Hufflepuff Stuff

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[hollowed-theory-hall]

why dudley redemption it makes a lot of sense to me in the second book we know he cares enough to remember what Harry's birthday is. yes he uses this as a chance to mock him but he knows it regardless. He also changes drastically after the dementors my favorite theory is because it shows him himself the raw and ugly selfish person he is and that is terrible enough to cause change

(Referring to this post)

Yeah, Dudley's redemption makes sense because he was a child, and he learned, and he improved. And yes, him remembering Harry's birthday is a sign of care, roundabout as it is.

What I find fun about Dudley's redemption is how terrified of magic he is. Like, his parents teach him to be scared of magic and hate it. And, I mean, he was harmed by magic multiple times:

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, “NEVER — ” he thundered, “— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig’s tail poking through a hole in his trousers.

(PS)

Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and sputtering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. One bewildered second later, Harry realized that the foot-long thing was Dudley’s tongue — and that a brightly colored toffee wrapper lay on the floor before him. Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue, and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and sputtered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, and Mr. Weasley had to shout to make himself heard.

(GoF)

He could not believe what had just happened. Dementors here, in Little Whinging . . . Dudley lay curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking.

(OotP)

And yet, he's never really scared of Harry and actually grows to have respect for Harry after he saves him from the dementors. I just really like that for all his fear of magic. He doesn't fear Harry. Not really.

And, we see his position on Harry change, he has his own subtle little arc of realising his parents are full of shit:

“Er — no, they don’t,” said Harry. “They think I’m a waste of space, actually, but I’m used to — ” “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.” If Harry had not seen Dudley’s lips move, he might not have believed it. As it was, he stared at Dudley for several seconds before accepting that it must have been his cousin who had spoken; for one thing, Dudley had turned red. Harry was embarrassed and astonished himself.

(DH)

And when Dumbledore calls Vernon and Petunia out in HBP (quite late, on his part), Harry assumes Dudley is stupid:

Dudley was frowning slightly, as though he was still trying to work out when he had ever been mistreated. Uncle Vernon looked as though he had something stuck in his throat; Aunt Petunia, however, was oddly flushed.

(HBP)

But I think Dudley was actually considering Dumbledore's words here and taking them to heart. I think he frowned because he was actually thinking about it. Becouse he got what Dumbledore meant.

I can't really get behind that theory for what Dudley saw, personally. I don't think that's the case since it's not the sort of thing we know other characters (Harry) see. Dementors make you relive your worst memories (his parents' death and later the graveyard, in Harry's case), not the thing you need to see for your character development.

I don't know what Dudley saw, but I'm sure he saw a specific moment, a memory that was his worst moment. The moment he, himself suffered the most. I consider the situation with the tongue-swelling toffee or any of the other times Dudley suffered at the hands of magic to be likely candidates. So, no, I don't think Dudley improved because of what the dementors showed him. I think his character development happened because Harry bothered to save him. Harry acted in a way that contradicted everything Dudley's parents said about him and his magic. Harry used his magic to save Dudley. And I think that was the fact that really set Dudley on his small arc.

That moment proved to Dudley that Harry was an inherently good person and that magic could be used to save lives (his life). It basically gave Dudley undeniable proof his parents lied to him.

I mean, Dudley makes it clear Harry's actions of saving his life were a big deal for him:

“Well . . . er . . . thanks, Dudley.” Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling, “You saved my life.”

(DH)

So I belive that was the source of his arc.

And I think it's interesting. Like, I won't say Dudley is a character I particularly like, but I understand him, and I think he has a small redemption. Like, I can't see post-books Harry being super close to Dudley, but I like to think they chose to meet up again and try to have some familial connection. Not anything super close, but, it would be something, yk?

