Chapter Fourteen of HBP; aka Lupinlore's Big OOPS

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 128674

I've noticed in the responses to Tigerpatronus' HBP prediction 
challenge that most people (including me) have chosen Felix Felicis 
for the new DADA teacher.  However, over on Sugarquill, I've been 
reminded that the chapter entitled "Felix Felicis" is numbered 
Chapter Fourteen.

Now, one would expect that, if Felix Felicis was a person, he would 
be introduced in the chapter named for him.  That's the way in 
worked with "Luna Lovegood" in OOTP, and although it isn't definite, 
it would seem very odd if that weren't the case.  Chapter Fourteen 
is awfully late to be introducing the new DADA teacher.  Even if we 
allow for a lot happening in the summer, the Hogwarts' year should 
be well underway by then.

Therefore I'm going to have to revise my thinking (although not my 
prediction for the contest, since fair is fair).  It seems more 
likely that Felicis would be the new Minister of Magic.  Chapter 
Fourteen would not be very late to introduce the new minister -- in 
fact part of the earlier chapters may detail what happens to Fudge 
and those around him.  Felix Felicis is related to the Latin 
for "lucky, fortunate, happy," so maybe the new minister is a 
dunderhead whose career has been based entirely on luck.  This is a 
common kind of character in political satire (not to mention Gilbert 
and Sullivan), and such a person might make an (i.e. non-
threatening) compromise candidate in the wake of a ministerial 
scandal.

Also, JKR has a very negative view of government.  She might find 
having a simpleton chosen for Minister at the moment of crisis to be 
amusing, and perhaps even true to life (speculating on her views 
here, not stating my own).

What would this mean for our heroes?  Well, such characters are 
generally portrayed as bumbling but benign, so he would be an 
improvement over Fudge in the way he personally interacted with 
Harry, et. al.  However, he would be likely, like Fudge, to listen 
to bad advice, since he would be unable to comprehend the crisis 
facing the Wizarding World, much less act on it.  Thus the Ministry 
would be paralyzed just as Voldemort makes his power grab.  

The Order, then, would have to act as an unofficial war ministry as 
far as the struggle against Voldy goes.  And it would have to do so 
just as two of its key members, Harry and Snape, are arguably more 
interested in fighting each other than Voldemort.

Just some theorizing.


Lupinlore