Harry Agonistes (was Re: Ever so evil ? was Dumbledore's role in Sirius' death

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 99094

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> wrote:

> Naahh, I was kidding. I'm not very interested in ESE theories, 
> because it is usually obvious they'll just won't happen. I got 
> interested for about a day in ESE!Harry only because it seemed more 
> difficult to generate. You'd have to get over the point-of-view 
> problem: as readers we get to look into Harry's mind all the time, so 
> we know he is not evil. 


Obvious it won't happen? So what? What's that got to do with anything?
90% of the SHIPping theories won't happen either but that's never 
stopped the romantically inclined from indulging their fantasies.

The ESE!Harry scenario that I occasionally indulge in is based on the
premise that Harry is involutarily ESE - *but doesn't yet realise it.* This
is more intellectually challenging but also more logical. How many
people class *themselves* as evil? Damn few. Usually that's the opinion
of others - it's a title that is given rather than claimed.

Do the Malfoys consider themselves evil, or Snape, or even Bella?
I doubt it. They are just doing what they consider to be necessary to
achieve their ends. I doubt too that they see their ends as evil - just
perhaps a little selfish and very convenient for their dream life-styles.

By the same token Harry would not perceive himself as evil - it's just
that nobody seems to agree with him, nobody considers what he wants
and he 's getting more and more out of step with those around him.
Self-regard and selfishness. A potentially long slippery slope to true 
Slytherin-hood, inevitably engendered by whatever bits of Voldy were
transferred to him at Godric's Hollow. And one day he'll wake up and
realise that his friends aren't so close any more, he's fed up of DD
running his life and isn't it time to consider other options?  And isn't
he about the same age that Tom was when he made decisions about
his future?

The odds of this actually happening are miniscule (probably), but it
can be examined as *one* logical extrapolation, given his history,
behaviour and circumstances.

The Prophecy did say that he (presumably) would be Voldy's equal;
it didn't say that  he would be Voldy's opposite. Yes he fights Voldy,
and why? Because Voldy is evil? Not really. He has two reasons -
firstly because Voldy keeps attacking him and secondly because
Voldy killed his parents. Both very *personal* reasons - philosophical
convictions about good and evil are very low on the list.

I've been twiddling my thumbs waiting for the 'Temptation' - a classic
plot  device where the hero is seduced by, well, the Dark Side, if you
like. Who wouldn't be tempted by say, unlimited power? As yet this
hasn't happened. Yes, I know Draco tried to recruit him very early on,
but what did Harry know then? Not much. Yet again it was a decision
based on personal likes/dislikes. So much of what Harry does is based
on the personal. It makes him vulnerable; he can be conned. He could
even con himself.

If the 'Temptation' happens at all it'll probably be in the next book.
Maybe for the first time Harry will have to make one of those choices
that DD is so keen on.

Won't that be  interesting?

Kneasy