CHAPTER DISCUSSION PS/SS 10, THE HALLOWEEN

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 188386

 
> Alla:
> 
> Yes she did, in order to save her son. I am afraid it does not even come close to me to what Harry and Ron did. Any benefits for themselves that they were looking for? 

Pippin:
The benefit of knowing they didn't lock her in with a troll and leave her? They admit themselves that she might not have needed rescuing in the first place if they hadn't interfered. Also, it is only Harry, not Ron, who thinks of warning Hermione. Ron is reluctant to go along. 

> 
> Pippin:
> Draco lowered his wand against Dumbledore and refused to identify the Trio until it no longer mattered.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> LOL. Draco **saved** Dumbledore? 

Pippin:
The person Draco saved Dumbledore from was Draco, or from the part of Draco that thought it would be glorious to serve the Dark Lord and be a coldblooded killer like Bella. 

Alla:
And he refused to identify the Trio is your interpretation, mine is that he did not refuse anything, unfortunately, he was not saying yes or no. Refusal to me will be to say NO, that is not them. Where does he say – no, it is not them in canon?

Pippin:
What good would that do? The suspicion that they're the Trio is the only thing protecting them from Greyback. 
 
> Alla:
> 
> Yes, he did came back, I can understand how he helped defending Hogwarts, just as I said upthread, I just do not see it as the same situation. I do not see him rushing to save anybody against all odds. But yes, he mastered courage worthy of Gryffindors lol IMO.
> 

Pippin:
Then Snape's courage is not the sole example, right? Anyway, rushing to defend someone against all odds is not always a good thing. James might have been a bit more effective if he had his wand, no? 


> Pippin:
> Regulus's plan, had it been successful, would have saved
> everyone, Muggles and Muggleborns included.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> I do not get this.

Pippin:
Regulus's plan was to render Voldemort mortal once more, so that when someone arose who was capable of matching him in battle, the Dark Lord would die. That was not necessary in order to protect Kreacher, whom Voldemort believed was already dead, or Regulus's family, who were purebloods and had never defied the Dark Lord. But it would save the Muggles and Muggleborns who were Voldemort's favorite targets. 


> Alla:
> 
> And to me saying that people can be sorted into houses because the only one side of their personality will be predominant for them all their lives IS negative stereotyping through and through. As I said, if I think about it symbolically, I like that, if I try to think about it in realistic terms, no not really. 

Pippin:
Wow, I don't read the Sorting that way at all. To me, it's just a consequence of the Founders agreeing to pool their knowledge and power, but being unable to decide on a single philosophy to guide the school. Each had their own idea of what makes a great wizard, and so they decided to divide the students equally between them, based on their assessment of the students' abilities and the students' own preferences. 

Each house has its strengths, but all are eventually shown to be flawed. The truly great wizard, as Book Seven shows, IMO, is after all not the one with the greatest courage, since as you point out, courage  can be used for selfish purposes, but the one who chooses to use his  abilities  for the common good. 

Gryffindor chivalry is meant to serve the common good, but the trouble with mandating that the strong should protect the weak is that it divides the world into strong people and weak ones. Those who identify with the strong become patronizing, those who see themselves as weak are disempowered. SWM shows this effect at its worst.


Alla: 
> And um, where are intelligent Hufflepufs? There was Cedric who I guess must have been intelligent if chosen as Champion. And???
>

Pippin:
You think Professor Sprout is stupid??

Pippin