I also think an adult Dudley would not be very close to his parents. Like, he'd see them for holidays and stuff, but these meetings would always be tense, especially when he brings up the question of why Harry isn't there as he did in DH:

“Why isn’t he coming with us?” Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia froze where they stood, staring at Dudley as though he had just expressed a desire to become a ballerina. “What?” said Uncle Vernon loudly. “Why isn’t he coming too?” asked Dudley [...] They heard the front door open, but Dudley did not move and after a few faltering steps Aunt Petunia stopped too. “What now?” barked Uncle Vernon, reappearing in the doorway. It seems that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently painful internal struggle he said, “But where’s he going to go?” Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked at each other. It was clear that Dudley was frightening them. Hestia Jones broke the silence.

(DH)

It makes sense to me, at least that Dudley's relationship with his parents would go more strained and that he'll try to keep in touch with Harry. That he'd feel like he needs to and eventually they'll get along well enough. Again, I don't think Harry and Dudley would ever be super close, but it would be something.

[severus-snaps]

Last night @sideprince pointed out to me that we never see/read that Snape threw the cockroach jar at Harry after SWM/Occlumency lesson:

And as Harry hurtled toward the door, a jar of dead cockroaches exploded above his head.

As far as the book is concerned, the jar explodes over Harry's head. Snape's collection of slimy unpleasant things line the walls, and the Pensieve is on the desk, or on an empty shelf behind/beside the desk. It is, ofc, entirely possible that Snape reached for a random jar and launched it at Harry, who was beneath the door, and it shattered above/around the doorway.

However, @sideprince suggested the much more interesting theory that Snape accidentally exploded a jar because he lost control, a display of accidental magic similar to the one we saw with Petunia and the branch in The Prince's Tale because he felt vulnerable and overwhelmed.

In this scenario the jar just happened to be on a shelf somewhere above Harry or flew off the shelf somehow and exploded if Harry was still in the process of crossing the room.

Obviously Snape using physical violence is unusual for him in the books, except in the case of self defence (i.e. in SWM where he's being ganged up on by James and Sirius) or the defence of others (i.e. using Sectumsempra to defend Lupin but accidentally hitting George).

And anyway I just ADORE the idea of Snape being overwhelmed and accidentally losing control of his magic (amidst a lesson where he's previously told Harry off for his supposed lack of emotional self control, God love him).

At some stage I'll try and ponder whether there's any other similarities on other occasions when Snape sort of loses it

(oh wait I just thought of one sort of; he unintentionally produced wand sparks toward the end of PoA I think?)

[lilithofpenandbook]

I think the word "exploded" is the key here.

If you throw something, you expect it to shatter. Crash. Smash. Ect.

"exploded" implies an internal force put pressure on it from the inside and burst out.

Or maybe it's just 2:10 and I'm completely mistaken. But as of right now, I do think the word "exploded" implies it was magic that caused a jar to break in Harry's vicinity. And actually! Actually, we SEE this sort of internal pressure that could explode something as accidental magic in a state of heightened emotion, specifically in a very similar state and level of anger and hurt, before! By Harry, who almost explodes his aunt. I'm pretty sure "almost explodes" or "blow up" are the exact words too. So we do have at least one explicit instance of accidental magic putting pressure within something (or someone) that expands outwards, and as such we can assume that then it could just be a way magic can manifest in anyone, not it just being from Harry (also, I also believe Ron and Hermione weren't even surprised that it happened, they were surprised Harry got away with it, which could support the idea that blowing things up with accidental magic is normal). Snape may have just had enough control to not explode Harry but the magic still caused an explosion near Harry.

It's also just another parallel between the two, blowing something/someone up when deeply violated by them.

And I think I spotted why we assume it was thrown too. The world "hurtled" is in the sentence too. "Hurtled" can mean to move fast, but also can mean something was thrown fast. And so with "hurtled" before "jar exploded", it's easy to see where you can accidentally associate the hurtling to the jar, and not just to Harry.

Anyway, that's my two pence on this.

[chocfrog-enjoyer]

Reminder that Hagrid was just 13 years old when Riddle framed him and got him expelled. A 13 years old boy with a good heart that was already facing major discrimination from the Wizarding World.

