Harry's special power, which leads to Dumbledore as the Half Blood Prince

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 104068

One of the crucial parts of the series to me is how Harry came to be 
the 'One with the Power to Vanquish the Dark Lord', i.e., whether 
the Prophecy is informing the WW there will be a child born who has 
this power, or whether Harry becomes the One when Voldemort 'marked 
him as his equal' by the Curse that Failed.

Many times in interviews, JKR or others talk about how Harry is 
every-boy, and that is why he's so appealing. He's smart but not 
brilliant, makes many mistakes, and seems special only in his 
ability to fly and aptitude for DADA.

In spite of this, I tend toward the first explanation, that Harry 
was indeed born with an innate power to vanquish the Dark Lord, 
whether he chooses to manifest it or not. I mean, it's murkier than 
that, he can't just go up to Voldemort and AK him and be done with 
it, but rather, part of Harry's ability to defeat Voldemort is that 
he *chooses* to do so.

And from Book 1 he's made that choice. He doesn't have all the 
imformation yet at age 11, he doesn't understand about the Prophecy, 
but he sees that Voldemort is evil, knows that LV killed his parents 
and discovers he is the only person who has vanquished Voldemort in 
the past. This is enough for Harry to believe Voldemort must be 
defeated and that he plays a role in that defeat.

And here is where Harry starts to show an uncanny ability to call to 
himself the people, creatures and objects that he needs in his fight 
aganst Voldemort. Harry calls this luck, but it seems more like a 
special power he possesses. An ability to call forth what is needed, 
when he needs it.

In PS, it is his selfless desire to find the stone and the fact that 
Quirrell can't touch his skin. His protection is due to Lily's blood 
and Dumbledore's charm, but it is his own desire to do good that 
brings it forth. I suspect this blood protection would not be strong 
if Harry chose the path of someone like Tom Riddle.

In COS, he brings Fawkes and Gryffindor's sword at a crucial moment. 
In POA Harry has mercy on Peter, and then produces the Patronus to 
save Sirius. In GOF, it is the Phoenix song, which is reputed 
to "increase the courage of the pure of heart and to strike fear 
into the hearts of the impure." (FBAWTFT,p.32). In OOTP Harry 
somewhat reluctantly agrees to teach the DA members, who prove to be 
crucial in the battle at the MOM & and then Harry expels Voldemort 
because of his loving feelings for Sirius.

And that's another aspect of Harry's power--he is surrounded by 
people who are loyal to him because they love him. Even Dumbledore, 
who has tried to stay distant, feels love for him. And his friends 
would love him regardless of his power to vanquish Voldemort. In 
contrast, LV has loyal followers who fear him and fear his 
punishment. Some believe in his 'noble work' but no one is allowed 
to choose the agenda for how this work will be completed except 
Voldemort. *And* most of the DE's were only loyal so long as LV is 
in power. 

A corollary to this idea of Harry being born with the power to 
defeat LV is the fact that Dumbledore is chosen to hear the 
Prophecy. He could have heard the prophecy and washed his hands of 
the matter, but instead he takes on the arduous and thankless task 
of attempting to keep Harry safe until he is of age to go to 
Hogwarts, learn of his magical heritage and make his own choices.

This is where the HBP comes in, I think. Dumbledore, specifically, 
was chosen to hear the Prophecy. Sybill divulges the Prophecy to no 
one until she meets with Dumbledore. Why? I think this relates back 
to his defeat of Grindelwald and the 'champion of mudbloods and 
muggleborns'. Dumbeldore has made it his mission in life to do 
the 'saving people' thing. He safeguards creatures at Hogwarts, 
gives opportunities to the downtrodden, and apparently has 
sacrificed his personal life in exchange for saving the WW. He was 
the only person in the WW with a power equal to Voldemort and 
therefore, the only person who could really safeguard Harry and 
attempt to be selfless in the process.

Like others have said, this title is specifically written as Half 
Blood Prince rather than Half-Blood Prince, perhaps because it is 
about someone who is an advocate for all magical people and 
creatures. And the Prince part could be symbolic or literal. I like 
the idea discussed that DD is descended from GG, or at least is 
the 'spiritual heir', and therfore the Prince to Gryffindor's King.

Jen Reese, who also likes the theory that Dudley could be the half-
blood prince, but who doesn't want to read a whole book about it ;).