EgyptWand-MoreWonderful-Snitch-SocialDE-1/2Human-Myopia-OWLs-Bilius-Cliod-etc

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 77635

Hans from Holland wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/76732 :

<< It appears that the wand originated in ancient Egypt. The early 
wand was actually a caduceus. That's a stick with a serpent wound 
around it. >> 

Nitpick: the wand-equivalent in ancient Egypt was not a cadeucus. 
It was boomerang shaped, carved from bone or ivory, carved with 
pictures which could include a *serpent* being defeated by a 
wildcat optionally using a flint knife instead of claws, or by a 
cheetah-headed goddess. Meow.

Kneasy wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/76737 :

<< there is no reason to consider death wonderful. >>

"Wonderful" means it fills people with wonder. Just as 'terrible' 
means it fills people with terror and 'awful' means it fills people 
with awe. (The word 'awful' having drifted in meaning, 'awesome' was 
a fair substitute until the Valley-girl slang destroyed it.) Death 
indeed does cause people to wonder.

Gollymadeofclay wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/76799 :

<< If the snitch is caught before any points are scored neither team 
wins. >>

False. Catching the Snitch is worth 150 points, so if the Snitch is 
caught before any goals are scored, the team that catch it wins 150-0. 

jwcpgh wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/76887 :

<< I don't think the DEs had a social relationship either, >>

If not, where did Severus learn to call "Igor" by his given name? I 
don't think we saw Snape call anyone else by first name until Draco 
in OoP.

Greatelderone wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/76961 :

<< But Half-humans are allowed wands since we see Lupin carrying one 
and Hagrid has or had one. >>

And Fleur, who is quarter-Veela.

Pook catportkey wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77027 :

<< If the school's hospital has remedies to grow back bones, a plant 
to bring Mrs. Norris back and cures to make H's teeth grow shorter, 
how come they can't improve eye sight? Even DD wears glasses. What 
is it about the eyes that they can't get 20/20 vision? If I were LV, 
all I'd do is remove Harry's glasses --- his weakest point ---  and 
finish him off (unless Harry is like Luke Skywalker, who has the 
FORCE with him and can zap attacks blindfolded). >>

Some people suggested that wizards' eyes are resistant to magic like 
dragons are. Other people suggested that the wizarding folk simply 
haven't yet discovered the spells for fixing eyesight.

Autumn wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77056 :

<< Aren't Dumbledore, Harry, Myrtle and Percy the only ones that wear 
glasses? I have always wondered why so few wear glasses. >>

Trelawney, Skeeter, McGonagall. Arthur Weasley. Ernie Prang. 

Vivamus wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77163 :

<< Has anyone identified the twelve subjects making up the 12 
possible OWLs? (snip) 1. Defense Against the Dark Arts 
2. Transfiguration 3. Charms 4. Herbology 5. Potions  6. History of 
Magic 7. Astronomy 8. Care of Magical Creatures 9. Divination 
10. Arithmancy 11. Muggle Studies 12. The Study of Ancient Runes >>

Could there be OWLs in subjects that aren't specific classes in the 
curriculum? Like maybe "Reading and Writing", "Arithmetic, Algebra, 
and Geometry", "Music"? 

Susanna Cedric wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77249 :

<< Could not find any meaning to the name Bilius. >>

Bilious. It's a pun. From the joke about the primary school teacher 
on the first day of school. She asks one kid: "What is your name?" 
"Julie, ma'am." "Julius. We do not use nicknames in school." Then she 
asks the next kid: "What's your name?" "Um, Bilius, I guess." So I go 
on to the joke about the new father being congratulated by his work 
mates: "So what you going to name him?" "Jack, I think." "No, no! 
When I brought my son to be baptised, I said his name is Tom, and the 
priest he said ThomAS, so your son he'll say JackASS."

Wendy St. John wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77448 : 

<< she appears on one of the American "Chocolate Frog" cards (which, 
btw, are completely different from the ones released in Britain. Not 
even remotely similar). The card reads:
"Cliodne [yes, it's spelled differently on the card than in the text 
of the book], Bird Animagus: The beautiful druid Cliodne had three 
magical birds that sang the sick to sleep and cured them. Legends say 
that she could take the shape of a sea bird or change into a wave. 
Her favourite hobby was flying." >>

That description of Cliodna's birds sounds like Rhiannon's birds 
from the Mabinogion, or at least from Evangeline Walton's retelling 
thereof. I wonder whether one is the original bird-keeper and the 
other copied that trait in modern times or in folkloric times. 

Summer wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77493 :

<< Isn't it possible that Crookshanks and Regulus could be one and 
the same? >>

I am impressed by the originality of your suggestion. But I'm a 
little dubious that Regulus in cat form would adore Sirius, when it 
seems that Regulus in human form didn't get along well with Sirius.  

Batchevra wrote in 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77590 :

<< in the Pensieve scene of Snape's worst memory, Sirius uses 
Locomotor Mortis in the US version, Petrificus totalus in the UK 
version. >>

Which reminds me how much I was disturbed to see so much Locomotor 
this and Locomotor that in OoP (US edition): shouldn't it have been 
Mobilicorpus instead of Locomotor Mortis? And Mobili-something for 
Tonks to move Harry's trunk?