for whom are the books named?

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 134253

Jennifer wrote:
"I think the point is that if Harry is to really defeat Voldemort in
the end, he will have to rely totally and utterly on his own instincts. "

Del replies:
Don't forget that one big weakness of LV is that he NEVER relies on
anyone else. He ALWAYS works alone. And even DD, in the way he acted,
actually *reinforced* that warning: DD almost always acted alone,
which prevented him from seeing his own mistakes, and from taking the
*really* appropriate measures.

Personally, I think that FAR from having to rely only on his own
instincts, Harry will have to rely on and trust all those around him
who want to help him. Remember that this is the way he finally got to
the Philosopher's Stone in the first book: by relying on his two
friends. Without them, he would never have made it to the Mirror room.
I think this is a strong foreshadow of what will happen in Book 7:
Harry will only advance in his quest insomuch as he lets others help
him and do their part.

Jennifer wrote: 
"The way I see it, Harry has had 2 mentors. Sirius, who agreed with
him that Snape was not to be trusted; and Dumbledore, who disagreed
and trusted Snape totally. Both of these men are now gone. In book 7,
Harry will have to deal with Snape on his own terms, and without thier
influence."

Del replies:
You're forgetting a third mentor: Lupin. Lupin who said that he
neither likes nor dislikes Snape. Sirius was the mentor who refused to
see any good in Snape no matter what. DD was the mentor who refused to
let any criticism of Snape be voiced or considered. But Lupin is the
middle way: the one who accepts all without letting his emotions get
in the way. I sure hope Harry will learn to be more like Lupin and
less like Sirius.

Jennifer wrote:
"And to the idea that it would be "boring" if Harry were right, well
IMHO, it would be just as boring if Dumbledore were always right."

Del replies:
DD has already been shown to be wrong, so obviously he wasn't always
right. And I've never argued that he's always right. I'm just saying
that *as far as Snape is concerned*, I wouldn't dismiss DD's
conviction so quickly.

Jennifer wrote:
"In fact, I find it an amazing twist---we are told for so long that
Snape is above reproach that we find Harry a bit silly for always
suspecting him."

Del replies:
I personally never found Harry silly for suspecting Snape. Suspecting
Snape was always the *logical* thing to do, considering Snape's
behaviour. The ONLY reason I refuse to condemn Snape for good is
because DD believed in him. So if it turns out that DD was wrong and
Snape was indeed evil, all this Snape-tension will go flat. How lame
and boring IMO. It wouldn't be a twist at all for me, it would be a
major literary disappointment: a balloon being inflated in each book
and ending up popping, leaving nothing behind. What a waste.

Just my opinion, obviously.

Del