[HPforGrownups] Hermione's Hex ...

[puduhepa98 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 160710

Alla:
> 
> But, but but the defensive part meaning that this  would be the 
> defense against Umbridge, no? That they will know and  Umbridge will 
> not be able to do anything to them?
 
>Ceridwen

>No matter what Hermione privately thinks, and no matter how Harry  and 
Ron see the club, nothing is said to the others that would make them  
think this is more than what it is advertised to be. Ginny makes a 
joke  about calling it Dumbledore's Army, and it is written on the top 
of the  membership list that is later confiscated by Umbridge and her 
IS. But the  official reading of the initials means something 
different.

>So  far, also, Umbridge has been a slimey character, but has not done 
anything  (to anyone's knowledge, she doesn't confess to the Dementor 
connection until  much later in the book) to merit a war being 
declared against her. The only  problem as far as the DADA class is 
concerned is her ineffectual teaching of  the subject.
 
Nikkalmati:
 
But think about the consequences for the students if even a study club is  
discovered by DU.  All unapproved clubs are illegal.  It must have  been 
apparent to Marietta that she was stabbing her friends in the back.   It is not as 
though she had independently discovered wrongdoing by the students  and felt she 
had to report it.  Everyone there "trusted" her.  She  gave her word.  I 
don't see how learning to repel Dementors was an attack  on the MOM.  No one would 
want to be on the wrong side of a Dementor and  the spell was defensive only. 
 No excuses for Marietta here.
Nikkalmati
 
>Pippin
<snip>
>If she wants justice, then she needs not only to be as critical
of  her friends as she is of her enemies, (she's got that part!)
she has to be as  forgiving of her enemies as she is of her 
friends. Nothing less. Of course  that's not as much fun as 
beating the snot out of bad guys. Maybe that's why  no matter 
how many bad guys get the snot beat out of them, justice still  
seems so very far away?
<snip>
 
Nikkalmati:
 
Not exactly.  Neither Rita or Marietta were going to be punished by  the 
authorities for the terrible things they did.  I object to the scenario  where 
evil people can get away with things because good people are too righteous  to 
oppose them.  Everyone has to be aware that you can't go about sowing  havoc and 
assume no one will ever get back at you.  Someday you'll get  nailed.  "All 
that is necessary for evil to triumph is for a few good men  (or girls) to do 
nothing." (Burke).  (Lets all wring our hands and say  "wasn't that terrible, 
but it is somebody else's job.)

>montims: 
> I recently reread this book, and was horrified at the actions  of
Ministry-sanctioned Umbridge, which were so much worse than I had  remembered
- there are strong parallels to the rise of Naziism in Germany,  for example,
particularly with the continuous new decrees prohibiting and  limiting
student actions.  Just what the Nazis did in Europe with the  Jews - decree
by decree limiting their movements and rights... 
 
Nikkalmati:
 
Absolutely, I think the pattern is clearly there in JKR's writing.   Step by 
step, the decrees, the official backing, the brown shirts etc.   Nobody does 
anything out of fear of retribution and then comes the spying, the  betrayal.  
It  fits.
 
Nikkalmati (hurray for the twins, who did not desert the DA, but  carried the 
battle to new heights and new  territory)  


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