Fear as a Crime --Long (Re: muggle baiting )

[Andrea]

No: HPFGUIDX 156181

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03"
<horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
>>>Honestly if there *aren't* consequences for the good guys' bad
behavior, not only will the series lose most of it's magic for me . .
.<<< 

"If there aren't consequences for the good guys?"  Most of book five
deals with Harry and his friends being punished even when they haven't
done anything wrong. Harry's forced to cut "I will not tell lies" into
his hand so often that the words are scarred into his flesh.  His bad
behavior was telling the truth.  Hermione lost points for her house by
being a "mudblood," and daring to try to explain why she disagreed
with the DAtDA textbook author.  One of the twins lost his spot on the
house team for doing nothing but being the twin of the one who
attempted to teach Malfoy manners.  Granted, striking Malfoy wasn't
the best choice, but I think it was an understandable impulse.   

>>>. . . If she wanted us to simply cheer the twins terrorizing the
Dursleys she wouldn't have shown how utterly terrified Dudley already
was at having wizards visit, as you pointed out. If JKR thought
scarring a fellow classmate was a good thing, I really doubt she'd
have pointed out Marietta at the start of HBP. (Actually JKR did an
excellent job of showing how completely the DA collapsed, with former
members attacking each other before the school year even got started.)
. . .<<< 

I've never had the impression that I should feel horrified, or
concerned, on Dudley's behalf, with the single exception of the
Dementor attack.  I've always felt that JKR's shown that what happens
to Dudley (and his miserable parents) is cause/effect related.  What
goes around comes around.  That family has used every despicable means
to crush Harry, from lying to him about how his parents died to
keeping him in a closet for 10 years to locking him in a bedroom and
nearly starving him--it just seems fitting that they've gotten some of
their own back!


>>>. . . I'm betting she was happy with Dumbledore's petty bait and
switch with the House Cup at the end of PS/SS, for example . . . on
the more aggressively cruel actions, I think there's still another
shoe waiting to drop . . .<<<

I thought it was entirely appropriate that Harry's house should reap
the rewards of putting evil down--at least for one more year.  I
haven't seen any behaviors, from the "good guys," which I have thought
of as "aggressively cruel."  Different strokes?

>>>. . . I *loved* that Dudley punched Harry when the Dementors
attacked. Sure, he'd picked the wrong wizard, but having the hutzpah
to take on Harry after all he's suffered at wizards' hands... It was
enough bravery to prove that he and Harry really are family . . .<<<

The only sympathy I've ever felt for Dudley was when the Dementor was
having a go at his soul (if the cretin even has one).  I was appalled
by how twisted Dudley had become in just one year.  Dudley, if you
recall, was beating up on 8-10 year olds (with the help of his gang).
 I don't see his needling Harry as a display of "hutspah."  If Dudley
had not known Harry was forbidden to do magic, or if Harry were
allowed to do magic, and Dudley still stood up to him, then I'd agree.
 I find needling someone you think cannot defend themselves is one of
the most base forms of cowardice.

Andrea