Using available resources (or: can Harry think for himself?)

[dracojadon at yahoo.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 169962

  grouchymedic_26149 wrote:
> Been trying to put myself in Harry's shoes and think...who or what
> resources would I use in his present situation.
> <explanations snipped from list:>
> 1. Moody
> 2. Slughorn
> 3. Dragons
> 4. Thestrals
> 4b. Buckbeak
> 5. Pensieve
> 6. Weasleys
> 7. Firenze
> 8. Binns


jadon:
But since when does Harry actually use his brain? He either sends a  
note to Hagrid (or Sirius, and yes, hello, Mirror) or waits till he's desperate, then asks Hermione. And Hermione has two resources: a muggle background, and the library. The library has failed her before, and Harry's got the muggle background too. So I think we're back to the old standby: wait till a magical object with 'Idea! Up to this point obscure solution to insoluble problem!' engraved on it gets thrown at Harry's head by the DADA teacher/a moving staircase/Peeves.

> < grouchymedic_26149's full list as I'm replying to each point:
> 1. Alastor Moody. Moody would be a good source for intelligence 
> re...past behaviors and habits of Voldemort's crowd. Exceptional
> knowledge of charms and spells, like disillusionment, for example. 
> Moody thinks like a death eater.
> 2.Slughorn. Potions/antidote expert. Former head of Slytherin,IIRC,
> would know most of the current crop of death eaters from teaching  
> them. ( strengths/weaknesses/fears, etc...)
> 3. Dragons. Numerous references as to how tough it is to use magic
> against them. Could a dragon be domesticated/trained to be used as a
> defensive/offensive weapon?
> 4.Thestrals. Good at finding their way, hardly ever get lost, can't 
> see them if you haven't seen death. A possible means of stealthy 
> transportation for a young horcrux hunter that wants to operate in
> secrecy. Covered with an invisibility cloak, and riding a thestral,
> the ministry would not be able to track his movements. ( you know 
> Scrimgour is going to try to tail Harry) Buckbeak. Alternate means
> of transportation that the ministry couldn't monitor. Also,
> Buckbeak was very protective of Harry and Hagrid at the end of HBP, 
> attacking Snape after Snape and company attacked Harry and Hagrid.
> 5. The pensieve. Harry needs to learn the ins and outs of 
> extracting memories for future reference and analysis. Location of 
> horcruxes, past events, etc...
> 6. Bill and Charley Weasley. A curse breaker that can possibly teach
> Harry "traces of magical concealment". Bill Weasley, a magical
> creatures expert that would know the strengths, weaknesses, and
> capabilities of numerous creatures.
> 7. Firenze. In SS/PS when Firenze rescued Harry in the forest, and  
> made the statement, "I set myself against what is lurking in this 
> forest, with humans at my side, if I must", or words to that 
> effect, makes me believe Firenze could be a useful ally. Doesn't 
> appear to be any love lost between Firenze and Voldemort.
> 8. Prof. Binns. History of magic teacher. DD says Hogwarts is " a
> stronghold of ancient magic." Maybe magic that Harry can utilize, if
> Binns can enlighten him.

jadon:
1: Moody's a member of the Order. He's probably going to be on the track of the horcruxes before Harry even gets back from Little Whinging. (At least I hope so. The Order can't disintegrate just because DD dies. Harry -- Final heroic confrontation with LV: yes.  Being left alone to track down obscure magical objects when there are people trained for the job: no. Or was this the point of DD instructing Harry not to tell anyone anything useful?)

2: I'm not convinced Slughorn is going to be any more use for anything but supporting the crystallised pineapple industry.

3: Yes, that is the crazy and fantastic sort of thing Harry might come up with, with a little prompting from Hagrid and Hermione's copy  of _Lord of the Rings_

4 and 4b: Been there, done that. Thestrals aren't reliable: a lot of people, especially DEs, have 'seen death'

5: Oh no, not the pensieve!

6 and 7: I especially like Firenze

8: Yes, but can you imagine Harry ever thinking of asking Binns on his own?

The point is: is Harry going to pull together and become some sort of  decisive, DA-style leader? I don't think that'll happen _until_ he's stumbled around for most of the book, if at all.

jadon