Choice

By Nina.T.H

    I know I said I wouldn't have time to write an article before August, but I had more days at home than I thought I would! So today I'm writing about Choice!

    It's a very important plot in the Harry Potter books. Everything could have been completely different if someone would have made another choice. This is shown many times in the books already, and will most definitely be shown again! But this time I'll go over what could have been, if another choice was made.

    First I'll take a choice Harry made in the first book. He made the choice not to be in Slytherin. Many people might think this is not important, but it really is. Our friends influence our personality more than we know. If Harry would have been sorted into Slytherin, he would naturally be friends with some of them, maybe even Malfoy. And that way he would probably have a dislike towards muggleborn, and he would never be friends with for example Hermione. Also, all the danger he has met… How often haven't his friends saved Harry's butt? I don't think Draco would have risked his life for Harry. The Slytherins are known for putting themselves before anyone else. As you can see, that one choice meant a lot to both Harry and the story.

    Another important choice that was made in the first book, was in the chapter The Mirror of Erised. Even though Ron asked Harry not to, Harry went down to see the mirror one more time. This resulted in Harry learning about the mirror. He learned that the mirror showed his heart's desire. If he hadn't learned this, he wouldn't have been able to get the stone. He wouldn't have understood it! He wouldn't have understood that the Mirror of Erised would have shown him how to get the stone. And then he wouldn't have been able to find it!

    There are many other small choices like that all over the books that made all the difference in the world, but I can't write about all of them. Now I will take a very important choice, the most important of them all- The choice that could have changed everything!

    The Prophecy- Neville or Harry? Many people are still wondering who is the real "one". And as Dumbledore mentioned, it is clear now, that it is Harry who is the chosen one! Why? Because Voldemort made him. It was all up to Voldemort. He chose the half blood, not the pure blood. He chose Harry and marked him as his equal. It can't be Neville, because Voldemort did not mark him. He did not exactly choose to mark Harry, he thought the marking was already done, but he chose Harry to be the one. But the real question is if it would have been Harry anyway! If Voldemort would have gone to Neville's house, would he have been able to kill Neville and move on to Harry? Or would Neville drain Voldemort of his powers? I think the last one is the correct answer to the question. Voldemort chose Harry, not Neville. But did he really have a choice or was it meant to be? Imagine if Voldemort would have chosen Neville. Everything would have been different. The books would probably be about Neville, not Harry.

    I did this basically to show how important choice is. In both real life and Harry Potter. Every little decision can change everything, and the worst part is that we never find out "what could have been". So think about that before you take a decision that can change your life…

    That's all I have time for this time.. I'll try to continue this subject when I come back from Slovakia. I know I said this in my last article too, but have a great summer!!!