[HPforGrownups] Harry's "arrogance" (Was: Evil Snape)

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 154264

Carol:

No one is calling Harry a "prick" or even a "berk" like his father, but he's
guilty of the same sort of presumption, and here I *would* call it
arrogance, in refusing to listen to Hermione when she tells him how unlikely
it is that LV would be torturing Black in the MoM at five o'clock in the
afternoon. His scar hurts a little, he just had a vision like the one he had
of Mr. Weasley, which saved Mr. Weasley's life; therefore, he must be right
and Hermione's logic and common sense must be wrong. And though he isn't
"doing evil" through his absolute certainty that he's right and his
unwillingness to listen to Hermione, he does bring his friends into great
danger (after arrogantly assuming that Neville, Ginny, and Luna would be
useless)--he realizes when Hermione lies struck by Dolohov's evil spell that
he will be at fault if she dies--and he does indirectly bring about Sirius
Black's death when Black decides to join the rescue mission. No, he didn't
kill his godfather or want him dead, but if he'd listened to Hermione
instead of arrogantly assuming that he was right, his godfather would still
be alive. Harry knows this, but he can't bring himself to believe it, so he
arrogantly (or presumptuously, if you prefer) blames Snape.



Sherry now:

I totally disagree.  <grin>  You probably knew I would, since I always
fiercely defend Harry on this point.  Harry is not a perfect person, and his
mistakes make him the wonderful character he is, because he's so like
everyone.  But in the case of the fake vision about Sirius, he has
absolutely no blame.  It is not arrogance for him to believe his vision,
when he has evidence that his visions are true.  He did save Arthur's life
after all.  I would call his thoughts and actions desperate not arrogant.
How could he risk it being false?  His guilt is completely misplaced in my
opinion.  He has absolutely nothing to blame himself for in the death of
Sirius, not even indirectly.  Who would not have done the same?  He did try
to contact Sirius, and he did try to tell Snape.  He tried to do the
responsible things.  When nothing seemed to work, and Kreacher told him
Sirius was not there, what on earth could he have done?  It wasn't
arrogance.  He was desperate not to lose Sirius.  The death of Sirius is the
blame of Bellatrix and Voldemort, not Harry.  I'm confident any of us who
thought our dearest loved one was being tortured by a madman would try to do
something and wouldn't listen to well meaning friends, especially friends
who are always too quick to disbelieve or to put their trust in authority.
just my opinion of course, but something in me just aches whenever I hear
Harry being blamed or partly guilty of the death of Sirius.

Sherry