CHAPDISC: DH1, The Dark Lord Ascending

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 176242

Geoff:

I have to admit that I haven't had time to really look at the 
thread on Chapter 1 but looking at the questions set for the 
OWL candidates, one has occurred to me which isn't on the list 
and I wonder whether other group members might have any 
theories....

Why did JKR create Charity Burbage, Professor of Muggle Studies,
 just to be killed by Voldemort in Chapter 1?

She is effectively a non-entity. we have no other references to her 
and  I have to say that it left me emotionally untouched because 
she was a stranger, just another name in the long list of Voldemort's 
victims.That probably sounds callous but that often happens in real 
life situations.

Had it been a name which we knew - even one of the lesser known 
staff such as Professor Sinistra or Professor Vector - for me, that 
would have had considerably more impact than the unfortunate 
victim we briefly met here.