Of Pensieves and Memory and Age (oh my!)

[cmwinters]

I had a discussion in my own journal a day or so ago, asking specifically "Why didn't Harry ever think to use a Pensieve to go over his memories of Godric's Hollow? We know that he has SOME memory of them somewhere, because he was able to hear a running commentary of it when the Dementors were around

Comments

[midnitemaraud_r]

Actually, I'm rather under the impression that the reason Harry has never used a pensieve himself is because such an act wouldn't fit in with the plot. She gives us bits and bobs of information in a particular order. For instance, non-verbal spells. There were a few examples in previous books, but they were pretty much mostly done by Dumbledore - and even wandless as well in some instances. But in general, Harry (and therefore we the reader) never really noticed non-verbal spells as being a common thing for older students and adults. Then again, Harry is obviously not very aware of a lot of things - like McLaggen being in Gryffindor. That bothered me mostly because McLaggen is not the type who would blend in into the shadows - he was brash and loud and annoying and I found it hard to believe that for five whole years Harry never really noticed him in either the common room or at the table in the Great Hall.

The thing with putting Harry's memory of Halloween 1981 in a pensieve - it would have been VERY revealing - especially about the horcruxes, considering Voldemort planned to make one using his murder of Harry. It would have given us far too many clues and information that she didn't want us to have. Possibly about Snape, and Peter (I think he was there, too, and he was the one who took Voldemort's wand) and even Voldemort himself. And if you think about it, if pensieve memories are so accurate, why didn't they put Harry's memory from the graveyard scene in GoF into a pensieve as 'proof' for the Ministry that Voldemort was back? There are obviously telltale signs for when a memory is tampered with, as we saw with Slughorn's first memory.

Lots of plot devices she throws out don't follow logic. Why didn't Dumbledore continue with Harry's occlumency lessons. Yes, Voldemort is using occlumency to block Harry now so it's not as vital as it was in OotP, but considering how much more Harry knows now - especially the second half of the prophecy and the new info about Riddle and the horcruxes, isn't it even more important that he be able to block an unwanted legilimens? Will Voldemort block him forever? Hermione was so passionate about S.P.E.W. but it goes unmentioned in HBP. Whatever happened to the Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk carcass? Is it still there decomposing? Nobody ever mentions it anymore, yet the revelation that it existed was pretty important in book two. Why hasn't Harry ever wanted to go to Godric's Hollow before now? Or see/find out where his parents were buried? Or even find out more about them in general? Why does he wait until he's 17 before he asks questions he should have been asking (to Remus and Sirius and even Dumbledore and McGonagall) years ago - saving it for book seven where we'll finally get to know more about James and Lily?

It's all about the plot and her slow, gradual revelation of clues that serve both the main plot on the whole and the particular plot of each book. She likes her secrets and the 'big reveal'. We can't know, therefore Harry can't know, until she wants us to.

[m_ho]

It's all about the plot and her slow, gradual revelation of clues that serve both the main plot on the whole and the particular plot of each book. She likes her secrets and the 'big reveal'. We can't know, therefore Harry can't know, until she wants us to.

This is the line I tow, so far be it from me to actually try to explain some of Rowling's plot holes organically, but here I go: Harry's never looked at his own memories because he's not introspective at all (belying his curiosity), and he's never really had access to a Pensieve. I guess he could ask Dumbledore to borrow his, but Dumbledore would deny him for the same reasons he won't tell Harry why he trusts Snape or deny him with the "it doesn't do to dwell on dreams" line (not exact quote as I am bookless). I guess Harry could buy one, but he's never made an expensive purchase before, and I don't see him starting with a Pensieve.

[cmwinters]

I don't know that Dumbledore would discourage him on the basis of "not being good to dwell on dreams" at all, actually.

Dumbledore's told him that Pensieves help when you have too much going on in your mind and it helps you to straighten your thoughts and view things from a different perspective, but yes, I agree (obviously) that giving one to Harry if it could potentially be harmful to Snape, he wouldn't encourage it. ;P

[m_ho]

Dumbledore's told him that Pensieves help when you have too much going on in your mind and it helps you to straighten your thoughts and view things from a different perspective...

Good point. The Mirror of Erised serves a completely different and opposite purpose, as it is purely dream. I was just thinking that by only revisiting familial moments in the Pensieve, Harry would be focusing on this unattainable dream, even if he were trying to clarify events. But the mirror would probably show things all idealized, whereas the Pensieve would show things as they are, so not very dream-like at all.

[cmwinters]

Speaking of the CoS...in PoA, one of the secret passages out of the school "caved in last year" and I want to know if it's somehow related to the Chamber.

I could explain Harry's not going to GH before as him not having the freedom to do so. He's either been at school, or at the Dursley's, and THEY don't allow him to go to the damned *bathroom* without permission, much less gallivanting off on an adventure.

But yes, I do think he should've been asking more questions.

I'd say that the reason that the Ministry doesn't accept Pensieve memories as proof is A) they can be doctored and B) specifically with regards to Harry and his claims at the end of GoF...they simply didn't want to believe him. So why give him any chance to prove it, specifically by a method known to be tampered with? And I'm quite sure Dumbledore could doctor up a memory quite well.