HP and LOTR narrative similarities? (was: Re: Has Anyone Seen "Rings")

[katrionabowman]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at y..., "titacats" <titacats at y...> wrote:
> I just want to know if anyone else automatically thought of 
> Voldemort every time the phrase dark lord (as in the dark lord 
> Sauron) came up. LOL 
> 
> Cats

y'know cats, this is interesting. i know that jkr has said that it's 
been a while since she read lotr and she doesn't consider it an 
influence, but having thought about it, do any of these sound 
familiar?

1. the "dark lord" who loses his physical form in a battle, is 
reduced to a spirit, but comes back to a body and wages a new war 
(voldie and sauron).
2. a sneaky slimy creature buttering up to whoever happens to be in 
charge at the time (peter pettigrew and gollum)
3. the underdogs winning battles by virtue of their wits and innate 
qualities, with a little help from those older, wiser, and more 
magical along the way (hobbits and our hogwarts trio)
4. an unwitting hero who doesn't realise the potential and qualities 
he possesses? (harry and "i-will-take-the-ring-though-i-do-not-know- 
the-way frodo).
5. a preference for words beginning with the letter "h" (hobbits, 
hobbiton, hamfast v. hogwarts, hogsmead, hagrid - ok! maybe that's 
pushing it a little far ;->)

what does everyone else think? is this supposition too far-fetched? 
can you spot any other narrative similarities out there?

kt in seattle - with obviously not a lot to do today 8-)