Yes! Exactly. It's almost that story. And I wouldn't mind if it had some other structure entirely, but it's so nearly that story that I can't help seeing it as a failed attempt at same rather than as a story about loyalty or a story about Ginny or whatever.

Also, it's the only excuse for the inclusion of poor little Harry, whose friends hate him, blahblah, Ron and Harry blah. I think I kinda wish it had succeeded as a descent narrative, because then we'd be over it: we'd know who Harry was, and what he could do, and we could stop with the "Ron thought Harry was lying to him!" "Harry and the rest of Gryffindor house were on the outs!" and whatever. Especially because I think it's annoying in most stories, but actually does induce tension in a descent narrative.