Nicolas Flamel

[dorband at uwp.edu]

No: HPFGUIDX 22166

Greetings All,

Some thoughts on Nicolas Flamel:

We read from the card in the chocolate frogs (SS, p.214) that 
Dumbledore is "particularly famous for...his work on alchemy with his 
partner, Nicolas Flamel."

Later, Hermione reads from an enormous old book that Flamel is "the 
only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone." (SS, p.219). Harry and Ron 
continue reading "...The stone will transform any metal into pure 
gold.  It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the 
drinker immortal.  There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's 
Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence 
belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel...who celebrated his six hundred and 
sixty-fifth birthday last year [and] enjoys a quiet life in Devon with 
his wife, Parnelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)."

It surprises me that there may have been other Stones over the 
centuries, but currently one and only one is in existence.  In the 
whole world!  Did the other ones get broken?  What?  How can they 
confirm one and only one?  But, OK, its canon, so there's only one.  
Still, that means Flamel is, or ought to be, the Head Honcho, the Big 
Kahuna, the Top Dog, the one and only wizard with certain powers.  He 
is what Voldemort yearns to be - immortal!


We know that Dumbledore is approximately 150 years old.  Flamel is 665 
 "last year" (an aside here, did JKR not want to assign Flamel the age 
of 666?  Why is he 665 "last year" but not "going to be 666 this year? 
 The avoidance of the number may be telling...) Anyway, Dumbledore is 
about 515 years younger than Flamel.  Clearly Flamel had already 
discovered the Stone and was in possession of it and was using it to 
extend his own life for at least 350 years before the birth of 
Dumbledore. (Assuming that Flamel discovered the Stone faily late in 
his life - if he discovered it sooner, then he would have had it 
longer.)  Clearly Dumbledore didn't help Flamel with this.  But the 
chocolate frog card says that Dumbledore is "particularly famous 
for...his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel."  Having 
attained the epitome of Alchemical pursuits over 350 years earlier, 
what kind of work was left for Dumbledore to assist Flamel with?  

Now lets get critical of Flamel:

Who is considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times?  
Dumbledore.
Who defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945?  Dumbledore.
Who discovered the 12 uses of dragons' blood?  Dumbledore (it is not 
stated that Flamel was involved with this; he may have been, being 
Dumbledore's partner, but the card attributes this to only Dumbledore. 
 
So we have Flamel, having the only Stone in existence, enjoying a 
quiet life - while the wizarding world is terrorized by Grindelwald 
back in the 40's and through Voldemort's entire reign of terror!  What 
to make of this...

Flamel currently possesses the very thing that Voldemort desires - 
eternal life - he has effectively been cheating death for over 400 
years (assuming a normal wizaed lifespan of 200 years).  But after all 
that time, Flamel is not considered the greatest wizard of modern 
times; Dumbledore is.  Now you may say that Flamel is not a wizard of 
the modern times, but I would ask, Why not?  He is alive and well in 
modern times - that makes him a wizard during the modern time.  But he 
is not considered the greatest wizard of modern time; apparently he is 
too busy enjoying his quiet life with his wife to be much engaged in 
the woes of the wizarding world.  How must the wizarding world 
perceive him?  Powerful or pitiful?

Now the real issue is the Stone.  "As for the Stone, it has been 
destroyed."  Says Dumbledore. (SS, p.297)  "...Nicolas and I have had 
a little chat, and agreed that it's all for the best." [I sense a 
slight patronizing tone in that sentence, no?] The next line is, in my 
opinion, the forshadowing of the final showdown.  Dumbledore says, 
"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and 
then, yes, they will die."

I contend that Nicolas Flamel is not yet dead.  I hardly believe that 
the Stone was destroyed, but the book says it was, so it was (that's 
canon!)  But nowhere does it say that Flamel is dead.  It clearly says 
that Flamel still has "enough elixir stored" to continue living for an 
unspecified time - enough time to "set their affairs in order..."

Dumbledore's explanation: "...After all, to the well-organized mind, 
death is but the next great adventure.  You know, the Stone was not 
such a wonderful thing.  As much money and life and you could want!  
The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble 
is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are 
 worst for them."

So Dumbledore believes that Flamel's mind is still "well-organized" 
but seems to be somewhat relieved that Flamel has agreed to give up 
the ghost.  By saying that the Stone was not such a wonderful thing, 
it seems to me that Dumbledore is saying that Flamel's *use* of the 
Stone was not a wonderful thing - after all, the Stone could have been 
used to cure may ills, and pay many debts, and effectively change the 
wizarding world for the good.  At least it would seem to have that 
potential; I suspect that JKR wants us to see it's not the Stone 
itself, but how one chooses to use the Stone that matters; very 
consistent with Dumbledore's "...It is our choices, Harry, that show 
what we truly are, far more than our abilities." (CoS, p.333)  

I suspect that Dumbledore hasn't been impressed with Flamel's use of 
the Stone over the last 100 years (or however long Dumbledore has know 
of its existence); it may not have been used for evil purposes, but it 
doesn't seem to have been used for good purposes either.  Apparently, 
all it does is make Flamel, and *only* Flamel, rich and immortal.  
Therefore, Dumbledore says, ..."humans (IMO implying Flamel) do have a 
knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."  

In conclusion, it is my opinion that we have not seen the last 
of Flamel (Actually, we havn't *seen* Flamel at all - yet.)  Flamel 
will "set his affairs in order" by choosing to participate somehow in 
the battle with Voldemort, thus redeeming himself in the eyes of 
Dumbledore and the wizarding world.  And then he will choose to die.  
Or not.  (Hey, I'm no JK Rowlings, y'know!)   

Brian