Where are we headed in #6?

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 76068

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "n_longbottom01" 
<n_longbottom01 at y...> wrote:
 
> The fear first:  I'm afraid Harry is going to feel even more 
> alienated in book six, and he's going to try his best to distance 
> himself from everyone.  Maybe it won't happen this way, but I'm 
> afraid we are going to see an even angrier Angry!Harry next time 
> around.  Hopefully someone can snap him out of it before book 7 
(I'm 
> pulling for Ginny to fill this role).

Your fear is justified; whether or not it is realised just depends.  
It depends very much, I think, on what happens in the next few weeks 
at Privet Drive.  

Remember that we have had two rays of hope at the end of OoP.  The 
first was Harry's conversation with Luna.  First of all, I think he 
felt she understood him when talking about his seeing Sirius again 
after death, and she said it in a way that suited Harry's reticence -
- not going on about it but just saying enough to console him with 
the truth.  Secondly, she spoke freely and calmly about her missing 
possessions.  Her calmness is the only thing that could allow Harry 
to stay and listen without his own emotions getting out of control 
as they had so often in this book (understandably IMO, but that's 
another post).  Harry's ability to hear her in this scene allows him 
to focus his attention on someone else and he feels pity for her.  
Concern for someone else is one good way to lift your own spirits in 
times of trouble, and this is a very good thing Luna does for 
Harry.  Incidentally, I get the feeling she may know that Harry is 
pitying her just then.  Most people (at least in books) will say at 
this point, "I don't want your pity!" which is really a 
manifestation of pride, but Luna is completely unconcerned with 
personal pride as she seems to have a very good sense of her own 
dignity, and thus is able to give Harry a very great gift when it is 
sorely needed.

The second ray of hope for Harry is, of course, at Kings Cross when 
his friends confront the Dursleys.  At the end of this, Harry feels 
better for seeing them all firmly on his side.  True, the Dursleys 
are only a small fraction of his troubles; however, they are going 
to be his troubles in the immediate future, and I think Harry is 
also quite relieved that he isn't going to be abandoned with them 
again.

So, where may we be headed in book #6?  Really, it's hard to say, 
but I have a few guesses.

In the first chapters, it very much depends on how his adult friends 
decide to handle Harry's exile at the Dursleys'.  They have told the 
Dursleys that they expect to hear from Harry every three days or so, 
and that he is to be able to use the telephone.  I can't see anyone 
telling him any real news by owl, but that phone thing could be 
interesting.  No one on Voldemort's side would be likely to be 
bugging number four, Privet Drive, would they?  This suggests a new, 
safe (if anything's safe) channel of communication: Hermione could 
use it to let him know what's going on.  I think JKR must have had 
*something* in mind for bringing it up.

What else may Harry's wizard friends do?  There may be no more than 
uninformitive, friendly owls.  However, there is an opportunity for 
more, if they use it.  Now that Harry knows who Mrs. Figg is, it 
would, of course be an excellent place for a visit should they 
decide to use it (as Steve/bboy_mn was hoping for the beginning of 
OoP).  I get the feeling that Harry may not actually need that much, 
that tea with Mrs. Figg alone will be enough.

So much for the rays of hope.  The real big *question* is, what will 
Harry's relationship with Dumbledore be like now?  In OoP the 
question is left completely open.  Harry leaves Dumbledore's office 
thinking only of Sirius and the prophecy.  Does Harry have any trust 
left in the headmaster?  He certainly does seem to believe his 
interpretation of the prophecy, but it remains to be seen whether 
Harry had any wish to confide in him the next time something happens.

OoP threw me for a loop.  I never expected Dumbledore feeling that 
he had to cut Harry off like that, which took the entire book in a 
completely unexpected direction.  I've learned my lesson.  I will 
analyse what has happened to try to understand it.  Certainly, I 
will speculate on how things *may* go in the future.  But, I am 
keeping a *very* open mind about the next two books, even though I 
will always have hope for Harry.

Annemehr