Poll: Who could have been left out of the story ?, How would it have changed the story ? |
 Apr 6 2009, 08:55 AM
Post
#1
|
|
Dumbledore's Personal Secretary  Posts: 4,714 Joined: 10:28am December 31, 2006 Location: At a violin concert with my boss.  |
We've all wondered about what would have happened to the HP saga if a certain event hadn't occurred - the overhearing of the prophecy, Pettigrew being made the secret-keeper, etc. But how about wondering what would have happened if a certain character had been left out of the story ? Not substituted, but omitted altogether.  Main characters like Harry, Dumbledore, Snape and Voldemort have been left out of this poll for I don't think there can be Harry Potter without Harry Potter if you know what I mean.  And the other three are just as important to the central story, so we will leave them out too. James and Lily, being Harry's parents, have also been left out for there would be no Harry Potter without them. We will also not consider characters like Piers Polkiss, Mer-chieftainess Murcus, Mark Evans, DE Jugson, etc; as their exclusion would have no great effect upon the story. So please do not think we have done a great disservice to the memory of the Wailing Widow (from Kent) by not according her a place on the list of options.  So, the person you vote for will be someone who is not a character without whom the story would have been impossible, but someone without whom the story would have been very different indeed. This poll is for asking you who you think could have been left out of the HP series and how do you think it would have changed the story on the whole ? You can vote for more than one person. Having made the rationale of the poll options clear, I wish you happy voting and happier commenting. Cheers ! 
This post has been edited by rowena r: Apr 9 2009, 08:58 AM --------------------  |
 |
 
 
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 06:28 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Daily Prophet Photographer  Posts: 881 Joined: 1:35am January 6, 2007 |
I am not sure why you left Snape off the list. I feel he could have been left out of the story, considering his role turned out to be bullying the children and delivering that message to Harry in the end. The kids didn't require bullying and Dumbledore's portrait could have given the message. It would have removed the whole aspect of Harry being tortured at school (as well as at home) and that would have actually been nice.
-------------------- In Every Age, A Hero Rises...  |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:00 AM
Post
#3
|
|
Stocking Snitches at Quality Quidditch Supplies Posts: 682 Joined: 6:54pm August 3, 2008 Location: New York, NY  |
QUOTE(wickedboy @ Apr 9 2009, 07:28 AM)  I am not sure why you left Snape off the list. I feel he could have been left out of the story, considering his role turned out to be bullying the children and delivering that message to Harry in the end. The kids didn't require bullying and Dumbledore's portrait could have given the message. It would have removed the whole aspect of Harry being tortured at school (as well as at home) and that would have actually been nice. What?  Snape is the second most important character in the series, after Harry! The whole story couldn't have happened without Snape!He is the one who gave LV the prophecy. He is the one who -- unwittingly -- arranged for Lily's magical protection of Harry, by asking LV to spare her. He is the one who made Pettigrew's escape possible, thus giving LV his servant back. He is the one who killed DD, thus preventing LV from ever becoming master of the Elder Wand. He is the one who arranged for Harry's escape from #4 Privet Drive, via the Seven Potters plan. He is the one who gave Harry Gryffindor's sword. He is the one who spied on LV for years and years. LV could not have been defeated if it weren't for Snape. And his true loyalty was one of the biggest mysteries -- and the biggest red herring -- in the whole series. On top of all that, J.K. herself has been quoted as saying that the HP series is as much Snape's story as it is Harry's. This post has been edited by Mrs_Linnea_Snape: Apr 9 2009, 07:08 AM |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:03 AM
Post
#4
|
|
Gambol and Japes' Research Department Posts: 1,387 Joined: 6:16pm June 18, 2007 Location: Gryffindor Quidditch Team tryouts  |
wow this was the toughest poll ever!!
i honestly cant imagine the series without any of those characters.. would it still be harry potter? however, my vote went to horace slughorn and dolores umbridge - i know slug was very important, especially in HBP, but i have a feeling riddle would have gotten that info from someone/somewhere else, and DD would have traced it anyway, and the story could still work. dolores, well i took her out because it would be a great relief to everyone  but also because, tho her presence was great in OOTP and extending the rest of the series, her value was not so great that the plot would not work out without her. this was a very hard poll, but a great one! i cant wait to see what everyone thinks. 
