She is absolutely amazing. She made our hopes go up and gave some people rejuvenated faith! *applause for Padfoot* That girl is honestly amazing. She analyzed everything I was in total awe I still am. I totally agree! Every H/Hr shipper should read Padfoot's essay. It's like one of those things that are a given when you be a Harmony shipper. Everyone should honestly read this it's mind-blowing and made me feel so giddy! It showed how much they loved each other and what we saw was true. It is was and will be a beautiful love! And I had never been so happy to be a Harmonian when I read her essay! She's absolutely brilliant!

xoxo
Hana

I have just finished reading and I absloutly loved it!!
It makes me cry...haha, I love HHr so much!! and now that I read all this beautiful moments I love them much more and Im more convinced of their love! Thank you for taking what must have been a lot of time in doing this Padfoot_Lives !!
HARRY/HERMIONE FOR EVER!!

Hi Dani_1985! Welcome to Portkey!

Why don't you introduce yourself here in the Wrestling the Troll forum?

I honestly don't how JKR could write all those moments the way she did keeping this "sibling relationship" between Harry and Hermione in mind. If my brother treated me the way Harry treats Hermione, I'd be seriously creeped out. Ah well..

--Sabrina

I'd be creeped out major! But it's her loss not ours Padfoot's essay convinced me. That girl is amazing! I would just like say thank you to her again and always making me feel fuzzy and warm when I read it

xoxo
Hana

To be completely honest, I'm stunned.

I've been so busy this past year, with my first year of university, that I've only been able to browse Portkey a small handful of times (and believe me, it's depressing, it's like I need my fix of Harmonian fun!)

So whenever I check this thread again, I'm always amazed and so touched by how much people appreciate my essay. I loved every minute of writing it. The first time I read DH, I was just stupefied by how obvious H/Hr seemed to me. It just became a sort of obsession to make sure other Harmony fans, especially the ones who were depressed by DH, saw what I saw (and whether or not you agree with my analysis, is totally up to you obviously). I loved writing the essay and I'm so, so glad people have enjoyed it and have found hope in Harmony again! Wow.

Sabrina, I totally agree with you about the brother-sister thing. I have a brother, a younger brother in fact (as Harry would be to Hermione in the twisted reality of OBHWF), and while we're really close, I would be seriously creeped out if our relationship mimicked H/Hr's.

I think JKR hit the nail on the head with Ginny's relationship with Ron, Fred and George. She and the twins have a very easy, cheerful, often overprotective sibling relationship and she and Ron have the squabbling kind. These are the two most often seen relationships between brothers and sisters, and she got it spot on with the Weasleys.

So it seems ludicrous, when you have this point of contrast to look at right through the books, that anyone can imagine Harry and Hermione have a similar sort of relationship.

All bow down to Padfoot! For she is the light!


It's nice to see you again Padfoot! I hope your first year wasnt TOO stressful...

I really want to re-iterate how much your essay rocks. While I may not have agreed with a few of your points, the overall picture you created rings true to me (and many others, apparently )

Sincerely,
From Iraq,
~GM~

*bows down* Thank you so much for spending so much time on that essay and showing it to us I know for a fact you made a lot of Harmonians very very happy and made them believe again. Thank you no words I think can express that happiness! You made me hope I don't know but when I read it it's like a fire that was diminishing roared back to life! Thank you so much it was truly insightful and absolutely brilliant! And I honestly saw Hermione/Ron as brother sister. Funny thing actually a guest said 'What Happened to Hermione I always thouhgt Harry..' When I told her that he ended uup with Ginny. And this is from a non-shipper!major and she just has a gist of everything. It just proves us right and funniest thing she went 'EWWWWWWWWWWWw Ron/Hermione they're like brother and sister that's gross!' And I just wanted to hug her right there!

xoxo
Hana

I know the feeling. I too, have a younger brother, and I don't think our relationship has ever, or ever will, mimic H/Hr's. Though it could be because he's only two.... Meh, I've had close guy friends that don't mimic that relationship, it's just too close to be justified by friendship. Hermione dropped FAR too many hints for a friendship .

