Harry's Secret Powers (i.e.--is he a metamorphmagus?)

[Ginny Potter]

I hope I spelled that correctly! Since we met Tonks in book 5, I've been wondering about this. She said metamorphmaguses are born rather than made. In book 1 (I think), it mentions how angry the Dursleys would get about Harry's hair being too long and shaggy in their opinion and how they got it cut really short (sorry, I don't have my book!). Then, it said Harry's hair grew three inches overnight. Would that be an instance of being a metamorphmagus? If Harry is in fact a metamorphmagus, how do you think he might use that to his advantage in books 6 and 7? How much can you alter your appearance I wonder?

We know Harry is a parselmouth (something he got from Voldemort)...what other special powers--perhaps unknown to him thus far--does Harry have? He certainly seems to relatively unaffected by venom (i.e.--book 2 in the Chamber and book 4 in the maze)...does that have to do with the Prophecy? Is the only one/thing who/that can kill Harry Voldemort thus anything else will not work?

What are your thoughts?

[Tanuki]

Ummmm, that would also move me, but he hasn't shown any other physical transformations since then, and a metamorphmagus would probably have shown it at one other point. If Harry had changed his hair color, or maybe done it when his hair was okay, then I might have agreed. As it is, the fact that Tonks basically made it obvious that he can't do those things. I think his hair growing back was merely a magical reaction to his panic

[Heidi_hoho]

but the question was unanswered by Tonks. She sorta changes the subject to his scar. When questions are unanswered, they are usually important and come up again. Also, he looks like a mix of both of his parents. Maybe he subconsciously doesn't want to change, so he isn't. He might be a metamorphagus. Of course, he might not be one. I can see arguments for both sides.

[carsten]

...He might be a metamorphagus. Of course, he might not be one. I can see arguments for both sides.

I hope he isn't one. It would put too many powers and abilities into his person. His burdens are sufficient I think. And what would Tonks be good for? Just a role model for him? I think she will play a greater role in the upcoming books on her own, helping and supporting him.

Maybe a metamorphagus has the usual half-breed problem in the wizarding community. I am almost sure that the pure-bloods have some conserns about her.

[Hagger 9003]

im not sure. its a good idea, but i dont know how u could not have the ability without discovering it. the amount of times hes wished that his scar wasnt there, i think it would have worked at least once if he was a metamorphmagus.
i dont think they are looked down on, mainly because there arent that many of them around. it seems a pretty rare skill, and its hard to tell if someone is one or not.

[darkcloak]

And what would Tonks be good for? Just a role model for him? I think she will play a greater role in the upcoming books on her own, helping and supporting him.

Me too. Perhaps a decoy Harry?

[Manticore]

yeah, i mean it makes sense that he might be, JKR does introduce minor things that will later play major roles in the plot, but i don't think that this is one of them, he would have noticed by now, i don't really think that that is something that one wouldn't know about themselves

[Bextra]

i dont think that hes a whatever you call them (im not even going to try spelling that) because other wise he would have been able to change the appearance or hide his scar. plus didnt he ask tonks whether you could learn how to become one.

[Athena Appleton]

I hope I spelled that correctly! Since we met Tonks in book 5, I've been wondering about this. She said metamorphmaguses are born rather than made. In book 1 (I think), it mentions how angry the Dursleys would get about Harry's hair being too long and shaggy in their opinion and how they got it cut really short (sorry, I don't have my book!). Then, it said Harry's hair grew three inches overnight. Would that be an instance of being a metamorphmagus? If Harry is in fact a metamorphmagus, how do you think he might use that to his advantage in books 6 and 7? How much can you alter your appearance I wonder?

We know Harry is a parselmouth (something he got from Voldemort)...what other special powers--perhaps unknown to him thus far--does Harry have? He certainly seems to relatively unaffected by venom (i.e.--book 2 in the Chamber and book 4 in the maze)...does that have to do with the Prophecy? Is the only one/thing who/that can kill Harry Voldemort thus anything else will not work?

What are your thoughts?

Regular magic can be used (and has been used) to morph appearance in different situations. Hermione grew tusks and also had her teeth shrunk. Somewhere there's mention of teenagers trying to magic away pimples. Since it wasn't an actual feature change, just his hair regrowing, and since it happened without his knowing it (unlike Tonks, who had to concentrate and scrunch up her face in order to morph), I think it was just accidental magic.

[Mrs. Luca Black]

He certainly seems to relatively unaffected by venom (i.e.--book 2 in the Chamber and book 4 in the maze)...does that have to do with the Prophecy? Is the only one/thing who/that can kill Harry Voldemort thus anything else will not work

I think people put a bit too much by the prophecy. The way Dumbledore made it sound to me was that the reason that only one of them could live while the other survived was that Voldemort would continue to pursue and try to kill Harry until one of them was dead. I don't think there is anything that sets them apart from everyone else in who can kill them. I think anything could kill them if they're in the proper state (this makes more sense if you've read HBP, but I won't add spoilers).

I think the prophecy also had more to do with the circumstances around everything instead of the people involved. More a matter of Harry defeated Voldemort the first time because of Lily's sacrifice, not because of anything special about Harry.

This is just my theory though. Things Dumbledore has said sound like they go along with this, but other things he's said/done don't, so maybe it's valid but maybe not.

[Athena Appleton]

He certainly seems to relatively unaffected by venom (i.e.--book 2 in the Chamber and book 4 in the maze)...does that have to do with the Prophecy? Is the only one/thing who/that can kill Harry Voldemort thus anything else will not work

He was affected by venom, he almost died, it was the Phoenix's healing tears that saved him. If I'm not mistaken, the Phoenix also healed the spider venom, but it wasn't quite as noticeable because of the trauma he had just gone through.

I think people put a bit too much by the prophecy. The way Dumbledore made it sound to me was that the reason that only one of them could live while the other survived was that Voldemort would continue to pursue and try to kill Harry until one of them was dead. I don't think there is anything that sets them apart from everyone else in who can kill them. I think anything could kill them if they're in the proper state (this makes more sense if you've read HBP, but I won't add spoilers).

I think the prophecy also had more to do with the circumstances around everything instead of the people involved. More a matter of Harry defeated Voldemort the first time because of Lily's sacrifice, not because of anything special about Harry.

This is just my theory though. Things Dumbledore has said sound like they go along with this, but other things he's said/done don't, so maybe it's valid but maybe not.

The prophesy is weird: the only thing that made it a big deal is because Voldemort made it a big deal. Now, the prophesy is a pretty important thing, but like they said in either OotP or HBP (sorry, I'm off my game right now ) if they had just shook hands and went about their merry ways, the prophesy would have joined the many others that came to nothing. Now, though, the prophesy will be fulfilled. Voldemort choosing Harry and attacking him (or if he would have chosen Neville and attacked him) set the events in the prophesy in motion, not Trelawny actually giving the prophesy.

[Ginny Potter]

If we're going to discuss HBP on this thread, it should probably be moved to one of the HBP areas...

[Mrs. Luca Black]

If we're going to discuss HBP on this thread, it should probably be moved to one of the HBP areas...

What Athena was talking about is in OotP. Beside's it's not a plot spoiler.

[Ginny Potter]

I'm well aware of that, but if this has the potential to go into HBP territory, wouldn't it be better for it to be moved? If we reference HBP, that would be a plot-spoiler...but that's just my opinion.

[Athena Appleton]

I'm with Ginny. Everything I said was from OotP, not HBP, but thanks for the reminder, I hadn't realized I wasn't in the HBP section.