HBP 19: Elf Tails
Harry, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny gather around Ron's bed int he hospital wing. Fred and George had been in Hogsmeade to look into buying Zonko's and to surprise Ron on his Birthday. Well, um... Surprise! They all speculate on what could have happened, Ron croaks -_-' and Hagrid makes a hasty entrance. (He was reading to Aragog.)
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I've always assumed that Mrs. Figg was lying. She gives her account "as though she had learned what she was saying by heart" (144US, hardcover), mistakenly describes the dementor as "running", and when asked directly if she saw the dementors she says, "that's what happened." Which, you know, isn't definitive proof, and I can't remember if JKR ever clarified on her site or in interview. Hmm, looks like she did. I knew there was a reason I was so sure Mrs. Figg was lying.
Without proof Dumbledore might not have felt that he had the right to expel or prosecute the boy. After all, innocent until proven guilty, etcetera. I acknowledge that the rule of law in the Wizarding world is very malleable, but even so, Dumbledore's principles - or knowledge that he could be overridden by the school governors (is Malfoy still a governor?) - might have prevented him from summarily ejecting Draco.
I think it would be awfully tough for Lucius to be a Governor from prison, but who knows. Dumbledore's principles may have restricted him from expelling Draco (although, we all know I don't think highly of his principles in the first place), but not from directly confronting him or tailing him to prove what he was up to as Harry tried to do. Presumably Dumbledore has greater resources around the school for surveillance than Harry does, and he always could have called in the Aurors for a proper investigation. You don't need proof for an investigation, just probable cause, which they have plenty of.
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I remember she fumbled the bit about seeing them, but then convinced Madam Bones with her description of how it felt. However ...
... I can't remember if JKR ever clarified on her site or in interview. Hmm, looks like she did. I knew there was a reason I was so sure Mrs. Figg was lying.
Excellent! Although it's cheating, sort of, by using out-of-band discussion with the author. Which is why I hate everyone saying "Ginny is the perfect girl for Harry" when their main proof is JKR saying "Ginny is the perfect girl for Harry" in the infamous interview, rather than being about to prove it from the meager screen time she has in the books. But that's another story/whinge ...
Anyway, case closed on that one, thank you. If there's really no difference between Squibs and Muggles then yes, I concede that it appears that Muggle parents could visit their children ... yet another nail in the heartless Dumbledore coffin. Good one.
(I guess Muggle parents don't know how to send howlers like Molly can!)
I think it would be awfully tough for Lucius to be a Governor from prison, but who knows.
My goodness, did I say that? I did, didn't I? Well, I had a lot on my mind ... sorry about that. Most embarrassing.
I think, as I said before, there's insufficient 'proof' for Dumbledore to expel Draco on the spot, but yes, if he were a solicitous headmaster truly concerned for his pupils' well-being he should have instigated an investigation, called in the Aurors, conducted a shackdown of the kids' dormitories, etcetera. Although principals can't even do that without 'proof', can they, or have I been watching too many American TV shows?
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Heh, let's just say I agree, and leave it at that. The whole off the pages evidence and disproving of theories thing leaves me a bit bold, since I think that truly important matters should be resolved in the books -- anything else is just careless writing. It's fine if she wants to tell us birthdays and favorite colors, resolving debates that way is stupid and frankly a bit control freakish.
if he were a solicitous headmaster truly concerned for his pupils' well-being he should have instigated an investigation, called in the Aurors, conducted a shackdown of the kids' dormitories, etcetera. Although principals can't even do that without 'proof', can they, or have I been watching too many American TV shows?
Well, I have no idea what the law is in Britain, but the American tv shows are usually lying. Kids have virtually no rights at a public school, especially if they are under eighteen. Searches of private property are protected, but most things that the kids use (such as lockers) are actually considered school property. Searching the Hogwarts dorms would be tricky, depending on whether you are assuming that the whole dorm is school property and anything hidden inside can be opened, or if the room is school property, but trunks and the like that were privately purchased are still considered private. If Dumbledore was in the US, in a war situation like in the books, I'm willing to bet that they'd be able to get a warrant to toss Draco's room, or get away with doing it without one.
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