The Trio's popularity (was:On Children and the "Other")

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 169925

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > I think that's where the lack of realism comes in a little.      
> > Fellow students don't strike back in the way they would in real   
> > life, IMO.  
> > <snip>

> >>Amiable Dorsai:
> <snip>
> There are several other reasons why the 'Puff's are unlikely        
> to "jump" Ginny: Ginny *is* known for her aggressiveness, several   
> years' exposure to Fred and George have probably got everyone a     
> little wary of Weasleys, and, of course, who's going to stand up    
> for an obnoxious loudmouth like Smith?
> <snip>
> Also, in Hogwarts terms, Hermione is the equivalent of a 6'-5"
> fullback...<snip>

Betsy Hp:
I'm itching to point out how fear is the tyrant's best friend. <g>  
But I'll admit that I was casually exaggerating the Ravenclaws' and 
Hufflepuffs' reactions.  No one is going to do the equivalent of 
dragging Ginny into a corner and rubbing Nair in her hair.
But I also think that the Trio are not thought of completely 
favorably by their peers.

> >>Amiable Dorsai:
> You mean, save their lives, defend them from monstrous evil, help   
> them with their homework, that sort of thing?

Betsy Hp:
See, I just don't think the general Hogwarts population, really sees 
the Trio this way.  I think there's a sort of vague understanding 
that Harry is the "Chosen One" and I'm sure most students are rooting 
for Harry to beat Voldemort.  But most folks notice only their own 
lives, and as of HBP they're losing their parents and siblings and 
friends.  And not only are the Trio not doing anything noticably to 
stop it, they're not even enough part of their peer's lives to give 
them a kind word or two.  Not that we've seen anyway.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/169641
> >>Pippin:
> <snip>
> I don't think we can safely say that no one except Cho was         
> offended by Hermione's trick. I can state from unfortunate personal 
> experience that Brits won't always tell you straight out when       
> they're offended. Take the way the House Elves react to Hermione's 
> hat tricks. They don't let her know they're offended, they quietly 
> go about their business as usual, only their business no longer    
> includes cleaning Gryffindor Tower.
> 
> I can see the DA reacting in similar fashion. No one is going to
> be so direct as to tell Hermione they disapprove of her; they go    
> about their business, but it no longer includes responding to the   
> coins.

Betsy Hp:
I think this might go towards the general feeling of the Hogwarts 
students towards the Trio.  I'm not sure it's really all that 
friendly.  In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if anything the Trio 
may be seen a bit more negatively than anything.

You've got the members of the DA who, as Pippin points out, probably 
have a healthy distrust for anything Hermione is involved in.  Even 
if the Ravenclaws are less forgiving of Marietta than Cho has been, 
they're daily reminded of the trick Hermione played on them all.

Even if the Hufflepuffs dislike Zach Smith as badly as Ron and Harry 
and Ginny do (though I honestly see no reason for them to feel that 
way) I'm sure they all recognized the blow-off expressed by Ginny 
hexing Zach when he asked his questions.  It's interesting that no 
one approached any member of the Trio with questions about the MoM 
once Zach tried and failed.  And Harry wasn't all that friendly with 
Ernie's attempts at camaraderie either.

Of course the Slytherins have no reason to like the Trio at all, but 
even the members of Harry's Gryffindor class have good reason to not 
like the Trio all that much.  Perhaps that was the whole point of all 
those dating adventures in HBP.  Patil and Lavender have reason to be 
annoyed at Hermione and Ron.  Dean and Seamus have reason to be 
annoyed at Harry.

All in all, while I doubt that the Trio are full on *hated* by their 
peers (except for a select few <g>), I'm not sure they're all that 
well liked.  Which should make the need for unity, as foreshadowed by 
the Sorting Hat, an interesting trick indeed. 

Betsy Hp