Harry Potter IV - Spoilers welcome!

[Crothian]

When he focuses on learning something, he has shown more ability than the other students of his class. The Patronus he conjured in the third movie/book is years ahead of what he should be able to do. He is well ahead of everyone else in magic that matters to him, defense against the dark arts.

Um, he was okay when he was being taught...but it wasn't until he realized he had done it that he was able to do it. I don't think shows his skill, I think that's like me seeing my future self make a full court basket ball shot and since I know at this time I'm predestenied to make the shot I go ahead and make the shot.

 

[Rykion]

Um, he was okay when he was being taught...but it wasn't until he realized he had done it that he was able to do it. I don't think shows his skill, I think that's like me seeing my future self make a full court basket ball shot and since I know at this time I'm predestenied to make the shot I go ahead and make the shot.

Any Patronus at all would be more than a 3rd year should be able to do. In the books at least, he got good enough to conjure it regularly when being taught. The Patronus he conjured to save himself and Sirius was powerful enough to scare away a large group of dementors. It is something very few full grown wizards could accomplish. Realizing he had seen himself doing it before gave him confidence, but confidence is nothing without ability. In your basketball analogy, it would be like a 13 year old regularly making a half court shot and then making a full court one once he realized he was strong enough to do it. In the books, you see that Harry excels at defense against the dark arts in books 3+. By book 5, classmates and older students are asking him to teach them.

 

[Crothian]

Any Patronus at all would be more than a 3rd year should be able to do. In the books at least, he got good enough to conjure it regularly when being taught.

In school the kids who got the extra lessons and got the teachers to personally help them usually exceled in the course as well. This is not about personal talent, it is about extra practice, extra teaching and learning. Ya, he did things unusual for kids his age but kids his age are also not being given the oppurtunity and personal lessons to do so. Also, he is driven to learn since it will save his life. That ype of motivation will even have the not talented people do pretty darn good. Ya, Harry does things that normal kids his aage can't but only because of Harry's unique circumstances and extra help he gets.

 

[Rykion]

That is true to an extent, but it is like a 6th grader learning algebra in a system that teaches it in 9th grade. The student will probably need a personal tutor, but that doesn't make algebra something most 6th graders are ready to learn.

 

[Crothian]

That is true to an extent, but it is like a 6th grader learning algebra in a system that teaches it in 9th grade. The student will probably need a personal tutor, but that doesn't make algebra something most 6th graders are ready to learn.

I think if the 6th grader realizes that some big bad is going to probably kill him and algebra is his only defense, he gets ready pretty fast.

 

[Rykion]

I think if the 6th grader realizes that some big bad is going to probably kill him and algebra is his only defense, he gets ready pretty fast.

True as well, but isn't a 23 year old that has finished medical school to save himself/herself from an unknown disease still exceptional? Exceptional ability is still needed to learn things more advanced than normally taught at a certain age, regardless of extra teaching.

Edit: Must slow down to make myself readable.
Edit, the second: I also believe that the books do a much better job of showing Harry as having exceptional abilities. He does seem pretty average by the movies. It is another "cut" that I feel weakens the movies.

 

[Crothian]

If at age 23 Harry gets a magical doctorate then it will be exceptional.

 

[mojo1701]

If at age 23 Harry gets a magical doctorate then it will be exceptional.

Dr. Harry Potter, (the other) M.D.

 

[Crothian]

Dr. Harry Potter, (the other) M.D.

I don't think he will...I think he dies at the end of the 7th book....

 

[mojo1701]

I don't think he will...I think he dies at the end of the 7th book....

Yeah, I had that feeling, too.