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

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 163670

As for Harry's powerful patronus... at several occasions.

His training (with the luck of having Dementor for a boggart) showed 
me, that more than his magical skill of doing it, it was more the 
ability to gain a powerfully happy thought/memory in the precense of 
a dementor than magical skill.

Many would not have that sort of thought/memory, particudnlarly with 
Voldemort having been around for 11 years pre-hollow, for the older 
ones. Most of the young wouldn't have the emotional maturity required 
to concentrate on a happy thought in midst of Dementor-caused 
depression. Bad enough for an adult, nearly impossible for a child.

And, of course, Harry didn't get the powerful feeling he had until 1)
Sirius had offered him a way to be rid of Dursleys for good -- 2) 
trough Time-Travel experience, he had become overjoyed at learning 
that he really CAN do it(not happening unless he DID have several 
frustrating fails), plus he did that from afar.

And what did Harry concentrate on in OOP? His friends. After HBP it 
may well be Ginny, and therefore not a stag anymore.
Tonks certainly is thinking of Lupin... 
As far as magical power goes, there appears to be two main sorts/ways:
 Magic of Heart (Harry)
Magic of Mind (Hermione)

In addition there's a third, 'special talents' section. Either you 
have it, or you don't - it cannot be learned if you don't have it, 
but it if you do, you can learn better control and depth.

Now then, main difference is the Mind means study, Heart - though 
learning can be done trough practice - can be instictive.

Most magical spells can be accessed trough both ways. Potions, 
however, require Magic of Mind. And spells like Riddiculus (laughter 
to overcome fear) and Patronus (joy, happiness, hope - where there is 
none) -- DADA, that is - is more into Magic of Heart. Flying too...

Divination - or Sight - is, of course, a special talent. And one that 
cannot be accessed trough magic of mind -- in fact, strong aspect in 
that is likely to supress it. (OR what Trelawney calls a 'mundane 
mind')

Parseltongue is another Special Talet, as well as Metamorphmagi.

The special abilities some wizards can learn - Animagi, Occlumency, 
Legilimency -- well, if Snape didn't lie about suppressing emotions 
in Occlumency, it's so clearly in the Mind-part that I doubt it was 
ever even possible for Harry to learn it at fifteen, partly because 
of his puberty and partly because of his nature. (Extreme emotions 
ARE a part of puberty, you know... it's biologically impossible for a 
teen full of testosterone and adrenaline as Harry was the entire 
fifth year, to shut them down...)

Finwitch