numerous short replies, not all of them smart-ass

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 139663

 Pippin wrote in
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/138999 :
> > 
> > <<  Jo has already said that Harry can't learn [Occlumency] --
he's too damaged. >> 

Rita:
> > I thought Jo said that Harry can't learn Occlumency because he
isn't damaged enough. ...
> > 
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> I think Harry has shown that he is capable of Occlumency. When his
> mind was being probed by Snape during the lessons, I always felt
that Harry was just as curious as Snape about the memories that came
cascading out which is why he continued to watch rather than shut
them off. But whenever any memory came up that was embarassing 
or very personal he was able to cut the memory off immediately. 
> 
> True he may never be great at it, but he can do it. It was the
> circumstances that diminished his apparent ability and his belief in
> his ability, rather than his ability itself.


Pippin:
Here's the quote again:
http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2005/070
5-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-2.htm

Harry's problem with it was always that his emotions were too near
the surface and that he is in some ways too damaged. But he's also
very in touch with his feelings about what's happened to him. He's 
not repressed, he's quite honest about facing them, and he couldn't 
suppress them, he couldn't suppress these memories. 

---
I think what she's saying is that the Dursleys never cared what Harry
felt,so he never learned to hide his  feelings. I mean, many abusive 
parents consider themselves kind  and loving, and expect to be
treated as if they were. Harry's never had to do that, and he's
never been pressured to behave nicely for politeness' sake either.
He was never forced pretend that he liked  Aunt Marge giving
him smothering hugs, never made to write thank you notes for gifts 
he didn't want, etc. I expect Dudley, if he were a wizard, would
be much better at occlumency than Harry is. 

Harry never  managed to kick Snape out of his mind by occlumency. He 
did it once by accidentally producing a stinging hex, and once by
using the Shield Charm. So I have to think that if the memories he
recalled during the lessons became more distant and less
embarrassing, and if  Snape never did break into his  memory of 
actually kissing Cho, that was due more to Snape's discretion than 
Harry's skill. Harry wasn't able to block Snape from the image of the 
book and he  wanted to hide that as much as he ever wanted to hide 
anything.

I'm sure Jo got a good laugh at her fans' expense. All that bandwidth
we chewed up arguing about whether Snape or Harry was to blame for
the failure, but, IIRC, no one ever dared to suggest that Harry might 
simply be incompetent. I guess we all took it for granted that it was
Harry's Jo-given right to be good at all forms of advanced magic.
Well, we were wrong.<g>

Pippin