Harry "always gets away with stuff" (Was Re: Defending Ron ?...)

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 77915

Oooh, something to chew on!

Annemehr, previously:
> >>>Harry could no more help blowing up Aunt Marge, as hard as he 
> tried, than Ron could ever help his ears turning red when he's 
> upset.<<<

CM:
> I don't think that's necessarily true. Harry *was* responsible 
> for Aunt Marge blowing up; he failed to control his temper.

Annemehr:
He was *trying* his hardest.  He had developed a strategy of 
reciting parts of his /Handbook of Dot-It-Yourself Broomcare/ in his 
head to take his mind off what Marge was saying to him, during a 
*full week* mind you, but when she started in on his mother and 
father he lost his ability to concentrate on it.

The difference between us seems to be how we view the source of 
uncontrolled magic. It seems to me that you want to hold a school-
age wizard responsible just for *getting angry*.  Not just for what 
he decides to do when he's angry, but just for feeling the emotion 
itself.  Because, when a school-age wizard feels the emotion of 
anger (or fear) strongly enough, something is going to happen.

I am remembering my biology courses, when we learned about the 
voluntary and involuntary nervous systems.  The voluntary system 
controls what you decide to do, and the involuntary controls things 
like digestion and heart rate.  I would see this "breakthrough" 
magic as stemming from the involuntary nervous system, perhaps 
occurring when the rush of adrenalin triggers it -- something like 
that.

And what Marge did to him was more than a thirteen-year-old boy can 
be expected to bear without even getting angry.

CM:
>He seemed fully aware that he had done something wrong, too. 

Annemehr:
Well, the impression I got was that he was aware that he was in 
trouble -- not necessarily the same thing at all.  After all, he got 
in trouble for the Hover Charm that Dobby had put on the pudding the 
year before.  So now he expected to be expelled because it was his 
supposed "second offense."

<snip> 
> >>>annemehr: In justice, uncontrolled magic should never be 
> punished.<<<
> 
> CM: I disagree. If Harry had started punching or kicking Aunt 
Marge 
> when he lost his temper, it would have been just as wrong as what 
he 
> did. Not holding him responsible for Magic he does in the heat of 
> anger would send the message that it's "okay," that because he's a 
> wizard, he deserves preferential treatment. And while many in the 
WW 
> would agree, the prevailing attitude of their government seems to 
be 
> on the other side of that fence.

Annemehr:
First of all, if Harry had started kicking Marge, or if he had 
pointed his wand at her and hexed her, then yes, that would have 
been wrong, and punishment would be appropriate.  And often when 
people lash out in anger, they *say* that they "lost control" but 
that is not IMO, the same thing that happens when uncontrolled magic 
happens (as I explain above).

Secondly, it is true that the MoM would have to look closely at 
major instances of supposed uncontrolled magic, just to make sure 
that someone wasn't doing harm on purpose and then claiming it was 
uncontrolled.

Finally, remember the instances of uncontrolled magic that Harry did 
before he knew he was a wizard.  Harry did not do any of those on 
purpose.  He did not even know that it was possible; it just 
happened.  Now that he knows why it happens, he can try to control 
it, and he's had some success, but there is no way he can absolutely 
prevent himself from ever being angry or upset enough to cause a 
magical mishap.  That's why they have the "Accidental Magic Reversal 
Squad."

CM: 
> I personally don't think there was anything sinister in Ron's 
remark. 
> Harry *does* get away with stuff (Aunt Marge, flying when Madame 
> Hooch left in SS), but that's not a bad thing, is it? I assume 
that 
> most of us cheer for him at those moments (as Ron and the rest of 
> Weasleys did in OOP). He's the hero, we want things to go his way.

Annemehr:
I wouldn't call Ron's remark sinister, either, it just irks me given 
the panic Harry felt when he left Privet Drive, and my feeling that 
it's ALL MARGE'S FAULT!  <takes a breath, regains control>  After 
all, what she did, she certainly did on purpose.  It's like I said 
before, "being Harry" causes him more trouble than it gets him out 
of.
> 
> CM, who loves it when things work out in Harry's favor.

And on that you have my 100% agreement!

Annemehr
who would be sporting a C.R.A.B. badge if she knew where to get one