On lying and cheating

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 165386

Carol earlier:
> > > > You're still missing the main point, which is that *Harry is >
receiving credit for the HBP's research and creativity.* <snip>
> > >
>
Valky:
> That's a fair statement, but, isn't it also a fair statement that in
this year of Harry's life whether he is comprimising the integrity of
his academic record is hardly the epitome of importance. Consider the
end of his fifth year, he was possessed by Voldemort, he tasted death,
and he lost one of his dearest loved ones all in one day... and then
afterwards he is sat down by his mentor and informed that any day
now.. could be tomorrow.. definitely very soon.. you will fight
Voldemort to the death. You'll die or you'll be a murderer.. but
either way the wizard world is counting on you to win Harry..
>
> And after all of that, Harry is supposed to care much and feel
guilty if he is getting through potions class without having to work
hard, while learning powerful spells and techniques from the
mysterious book?
>
> 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. 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?

Carol responds:
Hi, Valky. I'm afraid that you're comparing apples and oranges, or
rather. watermelons and kumquats. The fact that he's facing graver
dangers than everyone else (although everyone else is also in danger
with Voldemort back) does not excuse intellectual dishonesty, any more
than a former student of mine could excuse plagiarizing an essay from
the Internet with her grandmother's death. (She was lucky I didn't
have her expelled.)

And Potions, and Harry's academic career in general, *is* important to
him. He wants to be an Auror. To do that, he has to score well on his
NEWTs and take additional rigorous training. Will the Aurors want a
kid who claims other people's research as his own?

As for the dangers he's facing, they're not on Harry's mind. He's safe
in Hogwarts, so he thinks. He's concerned about Quidditch, Ginny, and
what Draco and Snape are up to. So, sorry. No excuses. Doing what's
right over what's easy has nothing to do with other hard aspects of
Harry's life. We do not give the kid a break because he's the hero. We
hold him to high standards because he's the hero. Otherwise, we'd just
teach him the Unforgiveables and other Dark Curses, send him after
Voldemort to dispatch the bad guy, and be done with it.

And draco at the moment is facing graver dangers than Harry, death
threats to himself and his family if he doesn't complete his mission
for Voldemort. Would those threats excuse him from using the HBP's
book and claiming credit for his improvements (not just peppermint
leaves) or turning in a borrowed Bezoar without doing the assignment?
Why hold Harry to a higher standard than Draco when both are facing
danger and Draco's is more imminent and pressing?

Carol, hoping she doesn't sound sarcastic but surprised that Valky
would offer such an argument