Like out of all the things Riddle could have done in that situations he chose to target an already discrimated younger student.

Hagrid who’s mother left him when he was 3. Hagrid who’s father died when he was 12. Hagrid who by all means was also an orphan.

If not for Albus’s kind heart and good nature, who put his effort into making Hagrid the groundskeeper and allowing him to stay at Hogwarts, Hagrid would have nowhere to go, nobody to look for, no future due to his expulsion and half-gigantism and no ability to manage a life on his own.

[dufferpuffer]

Op you are so right, and I'm about to blab about it for many words:

I'm not sure if there is a race/species Wizards hate more than Giants. (approx 2000 words)

And Albus saving Hagrid is one of his most impressive feats.

Once plentiful worldwide - Giants are recent victims of genocide. Focused efforts to kill them, take their territories and drive them into the outskirts - to the point where they are facing extinction.

Ron looked around at Harry, his expression very serious indeed. “Did you know?” he whispered. “About Hagrid being half-giant?” “No,” Harry said, shrugging. “So what?” (some lines removed for brevity) “Well, they’re… they’re…” Ron struggled for words. “…not very nice,” he finished lamely. “Who cares?” Harry said. “There’s nothing wrong with Hagrid!” “I know there isn’t, but… blimey, no wonder he keeps it quiet,” Ron said, shaking his head. “I always thought he’d got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something. Didn’t like to mention it….” “But what’s it matter if his mother was a giantess?” said Harry. “Well… no one who knows him will care, ’cos they’ll know he’s not dangerous,” said Ron slowly. “But… Harry, they’re just vicious, giants. It’s like Hagrid said, it’s in their natures, they’re like trolls… they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren’t any left in Britain now, though.” “What happened to them?” “Well, they were dying out anyway, and then loads got themselves killed by Aurors. There’re supposed to be giants abroad, though…. They hide out in mountains mostly….”

GoF Ch23, pg 429/430

...Giants are PEOPLE. They can breed with humans, they attend talks, speak in English learned as a second language to their own language/s. Wizards just hate them because of cultural differences.

Giants don't like bureaucracy, they settle disputes with duels (They can't sit without squashing a deer - they'd have different views on death), they dislike cramped and crowded places like Wizarding towns... They are labelled as savages - much like Centaur are labelled as savages for defending their constantly attacked, dwindling territory. They want to be left alone - but Wizards are active colonizers.

As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not — as he has always pretended — a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror. While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa’s son appears to have inherited her brutal nature.

Rita Skeeters' 'DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE', GoF ch24, pg 437/438/439/440

Ah yes: they just decided to wipe themselves out, unprompted, when Wizards happen to be at their most territorial: fresh off a Goblin Rebellion, the two World War's and the Global Wizarding War... Giants started killing each-other without any Wizard involvement. Sure. Totally not having their land taken, being racially profiled, pushed to outskirts and having conflicts over space and resources...

As an Australian - the idea of 'savages' hurts. I'm sure people from other British/French/Dutch/Spanish/American etc. colonies relate.

Rita assumes that Fridwulfa fought for Voldemort, insinuates it is a shame Aurors did not kill her - that she 'escaped' punishment. She must be violent, she is a Giant. She must follow the Dark Lord, she is a Giant. She couldn't have simply migrated - she must be running from Wizarding law.

This is the view Wizards have on Giants.

Hermione didn’t seem to find the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking as Ron did. “Well, I thought he must be,” she said, shrugging. “I knew he couldn’t be pure giant because they’re about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can’t all be horrible…. It’s the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves…. It’s just bigotry, isn’t it?” Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn’t want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn’t looking.

GoF ch24, pg 433/434

“Envoys to the giants?” Fudge shrieked, finding his tongue again. “What madness is this?” “Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late,” said Dumbledore, “or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!” “You — you cannot be serious!” Fudge gasped, shaking his head and retreating further from Dumbledore. “If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants— people hate them, Dumbledore— end of my career—”

GoF, ch36, pg708

Dumbledore gets it. They are people, not trolls, not beasts or animals to hunt to extinction, to push to the mountains.

