HP Fanfic Pet Peeve #22
This one just came to me today as I was reading a new batch of fics I'd found recently that drew my interest enough to check them out. This certain thing happens quite a few times in fics I've read now that I think about it, and it's always confused me.
Harry being 'banned' from flying by Umbridge in OOTP. I've seen it many times in stories taking place after the book where it's understood as Harry unable to fly completely in his personal life because of this ban. It has never made sense to me that a punishment given by the educator in charge at the time would be interpreted in such a fashion. None of Umbridge's other punishments - be them educational decrees or not - were given weight outside of Hogwarts grounds, so I didn't see why this one would be either.
I always took it for just being at Hogwarts he wouldn't be able to fly, and given that outside of Hogwarts he was mostly at his muggle relatives it would be a crippling move. But that's me!
Harry being 'banned' from flying by Umbridge in OOTP. I've seen it many times in stories taking place after the book where it's understood as Harry unable to fly completely in his personal life because of this ban. It has never made sense to me that a punishment given by the educator in charge at the time would be interpreted in such a fashion. None of Umbridge's other punishments - be them educational decrees or not - were given weight outside of Hogwarts grounds, so I didn't see why this one would be either.
I always took it for just being at Hogwarts he wouldn't be able to fly, and given that outside of Hogwarts he was mostly at his muggle relatives it would be a crippling move. But that's me!