Harry Potter's Power

[blaqlives]

Discussion of the editorial Harry Potter's Power by Phil Hair.

[Pale_Empress]

Very good editorial, Phil - firmly based in canon, not too esoteric. One of the best I've read recently. I think I agree with most of your conclusions - will go away & think about it for a while. Not sure whether or not Snape will train the DEs further but I think your analysis of his opinion of Harry is spot on.

[OldMrToad]

Excellent editorial. I too agree with almost all of your hypotheses. We'll just have to wait for JKR's final word. Now to go think about all this..
Thanks for stirring the pot...

OMT

[SirMordred]

Nice editorial. I'd be interested in seeing if other people can locate more instances of Harry using a jinx or spell that is either exceedingly powerful or more of what you'd expect - and whether it falls in line with your theory. One thought on that is the attack by dementors on Harry and Dudley. As I recall, he invoked lumos without having hold of his wand (he may not be a fan of Dudley, but he is family). I don't have OTP handy, but I wonder how JKR describes the spells he uses. You may certainly be on to something there. Not sure about the prediction about the wedding and retreat to #4 Privet, but I can certainly see Harry's realization surfacing in some form of attack that may take place at the wedding. Well done.

[PotterPig]

That was excellent. I loved how you quoted passages showing Harry's spells working excessively well. I had never noticed that before. I agree that Harry's friendships will be his strongest assett.

[DrFlamelPhD]

I'd be interested in seeing if other people can locate more instances of Harry using a jinx or spell that is either exceedingly powerful or more of what you'd expect

Remember at the end of OotP when Bellatrix has just killed Sirius and Harry runs after her? Remember when they pass through the brain room, Harry does a wingardium leviosa and lifts ALL the brains off the floor!

From book 1 I got the impression that spell is typically used for only one object. But Harry, in his love for Sirius and hate for the witch who killed him, takes the spell to a whole other level.

[sinistrari]

You had me up until the bit about Snape leading/training Death Eaters. Ignoring my "Severus is Good" picket sign, it's still difficult to tell what position dear Severus will hold (in either camp, though particularly Voldemort's) in the future. On one hand, the Dark Lord could be thoroughly delighted that Snape accomplished the daunting task of slaying ol' Dumbledore. On the other, Voldemort could be equally enraged that Snape had a) accomplished a task which Voldemort, himself, could never accomplish, and/or b) performed the task specifically designated for Draco (despite the certainty of Draco's failure). Just my two cents on that.

Otherwise, excellent points. I, too, hadn't noticed the significantly more powerful effects of Harry's spells, when defending someone else; but now I wonder how I could have missed it.

I also tend to agree that something important -- possibly, even likely, a confrontation, as you suggested -- will occur during Fleur and Bill's wedding. I will be quite interested to see just what happens.

Good thinking.

[GryffSolider]

I very very very much agree about your conclusion on threatened loved one=more powerful magical KAPOW ...that I think you made plainly obvious I can't believe I missed that...Harry magic powers, and casted spells are always more power packed when he is corned or a loved one is threaten...I'm still on the fence about Snape, thou whatever the truth about him, he's no angel and truely is a slimy git.

[FeverFudge]

wow. just wow. this is one of the best editorials I've read since HBP came out. I've been a bit skeptical of the attack at the wedding but now, with your reasoning, it just makes sense. Great editorial Phil!

[loona]

Wow great editorial. Haven't read a goodone in a while. I've had much of the same thoughts. But you took some of my thoughts just a bit further. Well done. BTW I see you live in Clearwater. I live in that area ... up in HUdson to be exact.

[Beatriceblake]

Well reasoned article. I am not sure what will happen at the wedding. I think either there will be trouble at the wedding or it will be a relatively happy and untroubled event that takes place before the start of Book 7.

[Dedalus Diggle]

It's well-explained, although I still don't buy that Snape is really on Voldemort's side (he's not good either, but he's against Voldemort). I had long noticed that under certain circumstances, when Harry is giving it his all without being self-conscious, he is awesomely powerful (like Ron as a keeper when he forgets people are watching him). Another good example is the Sectumsempra - when Snape does it in SWM, James gets an unpleasant cut, but when Harry does it to Draco, Draco is nearly torn in two.

[focusf1]

I really like this editorial. Though maybe its becasue I read so many essays assuming Good!Snape its wierd to read one with him being Bad!Snape. Overall great reasoning - just a few things though.

It is my opinion that after his victory, Snape will lead the Death Eaters in Book 7
In a better position with the Dark Lord maybe - but LV's need to be chief in control and to not let his followers get too attached to each other prevents me from thinking this. Though maybe Snape will take Malfoy's place....

