The "first" chapter summary PoA 1-2

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

No: HPFGUIDX 17910

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Andrew Preston <ajpresto at y...> wrote:
> Questions:
> 1)	Shouldn't most wizards be more self-disciplined than to let 
somebody get    
>   under them and then blow them up?

The simple answer to this, is that yes, they should.  However, Harry 
is still a only a teenager - the time of life, when for most people, 
emotions are harder to control.   This clearly has an adverse effect 
on his self control regarding his magic.  It has also had the 
opposite effect - Harry is also able to achieve more in times of 
extreme stress/emotion.  For example, his summoning of the Patronus, 
which involved necessary strength of mind, was achieved under very 
emotional circumstances.  (I have noticed before that these are often 
related to family).  Another is the fact that he is able to force 
Voldemort's wand into Priori Incantatem, when the opposite seemed 
more likely.  Does Harry funnel his emotions generally into helping 
him with his magic when he needs it?

This also raised another question for me.  Do other witch/wizard 
children have the same problems of self control?  The only other 
example of involuntary use of magic that I can think of is Neville 
bouncing instead of falling.   Does Hogwarts (or should Hogwarts) 
teach control - and to develop this, should some kind of code of 
conduct/wizarding morals/ethics be taught on the school curriculum?

Control seems to me to be integral to certain classes - in particular 
Professor Flitwick's which seem to be based upon use of mind over 
matter - which is channelled through the wand.  Therefore to be an 
effective witch/wizard, there seems to be a need for serious 
concentration and strength of mind.  Perhaps years of studying mean 
that the involuntary actions are subdued, as the studying has the 
effect of strengthening and focussing the mind.

BTW: I think Harry's actions are just a more extreme example of your 
average teenager losing his temper and storming out of the room, 
slamming doors etc.  The extra dimension of magic is added, that's 
all.  He also was very restrained during the rest of the week - and 
the provocation was great - again, nothing seems to affect him as 
much as his family - in this case, the slandering of his parents.

> 2)	How do they get Marge off the ceiling?

Absolutely no idea.  Scrape her off with a spatula?  Deflate her with 
a giant pin?

> 3)	What does Marge think? Will the Dursleys ever learn? (They do 
better in     
>  Book 4, but will they ever do more than tolerate Harry?)

Marge won't think anything because she has her memory modified.  
Unfortunate that they can't modify it to the extent that she believes 
that she actually likes Harry.  Will the Dursleys ever learn what?  
Admittedly, they have always been horrible to Harry - but on the 
other hand, Dudley's tail, the violet pudding and the blowing up of 
Aunt Marge aren't exactly going to endear him to them, are they?   I 
know that they are supposedly going to have a larger role in future 
books, but at the moment, I think that they are counting the years 
until Harry is  grown up and they will no longer have to have 
anything to do with them (and I am sure this is reciprocated by 
Harry).

Catherine