Failed Friendships / JKR's Opinion (was:Re:Draco, Narcissa and Harry)

horridporrid03 horridporrid03 at yahoo.com
Fri Dec 14 18:36:12 UTC 2007


No: HPFGUIDX 179863

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > ...will be exactly the same.  After all, they have the exact same 
> > issues passing between them: cut-throat quidditch games and way   
> > too serious attention paid to house points and all.  Slytherin   
> > and Gryffindor will never be friends.  The rift has won.

> >>Pippin:
> 
> Wh-at?? So, in your opinon the S/G hatred is about Quidditch and   
> House Points and has nothing to do with the fear of dark magic or   
> pureblood mania?

Betsy Hp:
That's correct.  I'm somewhat surprised to see you think 
differently.  I thought the books ended with the idea that there's 
not really such a thing as "dark magic" and I didn't see much made 
about "pureblood mania" either.  The final battle took place between 
two guys of a similar blood background and with similar views on 
magic use.  I mean, one was psycho and really into chaos, and the 
other was not psycho and more into order.  And it's cool the non-
psycho won.  But I didn't see any definitive statement about blood or 
magic being made.  I'd say that the statement made (if there was one) 
was about death.

> >>Pippin:
> But if so then all the Houses should be at each other's throats,
> and they're not. 

Betsy Hp:
Aren't they?  I mean, when the other Houses have a chance, they root 
for their House as shown in GoF with Hufflepuff Cedric. 

> >>Pippin:
> Besides which nobody cares much about House Points past third year  
> (we don't even find out who won the cup) and being too keen on      
> Quidditch as a grown up is viewed as slightly pathetic -- look at   
> Bagman. 

Betsy Hp:
Doesn't the WW quite like Bagman?  Arthur doing him favors and juries 
cooing over him as he's put on trial for being a death eater, etc.?  
And if no one cares about House Points, why was Harry ostracized in 
PS/SS?  And who was doing all the cheering when Gryffindor pulled it 
out in the end?

> >>Pippin:
> OTOH, at the end of DH dark magic has been defeated.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Huh?  *Voldomort* was defeated at the end of DH.  I suspect 
Unforgivables would still work.

> >>Pippin:
> Scorpius has surely been raised to think he has enemies, but I      
> doubt he's been raised to think dark magic is cool.

Betsy Hp:
I'm quite positive James thinks it's cool since his mom and dad 
thought it cool. (Though only if used for the greater good, of 
course. <eg>) 

> >>Pippin:
> <snip>
> And pureblood mania has been diluted -- flawed reproductive
> strategies are, after all, by definition self-limiting. 

Betsy Hp:
As per Ron, wizards are still very interested in the pedigree of 
those their children breed with.  It's just, some criteria has 
changed. (You know how fickle fashions can be. <eg>)


> >>Betsy Hp:
> > Actually, JKR's opinion count's the *least* in my opinion.       
> > Because she's the one trying to tell us something.  It's *the    
> > reader's* call as to whether or not she succeeded.  Like a pastry 
> > chef may feel he has placed the most delicious cake in the world 
> > in front of you, but it's your taste that will be the judge.

> >>Pippin:
> But it's not fair or useful criticism to douse the cake with catsup 
> and then complain that it didn't improve the taste, or insist that 
> the chef has made  an apple pie and as an apple pie the cake is    
> lousy.

Betsy Hp:
Of course.  Which is why I discuss the books here and not 
fanfiction.  So I look at what's been written and evaluate it.  
That's my opinion at play, not JKR's.  Now, JKR can tell me, "oh, 
this is a chocolate cake" but it's still *my* opinion as to whether 
or not I can taste the chocolate, or if it's a good chocolate cake, 
etc.

> >>Pippin:
> Like it or not, the author's intent counts for something.

Betsy Hp:
Right, and I'm not saying her intent doesn't matter.  What I'm saying 
is her *opinion* doesn't matter.

Betsy Hp





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