Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (novel)/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

******** Why not, if said living man is already starting to get an (admittedly undeserved) reputation as a mentally disturbed attention-seeker? ''Especially'' if there's no reliable way to establish that he is of sound mind, and it suits ''you'' damn well to cling to the hope that he's delusional? Fudge is doing the equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and going "LALALALA I can't hear you," and we already know that there are several higher-ups in the Ministry of Magic who are former Death Eaters, and to whom Fudge's willful blindness is very convenient indeed, and they'll of course be on his side and thus take it upon themselves to make it more difficult for anyone genuinely interested in finding out the truth.

** Why didn't Harry attempt to prove he wasn't lying about Cedric's death? Simple. He's ''fifteen years old,'' and frankly, not the smartest fifteen year old alive. He's not a good strategist. He can think on his feet and come up with plans on the fly, but rational, thought-out planning? Not his strong suit. Add to it that he's gone through the trauma of seeing someone he knew die, and knowing he was indirectly responsible for the death (Cedric wouldn't have been there to die if Harry hadn't suggested they both take the cup), and that he's told Dumbledore what happened and for several weeks believes that Dumbledore will make people listen. So what happens when he finds out this isn't the case? Harry's reaction isn't to set out to prove he's right, it's to get angry that people don't believe him. He starts shouting. He gets sarcastic. He all but outright demands that people believe him ''because it's the truth, dammit.'' You might cry [[Idiot Ball]] at this, but knowing the teenagers I do, I find it to be a very realistic reaction.

 

== If you want a job done right, you've gotta do it yourself... ==