Unifying Theory

[ltg3asu]

No: HPFGUIDX 36311

Greetings, all!  As this is my first post, and I have only been 
lurking a short time, I'm not a true scholar of the hallowed ways of 
this group just yet, so your patience with my ramblings is 
appreciated.

I have, for some time, been speculating on just why Voldemort would 
single out a child for destruction. There is, of course, the much 
talked about "Heir of Gryffindor" theory, but for me, this doesn't 
hold with JKR's theme of our choices making us who we are, and not 
innate qualities. So, like any good HP fan, I have my own little 
theory, which, I have come to jokingly refer to as my "Unifying 
Theory" (a pun which makes me chuckle, and that, hopefully you'll 
understand shortly, especially if you are familiar with the social 
sciences). 

I asked myself, firstly, what could have been LV's motivation.  Its 
seems obvious that he is attempting to get rid of an obstacle
impeding 
his path to power. Does he need any other reason? Sheer malice or 
sadism, maybe, but why be so specific about Harry and his family? 
The 
existence of James and Harry (but, it appears, not Lilly) seem to be 
in the way of LV's plans, but, why?  

A core theme of the books, thus far, I believe, has been schisms 
within a people due to groups they belong to or things associated
with 
them. Not only do we find race issues in the wizarding community 
(Mudblood vs. Pureblood), but we also see very distinct and
purposeful 
separations between the houses at Hogwarts, socio-economic classes in 
the community (Malfoys vs. Weasleys), and between those afflicted
with 
"non-human" characteristics (e.g: werewolves and half giants) and 
normal wizards. LV feeds off of these prejudices, much as Hitler did, 
 with whom he also shared having a father who belonged to the group
he 
came to hate so completely (LV being born of a muggle father who 
abandoned him, and Hitler being born of a Jewish father who,
likewise, 
abandoned him). He uses them (the preexisting prejudices within the 
community) to promote his own causes and hatreds, and to create
strong 
and powerful allies with established wizarding families, through 
which, he will gain power. 

What could possibly destroy these dark alliances he has created more 
so than "unity" within the wizarding community.  Could it possibly be 
that Harry's place is not to destroy LV and the DE's in a final, 
apocalyptic duel of archetypical proportions, but to, rather, destroy 
what is at the core of their evil ways: hatred and mistrust of those 
who are different.

I offer for evidence the scene of Harry's sorting in SS/PS.  

"Hmm, Difficult. Very Difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad 
mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst 
to prove yourself, now that's interesting...."
                Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's / Philosopher's Stone

I find this interesting, because, in my interpretation, the hat is 
quite literally saying that Harry could be placed into any one of the 
four Hogwarts houses. "Plenty of courage" is an obvious reference to 
Gryffindor house. "Not a bad mind" is a nod towards Ravenclaw the 
house of intellectuals. "Talent", I believe, is a quality belonging
to 
Hufflepuffs, who, are "unafraid of toil". I see, with the thought of 
talent, that prematurely departed hero of Hufflepuff house (and his 
father) Cedric Diggory, who seemed to excel at everything through his 
talent. Finally, that wisest of hats mentions " a nice thirst to
prove 
yourself" (referring to Harry). This, to me, seems like a very 
Slytherin quality, as a need for approval and recognition could very 
well fuel many attempts to gain those things by any means accessible. 

There has already been much play on the similarities between Harry
and 
LV (especially in CoS by Tom Riddle and Harry, himself). These 
musings, as well as the sorting scene, I think, are reflections on
the 
duality of Harry. He embodies two worlds. The muggle world he grew up 
in, and the wizarding world who has cherished his existence since
that 
fateful Hallowe'en.  Who better to serve as an intermediary between 
two worlds than someone who walks in both of them (this certainly 
explains one of the reasons that Dumbledore may have had for Harry 
staying with the dreadful Dursleys).  It is interesting to note that 
LV also was raised in a fashion much like Harry (as an orphan and 
completely separate of the wizarding world).

Not only does Harry stride both in magical and non-magical worlds,
but 
within him also resides essence of the heir of Slytherin (due to LV's 
reflected AK, as indicated by his status as a parseltongue), and that 
of Gryffindor (Dumbledore says that "only a true Gryffindor" could 
have pulled the sword from the sorting hat in CoS).  

Begin to look at the people Harry has chosen to surround himself
with, 
also. A half-giant, a werewolf, a mudblood, a very poor wizard, and
an 
escaped convict (not to mention a freed house-elf and a pseudo-squib, 
a.k.a. Neville Longbottom). Why should the shining star of the 
wizarding world, born of such beloved and powerful parents, associate 
with those so far "below" him (at least by the magical communities 
social standards)? Because he chooses to.

So, Harry has had to find an equilibrium with his dual natures. Why 
would his greatest accomplishment and gift to the world not be to
help 
it do the same?  

Harry is already on a very different path than LV, who faced, I am 
sure, many of the same problems due to his duality as Harry has (the 
disbelief, confusion, prejudice, and feelings of inferiority). It has 
been quite clear ever since Harry's sorting ("Not Slytherin, not 
Slytherin!") from the choices they have both made that, though they 
may be taken from the same mold, Harry and Lord Voldemort are of very 
different qualities altogether. LV as the proprietor of separation, 
and Harry as the unifier of opposites. Destruction versus Creation. 
Yin versus Yang. Death versus Life.   

Though the path which will lead to it is unclear at this time, the 
archetype of the divine marriage may very well reside in the pages of 
future books.           
    
*Standing back, and rereading this, my fingers are crossed that my 
first post isn't slammed too hard, and that everyone who feels the 
need to suggest my likeness to a certain bushy-haired, buck-toothed 
know-it-all (due to my long-windedness) finds it in their heart of 
hearts to make their allusions subtle enough to be repressed until a 
later date when I can accept the truth.*


	Leroyal Terrell Gould, III
            (This is my actual name.... don't you think it would make 
a good addition to the Hogwarts roster?... *hint*hint* J.K. Rowling, 
wherever you are!)