[HPforGrownups] Breaking rules/House points Was:Re: First potions lesson/Harry getting special t

[An'nai Jiriki]

No: HPFGUIDX 146013

Before beginning, thank you for clearing up my
mistakes.

--- annemehr <annemehr at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Chris:
> > Third, we don't know if Hagrid told DD that the
> trio
> > knew of Fluffy or that they knew how to pass him. 
> We
> > also do not know if Hagrid told DD that an unknown
> > person knew of how to pass Fluffy.  If Hagrid kept
> > this to himself, he was extremely irresponsible.
> If he
> > did tell DD any of it, DD then allowed the events
> to
> > take place by not changing the traps.  These
> things
> > are known as negligence in our world and are
> > prosicutable the same as the crime that was
> committed.
> 
> 
> Annemehr:
> Given that the "traps" were apparently quite
> passable by a fully
> qualified wizard with any sense (or, alternatively,
> three first year
> students), there has been what I think is sound
> speculation that the
> first six of them were there to slow one down and
> most likely to be an
> alarm for DD that someone was passing them ("No
> sooner had I reached
> London than *it became clear to me* that the place I
> should be was the
> one I had just left"). If that is true, then the
> fact that Hagrid told
> someone the secret to passing Fluffy would not have
> mattered much.
> Given the difference in the way Hagrid talks about
> it before and after
> the kids' trip down the trapdoor it's clear he
> didn't realise the
> significance of what he'd done until afterward.

Yes, DD realized something, but we only hear of that
as a passing afterthought.  If DD was the only one who
knew all the traps, that was irresponsible of him to
not let any other teacher know, especially with him
leaving the building. 

If Hagrid told DD about the stranger or Harry, DD
should have changed something to keep security.  DD
was irresponsible here.

Also, even if Hagrid realized his mistake afterwards,
after all he has been through, why would he not tell
DD he told others of Fluffy?  Granted Hagrid is not
the sharpest tool in the shed, even children know when
something is extremely important and will tell even if
it gets them in trouble. 


 
> Chris:
> > Finally, the trio snuck out after hours.
> 
> Annemehr:
> Again, condoned (by DD and JKR) in a good cause. 
> The DA is another
> example (not after hours, but definitely against the
> rules).

But children (and all Hogwarts students are children)
need to have defined boundaries. Only then can they
know they can cross them for a good cause.

Example, even us as adults know not to speed in our
cars, it's illegal (and I'm assuming it is the same
for non-USA countires as well).  But we all know if we
speed, we get fined. If we don't, we speed more often.
But we also know that speeding to a hospital to get
emergency care is excusable.

It's no wonder that Harry continously breaks the after
hours rule, it's not applied evenly.  He only fears
Snape and McGonagall. No other teacher punishes him
for being out. I include Remus on this because even
his little speech about being out fell on deaf ears.
 
> Chris:
> > Also, the reasons DD gave for
> > awarding the points was pathetic: 'Cool use of
> > intellect', 'the best game of chess Hogwarts has
> ever
> > seen', 'Pure Love'.  
> 
> Annemehr (with benefit of book):
> Actually, it was "cool use of logic in the face of
> fire," "the best
> game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years," and
> "pure nerve and
> outstanding courage."  

Thanks for the quotes, but my point still stands.  The
deuling club in book 2 should have generated thousands
of points if that reasoning stands. I'm sure the chess
club has had its player that put on a good game from
time to time. I don't recall many point given in later
books for courage or nerve.  

I think the point the books make is that being normal
(reletively) is not important.


> Chris:
> > The only points I think that were deserved was
> > Neville's, but even then, why should he be
> rewarded
> > for doing what is right unless everyone is awarded
> the
> > same.
> 
> Annemehr:
> *All* house points are awarded for doing what's
> right, and what
> Neville did there was not only right, but not easy.

But not all Slyths are evil and following LV or Draco.
They are doing what is right and it certainly not
easy. Why are they not rewarded as well?

And not all house points are awarded for doing
something right. Students receive points sometimes for
answering questions. 


To me the house points system only creates
competition, not cooperation. It will be very
unrealistic in the 7th book if all or some of the
house unite to defeat LV. Telling competing memeber to
work as a team never works under pressure, the
competition is just too strong. 

Mezu

"You irritate me. Kill me now." ~Javert, Les Miserables


		
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