A Sense of Betrayal / Unforgiveables

[Katie]

No: HPFGUIDX 174250

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "vmonte" <vmonte at ...> wrote:
<<<SNIPPAGE>>>
> Besides the easy use of unforgivables, I really hated what Hermione
> did to her parents. I found this act particularly shocking. And
> it's freaking creepy the way it's casually mentioned in the book.
> Aren't Hermione's actions worse than brainwashing? Isn't what she
> did just another form of Imperio? Because Hermione is forcing her
> will on her parents. What ever happened to doing what is right
> instead of what is easy? Isn't it her parent's right to choose
> whether to go in hiding or remain at home?

***Katie:

I apologize if I post the generally same message twice - my computer 
crashed and I think my first post was lost. Forgive me if it shows 
up.

I have to completely, and respectfully, disagree with you. 
Hermione's Muggle parents could not begin to comprehend the danger 
they, and their daughter, were in. Had Hermione come to them and 
said, "Mum, dad, I am dropping out of Hogwarts to go on a long and 
possibly fruitless search for the soul pieces of an evil overlord, 
and after we find them, we're going to fight him to the death. 
Tea?", they would have either though she was insane, or they would 
have wanted to protect her. Either way, they would have been unable 
to understand the real danger they were in, because these things are 
not part of the Muggle world. 

Hermione was attempting to protect her parents from something she 
knew they couldn't be prepared for. They would have been utterly 
defenseless against wizards. She didn't want them to be tortured and 
die at the hands of Death Eaters. I would do the same for my mother 
and father.

She didn't Obliviate them, either. She implanted false memories to 
be removed later. 

Plus, I think it was pretty obvious that Hermione was incredibly 
upset about it. She was crying and visibly distraught when talking 
about it...so, I don't feel like it was mentioned casually. 

I feel like people are looking for reasons to dislike the Trio 
lately. These are good people, with good intentions, in an 
unfathomably difficult and dangerous situation, so I'm inclined to 
give them an occasional break. Plus, Jo has made it so clear that 
they are not meant to be seen as perfect. They have lapses in 
judgement, and they do questionable things occasionally. 

I have to say, however, that I *do not* think Hermione's protecting 
his parents is one of those lapses. I think it is commendable that 
she wants to protect them from things that are not of their world 
and that they have no natural defense against.

Just my .02, Cheers, Katie