CoSForums Archive - Harry's Skill with DADA

FawkesBox

May 20th, 2003, 2:48 pm

I did a search but I didn't find anything sorry if it's somewhere else. :o
In an interview at: http://www.swns.com/vaults/rowling.htm
(thanks RotsiePots;) ) JKR was asked

"Q: If Harry had a magic duel with Hermione, who would win ? (Doyle Srader, Nacogdoches, TX)"
And answered...
"A: Very good question! Because until about halfway through Azkaban, Hermione would have won. But Harry - without anyone really noticing it - is becoming exceptionally good at Defence Against the Dark Arts. So that's the one area in which, almost instinctively, he is particularly talented. Apart from Quidditch."

There has been some speculation that Harry might be a Quidditch player after graduation but...
Harry "defeated" Voldemort, evidently through a charm his mother worked when no one else could. Because of this Harry shows at least some talent in DADA. He also continually is thwarting Voldemort at every turn- in SS/ CoS /GoF (to a certain extent although he still comes back) Furthermore, after a few tries, he has become quite proficient with the Patronus Charm- a very advanced spell.

So to me this suggest that Harry may have a future as an auror, with numerous plot implications. (There will be dark wizards to fight. He'll probably have to take NEWTs, and receive special training, etc...)
Does anyone else also think so?
:cool:

Also, I always thought that DADA was only Defense against the dark arts not defense in general and this quote would suggest that Hermione would be using the dark arts in a duel with Harry. Is she studying something that she shouldn't be? Or is every curse/ jinx (even Rictusempra- the tickling curse) considered a "dark art"? Certainly there are dark charms/ potions! Like the one that brought Voldemore back! Another point to ponder. (I always pegged Ron out of the three to go bad)

I heart Sirius

May 20th, 2003, 2:51 pm

I'm sure there's a thread discussing what Harry will be later on (that is to say he lives!) But who knows, after Voldies defeated, will there really be that much use for an aurorer? I think it's too early to tell what he'll do.

FawkesBox

May 20th, 2003, 3:01 pm

That is true and why I question why JKR would say this. Clearly Harry must fight Voldie in the novels- but this suggests to me that perhaps the evil forces will endure past Book 7

Shells Bells

May 20th, 2003, 3:03 pm

I think that there will always be a need for aurors. Just because Voldie's gone doesn't mean that there won't be other dark wizards. After all, the rest of the DE's still would have to be hunted out and dealt with.

I heart Sirius

May 20th, 2003, 3:12 pm

Yeah but I think that would be too obvious. Besides, he's spending his childhood fighting bad guys, after he's done with Voldie, he should just be abe to have a nice life and such.

JoFaye

May 20th, 2003, 3:24 pm

He should have a wonderful, adventerous life, and there should be a ton of books about it.

FawkesBox

May 20th, 2003, 3:29 pm

I agree there... And can anyone ever truly stamp evil out from the world- I think that that is an impossible task.

dumbleedore

May 20th, 2003, 11:41 pm

Q: If Harry had a magic duel with Hermione, who would win ? (Doyle Srader, Nacogdoches, TX)

A: Very good question! Because until about halfway through Azkaban, Hermione would have won. But Harry - without anyone really noticing it - is becoming exceptionally good at Defence Against the Dark Arts. So that's the one area in which, almost instinctively, he is particularly talented. Apart from Quidditch.

From here (http://www.swns.com/vaults/rowling.htm)

(mods, feel free to do whatever with this)

From that comment of JK's, do you think that Harry's talent at DADA will become a major plot point?

I'm going to post my thoughts later, cause my boss is about to walk in.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 12:02 am

I think it already has. He seems able to resist the imperious even when the big V tries to use it on him. And it took a lot of effort, but he managed to learn the patronus. Early in life, he managed to turn a death curse back on its sender. I am seeing a pattern here.

