Molly/Goyle/Good Marks/HPhenomenon/Quidditch

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 169030

Miles wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/168671>:

<< Molly was the brightest witch of her age? Molly was as ambitious as
Hermione is? >>

Maybe she was. She certainly produced a number of extremely bright
children, and she's ambitious for *their* success.

Molly shows prejudices that don't seem congruent with Hermione's drive
for Social Justice, but maybe she was idealistic when young and then
gave it up.

Goddlefrood wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/168686>:

<< The tale that will unfold should tell you a great deal about the
inner workings of the mind of the insane, >>

Meaning your mind?

<< Why oh why, Peter did you bite the goon? What had his father
ever done to you? >>

Why does it have to be about Goyle Senior? Why can't it be about Peter
defending the stash of chocolate because he loves chocolate? 

Pippin wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/168696>:

<< Harry is an 'E' student who got one 'O'. Hermione is an 'O' student
who got one 'E'. If you are looking for intellectual equals in the
current cast, I'm afraid there's only Snape and Voldemort to choose
from. >>

And all those Aurors, such as Dawlish, to whom Dumbledore said: 'I'm
sure you are an excellent Auror — I seem to remember that you achieved
"Outstanding" in all your NEWTs'.

Elfundeb quoted in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/168737>:

<< Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good
marks >>

By the way, is that consistent with them getting only 3 OWLs? (Was it
three OWLs each or three between them?)

Steve bboyminn wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/168780>

<< In the history of publishing, no books like the Harry Potter series
have ever existed. No books in which countless millions around the
world are eager and desperate to know the secrets.  >>

I think the same thing happened with some Charles Dickens books,
altho' the desperate wait was not between books, but between chapters
of the serialized publication in a periodical.

Betsy Hp wrote in
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/169000>:

<< *My* issue with quidditch is the lack of any sort of bench. I mean,
even if players aren't allowed to trade out *during* a game, why not
have fully trained substitutes ready to go if something happens
pre-game? >>

"Reserve" players *are* allowed. In GoF, Oliver Wood tell Harry that
"he had just been signed to the Puddlemere United reserve team." 

Lots of canon in PS/SS. Lee Jordan's commentary mentions "Alicia
Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve". 
When advised not to play in the match that Snape will referee, "I
can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out,
Gryffindor can't play at all."

It doesn't make much sense to me that Harry's team doesn't have *any*
reserves. No reserve Seeker, okay, it's been established that
Gryffindor is having a terrible drought of Seekers. But no reserves
for any position? Especially as the comment about Alicia indicates
that Gryffindor *used* to have reserves?

Wood told Harry "A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is
caught, so it can go on for ages -- I think the record is three
months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could
get some sleep."

It appears that substitutes are allowed for non-injured players, just
not for injured players. I suppose there is some back story like,
originally substitutes were not allowed at all, and when they were
allowed, very 'physical' teams howled that this was unfair to them,
depriving them of their fair reward for injuring an opponent.