-------------------- |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:07 AM
Post
#5
|
|
|
Gringotts Goblin Translator Posts: 1,236 Joined: 3:47pm November 27, 2006 Location: Dublin |
I agree Mrs Linnea Snape. I think Snape is way too important to too many events in the books to lose. As you well know, I really hate Snape, but he adds a hell of a lot to the story, and I think it's just as important to have characters to hate as it is to have characters to love.
I picked Hagrid in the poll cos I've never found him interesting in the slightest. He's a nice guy and all, but I think he's really boring, and very annoying at times. |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:14 AM
Post
#6
|
|
|
Gambol and Japes' Research Department Posts: 1,387 Joined: 6:16pm June 18, 2007 Location: Gryffindor Quidditch Team tryouts |
wendall, i considered hagrid too - but then, think back to the first books. i dont know if the trio could have figured a lot of things out if it wasnt for hagrid. and them getting a lead on the SS, for example, was very important, imo a lot of the story unraveled from there, but of course we only see it later on in the series.
and i agree with Mrs_Linnea_Snape too - the series could not have happened without snape. he was crucial. 
-------------------- |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:42 AM
Post
#7
|
|
Leaky's SIR Seriously Senior Mad Scientist Posts: 3,280 Joined: 10:31am January 28, 2007 Location: Behind a bubbling cauldron |
... erm ... Bella? *ducks rotten veggies thrown at him*
I don't see any major contribution from her side apart from the role as ever obedient, never doubtful, and always obnoxious sidekick. Sad. -------------------- ***OPAST (and proud of it) *** |
|
|
|
|
Apr 9 2009, 07:55 AM
Post
#8
|
|
Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 14 Joined: 5:16am November 15, 2008 Location: Room of Requirement, Oppisite the Tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy |
Ron Weasley - Couldn't have been left out. Ron is so important! And don't even know where to start with the list of things that would have been different, so i won't!
Hermione Granger - The easy way to put this is: If Harry and Ron had let Hermione be killed by a troll or never made her cry at all, would they ever have figured anything out? Ginny Weasley - Someone need to open the Chamber of Secrets! Plus, Harry's life sucks enough with out taking out the love of his life. Neville Longbottom - I guess they would have tied with Slytherin in their first year if it wasn't for Neville's ten points Luna Lovegood - Luna is too Awesome to take out. Dobby - The room of requirement, the gillyweed, Saving their lives in the seventh book! Dobby rules! Rubeus Hagrid - Hagrid lets so much slip, and without all that information, Harry, Ron and Hermione would never have discovered anything. Sirius Black - As sad as it is to say it, sirius didn't really do to much apart from give them information every now and then... the book could easily go without him, but I'm glad it didn't because Harry did really need someone like a parent. Then again, without sirius, Harry wouldn't have learnt how to make a Patronus. Remus Lupin - Patronus again. I can't really think of any thing for Remus... Oh... I really like him too  Minerva McGonagall - Without her peering out her window watching Harry's flying class, Harry would never have been on the team. Horace Slughorn - Horcruxes. How else would Tom Riddle have learnt about them? Nymphadora Tonks - Tonks really didn't do anything... She was just there. Then again, she does find Harry on the train in the 6th book.Arthur Weasley - Love him and his Muggleness! Without him working at the Ministry, Ron would have never been to tell the other two all about the Ministry in the 7th book when they try to break in. Molly Weasley - She kills Bellatrix, END OF STORY. Peter Pettigrew - He's kinda needed to betray Lily and James. Oh, and to bring back Voldemort. Dolores Umbridge - Without her sending the dementors to Harry, he would have been stuck at Privet drive all summer. Bellatrix Lestrange - They need her to hide the Horcrux in her vault in Gringotts. The Malfoys - Chamber of Secrets. How else would they have been opened? Also, if they weren't terrible to Dobby, Harry would be so dead! The Dursleys - Petunia is needed to give Harry that protection. These are really bad, but it was really hard... I couldn't imagine the book without any of them! Maybe Pettigrew... I hate him ♥ --------------------   Loony Luna Lovegood♥ Wit Beyond Measure Is Man's Greatest Treasure |
|
|
|
|
Apr 10 2009, 03:43 PM
Post
#9
|
|
|
Firebolt-Polisher at Quality Quidditch Supplies Posts: 1,083 Joined: 4:38pm June 27, 2005 |
Is this just limited to "who" or can it be expanded to "what"? If not still in the process of getting permission for a "what if" thread more to do with plot twists based on red herrings.
