On lying and cheating

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 165399

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...>
wrote:

> 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.)

Valky:
Hi Carol. No I disagree with this analogy completely. How is this
comparable? We're not talking about Harry's "Grandmother" dying, we're
talking about **him** dying. This is that same as if the girl in your
story has said 'I was told this week that I have three months to live,
why should I care about your stupid essay whats so important about it?
I'm dying now and nothing can stop it.'

Carol:
> 
> And Potions, and Harry's academic career in general, *is* important 
> to him. He wants to be an Auror. 


Valky:
Yeah, he would like to be an Auror. But what makes you think he really
belives that's an option? He picked Auror from a list because he knew
what it was and because he had to choose something there and then and
tell his career counsel. Neither of these things are exactly the
measure of conviction, are they. OTOH we have the measure of Harry's
conviction and commitment to the fight against Voldemort. This bears
out in all his actions.



Carol:
> 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. 


Valky:
I'm not trying for excuses, I'm pointing out that good NEWT or cheat
NEWT, Newts don't matter to him. You said yourself, he's concerned
with what Snape and Draco are up to; he's also concerned with what DD
has to teach him, and he's concerned very strongly with the welfare
and happiness of his clasmates and friends, this is what he's
concerned about, he's not even that worried about Quidditch - when his
skull is broken and he wakes up in the Hospital the loser by a huge
margin it doesn't take him long to start worrying about who Malfoy is
trying to kill, again, and when he is kept from the final game by
Snape's detention it's not the end of the world like it usually has
been for Harry to miss an important Quidditch game in the series. 


Carol:
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. 

Valky:
I agree with that. But I don't think these standards (academic
honesty) are so high in this situation. I've said they are ultimately
petty and that's what I meant.