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Post by birdg on May 15, 2009 15:03:17 GMT -5
I don't actually remember Ron bullying the younger students. I just remember him letting them run around doing what they wanted and in one case, taking a contraband toy off of one and wanting to keep it for himself.
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Post by starsea on May 15, 2009 15:22:06 GMT -5
What bullying behaviour? He ordered a kid out of a seat close to the fire - not exactly sterling but hardly bullying. Hermione immediately stopped him. He confiscated a toy for himself and Hermione took it away. He yells a few times in the presence OF - but not AT - first years, who are startled and hurry off.
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Post by dancingpony on May 15, 2009 16:04:59 GMT -5
I did say "bully, at worst." That may be too strong a term. I've been looking through book five and book six, though, and I can't find a single instance of Ron (without being goaded into it by Hermione) doing anything helpful or supportive of a younger student. Isn't that part of a prefect's responsiblility?
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Post by Chocolatepot on May 16, 2009 7:20:08 GMT -5
How often did any prefects in the books do anything helpful for younger students, really? I can't think of any examples - the only Gryffindor prefect in the first four books we ever meet is Percy, isn't it? I think prefects are just meant to keep order and discipline, in our world and theirs (this is supported by Wikipedia and the Lexicon and not personal experience at all).
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Post by vegablack on May 16, 2009 9:33:05 GMT -5
I noticed that too. The prefects and the Head boy don't seem to do much for anyone other than lead the kids out of the great hall in the last book. Hermione responds to things. Ron tries to stop the argument between Seamus and Harry in OTP. He was acting as a friend, but he also had a tone of authority. The prefects confiscate some forbidden items, and keep them. They don't do much in the way of reaching out to younger kids, but that could be one of those outside the radar things. Ron relishes being the older in charge person. He abuses it a bit, but most of that seemed to me to be harmless, (like keeping the fanged frisbee.) Ron is a kind person but in a bluff unthinking way. He can't stand up to Fred and George. (I can't tell if that is fear or loyalty.) They are older though, so perhaps the prefects from their own year should have done it. No one accept Hermione and Percy stand up to them and they are made to look like busy bodies because of it. Every one just lets them make the chaos they are going to make. (IF you look at all they do, they are a little out of hand.) ETA: Modified because the post looked incoherent from the spelling and grammar errors.
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Post by dancingpony on May 16, 2009 17:57:38 GMT -5
I have no personal experience with boarding school or prefects, so I guess I just assumed that prefects would have assumed a role, if not "parental," at least "big brother/sister." I would hope that, ideally, the prefects would help the younger kids find their ways around school, answer questions, provide guidance, etc..
Percy did seem to do those things . . . admittedly with a rather pompous attitude. And, you're right, we never really saw any other prefects in action . . . presumably because either they didn't have much contact with Harry or because any such contact was mundane enough it didn't affect the plots of the books.
I suppose, given his upbringing, I shouldn't have expected something more . . . nuturing from Ron. For some reason I did, though. Or maybe I just expected, since he was so awed by having been selected, he would have had a better attitude toward the duties of the position.
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Post by doriscrockford on May 20, 2009 4:56:14 GMT -5
For anyone who's read Jasper Fforde, they are Level C Villains. /rant LOL! Oh, how I love Jasper Fforde.
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Rugi
Third Year
Norberta's Chief Cook and Librarian
Posts: 33
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Post by Rugi on May 20, 2009 6:44:03 GMT -5
Sorry to revive an old issue, but I was out of town for a while and the topic still interests me. Feel free to ignore it! ;D I saw the mention of Marietta on the train in book six, but I don't recall. Is there any mention of her later in book six? If not, my conjecture is that the teachers and Madam P were in somewhat of a quandry after Marietta was jinxed in book five. On the one hand, they (especially Madam P) would be loath to leave a student in that condition. On the other hand, they were even more loath to do anything to help Umbridge -- and removing the jinx from Marietta would definitely be helping Umbridge. (I can picture Umbridge -- having failed to reverse the jinx herself -- confronting Madam P, demanding that she remove Marietta's spots . . . and Madam P being torn. At that point, all of the teachers were getting back at Umbridge by leaving her to deal with every big and little problem on her own. (Which was a fairly effective way of dealing with her, since she didn't seem to be a particularly clever or skillful or powerful witch.) And then, at the end of book five, things were quite chaotic . . . and Madam P had seriously injured students to deal with . . . so perhaps the Marietta situation either slipped her mind or just fell to the bottom of the priority list. And Marietta went home for the summer without having the jinx lifted. As soon as Marietta returned to school in book six -- it's possible Madam P could have taken care of her problem. Well we know that Marietta has been in the hospital wing and Madam P has been trying without success to remove her pimples throughout the end of book 5 and that they are still there in book 6. Are we supposed to believe that Madam P is the only competent physician in the magical world? That Marietta would have to wait to go back to Hogwarts in order to have her pimples removed? Wouldn't her parents take her to the doctor to be treated? And, frankly, if Madam P left Marietta's face covered in ugly pustules for months because she wanted to get back at Umbridge, she's a disgusting person. I'd agree. Though I don't know that it's just "dark" magic that causes permanent problems. I mean the woman who is stuck as a dog in St. Mungo's wasn't necessarily stricken by a dark curse was she? Maybe it's just the strength of the spell (as Harry implies) which keeps it around.
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Post by vegablack on Jun 4, 2009 19:43:36 GMT -5
I wonder if that woman had either taken a polyjuice potion with a dog hair in it instead of a human which we are told is dangerous. (I know Madam Pomfrey cured Hermione, but perhaps she was lucky.)
Or more likely she made a failed attempt at becoming an anamagi. We know this process is extremely dangerous and needs to be monitored. Perhaps she was trying to become an unregistered animagi or even a registered one and failed horribly in the attempt?
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Post by siriusgirl on Jan 6, 2010 22:37:30 GMT -5
Mine would be Scrimgeour. He had promise but I found his methods so inappropriate! Saying to Harry it's his JOB to be used by the Ministry? Expecting Harry to be poster boy after how they made a mockery in OOTP and badgering Harry at Dumbledore's funeral AND his birthday? And keeping innocent people arrested for morale? He really needed to look at WHY Harry didn't want to be his spokesman. Fudge also was least favourite beacuse he was so easily bought my money and so paranoid!!
Percy might have been my vote in OOTP and HBP, but he redeems himself so he gets spared.
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Post by siriusgirl on Jun 18, 2010 13:48:17 GMT -5
Oh and RITA SKEETER!!!!!!!! Talk about a disgusting woman, digging dirt on someone like she did with Harry, and HAgrid and publishing scathing biographies when the person just died!! She's a vulture!
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