CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 23: Christmas On The Closed Ward

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 107012

>>>> 2) Why does Harry ask advice of no one, especially Sirius, whom 
he trusts and has gone to before? <<<<

HunterGreen previously:
>>> He did go to Sirius, he just didn't find it very helpful. He went 
to Sirius before they visited Arthur in the hospital, and 
(essentially), Sirius just told him to not worry about it, and if it 
was something to worry about Dumbledore would have told him. I think 
that Sirius underestimates how much Harry would obsess about this 
(and oddly enough HE doesn't go to Harry after Harry shuts himself 
off from everyone). I think that Sirius cares about Harry a lot, but 
doesn't know him very well. <<<

Lissa replied: 
>> I REALLY like that point that Sirius doesn't know Harry. Not
really. They've had very limited contact, until OotP, and by OotP 
Sirius was losing himself. I also think Sirius isn't always sure how 
to communicate with Harry. Molly is somewhat right- he does think of 
Harry as a hybrid of James and Harry. <<

HunterGreen:
I don't know about that. I think he sees Harry more as "James' Son", 
than a James/Harry hybrid. As in, he feels a responsibility to Harry 
and a kinship with Harry based on how well he knew James and Lily and 
the fact that he his Harry's godfather. He wants to be Harry's friend 
and help him out, but unfortunately he doesn't know Harry very well. 

I've always liked Sirius because he stands alone as the only adult to 
actually reach out to Harry beyond the times they happen to see each 
other. Molly sends him things for Christmas, and is always happy to 
have him come visit, but she doesn't specifically send him letters 
(rather, she mentions him in letters to Ron, or Ron himself writes 
letters to him mentioning his family's willingness to have Harry stay 
with them). Dumbledore acts as some sort of father or grandfather 
figure, but he doesn't really seek Harry out that often to talk to 
him. He sort of happens upon him from time to time in his headmaster 
role, or speaks to him when something really important has happened 
(like in the end of each book). Harry forms a good relationship with 
Lupin, but Lupin sort of disappears after that, and doesn't make an 
effort to keep in touch with Harry (nor does he contact Harry 
*before* he's his teacher, despite how close him and James were). 

Harry is not the type who feels comfortable seeking people out 
himself. He sort of fell into his friendship with Ron and Hermione, 
and all the adults I mentioned would probably be willing to help 
Harry with his problems, he just doesn't feel comfortable going to 
them, even though they all know him better than Sirius. But Sirius is 
quite different, in the fact that HE made the effort to keep in touch 
with Harry, and said *specifically* to call on him with any problems. 
Not only that, its noted in the beginning of GoF, that Sirius has 
already sent Harry two letters since the summer began (added with the 
letter at the end of PoA, that's 3 letters), and we don't know if 
Harry has written a response to any of them. 

Since you mentioned Molly...her attitude toward Sirius at the 
beginning of OotP really got under my skin. I normally like her, in 
many ways she reminds me of my own mother, but here its almost like 
she's jealous of Sirius. She certainly doesn't respect his authority 
when it comes to Harry (and he does have authority, James and Lily 
appointed him Harry's guardian, as far as Harry's *parents* are 
concerned, Sirius is allowed to make decisions on Harry's behalf), 
and then she jumps to accusing him of equating Harry with James, and 
says the exteremly mean-spirited "the thing is, it's been rather 
difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked UP in 
Azkaban, hasn't it?", which seemed pointlessly hurtful. 

>>Interestingly, he seems to relate better to Harry in OotP when 
Lupin is around.<<

And that may be because Lupin does know Harry. The two of them spent 
considerably more time together, and Lupin has a better understanding 
of personality than Sirius.