Could Harry really be an Auror? (Was: Anyone else over PPD?)

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 83339

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kirstini" <kirst_inn at y...> 
wrote:
> However, this got me thinking. Say Harry does live <chortle>, does 
> anyone think he will actually make it into Auror school? It doesn't 
> seem likely to me, for several reasons.

I don't think he'll become an auror, but his ambition to become one 
is critical to defeating Voldemort, because it leads him to take 
exactly those classes that are important to the ultimate 
confrontation (DADA, transfiguration, charms and yes, potions).

> 1. I don't think his Potions mark will be high enough. 
> ****
> Harry corked his sample flask feeling that he might not have 
achieved 
> a good grade but he had, with luck, avoided a fail. (OoP, 
Bloomsbury, 
> p 632)
> ****

Go back and re-read the description of how he felt about all his OWLs 
(except DADA where he clearly performed at an O+++ level). In my 
opinion, he did very well on most classes, but he tends to magnify 
his errors due to lack of confidence. It is said that he found the 
potions theoretical exam difficult, not that he could not do it (and 
he did well on at least the polyjuice question). It is also mentioned 
several times through the book that Harry does just fine in potions 
when he is not distracted by Snape.

I don't know if he will get an O in potions, but I am sure it will be 
at least an E. I am also certain he'll be in potions in 6th year - 
can you imagine not reading about his confrontations with Snape any 
more? :-) How will Snape be convinced to take him? Perhaps Malfoy 
will also not get an O and Snape would be unable to make a special 
case for him without letting Harry take the class as well.

> Surely we aren't going to see Harry bumped up a grade or two 
because 
> he's the famous Harry Potter?

No, but Harry is bright enough to get at least an E on all his 
important classes, which should be enough to get him into the NEWT 
level classes that he needs.

> 2.There are other ways of fighting Voldemort/evil.
> Neither of Harry's parents were old enough to be fully-fleged Aurors

We don't know that, do we?

> 3. Is it likely that an exhausted 18 year-old, fresh from defeating 
> The Most Powerful Dark Wizard For A Century, even one as gung ho as 
> Our Young Hero, is going to jump right back on the Dark-beating 
wagon 
> again?

I agree with that assessment. But I think he'll reach that conclusion 
(not to be an auror) only in the 7th book.

>If Potions are 
> essential to Auror training, and Hary is not a particularly 
talented 
> potion-maker, it seems only logical to conclude that he wouldn't be 
> successful in this part of the job.

I have seen no aurors brewing potions - and can't see what good 
they'd do them. Seems to me that potions is required as a background -
 you have to be able to identify dangerous substances and perhaps 
prepare them if you need them. But it's not central to the job as it 
would be for a healer, say. Much more important would be charms, DADA 
and transfiguration.

Salit