QUOTE Ron Weasley - Couldn't have been left out. Ron is so important! And don't even know where to start with the list of things that would have been different, so i won't! I did not pick Ron but Locket Tom opened up a few possibilities - such as Ron never having been born. We know that Locket Tom lied about Harry and Hermione, but even before Ron got hold of the locket, he was acting as if Harry was this big player who used his status to seduce witches Roger Davies style - so it was something Ron already feared before Locket Tom got to him rather than something Locket Tom came up with out of thin air. The other topic Locket Tom brought up was that Molly had always wanted a daughter and it was this desire for a daughter which kept her having babies. Molly seemed to all of a sudden not be so fertile after she had Ginny. This opens up the possibility of Ginny being born sooner - which would mean Ron not being born at all. Harry would have shown up at the train station, boarded the bus and have been by himself when Hermione showed up looking for Neville's toad. Harry would have also been approached by Draco, whom he would have still said "No thanks" to because of what Draco had said about Hagrid in Malkin's shop. Harry would have still chosen "Not Slytherin" because of what Hagrid had said. Hermione may have gone into Ravenclaw (I think she chose Gryffindor because she kept moving away from Neville and gravitating toward Ron in PS/SS). Harry would have shared a dorm with Seamus, Dean and Neville and would have spent more time with Neville and have gotten to know Seamus and Dean better. Harry would have gotten by but it would have been much lonelier in the beginning, less humour, and more going it alone. In a way, after Chambers, Ginny's most important role was providing Harry with Ron by waiting so long to be born. QUOTE Hermione Granger - The easy way to put this is: If Harry and Ron had let Hermione be killed by a troll or never made her cry at all, would they ever have figured anything out? Hermione could have easily ended up like Moaning Myrtle - which was a History at the cross-roads moment where Harry, witnessing a scene repeating from history, prevented history from repeating itself there. There are a few repeating plot - as far as relationships go, one should note that the first names of Helena Ravenclaw and Eileen Prince are variations of the same name. JKR admitted that Hermione was an easy way to present information to the plot because it was easy to believe that she would have come across it in some book or other. Though, JKR could have still done it, it would have been harder and may have resulted in more detours from the main plot. Hermione was also the moral compass of the group. I don't think that all of Hermione's decisions were moral, but she was more detached from the Us versus Them Mentality that Harry would have had more of over time if it was just him and Ron - since Ron definitely prescribed to this view. Ron didn't care what happened to Montegue because Montegue was standing in the way of Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup - because of his role as both Captain and on the Inquisitory squad - even though, as we later find out, he almost died. It was Harry's idea to rescue Hermione, but felt obligated because it was an unkind word from Ron which put her in danger's way to begin with. If it was an unkind word from someone else other than Ron, would Harry in PS/SS have felt as obligated to do something about it? Would he had even known that Hermione was still there? QUOTE Sirius Black - As sad as it is to say it, sirius didn't really do to much apart from give them information every now and then... the book could easily go without him, but I'm glad it didn't because Harry did really need someone like a parent. Then again, without sirius, Harry wouldn't have learnt how to make a Patronus. Sirius Black was a plot twist - should note when the book changes from referring to him as "Black" to referring to him as "Sirius" (ie in general, not when other characters speak about him). This is just after Black said that he had a house where both he and Harry could live: p. 277 (POA 20) Next came Professor Snape, / held up by his own wand, which was pointed at him by Sirius. I guess that JKR could have given James two best friends rather than three - though she might have chosen to leave Lupin out rather than Black (and I like Lupin better). It could have been anyone accused of being a DE that broke out. Besides POA, Black's important roles were giving Harry the House and introducing RAB into the plot. Black was also used as a red herring for the following: p. 27 (PS/SS) When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. If one was a OBWF (did I spell it correctly?) or knew anything about the wrongfully convicted after they leave prison, one really did not ever buy the possibility of Black rescuing Harry from the Dursleys and becoming his father. Before