Sportsmanship in Harry Potter

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 151747

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at ...> wrote:
>
> > Geoff:
> > He did not "fail spectacularly". He had to be given hints as to 
> how to tackle the tasks but 
> > who was it who got the golden egg by dint of his prowess at 
> flying? It wasn't fake Moody.
> 
> a_svirn:
> I said he failed spectacularly *where cunning and resourcefulness 
> are concerned*. I did not question his flying skills. Or courage. 
 
Geoff:
He was cunning enough to know how to coax the dragon away from her egg and nearly 
managed it unscathed.

He took an independent decision to save Gabrielle as well as Ron; OK, you may say that 
the danger was percieved rather than real but Harry didn't see it in that light.

Crouch may have stunned Fleur and put an Imperius curse on Krum but he didn't help with 
the Blast-ended Skrewts, the Boggart, the Sphinx and the spider.

Harry, in fact, rescued Cedric from Krum and they worked together on the spider. Cedric 
admits to Harry: "That's twice you've saved my neck in here." (GOF "The Third Task" p.549 
UK edition).

I believe that he showed cunning and resourcefulness. I agree that he did not know that 
the tournament was being manipulated but the fact still is that, outside of Crouch!Moody's 
machinations, he did actually achieve some results on his own. Let's give a little credit 
where credit is due.

Harry needed a push to get him going but he didn't get the whole thing handed to him on 
a plate... That is an oversimplification of the events.