Harry's far from ruthless Was:Re: Harry the Auror

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 89211

Geoff and Naama have already written great responses to sachmet96's last post <Annemehr salutes>, so I'll just make a short point.


> sachmet96
> I know that his life was at stake and I see that he had to defend his 
> life but what I am complaining about is that when in the infirmary 
> and DD tells him that Voldemort left Quirrell to die he doesn't even 
> ask if Quirrell is dead. How much more ruthless can you get?
> Also DD doesn't say Voldemort killed Quirrell but left him to die.

Annemehr:
Harry understood Dumbledore to say that Quirrell was dead.  In OoP there's a line where Harry and companions are reviewing what 
had happened to their past DADA teachers.  I hunted for it for a while but couldn't find it, but part of it goes: "one dead, one sacked..." 
and I forget exactly what else.  Can anyone locate that?

Anyway, Harry is in the hospital wing, and Quirrell is not.  So either Quirrell is indeed dead, or he's in better shape than Harry is.  
Quirrell wasn't at the end-of-term feast, either, so of course Harry is sure that he's dead.

Sachmet96: 
> It's not clear why Quirerell is going to die but the probability 
> that's from the wounds Harry dealt him is very high but Harry doesn't 
> even ask if that's the case. So that is also very ruthless.

Annemehr:
The probability that Quirrell may have died from blistering burns is slim and none, *especially* at Hogwarts with Madam Pomfrey 
around.  Quirrell was only injured in the skin of his hands (self-inflicted, BTW), his face (after which Harry first realises what's 
happening), and on one arm.

Either Quirrell died from Voldemort possessing and leaving him (and Naama points out that being possessed by LV is fatal; hence the 
need for unicorn blood), or Constance Vigilance is right, and Dumbledore carefully gave Harry the impression that Quirrell is dead 
while secretly sending him on a mission instead.

Sachmet96:
> But instead of batting an eye Harry goes on and asks questions about 
> himself (why Snape hated his father, how he was able to get the 
> stone). Actually I think this whole infirmary scene shows much about 
> Harry's character.

Annemehr:
There was nothing left to ask about Quirrell after what Dumbledore said, so he asked the (very important) questions he did have.  
When you find out that someone who has just tried to kill you has died in the attempt, what else it there to say?  If Harry were ever to 
reflect on the life and fate of Quirrell, this wouldn't be the time; here he's just trying to find out what exactly had happened and why.  
And we can't take JKR's silence on that point to prove he never did think of Quirrell again, because she obviously can't report his every 
thought, even the ones that might be pertinent to the story.

<snip a bit>

> 
> sachmet96
> I am also making an emphatic point I just don't agree with you. Maybe 
> I am reading too much in a single scene and I am unable to understand 
> why one wouldn't even ask what happened when one is told that someone 
> one knows in left to die.

Annemehr:
It's fine if we never agree, but I can't read a post I disagree with so strongly without charging in with my 2 knuts!  ;-)
Look how our interpretations of this one point color our entire perceptions of the whole series -- so obviously it's quite an important 
one.