See, here is where my emotional reaction trumped my intellectual one. I want to blame Ginny, because Ron's reaction at least indicates affection and concern on some level. However, I would be outraged if my brother interrupted me simply kissing my boyfriend and freaked out and seemed to be about to call me names. I might even blow my top and say inappropriately horrible things.
I hate that Ginny needlessly goes for the jugular. She does with Hermione, Fleur, Zacharias and everyone in the world aside, it seems, from Harry and the twins.
So Ron's to blame and owes his sister an apology. (But I find his sister much more unpleasant.)
Sirius vs. Snape - the Prank
Well, we're not quite sure what went on there, are we? But pretty clearly Sirius is to blame, since he tried to murder someone and tried to use his friend as a tool for that murder. I believe he may not have thought of it as murder, but he was meant to be intelligent and a single instant's thought should have told him it was. And Snape may well have been dumb in his spite, and his eager desire to get the MWPP into trouble. Really, so what? Snape doesn't deserve to be eaten for it.
Sirius should've been expelled, and owes Snape and Lupin both an apology. I'd also thank James for the fact Sirius escaped Azkaban for like, five more glorious years?
Harry vs. Draco in the Bathroom
I also love that this one is neck and neck, and I really don't apportion blame at the time. Makes sense that Draco, a basket case trying to convince himself he's so big and bad, goes for the Crucio. Makes sense that Harry, trusting the Prince and in all probability knowing a hell of a lot more about the Cruciatus than Draco, lashes out with Extreme Gryffindor Prejudice. Both of them are being criminally stupid rather than deliberately malicious: Draco is half off his head, and Harry has had the Cruciatus used on him before and can't be blamed for acting on instinct. (Not that I don't think both of them can be deliberately malicious, I just read the scene as Thoughtless Emotional High Drama. Everybody sucked, and I loved the scene, and I lay no blame.
However. In the aftermath of this, it might have come to Harry that having (unwittingly in both cases) humiliated and eviscerated Draco, some response might be in order. Harry came off so far the best: Draco came so close to dying, that I think an effort to find out whether he'd permanently scarred Draco from the infirmary/a mumble of 'I didn't actually mean to make you almost bleed out on the bathroom floor'/an apology should have arrived.
Instead Harry complains about the consequences of his actions, which were much lighter than the consequences Draco faced, and hears his charmer say she's really glad Harry had a metaphorical butcher knife up his sleeve. Harry at the time has no proof and only a suspicion that Draco is working for the Dark Lord, and an instant's thought on the subject would tell him that Draco is acting, according to his own words, largely under compulsion.
I blame Harry for his actions after the bathroom, not within it.
Sirius' Death
Sure, it was Bellatrix. She killed him. Sirius was reckless, but Harry is often reckless and it doesn't get him killed. Harry was a twit and to this day I cannot believe that there is no moment where he says 'I could have used the mirror all that time! I am the king of all dimwits in the land!'
But I blame Bellatrix. That one was easy. All the others are complex and interesting, since it's a question of apportioning most blame or - as I took it - who should apologise if only one person could? And I feel that my emotional reaction was only wrong once, so I am pleased.
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Re: Too long!
Date: 2006-11-16 03:20 am (UTC)See, here is where my emotional reaction trumped my intellectual one. I want to blame Ginny, because Ron's reaction at least indicates affection and concern on some level. However, I would be outraged if my brother interrupted me simply kissing my boyfriend and freaked out and seemed to be about to call me names. I might even blow my top and say inappropriately horrible things.
I hate that Ginny needlessly goes for the jugular. She does with Hermione, Fleur, Zacharias and everyone in the world aside, it seems, from Harry and the twins.
So Ron's to blame and owes his sister an apology. (But I find his sister much more unpleasant.)
Sirius vs. Snape - the Prank
Well, we're not quite sure what went on there, are we? But pretty clearly Sirius is to blame, since he tried to murder someone and tried to use his friend as a tool for that murder. I believe he may not have thought of it as murder, but he was meant to be intelligent and a single instant's thought should have told him it was. And Snape may well have been dumb in his spite, and his eager desire to get the MWPP into trouble. Really, so what? Snape doesn't deserve to be eaten for it.
Sirius should've been expelled, and owes Snape and Lupin both an apology. I'd also thank James for the fact Sirius escaped Azkaban for like, five more glorious years?
Harry vs. Draco in the Bathroom
I also love that this one is neck and neck, and I really don't apportion blame at the time. Makes sense that Draco, a basket case trying to convince himself he's so big and bad, goes for the Crucio. Makes sense that Harry, trusting the Prince and in all probability knowing a hell of a lot more about the Cruciatus than Draco, lashes out with Extreme Gryffindor Prejudice. Both of them are being criminally stupid rather than deliberately malicious: Draco is half off his head, and Harry has had the Cruciatus used on him before and can't be blamed for acting on instinct. (Not that I don't think both of them can be deliberately malicious, I just read the scene as Thoughtless Emotional High Drama. Everybody sucked, and I loved the scene, and I lay no blame.
However. In the aftermath of this, it might have come to Harry that having (unwittingly in both cases) humiliated and eviscerated Draco, some response might be in order. Harry came off so far the best: Draco came so close to dying, that I think an effort to find out whether he'd permanently scarred Draco from the infirmary/a mumble of 'I didn't actually mean to make you almost bleed out on the bathroom floor'/an apology should have arrived.
Instead Harry complains about the consequences of his actions, which were much lighter than the consequences Draco faced, and hears his charmer say she's really glad Harry had a metaphorical butcher knife up his sleeve. Harry at the time has no proof and only a suspicion that Draco is working for the Dark Lord, and an instant's thought on the subject would tell him that Draco is acting, according to his own words, largely under compulsion.
I blame Harry for his actions after the bathroom, not within it.
Sirius' Death
Sure, it was Bellatrix. She killed him. Sirius was reckless, but Harry is often reckless and it doesn't get him killed. Harry was a twit and to this day I cannot believe that there is no moment where he says 'I could have used the mirror all that time! I am the king of all dimwits in the land!'
But I blame Bellatrix. That one was easy. All the others are complex and interesting, since it's a question of apportioning most blame or - as I took it - who should apologise if only one person could? And I feel that my emotional reaction was only wrong once, so I am pleased.