Being Good and Evil (was:Re: Harry's arrogance (was Evil Snape)

[lanval1015]

No: HPFGUIDX 154549

> > Betsy Hp:
> <SNIP>
> > Look, two characters get branded in OotP: Marietta and Harry.  
We 
> > like Harry so it's Bad that he was branded.  We don't like 
> Marietta 
> > so it's Good that she was branded.  And that sort of moralizing 
is 
> > ripe for abuse.  Because you're not judging someone by their 
> actions 
> > or a set of rules.  You're judging them by how much you like 
them, 
> > and with your own sense of righteousness.
> 

Lanval:
Really, Betsy -- "branded"? A bit sensational for my taste, that 
choice of word. 'Marked', I'd call it. After all, it's not as if 
Hermione held Marietta down, wielding a red-hot iron, lowering it 
with a cruel smile, hissing, "Take that, Evil Traitor Wench!" :) 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the poor girl isn't described as being 
in pain either, is she?

Why does it seem so hard to understand that Hermione had very 
little choice? We have hindsight, of course, and know how the whole 
DA thing blew up. But Hermione could not have known that in advance. 
Keep in mind that she was well aware of another group of friends, 
who paid dearly for having a traitor in their midst and not 
realizing it. 

So here she is, trying to come up with a plan. The DA MUST be kept a 
secret. Expulsion, or worse, is at stake. But what if one of the 
members turns traitor? For all Hermione knows, any of them might 
decide to start passing secrets, over a period of time. Umbridge 
acted quickly, once she had the information, but again, Hermione 
could not know that in advance. If Umbridge had shown more 
patience and cunning, she might have encouraged Marietta to keep 
attending the meetings, and spy for her. The SNEAK mark made sure 
this was not going to happen.

It was absolutely vital that the sneak could be identified, 
immediately, and in a way that could not be hidden.

That having been said, it *was* cruel to let the effects of the hex 
linger for so long. A few days, a week maybe, would have served its 
purpose. I also wish Hermione had at least hinted at this 
unpleasantness, before the others signed her contract. It must have 
been clear to her that Marietta at least was a potential problem.

Lanval *crawls back into RL and lurkdom*