Dumbledore the Counselor

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 124473

Lupinlore wrote:
> And what was the problem in OOTP except Harry's inability to trust
> adults?  Why did he not go to an adult about Umbridge for example? 
> Really Betsy, things stare you right in the face.
> 

Julie:
Actually, if something is staring us in the face, it's that Harry doesn't
want to *bother* the adults around him. Clearly he doesn't trust some
of them, like Snape. But he specifically says he doesn't want to put
any more burden on Sirius. He knows that Dumbledore, Lupin, Molly,
etc have their hands full. He's also determined to handle it himself, not
because he doesn't trust any adults, but because asking for help
in the Umbridge situation would be tantamount to surrendering his
will to her will. Harry's just stubborn that way. 

Another thing staring us in the face is that Harry anticpates their
reactions in some cases, and rejects them. For instance, he's
he's not about to tell Lupin or Sirius about his continued visions,
or to tell them he's not practicing Occlumency so he can keep 
having them, etc. If he tells Molly anything she will get emotional
and try to coddle him (something no teenager wants). In that way
Harry is a very typical teenager. Few teenagers *trust* adults to 

give them the support they want, i.e., to tell them what they want 
to hear. 

I don't dispute that Harry tends to keep things inside and go it
alone, and that it's certainly partly because he never had any
reason to expect help or to depend on anyone but himself as
he was growing up with the Dursleys. But I don't believe we've 
seen evidence that Harry is unable to trust adults in some 
pathological sense. He's trusted Sirius and Lupin fully, and
when he has shown reservations trusting the adults around
him, it has been with reason (knowing that they are keeping
information from him). 

At least that is how I read Harry's attitude in OotP (and 
throughout the series).

Julie 



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