Welcome! (Will Harry go back to Hogwarts?)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 160120

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Satarupa Bhattacharjee
<satarupa_1994 at ...> wrote:
>
> Davida:
> > > Will Harry go back to Hogwarts in the seventh book 
> > > or keep looking for those pieces of Lord Voldemort?
> 
> Eddie:
> > Both. <snip> I think Harry will return to Hogwarts not
> > as a student, but for similar reasons as Voldemort's: 
> > to learn more and to have access to information and 
> > objects he will need in his hunt for the Horcruxes.
> <snip>
> > ...
> 
> 
> Satarupa:
> I don't think so. Harry is not in a position to go back
> to Hogwarts with Dumbledore dead. How can he get help 
> from McGonagal when she doesn't know about Voldemort's 
> horcruxes?  And I neither think Dobby can help him to 
> find the Horcruxes.  He might need the portrait of 
> Dumbledore, but can't he go to Hogwarts just for once 
> to take advice? Remember, Hogwarts is now not safer than
> any other place. Besides Harry has decided not to return
> to his school, whether it reopens or not. He has a much 
> greater duty to carry on. 
> 
> Satarupa
>

bboyminn:

I'm inclined to agree with Eddie on this issue. When 
people ask the question "Will Harry return to Hogwarts?",
they fail to define the context and extent of the question.
It is usually interpreted as 'Will Harry return to 
Hogwarts as a normal student?; and of course, to that, the
answer is NO.

But that is not the only context in which Harry could 
return to Hogwarts. For example, Harry could return as a
special student who is free to come and go as he pleases,
afteral, he does have important things to do. As a 
'special student' he wouldn't waste his time in classes 
listening to boring lecture about things he doesn't care
about and that can't help him. So, the teachers privately
tutor him in specific things that are able to help him.

They don't need to know Harry ultimate goal to teach him 
the things he knows. For example, the task at hand is far
more complex than simply finding the Horcruxes as we very
clearly see when they go after the Horcrux in the cave.
Harry needs to learn how to spot the presents of magic,
he needs to learn how to fight his way past assorted and
unknown protective charms, he needs to know to safely 
destroy the Horcruxes once he has them in his possession,
and finally, Harry need to become far better at combat
dueling.

All these thing can be taught to him without the teacher
knowing the ultimate goal. Certainly at some point Harry
is going to have to confide in a few people other than
Ron and Hermione, though I think the number who know the
full details will be very very few.

Now, even if Harry doesn't come back to Hogwarts as a
regular or as a special student, he will certainly return
there many times during the story. There are too many 
resources there for him to ignore the place. When Harry
said he wasn't coming back, he meant he wasn't coming a
back as a regular student. But to think he will never set
foot on Hogwarts grounds again is a bit unrealistic.

I don't think Harry will rely on Hogwarts staff 
exclusively for his education though. He has plenty of 
resources he can draw on. Bill is an expert Curse Breaker,
he does exactly what Harry need to learn how to do, so
Bill can help Harry with recognising the presents of
residual magic, with breaking the enchantments protecting
the Horcrux, and probably with breaking the Horcrux itself.
Moody can help Harry with his defensive skill and with his
combat dueling tactics. I'm sure we can find other 
specific tasks the other Order members would be good at.

So, YES, Harry will return to Hogwarts, just not as a 
regular student. If by some chance someone talks Harry
into continuing his education in the normal manner, I
predict it will be short lived. Like I said, Harry has
far too much to do to waste his time in class listening
to boring lectures.

So there you have it.

Steve/bboyminn