OOP: Harry's Career Choice- Mentor

[Alon van Dam]

No: HPFGUIDX 62852

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "karenkyla3" <karenkyla33 at m...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Alon van Dam" 
> <alanphoenix1 at h...> wrote:
> ... When looking at any piece of epic fantasy, you see that the 
main 
> hero just can't settle into a normal life after doing some major 
> heroics. .... If Harry /does/ stay alive, I haven't a clue what 
kind 
> of job he could take. "
> 
> Now me:
> 
> I think maybe we can take a page out of Dumbledore's book for this 
> one - after all, how did he find something to do after defeating 
the 
> previous dark wizard?  Along those lines, I think Harry would make 
an 
> excellent schoolmaster.  It's always been my theory that Dumbledore 
> can't possibly make it to the end of the series because in the 
Hero's 
> Journey, it's generally necessary for the mentor/sage to die before 
> the final battle so the hero can finally prove himself on his own.  
> If that ends up being the case, then there will be a headmaster 
> position waiting to be filled at the end of the series.  Just a 
> thought...
> 
> Stac

Personally, I more than agree with you that DD has to die in some 
form or another for the Hero's Journey to be completed: LotR, Star 
Wars, Narnia, etc. or Dragonlance, Wheel of Time, etc. The hero has 
to be able to stand on his own two feet to be able to fully be a 
hero. DD always being around just won't cut it.

But more to the point: Do you really believe Harry could become a 
Headmaster at age 17?! I sincerely dount that he'll get to do that. 
Maybe, like DD, he'll be a teacher first, and be a headmaster in the 
end, but I can't see him becoming headmaster at age 17. McGonnagall 
would be an excellent headmistress, though she's a bit of 
the "boring" choice. How about Remus Lupin? He'd be amazing! Severus 
Snape? Maybe not the most lenient of headmasters, but certainly worth 
a thought. 

Just my two knuts,
Alon

p.s. Have you ever read Changeling:the Dreaming, Stac?