The Second Wizarding War - Blog Posts

Mommas

They are two characters that couldn’t be more different, they are also two characters who couldn’t have more in common: Molly Weasley and Fleur Delacour. 

While Fleur started out (and on some level remained) snobby and shallow, even when knowing her as a Triwizard Champion there were glimpses into someone who was more than that. For starters, she was a Triwizard Champion and showed to be brave, intelligent and talented. She would loudly talk down about Hogwarts’ decoration and education, but I feel there were reasons underneath for that, while she held herself to high regard she also wasn’t arrogant as when she did poorly she didn’t blame others but herself, usually being a harsher critic of herself than anyone else. Long before Bill, she proved to be loyal to those she considered her friends in going what she could to help them and showing distraught when they were killed. A rarity, she was also able to separate competition from competitors, making life-long bonds with Victor Krum and Harry Potter, and probably Cedric had he lived. 

While always the parent to be afraid of, Molly Weasley was generally seen as this strict for fair Mom. She hadn’t had a professional career of her own, focused on having many children, and took pride in the domestic chores that allowed her children and husband to have as easy and comfortable lives as possible. Tere are many things to adore and look up to in regards to Molly Weasley, she was never ashamed of being poor, always tried her best to help her children while not allowing them to be snobs (I’m sure Draco would still be Draco even if they didn’t have a Knut to their name) and of course, was the one who wore the pants in the family and outside and inside the home made sure others knew it was a wizards talent, nature and heart that made them good or bad, not their bloodline. 

During the Second Wizarding War, Molly joined the Order of the Phoenix, but still in a way that stayed true to her nature of being the natural caregiver by taking care of things on the home front (EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BTW--just a different type of person) instead of going out and battling. We all knew she was a badass, and not a woman to mess with but it is how she chose to use that badassery that blasted thru when she obliterated Bellatrix. Here, Ginny, Hermione and Luna, all (female--important) wizards who are noted at the top of their class and have fought in many battles before cannot destroy Bellatrix, but a mom? Momma Molly, easy. This was such an important element of her because for the most part it’s hidden and it is in this case that I connect her so much with Fleur. People have layers, they’re complex, they all react to things and show different aspects of themselves at different times. This is such an important thing to understand when it comes to being a human and connecting with others. 

Alastor Moody

Alastor Moody is, of course, a difficult character to think back on because most of our experiences with him--weren’t actually him

Regardless, he was still an important character, one of the few characters who was in the Order of the Phoenix during both Wizarding Wars. A brave and skilled wizard he was also a good judge of character (Igor Karkaroff), giving (Tonks was his protégé) and he didn’t care too much about what others thought of him—only considering the opinion of those he deemed worthy.

What I think most about him, is he gives us a glimpse into some mental illness, disillusion and how Ron would be in his later years with PTSD. Even as a high-ranking Auror, people mostly avoided him as he had become a bit paranoid

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you

after all his years serving as an Auror and all those he had put away. He had limited friends he felt he could trust and had shown to have many scars showing all he had been thru. In the brief moments with him, he showed to be sentimental and trying to form human connections where he could and appreciating them: giving Harry the original Order of the Phoenix photo and his relationship with Tonks

PS Very glad Harry worked to get his eye back 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix we are propelled more into the depths and darkness the war will bring out that we see grow throughout the remainder of the series with Molly’s boggart turning into finding out any and all of them have been killed, the picture of the original Order of the Phoenix (most of whom have been killed) and even with the song sung by the Sorting Hat.

There is also an additional level of maturity brought to the story, because while our three are becoming more into their own, they are learning more about the complexities of life and good verse evil. Previously even those who were evil but were masquerading as good, we saw as still just evil when revealed (Pettigrew, Quirrell, Barty Crouch Jr.); but now we have Fudge, Percy, and Umbridge who are supposed to be the good guys but are doing more harm than one could imagine, forcing Harry and the others to not just fight against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but also the Ministry acting out of fear and for power. Then, this complexity is heightened as we learn more about the relationship between James and Snape. In this context thou, the inclusion of Fred and George’s growing business and the boring task of OWLS, we are reminded that during our worst crisis’, funny or not, life goes on.

As Harry Potter progressed thru out the years, he went from fighting with his friends, fighting on his own, and in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we see him progress to the next level; trying to navigate being a leader of more than just him, Hermione and Ron. Unfortunately this isn’t a lesson he masters by the end of this year or book and is given a painful lesson in the consequences of his actions and thinking things thru. But he does make some strides, in one of my favourite moments in the series of the films, is when Voldemort possesses Harry Potter and in return Harry chooses to think about choosing love over hate, choosing his friends, and decency and fights off Voldemort.

Teddy Lupin: New Generation

We know nothing about Teddy Lupin (except he’s a Metamorphmagus like his Mum and is a fan of PDA). But while we know very little, he is such an important character. Another child like Harry alone in the world because of a war (and a main reason why we got the Epilogue) he represents, and reminds us of, the continuous and generational effects war, violence and inaction have on individuals, families and society. But also, the impact that we can make when we make changes to those evils in the world. 

I originally chose February 19th as the day for this entry as with other entries whose birthdays aren’t available, as it is the birthday of the actor who portrayed (or in this case was cut from portraying them. So the timing for the rest of this piece, related to the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School) is somewhat a coincidence, as in the States we would always be coincidentally close to a school shooting. 

The students from Stoneman Douglas High School have had enough, and regardless of age are refusing to be bystanders or that these are things outside of their control. It reminds me of the old Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,        Courage to change the things I can,                                                            And wisdom to know the difference

now includes Angela Davis’ quote

to change the things I cannot accept

I didn’t expect Teddy’s post to be more than the first paragraph about how there are always unexpected tragedies of war, and how far those tragedies spread.But JK Rowling and Harry Potter taught us, reminded us that anyone can be a force for change, for a better world and with that, I am just simply loving this younger generation, I am in awe of their strength, courage and high moral standards 

Tom Riddle

Tom Marvolo Riddle, oh boy. 

What did we learn from him? About love, courage, bravery, compassion? ahhhhh. No one can say he had an uneasy childhood, and we don’t know if Harry had discovered his magical capabilities one his own without supervision, how he would have ended up or the choices he would have made. But I would believe that it wouldn’t be too different as it is our choices, not chance or circumstance that shows us who we are. 

Relating to him more as with other, previous, erroneous leaders it did always astonish me how the Death Eaters just followed him even thou they all knew him and themselves were less “pure blood” than they were. It ALSO drew me crazy that no one fighting him (except Dumbledore of course) would call him Tom, that would drive him CRAZY and knock him off his game, but, oh well. 

While again I’m not sure about the hypothesis that he couldn’t love because he was conceived under a love potion, I do agree that he really didn’t understand love. So while I agree he probably didn’t love Bellatrix, I do think he cared and admired her, or at least appreciated her loyalty to him. 

Happy New Year loves, please resolve to not be like Tom in the new year, and to do your best fighting your demons.

PS We did get reminded about not too much plastic surgery (hahaha) and with a final annoyance, with all his evil deeds, I am most upset about the timing of Tom Riddles return as Lord Voldemort as it’s influence on Hermione Granger. While I think she should be with Ron, once Lord Voldemort had returned she could not continue any real relationship with Victor Krum as she would focus on the second Wizarding War, she would have gotten to be her own (Princess Belle) great role model. What a GREAT role model as the girlfriend of a Quidditch star: a reader, someone for equal rights for “half breeds”, and a Muggle Born which  already had upset Igor Karkaroff.