[HPforGrownups] Re: Heir of other houses

[Troels Forchhammer]

No: HPFGUIDX 84822

At 04:28 12-11-03 +0000, you wrote:

>In my opinion, the idea of the "Heir of Slytherin" refers to someone
>who rises up to champion Slytherin's ideals again, not to an actual
>blood heir.

Yes - a spiritual heir - just as one might say about some
physicist that he is the 'heir of Newton' (or some other famous
antecedent).

>In that way of thinking, there isn't going to be an heir of the
>other houses since they don't have such a strong position that needs
>championing.

The conflict between Gryffindor and Slytherin seems to me to
represent, to some extend, the conflict between good and evil
in the magical world.
The conflict between good and evil might be said to, in the
magical world, be fought by proxy through the inter-house
conflict. In that respect the cause of Gryffindor might be
just that; to oppose Slytherin. To the extend that there is
an "Heir of Slytherin" the Gryffindor (current or old) who
opposes this Slytherin can be said to inherit the role of the
house founder; that of opposing Slytherin.

In that respect I think it's fair to speak of an Heir of
Gryffindor - also of an inherited cause that needs a champion.

>In the books, no one is ever refered to as the heir of anything
>except for Slytherin, and the only time that idea comes up is in book
>two. The word "heir" never even appears in any other book. The whole
>Heir of Gryffindor idea is a fan invention.

I tend to agree, though, as I said above, the title might not
be entirely misplaced whether Rowling intends to use it or not.

The problem is, IMO, that the evidence really is there - we have
some very strong evidence that associates Harry with Gryffindor,
but it can equally well be there to prove that Harry very strongly
represents the Gryffindor virtues and to prove a more direct
connection between Harry and Godric Gryffindor. Harry is strongly
associated with Gryffindor - the question is whether it is 'just'
the house or if it also the founder.

However, Harry is, IMO, as much an heir in spirit to Godric
Gryffindor as Voldemort is the heir in spirit to Salazar Slytherin
(Voldemort also being an heir in the flesh of Slytherin is an added
bonus for him ;)

Troels