Harry and Black in Shrieking Shack

[c_voth312]

No: HPFGUIDX 42931

> 
> Before that, though, Harry's in a blind rage: "He had forgotten 
about magic -- he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and 
thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man -- all Harry knew 
was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could..." Of course, 
once he has Sirius on the ropes, the text never actually states what 
Harry's planning to do outright, so he might not even know what he's 
going to do to finish off Sirius, who seems to pick up on it ("Going 
to kill me, Harry?")I'm not entirely sure how to read that particular 
passage; it sounds that Harry's nowhere near as resolved as he thinks 
he is.
> 

There's also the "adrenaline magic" issue: in states of high 
emotional intensity (particularly fear and rage), wizards can produce 
a spell spontaneously just by "wishing" it to happen.  Harry's 
probably mad enough at this point that if he really focused on it, he 
could do something very fatal to without having to know any 
incantations or such--but deep down, he can't bring himself to do it.

~Christi