Black came along, there were many who considered Harry almost a Weasley - and Black being introduced. Black being wrongfully convicted does play into JKR's presumed belief that torture and the death penalty are wrong - because the legal system makes mistakes. However, you could take that out and have some DE being on the loose instead of Black. You can have Peter sweating kittens because he heard that some DE that we don't see until the next book had escaped and becoming even more freaked out when Lupin gets his hands on the Marauder's map. The story could come out when Lupin sees Harry and Ron follow the rat behind the tree and freaks out thinking that Peter had lured Harry into a trap. Black does not need to be there at all. Then again, I did enjoy Black's belligerence versus Lupin's sugar coating - it was like one of those pseudo translations on political satire shows. Oh, and I would not miss that scene between Black and Snape in the Grimmauld Place kitchen for anything! That was sweet! QUOTE Horace Slughorn - Horcruxes. How else would Tom Riddle have learnt about them? Riddle already knew about Horcruxes when he talked to Slughorn, what he wanted to know was whether there was any magical limit which prevented a person from having more than one. Slughorn said that he did not know of any. The important part about that scene is that Voldemort reveals how many Horcruxes he had in mind. That was what was essential, and it could have been done without including Slughorn. Lily was beautiful and talented but, I hate to say this, but it seems that only (word ommitted) seemed to like her. Snape was a DE wanna-be, James was a bully, Slughorn has the worst qualities of Conrad Black and Bernie Madoff combined. I could have done without Slughorn loving Lily and without Harry taking evil felix to take advantage of Hagrid like that. The only good use that JKR put Slughorn to was giving Harry and Luna a location for their first (and only) date - and even that could have been done without him. Even when Snape became DADA, DD had Trelawney and Firenze teaching the same course - he could have had a cabinet shuffle and found a good use for all the teachers without adding one more. Firenze could have taught Astrology - and the Astrology teacher could have taught something else. Hope I wasn't too obnoxious ... QUOTE Minerva McGonagall - Without her peering out her window watching Harry's flying class, Harry would never have been on the team. That reminds me - does anyone know what happened to Madame Hooch (or managed to find a meaning of her surname which doesn't imply a beverage Hagrid might drink)? Harry seems to only have one flying lesson and never takes the class again - which means that it is only offered to first years and Harry had a spare his classmates didn't get. Other than that and reffing one game, we don't see her again. Hooch could have witnessed Harry - with Harry still thinking he was expelled and the realising he was on the team. Did JKR originally have a bigger role planned for Hooch and then consider it to peripheral? McG could have taken over Madame Hooch's small role fairly easily along with her own (since she taught two classes at the most during first year). Ok, back to topic, McG was head of Harry's house and taught a class. If she was written out, someone else would have had to have been head of Gryffindor House (before Hagrid started teaching in COS) - and transfiguration could have been incorporated into other classes. I guess that Lupin could have introduced animagus in DADA and Snape could have gone from animagus straight to werewolves and the difference between the two without missing a heart beat (even if Lupin had not planned on teaching animagus until he got back). The "butterfly" barrette scene is probably one that has to go ahead with or without McG because it showed the difference between what McG would tolerate and what Flitwick would tolerate as far as student decoration went. But would Hagrid or Hooch or any of the existing teachers which could be Head of Gryffindor if McG did not exist care about whether or not someone wore a barrette! p. 212 (GOF 15) Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair. Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait. Edited for typos that interfere with reading. This post has been edited by vaudree: Apr 10 2009, 04:09 PM |
|
|
|
|
Apr 10 2009, 04:26 PM
Post
#10
|
|
Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 13 Joined: 3:36am February 20, 2009 |
I think Bellatrix. She didn't really serve a purpose like the others did, whatever they did and however much I liked them. She was just another Death Eater IMO, just a crazy female one.
-------------------- H/HR: Because true love is about more than combining DNA.
H/HR: Because she doesn't need a plan for him to trust her. H/HR: Because the thought of his two best friends makes Harry feel lonely. H/HR: Because Hermione is always herself around Harry, Ginny isn't. |
|
|
|
