[HPforGrownups] Re: Rita - Luna and the Qubbler

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 169644

Carol:

> Um, erm, have you read CoS lately? Harry doesn't defend Draco when Ron
> suggests that Draco could be the Heir of Slytherin. He accepts the
> suggestion. It's Hermione who's skeptical, not because she's defending
> Draco's goodness but because she doubts that he has that kind of
> power. Here's the exchange:
<snip quote>

Charles:

Yes I have. Have you? Here is the scene I referred to:
"That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead
twigs, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know,
I think he might be Slytherin's heir."
"That's clever of you," said Ron, who didn't seem to have
forgiven Ernie as readily as Harry.
"Do you think it's Malfoy, Harry?" Ernie asked.
"No," said Harry, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah stared.(CoS
352)

Harry defended Malfoy when he knew the truth. I know you don't like
it, but it is there in black and white.

Magpie:
But that indicates something a little different than what's going on (to
get back to Rita's issues.) They're trying to find out who the Heir of
Slytherin is and so is Harry. He knows Malfoy isn't. That way is a dead
end. And he says it forcefully because he's just spent weeks brewing an
illegal Potion and knocking out Malfoy's friends, justifying it on the fact
that what Malfoy was doing was worse than what they were doing. It's a
little embarassing.

Harry prefers the truth to lies. But he's not "defending Malfoy' by saying
he's not the Heir any more than Malfoy is "defending" Harry by saying that
Harry isn't the Heir--which he also is doing in the book. It's not the
principle of saying something about Malfoy that isn't true that Harry has a
problem with. He had no problem assuming Malfoy was the Heir without proof,
after all.

Carol again:
The whole reason that HRH brew and take the Polyjuice potion is to spy
on Draco, suspecting or believing him to be Slytherin's Heir. (He, of
course, turns up his nose at the idea that *Harry* could be
Slytherin's Heir despite Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue.)

Charles again: 

Of course Harry and Ron are ready to suspect Draco. He's racist
against the very group being attacked. HELLO, big red flag! He says
"You'll be next, mudbloods!" Immediately after an attack. POP! Flag two!

In all of this, not once do I remember him or any of the trio accusing
*Snape*, who also tends to be considered their enemy, of anything.
Why? He didn't make threats connected with the crimes, nor does he go
about the castle spitting out racist epithets. Draco had, and that was
suspect activity.

Charles, who still can't believe that people think suspecting someone
who made threats is wrong.

Magpie:
Suspecting him isn't wrong--knocking out his friends and invading his
privacy could be considered so, since they didn't have any proof. They just
knew Malfoy was on board with what the Heir was doing--which isn't any more
proof than the "proof" that Harry was because he was a Parseltongue etc. I
don't know about the WW and warrants etc., but based on my Law & Order
education, if Harry and Ron were cops I don't think any evidence gained
from that Common Room scene would have held up in court.;-)

But the point is, it's not like Harry says, "Hey Ron, you know, people
think I'm the Heir based on the proof that I talk like the Heir. I would be
angry if somebody Polyjuiced into you two and invaded my privacy because I
was the Heir and they wanted me to confess it."

No, of course not. There's nothing wrong with Ron accusing Malfoy even if
he has no actual proof, just a reason for his own suspicion. Nor is there
anything wrong with Ernie accusing Malfoy for the same reason. Harry's loud
"no" is a reference to his own weeks spent running around throwing
firecrackers and stealing Potions ingredients and brewing stuff and being
Goyle and almost getting caught in the Slytherin Common Room. Not the need
to defend Draco from a false accusation.

Sure Harry generally tells the truth. He has no desire to let Ernie think
Malfoy's the heir on some vague idea it might cause trouble for Malfoy. But
nor is he on the lookout to make sure people don't accuse his enemies of
things without proof. 

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