Colin Creevey: Flint or not? (was Re: Hedwig's death)

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 183598




> 
> Kamion replies:
> You're correct that Colin was not supposed to be at Hogwarts as
> being Muggleborn, but in the Battle of Hogwarts neither was Cho
> Chang, who graduated - for as much there were graduations that
> year - the year before. Colin as well as Cho responded to the
> messages sent out through the coins of Dumbledore's Army, sent
> by Fred and George and only returned at that critical moment
> to Hogwarts, with fatal complications for Colin. Needless to
> say his death was a completely unneccesary one and it baffled
> me what purpose it served.

Potioncat:
I think JKR gave considerable thought as to who would die and how 
they would die. Not that every reader is going to cheer her 
decisions, of course. Between this scene, and the one with Ginny 
tending the un-named girl who wanted to go home, we're reminded of 
how young these warriors are. 

Also, bodies were being brought in before Slughorn arrived with 
reinforcements. Almost all of them would have been students and we 
would have known some of them. It was kindness that we didn't see a 
list of names posted on the wall.

> >
> Carol responds:
> 
> Right. McGonagall says, "You, too, Creevey," when she's ordering
> underage students to go to the RoR and safety rather than fight. 
Jimmy
> Peakes would be a fifth-year Gryffindor, IIRC, so he's definitely
> underage and definitely under her authority. But Colin Creevey is
> either no longer a Gryffindor and therefore not bound to takeorders
> from someone who's no longer his Head of House or he's a sixth year
> and quite possibly of age (nearly three-quarters of the students in
> any given year would have their birthdays between September 1 and
> mid-May, when the battle apparently takes place).

Potioncat:
I don't think McGonagall has any hesitation about asserting her 
authority. Whether Creevey had been there all year or not would not 
have made any difference to her. He's there now, and that alone says 
he'd better take orders.

I also wouldn't put it past McGonagall to know the age of her older 
students. If she didn't, then she may be thinking he's too young just 
by his size. Creevey doesn't pipe up and say he's old enough, so she 
must be correct. He's always seemed younger than the other 
characters. So I'd guess he just made the cut-off for his year.


But, your point is more about JKR, isn't it? I forgot at the first 
read that many 6th years would be of age. Then again, I didn't write 
the book. So I'm not sure if JKR made a mistake in his age, or not. 
He certainly could be 16 and underage, but still brave and determined 
to fight.

I don't really have a problem with Colin coming with the DA. I do 
wonder where he and his brother have been all this time. Other Muggle-
borns seem to have gone into hiding. 

I see what you mean about his being "tiny in death" although it 
didn't jump out when I read it. I think JKR was going for the heart 
strings with the description. We're just to remember that he was 
physically small, but very brave.