Occlumency vs. Anti-Imperius (was: The Power of Harry ...)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 163591


> Carol:
> This one I'll concede, though I wonder if the ability to resist the
> Imperius Curse is one of the abilities he acquired from Voldemort.
> It's odd that he can do so but can't do Occlumency (so JKR says) 
since
> the two require similar abilities. If we were to go solely by the
> books and not by interviews, I'd say that his inability to do
> Occlumency has more to do with not trying because he hates Snape 
and
> wants to have the dream than with lack of ability. surely, he could
> reach the rudimentary level Draco has reached with a little effort.
> But, no. He ostensibly can't separate himself from his emotions.
> Sounds like a weakness to me. 

Magpie:
Actually, I do think it makes sense that Harry is good and not the 
other, if you figure that his strength as one explains the other. 
When he throws off Imperius it's saying that he knows himself. His 
will is clear to him. So when a little voice that's not his own 
whispers for him to do something, he's able to recognize it as 
foreign and must his entire will against it.

Occlumency depends on the ability to fragment that Harry doesn't 
have. He's not able to hide parts of himself away or cut himself off 
from them. But just as his ability to use his whole self makes him 
stronger than Imperius, it makes it impossible for him to do 
Occlumency.

It's a cool difference, actually, when you figure that Harry the 
Gryffindor is a natural at throwing off Imperius and Draco the 
Slytherin is a natural at Occlumency, because of what it suggests 
about the houses. Gryffindor=fire=spirit or will and Slytherin-
water=emotions.  Voldemort is unable to put Harry under Imperius but 
he tricks his emotions by showing him false data like Sirius 
trapped, knowing that Harry will then turn his own formidable will 
torwards that false goal. Draco the Slytherin is given a goal from 
Voldemort and goes about repressing emotions to fulfill it.

But in the end their real strength comes from the will for Harry and 
the emotion for Draco (his feelings for his family are ultimately 
the bigger drive, and keep him from committing an act he really 
doesn't want to do). They both naturally have more control over 
their strength--Harry has more control over his will (so won't give 
in to Imperius), Draco has more control over his emotions (so can 
repress and fake them).

-m