Role of ESE in Hero's Quest / McGuffins & Horcruxes / House Unity

[quick_silver71]

No: HPFGUIDX 147758

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03" 
<horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
> Betsy Hp:
> I'd love to! <g>  I actually like the House system and hope that 
the 
> end of the series won't see a Hogwarts without its Ravenclaws, 
> Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors or Slytherins. (I've got a bit of a 
> personal issue with this, I'll admit.  My college used to have a 
> house system and it was done away with after I graduated.  Which 
> means that freshmen no longer have an upperclassman roommate to 
show 
> them the ropes, that age group hangs with age group, and that 
> several old traditions no longer have a place.)  
> 
> However, I do think there's been an unhealthy seperation between 
the 
> Hogwarts houses symbolized by the Slytherins' outsider status. I 
> like what Jen D. says here on an unrelated topic:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/147714
<snip>
> I'm not expecting some sort of Hogwarts utopia though.  Just an 
> ability for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Gryffindor to 
> work together.  Which is something I expect Harry will need to 
make 
> happen in order to hunt down the remaining horcruxes.

Ahhh
I think that I understand a little better now. I've always 
taken a slightly different view of the house system and how it 
effects characters (Harry mainly) and what's its future is. To me it 
seems that as Harry ages he is gradually expanding his horizons and 
relationships with people outside of his house and outside of his 
typical views. So part of Harry's coming of age is that he realizes 
he's outgrown the house system and doesn't need it anymore. So when 
Harry makes relationships with Draco or (god help us) Snape it won't 
be because they represent their house to him (i.e. a token Slytherin 
friendship) but an acceptance of them as a person. So even if book 7 
features house unity as a theme it's ironic because Harry will be 
done Hogwarts (at least emotionally if not in theory). And it's 
ironic because it seems like a lot of the problems with the house 
system can be traced back Voldemort and by the end of book 7 
Voldemort will be gone (unless he wins
which would be an amazing 
twist if nothing else). 
 
> > <snip>
> > I maintain that the Horcruxes are in great danger to 
prove        
> > worthless junk (from the literary point of view, at least) 
even   
> > *before* they are found.
> > <snip>
> > Instead, JKR had Dumbledore, which is a classic Wise Old Man 
stock
> > character, inform the hero that in order to defeat the 
evil        
> > overlord he must locate and destroy several magical objects. 
The   
> > identities of these objects are completely arbitrary. 
Their       
> > magical properties are completely arbitrary. Their histories 
and   
> > hiding places are completely arbitrary.
<snip>
> And finally there are the horcruxes.  The reason I don't consider 
> them "plot coupons" is that I don't think they really fill that 
> function.  The horcruxes don't *give* Harry anything.  Which goes 
> against the video game analogy, I believe.  They *take away* 
> something from Voldemort.  And they're a perfect reflection of 
> Voldemort neurosis.  
<snip> 

I'm going to disagree with the Horcruxs noting giving Harry anything

they give him (and whoever comes along with him) experience fighting 
the dark forces. And they can take things away from Harry too

Dumbledore lost his life because of what happened in the cave 
(either directly or indirectly).  
 
> > >>Quick Silver:
> > Actually I'm not sure that Draco is going to be that difficult 
for
> > Harry to trust. Harry currently has a huge advantage over Draco 
in
> > that he saw Draco's little scene on the Tower with Dumbledore. I
> > wouldn't be surprised if Smith is harder to trust then Draco 
(I'm a
> > little of a Draco pusher).
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> Hmm, I think Harry would easily accept a broken and contrite 
Draco.  
> But what if Draco isn't all that broken?  What if Draco doesn't 
come 
> on bended knee, begging to make amends, but rather full of 
attitude 
> and knowledge of the difference he could make?  I prefer the idea 
of 
> an unbroken Draco, and he's someone I think Harry will find a bit 
> challenging to accept.  Though of course he will! <g>  
<snip>

Even if Draco comes with that attitude and knowledge that wouldn't 
take away that Harry has seen Draco at his most conflicted and 
making the hardest choices of his life. I didn't mean that Draco 
would be broken but that Harry will have some insight into him

insight that Draco doesn't really have into Harry. So even if Draco 
comes with attitude Harry will have seen what lies beneath. 

Quick_Silver