Daily Propheter

May 21st, 2003, 12:34 am

Harry's already shown great strength at DADA, by fighting Imperius and creating his Patronus. He has many skills at wizardry. (Not many could have summoned the Firebolt at such a distance in GoF.) He's already been through all too many experiences where he's fought against the Dark Arts and won, though by a slim margin, I must admit.

All this to say that I agree with whizbang121, that Harry's strength against the Dark Arts is already a key plot point.

Jinxie Cat

May 21st, 2003, 12:41 am

We all know Harry is good at Defense Against the Dark Arts! Like others have said, he is able to learn the Patronus Charm even though it's very advanced magic. He can fight off the Imperius Curse, which many can not do. And the biggest thing of all... Harry was only the only one to survive Avada Kedavra...

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 12:50 am

Okay, this means there is something special about Harry. Will he succeed DD as the next Grand High Poombah of the Order of the Phoenix? Is he a rare wizard of special talent that will be recruited into the most secret wizarding societies where the obsession with cabbages and socks maybe make sense to someone?

Is what makes Harry special also going to be what makes him the next Dumbledore. And what are the 12 uses of dragon's blood?

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 12:54 am

I feel like this is going somewhere.

Lestrange

May 21st, 2003, 1:02 am

Harry seems to be growing an immunity to Dark Arts.

That would definetly (although it already has) become a major plot point if Harry had a duel with a Dark Wizard (a Death Eater, maybe....?). He has already felt both of the Curses (well, three of them if you think about it...), knows the Patronus that he can cast with ease, and seems to have his concentration very well focused.

RonFan24

May 21st, 2003, 1:33 am

In my opinion Harry has always been inclined to being good at DADA, he just had to develope some skills. I think the only reason Hermione would have won is because she would probably have known more about certain curses and such from reading. Harry is on his way to greatness with his DADA if he keeps making good choices. I am almost certain Harry will be quite tempted to go to the dark side, but will resist it.

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 2:27 am

Everyone is, at one point or another, going to be tempted to go to the Dark Side *cue Vader-like breathing* Even from early on in life he had an inclination against the Dark Arts, but has only now been developing it, as RonFan24 said. The deeper we delve into the books, the more skilled Harry, Ron, and Hermione will become, but the latter two don't have that natural inclination against it, like resisting the Imperius Curse and Avada Kedavra, meaning they'll have to work harder than Harry at the DADA.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 2:43 am

So what is it about Harry? Is it something inherited and if so, is it now in the big V's blood, too? Is it a natural talent? How does it relate to the OOtP? You have to give Harry credit for quick creative thinking, too. Like striking TR's diary with the poisoned basilisk fang. Not exactly magic, just smart.

WhiteSlash

May 21st, 2003, 2:44 am

Well, it's quite easy to tell that Harry has a thing for Defense Against the Dark Arts. As many of you have said, he fought the Imperius, only person to live through the killing curse and created a Patronus when he was 13. I think in later books, his DATDAs will help him live through an encounter with a dark wizard.

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 2:57 am

Whizbang: Definitely agreed about him thinking on his feet. Though I'm not sure exactly what makes Harry so special. His mother's mark on him definitely protected him, but there's definitely something else there that I'm sure we're to discover in later books (maybe in OotP, relating to Lilly Potter?)

Godric Gryffidor

May 21st, 2003, 3:01 am

I totally agree with you all that Harry is awesome at DADA... But I don't think Harry will ever be tempted by the Dark Side because his parents were killed by the Dark Side. But maybe (the key word being "MAYBE") if Ron or Hermione got killed by Voldie I could maybe see him using the Dark Side to get back at Voldie.

Horntail

May 21st, 2003, 3:30 am

I could definately see some time when Harry might be tempted to use some of the Dark Arts.While I'm not saying that JKR is predictable, so many other stories of this type have the main character tempted by evil. I don't think he would ever work with Voldie, but I think he might be tempted to use them at some point. I don't see him actually using them though, he already stopped Lupin and Sirius from killing Wormtail, so I think he can resist this temptation.

