Harry's questions about his parents (was Harry, Hermione, Sirius, and the Dream, 2-way mirror)

[beatnik24601]

No: HPFGUIDX 117375


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Juli wrote:
"...If I was Harry I would
have gotten as much information as possible about my
parents and my grand-parents, but he didn't. I don't
think he even knows his grand-parents name. He's never
asked anyone were his money came from. Nothing, he
doesn't seem to want to know anything at all. ... "

Beatnik:
I always found this trait of Harry's annoying, as well.  It's not 
like he's not a curious person.  He's always questioning: what's 
Fluffy guarding, what's in the CoS, what's at the end of that 
corridor, etc.  But most of these are internal wonderings, or, at 
most, shared with Ron and Hermione, never with an adult.  The only 
explanation I can come up with is Harry's upbringing.

"Don't ask questions - that was the first rule of a quiet life with 
the Dursleys" (PS, pg 20).  All through Harry's formative years, it 
has been drilled into him, that you can't ask questions, especially 
of adults.  We can see this when Hagrid rescues Harry from the 
Dursleys; Harry is hesitant to ask Hagrid anything, even though he 
is bursting with questions. After years of having to 'shut up' to 
survive, Harry continues this pattern into his pre-adult life.  As 
Crouch!Moody points out, Harry has an independent streak, meaning 
that he is willing to do lots of work on his own to figure things 
out, but is wary of asking anyone for help or information.

Another possible reason that Harry doesn't ask questions about his 
family, is that it's painful to hear about the parents and 
grandparents that he's never going to have, especially when he can't 
change their fates.  Harry is an action guy - it would be very hard 
for him to learn about something he cannot change.  Consciously, or 
subconsciously, he knows this, and so doesn't ask the questions in 
the first place.

It kind of makes sense, from Harry's position, even if it is 
infuriating for us.

 Beatnik