Fridwulfa, even with a cultural preference for larger children and partners, stayed with a tiny Wizard and tiny little son for 3+ years. Maybe she left simply because she lost interest. Maybe she wanted company of Giants, or larger kids - I don't know. But I'm sure living near Wizards wasn't easy.

We know that Hagrid keeps his heritage a secret - more than a secret, actually, he LIES about it. Calls himself a Pureblood. Half-Giant's are hated, and he would be alone if he embraced it.

“I jus’ knew... knew you were like me.... Was it yer mother or yer father?” “I — I don’t know what you mean, ’Agrid....” “It was my mother,” said Hagrid quietly. “She was one o’ the las’ ones in Britain. ’Course, I can’ remember her too well... she left, see. When I was abou’ three. She wasn’ really the maternal sort. Well... it’s not in their natures, is it? Dunno what happened to her... might be dead fer all I know....” Madame Maxime didn’t say anything. And Harry, in spite of himself, took his eyes off the beetle and looked over the top of the reindeer’s antlers, listening.... He had never heard Hagrid talk about his childhood before. “Me dad was broken-hearted when she wen’. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an’ put him on top o’ the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh....” Hagrid’s deep voice broke. Madame Maxime was listening, motionless, apparently staring at the silvery fountain. “Dad raised me... but he died, o’ course, jus’ after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help, mind. Very kind ter me, he was....” Hagrid pulled out a large spotted silk handkerchief and blew his nose heavily. “So... anyway... enough abou’ me. What about you? Which side you got it on?” But Madame Maxime had suddenly got to her feet. “It is chilly,” she said — but whatever the weather was doing, it was nowhere near as cold as her voice. “I think I will go in now.” “Eh?” said Hagrid blankly. “No, don’ go! I’ve — I’ve never met another one before!” “Anuzzer what, precisely?” said Madame Maxime, her tone icy. Harry could have told Hagrid it was best not to answer; he stood there in the shadows gritting his teeth, hoping against hope he wouldn’t — but it was no good. “Another half-giant, o’ course!” said Hagrid. “ ’Ow dare you!” shrieked Madame Maxime. Her voice exploded through the peaceful night air like a foghorn; behind him, Harry heard Fleur and Roger fall out of their rosebush. “I ’ave nevair been more insulted in my life! ’Alf-giant? Moi? I ’ave — I ’ave big bones!” She stormed away; great multicolored swarms of fairies rose into the air as she passed, angrily pushing aside bushes.

GoF Ch 23, pg 427/428

...One of the saddest parts of this is that Madame Maxime runs a school full of half-Witches... and yet being a Half-Giant is still so horrible she cannot face the shame of it. Even when she is listening to someone who knows what its like. I doubt the near-extinction of Giants is unique to the British Isles.

So I wonder what sort of life would have faced Hagrid, a 13yr old orphan Half-Giant - without a wand and accused of causing the death of a human.

He is NOT getting a job, thats for bloody sure - at least not a job that doesn't treat him like shit for his size and strength. Does he have much choice other than to seek out Giants? But he is small - he will be a bottom-rung of their society... A society already under pressure from Wizarding kind - which he is half. He would be exposed to Voldemorts recruitment - only held back by the fact he knew Tom as a kid - and wasn't happy with him.

Basically its just terrible. His future was non-existent and bleak. He had nowhere to go and nobody who could possibly want him.

...Then his Transfiguration teacher stands and makes a big hullabaloo about keeping the Half-Giant that killed a little girl. A grounds keeper out of a 13yr old without a wand?! Just because he 'has a way with animals' - yeah, a student DIED because of that-!!!

This was BEFORE Albus defeated Grindelwald, too. How did he convince the Board of Governors and the Ministry? He can barely convince the Governors or Ministry of anything as an accomplished multi-war-veteran celebrity-!