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 3:39 am

I can see Harry, in a moment of revenge (especially if Voldie kills someone superultra close to him) wanting to use the Dark Arts to get back at him, but I think he's got a good enough idea of what's right and wrong to not do so.

rotsiepots

May 21st, 2003, 7:01 am

Unfortunately FawkesBox has already posted this excerpt and discussion regarding its meaning is happening in a thread entitled Harry's Skill with DADA (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9550).

I'll merge these two now. :)

Blayde

May 21st, 2003, 8:50 am

Just a thought, but it is most likely very important in some way that Harry is the only (living) wizard to have experienced all three of the Unforgivable Curses, has learned to defend himself against Dementors, has befriended both a werewolf and a part gaint, can talk to snakes (being--unfairly IMO-- considered linked to the Darl Arts), has experiece with all of the most powerful magic creatures, and so on.

He is already showing himself to be a powerful force against his enemies, and this is all (or part of it) headed for something.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 1:36 pm

I wonder if there is a defense against the cruscio curse and if the new dada will be able to teach it to Harry. Surprised Hermione hasn't found it in the library, yet.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 1:38 pm

But ..... why is this one person the focus of all the powers of the dark arts, right from infancy? What is it about Harry Potter?!

Alastor D

May 21st, 2003, 2:54 pm

Because that's the way JKR wanted to build her story.

And, whizbang, you can go back to your post to edit it when you have something to add. Our prefects don't like double posting.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 3:03 pm

sorry

Virtuousdream

May 21st, 2003, 3:10 pm

It seems our Harry is special, for surviving all these curses, but I do htink he'll use them, I think it will be the biggie to kill Voldemort in the last book.

I know I'd be tempted to test out Avada Kedavra on Voldemort if I could, see if it would work, and if not, I'd panic!

It does support the heir of Godric theory, he's very brave, which makes him even more powerful, and resisting them well seems like a very powerful and true Gryffindor (sorry, I'm drifting).

I really don't know what Harry could do if he survives, don't forget we havn't met all the jobs get, perhaps there's another powerful DADA job? What about him becoming an Unspeakable?

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 6:25 pm

I think Harry, if he lives and I think he will, will retire south with Sirius Black

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 8:11 pm

We're all aware that there's definitely something special about Harry, but what it is exactly will probably be revealed to us later.

As far as a defense against Crucio goes, I'm not really sure if there is a defense against it. If there was, I'm sure the wizards and witches that were against Voldemort in his first rise to power would have found it (or invented it, if a proper counter-curse couldn't be found). The only curse that one can really build up a resistance to is Imperius, which can only be developed over a long period of time (see Crouch and Crouch Jr).

FawkesBox

May 21st, 2003, 8:27 pm

I agree there. Perhaps Harry has some innate ability with countercurses? Perhaps he will someday find that counter-curse.

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 8:33 pm

FawkesBox: Ooh, I never thought of that. Maybe with some experimentation with Hermione and Ron, he'll come up with it in the later books? I should clarify that sentence. that's not to say he's going to put it on them, but maybe the three of them will do some research and figure out something? ...How would you test something like that out?

FawkesBox

May 21st, 2003, 8:45 pm

They could test it on spiders like "Moody" did in GoF. (Although I always suspected that those "spiders" were really baby acromanulas and Aragog will eventually wreak his terrible vengenance on him but nevertheless...) And at any rate they could practice Crucio and Imperio on each other but Avada Kedavra would definitely have to have an animal test subject.
However, it is illegal (life sentence) to do the unforgivable curses on another human. I'm not sure if you have to be reported or there is some magical detection system but... I think the trio could do it.

SnowyOwl

May 21st, 2003, 8:51 pm

I've always wondered about the dueling club incident in CoS when Lockhart is supposed to be teaching Harry how to block unfriendly spells. Remember Lockhart does some sort of complicated twirling movement and drops his wand. Harry never does learn this; I wonder if it is going to come back to haunt him?

