[HPforGrownups] Re: Choices

[liz]

No: HPFGUIDX 86483

Kneasy said:
<lots of good stuff snipped>
>> The Sorting Hat seemed to  think that Harry was prime Slytherin
>> material, that it would "help him to greatness." Harry rejected
> the offer, based on what? Innate goodness? No. An antipathy to *one*
>> individual he took a dislike to. Before he really knew what
> Slytherin (or Gryffindor) were all about. But that doesn't mean that
> the Slytherin-worthy potential has gone away; it's still there lying
> in wait, ready to surface if the opportunity arises. And I expect it
> to surface. (Has it started already with the casting of the Crucio!
>> curse?) Harry's behaviour in the last book is a case-book example
> of teenage rebellion and bloody-mindedness; why should it not
> continue, or indeed become more pronounced?
<more snipped>

Then Diana said:
> Actually, Harry didn't reject the choice of being in Slytherin
> simply because he disliked Malfoy, who was just placed in Slytherin
> earlier that evening.  Harry rejected it because Hagrid had told him
> in SS/PS that "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who
> wasn't in Slytherin.  You-Know-Who was one."  We can accept this as
> an exaggeration on Hagrid's part, but his comment made a huge
> impression upon Harry.  Harry would definitely not want to be in the
> same house as the wizard who murdered his parents.
> 
> Also, think about what the sorting hat said to Harry.  It actually
> said "..So where should I put you?" and Harry thought back "Not
> Slytherin, not Slytherin."   The very fact it asked Harry at all
> tells me that Harry's choice of any house BUT Slytherin was the
> hat's way of confirming that Harry truly belonged in Gryffindor.

Liz replies:
Another way to look at this would be that both Harry and the Hat have an
awareness of his Slytherin potential. Do you think Ron or Hermione sat there
and thought 'not Slytherin, not Slytherin'? I think Ron says earlier that if
the hat put him in Slytherin he'd turn around and go home; it is a ludicrous
idea to him. Not to Harry. Harry then spends a good amount of time in CoS
worrying that he is the Heir of Slytherin and that he ought to be there, not
Gryffindor. He doesn't want to be, but he obviously thinks it's a real
possibility. 

Diana again:
> I agree with you that Harry will probably undergo some extreme
> rebellious behavior and mess up a few times, but I can't see him
> ever being truly tempted to join Voldemort's side.  If Harry does
> cause harm to the order, I would guess that it would be
> unintentional.  But, however unintentional, the damage could be
> severe.

Liz replies:
I don't think that Kneasy was positing that Harry would be tempted to join
Voldemort, but that rather as he develops his power and awareness he may be
tempted by power itself. I imagine he would still want to get rid of V and
friends, but he would no longer be subscribing to DD's benevolent
philosophy. Oh, it could be a slippery slope!: 'no one can do what I can, no
one else HAS to do it, no one cares about me anyway, the WW has always
basically treated me like crap, scape-goating and degrading me or indulging
in annoying hero-worship, but never with a thought to the real person. Why
should I care?! Harry is looking after one person now - HARRY! Watch out
world!' Enter Dirty!Harry.

Kneasy said:
> There's been a stuttering on/off thread wondering who will be the next
> to betray the Order. This isn't the first time I've placed Harry  at
> the top of the list of 'those most likely to' as a result of his anger,
> angst and resentment against those who seem to be manipulating him.
> Eventual remorse and reconciliation with his finer instincts are pretty
> much a foregone conclusion, but while he's away he might do an awful
> lot of damage.

I like this idea and think it's a real possibility. I fervently hope no one
else is going to be a traitor, that would just be, well, kind of boring
really, or annoyingly devastating. Making someone like Lupin or McGonagal
evil just seems like an unnecessary kick-in-the-teeth emotionally for a
stupid plot device. It would completely change the nature of PoA, if we take
Lupin for example. I think it works in the arc of one book, as with Moody in
GoF, but the readers are only emotionally invested with Moody for one
day/three weeks (depending on how fast you read), so you can appreciate the
trick, re-read the book, wonder at the clues. JK has had us emotionally
invested with Lupin for what, five years?! Re-reading PoA would not be a
pleasant experience.

Naaahh, I'm with Kneasy. A morally wavering Harry struggling with his inner
demons (snakes??) would be much more interesting.

Liz