Child abuse and (spoiler) question

[ccm50_2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 63827

I'm new to this group and after a search of the archive, couldn't find
that this topic had already been discussed. If it has, I apologize for
the repetition. I know that Harry is supposed to be an exceptional
person, but how could any child turn out to be psychologically normal
after a lifetime of such vicious abuse by the Dursleys? I've heard a
child can overcome terrible abuse if he/she has one person to turn to
who cares, but Harry didn't have anyone. Not a neighbor, teacher,
clergy, friend or friend's parent. How could anyone not be warped by
the horrible abuse he sustained? In OOP, DD remarks that he wished
Harry had been better nourished when he got to Hogwarts, but I would
think that was the least of the problem. Just curious.

Next question, but first 
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At the very end of the book, when Harry finds the magic mirror that
would have allowed him to talk with Sirius, I was surprised he didn't
bewail the fact that he could have used it to find out where Sirius
was and not gone to the Ministry. He wouldn't have had to risk using
Umbridge's fire, wouldn't have been tricked by Kreacher and wouldn't
have lured Sirius to his death. That would have been my first thought.
Only secondly would I have thought about possibly using the mirror to
contact Sirius in whatever netherworld he was in. That just seemed
strange to me. 

Charlotte Carl-Mitchell
Scottsdale, AZ