Harry-James-Lily relationship, posthumous (was: Harry's lack of curiosity)

[misanthropicsocialite at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17753

*delurks once and for all*

Forgive me if this has been hashed and rehashed over before.

Regarding Harry and his parents' absence: one of the things that 
really struck me while reading GoF was how Harry referred to his 
parents as "Mum" and "Dad" during the battle scene.  To me, that says 
something-- Harry must be, on some instinctual level, familiar with 
his parents.  Although it isn't pictorally represented by JKR, it has 
been assumed by most readers that Harry *has* thought of his parents, 
and probably a substantial amount over the years-- it would have been 
impossible not to.  But *what* did he think about?  He had no idea 
what they looked like before Hagrid explained the situation, IIRC; 
did he picture that?  Did he think about what it would have been like 
if they had been alive all this time?  Most likely.  Did he think 
about (in his moodier moments) their deaths?  Probably.  

I wonder if perhaps Harry, when placed in certain situations (being 
bullied, etc.), thought about what would be different if his parents 
had been around, rather than the Dursleys... he might even have had 
an entire parallel universe roaming in his mind.

This might have only intensified upon arrival at Hogwarts, armed with 
his newfound (albeit minimal) information about his parents.  Perhaps 
he thinks about how he'd spend his holidays... and how he'd deal with 
the Slytherins... and what sort of letters would be sent... and the 
list goes on.

I don't think Harry would have called his parents "Mum" and "Dad" if 
he hadn't been intrinsically familiar with them.  And that says 
something about the relationship that would have been had between the 
three if circumstances had been different.  ^_^

On a related tangent...

Harry, who has never met his parents, calls them "Mum" and "Dad".  
Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, refers to his parents as "Mother" 
and "Father", people that he knows and sees frequently.  What does 
that say?    

--alicia/sue spinnet or suzielynn.*

*never sell yourself, or your talent, to anyone.  if you do, the 
success isn't real, because it isn't yours.*  --yay, i had a profound 
moment.  or maybe i didn't and found that in some obscure corner of 
the world.  anyway.