Was Justin preparing Harry to learn necromancy?

[Rasins]

It's a mostly-universal truth that people forget what they were like as kids. That's why a lot of kids in TV shows are written really unrealistically -- the writers don't remember what real kids are like, so they write them as either miniature adults, or as idiots.

That's for people who haven't been teenagers for 10-20 years. Apply that to someone who hasn't been a kid for 100 years.

I would find it totally believable that Justin just didn't factor in teenage rebellion.

This

[dspringer1]

That said, given that even Butters is apparently a better Wizard then him (in spite of having literally zero magical talent) Harry may well be over-estimating himself.

I think you are overselling your point.   Butters is very intelligent and very creative in using Bob's magic.  But that is a long way from saying Butters is a wizard in any way. 
*  The hard part of being a wizard is actually casting the spell.  It requires skill, concentration, power and knowledge.   Butters clearly lacks the power, skill and concentration required, although with Bob's help he has the knowledge.
*  Most of the work involved in Butter's use of magic is Bob's, not Butters.   
*  Most of the magic we saw used is an application of magic that Harry and Bob has already worked out years ago.  (skate board, potions, etc).  It is applied in creative ways, but the hard design work had already been done.   

Do not get me wrong. Butters is amazing.  It is just not wizardry. 

[Mira]

I think you are overselling your point.   Butters is very intelligent and very creative in using Bob's magic.  But that is a long way from saying Butters is a wizard in any way. 
*  The hard part of being a wizard is actually casting the spell.  It requires skill, concentration, power and knowledge.   Butters clearly lacks the power, skill and concentration required, although with Bob's help he has the knowledge.
*  Most of the work involved in Butter's use of magic is Bob's, not Butters.   
*  Most of the magic we saw used is an application of magic that Harry and Bob has already worked out years ago.  (skate board, potions, etc).  It is applied in creative ways, but the hard design work had already been done.   

Do not get me wrong. Butters is amazing.  It is just not wizardry.

Totally agree, what Butters has done with Bob's help is more science based than magic.  Like the bombs that he used in Skin Game..  None of it makes him any less amazing..

[wardenferry419]

Harry has a better understanding of the lay of the magical land. Butters is better at reading the map.

[Mr. Death]

The way I look at it, Butters can read sheet music, and given the proper tools that do most of the work for him, such as a computer synthesizer program, he can create a song. He doesn't have the talent to write his own music or play instruments, , but it's going to sound nice coming out the other end because he understands the theory.

Harry can read sheet music and understands the theory, but he doesn't need the program because he can play the instruments themselves. He also has a good enough ear and sense of the music to improvise and create his own melodies. Some of the technical things that Butters understands might be lost on him, but he makes up for it with that good ear and improvisational ability.

[Mira]

The way I look at it, Butters can read sheet music, and given the proper tools that do most of the work for him, such as a computer synthesizer program, he can create a song. He doesn't have the talent to write his own music or play instruments, , but it's going to sound nice coming out the other end because he understands the theory.

Harry can read sheet music and understands the theory, but he doesn't need the program because he can play the instruments themselves. He also has a good enough ear and sense of the music to improvise and create his own melodies. Some of the technical things that Butters understands might be lost on him, but he makes up for it with that good ear and improvisational ability.

Yup, Butters merely plays the music as written, the music comes from Harry...

[Rasins]

I would like to suggest another metaphor.

Butters is like me when it comes to my car.  Know some of how it is supposed to operate.  I can change the oil, fill the washer fluid, and clean it out when it gets messy.

Harry could design a car as well as build one from scratch and fix other cars.

I'm a GUY ... so sue me.

[peregrine]

Butters is like an inverse of Luccio.  She knows the theory of computers, could probably write out an algorithm to sort a file efficiently, for example, but is unable to put that into practice because she'd roast any computer upon which she tried to program.

Butters, likewise, could probably design an efficient spell, but doesn't have the juice to make it work, his theory is only theory, he needs someone else, like Bob, to put it into practice.