Harry's Use of an Unforgivable Curse

[jimlaming]

No: HPFGUIDX 96422



Disclaimer:  There are, I am sure, many more qualified people to 
respond about the stresses and internal conflicts of close contact, 
mortal combat.  My experiences are limited.  

-----------------------------------------

I have been following this thread with some interest.   An element, 
which has not been fully incorporated, is that this scene IS close 
contact, mortal combat.  True, there is no promulgated Rules of 
Engagement (ROE) and there has been no sanctioned enlistment, 
however, the psychology of combat applies.  

To defend oneself from mortal attack first takes the instinct of 
survival.  But then the " anger and negative feelings" do come.  
These feelings are part of the fight or flight reaction.  If you are 
going to fight, you do so to the best of your ability and if you 
hesitate or are unable to fully put yourself into the action (curse) 
then you give your attacker an advantage.  In real life combat, that 
most often results in the death of the weaker fighter.

Harry's skill and the intervention of others, tipped the scales in 
his favor in this scene.  (Not to mention JKR's need for Harry to be 
around a while linger.)

Like everyone who has had to face the decisions of combat, Harry will 
have to reconcile his actions during combat with the person, whom he 
thinks he is.  If he behaved with honor during combat, he will only 
have to accept that he did what he had to, to accomplish the 
mission.  If he behaved with dishonor, he will have to reconcile his 
behavior to a new reality of himself, or it will be a psychological 
scar.  Scars don't always signal the demise of the individual but 
they are real and sometimes will alter behavior at a later date.  
Within some norms, the stress of combat plays out with many 
similarities for different individuals.  But, to be sure, individuals 
react as their background and beliefs dictate.  We are all 
different.  Harry and every one of the DA will have to face 
themselves in the "mirror" and that, I hope will be a part of the 
continuing HP story.

Without a Declaration of War and the legal protections of ROE, the 
public must fall under the general laws of the time.  However, I, 
like others, think an honest court system would not prosecute, let 
alone convict Harry.  He clearly was defending himself and I think 
this is clearly War.

Jim