sorting hat death?/ house relics (was: Re: Foreshadowing Clues in CoS)

[nobodysrib <nobodysrib@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52902

Phyllis wrote: 

JKR has intimated just that in the following quote:

"The character you might be most surprised to see evolve is none 
other than the Sorting Hat. "There is more to the Sorting Hat than 
what you have read about in the first three books," Rowling 
says. "Readers will find out what the Sorting Hat becomes as they get 
into future books." 

see: http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/sorting_hat.html

<snip>

Me:

Could the sorting hat be someone who dies in future books?  If we're 
ever able to validate the "special fan" rumor (I swear I remember 
reading it in an AOL-only interview, but for the life of me cannot 
find that interview anywhere...), the sorting hat (SH) would 
certainly qualify as being a fan of Harry's.  

This could also be how Harry examines death in a new way.  And if 
Harry does find out that he is Gryffindor's heir in OoP, then the SH 
dying would be even more meaningful to him.  Not only did it save his 
life, but it was the only "living" (and magic-friendly) psuedo-
relative.  Wouldn't that just be Harry's luck - he finds out he has 
a "relative" in the SH, and then JKR goes and kills it off...


SeventhSqueal wrote:

... [based on assumptions for the meaning of the title of The Order 
of the Phoenix, one could guess that]  Fawkes is one of the relics 
entrusted to Hogwarts by Godric Gryffindor

Phyllis again:

Other clues in CoS that support the "Fawkes was once Gryffindor's 
phoenix" theory are that Fawkes lives in Dumbledore's office, which 
has a griffin-shaped doorknocker, and also contains Gryffindor's 
sword and the Sorting Hat, which we learn in GoF was once 
Gryffindor's hat. In support of the "Harry as Heir of Gryffindor" 
theory, in CoS, Fawkes brings two items previously owned by 
Gryffindor to Harry's aid in the Chamber - the Sorting Hat and the 
sword.

Me again:

If the SH is a house relic (which makes complete sense to me) then by 
sorting students into houses it/Gryffindor has a VERY powerful 
position at Hogwarts.  (example: how much of Harry's life - and the 
WW world, too - would be different had Harry been sorted into 
Slytherin?)  Dumbledore is a powerful figure at Hogwarts, but even he 
doesn't have this level/aspect of power.  If the SH were killed, 
would it be a great (albeit relatively small) victory for Voldemort?  
An attempt to take over Hogwarts - or at least revoke some of 
Gryffindor's hold on Hogwarts?  

Also, are there any hints about relics entrusted to Hogwarts by other 
House founders?  If the SH were killed, could it be replaced by, say, 
Slytherin's old hat?

- nobody's rib