Great or lucky? (was Very good discussion question)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 32343

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Barry Hill <barry at p...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> 
> Saturday, December 29, 2001, 5:29:44 AM, marybear82 wrote:
> 
> m> the boy (p652). As a result of surviving that attack, Harry is 
labeled
> m> a great wizard
> m> To what extent would you say that Harry is not so much 
'great' as
> m> lucky?
> 
> I'll accept that as written ... haven't got the books to hand. 

  Actually, it's not at all a given that Harry is a great 
wizard...Ollivander only says that we can expect great things from 
him, and the Sorting Hat tells him he *could* be great. 
 It's only Hermione who says "You're a great wizard, Harry" and 
*in the book* the context is that he himself is thinking he was 
only lucky to defeat Voldemort the first time. Hermione is trying to 
assure him (and herself) that he has more than luck on his side, 
and that it is not magical power but how it is used (in the cause 
of friendship and loyalty) that makes a wizard great.


What sprang to my mind when you mentioned Greatness is that 
Hermione calls him a "Great Wizard" in PS/SS (where Harry 
goes on alone from the chess board), but then: how's she to 
know?  

That's the (sssh!) movie...


Pippin