In Defense of Molly Weasley (Long)

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 175103

Pippin wrote:
> One could argue that Bella, although  trained to fight aurors,
> is defeated by Molly for the same reason that every so often a
> rank amateur at chess takes down a grand master: the amateur's
> tactics are so wildly unconventional that the master's experience
> isn't much use. 

Ginger:
I found your whole post to be insightful, Pippin, but snipped all but 
this bit.

Molly is certainly not trained as an auror might be, but she does 
have that mama-bear-protecting-the-cubs thing going for her.  

Maybe I've missed it in other threads, but it seems to be missing in 
this one:  Bella couldn't have beaten Molly.  She couldn't have 
beaten anyone.  After Harry got back from his out-of-body journey, 
everyone on the good side was protected. 

Bella was only fighting others to a draw.  Molly was the one with the 
power to finish her off.  Does this take away from Molly, saying that 
Bella couldn't have defeated her?  Not a bit.  

As you point out, Molly's tactics were probably not the ones that a 
trained pro would use.  Bella was previously fighting people with 
training.  Before Molly stepped in, Bella was fighting kids from the 
DA.  Molly comes in all hell-bent-for-leather, and defeats Bella.  
I'd bet she pulled something Bella didn't expect, and, as you also 
pointed out, Bella does underestimate her as she underestimated 
Sirius.

Ginger, who thinks the whole Molly-defeats-Bella was a great moment.