Coolness // Portraits

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 182815

Catlady wrote:

>I'm sure
> JKR intentionally put the scene where Harry wants to stay with his
> friends Neville and Luna rather than go with Romilda as a parallel to
> the stinksap scene, and that she intended it as a little sermonette on
> not judging people by their appearance ('don't judge a book by its
> cover'), and 'character' being more important than 'coolness'. Sure,
> she needed to introduce Romilda before Romilda plays her role in the
> plot, but she could have introduced her some other way.

Montavilla47:

I agree with you, Catlady, but I must say that I felt the sermonette got
watered down because it was Romilda judging Luna and Neville as 
uncool, and Romilda seemed to have absolutely no "cool" cred.

As I recall, she was in second or third year, unattractive, and annoying.
Unless we were supposed to see Luna and Neville as such hopeless
losers* that kids three or fourth years younger could look
down on them, I don't see that there was any reason for Harry to 
ditch them, even if they hadn't fought in the MoM.

I mean, they were in his secret club the year before.  That alone
should trump whatever dubious cache Miss Never-Rated-a-
Mention-in-the-Series-Before held.

*I personally wouldn't consider Neville, who managed to 
get a date to the Yule Ball before Harry or Ron, to be any
kind of a loser.  Nor would I view Luna as one, but I realize
that Americans may have different views about wearing 
radish earrings than the British.

Montavilla47