Pettigrew's Wait; Hagrid; Anniversary; Thanks from a Grateful Nation

[Angela Burgess]

No: HPFGUIDX 26235

I tried to post this earlier, but it's been about an hour and a half 
and it hasn't shown up yet, so I'll try again.  I don't have much to 
add, but here's my two knuts on some of the recent posts!  

1) mellienel2 at yahoo.com asks:
<<1. In my book, and I don't know how this can't be a mistake, Black 
says to Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack that Voldemort had been in 
hiding for 15 years (it's when Hermione asks why Pettigrew didn't 
touch Harry...I'm not sure the page #). But at this point, harry is 
13, and Voldemort has only been in hiding for 12, maybe 13.  Is this 
in everyone's book, or do you think it's just a mistake? There are 
many things that point to and fro on this one...I'm inclined to think 
it's a mistake though.>>

In my copy of PoA (US ed.), p. 367, it says:
"I (Peter) knew he'd (Sirius) come after me!  I knew he'd be back for 
me!  I've been waiting for this for twelve years!

But then later on, on p. 370, Sirius says, "Voldemort's been in 
hiding for FIFTEEN years, they say he's half dead" (caps mine).  

All I can assume from this is that someone made a mistake.  They 
quickly looked at the fact that Peter had been waiting for twelve 
years for Sirius to come after him and then added the number of years 
that Harry had been at Hogwarts (3) and, voilà, you have fifteen.

2) mellienel2 at yahoo.com says on an unrelated topic:
<<Also -- Hagrid was at school with Voldy for five years, then was 
gameskeeper for his remaining two years. He could know a lot about 
him. >>

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Hagrid was at school for 
only 3 years.  He was expelled as a Third Year student for setting 
the basilisk loose.  There has been much debate as to whether or not 
he then immediately returned as gamekeeper.  

However, all this aside, I also wonder about Hagrid's big secret.  I 
agree with sgallag4 at h... who says that they believe Hagrid may know 
something about the Snape/Potter fixation.  I know that it seems to 
have been explained by the fact that JP saved Snape's life.  However, 
I (as a teacher) would like to believe that there is more to it than 
that.  I like to think that there is more to the story than that, 
simply because treating a student in the manner that Snape treats 
Harry simply because Harry's dad once saved Snape's life after a 
horrible prank pulled by James' friends does not fit with me.  
Granted, I have many problems with Snape as a whole, but I do 
remember teachers who were similarly horrible (although none quite so 
bad!).

Perhaps, there is yet more to Harry than we yet realize, something 
that causes Snape to begrudge him for himself, not for the deeds of 
his father.  What if Snape proved himself to Dumbledore by becoming a 
sort of guardian to Harry and must now protect him as long as Harry 
is underage?  Or just as long as Voldemort is perceived to be a 
threat?  I don't really know, it is just guessing at this point.  Any 
thoughts?

3) On a slightly OT-note, I realized in chat yesterday that I have 
now been a member for more than a year!  I posted for the first time 
on 3 September 2000, but had been lurking for several months.  I 
can't believe two things:
            a) that it has been so long!
            b) that the group was *so* small when I joined 
(comparatively) and that it   has since gotten so big!
My husband still thinks I'm a nut and my students become more 
convinced of my insanity by the day (today I translated Dumbledore's 
lines about unity/division/etc. into French for my students to talk 
about as their journal), but who cares?

4)  Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank all of you 
who have helped all of us as we deal with the events of the past 
week.  I have been quiet on the whole subject but please know that my 
prayers (to whatever deity you choose to worship or whoever/whatever 
you choose to ask for things) are with you, not only for your 
comfort, but also thanking himer for gifting this group with such 
wonderful people.  My students have beseiged me with questions, even 
though I am barely older than they are.  Today, for the first time, I 
was able to conduct class with less than 10 minutes of discussion 
which has allowed me to take the time and energy to thank all of you!

I hope that some of the above has made sense.  Please, if you feel 
the need to throw things, please throw them gently!
Angela