Harry's innate abilities

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 45046

Grey Wolf summarised Harry's thus:

<snipped down to bullet points>

>Harry has innate flying abilities
>
>Harry is a very powerful wizard when he studies (which he doesn't normally 
>do) by having him learn a protection spell that, by all acounts, is way 
>too advanced for a 3rd year.
>
>Under the careful tutelage of Hermione, he learns any number of spells, 
>some of which are even useful, for the last task. But more important than 
>that, we discover that Harry has an innate resistance to the Imperius curse.

And Catlady added his Parselmouth abilities.

A bit like one of my replies last night, I'm not sure whether to start this 
with "that's all irrelevant" or "that's *exactly* what I mean". :-)

Yes, Harry can do powerful stuff if he applies himself. But then, isn't 
that true of most things most people can do? Hermione has shown herself to 
be more talented with spells (she outshines not only Harry but the entire 
class in Charms and Transfiguration) and Ron appears to be faster off the 
mark in finding uses for spells and the like ("Wingardium Leviosa" with the 
Troll, for example).  Whether it's because Harry doesn't trust his magical 
abilities yet, or still has 11 years of Muggle attitude to overcome, he 
still doesn't really seek magical solutions to problems when they crop up.

Harry's main "talents" are an obstinate tenacity (together with its less 
positive side, stubbornness), fearless loyalty and a very, very strong 
will. Above all, Harry has an unwavering belief in his and his parents' 
*goodness*. Well, *almost* unwavering - Harry's two greatest moments of 
internal strife to date were in CoS when he suspected the possibility that 
he could in any way be related to Slytherin ideals and in GoF when he 
considers himself responsible for the death of another human being.

The only talent which has come to Harry without application, without 
thinking and completely naturally (i.e. innately) are his flying skills. 
These, together with his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, he 
inherited from his father in one way or another.

It's interesting (for me, at least) that the main example of his great 
wizarding skills put forward is his Patronus, which is also connected to 
his father. It is, in fact, the pure *essence* of his father. Note also, on 
the subject of his Patronus, that he spends a great deal of time attempting 
to perfect it (I would submit that it is not in the slightest bit 
accidental that this is under the tutelage of one of his father's two best 
friends) and we have it drummed into us that the reason he ultimately 
succeeds is not because of some application of talent, but overcoming 
self-doubt.

His overcoming Imperius is on a similar level: it is his will-power, his 
refusal to be corrupted, rather than any magical ability, which allows him 
to turn the tide.

Actually, there's another talent Harry has without knowing he has it, and 
again it's very strong: being a Parselmouth. The explanation we have to 
date (note that this is one of few things Dumbledore is tentative about, 
and does not state as fact) is that this is a side-effect of Harry's run-in 
with Voldemort when he was a baby. This is considered to be an evil talent 
and Harry is ashamed to possess it. Personally, I have a strong suspicion 
that it will be part of Harry's final victory over Voldemort, turning it to 
a talent for good.

>In fact, Harry represents the sort of hero that many of us would, at one 
>point or another, want to be (at least I, being quite Hermione-like, would 
>like to be): the sort of hero that doesn't *have* to work hard to get his 
>powers. <snip>

I disagree most fundamentally with that assessment. On all levels. Harry 
has to work *very* hard to perfect his powers. I also think that the moral 
of the tale is that all of us could be the kind of hero Harry is, if only 
we applied ourselves and had sufficient belief that we can be a force for 
good.

--
GulPlum, AKA Richard, borrowing Grey Wolf's sig: "that's my story, and I'm 
sticking to it". :-)