Okay, I've finally gone over all the posts in the original thread and have moved many of them here. *points at modly note at the start of this thread #3*

like naming her daughter Rose? floral Lily would have been a bit obvious for our girl, i guess.
and her son Hugo? is their a sweeter letter in the alphabet as far as this ship is concerned?

maybe names that reminded you of your husband, hermione would have been a better choice and not your best friend.

potter's otter for life that girl is.

I've moved two three recent posts to this thread EDIT: Please head over there to talk about JKR's new interview.

This essay was one of the reason that finally prompted me to join PK... it is amazing, really, and I agree with Padfoot on so many things... My favourite book of the Harry Potter series is still POA, but I am conviced that, from a H/Hr point of view, DH stands above all the others (save from the epilogue, of course). There are so many moments showing the strenght and depth of the relationship between Harry and Hermione...

I agree with you Lina Inverse. I have to say I think Padfoot's essay save many of the fans here at Portkey in our belief in H/Hr after this essay was released. If a H/Hr fan ever gets to make an unauthorized book on H/Hr,this essay has to be included as well as the evidence the alchemy scholars have collected over the years. The essay just gets better everytime I read it and it reinforces why H/Hr had the strongest relationship in the series. It wasn't a mistake on JKR's part when she wrote all the great alchemy symbolism between H/Hr,no matter how much she tries to protest that OBWF was her intended ending. As time goes on,people will realize just how shallow and empty the OBWF ending is and H/Hr will continue to gain strength. More and more people will discover the subtle clues that were in the books and scratch their heads as to why it didn't end with H/Hr being together.

Padfoot, that was wonderful. I have not and will not read the book, but thank you for sharing those portions and giving me a glimpse.

I think one of the quotes that stuck with me most was the one when Harry expresses who he loves and HERMIONE is the first name. She is ahead of Ron, but more importantly, ahead of Ginny. That's just SUCH an absurd portrayal of romantic love. As was the bonded moment.

The other was when it was Harry, Hermione and Ron racing away from danger but it's Harry who takes her hand and runs for it with Ron trailing behind. So reminiscent of the rest of the series.

First and foremost Harry's always been Hermione's protector (and she his). Sorry, but I've seen far too many real life and fictional relationships to know for a fact that while brotherly love is powerful; the one who is your partner, your lover (when the relationship is good) is the one who steps up and is your primary caretaker/protector. The fact that JK continually keeps Harry in that role, just makes Ron weak and so not suitable as Hermione's romantic partner in this piece of fiction. It's complete bunk.


I feel that JK read many Harmonian arguments about how Ron fails miserably in regards to Hermione, and then loaded this book with unbelievable, un-Ron-like instances to squash those arguments. Don't even get me started on Ron remembering Parseltongue *rolls eyes so hard it's painful*

But JK quickly and repeatedly falls back into old and familiar patterns of H/Hr. There's a reason for it; it WORKS! It's right! It's logical.

Lastly, I agree with you that Ron who has always been insecure and wanting of what Harry has (Hermione's attention being one of those things), it makes sense that he blows up and stalks off when it's finally voiced that Hermione chooses Harry over him. THAT is substantiated all through the prior 6 books.

What doesn't make sense to me, is that Hermione wants Ron romantically before or AFTER that episode. He (Ron) is not anything emotionally (minimally in books 1-6 and more so in the final book) that Hermione admires. So how could she have been attracted to him prior to book 7? She (JK) wrote Hermione as a bit of a feminist, and definitely as an oppressed minority and yet Ron during 6 books of the series (and partially in 7); Ron is a shallow, self-absorbed male chauvinist who disrespects those he feels are beneath him. What a poor role model to young girls. UGH!

I like Ron's character. I do. He's perfect side kick material. Written to perfection as the counterbalance of Harry. As Ginny is Hermione's counterbalance. Harry and Hermione (each with their own strengths of character) are the moral compasses of story, but JK completely destroys their characters by pairing them both with weaker, less moral characters.

Harry and Hermione grow emotionally in the story when they are with each other. They each become better as a result of interaction with the other. They are at their most shallow emotionally when they are with or thinking of Ron and Ginny.

