Harry's grief (was: Dumbledore the General)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 124332


>>Alla:
>NO, Harry was not in a healthy mindset at all. He is still having 
nightmares of the Graveyard during the summer and dealing with it all 
on his own. I am again thinking about no psychological help 
whatsoever in WW.<

Betsy:
Of *course* Harry's having nightmares!  He witnessed a schoolmate 
murdered in front of him and barely got away with his own life.  Is 
there anything that could have kept Harry from having nightmares?  
Are there any psychologists on this list who think nightmares could 
have been prevented?  Honestly, you're holding Dumbledore up to 
pretty impossible standards, IMO.  Frankly, if Harry had been all 
sunshine happy I'd have worried about his mental health.

I know folks would like to see Harry laying out on some couch, 
talking about his feelings and having a good cry, but seriously, who 
wants to read about that?  Plus, the end of GoF, when Harry was in 
Dumbledore's office there was an interaction between him and Fawkes 
where Fawkes perches on Harry's knee and sings a single note that 
sends a comforting warmth through Harry.  I think there was some 
healing in that song to help Harry get through his ordeal.  And 
again, Dumbledore forces Harry in both GoF and OotP to face his 
emotions.  I think it's fair to say that JKR is using a bit of 
shorthand here to show that Harry has been helped.

>>Betsy:
<snip>
>As to the Kreacher thing.  Harry was looking around for a 
scapegoat.  Dumbledore, I think, was making sure Harry could not put 
Kreacher in that role.< 

>>Alla:
>As far as I am concerned that was not the time and the place for the 
lecture. Simple "I am sorry for your loss" would have been in much 
better taste.<

Betsy:
In better taste, yes (or easier for Dumbledore anyway).  Not very 
helpful though.  Dumbledore is doing more for Harry than simply 
expressing Dumbledore's own sorrow for Harry's loss (wich would have 
been fairly selfish on Dumbledore's part, IMO).  He's helping Harry 
work though what happened, who to blame, etc.  Honesty is not always 
easy, but it is absolutely essential in this case.  Harry must have a 
clear idea of what happened and what went wrong.  Also, I wouldn't 
really catagorize what Dumbledore said about Kreacher as 
a "lecture."  It was a statement of facts in response to Harry's 
questions and assumptions.

Frankly, a simple "sorry for your loss," would have left Harry 
enraged and open to searching out scapegoats to take his anger out 
on.  And it would have encouraged Harry to keep his emotions inside 
where they would have festered.  And then you'd get Dark!Harry (a 
favorite of fanfics! <g>) rampaging his way to becoming the next 
darklord.  "The house elves will pay!"

Betsy