seeing Thestrals - was OOP: Mysteries and Inconsistencies

[fran]

No: HPFGUIDX 62977

In reply to queries about the Thestral debate, here's my take on why 
it was neither an error nor particularly mysterious:

pg 349:  '"The only people who can see Thestrals," she [Hermione] 
said, "are people who have seen death."

"Tha's exactly right," said Hagrid solemnly...'


Now, the obvious 'mistake' here is that Harry did not see Cedric die 
in that he had his eyes shut at the time - therefore he should have 
seen Thestrals earlier on (because he'd been with Quirrel and his 
mother when they'd died).  

Personally, I think this is irrelevant.

If we are to accept that Hermione and Hagrid are correct (which they 
may not be but let's not confuse things here), then we can look at 
the explanation in numerous ways:

- "Death."  What is meant by this?  Is it the green light that hits 
the victim?  The words said?  The intent?  The effect?  The heart 
stopping beating and the victim stopping breathing?  Brain shut-
down?  The Grim Reaper?

- "Seen."  Necessarily eyesight?  Perhaps not.  Maybe second sight, 
maybe another type of sight like the one that enables Harry to see Mr 
Weasley getting attacked even though his eyes are shut at the time.  
I'm going to take the old meaning of 'seeing' however - the one which 
means 'understanding.'  

'I see' and 'I understand' are interchangable, and if we take this 
outlook on OoP then it sheds light on a couple of things, most 
obviously the Thestral 'error.'  

Lily's death could not have been 'understood' by Harry because he was 
only a baby at the time and as such did not have the cognitive 
ability to 'see' what her death meant.  'Death' is something far 
greater than any one of the things I listed earlier - it is all of 
them and it is more.  The 'effect' of death is necessarily a part of 
its meaning, since otherwise the word 'death' is meaningless.  Harry 
felt no effect of Lily's death - he merely grew up without a mother.  
He could not miss her since he never knew her.  Likewise with 
Quirrel - Quirrel's death meant little to Harry, so he had not 
truly 'seen' the full extent of 'death.'  
With Cedric, however, he has.  He is old enough to comprehend death 
and everything that it means - but until it has sunk in (which is 
during the summer between GoF and OoP).  

I reckon.

Furthermore, seeing and understanding show up in other ways in the 
book, eg Dumbledore not looking at Harry.  This symbolises him 
misunderstanding the boy - if he had 'seen' Harry like Sirius did 
then he would not have kept secrets from Harry and a lot of things 
would have been cleared up.

Likewise, Harry does not see Ron or Hermione for a while and this 
leads to misunderstanding and conflict.

On pg 131 Arabella Figg is incensed when Fudge doubts that Squibs can 
see Dementors.  This is understandable, because Fudge's question 
suggests that he thinks Squibs are of lower intelligence.  
Ironically, it is he who is being obtuse and not 'seeing' the truth.

Throughout the book, Luna does a lot of -just-looking- at Ron and 
Harry - evidently she is making an attempt at understanding them.  pg 
168:  "...without taking her eyes off Harry" and "Luna turned her 
pale eyes on him [Neville] instead."  

Anyway, I'm running out of steam here.  Opinions, anyone?