Apparating/Driving - Sinistra - Snape - Sexual Voldemort?

[rosie]

No: HPFGUIDX 40146

Ginny said:
"To put it concretely, maybe learning to Apparate at 17 is like 
getting a learner's driver's license at 15, putting wizards and 
witches two years behind Muggles in maturity"

I think your point here was really interesting, but it's worth bearing in mind that in the UK you can only drive at 17 (and they may raise it to 18...) JKR would more likely have based her ages for apparating on that? However this does not contradict your slow puberty/long life point:) just that it probably isn't a good basis for working out the actual age difference. Bear in mind with Percy that if they don't have universities, it's natural for him to get a job straight from school - is this what Fleur is going to do, do you think? (get a job at Hogwarts as soon as she leaves Beauxbatons. I have to say, the Hogwarts kids need a French teacher, it's appalling how good the foreign students' English is when the Hogwarts students don't speak any other languages)
--------------
Alina said
"I don't think this has been mentioned before, but I just discovered that sinistrophobia means the fear of left-handedness or objects on the left side of the body. Could prof. Sinistra's name be related to the word "left" somehow? Left of the political spectrum, maybe?"

"Sinistra" is Latin for "left" or "left hand", so it's very possible :) 
-------------
Does anyone have any ideas about what Snape is being sent off to do at the end of GoF? Liase with vampires? I really can't think of suggestions.
-------------
Amandageist said:
"So my question to the list is: how many of you really got the sexual
undertones that Elkins has pointed up? *As* sexual? Because I did notice the
particular word usage, and its effectiveness in creating a creepy
atmosphere, in all instances quoted--it just never struck me as sexual."

and Dicentra said:
"There's no doubt in my mind that Voldemort is getting off on something
here.  I just don't think the erotic imagery is necessarily pointing
to homoeroticism, per se.  I think Voldemort, as a predator, is
getting off on killing (ever hear the noises a cat makes when a bird
flies nearby?).  He's probably too dehumanized to care about the sex
of his victim. However, Harry is his Ultimate Foe, and getting rid of
him means acheiving the power he's been looking for all his life.
(This also applies to Riddle's reaction to Harry.)  And since power is
the ultimate aphrodisiac, it's no wonder he gets all hot and bothered."

I have to say, I agree with both of you here. I was listening to PS/SS last night and I noticed that when QuirrelsHead!Voldemort talks to Harry, his eyes look "hungry" there too. Interesting. I do think that the words are used to create a creepy atmosphere, and it is made more creepy by the implications that Voldemort is really getting off on being about to kill Harry. From reading of other Hero-and-Villain-Confrontation scenes, I think this is quite a common device used by authors.

Rosie



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]