The smoke serpent

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 79248

Geoff asked:

> I don't think this has been raised in a thread previously but I am 
> puzzled as to its importance having just reached it on my fifth 
> reading. Anyone got a view?
> 
> OOTP Chapter 22 pp.415-6 UK Bloomsbury edition.
...
> 
> "Naturally, naturally", murmured Dumbledore, apparently to himself, 
> still observing the stream of smoke without the slightest sign of 
> surprise. "But in essence divided?"
> 
...

> OK, so what's all this about? Something to do with Harry 
> being "inside" the snake yet separate from it? 


I believe those little silver intruments are going to play a much
larger role in books to come.  They've received far too much face time
to play such a small, cryptic role.  The fact that Harry was
interrupted just as he was going to ask about their purpose makes me
think that little detail is crucially important.  

My current theory regarding the things:  Dumbledore was using the
instruments to learn about Voldemort's current powers.  He's known for
quite some time (due to Harry's previous psychic dream episodes) that
Harry and Voldemort are at times mentally connected through the scar.
 His "Naturally, naturally" comment was therefore due to his receiving
the information that Harry was once again seeing things from
Voldemort's perspective.  No big surprise.  He had also been concerned
that Voldemort mught use this connection to manipulate Harry's
behavior siince the beginning of the year, so I hardly think he would
wait until this moment to question the nature of the Harry-Voldemort
connection. 

However, the one thing Dumbledore seems quite interested in is how
Harry saw the attack.  In SS/PS, we learned that Vapormort was capable
of possessing other animals and people.  It was something I never
really questioned; an evil spirit trying to regain life would
naturally be able to possess other beings.  But in OoP, the situation
is different.  Voldemort has his own body; he is mortal again.  Yet
Harry saw the attack, not from the view of Voldemort directing the
snake, but from Voldemort being the snake.  By doing his research with
the little silver instruments, Dumbledore learns that Voldemort has
not transfigured himself, nor is he an animagus.  Voldemort and the
snake are "in essence divided."  The fact that Voldemort is still
capable of possessing animals (and, as we later see, people) makes him
a much more dangerous foe.  Indeed, the only time Dumbledore shows any
fear during the final battle is when Voldemort disappears, preparing
to possess Harry.

I'm not quite sure how this possession ability is going to come into
play, but I am certain that it's going to be extremely important.  An
Evil Overlord wreaking havoc by directing his minions is bad, but an
Evil Overlord capable of taking over his enemies, causing them to
wreak havoc, and then leaving them for dead, in addition to directing
his minions, is worse.  

-Corinth