The OOTP Gripe List, v. 5,432

[Brent]

No: HPFGUIDX 126161


Lupinlore:
> > 2) Harry.  <snip> he seemed to have curious (and, some suspect,
> > authorally convenient) lapses in smarts, particularly not 
> > bothering to open the mirror <snip>
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> Yes, he had curious lapses in smarts. That's because he's a boy who 
> acts before he thinks. <snip> OotP however, was the first book in 
> which Harry's behaviour had some real consequences. However, to be
> fair, Sirius gave Harry the present half a year earlier, and then 
> Harry forgot it. It's not a surprise, that he didn't think of it at
> such a moment, where he couldn't think clearly for obvious reasons. 


Also don't forget that he forgot about Snape before jumping to the 
conclusion of using the fire.  While the mirror seems obvious I don't 
think it was to Harry.  I mean on your first reading did you think 
about this until the end of the book?  I know I didn't think 
something like "oh what about that package Harry got, I wonder if he 
can use that". I'm sure it was also a shorter amount of time for us 
than 6 months, also.  Given how freaked out he was, I would be 
surprised if he did think of it.  I would have bought him remembering 
in the earlier fire message as it was a much shorter time frame and 
he had a couple days to think about it.  

Brent