Sorting Hat Prediction & Will Harry Go to Slytherin?/Divination

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 58579

 ~Diane wrote:

> I think the Hat's precognitive ability goes way beyond the Sorting 
> itself.  I'm intrigued by the its comments to Harry during his 
> Sorting (PS/SS The Sorting Hat).  It tells him, "You could be great 
> you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you 
on 
> the way to greatness, no doubt about that-"  Also, in CoS (The 
> Polyjuice Potion) it says, "Yes... you were particularly difficult 
> to place, but I stand by what I said before... you *would* have 
done 
> well in Slytherin-" (emphasis JKR's.)

> Most of what the Hat says in in conditional tense (would, could), 
> but it tells Harry that Slytherin *will* help him, no doubt about 
> it.  The Hat seems to be predicting that, Sorting aside, Harry will 
> have dealings with the house, or its members, or even with old 
> Salazar himself(?) at some point. And something about that 
> interaction will help Harry on his way to greatness.  (Huh, the Hat 
> sounds an awful lot like Ollivander here...)

Yes, well- they help him into greatness. Such as when Malfoy was 
stealing Neville's remembrall and Harry stands up for Neville, thus 
presenting his abilities in Quidditch - and becoming the youngest 
Seeker in a century. And all the other great things Harry does, he's 
opposing a Slytherin (can't win if there's no one to play against).

And Ollivander - Phoenix-wands are rare, and if one chooses a wizard, 
that wizard is destined to greatness. Hardly a prediction, more like 
the voice of experience (He IS an old man, isn't he?) and knowledge 
what a specific wand can do. As good as Fred&George's fake wands are, 
they'd never fool Ollivander.

But Sorting Hat making predictions- maybe. We do make choices, and 
our choices show what we are. A prediction has to do with - how 
things are now, what you are, and what those around you are - then 
you add a little cause&consequence into it... a very complex matter, 
which happens in subconcious, requires certain level of being ready 
to accept things like one's own mortality...

Hermione has totally separated her emotions from her logical mind - 
and upon concentrating on a task/puzzle, she distances her emotions 
from it. She's ready to use what she learns from books, but if a task 
requires dealing with intelligence and emotion at the same time, she 
fails. As it is with a boggart - or a dementor. This is why she "has 
no Sight" as Trelawney put it. And Hermione denies the worth of 
Divination altogether..

Harry has been practising contacting his subconcious all his life by 
trying to remember his parents. Due to Dursley lies, he got nothing 
but green light (that he misinterpreted). When he learns the truth 
from Hagrid, he's able to remember more. And that, I think, is one 
reason why he believes and trusts Hagrid in the first place. That 
openness does provide him with a vision (he _did_ see Buckbeak), but 
also makes him extremely vulnerable to Dementors...

-- Finwitch