Book 7 predictions

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 98327

Pippin:
Ah...but you're judging Harry by his abilities, aren't you? <g> He
doesn't have the ability to feel more compassion than most
people, therefore he isn't more compassionate than most
people. But his choices, as you say yourself, *are* more
compassionate than most peoples'. He chooses, time and
again, to put himself in danger for the sake of others, when most
of us would not. And Dumbledore, who thinks it is our choices
that show what we are, considers him to be an extraordinarily
compassionate young man.

vmonte responds:
Good point, Pippin. I think you're absolutely right! Time and again
Harry chooses to do what is right! It's his humanity towards others
that sets him apart. He struggles with guilt, fear, jealousy, hate,
just like the rest of us; but he always chooses to do what is right.

He is even able to feel compassion for Snape and Petunia, two people
he has every right to dislike. Instead of laughing at Snape's
misfortune in the penseive, he is able to feel compassion. Harry was
capable of separating his own feelings towards Snape. He understood
that the treatment Snape received by his father (who he idolized) and 
his freinds was wrong.
He also feels compassion for Petunia after she receives the Howler.
He realizes that Petunia's world has crumbled in on her. Her struggle 
to deny the existance of the WW, has been lost -- and has finally 
crossed over with a vengeance. When she hears that Voldemort is back 
she appears defeated and scared. This is when Harry realizes that 
Petunia is his mother's sister...

Harry may not like Petunia or Snape but he is capable of feeling
compassion for them. Snape and Petunia on the other hand, are
incapable of separating Harry from Lily (in Petunia's case) and Harry
from James (in Snape's case). They have (up to this point) not been
able to grow emotionally as characters because they are trapped in
the past.

vmonte