Healing Themes (WAS Re: LID!Snape rides again)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 149948

> >>Sydney:
> <snip>
> A lot of how I see the series turning out is because it seems to me
> that this isn't a "Lord of the Rings" style epic of warrior        
> heroes; it feels a lot closer to "The Secret Garden" or "Little    
> White Horse" or even "Great Expectations"-- a darker, more        
> elaborate version of the child healer story.
> <snip>
> People seem to be speculating about big battles and the Horcrux-   
> hunt being an Indina-Jones-type-thing and everything sort of going 
> along an action-adventure, destroy the baddies thing.  I don't     
> think it's going there at all.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I totally agree.  And I think JKR gave us a significant signal 
towards that fact with Harry's lessons with Dumbledore.  There 
wasn't a single spell taught, not one magic boosting potion given.  
It was all back story.  Dumbledore seemed most pleased with Harry 
when Harry gained an insight into how Voldemort thought, and also 
when Harry expressed a bit of sympathy for him. (Actually, 
Dumbledore *always* seems most pleased with Harry when he expresses 
creative problem solving and a keen sense of observation, rather 
than any sort of special magical prowess.)  

That Ron and Hermione seemed so sure that Harry was going to be 
learning super-secret ninja wizard skills drove home, for me anyway, 
the fact that Dumbledore (and therefore JKR, most likely) do *not* 
think the final clash between Voldemort and Harry will have anything 
to do with physical or magical strength and prowess.

[Total aside here, but the mention of "The Secret Garden" made me 
realize something: Draco Malfoy is *so* Mary Lennox.  Which would 
make Snape Uncle Archibald, I guess?]  

> >>Sydney:
> I LOVE Magpie's idea of Draco paying back Snape's life debt by     
> saving Harry.  It's so appropriate to the genre, that the children 
> have to step forward, because the adults are just plain stuck.    
> Snape is the past;  Draco is the future. 

Betsy Hp:
There's definitely *something* in store for both Draco and Snape and 
their connection with each other.  I don't think it's a minor thing 
that Harry ends HBP with a strong sense of sympathy for Draco.  And 
I can't help but think that Draco will work as a sort of bridge 
between Harry and Snape.

I feel like Lupin will have a part to play in this as well.  As his 
generation's surviving Gryffindor he must have some role to play in 
the final healing of the ancient rift between Gryffindor and 
Slytherin. 

> >>Sydney:
> Sorry to stay on Snape, but, I mean, he does seem to appear at the
> heart of the thematic stuff!

Betsy Hp:
Which is why there are so very many discussions about him. <g>  I've 
recently wondered if Snape wasn't the second character JKR thought 
of.  You know, after tiny, little, orphaned Harry walked up to her 
on the train, did wounded, bitter, cut off Snape lurch out of the 
shadows?

> >>Sydney:
> There has to be some connection here to that damn DADA job.  The   
> job is cursed by Voldemort, the embodiment of Dark magic, that is, 
> hatred and fear.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
There have been some wonderful theorizing on the DADA curse: that it 
brings out your dark secrets, that it was designed to hurt 
Dumbledore as much as the teacher.  I wonder too, if the curse 
didn't work to isolate whomever it effected?  The point you raised 
about being cut off, Sydney (in the part I snipped), I mean, that's 
what happened to Slytherin way back when.  There was some sort of 
fight and Slytherin either chose, or was made, to cut off from his 
friends and the school he helped found.

And it's interesting how Harry is rather good at drawing people to 
him: Dobby, Firenze, the merfolk, Hagrid, the DA club members, etc.  
Heck, even Draco attempted to become friends with Harry in PS/SS.  
But it's in an entirely different way from Voldemort.  It's not 
empty charm or threats or bribes.  Also, it's nothing like that 
statue in the MoM. 

And... I'm not sure where I'm going with this.  I do think Harry 
will find  help in unexpected places, and that his true strength 
will be his ability to recognize and accept that help.

Betsy Hp