Harry's DADA skill was Re: Albus and Gellert/Voldemort's Power

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 182603

Carol:
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What I don't understand is how either he or Ron got an E in anything
other than DADA. Their practical work (wandwork) seems to be about
average (look how much talking they do in Charms, for example), and as
for the theoretical component, I don't see how either of them learned
anything with Hermione writing so many of their essays for them, or at
least correcting what they've written. (Doesn't JKR know that copying
someone else's essay is plagiarism and can get you expelled?)

Anyway, I don't think we can tell much about Harry's abilities from
his OWL grades. Nor am I sure that he has a natural aptitude for DADA
(though like most of the students, at least the boys, he likes the
concept of it--duelling and defensive spells and being allowed to jinx
each other in class. Wow!) Too bad most of his DADA classes weren't
actually like that.
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Alla:

Then based on what we can tell much about Harry's abilities if not 
his grades?

And, um, I understand that you do not make much of Harry's natural 
abilities for DADA, but this is absolutely the situation where I 
believe what JKR said to be just an extra support to what is already 
in the books. And I am pretty sure that she said that Harry's 
instincts in DA are natural or something like that.
I do NOT believe that Harry is a genuis of course in anything but 
DADA, yet in DADA I believe he is very close to one or at least meant 
to be portrayed as such, Voldemort or not.

But I see no reason to downplay Harry's abilities either. He IS 
curious, he does pick the books sometimes. After all he is curious 
enough to open the books before he comes to Hogwarts. He is of course 
no Hermione, but he is IMO quite intelligent kid, who earned his Es, 
well my take would be because he indeed earned them.

Does he care much for studies? Sure he cares for action first and 
foremost, but as I said the fact that he opens his books before he 
even starts his studies tells me that had he cared he could have done 
even more with his studies.