Ask the Question

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 84526

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Louis Badalament"
<lb140900 at y...> wrote:
> 
> Louis - My Question;
> 
> Has Harry now become as close a friend with Neville, Luna, and Ginny 
> as he is with Hermione and Ron?  Which is to say, will we see these 
> three also trailing around with him wherever he goes?

bboy_mn:

I wouldn't exactly say 'trailing around with', but without a doubt all
three are going to have very expanded roles in the next two books.

Neville is a big part of the prophecy, and many of us Neville fans
have been saying for a long time now, that we need to keep an eye on
Neville because he is a great and powerful wizard, and that big things
are in store for him. Look for him to continue to develop as a wizard
and as a person with the same speed or more than we saw in the DA Club.

Ginny's character has been greatly fleshed out, and to some extent I
think she will take up the role previously played by the Twins.
Although, she won't be an exact 'prankster' replacement for them, I
think she will have a strong presents and a strong role in influencing
Harry.

Luna is somewhat of an enigma. Her place in the grand scheme of things
is a little unclear, but I believe, as many do, that she will be an
important character in the coming books. She is much too deep to be
there for no reason other than comic relief.

My theory (one of many which are often conflicting)-
I think we will see a very withdrawn Harry in the next book, but
withdrawn in an odd way. By all outward appearances, he will seem OK.
He will go to class, talk with his classmates, interact with other
students but at the same time will be very separate from them. 

In a sense, Hermione and Ron will become more like Seamus and Dean,
Harry will be very friendly and on good terms with them. As is
typical, he will even hang out with them. To the outsides, things will
seem normal, but to Hermione and Ron who know Harry very intimately,
they will feel a 'distance' between them.

This 'distance' will be a continuation of Harry's sense of being
separate from the rest of people; I guess you could call him a marked
man. He has a fate and a destiny that he must fulfill, a fate and a
destiny that are out of his control. He has no choice but to allow
himself to be carried by the tides. 

He also know that the weight of the whole wizard world rests on his
shoulders, and that anyone he gets close to or he lets get close to
him is at great risk. Rather that risk the loss of a friend, and
rather than feel the pain of that loss, he will find it easier to keep
himself emotionally distant from people.

However, I think this means he will balance off his associations by
spending more time with Neville, Ginny, and Luna. I think he will
especially seek out Luna in times when he is most troubled, because
she has a calm and a detachment that he can trust. He knows if he
reveals some internal aspect of himself, Luna is not going to freak
out and get all emotional. By not feeling the need to guard Luna's
feels and thereby his own, he will feel very comfortable around her.

I also think, it will be Luna who helps Harry realize that he can't
distance himself from the people who are most important to him, and
that the presents of their love far outweighs the possible loss of
that love.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn