Blue hair

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 41404

Meg Demeranville wrote, L.O.O.N.ily:

Quoting Richelle:

>> Question 2: Why does Harry Potter have to take a school report 
from his non-magic school home to the Dursleys? (answer is supposed 
to be because he accidentally turned his teacher's wig blue--all I 
remember is him ending up on the roof of the school kitchen)

She answered:

> Question 2: " ... He'd never been more nervous, never, not even 
when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying 
that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. ..." (p. 115)

Well spotted!  Now, what does it mean?  Speaking to snakes turned out 
to be important; getting onto the school roof shows either the 
ability to apparate beyond his years or to fly unaided, which Whisp 
tells us has never been done; blowing up Aunt Marge suggests that 
Harry is dangerous when angry, and that therefore Snape's needling of 
him may be to strengthen this power.

But turning a wig blue?  Ah, I've got it!  Hair colour is important, 
isn't it?  Dumbledore and the Weasleys have Gryffindor red-gold 
colouring; blond people are rather ineptly evil: Draco, Dudley, 
Gilderoy; dark hair puts you among the great ones, whether good 
(Harry), bad (Riddle), ambiguous (Snape) or merely great (Hagrid).

So here's the scenario, book 6, potions lesson.

Snape reached into his robe and pulled out a small bottle.  'Do you 
know what this is, Potter?'
Harry shrugged. 'Falsitaserum?'
'Don't joke with me, Potter' snarled Snape, keeping his voice low so 
that nobody else could hear. 'One drop of this could make your hair 
droop greasily for the rest of your days.  Once it has been applied, 
there is no known antidote to it.  It is brilicrimium.  Don't tempt 
me, Potter.  Because you are worth it.'
Harry could feel the anger rising in his chest.  He tried frantically 
to concentrate on something to take his mind off Snape, but all he 
could think of was Moaning Myrtle.  He pushed his wand hand back away 
from his robe...
'POTTER!  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!'
He looked up.  He stared, astonished, at Snape's hair.  Not only had 
it lost its customary glistening sheen, it had turned blue.  It fell 
in gently bouffant waves to his shoulders, setting off his delicate 
skin tone elegantly.
To Harry's surprise, Snape broke into a happy smile: the first he had 
ever seen. It reminded him of Sirius.  'Er, Professor...'  said Harry.
'Look at me!' shouted Snape to the class. 'The curse has been 
lifted!  At last I am free to leave this dunderheaded school and 
market my own range of hair care potions.  Harry, Harry, Harry... 
it's all thanks to you - and all that work I put into making you 
angry.  Congratulate me! I'm off to the Headmaster's office to tender 
my resignation.'
Snape pulled a mirror out of his desk, looked in it, frowned, and 
tossed it to one side.  'Well, you can't have everything', he 
muttered, and walked out of his dungeon.

David