Occlumency was a success (Was: Who's to blame for Occlumency)

[demetra1225]

No: HPFGUIDX 100856

I've been thinking a lot about this whole Occlumency thing and what 
purpose it served.  I keep coming back to the feeling that the goal 
of the lessons was met, but the goal was not what we (or Harry and 
the others, except Dumbledore and possibly Snape) thought it was.  
Here's my take on the whole Occlumency thing.

Occlumency is a branch of magic that allows one to block access to 
certain memories/thoughts.  A person's memories can be accessed by 
another witch/wizard who is skilled in Legilimency.  We know that 
Voldemort is skilled in Legilimency.  Snape says that eye contact is 
essential to performing Legilimency. 
Snape needs to know Occlumency to act as a spy.  He needs to be able 
to keep Voldemort from accessing memories or thoughts related to his 
work for the Order.  He needs to be able to do this when he is in the 
presence of Voldemort, because that is when Voldemort can perform 
Legilimency on him.  Makes perfect sense that Snape needs to know 
Occlumency.  

But, why does Harry need to know Occlumency?  How would it help him?  
Here's what I think we know:
1. We know that Harry's scar provides some sort of connection with 
Voldemort.  
2. We know that the scar has alerted him at times when Voldemort was 
feeling particularly strong emotions (positive and negative).  
3. We also know that Harry has had visions of what Voldemort is doing 
(in the Riddle house in GoF, snake attacking Mr. Weasley in OotP).  
These are `real-time' visions, not memories.  These visions occur 
when Harry is sleeping.
4. There is no indication that the scar provides a connection whereby 
Harry can access Voldemort's memories, or vice-versa.  
5. Snape says that eye contact is essential to Legilimency.  If 
Voldemort is close enough to make eye contact with Harry, I would 
assume he would use the opportunity to kill Harry, not read his mind
6. As far as I can tell, Occlumency is something done actively.  At 
the time someone is performing Legilimency the other person has to be 
actively practicing Occlumency in order to block them. 

Therefore, if Harry's visions come when he is in a sleep state, how 
could Occlumency help?  Harry cannot be actively blocking access to 
his mind when he is sleeping.  And the visions are not Legilimency, 
so again how could Occlumency help?  That's why I suspect the goal of 
the Occlumency lessons was not Harry learning Occlumency (although I 
doubt anyone would have complained if he actually had learned it).  

I believe that Dumbledore suspected that Voldemort was learning of 
the connection with Harry.  I don't believe, though, that 
Dumbledore's greatest fear was Voldemort planting a vision in Harry's 
mind.  No, I believe that Dumbledore's greatest fear was that 
Voldemort was going to attempt to possess Harry via the connection, 
just like he did in the Atrium of the MoM.  That is why I believe 
Dumbledore's goal was for Harry to learn how to repel an invasion of 
his mind. 

Think about what happens during these Occlumency lessons.  Snape gets 
to play the quintessential bad cop role that he loves so much.  Snape 
gets into Harry's mind and goes for the intensely personal memories, 
most of which involve some humiliating incident in Harry's life.  
Harry has a huge emotional response because it is Snape (whom he 
hates) in his mind, seeing things Harry doesn't want him to see and 
essentially forcing Harry to re-live them.  The end result though, is 
that eventually, on more than one occasion, Harry is able to repel 
the invasion of his mind. 

This is what I meant when I said in a previous post that perhaps the 
mission was accomplished.  Harry has experienced having someone in 
his mind.  Harry has learned how to push the offender out.  When 
Voldemort possessed Harry in the Atrium, Harry's strong emotional 
response resulted in the repelling of Voldemort out of his mind.

Iout.  

Demetra (who love's Kneasy's theory on Tom R. being possessed and 
whose wild prediction for the final battle is that through the 
scar/mind connection Harry will join forces with Tom R. and help Tom 
repel Voldemort out)