For an optimal solution Harry teaches his enemies that poking him with a stick is very dangerous, and manages to turn this to his advantage by harming an enemy.
I’d just like to note that even then, Harry comes out the loser from this whole chain of events. Most importantly, he loses Draco as an ally, and suffers from knowing he hurt Draco’s relationship with this father. Less importantly, Hermione has been psychologically hurt (I’d say traumatized), and won’t get any personal redress. Finally, if Harry sets someone else up, he will lose the ability to expose the true culprit in the future, if he learns who that was, and so loses a powerful avenue of action against that culprit. The true culprit (or someone else) may even find proof of Harry framing Jugson, and then blackmail Harry with that proof.
The only way Harry could come out genuinely ahead is if he found and exposed the culprit, rather than frame a random enemy. Including scenarios where he could delay Hermione’s punishment, or cancel it using blood debts, so that he’d gain time to search out the real culprit.
I believe a major psychological reason for people proposing so many theories for Harry’s solution, some of them very impractical, is that they have an “intent to kill”; they don’t want to propose a solution that settles for second best, like yours. They want Harry to win.
Go ahead and read the rest of my plot, I would say Harry has the best possible win here beyond overthrowing the entire ministry and remaking the government in his image. At least from Harry’s perspective since he doesn’t know that the real best win would be exposing and vanquishing Quirrelmort.
I’m not saying your plot is bad, it might be the best possible. (Well, I personally don’t think so, but I’m not arguing for or against it in this comment.) I’m just pointing out why I think people try so hard to come up with plots that are wildly more improbable than even yours, but have better endings.
I’d just like to note that even then, Harry comes out the loser from this whole chain of events. Most importantly, he loses Draco as an ally, and suffers from knowing he hurt Draco’s relationship with this father. Less importantly, Hermione has been psychologically hurt (I’d say traumatized), and won’t get any personal redress. Finally, if Harry sets someone else up, he will lose the ability to expose the true culprit in the future, if he learns who that was, and so loses a powerful avenue of action against that culprit. The true culprit (or someone else) may even find proof of Harry framing Jugson, and then blackmail Harry with that proof.
The only way Harry could come out genuinely ahead is if he found and exposed the culprit, rather than frame a random enemy. Including scenarios where he could delay Hermione’s punishment, or cancel it using blood debts, so that he’d gain time to search out the real culprit.
I believe a major psychological reason for people proposing so many theories for Harry’s solution, some of them very impractical, is that they have an “intent to kill”; they don’t want to propose a solution that settles for second best, like yours. They want Harry to win.
Go ahead and read the rest of my plot, I would say Harry has the best possible win here beyond overthrowing the entire ministry and remaking the government in his image. At least from Harry’s perspective since he doesn’t know that the real best win would be exposing and vanquishing Quirrelmort.
I’m not saying your plot is bad, it might be the best possible. (Well, I personally don’t think so, but I’m not arguing for or against it in this comment.) I’m just pointing out why I think people try so hard to come up with plots that are wildly more improbable than even yours, but have better endings.