Harry Cunning or Manipulative?

[susanbones2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 148598

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, catherine higgins 
<saberbunny at ...> wrote:
>
>   
> Jen wrote:
> (snipped) but I just don't register Harry 
> wheedling any info out of anyone. That just came at me blind. Does 
> it seem out of the blue for you? Or anyone else? Until Slughorn's 
> memory, and the lovely Felix Felecis, I'd never seen Harry play 
> anyone like a drum! 
>    
>   Catherine responds:
>    
>   In that passage, it says he has too much experience *trying* to 
wheedle information out of reluctant people. It never says anywhere 
that he was successful. If not it would have read "wheedling 
information out of people". Harry has not been very good at getting 
what he wants (as other people have pointed out) until FF. He has 
untapped abilities, perhaps, but he certainly was pretty lousy at 
subtlety prior to that scene.
>    
>   Catherine 
>   (who apologises for all spelling mistakes, but has just finished 
a 3 might shifts and has not slept yet. Her brain...not functioning 
at an optimal level...)
>
Hi Catherine,
You did point out the imprecision of my language! But pray tell, 
when did Harry try to get info out of people? I can't think of any 
time except with DD when as Ceridwen pointed out up thread, he asked 
over and over why DD trusts Snape only to get rebuffed.If that's the 
example people are pointing to, so be it. I just want someone to 
show me where he's tried because I can't seem to think of an 
incident other than DD. DD always tells him he won't lie to him when 
he can't tell him things, always tells him he'll tell him when the 
time is right. But Harry never seems to be doing any maneuvering to 
get around DD, just straightforward questions. Is it a difference in 
strength of attempt or something? I am seeing "trying to wheedle" in 
the text but not seeing Harry seem a bit snarky or wheedly anywhere 
much. Yes, oh yes, he does a lot of concealment. With Snape in 
particular. But even the watered-down "attempted wheedling," I don't 
see. Everyone else who's been so kind to try to staighten me out has 
no problem with Harry sort of admitting he's tried to be 
manipulative (and the theory goes "he stinks at it") but I am just 
not seeing him even trying to get information out of reluctant 
people. I think that it comes out of the blue. 
Jen D. (out of snappy things to sign off with...)