Hermione must be stopped, or at least slapped

[amiabledorsai]

No: HPFGUIDX 149301

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ceridwen" <ceridwennight at ...>
wrote:

> Ceridwen:
> I couldn't stand Rita Skeeter.  I really couldn't.  She deserved
> to be  given to an amoral five year old in her bug form.  But the
> point is,  Hermione is fourteen.  It isn't her place to do any of
> this. 

Amiable Dorsai:
I thought Hermione's treatment of Rita was remarkably humane--she did
punch airholes in the lid of that jar.

 What should she have done?  Turn her over to the Ministry for a
stretch in Azkaban?  A week in a jar and a year on the dole is an
alternative I'd grab in a moment.

Rita declared war on a fifteen-year-old.  Sadly for Ms. Skeeter, this
particular fifteen-year-old could wage war right back.  She's lucky
that Hermione is basically a good person.

Ceridwen:
> It is never her place to play vigilante.  Not with Umbridge - Harry 
> thought of it late, but he thought of it - Snape was there, the only 
> remaining member of the Order.  Why not go to him instead of
> playing at commando diversions, before they got trapped into only 
> one way out?  

Amiable Dorsai:
Do you really need to ask why the name "Severus Snape" did not
immediately float to the top of anyone's consciousness when they
needed help for Sirius Black?

Ceridwen:
> And, not with Rita Skeeter.  It was no more her place to
> imprison Rita  Skeeter in a jar than it was right for the MoM
> to imprison Sirius Black  without a trial.  In fact, the MoM
> could get more of a pass because they are the WW's official,
> voter-approved body for taking care of such 
> things.  Hermione's action here was pure vigilantism.

Amiable Dorsai:
Pure revenge, I'd call it, though rather mild revenge.  Rita trashed
Hermione's reputation, spoiled her relationship with Mrs. Weasley, 
and got Hermione splashed with undiluted bubotuber pus--not to 
mention making life hell for several of Hermione's friends.  Rita
could have had all her good memories served up as Dementor chow. Do
you honestly think that would be better?

Ceridwen:
> And, not with Marietta Edgecomb.  Marietta, as it was explained
> later, had a real crisis in her personal life over the vow.  There
> was a  conflict that a fifteen year old child will find difficult
> if not impossible to handle.  Children should go to their parents
> with crises like this.  So, here's Hermione, punishing her for
> going to her mother -  and getting away with the punishment!

Amiable Dorsai:
As best I can tell, Marietta violated a magical contract--in other
words, she precipitated the punishment herself.  Hermione's major
failing here was to not make it clear to the rest of the DA what
exactly it was they were signing. And yes, it was a major failing, 
but it pales next to Marietta's treason.

I don't think you quite grasp the depth of Marietta's betrayal; she
could quite easily have gotten 28 students expelled from the only
magical school in Britain.  As it happened, she did get the 
Headmaster sacked and made a fugitive, and deprived her fellow
students of an opportunity to learn to defend themselves.  

These were the times that tried witch's souls--Marietta's was found
wanting.

Amiable Dorsai