[HPforGrownups] Re: Academic dishonesty

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 139600


Magda:

>  Nor do I find Hermione's attitude unsympathetic.  She's not jealous
>  of the unknown Prince, but she's a mite ticked that Harry - after
>  years of cheerfully accepting her help with a variety of subjects -
>  has now taken up with a new study aid and feels safe enough to openly
>  blow her off. 

Harry was willing to share the notes with Ron--who couldn't read them.  
I'm sure that he would have let the Hermione use the notes out of 
class. if she had wanted to.  I think a couple of other issues involved 
in this disagreement.

One, it believe It points out again that children from wizarding 
families have an unfair advantage at Hogwarts.  This was Snape's book 
and where did he get the notes? I'm sure he didn't come up with them in 
his dorm room.  Potions is rather like a chemistry lab.  I doubt that a 
student would be able to fire up a cauldron in the dorms to practice.  
Not sure that one could use an empty classroom either.  I'm sure that 
teacher's would want to supervise any potion-making...just in case.  
Either Snape had time to experiment on his own in the summer or somehow 
he had received outside instruction.  Since this book is old enough to 
be Snape's mother's book, I guess that the notes may have been from 
her.  There is a sense in which Harry, who comes from a wizarding 
family,  is receiving the help that he perhaps would have been getting 
all along, if his parent's had lived.

Two, it points out that Harry is more willing then Hermione to take 
risks and trust his intutition.  At first, it was quite risky on 
Harry's part to follow them--the notes had not proven themselves.  It 
wasn't until Harry realizes that the notes are superior to the text 
that Harry's using them without owning up to his source is little 
questionable.  It does point out though that if Hermione wants to make 
her mark in the academic or real world that she has to be willing to 
branch out a bit.  She is too determined to stay on the accepted course 
even when the course is not working for her.  I believe this 
foreshadows why Harry will be a great wizard and Hermione may end up 
being a very good one.  Why?  As the sorting hat said, Harry's has all 
the ingredients fro being great--he's intelligent enough, supremely 
talented and ambitious.  He's also very brave.

Barbara Roberts (Ivogun)




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