Here's to Parry Otter!

[abigail89]

*skids into class late*

I forgot!!!

Chapter 22: After the BurialHarry's really feeling the pressure to get the memory about the horocruxes from Slughorn as the chapter opens. Ron suggests that he use the "lucky potion." Though reluctant to use it (because he was saving it for sometime involving Ginny--hormone alert!!), he decides to take a swig

Comments

pensive

[woman_ironing]

But Slughorn is played big-time by should-have-been-Slytherin Harry. He uses his mother's death to wheedle and connive Slughorn into giving him the missing memory.

Hmm, Harry has learnt a lot from watching Tom Riddle in the pensieve, hasn't he? The famous (fanon) Harry determination shows here. He's relentless and doesn't seem to have any qualms about exploiting Lily's death to get what he wants. It's a good job there's only one book left - any more and determination might have time to turn into ruthlessness.

Re: pensive

[abigail89]

I guess he has learnt a thing or two from watching Riddle (know thy enemy!). Watching Harry here was nearly painful as he used his own mother's death as a tool to get what he wanted. But to not suffer any pangs of guilt afterwards,...well, I was a bit put off by that. Harry does have an ethical sense and it seems he crosses the line here. Felix Felicitus may empower you, but it doesn't make you forget what you've done.

Re: pensive

[cadesama]

Why should he feel any pangs? I should think he ought to have felt resentment that Slughorn professed to love Lily but refused to help the cause she died for before now, instead of feeling guilty about using the memory of his mother's death to spur a coward into helping the war effort.

Re: pensive

[woman_ironing]

You're absolutely right about Slughorn, but couldn't Harry have tried to reason with him rather than bribe him, get him pissed, and then lay a guilt trip on him?

What? Get real girl! (Snorts with laughter.)

I guess it's fair enough that Harry finally gets something out of all his loss and suffering.

Re: pensive

[abigail89]

Because I consider Harry to be basically an ethical character and I think using his mother's memory like this is beneath him. Hence another problem I have with this book.

Re: pensive

[cadesama]

I agree that Harry is a generally ethical character, but I think that whether his use of his mother's memory here as an ethical problem is largely an issue of perspective. You can easily say that Harry is manipulating Slughorn, but I think that implies a level of dishonesty which is not present in the conversation. Harry doesn't demand, he asks. He actually forgives Slughorn his mistake with Tom Riddle, and he assures Slughorn that it is a noble thing to do. From a certain perspective, you could even say that Harry doesn't wheedle the information out of Slughorn, but instead inspires Slughorn to do the right thing in his mother's name. I don't think what he does is beneath him at all.

Re: pensive

[cadesama]

Hmm, Harry has learnt a lot from watching Tom Riddle in the pensieve, hasn't he?

Actually, in just the next chapter Harry identifies with Riddle's manipulation method becuase "[he] had had too much experience of trying to wheedle information out of reluctant people not to recognize a master a work" (497US). I rather think that Harry didn't learn from watching Riddle in the Pensieve, but is just well practiced at this himself.

any more and determination might have time to turn into ruthlessness.

At this point, I think some ruthlessness might be a good thing.