Harry Cunning or Manipulative?

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 148502

Hey Jen here again:
> Here's the bit that made me sqirm, the term master manipulator was 
> never used but some could have inferred it:
> 
> "It was very well done, thought Harry, the hesitancy, the casual 
> tone, the careful flattery, none of it overdone. He, Harry had had 
> too much experience of trying to wheedle information out of 
> reluctant people not to recognize a master at work." pp. 496-7 
> Scholastic ed.
> 
> See Carol, it seems Harry was farther down the path of becoming 
> aware of his actions than I seemed to have realized. And to hear 
him 
> think "wow, a master at work" it just caused me a bit of 
> disillusionment. That's all and I worry that he could too, become 
> someone who feels the ends justify the means, and I just hope 
that's 
> a vain worry. 

Ceridwen:
Not Carol (ignore the Polyjuice simmering in the corner), but I think 
I have it.  All through the books, Harry has been looking for 
information: on his parents, on why everyone is out to get him, on 
the mission that is obviously in store for him.  A novice, an 
amateur, starting at the bottom, he has had nothing but frustration.  
At the end of OotP, Dumbledore says he's going to tell Harry 
everything.  And Fandom breathes a sigh of relief, because when Harry 
hears it all, then we hear it all...

Not that we got 'the whole truth' even then.

But what Harry is admiring, is Tom Riddle succeeding with polished 
aplomb, where Harry failed again and again.  This is the wide-eyed 
amazement of the would-be skiier, who can't even master the Bunny 
Slope, watching the Olympics.  Harry might as well have said, 'Gee, 
wish I could do that!' or, 'Gosh! He makes it look so *easy*!'

Jen D.:
> I do feel he could falter in this area. But yes, I 
> appreciate your reminding me that DD has been training him up to be 
> accustomed to using his "Slytherin" gifts...

Ceridwen:
And HBP was the crash course, I think, in Discovering The Inner 
Slytherin.  The first thing Dumbledore has Harry do is play the part 
of Seductively Dangled Celebrity for Slughorn, then leaves the two 
alone, knowing how Harry will naturally react to Slughorn, whose 
patterns are also well-known to DD.  Harry can do Slytherin, he just 
needs to see how it's manageable from a Gryffindor perspective.

Ceridwen.