Snape and Harry again.

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 113608

Carol wrote:
>>> It's not through any skill or talent of his own that he's the Boy
Who Lived. And Snape wants not only Harry but everyone in the class
to know that. He doesn't want an insufferably arrogant Harry (a second
James) who thinks he's better than everyone else. <<<
 
SSSusan then said:
>> I know this is off the main topic of what you, Alla, Potioncat & 
others are discussing, but when I see this comment, I just have to 
say "STOP!"  I would argue, Carol, that we do NOT know this!  Yes, 
Lily's sacrifice protected him--I do believe that was essential--but 
how do we know that there wasn't *also* Something About Harry in 
addition to that charm?  
 
Perhaps Lily's protective charm is what prevented Harry from dying 
but it was the Something About Harry that caused the actual rebound 
that vaporized Voldy?  This is ancient magic, we've been told, but do 
we know of any other witch or wizard who survived an AK before, 
ever?  It seems not.  So I would argue that it's reasonable to 
consider that it might have required the combination of Lily's 
ancient magic sacrifice-charm AND the Something About Harry to have 
accomplished it.
 
Until told directly otherwise by JKR, I don't think I will ever give 
up the idea that there WAS something special about Harry from the get-
go.<<


Carol responded:
> Let me rephrase it, then. Harry, age fifteen months, did nothing
> *deliberate* and remembered nothing of what happened. He
> didn't even know he was a wizard until he was eleven and certainly
> didn't know any spells that would counter an AK when he was an 
> infant.
> Crouch!Moody says there's no countercurse for AK, but he also says
> that the spell Harry survived was an AK, so something must have
> protected Harry from it. I hold with my theory that it was Lily's
> "ancient magic" that protected Harry, not some gift or power that he
> was born with. There is at least canon to support my view, which 
> I've repeated on numerous occasions. If you know of any canon that 
> suggests that he was *born with* the power to survive an AK, please 
> cite it. I suppose the Prophecy can be interpreted to mean that he 
> was born with the power to destroy Voldemort, but if that were 
> true, surely he would have (inadvertently) done so as an infant and 
> there would be no HP series.
> 
> When I posted, though, I was thinking of Snape, who clearly holds 
> the view that Harry is not special (except as Voldemort's chosen 
> nemesis, though I don't think Snape would admit that to Harry) and 
> is not yet ready to confront Voldemort even at fifteen, a point he 
> makes clear in OoP.
> 
> Carol, who didn't mean to imply that her interpretation was fact and
> apologizes for creating that impression


SSSusan again:
No need to apologize, Carol--you just take it as fact, that's all, 
which is very understandable.  In my view (only my view), it's just 
that I think it's quite plausible that there *is* something special 
about Harry and that, yes, the prophecy could be interpreted to mean 
Harry was *born* with the power to defeat Voldy.  

No, I don't have AN incident in canon which I can point to to 
say, "THIS is it!  Now I know!"  But I think there are possible clues 
to Harry's "specialness."  SNAPE doesn't buy it, perhaps, but I'm not 
sure I put much stock in this assessment of Harry. :-)  

I don't think an interpretation that Harry was born w/ special power
(s) means necessarily that he would have inadvertently finished off 
Voldy in the GH attack, either.  In my view of things, Harry isn't SO 
gifted that nothing could touch him from birth.  But I think there 
might be *something* exceptional about him which:  1) gave him an 
added protection that night; and 2) means he is more capable [or 
*potentially* more capable] than your average wizard.  

I actually agree with Snape that Harry, at 15, may well not be ready 
for a final showdown with Voldy--he will need to focus and work 
hard.  But I think that he has some natural talents & abilities that 
demonstrate he's not an average wizard.  Think of how he can produce 
that patronus that so impresses everyone in the Wizengamot and at his 
OWL practical exam.  Think of how, under pressure [which would work 
AGAINST some and FOR others], he is able to Accio his broom to him in 
the TWT, put up the Protego charm during Occlumency lessons, send 
away a mass of Dementors descending upon himself & Sirius, exhibit 
amazing flying skill in the TWT and Quidditch, hang on in a wand duel 
with Voldy.  He is good enough that his peers want HIM to be the 
leader in DA.  I'm not saying that he's the only one who can do 
things--NOR that he's exceptional at everything [clearly NOT true re: 
potions & transfiguration]--but that when it comes to DADA skills, at 
least, he seems to be able to learn quickly and demonstrate advanced 
skill.

In sum, no, I don't have "proof" and so I don't expect to sway your 
view that there wasn't anything special about Harry at birth.  I do 
agree with you that Harry did nothing deliberately at GH.  But I also 
don't think there's any "proof" that those of us who think there's 
Something About Harry have to give up that belief just yet.

Siriusly Snapey Susan