Why should Harry be expected to listen to anyone at Hogwarts?

[Amanda]

No: HPFGUIDX 122791


Pippin, cutting through to the heart of it, said

> The reason Harry needs the other people at 
> Hogwarts is that he isn't strong enough to defeat Voldemort 
> alone. That was the gist of Dumbledore's leaving feast speech in 
> GoF "We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are 
> divided." And the Sorting Hat backs him up at the starting feast in 
> OOP,"For our Hogwarts is in danger from external deadly 
> foes/And we must unite inside her/Or we'll crumble from within."
> 
> That is exactly what happens in OOP as everyone, from 
> Dumbledore on down, very much including Harry, ignores this 
> advice and pursues their personal agenda instead of the 
> common good.  

This was a stunning and solid summary of theme, and I bow in respect 
to the master (bows to Pippin). I sat here and tried to think of 
every instance in which things go awry, and it can be traced to 
this "personal agenda over common good" source.

In the Snapethread I'm slightly involved with, for example:

Snape pursues the common good: attempts to teach Harry Occlumency. 
Result: Harry does begin to show a little resistance to the dreams 
(trace feelings that during the dreams that indicate a "monitor mind" 
separate from the desires of the dream).

Harry pursues his own agenda: secretly wants the dreams to continue, 
and so does not follow Snape's instructions or really concentrate on 
Occlumency. Result: very little progress and much frustration, and 
the door is opened for Voldemort's manipulations.

Snape pursues his own agenda: cannot accommodate the violation of his 
personal memories by Harry and refuses to teach him further. Result: 
Harry is left open to Voldemort's manipulation.

I could continue, but everything fits. In fact, OoP could be 
interpreted as one long attempt by Harry to reconcile what is being 
asked of him for the common good, with his personal agenda, with 
varying results.

~Amanda, amazed as usual by Pippin