Themes in OotP (was Re: Angry Harry in HBP?)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 119882


SSSusan:
> It was WRONG to have behaved this way -- they could have at 
> least  TRIED spending time with him & talking, to see how it 
> would go, but  they didn't.  Now, any adult who's been dreading a 
> conversation with  a child or a question from a child will probably 
> identify with their  feelings, but at least a couple of them should 
> have risen above it  and showed Harry some real support and 
> willingness to talk about at  least some of the difficult stuff.  Or
> to be open about what couldn't be talked about.
>
> Sirius & Lupin did a measure of this at 12 GP, I would argue, 
> but it  wasn't enough, nor consistent throughout the year, and as 
> you note,  it wasn't there at ALL after the Mr. Weasley vision.  
> There's no way a kid of 15, who thinks -- no, *knows* -- he just 
> saved someone's  life through his vision is going to just start 
> working hard to stop having them without some kind of 
> reasonable explanation from someone  he trusts.
> <snip>
> Would *all* of the adults really have  been *this* stupid for a 
> whole year?  Is that credible?
 
Pippin:
> You have to remember at least some of their efforts to offer 
> support to Harry were thwarted. Harry declined to have tea with 
> Mrs. Figg, who might have been able to answer some of his 
> questions and let him know what was going on. 
> 
> Harry refused to use the mirror Sirius gave him.
> 
> Neither Sirius nor McGonagall, nor DD seems comfortable 
> offering emotional support if more is needed than their mere 
> presence. Maybe it's the warrior culture thing. Spending time and 
> talking -- does anybody except Hermione *ever* want to do that? 


SSSusan:
But I'm not talking just about, or even primarily about, emotional 
support.  That, too, if it's in the giver's nature -- but also just 
SOME vital information & answers and providing a *presence* in 
Harry's life.  Jen R. just said in the post prior to this one that 
she believes McGonagall & Lupin are more *constant* for Harry than 
Sirius was and how important that is.  I know your take on Lupin, 
Pippin, but as it doesn't match mine, I think Jen is right.  

As for the mirror, it's true that Harry refused to use it at first, 
but he also *forgot* about it.  If he'd remembered it the night they 
ended up traipsing off to the DoM, do you really think he'd not have 
used it?

And Mrs. Figg?  Did he know anything about her role at the time he 
refused tea?  [I don't recall the timing of the offer.]  Again, I'm 
not talking about *just* someone to have tea with.  I'm talking about 
someone HE really cares about, carving time out to listen to him and 
tell him SOME key stuff, even if they couldn't tell him all, rather 
than avoiding him or averting eyes and evading questions.  Like what 
Sirius & Lupin did at 12GP, only consistently throughout the year.  
Perhaps even seeking *him* out on occasion.  And especially after the 
Arthur attack.

Siriusly Snapey Susan