The Train Scene GoF/ Hero vs Anti-Hero/Draco, Ginny, & Tom, oh my!

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 162486


Betsy
- I really can understand why 
> HRH lash out at Draco.  First of all, he's practically begging for a 
> response (he's *really* good at pushing buttons), and second, they've 
> all been under a lot of pressure and Draco makes a lovely scapegoat.  
> The Trio are children and they're still learning how to control 
> themselves.
> 
> I don't like that not one of them felt the slightest twinge of 
> regret.  I don't like that not one of them thought mistreating the 
> downed boys' bodies was less than admirable.  This is not how a hero 
> should feel.  He shouldn't revel in his enemy's loss.  It's too bad 
> that none of these children have a role model to take them aside and 
> explain why such behavior just isn't done.  (Gosh, there are so many 
> times I wish someone would take a member of the Trio aside and 
> say "do you really think that was fair/nice/honest, etc.?")
> 
> Betsy Hp

wynnleaf
First, just for the record, I think it's fairly clear that Draco isn't
actually making threats, he's making nasty taunting remarks.  The trio
don't respond as though they think they're in danger -- no
expelliarmus, or other defensive spells, just the hexes and jinxes
that insult - the kind of stuff people apparently do in the halls of
Hogwarts over various altercations.  If they *really* thought they
were being threatened, and didn't realize the others were about to
fire off spells also, then they were pretty silly to be casting
non-defense spells, weren't they?  But they weren't threatened.  They
were insulted.

Now, what about the aftermath?  JKR is careful to point out that the
boys did not drag Draco and Co. out into the hall.  They kicked,
pushed and rolled them out, and one of the twins was careful to step
on one of the unconscious boys.  Now while we might be able to excuse
this in the heat of the moment, why does JKR so specifically describe
their actions?  She did, after all, have the choice of the boys
dragging the unconscious bodies out the door.  But no.  She chose to
show them kicking unconscious boys.

And that's not all.  They continue their travels for what is obviously
hours.  The boys in the hall don't wake up to find themselves
incapacitated.  They don't wake up at all.  When the train stops in
London, they are still unconscious.  Now any self-respecting 14 year
old with a reasonable intelligence should realize that someone
unconscious for that long a period probably really needs help.  But
does the trio care?  Oh no.

And once again, JKR is careful to let us *know* they don't care,
having them all step over the bodies, hauling out their trunks and
other belongings.   And they go home without alerting anyone to the
unconscious bodies in the hall.  


With all the trouble JKR has gone to in order to show us the trio and
twins hexing some taunting boys into unconsciousness, kicking their
unconscious bodies, leaving them in a hallway for hours, and then
unconcernedly walking over their still unconscious bodies on their way
home -- I certainly hope she plans to eventually show us that Harry
and Co. really need to learn that the good guys are supposed to
actually be considered "good" because they act differently - not just
because they support the right side.

Remember how terrible Draco was to Harry on the train in HBP?  Why, he
shouldn't have felt threatened by Harry at all, right?  After all,
Harry was just hiding in his train compartment eavesdropping -- Harry
wasn't really a threat.  What had he ever done to Draco??  (hmm)  So
Draco froze Harry and kicked him (which is worse - to kick someone
who's unconscious, or frozen? - I don't know).  And then Draco left
him there and went on to Hogwarts.  And this shows us how mean and
evil Draco is, right???

wynnleaf