Sympathy to the characters WAS: Respecting the Dursleys

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 159733


> Magpie:
> I've always thought that strong Gryffindor taboo of not picking on those 
> weaker than you are was one of those things where the memory of the text is 
> corrupted--it's not there.  

Pippin:
Oh, it's in the text alright.

"Their daring, nerve and chivalry/Set Gryffindors apart"

It's the chivalry that sets the Gryffs apart from the "any
means to achieve their ends" Slytherins. 

After all, the Slytherins are also daring and resourceful, the
difference being, as Phineas points out, that they save their 
own skins first.

Percy has age, authority, twelve OWLs and Molly on his side. 
I think he'd be highly insulted if you told him he was weaker
than the Twins. 

When the Twins do go after someone weaker than themselves
they get called on it,  usually by the Gryffs themselves. Hermione 
tries to protect the first years, and while she doesn't entirely 
succeed, the Twins seem to regard it as a fair cop and don't 
retaliate against her, contrary to what Ron seems to fear 
(perhaps because he is the one with the mean 
streak.)

The cabinet was not chivalrous, and Hermione  considers
turning the twins in. It may be that Bill's mutilated face is also the
innocent victim of her cowardice and/or zealotry --would her 
own anti-snitching curse have struck her down if she had?


Pippin