Colors-McGonagall-Harry's Eyes

[h_potter_uk <h_potter_uk@yahoo.co.uk>]

No: HPFGUIDX 48670

Hi,

I'm new to posting on the list too.  I've been lurking behind 
paintings and whatnot for the past couple months before I decided to 
actually post something. I hope this works :) 

Silverdawn21 wrote:

> Also, why are Harry (and Lily)'s eyes green?  Why not blue, hazel, 
or 
> brown?  Does JKR simply like green eyes, or is it a tie to 
> Voldemort?  Or, does green not necessarily signify anything?

I actually did some research a long, long time ago, when I first 
started reading the books in 1998, about the possiblilty of any color 
signifigance.  One pretty interesting thing I found regarding a 
mythological reference was the signifigance of the "evil eye". It 
originally ment that the eye had power to cause harm at a glance 
(sort of like a basilisk in a way...).  

"In Latin countries a blue eye is thought to have strange powers; in 
the north a black eye is feared."

With this, I immediately thought of Moody's magical blue eye.  This 
selection also goes on to state that in Ireland, a green eye is 
thought to protect against malice, but spitting in a green eye will 
advert its influence.  Pretty interesting stuff.  

So, yes, I think that the eye colors of characters in the books 
probably mean something.  I'm not sure if JKR is actually using 
specific examples from mythology, but she has for other things.

I should probably mention that this book was published in 1911.  I 
think it might have come from the Hogwarts library...

Hope this helped!

Yours in Gryffindor,
Jenny