Actually, morally speaking, the early messages of the series are completely abandoned by the end of the series. Right over easy - made a mockery of by the series end. H/Hr, the half-breed and the muggle born, pair up with the pure family. The miserable, wizardly characters never changed. They never saw the error of their ways despite love being shown to them and became better people. Sorry but Snape's behavior through the series doesn't speak of a change. His core beliefs never changed despite what he witnesses. Same with Draco. DD gave his life, spared him numerous times and Draco still was a miserable prick.

UGH UGH on the whole Hallows. How convenient. I guess so much for JK's interview right after book 6 attesting that people don't come back after they die. Unless of course she makes up a "resurrection ring" that is. The Elder wand that could have ended LV in book 5 The invisibility cloak that was never really used for it's purpose in book 1. Plus other "conveniences like "apparition" that could have whisked Lily and baby Harry out of harm's way.

You were dead-on Padfoot, when you stated Oedipus. How utterly sad. I think JK went with what was easy over what was right to end her series.

Sorry for the ramblings, but I'm disgusted and woefully out of practice at this.

Well I thought DH was an improvement over HBP,not much of one,but at least we got to see how H/Hr's tragic romance unfolded. At first I was very indifferent about the seventh book after I read it. I didn't feel happy or angry,I was upset of course that H/Hr was never given a chance to have a romance,but clearly they were the strongest couple in the series. Padfoot Lives beautiful essay proves why H/Hr are the moral compass and despite what JKR says in interviews,it's what she wrote that matters the most. Saying that H/G are soulmates and R/Hr balance eachother may work to keep the OBWF shippers happy,but it's not in print nor does it equal to true happiness. Harry gets peace in the end and although I was glad he survived his ordeal with Voldemort,I was expecting more in the epilouge than seeing his kids get on the train. Like you said brown,most of the right vs. easy themes that made the first five books so enjoyable is missing from the last two and H/Hr have to sacrifice their relationship so the Weasleys can be happy. No wonder this series has faded back into being looked at as just a children's book and will never go beyond children's literature the way Tolkien,C.S. Lewis and even Phillp Pullman's work has transcended those bounds.

That wasn't rambling at all, brown, and I think you really covered a lot of my feelings on that. I particularly like what you said about the moral tone being lost when Harry and Hermione were with Ginny and Ron. It's an undeniable fact that both characters became somehow more immature and shallow when with their chosen partner, and in doing so the attributes that we love in H.Hr are lost in amongst it.

I'm like you. I don't hate Ron, or Ginny for that matter, but I do feel that when paired with Harry and Hermione they just don't quite fit in the role. Neither were developed in a way to make good romantic partners for the mains. The very fact that so much had to be changed, and even Harry and Hermione themselves undergoing a change, proves that. HBP was the start but in DH we had these forced moments. The only parts that seemed natural was when Harry and Hermione were together. Coincidence?

[font=Century Gothic]

I don't know if this has been mentioned but I'll just say it just for the sake of it.

Towards the end in DH, when everyone thinks Harry is dead and when you hear Ron, Hermione and Ginny's reaction.

and it goes like this:

No!
No!
Harry! Harry!

* Hermione's reaction is italisized.

I noticed it too!
I thought JKR wanted to emphasise that Hermione was terrified more than others...IMO....I don't know...maybe.

wow I never noticed that.

I am thinking that we can take it however we want to. Afterall JK did say that H/Hr was possible. It just wasn't where she wanted her characters to go.

Where is the harm in thinking that she did feel the pain of his death more than the others?

I like to think she did

Probably because she was not only seeing him dead but facing her most fear: failure. Hermione did everything she could and a little more to keep Harry alive and safe. Remember her boggart in book 3? That was affecting her twice.

^sorry im not sure how to put that in a fancy quote box =P

inserted that fancy quote box. - gal-texter


what do you mean McGonagall wanted [h/hr] to happen?
did she say that somewhere in the series? do you know where? i want to read it! this is exciting!!!!! =] yay h/hr forever!!!!!!!! <3333

^No she didn't say anything of the sort.

