Digest Number 1096

[Steve Vander Ark]

No: HPFGUIDX 23681

> despite the fact that in CoS it was said that only a descendant of
> gryffindor could pull the sword from the hat (which harry did thus
> translating to harry being a descendant of godric) 

It doesn't say this, actually. Although I tend to believe too that 
Harry and Dumbledore are both decendents of Gryffindor, the book 
doesn't say so. The actual sentence is:

"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, 
Harry," said Dumbledore simply.

That means someone who truly belongs in Gryffindor House, not someone 
who is directly decendent from Godric himself. Harry isn't wondering 
if he's a decendent, he's wondering if he belongs in that house as 
opposed to Slytherin, so that's the worry that Dumbledore is 
addressing.

On a vaguely related note, I wonder if Fawkes once belonged to 
Gryffindor himself. The bird is essentially immortal, after all.

Steve Vander Ark
The Harry Potter Lexicon
http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon