New wizard of the month on JKR website

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 171140

Alla wrote:

> > I wonder whether the fact that Godric was the most accomplished
dueller of his time can give us any hints about DH? I mean, the fact
that he was an enlightened fighter against Muggle discrimination while
pleases me a lot to hear it again, nothing new, no?
> >
> > But Dueller? If Godric Heir, be it Harry or not is revealed, will
he or she have fantastic, unmatched duelling skills?
 
Cassy responded:
> 
> Well, we know that Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was
younger. How would you like him as a heir of Griffindor? ^_~
>

Carol responds:

Do we "know" that? Hermione states it in CoS as a rumor she's heard,
and rumors around Hogwarts aren't necessarily true. I keep thinking of
Flitwick sent flying in his own class by misfired Banishing spells. I
can't imagine him as a dueling champion. It sounds like some student's
idea of a joke to me. Certainly, Flitwick has never been proposed as
DADA teacher, and I don't see how the DADA curse could hurt him except
by revealing his unsuitability for that post. (Maybe he'd be hit by
simultaneous Stunning Spells from his own students and hospitalized.)
At any rate, McGonagall sent *him*, not some other teacher, to fetch
snape. If Flitwick were a duelling champion, surely she'd have wanted
him to stay there and fight off the DEs rather than acting as
messenger. Nor would they have so urgently needed Snape's help if
Flitwick were a dueling champion. (That Snape didn't provide the help
is beside the point.)

Also, I can't imagine the Heir of Gryffindor (if there is one) being
anyone other than a Gryffindor, and IMO the most likely candidate is
the owner of Godric Gryffindor's sword and the Gryffindor-colored
Phoenix, Fawkes--Albus Dumbledore. (JKR has stated that DD's family
would be a profitable line of inquiry.) I also think that he owned the
house in Godric's Hollow that the Potters used as a hiding place and
that they were already hiding there before DD suggested the Fidelius
Charm. (With Albus dead, the mantle of Heir of Gryffindor would pass
to his presumably younger brother, Aberforth.)

Regarding the suggestion made elsewhere on this list that Flitwick
could be given the post of Head of Gryffindor House, I can't imagine
even a fair-minded Ravenclaw like Flitwick (already Head of that
House) as head of a rival House (Gryffindor or any other). Look how
biased McGonagall is toward Gryffindor and how badly she wants the
Quidditch Cup! She's not going to appoint a (former) Ravenclaw as Head
of Gryffindor anymore than she'd appoint a (former) Hufflepuff or
Slytherin for that post. The HoH has to be temperamentally suited to
the House he or she heads (and have at least an affection for that
House, as Sprout does for Hufflepuff).

Most likely, IMO, the new Transfiguration teacher will be both a
(former) Gryffindor and the new HoH of Gryffindor. I think that
Dumbledore held both positions as McGonagall certainly did. It would
be nice, however, if Flitwick were promoted to assistant headmaster,
with McG as Headmistress. His mild and objective temperament would
balance her strict efficiency (and partiality) beautifully, IMO.

It seems to me, that with the exception of Snape as DADA teacher and
HoH of slytherin in HBP (obviously a temporary arrangement, as both he
and DD must have known), the Heads of Houses are matched up with the
core curriculum, the required classes other than the cursed DADA
position, as follows: Gryffindor: Transfiguration; Slytherin: Potions;
Ravenclaw: Charms; Hufflepuff: Herbology. It could well be that the
four Founders taught those particular classes, though Gryffindor, as a
dueling champion, could well have taught DADA, too, while the other
teachers perhaps divided the other classes among them (Muggle Studies
to Hufflepuff, for example). I doubt that we'll learn such things
unless JKR publishes "Hogwarts: A History," but it's fun to speculate.

At any rate, I think that Hogwarts under McGonagall will go back to
the normal course/HoH arrangement, with Slughorn already positioned to
take over Snape's role as HoH of Slytherin as well as the Potions
position he's already assumed, Flitwick and Sprout where they are
(with Flitwick possibly taking on the assistant headmastership as
well), and a new (former) Gryffindor as Transfiguration teacher and
HoH of Gryffindor. If I'm right that Gryffindor and Transfiguration go
together, Bill Weasley would be a good choice. He's not too young to
be HoH. Snape was only twenty-two when he was hired, and he probably
became HoH of Slytherin as well as Potions Master at that time,
Slughorn having conveniently retired (quite a vote of confidence in
the young man who had been sent by Voldemort to apply for the DADA
position!). Tonks, a Hufflepuff, could become the new DADA teacher, if
her Auror duties permit it.

Carol, just speculating and not committing herself to these suggestions