[HPforGrownups] Basilisk fang

[artsylynda at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 54124

In the Chamber of Secrets fight between Harry and the Basilisk, the snake's 
fang BREAKS OFF in skinny little Harry's arm.  The fang of a 60 foot long 
snake, it seems to me, would probably be about as big around as Harry's arm 
would be at that age, or bigger.  So why did it break off?  Teeth, as my 
dentist tells me repeatedly, are the hardest substance in the body of most 
living things.  There should be nothing in Harry's arm that's *hard* enough 
to break off a snake's fang, even the bones.  Certainly there's not enough 
meat on Harry to hold the snake's tooth so it won't come out of his arm.  The 
Basilisk is big enough to eat Harry whole.  So what made Harry's arm "tough" 
enough for the snake's tooth to break off in it (and I don't think Quidditch 
is the answer here)?  I know we've established that wizards are not as 
fragile as regular humans (Neville bouncing after a fall, or just breaking 
his wrist in that fall from the broom, for instance), but does that mean 
they're actually "denser" in their body mass somehow (like rubber??)?  
Granted, we're talking about fiction, but since we analyze everything in huge 
detail here, I thought somebody might have an interesting idea about this.

Lynda 
* * *
"Don't let  the Muggles get you down." Ron Weasley PoA


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