Heir v Descendant

[Kelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 1568

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Penny Linsenmayer" <linsenma at h...> 
wrote:
> Hi:
> 
> Someone was inquiring recently about the definition of Heir (that 
it has 
> solely legal connotations in their dictionary).  Sorry I can't 
remember who 
> raised this -- I seem to have deleted the original message.
> 
> Anyway, I seem to remember that it was raised originally in the 
context of 
> wondering whether Harry could be descended from both Gryffindor & 
Slytherin. 
>   I think it was Steve who correctly pointed out (in great Hermione 
fashion) 
> that Dumbledore specifically says that Voldemort is the last heir 
of 
> Slytherin in CoS.
> 
> I'm not sure if this was specifically addressed by Steve or not, 
but don't 
> forget that Dumbledore doesn't actually use the word "heir."  He 
uses the 
> word "descendant" (actually he uses the word "ancestor" in earliest 
versions 
> of CoS but that's another discussion altogether).  Descendant 
(forgive me, 
> I'm out of town & have no access to any dictionary) means something 
very 
> specific in a genealogical sense.  If Voldemort is the last 
remaining 
> descendant of Slytherin, then there are *no* other Slytherin 
descendants 
> then living. The emphasis on the word "remaining" might be 
significant (one 
> might argue that Lily was a descendent of Slytherin but is no 
longer living 
> but for the fact that Harry, a descendant of Lily, would then be a 
living 
> descendant of Slytherin as well). So . . . that said, I think it's 
safe to 
> say that Voldemort has no children or grandchildren then living.
> A very puzzled Penny (who is really thinking she should write the 
Scholastic 
> editors at this point)

Hi Penny, that was me.  You're right, Dumble does say Vold is the 
last.  Dang, I really thought I found something there.  My copy of 
CoS says 'ancestor' BTW.  I guess I was thinking of the whole "Heir 
of Slytherin" thing, that maybe Vold is just the one to take up 
Slyth's cause, to be the new S. Slyth., in a symbolic sort of way.  
So, do you think the physical resemblances between Harry, James, and 
TRJ are just red herrings? 
Isn't there somewhere in one of the books that Dumble is wrong about 
something?  Something small maybe, but a point where he says 
something about 'well, I've been wrong before,' or something to that 
effect.  What am I thinking of?  This is really bugging me...

Kelley