A sandwich

[Katie]

No: HPFGUIDX 178620

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> 
wrote:
>
> In the insatiable desire to be provocative some have found yet another
> way to demonize Harry; apparently even after going through the
> tortures of the damned to save the world asking for a sandwich as a
> reward is being unforgivably selfish. As for Kreacher, Harry was far
> more forgiving than I would have been considering that in any legal
> system on the planet he would have been imprisoned for being part of a
> murder conspiracy that caused the death of Harry's godfather. 
> 
> It's good to be provocative but if you push it too far you get silly.
> 
>  Eggplant



***Katie:

I'm someone who is deeply disturbed by Harry's final remark regarding 
Kreacher, and I am in no way attempting to be "provocative". I was so 
shocked by that remark the first time that I read the book, that I was 
completely taken out of the story by it. The *line* is provocative, IMO.


The problem is not that Harry is wondering about a sandwich - the 
problem is that he expects that Kreacher may bring him one. Here's a 
few reasons I have a genuine problem with that:


1 - Harry has just fought and won a war that was, at least in large 
part, a war against inequity in the WW. Voldemort and the DE's 
represent inequality and prejudice - Harry, as the de facto leader of 
the opposite side, represents the opposite of that. After fighting this 
long battle, supposedly to protect Muggles, muggleborns, and non-human 
magical creatures, Harry's wondering about his servant bringing him a 
asandwich...it is, at the very least, incredibly out of character. At 
the worst, he has completely missed the point of the war that he has 
just fought, and is upholding the hierarchy that he just fought to 
dismantle.


2 - Kreacher has put his life, and the lives of the other House Elves 
of Hogwarts, on the line for Harry and the cause (which he doesn't even 
personally believe in). At the very least, I would expect Harry to be 
thanking Kreacher for his loyalty and bravery. I would *hope* that 
Harry would never use Kreacher as a servant to even an errand-runner 
(a'la spying on Draco in HBP) again. I would *hope* that Kreacher's 
inspirational and admirable behavior would earn him the respect and the 
kindness of the WW, but especially the *master* for him he fought so 
valiently. 


3 - Kreacher is really old!!! Harry's exhausted from the battle. All 
the young and semi-young wizards are exhausted and resting...and he 
wonders if his old, decrepit House Elf will bring him a sandwich!?! 
Poor Kreacher deserves a rest. Now, if Kreacher decided not to rest, 
that's Kreacher's business...but Harry shouldn't be expecting anything 
of him, at least I don't think so. 


As for Kreacher being imprisoned for his part in Sirius' death...since 
he has no legal rights, I don't think it would be very reasonable to 
hold him legally accountable for his behavior. That's pretty 
despicable. Much like imprisoning or putting to death African-American 
slaves for crimes that they had no legal right to defend themselves 
against. If House Elves are suddenly given legal citizen status in the 
WW, maybe I could see some sort of punishment being handed out. Maybe. 
I'm in favor of forgiving an old man who did finally choose the right 
path. 


As for "getting silly" from being too provocative...well, I don't think 
it's silly to question why Harry suddenly has a moment of acting like 
Lucius Malfoy or Barty Crouch - especially after his heartfelt and 
beautiful goodbye to Dobby. That comment about the sandwich just plain 
doesn't fit with Harry's character, and it jumps off the page as being 
odd and out of character, IMO.


Katie