Harry the 'gradual' General -Redux

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 163187

---  "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> wrote:
>
> lla <dumbledore11214@> wrote: 
> 
> > it is as if Harry regressed from rebelious
> > independent teenager to obedient child.

> eggplant:
> 
> I would say Harry advanced from a rebellious independent
> teenager into a leader. By the end of book 6 Harry is 
> giving orders and people are obeying them, even McGonagall.
> ... In the next book I don't think we'll see Harry the 
> child or Harry the teenager or even Harry the rebel, we 
> will see Harry the General.
> 
> Eggplant
>

bboyminn:

Actually, I agree, but I have to once again inject a 
point I have made several times before. I see Harry
gradually falling into the role of de-facto general. I
don't see him stepping forward and actively and 
intentionally taking on the role. I don't see him 
standing on a hilltop, hands on his hips, ordering 
soldiers on the battle field. While that could actually
happen in the course of the story, or more likely, the
final battle; I don't see Harry in that image, nor do 
I think Harry does.

Right now, with Dumbledore gone, I see the Order as
directionless and rudderless. They obviously have a long
term goal, but no one to guide the day-to-day operation.
Even if members continue their existing assignments, who
do the give the information they gather to, and what does
that person do with it? Dumbledore had the day-to-day
plan as well as the grand scheme, but without him to 
evaluate and apply whatever knowledge is gathered, what
meaning does that knowledge have? 

So, the central point is that I see the Order continuing 
to /try/ to stay organized, continuing to /try/ to carry 
out Dumbledore's plan to the best that they can interpret 
it, but I also see them foundering. I see them without a
real leader and without a real purpose.

Conveniently, Harry needs help and certain members of the 
Order are in a unique position with unique skills to help
Harry. I see them gradually one by one invited in to serve
Harry's needs, and in the process, without even realizing 
it, Harry will gradually give new purpose and direction to
the Order. Soon without even realizing it, people will be
taking orders from Harry, and going on assignments for him.
Soon without ever really being the leader, Harry will 
become the leader.

I suspect at the beginning Mad-Eye will have been made the
official leader because of his past experience. I also
suspect that Mad-Eye will be one of the first people pulled
in to help Harry with his defensive and offensive spell 
work. Then Bill will be called in to help Harry with 
curse breaking and recognising magic. Certainly Lupin will
be pulled into the group very early on. Then Harry will
need some information or leg-work, and one or more members
of the Order will be assigned. Soon, Harry's needs will
take over the Order, and though Moody will be the offical
leader, it's Harry's orders and needs that will be served.

I say this will all have happened or be substantially under
way by the middle of the book. By the end of the book, 
without ever having been declared the official leader, the
Order will be following Harry's orders they way they 
followed Dumbledore's; without question or hesitation.

Just a thought.
Steve/bboyminn