GoF fight between Harry and Ron/On perfection of moral virtues

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 168944

Alla:
> But come to think of it, Harry indeed learned to share all 
> information he has in HBP, did he not?
> 
> Do Rom and Hermione believe him? They just blow him off IMO. So, not 
> the last time, I guess.

Montavilla47:
Not exactly.  They sometimes blow him off and sometimes don't.  
Ron cheerfully joins with Harry in vilifying Malfoy when they are 
both in the hospital wing.  And when Harry gets the elves to 
follow Malfoy around, Ron doesn't say boo about it being a 
waste of time, or obsessive or anything.

None of them seems to mind particularly when Harry 
eviserates Malfoy, either.  Hermione's only problem with it
seems to be *which* spell Harry used, rather than the outcome.

Alla:
> I did think that it was another sacrifice of the character writing 
> to the plot necessities, since I thought Ron and Hermione should 
> have believed Harry right away. About Malfoy of all people, whom 
> they are always suspiciuous about, but this is here on the page.
> 
> I found it to be very dissapointing.

Yes, I agree with you, Alla.  Although, I think there is a justification
to be made for why Ron and Hermione were... shall we say 
reluctant to follow Harry on his Draco obsession?

The last time they followed one of Harry's hunches, it turned out
very badly.  Ron's still got the scars, we don't even know what
kind of scars Hermione is carrying, and someone they knew and 
care about is dead.

It does them real credit that they cared enough about Harry to 
follow him to the MoM, even though Hermione had big doubts 
about going.  But you can't get around the fact that it was a 
disaster.  Yes, the Ministry acknowledged Voldemort's return and
that's a big plus.  But they *didn't have to go* and the reason
they did go was because they got carried away by Harry's 
emotional needs.

If I were Ron or Hermione in HBP, I'd be putting the brake on 
Harry's spider-sense, too.   

Montavilla47