Comments | the_snarkery: Chapter Nineteen

merrymelody in the_snarkery

Chapter Nineteen

Jan 16, 2005 12:02

The Lion and the Serpent

Useless Fact: This is the chapter I read first when I got my copy, purely on the basis of the title.

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Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! jollityfarm January 17 2005, 19:47:03 UTC

The idea that people should be pathetically grateful for any wincy scraps of patronising praise or pseudo-comfort afforded them by more popular, better individuals instead of feeling objectified or patronised is one of the more repulsive ideas the series has managed to spring. Looking at these summaries and realising what a crock of shit the supposed "niceness" of the trio is, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to stop myself from wailing "You tell the bitch!!!" during the "mudblood" bit in the Pensieve scene. I would do the same today if someone spoke to me like that. Mind you, I hate Lily for having been obviously such a bitch in her younger days.

I would really like to see someone who genuinely doesn't conform. Someone who doesn't support Gryffindor at Quidditch - and not just because they're Slytherins, but because they hate Quidditch. Someone who actually resists conforming and refuses to hang around with the popular set on the basis that they're a shallow bunch of patronising fucks. Neville pisses me off because he does nothing to earn anyone's respect, we're just supposed to like him because he follows our heroes around like a slightly brain-damaged lost puppy. He doesn't have a single thought of his own in his head and no real personality beyond "charity case". Why should I care if he's bullied by anyone?

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! sistermagpie January 17 2005, 19:59:51 UTC

You know what I'd love to see? Somebody who didn't care about the ridiculous house cup. I swear if I went to this school I'd probably be lynched for not caring about points. You'd think Dumbledore's little show first year would clue them in that this contest is a farce, but no, everybody's just cheering Gryffindor the Underdog again, even though canonically neither Hufflepuff nor Ravenclaw has won for 11 years. People are still stupid enough to get angry at housemates for losing points, or hating people in other houses in pursuit of the cup that means nothing and isn't even fairly awarded.

And these are the rebels. The ones who stick it to the man and don't like authority.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! mariagoner January 17 2005, 21:48:32 UTC

Dude, word on that. Why DO people care about the damn House cup anyway? Exactly what does it to for anyone in the House that wins it for the year, besides grant temporary bragging rights for their Heads of House?

Personally, I'm just hoping the Hufflepuffs and Raveclaws have already figured out that winning the House Cup isn't the "honor" it's said to be by their professors and left the dreary task of chasing it to the glory-hog Gryffindors and resentful Slytherins...

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! jollityfarm January 17 2005, 22:24:57 UTC

I would love to see a character that doesn't care about the house cup. In fact, I've got one for my Severus Snape genfic/Snape family backstory who doesn't care about any of that at all, and is actually quite resentful that people want to make him grasp for totally meaningless points that won't matter at all in the real world.

I think it's my way of working out my own personal feelings about rebellion, particularly as it relates to this canon.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! sistermagpie January 18 2005, 00:05:39 UTC

Heh. It reminds me of Michelle Magorian's book "Back Home" where this character gets stuck at a boarding school where people keep taking points off her for slipping up and then getting angry at her for it. She finally says, "If it bothers you so much when I lose points then STOP TAKING THEM FROM ME SINCE YOU'RE THE ONES TAKING OFF THE POINTS!"

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! guza January 18 2005, 01:16:03 UTC

Exactly what does it to for anyone in the House that wins it for the year, besides grant temporary bragging rights for their Heads of House?

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but at my school, when a house won the House Shield, they either got half a day off school for all the students, or (because they changed that later on) everyone in the house got a free sausage and ice cream at the House barbecue. :D:D:D:D I think Hogwarts should actually have something like that - it would make more sense.

I'm just hoping the Hufflepuffs and Raveclaws have already figured out that winning the House Cup isn't the "honor" it's said to be

Me too.

Sort of related, but I liked how Cho actually gave a shit about Ravenclaw winning, instead of just being happy Gryffindor won yet again (or like Cedric, making excuses for Gryffindor/Harry), like everyone else seems to be. But even that was demonised and Cho came across as a sore loser instead. I'd be pissed off too, so I liked what she did.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! mariagoner January 18 2005, 03:08:51 UTC

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but at my school, when a house won the House Shield, they either got half a day off school for all the students, or (because they changed that later on) everyone in the house got a free sausage and ice cream at the House barbecue. :D:D:D:D I think Hogwarts should actually have something like that - it would make more sense.

You had barbeques at your school? Lucky duck, where did you go to? In my junior high and high school (in New York City, natch), the most we ever got was luke-warm pizza and hot Kool Aid-- and that's only if we were in the school play or forked up $5 to go the senior prom.

But seriously, in Hogwarts, the only thing that a House gets for winning the House Cup is having their colors draped around the Main Hall for about half a day before they're all shipped back home. Now what the hell sort of motivation is that, anyway?

Sort of related, but I liked how Cho actually gave a shit about Ravenclaw winning, instead of just being happy Gryffindor won yet again (or like Cedric, making excuses for Gryffindor/Harry), like everyone else seems to be. But even that was demonised and Cho came across as a sore loser instead. I'd be pissed off too, so I liked what she did.

