Occlumency lessons

[suehpfan]

No: HPFGUIDX 91651

snip
Aditya wrote:
>   And speaking of occlumency. It's not this incantation kind of 
> thing. It seems to be a purely mental ability to focus or focus out 
> something. As Snape said it is similar to learning to ward off 
> Imperius curse. There also, Harry didn't have to do much except  
some 
> mental kind of feat. So Harry could have learnt occlumency fastly 
> enough if he had tried it a bit more sincerely and not get swayed 
in 
> the grip of so many emotions as he was throughout the book.  Harry 
> seems to have a difficulty learning these kind of mind related 
things 
> when he becomes emotional. He had difficulties with learning 
Patronus 
> charm too. I think he could learn thwarting Imperius curse so 
easily 
> because he wasn't emotionally involved in that lesson.
>  As for Snape's instructions, I am sure he couldn't have done 
> anything more than what he did in the first lesson. The rest were 
> just practice sessions. 
snip> 
> Bye
> Aditya

Sue:
This is exactly how I see occlumency as well.  I am firmly convinced 
(and I know others vehemently disagree) that Harry *did* learn, not 
only occlumency, but legilimency as well.  I beleive he will find, 
just as he did with the Patornus charm, he is fully capable of using 
the skill when he is really in need of it.  This also brings into 
question (again) Snapes motivation for what he did during those 
lessons.  Certainly practicing would be necessary, just as it was 
with the Patronus charm, but Lupin always gave Harry time to recover 
before moving on. 

If Harry did indeed learn the skill (and indeed if he did not), there 
is always the question of whether or not it would even work with the 
connection he shares with Voldemort.  I tend to think it would not 
because Volde is not really using legilimency to see into Harry's 
mind, it is something quite different created by the "curse that 
failed"
.
Evil/good, good/evil...I hope some day we will know for sure where 
our Snape's loyalties lie.

"We Slytherins are brave, yes, but not stupid.  For instance, given 
the choice, we will always choose to save our own necks."
Phineas Nigeles, OotP

Sue, who thanks the posters of the Mars/arse joke and the old post 
about punting (I too, being all too American, imagined a swift kick) 
for the hearty laughs.