Cho Chang

[Forrest]

I have to agree with Keryn--Cho really isn't the strongest character.

I agree with you that she isn't the strongest character in the book. I don't think she'll ever end up being a leader in any way in the HP world because she is for all intents and purposes a follower. If she were more of a leader (in my opinion) she would've gotten over Cedric's death a lot faster because this is war and in war you've got to put your losses behind you or else they will come back to get you.

Recall how Cho was so furious with Harry in Book Five--but all he did was an interview with Rita Skeeter, and she forgave him immediately. I think that every time her husband would apologize, she would forgive him--knowing perfectly well that he would do it again, and she would continue to forgive him.

I disagree here. She didn't forgive Harry just because he asked her to, he had a legitimate reason. If you'll remember, Harry just mentioned that Hermione wanted to meet with him at the Three Broomsticks, Hermione never told Harry why. Cho didn't forgive Harry until after she had seen the article in the Quibler, so she had seen real proof that he didn't just want to be with Hermione.

Overall, do I think Cho would get stuck in an abusive relationship, I'd like to think not. After all she does have a lot of friends she sticks to, and seems to show loyalty to those friends she's had longer (such as Marrieta vs. Hermione/Harry) and I would think those older friends would be able to get her out of an abusive relationship. Also, don't forget, she was on the Quiddich team, which if nothing else should mean that she's toughend up somewhat and learned to give as much as she takes, physically anyway.

Just my 2 knuts.

Forrest

[Phoebe Gruzelieur]

I think Cho is a stronger character than people give her credit for. She was obviously having her 'hormonal year' in OoP (which is actually quite late, but anyway). All teens get, usually one, sometimes two, years when they go up and down like a rollercoaster. It's often the year before GCSEs because they're under a lot of stress. Cho's in her sixth year so she's getting ready for her NEWTs. So that means she's under a lot of pressure ANYWAY. And on top of that, she has the whole 'I love Cedric, but now he's dead, and I also now love Harry' business. We don't know how her friends (Marietta etc) took her dating Harry. I think they thought it was inexcusible for her to be dating him. Girl World Rules.

As to Cho being a Leader...hmmm that's a good question. Because I always get the feeling she was the Leader of her group, as Harry describes her as being surrounded by a group of giggiling girls. So I always took that to mean she was 'in charge'. And I think she seems to definitely have more people skills than Hermione. I don't think she was ever a tagger-on. She seems to have no problem with thinking and acting for herself.

Think about it:

Harry's accused by the Ministry of being a psycotic, delusional, attention-seeking liar. Seamus believes it (and he knows Harry much better than she does). But does Cho think that? No.

In GoF when Harry asks to have a private word with Cho, all her freinds giggle like hyenas. But she doesn't. And she refuses him in the nicest possible way.

Cho comes to the DA meetings even though her friends seem against it (remember Marietta? And she's the one who came. We can only imagine what the other ones were like). And Umbridge very soon banned it. Would a go-with-the-flow person carry on coming to meetings when it became illegal? I think not.

Cho defended Marietta against Harry after the Sneak incident. A lesser friend would have half-heartedly agreed with Harry, but not done anything about it. But she fell out with Harry over Marietta, even though she probably knew (in her heart) that Marietta had betrayed her.

In DH, she comes back, despite there being none of her friends. She obviously made that decision by herself.

All these points prove (to me) that Cho is an independant girl. She may be a Popular Girl, and be surruounded by giggiling friends, but at heart she is an independant young woman with a brain and heart of her own.

[I_LUV_MOONY]

Everyone has said that Cho must have some strength in her to be in the DA. But what if she was just in there to be closer to Harry? What if she actually didn't care about the cause at all, and was secretly glad when Marietta spilled the beans? This could mean that she would do anything for love, so she could be tempted into the Death Eaters by that.

[Phoebe Gruzelieur]

I'm sure she did come to learn spells as well as get closer to Harry. There are a million and one ways she could have met Harry on a regular basis. And people tend to underestimate how dangerous the DA was. If they'd got caught (without Dumbledore taking the blame) they would have got expelled. And I think, for Cho, that would be extremely serious. You all back me that she's smart and fond of learning? And she was doing her NEWTs. That's a lot of work to waste just before the final hurdel.

And if that doesn't convince you, remember that she was most certainly not happy about Marrietta telling Umbridge. She may be incredibly loyal, but I seriously doubt she let Marrietta get off without a good walloping. The fact they remained friends is due to her blinding loyalty to her loved ones, and the way she forgives people easily.

