines, oh my!.

[phoenixgod2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 125945


 > Betsy:

> And what he's trying to do for Harry is new 
> to him, as far as I can tell.  As far as JKR has shared with us 
> anyway.  So I don't expect him to fully fill the shoes of the "wise 
> old man" so common in myths and so beautifully illustrated by 
> Tolkien.

A human's amount of wisdom can be a whole lot. I expect better from 
DD. He's spend (probably) around twelve or thirteen *decades* as a 
teacher or headmaster of people exactly like Harry. And based on some 
of the earlier conversations with Harry (Mirror of Erisod), I get the 
feeling that he was probably a really, really good teacher, which 
speaks of a certain level of insight to the student psyche. after so 
long a time he should know that students make better decisions when 
they are given all the information possible. I cannot fathom that he 
would ever make the mistake of witholding information. I just can't 
wrap my mind around it. He should just know better. <Shrug> But then 
again I don't understand why he doesn't personally tutor Harry, 
either. That would be first thing I would do if I knew what DD does. 
 
> Betsy:
> Now this is *completely* believable to me.  It's happened too many 
> times in RL to be dismissed so easily.  Chamberlain is one historic 
> figure that springs to mind. Plus, Fudge has Lucius working on him 
> in the background.  And JKR set it up as early as PoA that Fudge 
was 
> a coward, completely unwilling to stand up to public opinion.  
Fudge 
> is one character quite comfortable in burying his head in the sand.

Okay, you're probably right about Fudge. I suppose it is sort of 
believable. My problem with him is that he is painted which such a 
broad brush he seems more of a caricature of a Chamberlin than a 
realistic portrayal of one. I just find it hard to believe anyone 
could be quite that blind. Blind to reality yes, but Fudge is just so 
stupid I can't quite believe it.    

 
> Betsy:
> I'm withholding judgement on Hermione until after the final chapter 
> is written.  There are things about the character that I don't 
like, 
> and I'm still not sure if JKR is consciously putting those things 
in 
> and there'll be a reckoning later on, or if she just bugs me at 
> times, and that's all there is to it.

Probably a little of both. I'm hoping Hermione really learns the 
lesson of humility that she so desperately needs.
 
> This essay by No Remorse is interesting - as is the comment thread:
> http://www.livejournal.com/users/no_remorse/41723.html
> It theorizes that *Hermoine* will be the member of the Trio to die -
 
> not Ron.

I don't believe that any of the trio are going to die but it is an 
interesting article.
 
> As to Ginny: I like her.  I think she's good for Harry in that she 
> doesn't tip-toe around him.  I'm not sure about their ship 
> potential... Erm, I'm lying.  I'm pretty sure JKR will end the 
books 
> H/G and R/Hr, as per the foreshadowing anyway (unless, of course, 
> Hermione dies).  I'm just not sure I like it.  But I do wish JKR 
had 
> developed Ginny as smoothly as she developed Neville.  (Though the 
> roughness may mean that Ginny isn't going to play a huge role in 
the 
> upcoming books.)
 
Ginny bugs. What you call not tip-toeing around Harry, I call 
obnoxiousness. Harry needs a sweet girl, not a little dominating 
Molly in the making (which is how I see Ginny). I'll feel a little 
better about them if Harry has at least one real girlfriend before he 
hooks up with Ginny, but right now, considering her greater 
experience in the dating world, I don't think they are on a level 
playing field.  I'm firmly convinced that the books will end R/Hr, 
but I hope you are right and Ginny doesn't play a huge role in the 
upcoming books, I fear, however, the opposite is true. Maybe she's 
going to play a huge role and JK needed her to be advanced to the 
level where she could particpate more fully--so she used shorthand to 
advance her character. I also think that HG is the most likly ending 
Harry/Ship, but I pray it ain't so.


> I like Ron with Luna.  I think Luna already has a bit of a crush on 
> him, and I think Ron deserves to have someone interested in him.  
> Plus, Luna seems to like Ron just as he is, so yay, Luna!

I don't think there is any question that Luna likes Ron and I think 
that in the next book he is going to go out on at least one date with 
her. I think Luna is going to serve as a bridge between Ron and 
Hermione, somehow acting as the catalyst that brings them together. 
Which is a shame because I think Ron would be happier with someone 
like Luna than with Hermione. I can't really see anyone could be 
happy with a girl who wants to act like your mom, but based on who my 
friends date, I suppose there are people out there who like the idea.

I still see a connection between Harry and Luna and I think she could 
be good for him. She isn't as in your face agressive as Ginny but 
neither is she quite as passive in the face of Harry's anger like 
Hermione. She's more like a reed bending in the wind, a young Taoist 
sage in the making. Someone who can flow with Harry's anger and 
divert it without agression.

phoenixgod2000, who also thinks we haven't heard the last on Susan 
Bones when it comes to the Harry shipping front. She's my dark horse 
in the race for Harry's love.