Ron and Hermione supporting Harry WAS: Re: GoF fight between Harry and Ron

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 168978

Alla:
> Again, do not get me wrong, I certainly understand what JKR is doing 
> with it - DD saving Draco soul, etc,etc. It is just I think DD comes 
> out very hypocritical to me - because I think he is risking lifes of 
> innocent students while trying to prevent one bastard from becoming 
> a murderer. So, I would prefer DD not knowing at least all the 
> details personally.
> 
Montavilla47:
I'm snipping most of the post because I agree with so much of it. 
I'm responding to this because I think it makes an interesting
parallel to DD's decision to allow Lupin to attend school.  

Allowing a werewolf to attend school was also putting the lives
of innocent students to risk.  DD put very strong safeguards in
place, but not enough apparently, because the Marauders got
around those precautions and even Lupin said they had a lot
of near misses--even before Snape almost got killed.

Even after that incident, Lupin still attended school for 1-2 
years.  It was a risk that paid off, ultimately, since Lupin did
graduate and is somewhat able to function in society.   But
people were put at risk because of DD's decision, and we 
know that at least one person narrowly escaped death.

It's hard to defend DD's decision in Draco's case.  You might 
say that he was protecting Snape's cover as well as trying to 
save Draco from a life of Death Eating (or just plain death).  
But Kate and Ron both nearly died because of his good 
intentions.  

Does that make DD's decision to help Draco worse than his
decision to help Lupin?  Why do we (the general "we") 
consider his decision enlightened and generous in Lupin's
case and stupid and selfish in Draco's case?


> Alla:
> 
> LOLOLOL. Hermione as thoughtful and rational in HBP? Let's agree to 
> disagree on that. I see her as completely blinded by jealousy that 
> Harry bested her in Potions with the book.

Montavilla47:
Actually, I think she was more thoughtful and rational in OotP.  In
HBP, I see her struggling with a lot of things--one of which is that
she *isn't* the smartest kid in class any more, because her at 
least two of her teachers are demanding that she do more than
recite facts.

I agree that she was jealous about Harry's success in Potions 
class.  But I don't see that affecting her as far as Malfoy's 
concerned--except for her "I told you so" attitude when Harry
uses Sectumsempra.  Again, that's more about the spell
than it is about Malfoy.  She wouldn't have minded Harry 
almost killing Draco if he had used a Ministry-approved spell. :)