Bathroom Scene - A Different Perspective

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 165144

Alla:
> > Harry **thought** he was having true Crucio thrown at him? Harry 
did not let him finish the way I read it, so as far as I know Harry 
has himself to thank for that he responded when Draco was still 
saying the spell and shut him up right away.

Magpie:
> What's the matter with saying Harry thought he had one being thrown 
at him?  I said, quite reasonably imo, that we have seen a teenaged 
boy try to throw Crucio and apparently not really "mean it" in the 
correct way to throw one for real.

Ceridwen:
*ducking and donning MOPP suit*  I tend to look at the difference 
between effective and ineffective Cruciatus curses a little 
differently than I've read elsewhere.  To me, when Harry attempts his 
two Crucios, and when Draco attempts it in the bathroom (why, oh why, 
couldn't he have chosen the Quidditch pitch???), their tempers are 
Hot:  Quick flare-ups, quick cool-downs.  When Bellatrix and other 
seasoned Cruciatus throwers do them, their tempers are Cold.  They 
mean to inflict pain, so they don't need the heat of anger to do 
them, they just need the cool of deliberate malice.  Draco was 
already heating up - crying, upset, afraid for himself and his 
family, and discovered crying by a fellow student.  He was too Hot to 
be cool enough to cast an effective Crucio, in my opinion.  Just as 
Harry was upset and grieving and angry when he attempted to give 
Bellatrix the same pain he was feeling for Sirius.

Alla:
> > Since Longbottoms are the **only** victims of longterm Crucio I 
seem to remember in canon, I'd say they are supposed to be an example 
of what happens, not an exception to the rule. IMO of course.

Magpie:
*(snip)*
> Plain vanilla Crucio isn't enough for Harry in this scene?

Ceridwen:
> The Longbottoms were tortured beyond endurance by seasoned 
Cruciatus pros, reprobates who enjoy torture for its own sake, and in 
my opinion, who saw their insanity as a pleasant by-product of a 
successful, drawn-out torture session.  Crucios we've seen in canon 
really have been of the Vanilla variety.  Fortunately, we didn't 
witness the scene with the Longbottoms.  I think that showing 
something like that in a kid-friendly series, even if the kids are 
growing up with that series, would only lead to a Rocky Road.  <g>

Alla:
> > So, what does that mean if not underrestimating the effects of 
Unforgiveable? Thanks to Harry, Draco Crucio ended up in nothing, it 
could have ended totally different.

Magpie:
> It could have ended in a blast of great temporary pain for Harry, 
yes.

Ceridwen:
And, I don't think it could have lasted nearly long enough, even if 
Draco had been able to cast a successful Cruciatus (which I doubt, 
see above), because Moaning Myrtle would have had her ten-conniption 
fit then, too.  Even without Myrtle, Harry's own screams would have 
brought Snape, who seemed to be nearby, running.  And even if you 
think Snape is the king of ESE, he would have to have stopped the 
casting of an Unforgivable in that setting, or Moaning Myrtle would 
have broadcast *that* all over the school.

Ceridwen, who is not removing the protective clothing until the All 
Clear sounds.