/On the trivial and the Profound/Lying & Cheating

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 165570

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sistermagpie" <belviso at ...> wrote:

> It feels like there's a lot of having it both ways as well. Potions
> is totally unimportant so it doesn't matter if Harry takes the easy
> way, yet he's also not taking the easy way at all because learning
> stuff--which is the point of the class--is so important to him.


Valky:
That actually does sound close to what I am saying, except that it is
the percieved greatness that Harry is achieving which is not
important, not 'Potions' and I don't see it as having it both ways
because there is one way Harry can never actually have it at all
unless of course he abdicates his prophesied destiny and dang the rest
to hell. It is that way which is not of significant importance,
because Harry has made his choice - to walk into the arena with head
held high.

As for not seeing this Harry I say is concerned primarily with dangers and
death and defeating LV in the HBP text.. How many examples do you want
then?

Here are a few more beyond the, at least, two or three which I have
already given -


-- Christmas Eve Ch 16 ---

Feeling disappointed Harry threw the boook back into his trunk, turned
off the lamp and rolled over, thinking of werewolves and Snape, Stan
Shunpike and the Half-Blood Prince, and finally falling into an uneasy
sleep full of creeping shadows and the cries of bitten children...

---------------------------


--- Ch 18 --------------

Harry Brooded or the next few days over what to do next about
Slughorn. He decided that, for the time being, he would let Slughorn
think that he had forgotten all about Horcruxes; it was best to lull
him into a false sense of security before returning to the attack.

......

Harry awaited an invitation to one of his little evening parties,
determined to accept this time, even if he ahad to reschedule
Quidditch practice.


.......

"I didn't feel anything," said harry, ignoring this interruption. "But
I don't care about that now.. "
"what do you mean, you don't care... don't you want to learn to
apparate?" said Ron incredulously.
.... "Hurry up will you there's something** I want to do."

**Tail Malfoy

--------------------------

--- Ch 19 -------

It took Harry a few moments to realise what McClaggen was talking about.
"Oh.... right... Quidditch" he said putting his wand back in his belt
and running his hand wearily through his hair.

......

Harry however had never been less intersted in Quidditch; he was
rapidly becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy.
---------------------------


---- Ch 21 ----

Harry racked his brains over the next week as to how he was to
persuade Slughorn to hand over the true memory, but nothing in the
nature of a brainwave occurred and he was reduced to doing what he did
increasingly these days when at a loss: poring over his poyions book,
hoping tha the Prince would have scribbled something useful in a
margin, as he had done so many times before.

......


Harry fully expected to recieve low marks on his, because he had
disagreed with Snape on the best way to tackle Dementors, but he did
not care: Slughorns memory was the most important thing to him now.

-----------------


>
> Magpie:
> Bezoars aren't a new thing. The practical
> solution that Harry learned that day was the one the rest of the
> class learned years before.
>
> Valky:
> Clearly not well enough. ;)
>
> Magpie:
> It's another, imo, to try to pretend Harry really was
> showing how clever he is compared to the other students and taking
> the thing in a more serious way and that he really lives up to how
> Slughorn describes him afterwards. That's what reminds me of the
> Dursleys with Dudley.


Valky:
I was only kidding with this answer. And I hardly think Harry was
showing how clever he was by doing it. He didn't even know it would
work, but it was the one answer he was able to give in what he felt
was a desperate situation so he took the chance. It seemed to have
paid off too, for a moment, until Slughorn clammed up about the
memory, the Harry realised he need a different approach.


> Magpie:
> Sometimes you do the easy
> thing for a good reason, and if you're doing that I don't see why
> you wouldn't be upfront about it.


Valky:
He's as upfront as he believes he can be given the circumstances. He's
open with his two best friends about it, just as Dumbledore
recommended to him he should be. He isn't going to be open with the
rest of the WW, from his POV why should he be?



> Magpie:
> That doesn't answer what I said. If Harry is so focused on getting
> the information out of the book, why is he just using the book in
> class for everything Slughorn assigns in class?


Valky:
We only see some three or four classes detailed in canon, selected
because of their plot importance. And even in those few snapshots we
see Harry using the book for a variety of reasons.



> Valky:
> This reminds me of debate that raged hot** pre-HBP about Snape
> dropping Harry's potion in OOtP and thereby avoiding giving him the
> grade that he *did* deserve - as inconsequential vs unfair :
>
> Magpie:
> And it was unfair, imo. Luckily Harry's ultimate grades would not be
> able to faked that way, but that doesn't change that what Snape did
> was wrong--significantly so.


Valky:
I found it amusing to compare these two because of the very fierce
argument that Harry's potions reputation with Snape didn't matter
coming from the Snape-defenders camp there completely contradicts the
Harrys reputation with Slughorn really does matter coming from the
same camp in this thread.

I think it mattered entirely more in OOtP and before this new
direction in Harry's life was taking him away from academic
achievement, that he got the marks he deserved and the opportunities
and choices that naturally go with that. After the fact, it's pretty
obvious to me that neither situation matters.


Magpie:
> "No,
> Harry's not being dishonest or faking at all


Valky:
When have I said that?




Magpie:
> because the
> consequences are limited and also he because Harry's really doing
> what he's supposed to be doing anyway,

Valky:
Yes I take full credit for that part.



Magpie:
> although if he's not doing
> what he should be it's because he's making a sacfifice for
> Voldemort."
>
> -m
>


Valky:
I'm sure I already denied this part about sacrifice, although Harry
certainly is taking big risks to further his cause.