Arabella Figg's House,Trials at Azkaban,slight LotR Parallel,Dumbeldore's Death

[aldrea279]

No: HPFGUIDX 41556

Rosie said:
>>JKR has said, somewhere, that Book 5 will see Harry going to some 
new places
and exploring some places he's just been to briefly a bit more 
thoroughly.. I
think. Any ideas on what this could be?>>

And Lara commented:
>>JKR said in an interview (god knows which one) that in OoP we would 
get to go to some (or was in two?, I'm pretty sure it was more than 
one though) new places, that we've never physically seen, or been to, 
but that we have heard of. >>
<snip where she lists places>

Well, as soon as I read these bits, my first thought is Arabella 
Figg's house.  We've had mention of it, but we, the reader, have 
never been taken there physically by Harry.  And what with her being 
part of the Old Crowd and all(as I believe she is), she might have to 
make contact with Harry about something.  Maybe she'll request him to 
do some yard work or something- Harry doesn't seem like he needs a 
babysitter anymore, as he hasn't had one for the past couple years, 
has he?  Hmm...maybe she'll be the one to smuggle him to the 
Weasely's.

Sarah:
>>I couldn't find any canon evidence whatsoever, but I have a gut
feeling that the dungeon was in Azkaban itself, what with Dementors
moving around so freely & bringing the prisoners in and out.>>
 
Oh, I agree with you there.  That thought hadn't hit me, but it does 
indeed make alot of sense for the Trials to have taken place in/near 
Azkaban.

Sarah:
>>would you really want to
take (alleged) DE's and other ne'er-do'wells away from Azkaban once
you;d actually got them there?>>

No, I don't think you would...

Sarah:
>>But on the other hand, would all the wizards from the MoM, 
Dumbledore,
family & friends (& Rita Skeeter and any other WW paparazzi) really
want to travel to Azkaban? Not exactly a day trip bus destination, is
it? Perhaps they could apparate in & out - but what would prevent
the prisoners from doing the same?>>

Here's a theory!  The Trials did take place on the island of Azkaban, 
but not actually inside the prison walls.  So perhaps there is a 
smaller building, on the island, that is only used for trials?  And 
perhaps it is Apparatable to, so viewers of the Trials can get there 
easily- and leave there easily, as I'm sure they'd want to do. But 
they wouldn't actually be *inside* the prison, so that would probably 
make them feel better about even going there.  Or maybe to visit 
Azkaban they make you take a Patronus Test, to prove you can defend 
yourself.  Hmm...


Namaa:
>>If you want to draw parallels, why not look at LOTR? There, Frodo 
is 
the "Chosen One", the Ring Bearer, yet it is Gandalf who is, and 
remains to the end of the story, the leader of the Light Side. 
He lives to see Frodo succeed (well, in a way), save him and 
see the story wrapped up. Tolkien managed to have Frodo arrive to his 
full heroic height without killing Gandalf. I say JKR can do the 
same.>>

Ah, but, Frodo *thought* Gandalf was dead the whole time.  The poor 
little hobbit had no idea that Gandalf was still alive, kicking, and 
at the height of his powers while he trudged through Mordor and up 
Mount Orodruin.  But Gandalf was, and it's because of his influence 
in Gondor that Frodo suceeded.  That can be slightly paralleled over 
to CoS, where Harry sees Dumbledore removed with his own eyes, but at 
crunch time a semblence of the wizard is there to help him.  

But I do agree with Namaa in that Dumbledore most definately does not 
*have* to die.  Sorry, but I don't particuarly want Dumbledore to be 
pulling out his lightsaber and dieing in battle with Darth Voldemort. 
Nope, I see him dieing of old age *much* more likely, and more 
acceptable, IMO.

~Aldrea (Just spent an hour searching parts of GoF, trying to find 
the reference to Krum's age, to dis/prove the Krum As Capatain theory 
that's really very interesting to think about...)