However, when Hermione was petrified in CoS, Harry was the only one McGonagall seeked out to bring to her (Hr) side.

Here's what Padfoot_Lives actually said, in response to Harryandhermionesdaughter's query on the matter in the first of these threads about the essay:





I quoted this last year in the thread, "Was It Really a Happy Ending in Book Seven?" There it was H/hrwatcher asking the question. In her response, she for one failed to recognize the common denominator among these incidents: through all of them, McGonagall seemed to see Harry and Hermione -- not the two of them plus Ron -- as a team, and to do so reflexively.

If a "Trio dynamic" ever existed, old Minerva seemed never to have heard of it -- only of a Harmony dynamic. So on that basis, would it have been such a leap of faith for her to start seeing the pair (team) as a couple?

Excellent point and a very interesting one in terms of McGonagall's perception of H/Hr. We as Harmonians feel that she saw great potential in their relationship growing into a romantic one at some point,as it already had a strong foundation of friendship to begin with. Here's Hermione-top student,the heir apparent to Lily Evans. Harry Potter-the boy who lived,who also needs someone to guide him through the difficult times he will inevitably face. So naturally McGonagall would think they would make a perfect pair and compliment eachother in many ways. I could be wrong,but I get the feeling McGonagall doesn't hold the Weasley children in high regard. Not that she has anything against Arthur and Molly,it's just that the twins had already started giving trouble when the series starts. So I don't think she likes Ron very much either and feels he's not as good an influence on Harry as Hermione is. She posibly didn't think Harry would ever notice the youngest sibling Ginny as anything more than a member of the family. So I'm quite sure she was surprised to hear that H/Hr had married into the Weasley family years later.

ya I know also who likes them together.. Rita Skeeter.. heck she put them on the front page.. even though Harry/Hermione weren't together but I bet every1 wanted them together you know. Gosh even thoug Rita is evil but I love her sooo much..!!!

Before the twins, though, came Bill, Charlie and Percy. Possibly the twins and Ron were a letdown to McGonagall after those three.

Now as to Ron being "not as good an influence on Harry as Hermione is," this may have been one of the few matters on which Snape ever agreed with McGonagall. For as I indicated in a recent PM exchange with your fellow Super Mod Scout, the Trio dynamic was, believe it or not, very likely Snape's creation!

Consider. Snape, like practically every other faculty member, knows the blood status of each and every one of his students. And aside from being very clever, he's also an accomplished Legilimens. So into his first-year Potions class one September comes Harry Potter: not only a half-blood, but also (except for his eye color and, of course, the scar on his forehead) the spitting image of his father, Snape's late enemy James Potter! Into the same class comes also Hermione Granger: not only reportedly a brilliant student (as was the late Lily Evans, whom James "stole" from Snape, and whose green eyes Harry inherited), but also a Mudblood (as Lily also was)! Already this week, Harry has had opportunity to see Hermione's scholastic prowess -- and to feel somewhat inferior to her on that account, though during the month before he boarded the Express he stayed up night and day with his new schoolbooks (a very Hermione-ish thing to do, as I've said before). What a setup...

To the living image of James before him, Snape proceeds to pose, none too politely, a rather hard Potions-related question. Immediately the Mudblood girl's hand goes up: how interesting. Is she just trying to show off her knowledge -- or is something else at work here? Potter's ignorance of the answer prompts Snape -- who at the same time pointedly ignores Miss Granger -- to deride him as having nothing going for him except fame. Snape then poses another hard question to Potter, again ignoring Miss Granger's almost desperate efforts to be noticed. Potter can't answer this one either, and pays for it by being unfairly accused of not having bothered with his schoolbooks before boarding the Express. Snape asks Potter another question: this time Miss Granger not only frantically waves her upraised hand, but rises from her seat! The worm turns here: though Potter can no more answer this question than he could the first two, he perceives that Miss Granger can, and respectfully suggests that Snape call on her. For this, he's ironically accused of disrespect, and accidentally costs Gryffindor a point...

