[HPforGrownups] Re: CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 189423

  Nikkalmati:
> Harry was strongly motivated to behave himself in order to get Vernon to sign his permission slip.  He tried to stay out of the way, but his presence at dinner was required.  Vernon know it entertained his sister to poke at Harry. It is hard to imagine that if I had special powers I would be able to control myself in such a situation.  Harry was under control until she  attacked his parents.  Of course, he knew by now the the story she believed was untrue, but he could not tell her the truth under pain of expulsion or worse, he thought.

     Harry's major weakness was his temper. He allowed it to get the 
better of him far too many times. I do not think it was a coincidence 
that it first really shows up in POA, where he ends up reuniting with 
Sirius, and that it was one of the factors that led to the death of 
Sirius in OOP. I don't know if JKR has said anything about this (I tend 
not to bother to read her interviews), but, now that I think about it, 
this episode was designed to show a character flaw which Harry had to 
overcome in order to defeat Morty (also interesting that you can see why 
Sevvy was so exasperated by Harry's refusal to learn emotional control).

     Bart