Snape and Harry again.

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 113803

Siriusly Snapey Susan wrote: 
<snip> 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.

Carol responds:
I think we have a blend of Nature and Nurture here. Harry's parents
were a powerful witch and wizard, so it would be logical (though not
inevitable) for him to inherit some of their powers. His skill in
Quidditch, and at flying in general, is clearly an inheritance from
James. Parseltongue, OTOH, is a clear legacy from Voldemort, as are
whatever powers are connected with his scar.

Then there's his skill with the Patronus charm. At least two factors
are operating here in addition to whatever inborn or
Voldemort-acquired powers he may have. One is special training,
lessons from Lupin. The other is the fact that his boggart happens to
be a Dementor, which makes it possible for him to be able to practice
his Patronus on a realistic Dementor substitute, an advantage the
other students never have. When Hermione, who produces a fine Patronus
in practice, is confronted by a real Dementor, she faints. Harry
himself doesn't do much better. Future!Harry casts his Patronus after
having seen himself cast it in that godawful confusing time-turning
sequence. He is not actually in danger from a Dementor when he casts
it, though Past!Harry is (along with hermione and Sirius). With all
that practice behind him, it's no surprise that he's able to drive
away the Dementors when they show up on Privet Drive. As for the
Patronus on his OWL exam, there was no Dementor (or boggart) to face.
Ernie Macmillan, or maybe even Neville, could have done it.

Anyway, my point is that Harry's experience (and Dumbledore's and even
Snape's training) is helping to make him ready to face Voldemort. Even
Crouch!Moody, who meant to deliver him up to his "master," helped to
prepare him. and we haven't yet seen all the powers that were given to
him when the Avada Kedavra backfired and somehow, Protegolike, spilled
those powers into Harry.

I think the best evidence that this viewpoint is valid is the
quotation from OoP that Susana provided in Message 113557: 

Dumbledore is speaking to Harry about Voldemort:
"He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you, and *in marking
you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you
powers, and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once,
but four times so far*--something that neither your parents, nor
Neville's parents, ever achieved." (OoP Am. ed. 842)

So, if Dumbledore is right, Harry wasn't born with the power to defeat
Voldemort. Voldemort, ironically, gave him that power himself.

Carol