[HPforGrownups] Re: A Question That is Making My Brain Hurt

[Amanda Geist]

No: HPFGUIDX 41486

> "shadowgirl_900" wrote:
>
> >   Is it me or does this hint that while Lockhart is an idiot who
> can?t
> > figure out which way to point a wand, *someone* out there did cure a
> > werewolf?
> >   Thoughts? Thank you much much!

GulPlum responded
>
> This was discussed fairly recently (Msg #39602 and replies). The
> general consensus both here and in HP fandom generally is that it's
> either a Flint or Lockhart's hyperbole and invention going into
> overdrive.

I never thought that either was the consensus. Every single time that this
has been discussed, the general feeling came down to something like this:

1. The Homorphus Charm exists; it causes a human person who is currently
transfigured (for whatever reason) to take their human form again. That's
what the root words indicate, a change to human.

2. Lockhart did not perform the Homorphus Charm any more than he performed
any of the stuff he claims, but some old village wizard *did* do exactly
what he said and Homorphus'ed a werewolf.

3. All the Charm does is cause the subject (in this case, a werewolf) to
take on human form temporarily. No mention is made of duration.

4. The reason this saved the village is that for the short duration of the
Charm, the villagers (or even just the wizard) were able to identify the
werewolf--i.e., who he was in the daytime there amongst them--and take
appropriate action later. I'm betting that they just restrained him until
the sun came up....

5. Lupin himself says nothing cures lycanthropy. This charm was a temporary
measure to clearly establish identity in a werewolf case.

6. This is therefore no Flint.

7. Nor is it hyperbole, except in that Lockhart was claiming to have done
it.

*sigh* I'm tired and don't feel like wading the archives to find the other
times I've argued this. But I've never, at least when I was aware of the
discussion, heard it left as being a Flint or simply hyperbole. It is easily
explained as above, and makes more sense.

--Amanda, feeling like a true geist in that her posts are invisible and
nobody comments on them, and then when similar points are made by others
there's a flurry of discussion....*sad little whimper*