Please mark and return wtih comments

[Ashley]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "snow15145" <kking0731 at ...> wrote:
>
snip
> 
> At Kings Cross, Harry could have decided not to go back to reality 
> and Voldemort would still have been destroyed when Neville slain the 
> remaining Horcrux, which was Nagini. 

Hi Snow.
I read this a little differently. Harry did not know, and indeed, I do
not believe that Neville's success was assured, or that Voldy would be
defeated when the last Hx was destroyed. Though Neville did succeed,
it was again due to both to a mistake on Voldemort's part in
underestimating Neville's determination, and to Neville's selfless
bravery. Neville could have failed for a number or reasons, not the
least of which was never standing up to Voldy in the first place. In a
way, that scene recalls the moment when Neville first stood up against
the trio in PS, and we know the outcome for him at that time. 

And of course, Voldy did not die when Nagini was killed, he only lost
his last Hx. He may have been mortal, but he remained the most
magically powerful person in the world.
> 
> Harry had a choice to return or not but when he did decide to come 
> back, he already knew the battle would be won when the last Horcrux 
> (Nagini) would be killed.
> 
> Harry actually won the battle in the forest!  When Voldemort issued 
> the AK that destroyed the Horcrux portion in Harry, Harry won. 
> Neville was directed to kill Nagini and Harry protected everyone else 
> from the wrath of Voldemort by his selfless sacrifice. Voldemort was 
> merely mortal again but with no power to lay even a finger on anyone 
> who was protected by Harry's sacrifice. 

Lyn again,
While Voldy was weakened, he was far from ineffectual. I disagree with
an earlier comment by another who asserted Voldy was unable to cast a
cruciatus curse on Harry. No, I think he was quite capable in that, as
evidenced by Harry's body flopping and jumping into the air each time
it was administered. Harry had already shown some resistance to the
curse earlier, and most of all, this was a time when he was able to
master himself in spite of the curse. I think it underestimates
Harry's actual abilities and suffering to assume that the curses were
ineffectual.

As for Voldy's inability to "lay even a finger on anyone who was
protected by Harry's sacrifice," I think this overstates the
"reality." Not only did Voldy  apply the cruciatus curse to Harry, but
he was able to silence, even if only temporarily, the huge gathering
of his opponents, many of which were quite powerful wizards in their
own right. I'd like to see how many other wizards would have been
capable of such a thing for even a short period of time. Furthermore,
there were three very powerful and experienced wizards simultaneously
dueling with Voldemort and fighting for their own, as well as his
life. Keep in mind that his strength and fury at Bella's death was
sufficient to blast them all away. Not bad for a guy with a less than
optimal wand


I think there is a tendency among many, and a strong point of view
among a few, to perceive Harry's successes as almost entirely due to
external factors, rather than his own abilities. I read things
differently, seeing Harry as a more powerful wizard than most others,
but with his magical powers developed from his choices and bravery
rather than innately bestowed on him or gained from academic
commitment and talent. Perhaps I assume incorrectly, but I tend to
believe that was a message JKR intended throughout the series, that
you may not be born of exceptional wealth  (e.g., the Malfoys) or
intellect (DD, TR, Hermione), but you can make a powerful mark on the
world by your choices and commitment to good. 

Lyn