[HPforGrownups] Re: Seeing the thestrals - third student

[Wendy St John]

No: HPFGUIDX 73214

 "Wanda Sherratt" wrote:
> Does everyone remember that there was a THIRD student in Harry's 
> group who could see the thestrals?  He was a pale Slytherin 
student, He isn't named, but I noticed a funny thing when looking up 
something in PS - one of the students sorted with Harry was named 
Nott.  The son of the Deatheater Nott, perhaps?  I wonder what he 
might have seen to permit him to see the thestrals?

bibphile replied:

"I don't think he's the boy who saw the Thestrals.  There both 
described as thin (I think) but I really think that if they were the 
same kid, Harry would have thought about him seeing the Thestrals 
when he [Harry] saw Theodore in the library.  It's not definate 
though.  Harry didn't know the kid's name until Hermione told him."

Now me (Wendy):

I agree with bibphile, that Theodore Nott is not the one. My guess is that
the "thestral kid" is none other than the elusive Blaise Zabini, who was
also sorted with Harry. I just wish to heck JKR would have come out and
said that, so the issue about the poor kid's gender could be put to rest
for once and all. I believe Blaise is male (all the Blaises I've ever known
were male. Admittedly, it's not a very long list <g>, but it is
traditionally a boy's name), so he's got my vote as the one who could see
the thestral. And, while we hear "him" getting sorted in the first book, he
doesn't seem to have made any impression on Harry, so it's not unreasonable
that Harry doesn't think of him by name. Well, except for the fact that
he's had Potions with the Slytherins for five years, and CoMC for three,
and so might be expected to know all his fellow students in those classes
by name, at least. Apparently not, though. I guess our boy Harry isn't the
most perceptive person around. Too bad he didn't ask Hermione - I'm sure
she knows the kid's name.  In any case, I'm going with Blaise.

(To steal a line from bboy)
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

:-)
Wendy