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 8:57 pm

I thought of the spiders again, but how would you really know if it was resisting? It doesn't really have a mind of its own to resist or build up an endurance to it. I can see Avada Kedavra on the spiders, though. Also, if one is being controlled by Crucio, how are you going to be able to grab your wand and do the counter-curse?

Daily Propheter

May 21st, 2003, 8:58 pm

Originally posted by whizbang121 (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=329906#post329906))
I wonder if there is a defense against the cruscio curse and if the new dada will be able to teach it to Harry.

I think part of the reason why they're Unforgiveable curses is that there is no counter curse for them. At least, none with a wand.

Harry's been hit with all three Unforgiveables, so it would make sense that he's got some sort of natural defense against them.

Could it be that this 'defense' he seems to have was all caused by Lily's sacrifice? Or was that part of the reason Voldy was after him in the first place, because of his immense skill at DADA? That would pose a major threat to Voldy.

Potassium

May 21st, 2003, 9:01 pm

I do think it definitely has something to do with Lilly's sacrifice, as Voldie stated in his whole spiel in GoF. Maybe that's something we'll find out in OotP?

FawkesBox

May 21st, 2003, 9:11 pm

I agree. Perhaps this is the the "big secret" about Lily that will be revealed on June 21. Maybe Harry and company will use this knowledge as part of the countercurse research in Book 5 or even Book 6.

Also- this might be a discussion for another thread -so it might get separated but... Is it possible that now that Voldemort is aware (moreso) of these ancient magics that he might try to use them for his own protection?

great will

May 21st, 2003, 10:33 pm

Remember what Dumbledor said about Harry's scar?
Because of it, Harry is able to talk to snakes. Maybe Voltermort passed more than that gift to Harry the night he lost his powers. I mean his lost powers had to go somewhere. Why not into Harry.

great will

May 21st, 2003, 10:41 pm

remember what dumbledor said about harry's scar. that voldamort gave harry the abilaty to speak to snakes by accident when he lost his powers. maybe, harry recieved other powers by accident. maybe, that is why harry has the ability to do advanced skill wizardry at such a young age.

whizbang121

May 21st, 2003, 11:07 pm

[quote]Originally posted by great will (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=330748#post330748))
remember what dumbledor said about harry's scar. that voldamort gave harry the abilaty to speak to snakes by accident when he lost his powers. maybe, harry recieved other powers by accident. maybe, that is why harry has the ability to do advanced skill wizardry at such a young age.

Interesting thought. So then it follows that Voldy would also be able to survive the death curse, because his ability went into Harry and GoF Harry's blood is now in Voldy. (shakes head) Do you think jkr will make it all this complicated? I wonder.

FawkesBox

May 22nd, 2003, 12:27 am

That would make sense and if so- Lily's charm seems more and more powerful as we continue to understand it (I wish we knew it's name- I'm sure its cooler than Fidelius..)

Weatherby

May 22nd, 2003, 4:51 am

whizbang121
- I agree. I think Harry's scar is very helpful in aiding him against Voldemort. Once he learns what it means and how to intune it he'll be able to tell when Voldemort is near.

whizbang121

May 22nd, 2003, 4:58 am

I think one of the spoilers is that his scar hurts almost constantly and interferes with his school work. If that's an indication of V's proximity, then maybe he's at he school, again. Is it june, yet?

Weatherby

May 22nd, 2003, 5:09 am

I hadn't heard that spoiler before but it's possible.
Or Voldemort could just be feeling hatefull all the time?

whizbang121

May 22nd, 2003, 5:13 am

true. He's much more powerful now, so maybe he doesn't need to be near Harry or thinking about him to affect the scar.

Weatherby

May 22nd, 2003, 5:18 am

That's what I think to. And he has Harry's blood in him. They are more connected than ever.

