How dim is Harry? (longish)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 98538


Geoff:
I thought I would like to join this thread because I am not convinced 
that those people who are calling Harry a dimwit or suggesting that 
he lacks curiosity are necessarily correct.

Let us consider a possible scenario. On the Hogwarts Express, 
Hermione tells Harry that he features in three books: "Modern Magical 
History" (MMH), "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts" and "Great 
Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century" (GWE).

Now we do not have a blow-by-blow or minute-by-minute account of what 
Harry does each day so let us consider that, since we know that 
Hermione speaks very quickly, he probably didn't catch the names of 
all these books, so he re-checks the names of the books with her and 
goes on one occasion to the library to try to find the books. So, he 
finds "Modern Magical History": 

"The fate of He Who Must Not Be Named is still shrouded in mystery 
several years after the event. What is known is that he went to the 
home of James and Lily Potter on the night of Hallowe'en 1981 and 
killed them. It would seem that he then tried to kill their infant 
son Harry who was fifteen months old and that the curse rebounded 
onto him. It is still not known for certain whether He Who Must Not 
Be Named was killed as a result or, as some authorities consider, 
disembodied. Evidence has leaked out from some of the few witnesses 
who have immediate knowledge of the events that the child was left 
with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.

Another area of doubt is the current whereabouts of Harry Potter. 
Rumours have been rife that Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of 
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was involved in action to 
remove Harry from the scene and place him with relatives, believed to 
be Muggles. The identity of these folk and their place of residence 
continues to be one of the great unknowns of this extraordinary 
period of modern Wizarding history."

(MMH "The Downfall of You-Know-Who" p.865 Wizarding Press 6th edition 
1990)

Hmmm. Well, he knows all that already. OK, let's try "Great Wizarding 
Events";

"Potter, Harry. Born 31/07/80, only child of James and Lily Potter 
(q.v.). On 31/10/81, You-Know-Who attacked Harry Potter's family  
killing his parents at their home at Godric's Hollow. You-Know-Who 
directed an curse, probably  Avadra Kedavra at the child which 
rebounded, either killing or disembodying him. The whereabouts of the 
boy have been kept secret since the event; theories are that he is 
with family relatives."

(GWE "Index of Wizarding Personalities"  p.750 Wizarding Press 1988 
edition)

Well, that doesn't get him much further does it?

OK. Should he ask someone? Like whom? Ron and Hermione are no use. 
Ron knows about the scar and that's about all. I think we've probably 
exhausted Hermione as a source. He's learnt to avoid bothering Vernon 
and Petunia so that he doesn't get his ears boxed or is locked in his 
cupboard.

Albus Dumbledore? Rather a daunting figure, despite the conversations 
he has from time to time. Also, rather difficult on the way to a 
Potions lesson to stop the Headmaster if he sees him coming by and 
saying "Excuse me, Professor, can you tell me about my parents?" At 
the end of PS or COS, the thought of raising this doesn't occur – 
he's either nearly been killed by Quirrell or emerged bloody but 
fairly unbowed from a fight with a Basilisk. It's probably difficult 
to access DD; Harry doesn't even know where his office is until 
halfway through COS.

Snape? Man, you can-not be serious.

Professor McGonagall? Again, rather formidable and acid-tongued on 
occasions. Can he psych himself up to speak to her? And, again, how 
much does she know? She knew the Potters when they were at Hogwarts 
certainly and she was around on the evening of the Godric's Hollow 
disaster. But beyond that?

Hagrid? Well
. He is certainly approachable but what does he know 
that Harry hasn't already gleaned from the library visit? He 
obviously knew James and Lily but very closely? He did gather the 
photographs together (at Dumbledore's behest) to give to Harry at the 
end of PS.

Whatever may have been said, Harry's options on who to approach are 
quite limited. Perhaps he has missed opportunities, particularly with 
Dumbledore but, as I pointed out earlier, most of these are at times 
of considerable stress. So, is he dim? I don't think so. I think he 
is nervous of approaching people and how to broach the subject. I can 
empathise with this. I have always been worried about raising 
subjects which might be difficult with people. One of the things I 
learned from teacher training was the ability to be a little more 
assertive but I can still see Harry's problems clearly.

PS On the subject of my paternal grandfather. My father was very 
reticent about his family because of the estrangement; I first 
learned I possessed an aunt and uncle and seven first cousins on his 
side when I was 16. However, although I had some information about my 
grandfather, I didn't find out a lot until I was 60 when I started 
digging around in the Family Record centre on my occasional visits to 
London because some of my family wanted to have family trees sorted 
out. It wasn't that I lacked curiosity, it was just finding the time 
to spend on what can often be a long and tedious business.