Imagine now the following conference later that same freaky Friday, between Snape and Draco, in the former's office. First come the preliminaries (Snape knew Lucius as a Prefect, Lucius has spoken highly to Draco of Snape), then...

SNAPE:
Draco, have you become acquainted yet
with Harry Potter?

DRACO:
I'll say I have, Professor. What a stupid git
he turned out to be!

SNAPE:
Really? Tell me more.

DRACO:
I met him the first time at Madam Malkin's
the last of July. I didn't recognize him then --
I guess his hair covered the scar. He was in
Diagon Alley with Hagrid -- would you believe
he called that great oaf "brilliant"?

SNAPE:
Hagrid is rather -- questionable, yes.
Go on.

DRACO:
Then I told him how Mudbloods shouldn't be
let in here. He didn't say anything to that,
but I could sort of feel he didn't agree with me.

SNAPE:
How interesting...

DRACO:
The next time I met him was on the Express --
I recognized him that time. I was with
Crabbe and Goyle and I warned him about
making friends with the wrong sort of wizards.
But he'd already gone and got tight with
Ronald Weasley!

SNAPE:
Unfortunate indeed...

DRACO:
The blood traitor wanted to fight us right
there. Potter just went along with him --
I'd have respected him more if he'd
challenged us. But nothing came of it because
Weasley set a rat on us -- it bit Goyle's finger.
We bolted then because we didn't know how
many other rats they had in their
compartment.

SNAPE:
A wise move...

(Brief pause)

What did you make of Potter's -- chivalry
towards Hermione Granger in Potions class
this morning?

DRACO:
There's another git for you, Professor.
Ever since the Express, she's been chucking her
weight about like she was a Prefect! She
and Potter were made for each other, if
you ask me.

SNAPE:
Indeed. So we're agreed that some sort of bond
seems to be in bud between them -- even if
they don't know it yet.

(Another brief pause)

You're aware that Miss Granger's Muggle-born?

DRACO (gasps, then):
I didn't think there could be anything worse about
her! It just figures, Potter standing up for a
Mudblood girl! Did you see her grinning at
him with those buck teeth of hers right after?

SNAPE:
I did indeed -- though I don't think he did.
And he's a half-blood, as you probably know.

(Brief pause again)

Any bond between Potter and Miss Granger, if
not checked in time, could lead to the destruction
of the Wizarding World as we know it.

(Slightly briefer pause)

I'm sure your father would agree, Draco.

(Draco nods vigorously. Another pause)

Now Ronald Weasley's a pure-blood. Have you
been able to find out how he feels about
Miss Granger?

DRACO (snickers; then):
He likes her about as much as he does me,
Professor. He groaned when she was Sorted into
Gryffindor with him and Potter. Ever since then,
he's been bad-mouthing her.

SNAPE (brief pause; then):
It seems to me that he takes far more after his
brothers Frederick and George than after William,
Charles or Percy. And James Potter was in my year
when I was a student here: if his son's anything like
him, he won't be above breaking a school rule now
and again.

(Another brief pause)

Suppose the great Harry Potter were to be caught
breaking rules -- because his dear friend Ronald
Weasley dragged him into it. He might be
expelled --

(Draco brightens visibly at this prospect)

-- and maybe Weasley along with him. But there'd
almost certainly be a wedge driven between him
and Miss Granger -- who, from what you've just told
me about her and what I observed about her in class
this morning, would have fought tooth and nail to
keep him out of trouble.

(Brief pause; then, smiling slightly)

I trust you can work out the details, Draco.

DRACO (still grinning broadly):
You can count on me, Professor.


Was Snape thus -- through Draco as his proxy -- the real instigator of the "midnight duel" incident? I've said in the past that the "Potions Master" and "Midnight Duel" chapters of Book One followed each other a little too closely for comfort -- not to mention coincidence.

(Note: The foregoing scene is a "clip" from my proposed fanfic, "A Hogwarts Horror," and specifically from Chapter Three, "The Untold Tale of the Prince." The story is patterned after Dickens's CHRISTMAS CAROL and takes place after Harry goes to sleep in Gryffindor Tower following "The Flaw in the Plan."