Potassium

May 22nd, 2003, 5:41 am

Yeah, I was gonna say, Harry's a lot more vulnerable now that Voldemort can touch him. I still think, however, that Harry's connected to Voldie by the scar, as every time he's been around it's hurt him. If, like Weatherby said, he can intune with that, it could be very useful in the later books

great will

May 22nd, 2003, 6:34 am

Ok, this took some home work. In chap. 23 in book 4, 2nd paragraph. Voldemort is telling the death eaters how he survived the reflected curse. I quote, "... I,who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal-- to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared one or more of my experiments had worked....for I had not been killed" Maybe these also were passed into Harry the night Voldie lost his power. Maybe thats another reason Voldie wanted Harrys blood, to get his powers back too. Who knows what other powers or skills were passed that night.

Mini'Grid

May 22nd, 2003, 7:36 am

POst by Potassium: "if one is being controlled by Crucio, how are you going to be able to grab your wand and do the counter-curse?"

Remember when harry resited "moody"'s imperius curse, he saids it was like one part of his mind was saying "jump onto the desk", but another part was saying "no thats stupid". Maybe there is a permanent charm you can perform on someone which isolates a part of their mind so if the curse is ever performed on them, that part of their mind will come into action.

whizbang121

May 22nd, 2003, 1:44 pm

Originally posted by great will (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=331367#post331367))
Ok, this took some home work. In chap. 23 in book 4, 2nd paragraph. Voldemort is telling the death eaters how he survived the reflected curse. I quote, "... I,who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal-- to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared one or more of my experiments had worked....for I had not been killed" Maybe these also were passed into Harry the night Voldie lost his power. Maybe thats another reason Voldie wanted Harrys blood, to get his powers back too. Who knows what other powers or skills were passed that night.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Could it be that James and Lily were experimenting, too? Maybe they were trying to develop countercurses to the unforgivables. (Maybe that's how Snape fits into some of this. Perhaps when he was working for V he developed an immortality potion [stopper in death]. And when he came back he was working a an antidote.)

Could it be that Harry was born with some of the protections of these magical experiments and that's how he survived the death curse in the first place? It may explain his seemingly natural resistance to the death curse and the imperious, something that wiser and more experienced wizards worked hard to learn to overcome. Is Harry's seemingly natural defense against the dark arts the result of his parents work? And were they experts in the field of DADA research?

great will

May 23rd, 2003, 12:31 am

I believe Lilly Potter's charm is what saved Harry's life. I also think that some of Voldie's gifts and abilities tranfered into Harry along with parsel mouth. Maybe some of the experiments that Voldy performed transformed too.

Potassium

May 23rd, 2003, 1:57 am

Mini'Grid: Yes, but you also have to take into account the fact that Harry has a natural inclination against the Dark Arts. And Imperius just takes over your brain. Crucio takes over every nerve in your body. The searing pain of it is so immense you can't even think of anything beyond that.

great will

May 23rd, 2003, 2:28 am

maybe his "natural inclination" towards the DA's are due to some of Voldy's past on gifts. Maybe since Voldy was immune to the curses, thats why Harry can fight them so well.

FawkesBox

May 23rd, 2003, 3:48 pm

I like everything that you have all been saying but I find the Lily/ James experimentation hypothesis the most intriguing. They could have been aurors looking for novel ways (or "ancient magics") to elude the Unforgivables and passed protection along to their son. Indeed this could be the "big thing" we learn about Lily- and reveal the nature of James' profession.

jerb

May 23rd, 2003, 4:12 pm

I like these ideas about experimentation. It might explain a lot. Harry does seem to be able to block the unforgivable curses easier than would be expected. His DADA skills do seem to have existed at least for the majority of his life (if he wasn't born with them.)

I think there is a counter-curse to Crucio because Moody/Crouch Jr. only said that Avada Kedavra had no way to block it.

whizbang121

May 23rd, 2003, 10:10 pm

Maybe that's why it's so hard to find a decent DADA professor. The big V wiped them out? Except for Moody and DD, of course.

whizbang121

May 24th, 2003, 10:32 pm

what's an unspeakable? I better start reading them over again.

