Possession: Taking it Further

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 119791


Annemehr:
> Possession seems to be Voldemort's ultimate weapon.  It's the 
> power hedidn't lose when he became a vapor, and as Harry has 
> experienced, itis even more reliable than the Imperius Curse.  
> Harry escaped it onceonly because Voldemort broached the idea of 
> Harry's death, whichevoked in Harry the emotion that cast him 
> out.  I don't think we canrely on this to keep Harry safe from 
> another attempt.  Voldemort needonly use him in ways that avoid 
> mortal peril.   

Jen: This is good stuff Annemehr, even if it does make my head hurt 
to sort it all out ;). But you made me think about things in a new 
way. 

Like in the above passage: Couldn't Harry's power be that LV can 
never truly possess him, especially now that LV understands Harry is 
full of love/life-force/courage? Because when Dumbledore talked 
openly to Harry at the end of OOTP, he seemed to think Harry was 
safe. And it couldn't have been due to some magical effect of the 
Headmaster's office, because DD saw LV 'flickering' behind Harry's 
eyes during the portkey travel at Christmas. 

<snipping>

> * * * * *
> `You can speak Parseltongue, Harry,' said Dumbledore calmly, 
`because
> Lord Voldemort [...] can speak Parseltongue.  Unless I'm much
> mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he
> gave you that scar.'
> [CoS ch. 18]
> * * * * *
> 
> I think it's very likely that Harry already has the power of
> possession, that he's had it since the attack at Godric's Hollow.  
> I believe JKR was hinting in the quote above that Parseltongue was 
> not the only power Harry received from Voldemort that night, and 
> yet we have never had any clear indication of what others there 
> might be. Harry will probably access this power in very special 
> circumstances,though I can't guess whether Dumbledore will suggest 
> it to him or Harry will spontaneously find it within himself.

Jen: This is purely personal opinion, but I hope Harry doesn't have 
the power of possession. He and Voldemort are slowly being fused 
together over time, but to me that's not possession so much as the 
powerful effect of whatever bonded them at GH, and LV's return to 
mortality.

Instead, since Harry was able to repel Voldemort in OOTP, I hope 
that is yet one less advantage Voldemort can wield over him in 
coming confrontations. Slowly, slowly, all the power inequities 
between the two are melting away and Harry is gaining in strength 
(much as he did during the Priori Incantatem, like you mention later 
in a different context).

Annemehr: 
> One possible route to Harry realising this power might be that
> Voldemort makes another attempt to possess Harry.  With Voldemort
> being more careful about how far he pushes Harry, Harry is left
> struggling and may manage to turn the tables and assert control.  I
> can see it as a battle of wills similar to the Priori Incantatem 
scene
> in the graveyard where Harry succeeded by strength of will in 
pushing
> the light beads back into Voldemort's wand.

Jen: I see this happening too, but it's back to a difference in 
terminology: Rather than fighting over true physical possession of a 
body, they would be battling for mind control. True freedom of 
choice.

This would still work with the idea that Dumbledore can safely talk 
to Harry, because Harry will become very aware when Voldemort is 
exerting control. Like a sixth sense. He'll learn to discriminate 
which thoughts are his and which ones Voldemort is trying to insert 
(i.e., Sirius at the DOM). And maybe Occlumency as well (finally)?

Annemehr:
> Suppose in the future that Harry has another such vision.  It 
> seems inevitable that he will; the scar connection has been 
> steadily growing.  This time, something is a little different: 
> either Harry's been instructed by Dumbledore, or the connection is 
> just a little stronger, or Harry reacts in horror and with more 
> strength of will than he had before to something terrible that 
> Voldemort is about to do. This time Harry succeeds in forcing his 
> own will upon Voldemort and changing his actions.

Jen: Or Voldemort could find as the connection strengthens that he 
is unable to carry out his plans while attempting to control Harry. 
He'll discover that Harry's wishes, choices, etc. are wreaking havoc 
on his evil overlord plans and LV will attempt to close the 
connection with horrible consequences <beg>.

As to Annemehr's speculation about the logical end for this 
connection the two have, maybe any and all of your suggestions?!? 
I'm extremely curious to see if this issue is essentially over--LV 
cannot reside in Harry given his great power of *whatever*--or if 
the end of OOTP is merely the beginning of the possession theory. I 
guess I'd like to see something different, LV yielding some heinous 
new power in Books 6 & 7. There seems no end to JKR's imagination--
maybe we have yet to see the truly terrible powers of Voldemort and 
the control he can exert over people.

Jen