[HPforGrownups] Re: Being Good and Evil ( Draco and a bit of Ron)/

[rebecca]

No: HPFGUIDX 154767

> Pippin:
> Medically, pimples and pustules are the same thing, AFAIK. We can't tell
> from that if Marietta's condition is improving. Saying that a fifteen year
> old did it so St Mungo's should be able to fix it is underestimating youth
> again. Hermione mentions at the beginning of HBP that there are old curses
> which can't be removed, so she obviously knows about them.
>
> Harry learned in Snape's class how unfair it is to be hated for things you
> can't remember, for lessons you haven't had a chance to learn, and to
> be punished as if you were a grownup for errors you made childishly,
> in naive ignorance of the possible consequences.
>
> Too bad Hermione hasn't applied those lessons to her own actions as yet.
> It was all very Snapish, I must say.
>
> If Hermione was worried about a Pettigrew style betrayal, she would have
> done better to explain her fears to the group. Then they would all be 
> aware
> of the dangers and they could all decide whether they wished to take the
> risk and what might be done to lessen it. Instead she let the whole
> 'Dumbledore's Army' thing be treated as a joke, yet she secretly
> enchanted the parchment to deliver a very serious punishment to
> anyone who betrayed the group. Of *course* she'd use a curse she didn't
> think  could be removed  -- the whole thing would be useless
> if Umbridge could have the traitor cured immediately.

Rebecca:

Actually, Pippin, I think she did actually worry about the "Pettigrew" style 
betrayal and she took the idea of trust between the members of the DA 
seriously as well.  She didn't treat it, IMO, as a joke and others, 
including Ernie Macmillian, didn't either:

'I - I think everybody should write their name down, just so we know who was 
here. But I also think,' she took a deep breath, 'that we all ought to agree 
not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing not to 
tell Umbridge or anybody else what we're up to.'



Fred reached out for the parchment and cheerfully wrote his signature, but 
Harry noticed at once that several people looked less than happy at the 
prospect of putting their names on the list.



'Er.' said Zacharias slowly, not taking the parchment that George was trying 
to pass to him, 'well. I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the meeting is.'



But Ernie was looking rather hesitant about signing, too. Hermione raised 
her eyebrows at him.

'I - well, we are prefects,' Ernie burst out. 'And if this list was found. 
well, I mean to say. you said yourself, if Umbridge finds out -'



'You just said this group was the most important thing you'd do this year,' 
Harry reminded him



In my opinion, she made them choose - put thy money (or this case signature) 
where thy mouth is. Some signed it right off the bat - others vacillated, 
which was quite interesting. Some would feel that it would have been better 
served ethically if no jinx was attached to the parchment the DA members 
signed, and I disagree with that. If you're committed to the cause and 
loyalty to your fellows in arms (so to speak) you're not going to think 
twice about signing anything. There is always a price to be paid on any 
contract where a signed party defaults (think of buying a house, a car, 
etc.)  That's just the way I see it, and everyone is free to have their own 
opinion.



Also, I wasn't discounting Hermione's youth at all - forgive me if I gave 
you that impression with my comment about St. Mungos. Actually, I'm giving 
her credit in a way, putting her jinx up with the big bad one on the opal 
necklace, which was very dark magic.



Rebecca