Moonstone

May 24th, 2003, 11:19 pm

Unspeakables work for one of the Ministry Departments. Arthur Weasley points out two of them, Bode and Croaker, at the Quidditch World Cup.

Ecthelion

May 25th, 2003, 12:06 am

We really don't know what unspeakables are. Arthur Weasley said he had no idea what they did......

rotsiepots

May 25th, 2003, 1:29 am

Originally posted by whizbang121 (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=333379#post333379))
Maybe that's why it's so hard to find a decent DADA professor. The big V wiped them out? Except for Moody and DD, of course.

I think it's more likely that people refuse to take the position because they genuinely believe that it's cursed. Five DADA professors in five years? It must be somewhat of a running joke in the wizarding world.

And you're forgetting Lupin -- he was an excellent DADA professor, despite his werewolvish tendencies. ;)

FawkesBox

May 26th, 2003, 2:45 pm

For more information there is thread about the Unspeakables here... http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8575

And I agree with Rotsiepots all around. Although Lupin was an excellent professor he would have remained somewhat flawed and many would not trust him because he is a werewolf- unfortunately.

great will

May 26th, 2003, 5:56 pm

Do you guys think Harry maybe got his ability to resist da from Voldy.

whizbang121

May 27th, 2003, 2:35 am

Right from the start, he beat the death curse and all but destroyed V in the process. How on earth did that happen? I'm just guessing that maybe his folks were working on countercurses and the like and maybe had managed to do something to make Harry able to resist. Based on what DD said, it had to do with love and sacrifice, the ultimate charm.

(ding!)

I wonder if it has anything to do with the spoiler about loyalty and unbearable sacrifice?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

too late for coffee. Maybe a cup of tea. And an eraser.

sigh

Raven

May 27th, 2003, 3:55 am

I think that part of the reason why Harry is so good at DADA is that he is a VERY powerful magician. More powerful than Voldemort. Remember at the end of GoF, when they are dueling, and the wands have connected? There were little beads of light along the strands that connected the wands. Harry uses everything that he's got, everything that he is, and is able to force those little beads of light into Voldie's wand. That he was able to do that seems to indicate that he is more powerful than Voldemort.

whizbang121

May 27th, 2003, 3:57 am

Raven,

Good point! Well taken.

whizbang121

May 29th, 2003, 2:13 am

...... but why?

Raven

May 29th, 2003, 2:42 am

Runs in the family I guess. I believe in PoA, McGonagal described James Potter as "top of the class". I betcha Lily was the same way. Put them together, and what do you get? A VERY powerful son.

whizbang121

May 29th, 2003, 1:05 pm

Well, while that's probably the right answer, it seems uninteresting, somehow.
23 days.

FawkesBox

June 3rd, 2003, 5:20 pm

The Longbottoms, however, were two powerfuls wizards, we assume: Frank was a powerful auror. But look at Neville... there must be some other factor beyond were genetics.

sarcasticx514

June 3rd, 2003, 5:51 pm

Originally posted by great will (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=330728#post330728))
Remember what Dumbledor said about Harry's scar?
Because of it, Harry is able to talk to snakes. Maybe Voltermort passed more than that gift to Harry the night he lost his powers. I mean his lost powers had to go somewhere. Why not into Harry.

There is no doubt that Voldemort passed some powers to Harry. Maybe voldemort had the counter-curse, for the 3 deadly curses', and Harry isn't affected because of that? And the reason he didn't get killed was the ancient magic Lily bestowed on him?

FawkesBox

June 3rd, 2003, 5:57 pm

That also makes a lot of sense. If Voldemort had"gone farther than any other on the path to immortality" (or whatever the quote is) and this would include a protection against Avada Kedavra. If Voldemort passed some of his powers to Harry (probably through casting Avada Kedavra) then Harry would also have that protection. However- Voldemort did not have a problem with this when he killed Frank Bryce, or Cedric Diggory- perhaps the protection resided solely in Voldemort's other body.

whizbang121

June 3rd, 2003, 8:44 pm

I think we're giving Voldy too much credit. He killed others before, including James. Nothing like that happened before. Why couldn't he kill Harry? What exactly did Lily do to save him? I think someone (Moody/Crouch jr?) said that the avada was the only curse that had no countercurse. Did Lily invent one or discover something ancient and forgotten?

