On lying and cheating

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 165378

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Magpie" <belviso at ...> wrote:
>
> Valky:
> > How can Harry be choosing easy over right, IMO easy would be to care
> > about the rigmarole of academic honesty, easy would be to microcosm
> > his energy into a square of reality significant only to him and his
> > reputation as a student.
> 
> Magpie:
> Harry pretty much is doing that. He's dealing with his classes like any 
> other student, putting in the effort of lying about his book to give
himself 
> a reputation he doesn't need and get an easier time in class. 


Valky now:
I agree exactly, Magpie, he's doing it to get an easier time in class.

 

Magpie:
It's not a 
> sacrifice he's making as The Chosen One. 


I disagree with that, though. I say he wants an easier time in class
because he's got enough going on that is inevitably more pressing and
alarming to his senses. IIRC he even does contemplate once or twice
during HBP the 'normal' life that he doesn't have. And I'm sure that
normal life in his mind would include thinking about the Potions text
as an unfair advantage in school rather than a potential tool that
could arm him and prepare him in his future battle against Voldemort
and the DE's. The fact is he doesn't feel he has the luxury of looking
at the potions text that way, all he feels he can, or should, focus
upon, is becoming a better wand wielding warrior, for the sake of the
wizard world and the people he loves. Pleasing Slughorn in class would
surely seem like a petty and unimportant goal, while the option of
having the onus to do that off your back while you concentrate on
other things that you feel are vital.. wouldn't that seem the right
path ?  





> How does not lying about his interest and skill 
> at Potions take away from that role?


Valky:
In a nutshell, it saves timeyou would otherwise spend worrying about a
student status that won't save you from Voldemort.  


> 
> Valky:
> Whats easy about accepting at the age of
> > sixteen that the weight of the world rests on you getting one moment
> > in your life perfect even if its your last, whats easy about knowing
> > that you are marching towards an early death where what you achieve as
> > a sixteen year old in your academic career is just so profoundly
> > academic as to feel like a complete waste of time?
> 
> Magpie:
> So maybe he should quite school! Lots of teenagers do, when they think 
> academics is a waste of time. 


And go where? To do what? 

The fact is Hogwarts was central to everything he knew he needed to
know about his destiny and his fight with Voldemort, because
Dumbledore is there.
The moment DD was buried Harry did quit school. Telling, No?



> It seems like you're trying to argue that since Harry 
> has been forced into a life that isn't easy, easy-versus-right no 
> longer applies to him.

Not at all.

Like I said, what he was choosing wasn't what was easy. It was hard
for Harry to not be like other students. I'm not saying it was
necessarily right that he did use the potions notes secretly, or that
he made no mistake in his judgement. Harry blunders a lot of times in
the series, and this is probably one of them. What I am saying is that
there is no way he could have thought for a second that getting good
marks would make his life ultimately easier in the way Carol was
implying. Not with the constant threat of a final 'to the death'
showdown with Voldemort looming close on the horizon. There is no way
to believe getting good grades no matter how will make that easier. 

JMHO, as usual.

xxoo
Valky