Hogwarts Herald

This chapter illustrates a habit of Harry’s that continues throughout all of the books. One that Hermione doesn’t approve of at all for the most part, but Ron is pretty ok with. Harry has a habit of breaking the rules, and not only getting away with it, but actually being rewarded for it. In this chapter specifically Harry breaks several rules that should have, by all rights, gotten him kicked out of Hogwarts for good. Instead, he earns a place on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and finds the trapdoor below the three headed dog that will be the catalyst for the rest of the book.

All of Harry’s heroics throughout the series start with breaking the rules. Whether it be flying on his broomstick when specifically warned not to, wandering the halls at night, or finally in book seven robbing a bank and stealing a cup (and a dragon for that matter). Harry brings Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and even Luna along with him in these adventures with very little regard for what they are supposed to be doing. In the first book, it’s small things. Investigating the exsitence of Nicholas Flamel with the aid of the invisibility cloak for example. By the time Dolores Umbridge is in charge of Hogwarts, it’s full out rebellion.

This pattern divides me. As a lover of the stories, I think that it’s perfect. I know that Harry would not have been able to accomplish anything if he had been a doormat. Pleased to do whatever his elders told him. I know that in the end, Voldemort would have won. Harry would have been a small character in a very messed up world, and there wouldn’t have been any books at all. I love that Harry and his friends try to do the right thing no matter what. They KNOW someone is trying to steal whatever Dumbledore has hidden. They KNOW that they need to find out who Nicholas Flamel is, and what he has created, because it’s easier to figure out the identity of a thief if you know what they’re trying to steal. Forget what the rules are, if we follow those, something very bad is going to happen. It’s up to us to prevent it, because everyone else is so busy following the rules that they don’t see what’s really going on.

As a mom, I wonder how much rule breaking should really be encouraged. After all, some of the rules Harry breaks are not to save the world. Some of them are just boys being boys. Is his ability to play Quidditch integral to the books, and even to the final scenes of book one? Yes they are. Should he have been allowed on the Quidditch team and even given a brand new first class broomstick just because he showed a natural talent while doing something that was wrong and very VERY dangerous? I don’t think so. As a matter of fact, I think that no matter what, if I were in charge of Hogwarts I would have suspended him from flying lessons altogether, no matter how good he was, as a punishment for his misdeeds. He and Malfoy both, for at least 3 months. I think that no matter how much they try not to at Hogwarts Harry is given special treatment. This completely goes against Dumbledore sending him to live with the Dursleys in the first place. He was, after all, sent to live there so that he would not have “his head turned” by the fact that he was famous for something he couldn’t even remember. It disturbs me slightly that the only disciplines he really receives throughout the books are detentions with Hagrid which are fun adventures, extreme measures from Snape which are looked upon with scorn and no respect, and severe torture from Umbridge and the Dursleys which is completely out of line with what actual punishments should be.

So, my mind is made up. As a story, the fact that Harry can get away with almost anything, and with little to no acutal punishment is great. The fact that the punishments he does get are so severe as to constitute child abuse is teen storytelling at it’s finest. These are things that make these the wonderful magical books that we love so much. As a mom, my kid will know that rules are made to be followed, and unless someone’s well being is really at risk, he had better follow them.

Just like television, these books are made to be enjoyed as a family. Discuss the themes in the books with your kids. My boy will read them, and I’m sure he will love them. When he’s old enough to understand them. I am not even planning on starting him on book one until he’s at least seven or eight years old. And as for the Deathly Hallows… I’m 28 and it was difficult for me to take. I don’t know how old he will be when he reads it, but I do know that I will be re-reading it with him, and discussing it every step of the way.