With Dumbledore dead (the ONE wizard that Voldemort feared), Voldemort is likely to become more confident, more bold.
Yes, I am sure that that was the whole point of DD dying at Snape's hand - to ingratiate Snape in the Dark Lord's favour and to give LV a false sense of security. Do you see how Snape could be Good!Snape? At the beginning of HBP - Snape seems in the doghouse with LV. We can tell this as Wormtail is stationed with him at Spinner's End. So while ingratiating himself with the Dark Lord by killing DD, and downplaying Harry Potter to the Dark Lord and all his followers, he is effectively putting them on a false offensive - the ease to make rash mistakes. Some of the stuff he says to Bella and Narcissa is a blatent lie and not just a bended truth!

I totally agree with you that when Harry or anyone close to him is threatened his power amplifies. He possesses a vast energy for elemental magic, and even wandless magic as seen when Marge insults his mother and father. I think that this is a true telling of the power he possesses - and whats it fueled by ? LOVE. He loves his parents and that is what took its revenge on Marge. He loved Sirius and removed LV from possessing him. He loved his friends to protect them in the DoM. Even love for Dudley summoned light from his wand lying feet away.

I love the leadership thing at the end - so inspirational and so true. It just shows - Harry chose not to be a sociopathic victim of circumstance like Tom Riddle did. He, like Tom, had no-one who loved him yet he made a choice in life and those choices now leave him with more friends and family than most. He is a natural at choosing "what is right, over what is easy." I wonder how Snape fits in with this - as their is definitly a dynamic between Harry/Snape/Riddle.

[jamiesquirrel]

this was a wonderful editorial, i agree with every point, except with the fight at #4 and snape being evil.(i just can't believe he could fool Dumbledore) Beautiful, beautiful, i applaude you.

Excellent editorial, well thought out and written. It is rare that I am in complete agreement with an editorial but, this time, there is nothing of note I disagree with.

I have considered the possibility of a death eater attack at Bill and Feur's wedding although I don't want it to happen since we are going to need some good news at some stage early in book 7.

I agree with you that Snape is evil and that he will become a major player in the death eater army, probably Voldemort's right hand man, although he obviously wont lead it while Voldemort is alive.

[DaRocketMan]

Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! A very concise analysis of the situation. I don't think that I have every read an editorial that had swayed me so much, and I mean that implicitly. I never post replies to editorials because they are usually very shallow and against my opinions, but this is an exception. Great Job!


A question though: I don't have GoF handy, and I know that in the movie Hermione says that she heard about the Amazing Patronus and Dementors from Snape telling Dumbledore, but I forget what the book says on the subject.

Did Hermione overhear Snape telling Dumbledore about Harry's Patronus?

Keep writing editorials, you’re a natural!

[KZan]

Fabulous editorial! Very clear and concise.

However, I'm still not buying bad Snape, because I think it unlikely that J.K would clarify that question in chapter 2 of the book, and I think he is an ideal character to demonstrate the power of redemption.......and I think that, as he knew who gave the fateful prophesy, Trelawney would long ago have been abducted by Voldemort if Snape were truly faithful to him.

One thing you did do though, is make me really question my belief in good Snape, and your argument for Harry being powerful is first rate. I suppose the fact that he doesn't possess all of the skills and experience of Dd and Vmcould blind us to this fact.

[Chas]

Nice work Phil! I especially like how you bring out Harry's extraordinary power when he's defending someone and love is involved. Of course, your speculaton about Book 7 is just that, and we must wait and see what will really happen.

One factual correction. In the book, unlike the movie, Harry did not kill Quirrell. Quirrell died when Voldemort left him. Harry just repelled Quirrell with his hands, and Quirrellmort could not touch him enough to harm him. This means that Harry still has not actually killed anyone. His soul is intact.

And I wonder about another point. In the Book 4 Priori Incantatem scene, Harry actually defeated Voldemort, because he managed to turn the spell from his wand back to Voldemort's. Snape, as you say, would not know that, but he should have been smart enough to figure it out.

Keep up the good work, Phil.

[blessed_dragon]

Eh, it's a nicely written editorial but I don't really agree with anything said. Harry has a lot of power behind him but for the most part I agree with Snape, who I firmly believe was working for Dumbledore. Harry's a kid with a lot of luck and destroying Horcruxes won't be about waving your wand and having something big happen. He will have to actually use that brain of his.

[hgfan]

excellent editorial, Phil. In CoS, Harry had some magic moments which were excessively powerful before he learned he was a wizard - landing on the roof of the school when he was trying to escape bullying was 'overshooting' a bit.

I agree that there will be 'action' of some sort at Bill and Fleur's wedding; and for some time I have wondered about JKR's creating Fleur as 1/4 Veela, and now Bill is part werewolf. I think this is important - but I'm not sure how (apart from giving Molly and Arthur some genetically interesting grandkids). Thoughts, anyone? Does being a werewolf or veela give any extra protection and/or power that would be a help to Harry et al? It is funny to think of LV drooling over Fleur a la Ron, but I don't think that is going to happen.