[HPforGrownups] Re: Underage/misuse of magic (was Re: Percy and Pyramids)

[lynde at post.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 190169



> I actually really like that scene. Arabella recognized from her 
feelings that there were dementors there, and knew Harry was 
perfectly innocent and had done very well, but to really convince 
a majority to vote with Harry and prevent a terrible injustice, 
she felt she had to add a lie. It's a nice illustration of the 
dilemma that can come up between doing the right thing and following 
> a set of rules (no matter how much you believe in them generally).

June:
I don't think she lied. I reread the chapters involved here and I 
think it could be taken either way depending on how the reader sees 
it but I think she did see the Dementors as they were gliding away 
from Harry and Dudley and what she said in court was the truth. Look 
at it this way. Mrs. Figg is a squib and there are lots of wizards 
and witches at this point still who believe in Dumbledore. If he 
wanted someone to lie on the stand I would expect he would have 
gotten a witch or wizard and possibly more than one witness. Also 
Umbridge was the only person who knew the dementors where there 
because as you (rightfully) said she had sent them after Harry.

Lynda:
I have never thought Mrs. Figg lied on the stand. I think she reported what she remembered. As a squib, up there in front of the entire wizarding court, she was overwhelmed and under-confidant, but she did not lie.


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