[HPforGrownups] Re: If you were Headmaster of Hogwarts...

[Laura Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 37032

I full-heartedly agree with those (Grey Wolf, Marina, etc) who think an intensive training program w/ no breaks and separation from the rest of society is the *last* thing Harry needs.

The training program mentioned by Michelle is, IMHO, the fastest way to creating a very dangerous, very informed MONSTER.  Harry *needs* his ties to the people he loves.  It's because of them that he fights Voldie at all.  To rip them all away from him and submerse him into a program that sounds like it's designed for a robot is not only inhumane - it's downright cruel and is likely to have very negative effects on Harry's state of mind.

True, loving people creates a weakness (what if V had Ron and said, "If Harry Potter doesn't let me kill him, this one is toast."), but the positive effects of  love outweigh the negative ones in Harry's case.  If Harry was "fixed" enough to disregard Ron's danger for the greater good, what's to say he still cares about the greater good at all?  What kind of person lets his best friend die?  The same kind of person who sacrifices himself for a bunch of faceless people?  I don't think so.

Turning Harry into a fighting machine is pretty much counter-productive IMO, it's Harry's deep sense of love, honor, and duty that have carried him this far, and taking that away from him would likely be fatal.  I'm not one to over-estimate the importance of emotions, but even I can see that the program devised by Michelle would wreck Harry completely, both as a human being and as a warrior with the ability to conquer the Dark Lord.

On the other hand, giving Harry extra material to practice outside of class would be quite helpful.  Remember Hermione and Ron helping him study curses and such for the third task?  If I were Dumbledore, I would tell Hermione that Harry needs preparation for fighting dark wizards, and consider the matter taken care of.

laura  


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