Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Blame the ELL
Blame the ELL
#1
For he has led to my thinking of Potter.
So, it occurs to me that some fun could be had with the fact that, not only is Doug essentially a Muggle, he's more specifically an -American-.
In Britian.
Other things...
Doug, to nobody in particular, after Draco calls Hermione a Mudblood -again-: "What in Sam Hill's a Mudbood?"
Doug, after having the above question answered: "Mr. Malfoy, I cannot compel your beliefs. Nor, as a stranger in a strange land, can I pass judgment upon your reasons for them. As a member of the faculty of this school, however, I am not only able but -obligated- to ensure a mannerly and congenial environment for the students... a goal which is utterly incompatible with what general testimony and my own background tell me is a racial slur of the very worst kind. Fifty points from Slytherin."
Doug turns, walks away, stops dead as Malfoy whispers something to Goyle. Malfoy gets an 'oh shit' look on his face. Doug, over his shoulder: "You may call me what you like, Mr. Malfoy - I have no fear of anything you might say. But, given that you have already been warned very specifically, and given that a level of respect is due a teacher from a student, I must take an additional hundred points from Slytherin."
Malfoy goes purple and splutters a bit. Doug: "Shall I make it two hundred?"
Malfoy, on the verge of apoplexy: "No. Sir."
Doug: "Good. Good night, all. It's nearly curfew."
Ron opens his mouth to say something snotty, but Harry grabs him and Hermione and drags them off before Malfoy recovers.

Later, Doug will discover that the other Slytherins have given Draco a thorough pounding for losing so many points, and is quite horrfied. Malfoy -absolutely- refuses to snitch, even to the point of facing down Dumbledore about it.
Later still, Draco to Ron, after Ron has a major disagreement with his parents about something or other: "There's precious little worth anything in the Weasleys, but there is enough I'll tell you this: The first responsibility anyone has is to support their family in anything and everything, and to mean it. No matter what you really think."
Of course, none of this should be taken as suggesting that Draco -isn't- a poisonous, snobby, obnoxious little shit, just that, like Snape, that doesn't make him -evil-.
And, since I recently saw bits and pieces of the second movie, I'll take issue with some of their interpretations: It always seemed to me, reading, that Salazar Slytherin was, in word, deed, and soul, one of the -good guys-, and that he would probably be absolutely horrified at what's become of his house. The Slytherin creed, the -true- one, isn't "Power at any price" or "Purity of the blood" or any such bullshit - it's "Conscience is better than rules."
And -that's- why the Sorting Hat wanted him there - it remembers.
Blessed be.
-n
===========

===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."
Reply
Re: Blame the ELL
#2
I am pretty sure this will fall foul of the "Doug in a live franchise" rule...
And, given the rate at which the later books seem to be coming out...
Conversely, I have for a while speculated that an interesting fanfic might be, if the Sorting Hat went the other way, "Harry Potter and the Reform of Slytherin"...
But, this wouldn't_quite_ match the 'boarding school' ethos that seems to attract so many to the books! [grin]
(Given my lack of knowledge of HP fanfic, such a story might well already exist...)
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind
Reply
Re: Blame the ELL
#3
Quote:
not only is Doug essentially a Muggle, he's more specifically an -American-.
Actually, Doug is specifically _not_ a Muggle - he may not use magic the way they are used to, but there's no denying that he uses magic - how else could he be a teacher at Hogwarts? OTOH, he may be called a Muggle by those who don't like him, using it as a derrogotory remark.
Re: Mudblood scene - yes, that's exactly what I would expect Doug to do.
Quote:
Of course, none of this should be taken as suggesting that Draco -isn't- a poisonous, snobby, obnoxious little shit, just that, like Snape, that doesn't make him -evil-.
Actually, I disaggree - Draco is evil, albeit not necessarilly as bad as his father. He is very selfish, he mostly doesn't care how other people feel about what he's done to them (and when he does it's often glee at their discomfort), and most of all he's convinved that he's _right_. This is nto to say that he doesn't have any redeeming features, but on the whole he's definitely over the edge of acceptability.
As for Slytherin, I'm fairly certain you're mostly correct - he certainly started off as a good guy, and my guess is that he was more like a "Darth Vader"-type individual. Caught in the trap of his situation, yet still with a good heart buried somewhere in there. And yes, I do think he would not be happy with his legacy, especially the whole Voldamort situation...
I have no idea if Bob's ever gonna go anywhere with the DW-HP notes that are accumulating, but I'm having fun reading and writing them, so why not continue Smile
Offsides
Drunkard's Walk Forum Moderator and Prereader At Large
Reply
Re: Blame the ELL
#4
[quote[Actually, Doug is specifically _not_ a Muggle - he may not use magic the way they are used to, but there's no denying that he uses magic - how else could he be a teacher at Hogwarts? OTOH, he may be called a Muggle by those who don't like him, using it as a derrogotory remark.[/quote]
Doug is, in fact, a Mudblood himself... or perhaps a Squib, since he can't cast spells normally...
Quote:
Actually, I disaggree - Draco is evil, albeit not necessarilly as bad as his father. He is very selfish, he mostly doesn't care how other people feel about what he's done to them (and when he does it's often glee at their discomfort), and most of all he's convinved that he's _right_. This is nto to say that he doesn't have any redeeming features, but on the whole he's definitely over the edge of acceptability.
His father is definitely Evil and grooming his son to be the same way... but so far, all I've read of Draco paints him as a bully (which is an unacceptable personality type) but he hasn't really done anything Evil yet...
Quote:
As for Slytherin, I'm fairly certain you're mostly correct - he certainly started off as a good guy, and my guess is that he was more like a "Darth Vader"-type individual. Caught in the trap of his situation, yet still with a good heart buried somewhere in there. And yes, I do think he would not be happy with his legacy, especially the whole Voldamort situation...
I don't think I'd call him the Darth Vader of the group... He certainly had different ideas about how the school should be run, but I just don't see him going full bore that way.... though the secret chamber is certainly suggestive....
-Z, Post-reader at Medium
----
If architects built buildings the way programmers write programs, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization.
Reply
Re: Blame the ELL
#5
Okay, I'm confused. What's "ELL"? I can't parse it.
Quote:
Doug is, in fact, a Mudblood himself... or perhaps a Squib, since he can't cast spells normally...
Technically, he's both. Neither of his parents have any apparent metatalent (and would probably be horrified if they did).

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Reply
Re: Blame the ELL
#6
Quote:
Okay, I'm confused. What's "ELL"? I can't parse it.
What is the Eternal Lost Lurker for $300, Tony.
--Rod.H
Reply
Re: Re: Blame the ELL
#7
Ah. Yes, of course. I would have figured that out sooner or later, I'm sure.
Thanks.

-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)