Odds and Ends: Pheonix Tears

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 43136

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "kittycatta" <angiebebb at h...> wrote:

> bboy_mn ventured:
> <<<<<Off on a tangent, related to phoenix, in GoF when Harry is 
> in Dumbledore's office, just before he starts telling Dumbledore
> what happened, Harry is kind of out of it, in shock. Then Fawkes 
> flies down and lands on Harry's lap (short version), Dumbledore 
> asks Harry to talk, there is a loud squawk, and Harry feels 
> something warm trickle down his throat. That 'something warm' is
> never specifically defined. 
> 
> How many people are like me, and assumed that 'something warm' 
> was a phoenix tear? >>>>>>>>>
>   

KittyCatta replies:
> Well, I must say I hadn't assumed that.  I had assumed that 
> the "soft, quavering note" emitted by Fawkes was what had 
> strengthened Harry.  I'm wondering if this is just another case 
> of bad translation on the part of whomever is responsible for that.
> My canon comes from the American paperback edition of GoF. 
> 
> ....Edited....
>
> The phoenix let out one soft, quavering note.  It shivered in the 
> air, and Harry *felt as though* a drop of hot liquid had slipped
> down his  throat into his stomach, warming him, and strengthening
> him.""
>
> The emphasis on *felt as though* is mine.  It's a metaphor.  
> Nothing really slipped down Harry's throat, it just seemed that 
> way.  
> ...edited...
> So, unless the translators have messed up the context AGAIN, it
> appears (to me, at least) that what strengthened Harry was a 
> phoenix call, not a tear.
> 
> --Angie
> -The hardest part of one of these posts is coming up with a 
> tagline :)

boy_mn Responds:

I'm using the American addition too. You quote it exactly as I read
it. In my post I was paraphrasing; I wasn't quoting. I was just trying
to give enough of a reference so people would know what part of the
book I was talking about. 

I would never/should never/could never argue with your interpretation,
but I took the 'felt as though' to be a reflection of Harry's state of
mind and his general 'in shock' condition. 

More along this line: He was completely unfocused, exhausted, in
shock, and he felt something go down his throat. He didn't know what
it was or where it came from but it "felt as though* a drop of hot
liquid had slipped down his throat...". In a sense, we aren't being
given an account of events but an interpretation of event. Since the
interpretation has an element of uncertainty, it 'felt as though'.

Again, I'm not insisting that my version is right. The reason I asked
is that I do have some confusion around the point. I was trying to get
other people's opinion to see how consistent they were with how I read
it. Sort of taking a survey.

bboy_mn