[leahsm2]

Ok. I need feedback on Cho about three months after the death of Cedric. How do you think she felt about him. I think that they were just starting to get to know each other and would have been in that first phase where the other person is perfect. Therefore Cedric dying so tragically would've been extremely traumatic.

But, what about her as a person. At that age, when you are constantly surrounded by other people, which we know she was, and a good athlete, which again we know; and at least relatively good looking, given that she attracted at least Cedric and Harry, wouldn't all that somewhat warp who you wouldv'e been if you were just a normal student, and not being given all this constant attention? Even Cedric's death would've added to her "mystic"
(for lack of a better word) and would have to affect her, wouldn't it? I mean in more than just the obvious way.

[Ravenclaw_Soprano]

Well, we know that she was emotional for a long time after Cedric's death. She kept bringing him up in Harry's presence, and she seemed to want to talk about it with Harry. I'm not sure she necessarily understood that it helps to let go of some of those feelings after a while...

She probably considered herself to be close to Cedric. We don't really know how he felt in return, but her outlook on their relationship was favorable. He had to have at least liked her, since he asked her to the Yule Ball.

The only effect of Cedric's death on her that I can easily notice is that she became more emotional and sensitive. This might have made her have less friends, since people wouldn't want to always be around her when she was crying about Cedric. It also made her academics and Quiddich skills go down the tubes, since she couldn't concentrate on what she needed to do. Personally, I can't see why a boy would go looking for a relationship like that, since it would be emotionally draining, and he would have to be careful about everything he said around her.

I may sound harsh on her. I don't mean to be... I just think she could have pulled herself together a little bit more quickly. On the other hand (and it is weird to suggest this), maybe she wanted a break from having all of her classmates around her...

I agree that she would have been different had she not been continually surrounded by friends; unfortunately, we can't see any of that in her, because the books only cover that "popular" time. We do know that during the Triwizard, she occasionally tried to shake off some of her entourage, especially when Harry wanted to talk to her, but other than that, it didn't seem like a big deal to her.

~Lauren of The Gauntlet Pair!

[th_poet14]

I think that she kept up playing the role of the grieving girlfriend for longer than she needed to because she didn't know how to handle grief. Her boyfriend being killed by Voldemort is pretty traumatic, and as a fifteen-year-old, that's a lot to handle.

I think that Cedric became a part of her identity in a way, because she was afraid to let him go and didn't want to forget him, and that's why she kept bringing it up. She was afraid that if she stopped grieving, and reminding people of him, he would just fade away and she'd start forgetting him.

Kate of The Gauntlet Pair!

[leahsm2]

Well, those are certainly conflicting views! I really liked Kate's idea that if she didn't bring him up she'd lose what she has left of him. Thanks you guys, you were both a lot of help!

[OliveOil_Med]

Does anyone have any ideas as to what Cho's future would be like, say around the time of the epilogue. I remember reading in a J.K. interview that she married a Muggle, but I have a few other things I wonder about.


1. What kind of work do you see her doing? We never see many of her interests and she doesn't seem like the type who could take initiative.

2. Do you think she stayed in Britian after the war, or would she have left?

3. I assume that she married a Muggle because of the interview, but other than that, what kind of man do you think Cho would marry?

4. Do you think she maintained close relationships with anyone from school? With her parents?

5. What would be her reaction if she were to run into Ginny and Harry together after the Epilogue?

Any comments?

[leahsm2]

]1. What kind of work do you see her doing? We never see many of her interests and she doesn't seem like the type who could take initiative.

2. Do you think she stayed in Britian after the war, or would she have left?

3. I assume that she married a Muggle because of the interview, but other than that, what kind of man do you think Cho would marry?

4. Do you think she maintained close relationships with anyone from school? With her parents?

5. What would be her reaction if she were to run into Ginny and Harry together after the Epilogue?

1. Well, I saw a really cute drabble where she tried out for a Pro Quidditch team, but was hopelessy unfocused, so you might have a point, but she is bright, so I could see her in all sorts of careers.

2. I think she would stay in Britain, and continue to evolve.

3. Very cute (sorry, couldn't help it!) I'm sure her Muggle is also smart and sensitive and able to cope (but she might have saved the tidbit of her Witch thingie 'til after the honeymoon, which seems to be the norm in canon)

4. Her relationships seemed superficial with her school chums, so probably not. Her parents, I would think so just because I think she'd understand the importance.

5. I think that the fact that Harry was so obviously in love with her was her main reason for going out with him, so she would think it was great. I think Ginny would make poor Harry's life uncomfortable for a while, though! (I know I would if I were Ginny, wouldn't you?)