Broken potionvial WAS: Re: Bad Writing? (was: JKR and the boys)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 163268


> Neri:
> And I still don't see anything to suggest and accident here. The flask
> was on Snape's desk, and Harry had already turned away, so he didn't
> push it by mistake. I'm not saying an accident is *impossible*, but
> normally when an accident happens on page there's some explanation
> regarding its cause.

Pippin:
You mean like Aunt Marge's exploding glass and subsequent exploding
self?   Or Fudge's spattering inkwell? Accidents can happen even to old 
and experienced wizards, especially when they're upset. I don't have my 
canon with me, but  I believe Dumbledore said something to this effect 
at Harry's trial.

 I have to agree with Dan, if we attempt to judge who did what by 
their emotional reactions, we will mislead ourselves.  I think Ceridwen
was on the right track; what's important about this scene is what it
tells us about Harry, though I don't agree that it was pride that made
him hope that he had scraped an 'E'.

IMO, though he would drop dead rather than admit it, Harry  craves 
approval, especially from adult males. It just  maddens him to
have it withheld from him unfairly.

That's the string Snape always used to jerk Harry around. But
Harry didn't have to let him do it. Instead of letting himself 
fume over  how unfair it all is, he could have realized that 
he didn't need Snape's approval anyway or want to be the sort 
of person who seems to get it.

Ah, but very often the things we want most are the worst for us.

This incident of longing for approval foreshadows Harry's behavior
in HBP, where he made  dodgy use of the Prince's book for the
sake of the approval it got him from Slughorn. It could be Harry's
weak spot in Book Seven.

Harry wasn't tempted by  Scrimgeour, mostly because he knew
Dumbledore didn't approve of him. But it might work against him
if Harry is offered approval by someone whom he believes deserved
Dumbledore's trust. Hmmmm.....

Pippin