Dumbledore and Harry WAS: Re: Apologies and responsibility

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 139417


> Lady Indigo said:
> I meant approaching someone more like Dumbledore, who they knew
> they could trust and who could give them advice on how to best 
> present this to the Ministry so they'd be believed. 

Valky:
Hi can I just jump in here and reply to this. I have been enjoying
your spirited and thoughtful posts Lady Indigo, a whole lot. 
So I am a bit sorry to say I think that you might be against the wall
on this point about Harry's actions at the end of COS.

To answer this question. I'll remind you that Lucius was both in
charge of the Administration of Hogwarts at this time and behind the
attack on Hogwarts. Harry and Ron had no chance of reaching someone
with authority to act gainst Lucius' wishes, and Lucius was clearly on
the side of the Heir of Slytherin here, even at the expense of Ginny. 
McGonagall and Snape were equally tied by this constraint on reaching
help from Dumbledore. Harry's intuition served him particularly well
in this moment, he was the only one with access to the Chamber /and/
to help from Dumbledore. He simply had to do it or nobody could. 

I realise you are also saying he could have sought help from a more
competent teacher, but I think that to his mind, Snape and MacGonagall
where the options and neither makes themselves particularly approachable.

 

Lady Indigo:
> So you honestly think that, barring the need
> to save Ginny as soon as possible, their best course of action was
> to take justice into their own hands, and throw Lockhart down in the
> Chamber with them when they knew that he was incompetent and could 
> easily be killed?

Valky:
I don't think that they "knew" he was incompetent. Sherry and Alla
make the right points I think in citing Harry and Rons age and the
fact that Lockhart was the DADA teacher. I would say that they
certinly suspected he was incompetent, but as junior learners it is
likely that they stopped short of thinking that they had any claim to
knowing he was. I think they hoped, and I also think that they
intuitively thought that they hoped in vain, that Lockhart would prove
himself as good as the word in his books. When they got to the chamber
Lockhart attacked them, I am sure they hoped for better from him than
that.

IMHO, it was the best course of action, in the sense that it can be
said intuitive magic helped Harry to decide it. In the sense of
practicality in foresight, it seems like a ridiculous course of
action, I agree, but the practicality in retrospect is very solid.
I think I explained that as I meant it. :S

Valky
:D