It is no wonder Hagrid adores him. They both give the misunderstood, the outcast, a place to belong.

And you know? Albus didn't even turn on Tom, the little orphan who has nothing outside of Hogwarts... apart from a bright future. He couldn't be sure what Tom did, or how, or why... perhaps he didn't even think Tom had anything to do with it at all. Or hoped he didn't. But we can see how he treats Tom after Myrtle's death:

‘What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?’ Harry gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year-younger Dumbledore. ‘I had to see the Headmaster, sir,’ said Riddle. ‘Well, hurry off to bed,’ said Dumbledore, giving Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare Harry knew so well. ‘Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since …’ He sighed heavily, bade Riddle goodnight and strode off. Riddle watched him out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Harry in hot pursuit.

CoS ch 13, pg 183

We hear from Tom that Albus 'didn't like him as much as the other teachers, who adored him' - yet THIS is the extent of that 'dislike': "Go to bed please, it is late - but I won't force you."

[optimisticsweetsruins]

just thinking about how sirius was the only person harry ever felt comfortable venting to. about his scar hurting, about the first task and the dragons, about how ron wasn't speaking to him, about how nobody believed him. because harry knew that sirius listened, sirius cared about his feelings just as much as he cared about his safety.

thinking about how harry sent a pages long letter after the first task, explaining in detail how he defeated the dragon. around sirius, harry could act like the child he really was.

[julietonthebalcony]

I very often think about Harry and Ginny's kids when they were little introducing themselves to other kids and everybody going "Potter?!" and to them that has nothing to do with their avarage auror father who is not cool at all and has everything to do with their badass mom who is a famous quidditch player. And they are kinda right.

[rivaldii]

Been gone for a million years but I've decided that I like it on tumblr better than on other parts of the internet.

Here's my boy Harry because I'm listening to the HP audiobooks and they're bringing me back to life.

[optimisticsweetsruins]

harry in the goblet of fire:

"who does sirius think he is telling me not to be reckless and not leave the castle?"

and then he proceeds to NOT be reckless and NOT leave the castle. if you want harry not to do something, just make sure sirius is the one delivering the message.

[artemisia-black]

He gets it from his father (the obeying Sirius gene is in the Potter genome):

“ If it bothers you,” he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket. Harry had the distinct impression that Sirius was the only one for whom James would have stopped showing off.

[hugvvarts]

do you ever think of harry james potter, orphaned abused precious child who still goes out of his way to die for his friends and just cry

[masterofdeath]

hey remember when dumbledore told harry that he was alive because his parents loved him so much when up until that point he had been told they were indifferent ( at best ) to him??? 

[bluurbon]

Small hinny moodboard I made

[pick-a-paint-brush]

‘It’s Easter eggs from Mum,’ said Ginny. ‘There’s one for you… there you go.’

She handed him a handsome chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches, and accorrding to the packaging, containing a bag of Fizzing Whizzbees. Harry looked at it for a moment, then, to his horror, gelt a lump rise in his throat.

‘Are you OK, Harry?’ Ginny asked quietly.

‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ said Harry gruffly. The lump in his throat was painful. He did not understand why an Easter egg should have made him feel like this.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 29 - Careers Advice

I love this moment because it’s this cute moment between Harry and Ginny way back in the middle of fifth year. She can see right through him, and he feels so comfortable with her, it’s amazing. btw I worked on this all weekend, and then realized Easter Sunday is tomorrow so it turned out super relevant. I’m Jewish, but I guess happy Easter to you all!

[heymrtambourine]

Florean Fortescue`s Ice Cream Parlour

[sixthcloud3]

Happy birthday to the most precious boy ever!

X

[samo-lyuba]

Long live Harryyyy!!

My boy deserves all the best

[vittysartbox]

Happy Birthday Harry! 🎂

[blvnk-art]

I've found this in an old folder from my notebook, I think I have never post it before. 6th year Hinny.

[vesperkyno]

My boy is 45

[dcafpaperback]

well 46 today !!

happy birthday harry