The Hat Test (was Re: Slytherin House : evil ? (was : Cheering on Harry ))

[Mrs.) Lee Storm (God Is The Healing Force]

No: HPFGUIDX 101249

| From: dumbledore11214
| Sent: Monday, June 14, 2004 15:24 PM
| Alla:
|
| Dawn, thank you. That is exactly what I meant. Even though Rowling
| calls Hat "sincere". I am not sure at all that it wanted to put Harry
| in Slytherin. Probably Hat was testing him in its own bizarre way. :)

[Lee]:
I'd think so.  Yes, Hat is sincere, but also serves to evaluate the students
coming through and, perhaps, if necessary, give them a bit of a prod.

Of course, this isn't the first time Harry has been given the "Great" word.
Ollivander--"...we can expect great things from you..." (SS/PS).  Now the
hat is telling him he could be great, too.

Another character analysis thing...here's Harry, who thinks of himself as a
no-account in that he has no parents, was dumped on his Aunt and Uncle and
has to live in a closet and be subject to the whims of his bully cousin.
He's a polite lad...I'm sure manners were drilled into him.  Now, suddenly,
he's hearing things like he's famous, expected to do great things, could be
great, etc.  Overwhelming, to say the least, and factored in with a kind of
people and place that goes beyond his imaginings...Wow!

Perhaps Hat was trying to determine how all this would affect Harry.  Would
he, used to being considered on the lowest of the totem, gravitate to such
an aspiration? Or would Harry allow himself to learn the different kinds of
greatness and make his choices.

Remember, too, all the times Hagrid says, "Great man, Dumbledore."  There
isn't a book where he doesn't say that! :-)

So, Harry can see Dumbledore-type-Great...powerful yet great in compassion
and understanding, etc. or Ambitious-Slytherin-Type-Great...a great that can
be ruthless and harsh.

Hat is testing Harry; Hat is giving Harry his first choice to make.  Hat
goes on to needle Harry in COS about him going to Slytherin; Harry flatly
rejects the idea and puts Hat back on Dumbledore's shelf.

Then, in COS, what comes to Harry's aid along with Fawks? Our friendly
Hat...which gives him the Gryffindor Sword.

So, methinks Hat is sincere, but it's also doing its part as a guardian and
giving whatever testing is necessary to prove a student's true nature...or
disprove it.

Another thought...Does Dd ever have private conferences with Hat? :-)

Cheers,

Lee :-)

Do not walk behind me,     | Lee Storm
I may not care to lead;    | N2FGC
Do not walk before me,     | n2fgc at optonline.net (or)
I may not care to follow;  | n2fgc at arrl.net
Walk beside me, and be my friend.