Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Harry Potter 7

Harry meets up with a conflict with Professor Snape, and he refuses to take the school policy for an answer.  Snape, of course, rigidly appeals to school policy (even though he doesn't have to).  Harry won't back down because of the principle of the matter, but he doesn't want to be kicked out of Hogwarts either, because there aren't really any other magic schools around, and if you wanna mingle with magic outside the school, you'd better consult ol' Voldy.  Or just go into the American Populace and Do It, but it's unclear what the rest of the characters in the movie would do in that case... I mean, why should they be so interested in anything that happens outside of their precious school, and would Obama protect him?  Anyway..
So he and his friends gather to do what was originally gonna be a large plot to uncover the truth behind Snape's action, but in the meantime they lose the battle and they're already in so much trouble with the school already there's not much option for them to be reintegrated in a normal way.  They appeal to the headmaster of the school, and he says they have the option of making a fifth house.
In the spirit of evading the same problem with rules that they had already run into, the fifth house doesn't really center on any values particularly.  It's all about learning and growing, by sparring with others, general chit-chat, et cetera.  They might have a few rules involving safety, but not all of them are interested in them.. The fifth house basically provides a context for people to mingle, on a permanent or intermittent basis, within the school's community, without ascribing to the school's curriculum.  But, there are some rules that apply, basic ground-rules, due to being on school's property, *particularly* those pertaining to dealing with the other houses..
Of course, they have full access to the school's libraries and to any teachers who have free time for the general student body.
The 'house' has no formal set of values, although there is a set of pins that people can wear on their shirts to indicate which house they came from, e.g. one pin, or one symbol or even a color at least, for each house.
Games go on in this territory.. the masters of the house sometimes play games with the guys & gals from the other houses.
For example, with Gryffindor, they may play a trick on the people to make them express bravery or what they think is courage in false scenarios, to remind them that they lack cunning, intelligence or wit.
With Hufflepuff, they might frustrate them endlessly with games of non-fair play and no resolution... 'Games Without Frontiers' ;)
Ravenclaw is a hard one, and they don't really attack it unless on a general level and not any of its specific qualities.  Pure souls who come to Ravenclaws in groups of 5-6 might easily find themselves picked on..
Ravenclaw's main talent against the Slytherins is wit.
Hufflepuff's main quality against them is hard work..
Gryffindor's main quality against them is *probably* nerve, but courage and bravery might fit in too.  Courage is probably the most important value out of all the houses, btw..
Courage, Purity, and Creativity are the two qualities which alone are likely to topple any of the individual houses.  Wit comes in a close 4th.
Purity, of course, is not a mentioned quality and it shouldn't be.. not even for the fifth house.  Voldemort we don't speak of out of fear.  Purity we don't speak of out of respect.  "Only the pure deserve merit, and it is hardly attainable." -Rabinandrath Tagore
Some guys like to mix & match qualities from the other houses and which ones they aspire to in the fifth house. but they rarely talk about them and that's a good thing.  Firstly, because talking about such things is perverted, and that's why some people prefer toppling all the houses on their spare time to begin with; secondly, because they might jinx themselves; thirdly, because then it bounds them to what they said.. and who knows.. they may change their mind.. all the qualities are present to some extent anyway and do people vary?
The issue of Snape's guilt was never resolved.  Harry suspects deep-down that he did it, but he never realizes Snape did it all for the fifth house - or to overthrow the school - or to defeat harry - or to just to test him - or to challenge him - or just to see what happens - or perhaps because he felt like it - or maybe he had pressure from 'above' - or maybe he wanted Harry to do magic on the outside ... who knows.
Snape never really shows his gratitude if he has any... but he's guilty anyway, poor martyr.
Really, and this is the puncher, Snape only did it because once Dumbledore said, if you find yourself in the throws of a dementor, simply remember to turn on the light.. and that's so easy somebody's light went off.
Richard Harris: thanks for playing the game..

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