Why write the *Defense* job as the cursed one?

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

Why did JKR make it be the Defense job that was cursed?  Having a cursed class did allow her to regularly introduce new professors, and I can understand wanting to do that, particularly since the action was mostly confined to the school.  But why the Defense job?

I can think of some unflattering reasons, such as not wanting to write a hero who can really *do* stuff, or not wanting to have to work out what kind of stuff such a hero would *do*. Or maybe she just wanted to ensure that readers would be interested in the class that happened to be cursed, and Defense would naturally get readers interested, particularly young readers.

Are there any really good reasons?  

We never saw Quirrell teach anything, and the book gives the impression that he wasn't teaching well. Lockhart didn't teach the actual subject at all. Lupin focused on Dark creatures, not Dark Arts; he could've been a replacement Care of Magical Creatures professor, instead of Hagrid. He still could've helped tutor Harry to fight dementors. Crouch and Umbridge's classes do work better as Defense classes, but Snape just needed to moved aside for Slughorn to take over Potions.

Frankly, JKR could've made the *History* class be the cursed one. It wouldn't've affected Quirrell, and Lockhart could still have plausibly talked about himself (as an important figure in *recent* history, of course!).

Lupin's only relevant Defense thing was tutoring Harry to fight dementors, which he could have done as a family friend even if it weren't relevant to his subject. It *was* out of class, after all. The boggart scene does contribute to the characterization, but it could've been included by, say, having Lupin premptively substitute for the Defense teacher, who would later substitute for him during the full moon.

Crouch!Moody could have focused the history class on the recent war with Voldemort, and made his class unusually interesting by demonstrating some of the spells used. (Assuming that the actual Defense class couldn't fill in that bit of background info.) He has the right personality for adding a bit of Defense to another class, and Dumbledore would still take advantage of the cursed position to have an Auror around to keep an eye on things.

Umbridge would probably still need to take over Defense, but things could shift at that point. The previous Defense teacher they'd had could have been forced to resign by the Ministry, and Binns could take over History if there was nothing else to do with that job.

And don't tell me that Voldemort wouldn't've been creepy wanting to teach history. Written by a good author, that could be as creepy as anything.

(If Voldemort actually wanted to teach, that is. The books don't make it sound like Voldemort had a very sincere interest in teaching Defense, although I do find that possibility intriguing.)

Not that it has to be History in particular, although that class would have had potential. It's amazing how little JKR did with the Defense class concept, though. It was practically only there to indicate that fighting is a part of the WW, and to excuse Harry from the need to spend time *outside* class training to fight Voldemort.

Comments

[karentheunicorn.livejournal.com]

The big question is whether Severus figured out Quirrell was in fact Tom (and not just Tom's servant, or even acting on his own). Because if he did and was asking him about loyalty under the guise of interrogating a dark wizard out for himself, he has balls of steel.


It's really hard to tell, on one hand you've got JKR making Severus incredibly clever, but only so clever when it serves her plot.

or, maybe it's just as easy for someone like me to look at Severus as someone who's decided, I'll do what I'm told but screw it for me doing anything other than what I'm told.

And he sorta does fit that mold in certain points throughout canon.

We know that dumbledore tells Severus after Lily's death that Voldemort will return and Harry will be in danger. So we know that back in 1981, Dumbledore has already made the assumption somehow that Voldie will be back. So to me, that has to be at the back of Severus' mind all the time.

And it doesn't matter who would have shown up, it seems to me if Dumbledore would have told Severus to keep an eye on Professor Sprout, Severus would have been damned determined to do that, no matter what he himself actually thought.

Severus seems to have lay all his trust in Dumbledore. It didn't seem to matter what Severus actually might have believed, he was trusting Dumbledore to give him the appropriate information.

Yea, Poor Severus.

But as to your point about Quirrell, I think Severus talks about it in Half-Blood Prince, telling Narcissa and Bellatrix, "I saw only greedy and unworthy Quirrell attempting to steal the stone and I admit, I did all I could to thwart him."

But you kind of have to take his comments there with a grain of salt. On one hand he is given Bell and Cissy his story but he's not telling the whole truth either. Dumbledore had set Severus on the mission to keep an eye on Quirrell.

To me, Severus had to suspect something. You've got Dumbledore telling him, years ago that Voldemort will be back and Harry will be in trouble. You've got Harry showing up for his first year at Hogwarts. You've got this very tempting Sorcerer's stone being moved to Hogwarts and you've got Quirrel, who Dumbledore says Severus needs to keep an eye on the guy.

And Severus knows and is part of the protection on the stone.

To me, a very clever man would have questioned, 1. IF Dumbledore has moved the stone to Hogwarts why is he asking me to keep an eye on Quirrell.

2. If Quirrel is not to be trusted then why is Dumbledore moving the stone here.

3. Dumbledore is moving the stone here and Harry Potter is here and Dumbledore told me Voldemort would be back and want to hurt Harry Potter.


IS it just me or does it look way more likely that Dumbledore did sort of nudge Quirrell in Voldemorts direction.

I mean, I don't know if that was JKR's intent and clearly she would have made that part of Dumbledore's confession in Kings Cross chapter - but then again, there are way to many things going on in Harry Potters first year to say some of that was not planned.

IF Dumbledore knew when Harry Potter showed up there might be trouble, Why the hell would he ever put the stone at Howarts unless it was to tempt Voldemort in.

Harry was already partly a temptation, and we know that Dumbledore needed the two to get together because Harry was supposed to die.

Dumbledore would not view Quirrell any less of a pawn as he would anyone else in his inner circle. Being a pawn certainly didn't work out for Severus did it? Why would Quirrell get better treatment than someone like Severus who was way more useful and a much more talented wizard?

The more we talk about this the more I'm almost willing to start beliving the idea. That Dumbledore might have pushed Quirrel in the Voldie direction, just to get Voldie back so he and Harry could have their meeting.

Dumbledore could have even told Quirrell something about the stone, or given Quirrel info that when Voldie met Quirrel, Voldie found the info about the stone in Quirrels mind, etc.

And that is why Voldie was more willing to come back, to get the stone. And then we have Dumbledore moving it to Hogwarts.