Check Your Assumptions...

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 33373

One thing I've noticed is that everybody on here and elsewhere in the online
Potterverse _assumes_ that the "Crabbe" and "Goyle" addressed by Lord
Voldemort in the Graveyard Scene are the fathers of Malfoy's
Stones-that-Speak (sorry, an Effinger reference), Crabbe and Goyle.

It would be...interesting...to say the least, if it turned out that Malfoy's
flunkies' fathers were _not_ DEs at all, or at least were nowhere near the
graveyard on that fateful night.  Voldemort's "Crabbe" and "Goyle" could be
older siblings or uncles...or even totally unrelated to the Two Slytherin
Goons.  _Particularly_ if Harry or his friends acted hastily, on the
assumption that the two Harry heard Lord Voldemort talking to _were_ the
Stones' fathers, only to be pulled up short, like so:

"Let me get this straight, Mr. Potter.  You say that you saw Lord Voldemort
speaking to Gregory Goyle's father in the cemetery at Little Hangleton?"

"Yes, sir.  He wanted to know if Mr. Goyle would do better this time."

"That's...interesting.  Particularly since your classmate Gregory Goyle's
father has been dead since Gregory himself was five years old.  I think
you've been straining your brain a little too hard, Mr. Potter.  Maybe you
need a nice long rest somewhere."


On a related note, Ron _assumes_ that he wants what Harry has.  Wouldn't it
be a hoot if he wished for it, and got his wish...and had to spend the
summer holidays at the Dursleys' residence, _as Harry?_  While Harry's
lolling at the Burrow, with Mrs. Weasley fluttering all over being nice to
him, here's poor Ron, having to find out what "Harry Potter, This Is Your
Life" is _really_ all about.  I can see him, catching up to Harry at
Platform 9 3/4, and grabbing onto him, begging "For the gods' sake don't
send me back there---_Please!_"  *heh heh heh*