Sadism or not ? McGonagall and her punishments

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 186734

> > Magpie:
> > Whoa. Sorry I missed this but wow, this is exactly the kind of thing that would drive me crazy if I was a kid. It's exactly the "spirit of the law" that gets broken by saying that McGonagall's only "bending" it by going to Dumbledore. 
> > 
> > If the point is safety, then all first years who demonstrate an aptitude for flying should be able to be able to bring a broom (not that Harry even has to bring a broom--he's given a gift of a broom that's better than anyone else's while every other student has to buy their own or use the school brooms). Harry's hardly the first first year at Hogwarts to be able to fly already by the time he gets there. He's not even the only first year who's a good flyer in his own year. If a kid isn't already flying he probably wouldn't have a broom to bring in the first place. So to me the spirit of the rule must be directed at "naturals" like Harry as much as anybody else.  
> 
> Pippin:
> Whoa. Calling Harry a good flier is like calling Mozart a good musician. Harry is truly exceptional, capable enough as an absolute novice  to make a catch that Charlie Weasley, who could have played professionally,  couldn't have made. Harry gets to be the youngest House player in about a century, so the rule has been bent before, probably for the same reason, a truly rare talent.   Would you deny Mozart his own musical instrument and the opportunity to play in competition?

Magpie:
No, it's like calling a good natural flier a good natural flier. Harry is not being trained to be a professional Quidditch player by Hogwarts. His personal skills are not much interest to anyone beyond the inter-house rivalry. They don't buy him a broom because he's supposed to be the Mozart of Quidditch. He doesn't practice out of some prodigy specific need to have his own broom that's the best there is. Viktor Krum is even significantly better than he is at the same age so if there's anybody who's the Mozart here it's Viktor. 

Harry's just a good Quidditch player at Hogwarts who practices when the team practices and later becomes captain, then doesn't play professionally. McGonagall gets him the broom so he can play on that broom and be a Seeker for Gryffindor and therefore win her house the trophy. I've no reason to imagine other situations and sacrificial motivation that don't exist in canon.

Steve:
I imagine you mean Harry flying home to care
for his sick grandmother as opposed to his strict grandmother however? :)

Magpie:
LOL! Yup, that's what I meant. I had strict older ladies on the brain there, apparently!

-m