Didn't you know it's now apparently a sign of deep ev0l (or at least immature petulance) if anyone other than a Gryffindor shows ambition? Apparently, no one but our Sainted Trio and their house get to better themselves in any public way. Get your priorities straight, woman! ;)

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! guza January 18 2005, 04:05:27 UTC

I live in New Zealand, so yeah... :D

no one but our Sainted Trio and their house get to better themselves in any public way. Get your priorities straight, woman! ;)

*apologises profusely*

How could I have forgotten myself and suggested otherwise?

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! merrymelody January 18 2005, 10:21:27 UTC

McGonagall also really loooooves having that cup in her office, apparently.
You'd think the teachers would be over the House thing, but they're worse than anybody!

I love how Cho cried. Well, I guess that's what you get if you let the chicks play.
Ginny's good, but not Harry good, the three older girls on the Gryffindor team don't seem to affect the game at all and their only job so far has been to restrict the boys from manly fighting; the Slytherin team don't have any at all (because they're probably sexist on top of being racist, fat, ugly, stupid, mean, cowardly and untalented.)

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! t0ra_chan January 18 2005, 12:24:56 UTC

I love how Cho cried. Well, I guess that's what you get if you let the chicks play.
Meh, I cry too when I'm frustrated or angry, can't help it. At least it's not the whole Ravenclaw team throwing a big pity-party like Gryffindor did in PoA. Sadly that means no posters of Ginny's head on fire from the Ravenclaws (and it would so go with her hair too).

the Slytherin team don't have any at all (because they're probably sexist on top of being racist, fat, ugly, stupid, mean, cowardly and untalented.)

Well, as far as we know, Hufflepuffs don't have any girls on their team either. And Ravenclaws have only Cho. Oops, forget, everything Slytherins do is evil, even if other do the same. What was I thinking?

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! sistermagpie January 19 2005, 15:09:37 UTC

Sort of related, but I liked how Cho actually gave a shit about Ravenclaw winning, instead of just being happy Gryffindor won yet again (or like Cedric, making excuses for Gryffindor/Harry), like everyone else seems to be. But even that was demonised and Cho came across as a sore loser instead. I'd be pissed off too, so I liked what she did.

Oh, that is so true. Before, when Harry beat her on his firebolt, didn't Cho happily come over to congratulate him and cheerily say how she didn't stand a chance against his broom like this was a perfectly good thing? But once she's evil she proves it by not realizing it's always a happy ending when Gryffindor wins.

These books get funnier and funnier that way, the way all the main kids assume that everybody looks up to them and puts their interests ahead of their own, and wishes they could be friends with them...and then the school actually conforms to this idea. Not only do they not mind when they lose to Gryffindor (even when they lose due to something blatantly unfair) but they're happy about it.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! merrymelody January 19 2005, 15:25:25 UTC

Course. She's a "sore loser" now. Because Gryffindors react to defeat with courtly good grace. Or something.

Cho's a funny case - pre OotP, she was beautiful, nice, popular, good at Quidditch, dating Cedric the BMOC, a Ravenclaw ((the only house besides Gryffindor not to be criticised))then suddenly she shows a personality and feelings (OMG! Only Harry's allowed those!) she's demonised as whiny, superficial and melodramatic.
I quote no_remorse's gender essay way too often, but it is coincidental that as soon as Cho becomes the aggressor (love that bit where he's scared she wants to kiss him on their date. No-one will ever convince me of Straight!Harry.) and becomes a person rather than a paragon, he doesn't want her any more, which the narrative approves.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! go_back_chief January 19 2005, 16:42:41 UTC

but it is coincidental that as soon as Cho becomes the aggressor (love that bit where he's scared she wants to kiss him on their date. No-one will ever convince me of Straight!Harry.) and becomes a person rather than a paragon, he doesn't want her any more, which the narrative approves.

Not coincidental at all. Another reason for why I won't be the lest bit surprised if Harry will discover that he wants Ginny now, once she's finally over him, and won't chase him around with Valentines or get-well-cards anymore, so that he can be the one to chase her, the way it should be.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! merrymelody January 19 2005, 16:44:57 UTC

How romantic. And I guess, coupled with R/Hr, as Hermione passively waits for Ron to come get her.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! sistermagpie January 19 2005, 21:35:40 UTC

But also gets to be "better" than he is because she's over him. Like the way Lily thought James was a jerk. That's Gurl!Power. You can convince yourself that you're the one in control because the guy worships you.

Re: Part two, because your summary is so huge! merrymelody January 17 2005, 21:02:03 UTC

Neville pisses me off because he does nothing to earn anyone's respect, we're just supposed to like him because he follows our heroes around like a slightly brain-damaged lost puppy. He doesn't have a single thought of his own in his head and no real personality beyond "charity case". Why should I care if he's bullied by anyone?

Hah! Embrace the Neville hate!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/mistful/43492.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/mistful/21904.html http://www.livejournal.com/users/closet_geek/551.html http://elkins.theennead.com/hp/archives/000126.html#top http://elkins.theennead.com/hp/archives/000129.html#top http://elkins.theennead.com/hp/archives/000121.html#top

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