Squib!Harry in the WW (was:Re: The Scar)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 160336


> Ken:
> 
> The WW is *defined* by those who do magic but they have defined it 
to
> include others: spouses, siblings, squibs, parents, and the 
occasional
> PM. Harry can fit into that, it is more than speculation on my 
part.
> At the very least he would fit in somewhere between Hagrid and Mrs.
> Figg. The WW is not our society yet it is comprised of human 
beings,
> not aliens from another planet. There is no reason to suppose that 
the
> WW would turn its back on a disabled member any more than we do.

Magpie:
Actually, I think there is good reason to suppose that they might 
turn their back on a disabled member.  For six books there's been no 
problem with Magical people considering themselves superior to non-
magical ones (and Hagrid is a Wizard).  There's no hint of any kind 
of true support system for the non-Magical, while we have plenty of 
examples that the non-Magical are ostracized or not spoken of.  From 
what I've seen the parents of Muggleborns especially are stripped of 
their normal parental roles. It feels like the only reason the 
possibility of such inclusiveness is being suggested now is because 
we're discussing a hypothetical situation where Harry, one of our 
superior characters, would suddenly be one of them.  So now the WW 
is being endowed with the level of open-mindedness we have in 21st 
century Muggle society, where a non-Magical person is like someone 
with a physical disability understood to be the equal of those 
without disabilities, but I just don't think they have that.

My point isn't that nobody could come up with a way for Harry to 
have a life this way--of course they could.  It's probably been done 
by a lot of fandom writers.  My point is that I see no sign that the 
author has prepared for such an ending for her character.

Ken:
 A
> power-less Harry might not find a place he could accept, not 
everyone
> does, but he certainly could find a place in the WW that many 
would be
> happy with. 

Magpie:
Sure--we've got examples of Squibs who exist in the WW.  Muggles who 
are married to Witches and Wizards but presumably live lives in the 
Muggle World.  But my point isn't that Harry would have nothing to 
live for without Magic.  It's that I don't think the author has at 
all set up this alternative for Harry--or any of the characters we 
know.  

 
> Ken:
> 
> I think you are too caught up in one gift of many that Harry has. 
His
> magical education and experience would allow him to edit books at a
> magical book publisher, it would allow him to work at the Ministry 
of
> Magic in a variety of capacities, he could help run the twin's 
budding
> business empire, he could be a Quidditch commentator, he could be a
> reporter, he could emulate his creator and write books, he could 
help
> Hermione run SPEW ... the possibilities are as endless as the human
> imagination. An understanding of magic at the level Harry has 
mastered
> would allow him to perform many tasks that ordinary squibs and 
muggles
> could not. 

Magpie:
And this is all fine if we were talking about Harry the real person, 
but it doesn't read like something that's been reasonably set up by 
the story Rowling is writing.  Harry the Quidditch commentator, 
writer or reporter or helper of Hermione running SPEW don't seem to 
come out of the Harry that we've seen so far, imo.  Particularly not 
Harry suddenly becoming a helper to one of the supporting characters 
instead of the leader or loner he's always been. Vernon might be 
able to get him a job at the drill factory despite his not having an 
education too, but I don't think that ending would fit either.

Ken:
> No, I don't expect this to be the way the series concludes. I do 
think
> it is a plausible conclusion and I think it could be used to convey
> several powerful messages. I expect that Harry will remain a wizard
> and I hope that he will survive to old age.

Magpie:
Then we're arguing at cross-purposes.  I'm not trying to say that 
Harry, if he were a real person, would be unable to live any kind of 
life without Magic.  I'm arguing that in terms of the story the 
ending has to come out of what we've seen before, and a magicless 
Harry starting out in life feels like ending the story with one big 
question mark or starting a new story.

BTW, I think it's PS/SS that Harry has fears of being Hagrid's 
assistant.

-m