Raven

June 4th, 2003, 3:36 am

Maybe, its because Lily is the first person to truely sacrifice herself for her child. The other mothers of children who were killed, may not have been given the chance to step aside.

whizbang121

June 4th, 2003, 3:32 pm

Still too simple.

FawkesBox

June 4th, 2003, 9:26 pm

I agree with you whizbang! There simply has to be more there than just that- maybe Lily's charm combined with Voldemort's transformations created some strange new effect.

whizbang121

June 4th, 2003, 9:54 pm

Ancient magic, a charm most likely, that may require the ultimate sacrifice. But just dying for him I don't think could have stopped V.

FawkesBox

June 5th, 2003, 4:54 am

That makes sense- perhaps all ancient magics require some sort of sacrifice- maybe that's waht happened to Mr. Figg ;)

However, with seeing only a minimum of "ancient magics" I think that it is unlikely- yet- that we can decide either way whether or not this spell could have given Harry this lasting defense.

whizbang121

June 5th, 2003, 1:47 pm

pure speculation. I don't expect to read jkr's mind. I want to be surprised and awed with each new book, too. But this is fun and I love hearing everyone's ideas and trying to tie things together. After I read OotP a couple of times, I'll probably turn to fanfic for sanity. Right now, though, some of it is so good it just confuses me. I can't remember where I read what.

Harry-Dawg

June 10th, 2003, 4:21 pm

I think that Harry is good at DADA because of the scar. Doesn't the scar give him special powers? For one thing how could Harry throw off the Imperius Curse in just a manner of a classperiod, while grown wizards can not fight it and it took Barty Croutch, who is supposed to be strong in magic, several months to throw it off.

whizbang121

June 10th, 2003, 5:51 pm

It has to be more than the scar. He has the scar because he has some kind of protection or innate ability, that is trained to become skill, against dark arts. Otherwise, instead of having a scar, he'd be dead.
But isn't it DD who mentions scars can be useful? He has a scar that looks like a map of the London underground. Harry's scar is useful in warning him of the proximity of the big V and the level of danger he presents. It may do more, besides give Harry blinding headaches in the next book. lol

FawkesBox

June 10th, 2003, 6:15 pm

I agree that this is a possibility. Remember when everyone cursed Malfoy at once on the train and the curses "mutated" each other, combining to form some new awful combination of them? Perhaps Lily's charm and Voldemort's curse combined in this way to grant Harry powers.

whizbang121

June 10th, 2003, 6:35 pm

Originally posted by FawkesBox (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=362734#post362734))
I agree that this is a possibility. Remember when everyone cursed Malfoy at once on the train and the curses "mutated" each other, combining to form some new awful combination of them? Perhaps Lily's charm and Voldemort's curse combined in this way to grant Harry powers.

Interesting! A protection charm and a death curse meet in mid air and ....

Very interesting and good observation of a seemingly minor occurence that could be a big hint. Keep that thought.

whizbang121

September 22nd, 2003, 5:37 pm

hey!

hesdead-dealwithit

September 23rd, 2003, 11:56 pm

Interesting! A protection charm and a death curse meet in mid air and ....

