Why Occlumency lessons failed?

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 116416



> 
> Linda:
> I agree that Harry didn't want to stop the dreams, but I disagree 
> that the lessons would not have been successful if DD had taught 
> them. If DD had been up front with Harry to begin with, Harry 
> would have known what was in the department of mysteries and not 
> felt like he had to continue the dreams. 

However, Voldemort could have then known (through Harry!Vision) what 
was in the prophecy. Even if he didn't, DD would have to assume that 
anything told Harry was effectively told Voldie - he *tells* Harry 
in Ch.37 OOP that he could sense Voldie's presence within Harry.

Once Voldemort knows what's in the prophecy, he has no reason to 
retrieve the physical prophecy from the MoM. He can then stay safely 
in the 'plausible deniability' background - he hasn't risen, it's 
madness to say he has. The longer he can do that, the more Fudge 
serves his purposes by destroying any effective opposition. 

>From the point of view of the Order of the Phoenix, their strategic 
objective throughout Harry's fifth year must have been (speculation 
warning) to get Voldy (and/or the DE's) out into the open - a 
position where it *cannot be denied* that Voldemort has returned. 



>And even if DD had not 
> told Harry everything that was in the DOM, he could have satisfied 
> him with a few didbits. 

Really? This being the same Harry who was utterly and completely 
satisfied with the few titbits about the Philosopher's Stone he got 
in Book 1, and the same Harry who decided to leave guarding it up to 
the teachers?

Hindsight is always 20/20; Non!prophetic Dumbledore made decisions 
on the information he had. My personal speculation (definitely 
speculation) is that he assumed Harry would find some way of 
sneaking into the MoM if he was told there was a prophecy about him -
 and unlike the Philosopher's Stone, this time he *didn't* want 
Harry to do that. Once Harry knew what was in the prophecy, 
Voldemort would know, and the OOP would need to find another 'have 
Voldemort seen by witnesses who *can't* be called crazy' plan.

Linda:
> Snape was enjoying not telling Harry anything.... he 
> had something to dangle in front of him and berate him about. 

This is probably true - but note how many times Snape does give 
Harry some rather back handed compliments in the Occlumency 
lessons. 'For a first attempt, that was not as poor as it might have 
been'. From Snape to Harry? That's a compliment. (Ch. 24)

Linda:
> The 
> other major difference is respect. Harry would have respected DD's 
> wishes if he had been given the courtesy of DD asking and teaching 
> him himself.

Uh, yes. Harry does not respect Snape. Harry would have respected 
Dumbledore. 

Except - since when does a fifteen year old student get to select 
the school teachers himself? Dumbledore selected Snape as the 
teacher for reasons that seemed good to him; *Harry* did not respect 
Dumbledore's decision there. 


Pip!Squeak