COS Observations/Speculations

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 28687

Megan wrote:

> Re-reading COS (for the millionth time) has raised a few 
observations
> with me.  Just wondering as to some of you L.O.O.N.'s theories on 
some
> of these...

Ah, re-reading CoS, are you?  Finding that the plot crumbles like 
stale bread upon closer inspection, are you?  <bg, dodging ripe 
tomatoes and assuring everyone it was just a joke>

> 
> pg. 308--"Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the 
floor,
> and bent to pick up his wand again.
> But his wand had gone.
> 'Did you see--?'
> He looked up.  Riddle was still watching him--twirling Harry's wand
> between his long fingers."
> I have always assumed Riddle's (in COS) powers are limited to those 
of
> himself at sixteen.  Is Riddle so powerful by the time he is sixteen
> (it is stated that Voldemort is one of the most powerful wizards, 
but
> mind you he's still a bit undeveloped at this age) he is able to
> "cast" a spell with no words OR wand?  Even Dumbledore has never
> demonstrated this power.  One would assume this is a spell because
> laws of physics dictate gravitational pulls between masses aren't 
THAT
> strong, <bg>.  What else could it be that it wasn't a spell?  How is
> Riddle able to accomplish this?


Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if Riddle obtained the wand by 
summoning it without a wand.  We have seen wizards do this -- Snape 
clicks his fingers and the ropes binding Lupin in PoA flew to his 
fingers.  

The follow-up question has always bothered me, though.  Once Riddle 
has the wand, what exactly does he hope to do with it?  Recall that 
after the basilisk fails to kill Harry, Riddle raises the wand, 
presumably to blast Harry.  What spell was he going to cast to finish 
off Harry, and if he had such a spell, why not just blast Harry and 
skip the unreliable basilisk altogether?

> If living things are petrified by the basilisk's stare, how is 
Fawkes
> able to poke out his eyes?  Why isn't Fawkes petrified?  Are 
phoenixes
> really that powerful that they are immune to something that is so
> (seemingly) powerful?

Er, because Fawkes poked out the basilisk's eyes with his claws, not 
his beak, so he never looked into its eyes?  (Yes, I know that is 
lame, but it's the best I can do with what looks to be a FLINT).


<snip>

> 
> I guess Riddle enchanted his Muggle diary to function in this 
fashion
> (where would one learn THAT sort of spell?).  Did he keep all of his
> school things locked away somewhere while "transforming" into
> You-Know-Who and then casually give them away to his followers 
("Happy
> Birthday, Lucius!") for fun?  Perhaps before Harry forced him to 
flee
> (as baby) Moldie-Voldie planted these things around England for 
future
> use as a "just-in-case".
> 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Voldemort did a bunch of special things 
to make himself immortal.  Otherwise, the curse that rebounded off of 
Voldemort would have killed him.  So maybe he has stashed bits of 
himself inside of all sorts of magical items and has doled them out 
to his most reliable DEs <snort> for safekeeping.  If that isn't it, 
then you've got me.

Cindy