Harry Potter Character Sketch

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 17174

Hi everyone --

Nice character sketch Joywitch!  :--)  I can't believe I'm still able to
participate ....

> 2.  What was Professor Trelawney's first correct prediction?  Was it
> about Harry?  More importantly, was it that only Harry could kill
> Voldemort?  Or that Harry would lead the fight against Voldy, or that
> only Harry could do something that would lead to Voldy's defeat?  Or
> that only a child born to the Potters could defeat Voldy?  WHAT WAS
> IT?  (Yes, I know this has been discussed to death)

I believe her first accurate prediction did have something to do with
Harry (I also think the centaurs know what it is!).

Ebony said eloquently (as always!):

> I should say here that I don't think that Lily was the only reason why Harry
> did not die that night... in fact, the Narnian idea ("deep magic from the
> dawn of time") never occurred to me until I began reading this list.  I may
> have bought it after reading CoS and PS/SS, but PoA and GoF killed that idea
> for me.  This may be a somewhat unpopular view on this list, but I believe
> there's something about Harry himself that cause V's downfall.  The
> wizarding world thinks so.
>
I definitely agree with the "Super-Harry" theories too.  Lily *cannot*
have been the only witch to die trying to save her child.  Her love &
sacrifice gave him a "layer of protection" -- but it didn't necessarily
give him the power to cause Voldy's curse to rebound on Voldy, thereby
zapping Voldy of strength & power.  No .... I think there's something
*special* about Harry, something that was prophesied and something Voldy
didn't count on.  I think he continually under-estimates Harry, and this
will result in his eventual downfall.  I think Harry has (and *will*
retain) a sense of decency, modesty, caring concern for fellow
human-beings & all sorts of good traits, *even if* he turns out to be
extraordinary.

I do agree that he didn't do anything terribly extraordinary magic-wise
to survive the final encounters in SS & CoS.  But, by PoA, we are seeing
some more powerful things out of Harry.  IMO, this will only increase as
he matures.  Remember in GoF when they are practicing banishing charms
-- Hermione's cushions are going exactly where they need to go (no
surprise), Ron's are going everywhere but the target, and Harry was
surprised to see his 2nd cushion land neatly on top of Hermione's (his
1st one having gone off-target IMO because he wasn't focusing.  I think
when he focuses his innate abilities, he will garner even more
strength.

> 3.  Will Harry's life end in tragedy or will he live happily ever
> after?  Is there a reasonable argument for either, i.e. has JKR
> indicated in any way how Harry will end up?

I don't think we have enough information.  Like others, I think JKR is
just trying to be vague about whether any of the major characters will
or won't die, most especially the Troika.  My gut instinct though is
that he won't die.  I don't think it will be a "happily ever after"
ending though.  I think he'll be war-weary & battle-scarred so to speak
(no surprise that I don't subscribe to OBHWF).

> 4.  Why the hell did the Dursleys take Harry in, anyway?  Did they
> feel obligated to beat the magic out of him?  Was Petunia even upset
> when she heard that her sister died?  Were they threatened (or
> charmed) by Dumbledore?

I think there must be some compelling reason why they've kept him (I
rather suspect threats more than charm).  I can't help wondering if the
combination of ancient magic & the threat of Voldy are tied in here.  I
couldn't help but notice on my last go through SS that when Harry
suggests that the Dursleys leave him by himself while they take Dudley
to the zoo for his birthday, Petunia responds, "What & come back to find
the house in ruins?"  We (and Harry) assume she means that *he* would
destroy the house if left alone in it (we later wonder if she was
referring to accidental magic), but now ... I wonder if instead she is
referring to the Potters' home and/or Voldy.  He is never (as far as we
know) far outside the physical presence of a Dursley (Dudley when they
are at school) or Mrs. Figg.  Is this significant?  :::shrugs:::  I
dunno.

> 5.  Probably the most popular question about Harry Potter is – Who
> will he fall in love with?  Will it be Cho Chang, Hermione, Ginny, or
> someone else?  This has already been discussed to death, but I'm sure
> the Shipping Contingent wants to discuss it some more.  Knock
> yourselves out.

In the canon -- probably no one.  Ultimately?  Hermione.  Of course.
<g>

> 6.  What does the fact that Harry has chosen the fun-loving Ron and
> the bookish Hermione as his two best friends say about Harry's
> personality?

Ebony said it first, but I thought it immediately when I read your
questions.  Harry didn't *choose* them.  Friendships like that just
happen.

Not surprisingly, I also firmly concur with Ebony's view that Ron is not
Harry's "best" best friend & Hermione is just an after-thought, a 2nd
best friend but of less importance overall.  I too would have liked some
exploration of the Harry & Hermione friendship.  The excerpt from The
New Yorker article was nice as far as how Harry initially became friends
with Ron.  But, he most definitely has just as good a friend in Hermione
as he does in Ron.  I absolutely positively will never buy the notion
that Harry would choose Ron over Hermione -- he says it best himself at
the bottom of the Lake in the 2nd Task.

I may chime in with more thoughts as they occur to me (and as long as
baby bides her time in there)!  :--)

Penny


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