[HPforGrownups] Re: Forever Wicked?

[Wendy St John]

No: HPFGUIDX 74502

Ariadne asked:

"I'm wondering about the Slytherin who could see the thestrals with 
Harry and Neville--who is he, why could he see them, and will this be 
important for the future?"

Now me (Wendy):

Okay, here's my theory:

I think it's Blaise Zabini, who got sorted into Slytherin in Harry's first
year. This would prove my theory that Blaise is, indeed, a boy (Blaise is
typically a boy's name, but since the Zabini child's gender was never
specifically stated, a lot of people have questioned this). I also think
he's going to turn out to be the "good Slytherin," and I have canon to
prove it!

Well, okay, maybe "canon" is a bit of an overstatement. It's more of a
squirt gun, but anyhow . . . 

CANON: Harry does not know thestral guy's name.  (OoP, The Eye of the
Snake, page 445, US hardcover): "There were only two other people who
seemed to be able to see them: a stringy Slytherin boy standing just behind
Goyle was watching the horse eating with an expression of great distaste on
his face . . . . "

The fact that Harry has been in CoMC class with him for three years now
(and presumably taken Potions with him for five)  and *still* doesn't know
the kid's name indicates to me that Mr. Zabini (or whomever thestral guy
turns out to be) has never done anything to attack or insult Harry, either
on his own or in conjunction with Draco and his "gang." (And if you're
thinking that maybe Harry does know his name, but JKR knows that *we*
don't, so just refers to him as "stringy Slytherin boy," well, I'm not
buying it. <g>). So, if thestral guy had ever been awful to Harry, I think
Harry would know his name. And any Slytherin in Potter's year who *hasn't*
given the Boy Who Lived a difficult time is definitely not living up to the
standard of a true Evil Slytherin. Therefore, Blaise Zabini aka Thestral
Guy must be good. 

There you have it. A Good Slytherin. With canon! (Well, less canon than
some theories, but substantially more than others! <g>). 

:-)

Wendy St John
hebrideanblack at earthlink.net