Whoever's Apprentice

I've been doing this project where I've had to read a lot of kids' books from the past two decades--which is never a chore. I thought of one I've been reading during a few recent conversations in fandom--one was a post about fictional incompetence (f'locked so I won't link to it) that I totally agreed with--basically it was talking about having trouble liking characters who, if they weren't good people, weren't at least competent at whatever they were doing.

The other was recent conversations on HP4GU about disappointment with Harry's magical development in HBP, the way he didn't seem to really progress magically at all. I didn't feel that way myself because it just doesn't ever seem to me that JKR's created a magical system where Harry needs to progress that way--it seemed more important that he got insights into Slytherin, because Harry's magical abilities tend to be more about his character in extreme situations. He pulls it out when he needs to, or discovers he has a natural talent for something without it necessarily tying into his personality at all. Complex magic is just kind of vague, while Harry’s classes aren’t really so different now than they ever were. (Usually it’s more a case of the kids needing to be stronger than the magic being more complex.)

( And it all just made me think about how I find learning such a turn-on. )