Mindset in the Wizarding World (was:Straightforward readings? )

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No: HPFGUIDX 140726

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...> 
wrote:
> Potioncat:
> The biggest eye-opener for me is the incredible damage Harry does to 
> Draco. I cannot get around the horrible injury he inflicted. I keep 
> forgetting that Snape was able to cure Draco to the point that he 
> could walk out. But more amazing is that the punishment was merely 
> several Saturdays of detention.
> 
> The WW has a very different mind-set.

I don't think that was the most extreme example.  If I recall, Draco 
tried to use Crucio on Harry.  What Harry did was self defense.

I think what James and Sirius did in the pensieve scene was worthy of 
expulsion.  If they got caught (and I admit that we don't know if they 
did) then they certainly weren't expelled.

And I think Sirius should have been brought up on criminal chages for 
sending Snape to a transformed werewolf but he wasn't even expelled.  
He might not have even been punished severely.  Afterall if they'd 
taken 500 points from Gryffindor then the other students would ask why 
and there would be a risk of Lupin's secret getting out.  (Of course, 
we don't know how strong the punishment was; it may have been like 
Harry's.) 

This may reflect Dumbledore's mindset more than the Wizarding mindset 
though.  After all, when Molly and Aurthur were in school the 
punishment for being out opast curfew left scars.  Maybe Dumbledore 
doesn't think punishement is the best way to make someone change his 
or her behavior.

On a side note, am I the only one who thought it was very stupid of 
Harry to just try spells on people when he had no idea what they did.  
He could have at least looked for Latin roots or tried them on mice 
first.  What would have happened if he'd tried that spell on McLaggen 
like he planned?

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