Dark Book

[nitalynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 177021

Alla wrote:
> 
> I did. There was no way of knowing for me that some of her classmates 
> would not carry that threat into action.

Nita:

So, you perceived Slytherins as a threat. Good - as I said, it's the
only interpretation that makes the other students' actions acceptable
to me.


> Alla:
> 
> Not Jen, but to me it is absolutely same thing as suggest to join 
> Voldemort, because accepting his ultimatum - giving him Harry, means 
> pretty much Voldemort wins to me anyways.
> 
> So, yes, to me it is suggesting joining Voldemort.

Nita:

But what if Pansy honestly thinks Voldie will win one way or the
other? Perhaps she's not as optimistic as Regulus :)


Kemper wrote:
> It was just one girl.  Everyone else who stood wands drawn against her
> didn't talk to the person next to them to see what they were going to
> do.  There was no conversation of a next step.  Each one of them just
> stood not knowing others would stand as well.  They did not stand
> against Pansy.  They stood for Harry.

Nita:

Now, let's be realistic. It's not like every student was locked into a
room alone and asked what ey would do in that situation. Perhaps the
first ten or so expected to be the lone heroes, but as the wave of
rising students grew larger, I don't think it was possible not to
notice it and take a completely independent decision. The last ones to
stand up (JRK notes that they were Ravenclaws - the second worst
house, apparently) were more likely than not jumping on the bandwagon.

And they did stand against Pansy: "[..] all of them with their backs
to Harry, all of them looking toward Pansy instead". And then they
pulled their wands out.


> Kemper:
> It is easy to see Pansy fearful and wanting to live.  But by accepting
> his ultimatum, she is actively joining Voldemort whether she suggested
> aligning with him or not.

Nita:

Yeah, and if someone holds a gun to your teacher's head and tells you
to sing, singing makes you eir accomplice. Or maybe not. How you can
join a force without even aligning with it is beyond me.


> Kemper:
> You're right, they aren't verbally declaring support.  They stand as
> one, drawing their wands,  non-verbally shouting their support of
> Harry.  It's like a more powerful 'thumbs up' to Harry.

Nita:

Yes, very powerful. Isn't it nice when a convenient object of hate
pops up just in time for all the good kids to demonstrate their
loyalty? It gives one such a warm fuzzy feeling of unity. It seems
that many people know this, consciously or not, and that's why crowds
often single out weaker individuals or groups as a symbol of the
crowd's stronger outside opponents.

By the way, I wasn't even arguing that drawing wands on the Slytherins
(as in Alla's interpretation) was a terrible thing to do. Instead, I
was objecting to Jen's suggestion that Slyths should have redeemed
themselves by joining everyone else against Pansy. Three against one
is one thing, but everyone against one? Ugh.

I wonder how JKR would have resolved the scene if she wasn't allowed
to use this turn of events. Apparently, Harry was going to say
something. What do you think he would've said, and would the effect be
as powerful? :)


Nita, wishing that someone had restricted JKR's wish-fulfilment
tendencies just a bit ;)