A few random thoughts (long)

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 123106


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "tyleradelphia" <gojunk at a...> 
wrote:
> 
> Here are some random thoughts that have been troubling me.
> 
> 	For give me if these have already covered but I just found 
this site.
> 
> 	I am very disappointed at the seemingly backward progression 
of
> Harry's magical abilities. It has been implied and even stated by 
some
> of the characters that Harry is a great wizard but other than the
> ability to fly good right off the bat and the patronus he has not
> shown any thing but courage (or bull headedness). He has had help 
in
> everything else.
> 
> 	This is disappointing. I keep waiting for him to do 
something that
> makes you say "Wooo, that was awesome" ie. DD bringing the statues 
to
> life to save Harry in MoM.


I think part of Harry's problem is that he is unable to control his 
emotions effectively enough to do that sort of "awesome" magic. 
Dumbledore is in control of himself and his emotions at all times. 
As with so many talents, the pure ability itself is not enough; one 
must also have discipline and focus.

> 
> 	There is a lot of everyone saying that Harry will not kill 
LV but if
> you read in the American version of OoTP on page 844... in regards 
to
> the prophecy....So, said Harry, dredging up the words from what was
> felt like a deep well of despair inside him, "so does this mean
> that...that one of us has got to kill the other one ... in the end?
> Yes, says Dumbledore.
> 
> 	So that tells me that they will meet one on one again but 
here is a
> problem. DD told Harry that because their wands are from the same
> phoenix they will not face each other and if forced would have the
> effect as in GoF.

The wands cannot duel directly, but that does not mean they are 
useless against each other. In GoF, Voldemort was able to use the 
Cruciatus Curse against Harry with no problem. The Priori Incantatem 
only occurred when the two wands cast spells at each other directly.

So, Harry can still use his wand against Voldemort in other ways, or 
he can vanquish him with some form of wandless magic, or, since 
Voldemort has returned to a mortal state, Harry can kill him in a 
more traditional manner (which would be suitably ironic - for 
Voldemort to die like the Muggles he so despises.)


> 	The reason I bring this up is that Harry's lack of 
remembering the
> things he has done is soooo frustrating. I think that Harry could 
be
> the most powerful wizard ever (the prophecy said that a child will 
be
> born with power to vanquish the DL) giving that he is extremely
> powerful. Harry has the ability to do magic without a wand ie. the
> glass, making things fly around, putting a jinx on his aunt. I 

Again this goes back to Harry's inability to focus his power. The 
prophecy only says that he has the power, not that he will be able 
to effectively harness it to actually conquer Voldemort. I think 
that is a major theme of the books, accepting the gifts that you 
were born with, and learning how to use them.


> 	I sincerely hope that the power he is full of and that is 
lock in the
> MoM is not what most people believe is "Love"... That is so sappy 
not
> to mention ridiculous...Love is a feeling, an emotion. I hardly 
think
> that that is something you lock in a room.
> 

I think the power that Harry has is definitely love. Love is a 
mystery - who can explain exactly what it is that makes one person 
love another? It is powerful and terrible, because it carries both 
the promise of tremendous joy (when the love we feel is returned) 
and tremendous pain (when the one we love dies, leaves us, hurts us, 
etc.). It is also a very courageous act to love someone - to expose 
yourself to that potential hurt. Why humans are willing to risk so 
much for the sake of love, over and over again, is a mystery worth 
studying. I am not certain how Harry will be able to use "love" to 
conquer Voldemort, but ultimately that is what will do it....

"va32h"