Lord Harry

[ellendvlmaas]

No: HPFGUIDX 95501

I just finished rereading OotP. It sounds like many others are in the 
process of doing so, too. I had the sense that this book spelled out 
a major pivital point for Harry. So much has been discussed -- in the 
books as well as lately on this group -- about Harry and his choices. 
I was concerned about the choices he was making early on, but by the 
end of the book, I have a pretty confident sense of what he will 
become.

I couldn't help but think how rather Voldy-like Harry was in the 
beginning of this book. I was disturbed by how Harry was taunting 
Dudley after he left the park. Chapter one says, "It gave Harry 
enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was making Dudley; he 
felt as though he was siphoning off his own frustration into his 
cousin, the only outlet he had." The next page has Harry taunting 
Dudley with his wand, "'How d'you know they haven't changed the 
rules, Big D?' 'They haven't,' said Dudley, though he didn't sound 
completely convinced. Harry laughed softly." That soft laugh gave me 
goose-chills.

Not that we can blame him for treating Dudley as he deserves, but all 
the same, I felt ashamed of Harry for descending to his level. The 
scenes above illustrated something a DE would do, or the Big Thingy 
himself.

The first scene at 12 Grimmauld Place gave me the creeps, too. Harry 
was talking with Ron and Hermione in a cold, angry, detached tone 
while Ron and Hermione answered his questions with fear and haste. 
After yelling at his friends in chapter four, "Harry glared at 
[Hermione], still breathing deeply, then turned away from them again, 
pacing up and down." He then proceeded to "shoot" questions 
and "demand" answers while Ron and Hermione answered "at 
once", "hastily" and "nervously".

All this scene needed to copy a DE's interaction with Voldemort would 
have been to have Ron and Hermione kneel before Harry. Did Voldemort 
also transfer some of his thirst for power and warped leadership 
skills to Harry? He was a Voldy-in-Training.

It's Fred and George who snap him out of it. "You don't want to 
bottle your anger like that, Harry, let it all out... There might be 
a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you." Because of 
Harry's soft spot for his friends, he goes from vicious to grumpy in 
about 10 seconds. By his mood, he is conceding with the twins that 
he's being a jerk and knows he needs to cool it. I doubt that's a 
thought that ever occurred to the Dark Lord.

Later in school, Hermione and Ron start to stand up to Harry's temper 
tantrums. If that had happened to Riddle, he probably would have 
cursed them. But Harry responds and even rather develops Hermione's 
voice in his head as the voice of his conscience.

I think that one of the best things that happened to Harry in book 5 –
 and served to start shaping what I think he will be like in the end 
of the story – was the D.A. club. He seemed to come into his own. 
He's a natural teacher and leader. In chapter 16, Hermione brings the 
idea of the club up again. "The fact was that [Harry] had given the 
matter a great deal of thought over the past fortnight
 found 
himself, in fact, subconsciously planning lessons
" His classmates' 
tremendous progress that year confirmed his ability as a teacher. He 
was able to funnel his anger in a very constructive way, by ensuring 
that the Dark side would find a strong resistance to it. 

I think this is the point that starts to shape Harry's future. He's 
training himself and his friends to fight, but on the side of good. 
They called their club "Dumbledore's Army". But I wonder if this 
group is really the birth of "Harry's Army"?

We see the students on the whole suddenly supporting Harry at the end 
of the term. There's willingness and openness there, just what Harry 
will need if he finds himself needing to call on his classmates in 
the future to join together against Voldemort. Many on this list are 
predicting a major fight, maybe even at Hogwarts. Harry will probably 
be key to the defense.

The last chapter on the train home from Hogwarts had a scene that 
seemed like a preview of Harry's future. He was ambushed by his arch-
enemies Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. He might have been overcome, but 
for the intervention of no fewer than 6 of his faithful D.A. Clubbers 
who "rose as one to rush to Harry's aid."

Harry leaves book 5 leading the way, with the Dursleys, who have so 
intimidated him until now, "hurrying along in his wake."

The leader is budding.

Ellen (who cannot WAIT for book 6! :-)