[HPforGrownups] Re: Morality and Harry Potter

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 191886

Kathy:
> I thought some of Harry best moments came when he broke the rules. 
> Using magic on Aunt Marge at the start of POA? Fine with me because 
> Harry finally showed the Dursleys that they couldn't bully him any 
> more. Trashing Dumbledore's office at the end of OOTP? I was cheering 
> Harry on since Dumbledore left him in the hands of that sadist 
> Umbridge. I remember how upset some group members were that Harry used 
> Unforgivable curses during Deathly Hallows. If the authorities weren't 
> following the rules then why should he?

     The prohibition on the use of underage magic always seemed like an 
artificial and forced plot device to me. Especially the way it is 
enforced; it essentially means that kids from magical household can use 
magic freely under parental supervision, while muggleborns are 
prohibited. How can they do their summer homework? How can they even 
keep in practice (not exercising skills for 2 months, especially newly 
learned skills, is a great way to lose them)? What about homeschooled 
children? And, what about subconscious use of magic (as was the case 
with Aunt Marge)? Note that Harry got into trouble because of the use of 
elf magic near him, while, in the Weasley household, there is magic 
going on all the time, not to mention the Weasley kids practicing 
Quidditch (flying on a broom isn't magic?).

     As far as trashing DD's office, well, that was par for the course. 
In OOP, Harry made a lot of bad choices, and the result was the death of 
Sirius. What's one more bad choice? Harry's behavior with Umbridge was 
like trying to teach a pig to dance; it doesn't work and annoys the pig; 
if he had listened to Minnie the Cat, he would not have been tortured.

     Finally, as far as Unforgivable Curses go, JKR never goes into why 
they are called "Unforgivable". We have had discussions on that, and, 
with a number of new members, we can certainly go into that again.

     Bart