## Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, Chapter 120: Something to Protect: Draco Malfoy

* Author: u/itisike  *Dragon Army**
* URL: http://hpmor.com/chapter/120
* Score: 21

* Created: 2015-03-12T20:04:40

### Post:

[Link to content](http://hpmor.com/chapter/120)

### Comments:

> **u/JackStargazer** [+6]  *Primordial Apologist* (2 hours later)
> 
> Of course. 
> 
> Because even for The Greater Good, I don't think the Phoenix would have stayed.

>> **u/itisike** [+3]  *Dragon Army* (3 hours later)
>> 
>> Did you predict that in advance?

>>> **u/None** [+3]  (9 hours later)
>>> 
>>> Likely referencing an earlier chapter:
>>> 
>>> >Fawkes circled Minerva McGonagall three times, feathered wings brushing around her as the tears began to creep down her cheeks; then the bird flew out a window above the Hall, and was gone.

>>>> **u/itisike** [+2]  *Dragon Army* (17 hours later)
>>>> 
>>>> I thought they were saying that D didn't kill N was obvious. That could have been predicted as soon as it was mentioned, plus after we hear about the pheonix rules.

>>>>> **u/eaglejarl** [+1]  (a day later)
>>>>> 
>>>>> From Dumbledore's cagey answer to the "did you kill her?" question, I'd always assumed he hadn't.

> **u/daydev** [+5]  (12 hours later)
> 
> Talk about having a cake and eating it too. I'll tell you everything to soothe my conscience, but then I'll erase it back, so it wouldn't create any inconvenient consequences.

>> **u/FeepingCreature** [+8]  *GCV Literally The Entire Culture* (13 hours later)
>> 
>> You know, I never quite understood why having your cake and eating it too would be a _bad_ thing to desire.

>>> **u/itisike** [+5]  *Dragon Army* (17 hours later)
>>> 
>>> The expression is really eating your cake and having it too: after you eat it, it's gone.
>>> 
>>> TIL?

>>> **u/pseudonameous** [+3]  (16 hours later)
>>> 
>>> Yes. The expression is that you _can't_ have both. With magic, you can. Why not then?

>>>> **u/daydev** [+2]  (17 hours later)
>>>> 
>>>> No, with memory charm you can have a (self)delusion. You can *pretend* that even if you erased the memories afterwards (sealed of, same difference in the foreseeable future at least) it still counts that you told him.

>>>>> **u/pseudonameous** [+5]  (17 hours later)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Nope, it's not delusion. He really did tell Draco. The point was to see what he will say, not for him to know the truth.
>>>>> 
>>>>> He now knows how Draco would react, and he didn't endanger the secret.

>>>>>> **u/daydev** [+2]  (18 hours later)
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> But you see, Harry and the narrative seem to think that Harry is doing a nice thing. Harry even said "I won't manipulate you", etc. But if telling someone something to see their reaction and then making them forget to avoid the consequences is not a (pretty horrible) manipulation, I don't know what is. 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> It's like in canon you have a horrible story about Tom's mother and Riddle Sr., but then Hermione says with a straight face that "love potions are not dark or dangerous" (real quote). 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Edit: missing word.

>>>>>>> **u/Lord_Drol** [+2]  *NERV* (18 hours later)
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> That's a real quote, but horribly out of context.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> She says that in response to a question about the legality of the use of love potions. In context it is obvious that she is explaining the attitude taken by wizarding society/the ministry, not endorsing that attitude.

>>>>>>>> **u/daydev** [+1]  (20 hours later)
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> I wouldn't say that it's *horribly* out of context. Hermione certainly speaks *as if* it's her own opinion. She doesn't use any qualifiers like "the Ministry doesn't consider love potions ..." or something, like a person who just relates a government's policy they don't agree with would.

>> **u/qznc** [+1]  *Chaos Legion* (13 hours later)
>> 
>> > You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. –Harvey Dent

> **u/AmeteurOpinions** [+2]  *Finally, everyone was working together.* (20 hours later)
> 
> What the *hell*, Harry.

> **u/eaglejarl** [+1]  (a day later)
> 
> I'm assuming that's Narcissa, right?  Dumbledore hid her and pretended he'd killed her.

---