Harry's strength and Voldemort's fear (Was Re: Harry Character Sketch)

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 17256

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., meboriqua at a... wrote:
> Wow!  You really tore me apart here!  That's cool, though.  My 
> students and I have voice raising debates in class several times a 
> week :-)
> > 
> > he's really very average.  Other than
> > his outstanding Quidditch talents and a natural
> > ability with DATDA, he really isn't super-powerful or
> > anything.  He just has many fine attributes and a bit
> > of luck.  ;)
> 
> I guess because I have such faith in Harry (I do love him to death, 
> you know), I can't accept that he is 'just average'.  He had two 
> parents who were well respected in the wizard community, and in 
PoA, 
> there is mention of how exceptionally bright James was.  Remember, 
he 
> was able to become an animagus as well as help make the Marauders' 
Map 
> at a young age.  Some of that must have been passed down to 
Harry.      
> > 
> >
> > 
> > Again, I have to disagree.  We have no real evidence
> > of that.  Indeed, when Harry met Voldemort last, he
> > treated Harry as nothing more than a petty threat.  On
> > Voldy's part, we see little more than confidence and
> > hatred.  Certainly there are no hints of fear, as is
> > demonstrated by Voldemort's arrogant sneering towards
> > Harry.  But then, that's just my opinion.
> 
> Voldie can't want Harry dead from hatred alone.  He fears (IMO) 
what 
> Harry will become as he gets older and a better wizard.  Harry has 
> something (I'm not sure what) on Voldie that scares the hell out of 
> Voldie, which is why he wants to destroy Harry (that was quite 
jumbled 


Sorry for including all of this debate - couldn't sort it out 
properly.  

My comment is this.  I agree that Voldemort fears Harry.  l don't 
think that Harry defeating Voldemort in the graveyard was purely 
luck, either.  Don't forget that when the wands connected, it is 
Harry who manages to force Voldemort's wand to go into priori 
incantatem, not the other way round - surely showing that Harry at 
this point is showing more strength than Voldy is.  JKR certainly 
doesn't offer any other explanation for it.

I do believe that Harry has the makings of a powerful wizard - but 
what gives him the power to defeat someone such as Voldemort in this 
scene is his sheer force of will, determination and sense of self-
preservation.  His magic is stronger and more effective when he is 
under pressure.  His ability to summon his patronus is another 
example of this.  

So, I do believe that Harry is above average - even if it is only in 
times of severe stress, and not just because he needs a good mark in 
class.  I am not surprised after this scene that Voldemort fears 
him.  He probably hates him even more as well - afterall, V. has just 
lost himself a lot of kudos with the DEs.  It wouldn't surprise me if 
they all regard Harry with some kind of superstitious fear after this 
one.

Catherine