In Chapter One, "Dobby's Doubts," Dobby does the Jacob Marley bit, telling Harry in part that "Before a new Wizarding World can come, there remains much work to be done by many wizards -- including Harry Potter."

Harry sees the crapilogue and even worse (for one thing, Fudge is Minister for Magic again) in Chapter Two, "A Better World?" A Dementor, of all things, guides him through it all because apparently, both he and Hermione are destined to be de-souled over time -- and consequently, to drag down public morale in Wizarding Britain, which had recognized them as a potential power couple and force for reform!

In Chapter Three Harry's second spirit guide, none other than Igor Karkaroff, helps him find a heavily-sealed and threateningly-labeled bottle containing the above scene and other memories which Snape -- knowing that his association with Voldemort started out hazardous and only became more so with time, especially after Dumbledore's death -- stored away long before Tommy-boy set Nagini on him, to insure that should he have predeceased Harry (not to mention Voldemort), Harry wouldn't learn the truth about him. And yes, Harry gets to see Hermione smiling at him in that first Potions class -- and to reflect that even when she had buck teeth, she was always kind of cute... )

Filch unfortunately failed to catch Potter, Weasley or Miss Granger out of bed, but Snape of course knew that they were the students Peeves had seen that night and subsequently raised an alarm about. Between this and the Remembrall incident (though the latter had the unfortunate side effect of gaining Potter the position of Gryffindor Seeker and his own Nimbus 2000), a wall went up between the boys and Miss Granger, and seemed more or less solid.

But then came Halloween -- and the troll incident. It took weeks for Snape to piece together, from the grapevine, what had happened that day.

In that morning's Charms class, Flitwick had forced Weasley and Miss Granger to work together as a pair on Wingardium Leviosa. Their subsequent prolonged bickering, though half-whispered, could be so widely heard that even Flitwick caught odd bits of it here and there: he said later that it seemed to be about something other than the proper performance of the spell. (Snape, remembering Draco's gleeful report of what had happened when the latter had issued his "midnight duel" challenge -- he could easily have stayed nearby to watch Hermione try to talk Harry out of it -- discerned that, in this Charms class, Weasley and Miss Granger had actually been fighting over Potter's soul.)

When the class ended, Miss Granger allowed Potter and Weasley to leave the room a minute or so ahead of her. In the corridor, she was confronted by a group of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw girls (the former reportedly including her dorm-mates Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil) who proceeded to bait her about "true love between you and Weasley...Only what would Potter say?" and also about "drooling over Potter." Miss Granger then vehemently expressed her low opinion of both boys, justifying it by their apparent contempt for school rules, and adding, "If I were Headmistress they'd have both been gone by now!" The other girls then chastised her for being "full of herself," and for her twin obsessions with study and rules. One of the Ravenclaw girls (different accounts gave different names) then brandished her wand at Miss Granger, warning her that "you might end up with that big head of yours looking its size. Then see if Potter pays you any attention!" As the other girls burst out laughing, Miss Granger burst into tears and ran off down the corridor.

A few moments later, Miss Granger brushed past Potter and Weasley, almost knocking down the former. Potter, unaware of her clash with the other girls, attributed her distraught state to a derogatory remark Weasley had just made to him about her. Though Weasley responded defiantly to this idea, he nonetheless looked somewhat guilty.

Miss Granger was not seen in classes, or elsewhere, for the rest of the day. That evening, as students made their way to the Great Hall for the holiday feast, Parvati Patil was heard to tell Miss Brown that Miss Granger had been crying in a washroom since after Charms class and wished to be left alone. The two agreed that they for two were happy to oblige her.

Then came the news of the troll's presence in the castle -- and the frantic efforts of faculty and Prefects to lead the student body to safety. Potter was heard to point out to Weasley that Miss Granger knew nothing about the troll: he clearly intended to rescue her and, holding Weasley responsible for her predicament, to shame him into assisting therein. Weasley opposed the rescue mission, agreeing to it only on the condition that "Percy'd better not see us..."

