More Old Hat & Dumbledore/Belgarath

[Tabouli]

No: HPFGUIDX 24368

Aleks:
> Just my humble opinion, but I think the hat doesn't see clear 
thoughts unless directed at it (ie/ Harry's dialogue). And perhaps it 
can only tell people about themselves - in the words of Aslan, 'I 
cannot tell anyone somebody else's story...' (paraphased, C.S.Lewis - 
The Horse and His Boy).

What prompted my musings was rereading the first Sorting Hat song (as I quoted: "There's nothing hidden in your head the Sorting Hat can't see"), exchanging conversation with Harry, and remembering that when Harry tried it on again in CoS the Hat immediately started sniffing around and commented that he'd been wondering whether it had put him in the right house.  This is a sentient, mind-reading Hat capable of conversation we have here: that comment *isn't* just a detection of a particular personality type but a correct assessment of what Harry's been obsessing about for some time.  If it can tell what Harry's been thinking about, and sees everything in a person's head, it would definitely have detected Voldemort on the back of Quirrell's head and known that Moody was really Crouch Junior!

Coming to your second point, though, I think the Hat would have to have some kind of confidentiality or no-memory clause.  Otherwise, it could potentially remember what was in the mind of every student in Hogwarts at 11!  What if the Hat fell into evil hands and started gossiping?  I wonder what it said to the 11 year old Tom Riddle?

Robyn:
> Albus seems the most similar to David Edding's
Belgarath the Sorcerer - he has a more direct and hands on approach to
dealing with evil, is training a younger one (who's an orphan), has a
great sense of humor and looks traditionally wizardly.

Maybe in circumstances they're similar, but I think Belgarath's overall attitude and image is quite different.  Dumbledore's humour is lightly ironic (terribly English, that!), articulate and satirical, and he projects a sort of wise kindly grandfather image most of the time, whereas Belgarath projects the disreputable, slovenly old man image, and his humour is more sarcastic and involves baiting people, usually Polgara.  The kindly grandfather is only an occasional visitor.

Compare Dumbledore: "What happened down in the dungeons (...) is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.  I believe your friends Misters Fred and George were responsible for trying to send you a lavatory seat."

with Belgarath (to Garion after he's just blown their cover): "Are you sure you don't have a trumpet somewhere under your clothes?  Maybe you could blow a few fanfares as you go along."

OK, so not a perfect example for comparison, but I think it illustrates the difference.  Further comments welcome...


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