I go for the simple answer. For one, I don't think what Lily used was a "protection charm" or anything like that. Remember, it was "ancient magic" and I believe that ancient magic is magic before people (for the most part) used wands, and it really is just an extension of emotions. So Lily's protection was just an extension of love, something that all people, Muggle or not, have in a small bit, that wizards are just better at utilizing, and that wands focus that power even more. So Lily's protection, to me, was not something that could "connect" with a death curse, but was just plain old love, that anyone, Muggle or not, could do (although Muggles couldn't focus it enough for it to leave protection). She might not have even realized what she was doing. Why don't we go with what the books tell us, and not try to create elaborate extra theories?

whizbang121

September 24th, 2003, 6:04 am

Well. all of the posts before Hey! were made before OotP came out, so we didn't have the prophesy, etc.
The protection from Lily's sacrifice is interesting, but JKR says we won't learn much about Lily until book seven.

This thread is titled, Harry's skill at DADA. I was hoping we could pick it up in the light of the events in OotP.
Why is Harry so good at defense against the dark arts? The powers transferred from Voldemort in the failed curse? His parents? Something he was born with? All of the above?

hesdead-dealwithit

September 24th, 2003, 1:15 pm

Well. all of the posts before Hey! were made before OotP came out, so we didn't have the prophesy, etc.
The protection from Lily's sacrifice is interesting, but JKR says we won't learn much about Lily until book seven.

Oops, sorry about that, didn't see that - I thought this was a current thread. I agree, let's keep this up, and with the original topic.

Picko

September 24th, 2003, 1:39 pm

Well Harry's parents thrice escaped from Voldemort which suggests they were adequate at DADA, plus they were amongst the best students at the school when they were there. From that you could say that some of it's genetics. Of course the very nature of the prophecy means that Harry cannot be killed by anyone but Voldemort so he's bound to show brilliant DADA skills against anyone else :)

FawkesBox

September 25th, 2003, 12:20 am

[Pretty]_[Unicorn]

September 25th, 2003, 12:26 am

I think Harry will train during the last years he has left at Hogwarts to be an Auror but if he beat Voldemort, as someone said, there wouldn't be much use for him as an Auror. Then I think he will become a Quidditch player to take it easy and to do something he loves because of all the evil things he had gone through, Quidditch would relax his mind.

whizbang121

September 25th, 2003, 12:35 am

I think that it would be productive to put together a time-line of when Harry and Neville were born and when the prophecy came out. Would be possible that, knowing the prophecy, the Longbottoms and the Potters could have conceived children knowing that they would be mere weapons to :elaugh: destroy Voldemort?
There's some lively discussion on the prophesy here.
http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=18280&page=13&pp=30
Some new blood ... I mean ideas, ideas would be good there. :eyebrows:

How about the powers that Voldemort transferred to Harry in the scar?

PrtVeela

September 25th, 2003, 1:15 am

jaconner

October 21st, 2004, 8:37 pm

I think harry will better the wizarding world and teach DADA after deafting Voldemort. He was already teaching others in DA.

darkarts9

October 22nd, 2004, 2:59 am

Maybe this is the answer to the question from jks chat where she said that one student will possibly become a teacher. Harry's experience in this area allows him to be a candidate while in school and if after the defeat of Voldemort he will also be even more capable as an auror career would be less of a use.

harp230

October 22nd, 2004, 3:02 am

Actually she mentioned that Harry has seen too much action to be a teacher and she nixed ron too. Frankly unless Neville teaches Herbology. i have no vague idea....

whizbang121

December 17th, 2004, 11:45 pm

Machiavelli

December 17th, 2004, 11:48 pm

whizbang121..hrmm what about them ;)

I think Harry will hopefully be able to use these powers twoards good and not evil, I think that this is quite possible for him to do with help. Considering Harry already possess the qualities that Voldemort admires, and instead of using them for evil (as we already know) he uses them for the betterment of the wizarding world.

(i just figured "uses them for the betterment of the wizarding world, sounded better than just saying "good")You know, I really like the way you've put this. It always sort of bothered me that there was anything of Voldemort in Harry - but you're absolutely right. The powers themselves are neither good nor bad - it's what the wizard does with them (geez I'm dim, can't believe I haven't really thought about this in this way before... ). So Harry speaking parselftongue doesn't make him a bad wizard (although so many people assume it does) and he uses that ability to do something positive... excellent.