Harry's Characterization (was: Satisfaction of the story to date )

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 163453

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Annemehr" wrote:
>
> I'm really enjoying this thread, and would have piped up again 
> yesterday, and responded to more posts, except I'm having too much 
> RL these days.

Mike:
Yes, this is jolly good fun, is it not? Come on Anne, shake off the 
dust of the RL and see the Potterverse. (paraphrased from where? 
hint: you probably saw it on a half dozen times this past month)

> > Mike previously:
> > Harry has "IT", whatever it is.  <snipping, snippity, snip> 
> >
> > In JKR's WW, a witch or wizard evidently can have some 
> > *je ne sais quoi* which puts them in a magical class above
> 
> Annemehr:
> It is really tempting to agree with you... but *I don't know.*  It 
> seems to me the strongest canon hints point to Harry's power of 
> *character* rather than of *magic.*

Mike:
I don't know what "IT" is in JKR's world, that's why I included those 
two qualifications in my previous post. What makes Harry *powerfully 
magical*? Is it his character, mother's love, his *ability to love*,  
stubbornness? You can pick any or all of these, or come up with your 
own. I'm not trying to narrow it down nor quantify which 
characteristic is the most integral to Harry's power. I'm just sure 
that JKR wants us to subconsciously realize that Harry has something 
about him that noone else has. And, yes Alla, there is an explanation 
for each of his end of book triumphs. And you are right Anne, he does 
get help in almost every instance. But it's still Harry who does each 
of those things. 

I will add one caveat, and I will disagree with Carol on this point; 
I do think Harry has *the power* irrespective of what Voldemort gave 
him on that fateful Holloween night. Did he get it from some 
serendipitous confluence of Potter and Evans genes? I'll let JKR 
enlighten me. But I'm sure we'll find out.

He isn't Superman, nor even Spiderman. He's much closer to Peter 
Parker. (Sorry, just watched Spiderman 2) In this way I agree with 
Carol's characterization of "Everykid". Hey, maybe he's the 
Incredible Hulk in reverse, his powers multiply when he feels love 
instead of anger. ;D

Sorry if I'm repeating here, but JKR's hints at Harry's inner power 
keep coming back like a slap in the face. And it isn't even the 
obvious instances that ring strongest with me. Have you noticed how 
Harry can tell when someone is watching him? How did Harry end up on 
the roof of his grammer school? Destination, Deliberation, 
Determination anyone? How did Harry's wand light up in the alley when 
he didn't have it in his hand? <nod to SSSusan> Did you realize that 
Snape hadn't yet cast a spell when Harry's "Protego" knocked him 
back? That was Harry's power, not Snape's power rebounding. 


> Annemehr:
> In OoP, after DD replays the prophecy for Harry in the pensieve, 
> <snip the canon>
> That is, it was not magical power (Occlumency), but character  
> (love) that forced LV out.

Mike:
Or force of will, or dedication to his friends, etc. But you've said 
it in your next quote:

> Annemehr:
> And DD reiterates that the power the Dark Lord knows not is 'just 
> love' [HBP ch. 23, p. 509 US].

Mike:
The *power* of love. In JKR's world, love is not just an emotion, 
it's a power. It's in Harry's constitutional make-up, this power. And 
Harry has more of this *power* than any other witch or wizard, and 
*that* is why Harry is more *powerfully magical* than anyone. (I'll 
bet Lily had this power, moreso than James, although James would have 
some. And Lily's protection with "Ancient Magic" probably intensified 
Harry's already inherited power.) Note it was a magical protection 
that Lily's love cast over Harry. *Power*fully *Magic*al, the *power* 
of love. I fell like JKR is hitting me over the head with a club 
saying, 'don't ya get it?'

> Annemehr:
> 
> BUT...
> 
> But, but, but...
> 
> You can certainly argue with all this, Mike, because JKR *does 
> indeed* seem to mix the idea of love with magical power.

Mike:
Oh, I don't want to argue with you. I think your right. I think Ken 
was right. Same for Alla and Carol. <OK, I did counter one of 
Carol's ;)> And I don't think you're disagreeing with me, are you? <I 
don't know, sometimes I can get a little thick :-)> I'm just out here 
promoting my belief that Harry has "IT". You have just further 
defined what you think that "IT" is, that's okay by me.



> Annemehr:
> This 'mark' Lily's love left not only burned Quirrell's skin,

Mike:
This just struck me. Does anyone know if there is an old English 
usage of the word "mark" that might shed further light on the 
prophesy? When JKR said she worded the prophesy carefully, this could 
be one of those careful words.

> Annemehr:
> But it still seems to me that Harry's power is to be of a different 
> *quality* than LV's or DD's powerful magicalness.

Mike:
No argument here either. :-)

> Annemehr:
> As a true DDM!Snape believer, I suggest that it's because *Snape*  
> is powerfully magical and an integral part of the plan to defeat 
> LV, and that Snape knew -- *really* knew -- what he had to do, and  
> it wasn't to be captured by Harry.

Mike:
Oh boy, wait till Alla here's this. You're gonna be in trouubble.

Ken:
I also disagree about the apparation. It has been hammered home to us
that although this is a common skill it is *not* an easy one and some
are never able to master it. Harry had studied it but had not mastered
it. I'm not sure if he had even managed to apparate a few feet on his
own at that point but that may be just another example of the text
omitting details, or my bad memory. So I would argue that this is
another example of Harry being able to call upon his innate power to
do something at need that he had not been able to do otherwise. He
certainly had never acted as the "master" in a sidealong apparation.
That really was quite a feat.

Mike:
OK, I'll buy that it was a good feat. I will say though, that if this 
was Harry's big show of ability, at the end of his sixth year, then 
it pales in comparison to his previous feats.

Mike, who is staying up entirely too late, but really enjoying this 
thread.