Well, I was lying n bed last night thinking, and I came up with the idea that occlumency is the reason Dumbledore is insanly happy most of the time, Sanpe is dead bitter most of the time, and Voldemort is unreasonably angry most of the time.

You could hve it that when you learn occlumency, it takes the emotion that has been most prevelant in your life, or that has been most influencial in your life or something, and it makes it a permanent part of your personality. Like, Dumbledore had a happy childhood, so when he learned occlumency in his early 20's happiness was permanently entrenched in the way he acts. Snape had a bitter and resentful childhood so that was what made him become the way is is now. Voldemort had a childhood filled with anger and hate, so he became the crazy wierdo his is now.

You could introduce this whilst having Harry learn occlumency. For his main emotion I was thinking apathy, because of the way he learned to ignore the way he was treated by the Dursleys. Or you could have it as something else. If it was more of an angst fic, you could have it as loneliness or something.

Hope someone finds this useful and I would appreciate some feed back over it.

 

That's a good way to do a complete overhaul of Harry's character.

 

Very interesting concept that works very well for most fanfiction. Only problem for me is that I always see Dumbledore having a slightly troubled chldhood in some way or another. Eh, just me I suppose.

 

Would make for a good ruthless!Harry fic.

No, not apathetic in that he doesn't ever smile, no emotions, and etc, but just doesn't care.

 

i was just thinking, it would also be a good way to go if you are wanting a more dark harry, by having his central emotion as anger of some sort.

If you are wanting to do a Harry who chases all the girls, then the emotion could be lust. I think that would make a very good comedy. Have Harry leave at the end of 5th eyar as the boy who is depressed and wouldn't recognise sex if it bit him in the balls, and have him come back as the guy who relentlessly pursues every female teacehr in Hogwarts, perhaps to the extent that Trelawny even refuses to read his fortune for him, and Pince has books charmed to attack whenever he enters the library. Could be quite funny.

 

^That would make a nice oneshot.

Mind if I try it as a chapter in The Insane Adventures of Harry Potter?

 

go ahead amersion, knock yourself out, i think it would be a good chapter as well.

 

I don't like the emo thing much, but how about... some type of connection with nature to some an extent? Or some enchating (he could enchant the trees to become alive), and for the nature thing, he could have some connection to nature... that grants him some type of ability of nature affinite?

 

I think the best way to use this would be to turn Harry into a whiny, depressed bitch (because he learned Occlumency while he was grieving for Sirius).

Just imagine, ultra-cool Dark Harry killing death-eaters all over the place while crying like a bitch and appologizing to each one, saying it was his fault. Mind you, his actions should stay the same (independant and dark), just the mindset get all screwed up.

 

That would be, very odd and annoying to read.

 

That would be freaky, but funny as hell to read!
I reckon that the best way to block out intuders is to focus on something completely, a bit like meditation?
And i don't think so, becuase that would mean Bumble theory No.1 would be right. in other words lurve is the power that will defeat the dark lord! *shudders*

 

I also dislike the term "occlumency shields." That's why, in my story, I specifically state that it is incorrect to think of it as shields and more acceptable to "clear your mind" of the thoughts you don't want your opponent to detect. "Selective memory."

I like the idea of occlumency locking you into a specific emotion. I would rather read on where it is a possitive emotion, or apathy, rather than a negative one. There are too many depressing or angry stories as it is.

 

If that theory works, then canon!Harry with Occlumency training would act like a dumbass the whole time?

 

not nesessarily, because dumbassness isn't really an emotion or state of mind. Its more like a occupation or habit. I would think that canon!harry would become very timid or soemthing like that.

 

I always felt that way was really boring. I mean, if all you have to do is clear your mind then it's really not much of a branch of magic, I always thought it would be better if Occlumency was a way of organizing, shielding, and protecting your mind. Maybe using it to resist poisons, remember things you couldn't do normally, etc. If it's as simple as keeping your thoughts blank then it seems like basic meditation and nothing more, IMO. I believe in HBP Snape used Legillimecy to predict what curses Harry was going to use and block them before he could get even half way through the incantation, that's clearly more then just viewing memories as Legillimecy was during Harry's lessons in OotP. If Legillimecy is more then viewing memories, Occlumency should be more than blanking your mind and nothing else, I think.

 

Also, i just thought of something. If all you do is "clear your mind", How the hell is that stopping Tommy-With-A-Gun getting into Harry's mind? It's a very good question i think. And plus Harry would be locked in boredom. After everything he's been through, everything must become boring, surely:?: