[HPforGrownups] Re: Cruciatus and Imperius (Some TBAY), Dark Magic Power Boo

[ksnidget at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 40515

Abigail wrote
>That's never made any sense to me. I know that Harry is both modest and 
>friends with Hermione, which could make anyone undervalue their magical 
>abilities, but he must have noticed by now that he's no magical slouch. Why, 
>only a few months before he conjured a powerful Patronus, which many adult 
>and fully trained wizards are incapable of (OK, he knew he could do it, but 
>the point is that he *could* do it.) We know that James Potter was a good 
>Quidditch player, so it's a fair assumption that Harry's skill at the game has 
>been inherited from him. What if Harry senses on some subconcious level that 
>his abilities, the level of his magical power (note that I'm not suggesting that 
>all of Harry's magic comes from LV, just it's level at his early age), aren't 
>exactly *his*? Which is why, when queried about his strenghs, he turns to the 
>one thing that really feels natural, as though it comes from him and not from 
>an outside source.

I think the "I don't have any" response is indicative of his frame of mind.
Often when people are stressed out, depressed, feeling woefully inadequate
(after all he keep noticing how tall the other champions are) or unprepared
it is fairly typical for people to underplay strengths and overplay weaknesses.

I think that response (besides creating an opening for Crouch Jr.) to give 
advice thus forwarding the plot) is there because of how he is feeling about
the tournament.

After all we have all the signs that he is anxious about it and it would IMO seem
weird for him to come up with a long list of strengths at a time when he is that
nervous about the upcoming task.

KSnidget