Shortly afterward Snape, McGonagall and Quirrell arrived at a damaged girls' washroom to find Potter, Weasley and Miss Granger with the unconscious troll. McGonagall angrily demanded an explanation from the boys as to why they'd just nearly gotten themselves killed instead of going to safety in Gryffindor Tower. Miss Granger spoke up for them, claiming that she'd gone after the troll believing she could fight it off herself, and that they'd come looking for her; she then recounted how they'd collaborated to disable the creature. Snape realized that Miss Granger was lying for the boys, but there was nothing he could do about it. The three were all in McGonagall's House, so that lady contented herself with reprimanding the girl for her "foolishness" and taking five points from her; she then awarded Potter and Weasley five points each for saving Miss Granger.

Finally, Snape learned that Miss Granger had become friends with both boys; but while she had, to an extent, won Potter's soul, Weasley had won his study ethic. Potter had apparently learned his lesson from the "oblivious treatment" Snape had accorded Miss Granger in that first Potions class, but Snape told himself that it couldn't hurt to keep reinforcing that lesson, making it well nigh impossible for Potter to achieve -- in his subject at least. In any case, Weasley had become a living wedge of sorts between Potter and Miss Granger; so if those two never became an effective study team, then their relationship would never be all it could be. Thus the Wizarding World's status quo would be safe for a long time to come; and as a fringe benefit, Snape would be spared the disservices of a second insufferable know-it-all in that year's Potions classes...

Fast-forward now to Book Seven (putting this post at least nominally on topic). With Voldemort's puppet Pius Thicknesse in charge of the Ministry, Hogwarts (with Snape as Headmaster) is now compulsory for all wizard children of age to go there. But Potter and Miss Granger (Weasley reportedly being sick at home) seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth! How?

If Phineas Nigellus could tell Snape about Harry and Hermione being in the Dean Forest, why not also about Ron having accompanied them -- and having abandoned them, thus opening the door for the eventual formation of the "dangerous" Harmony dynamic?

If Snape could send out Lily's Patronus to guide Harry to the (real) Sword of Gryffindor, couldn't he also enchant the Sword to lead an unsuspecting Ron to the woodland pool where an equally unsuspecting Harry would just happen to find the object? Then the Trio dynamic would be restored (albeit not smoothly), thus keeping the Harmony dynamic neutralized.

Wouldn't the red rodent have just loved all this irony: himself as Snape's pawn and Snape as his enabler?

Wow! Once again another knock out mini-essay Hopedreamer and a few things to ponder from it,that I hadn't thought about before. The timing in between chapters eight and nine in SS/PS does seem more than a coincidence and the conversation between Snape and Malfoy could have happened,although it was off-page. Not too long after the flying lesson incident that leads to Harry being chosen for the team,Malfoy goes over to the Gryffindor table to challenge Harry to a duel. Also not so surprisingly,Ron accepts as Harry's second for him,thus begins his role as Snape's pawn and he's not even aware that he is.

Snape couldn't believe he was reliving the whole situation between himself,Lily and James all over again through the new generation and it's lead me to believe it's why he never liked Ron from the start. Although Ron doesn't look like James,the pattern of the pure-blood guy winning the muggle-born girl away from the half-blood guy,was unfolding all over again.

You absolutely hit the nail on the head about H/Hr not being able to become and effective study team and Ron's part being the wedge between them. He only studied at the last minute and thought Harry should do the same. Ron always felt Hermione was too obssesed with school and wanted Harry to have the same lazy attitude about studying as he did. If Harry had told him he cared about more than just "getting by" with grades,Ron would have felt outnumbered by H/Hr. It's true that the "dangerous" Harmony dynamic was something that had to be diluted in order for OBWF to happen. H/Hr have very strong special powers and I'm pretty sure most of the pure-blood community would see the pairing of a half-blood and a muggle-born as a threat to them.

Hi I'm new and I just want to say: Great Essay! I noticed a lot of those moments too and I was so waiting for H/Hr to happen...but it didn't and we got the crappy epilogue...Personally, the way H/Hr are written in DH, and the whole series, is not sibling like at all, and sometimes way closer than friendship. JK was the delusional one IMO with her promotions of OBHWF....and we know that didn't work well at all. lol