Summoning Molly

[Carl]

  But how the hell would Amanda get roped up with the Fae enough to become one of them?  We know Molly became one because she was so wrapped up with Lea that she somehow qualified to inherit the position.  Is there really a way for that to happen with a position on a lesser scale?  Christ, so many better questions than the crap I actually asked.

Whilst i agree Amanda is not a reasonable choice. Molly's made it pretty clear at the end of Cold Case and again at the end of Skin Game that she's going to do her job her way and Mab can bite her shapely butt if she thinks she can make her do otherwise.

As such if she wanted a mortal in that position i'm sure she would without a second thought. But she's also Molly Carpenter, and she's not going to put anyone in that position who can't handle it.

[Quantus]

I thought that there was text that Harry's mind is an exceptionally togh nut to crack.

He has a natural talent for hardened mental defense by White Council Standards, which unfortunately in the case of Mental Magic is kinda like saying you are the best swimmer in the kiddy pool.

[vultur]

He has a natural talent for hardened mental defense by White Council Standards, which unfortunately in the case of Mental Magic is kinda like saying you are the best swimmer in the kiddy pool.

Well... I think there are two different things going on here. Harry has an extremely powerful will (and stubbornness)... that makes him hard to change/influence. No one else in known history resisted a Fallen's coin-shadow for even a tenth of the time, much less actually changed it.

But he didn't have any useful training/skill/experience in defense against direct mental attack as of DB, so Corpsetaker could overcome him. By GS he seems to have learned a lot more though ... it's still not one of Harry's areas of talent the way it is for Molly.

OTOH, I don't think that Harry is as bad off as all that even by DB... Corpsetaker is both incredibly experienced (she was operating before the French and Indian War according to GS, so she's in the same age class as Eb and the Merlin at the youngest) and using a rare and incredibly powerful form of magic that's hard to defend against. Sure the White Council's mental training is bad by Corpsetaker's standards, but Corpsetaker might well be the best in the world in that particular area...

[Quantus]

Well... I think there are two different things going on here. Harry has an extremely powerful will (and stubbornness)... that makes him hard to change/influence. No one else in known history resisted a Fallen's coin-shadow for even a tenth of the time, much less actually changed it.

But he didn't have any useful training/skill/experience in defense against direct mental attack as of DB, so Corpsetaker could overcome him. By GS he seems to have learned a lot more though ... it's still not one of Harry's areas of talent the way it is for Molly.

OTOH, I don't think that Harry is as bad off as all that even by DB... Corpsetaker is both incredibly experienced (she was operating before the French and Indian War according to GS, so she's in the same age class as Eb and the Merlin at the youngest) and using a rare and incredibly powerful form of magic that's hard to defend against. Sure the White Council's mental training is bad by Corpsetaker's standards, but Corpsetaker might well be the best in the world in that particular area...

I'd say that mental Defense Fortitude specifically is indeed one of Harry's natural Talents in the way that Molly started out as a natural with Veils. He has none of the rest of Neuromancy that requires sensitivity and a light touch, but like Molly's veils, his natural defenses where powerful even when entirely raw, though something that a real expert can still get past (Corpstaker for Harry in DB, Murphy for Molly in WN).

[Wizard Sibelis]

He has a natural talent for hardened mental defense by White Council Standards, which unfortunately in the case of Mental Magic is kinda like saying you are the best swimmer in the kiddy pool.

I wouldn't underestimate that.... it's a cluebat about Harry, just as his ability with Necromancy or thaumaturgy...