Bang! You're Dead. (was:Voldemorts animus...)

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 85913

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> Kneasy wrote:
> > Why not  unforgivable curses? After all they are only unforgivable 
> > when used against *people* and Voldy is no longer human. 
> 
> Now Siriusly Snapey Susan:
> This comes up ALL THE TIME.  Can you, Kneasy, or someone else PLEASE 
> enlighten me as to why this is true?  I myself have stated that I 
> believe he has chosen a life which is less than truly LIVING...but I 
> cannot get a handle on where people get it that either 1) Voldy is 
> not a human being; or 2) Voldy is immortal.  What have I missed?
> 

Pleased to. You must have skipped over it somehow.
GoF, graveyard scene, Voldy addressing the returned DEs.

1. "They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against 
mortal death."

2. "My curse was deflected by the womans foolish sacrifice, and it
rebounded upon me. Aaaah.... pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing 
could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than 
spirit, less than the meanest ghost....but still I was alive. What  I was, even 
I do not know...I  who  have gone further than anybody along the path that
leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was
tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked...
for I  had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. [....] for I
had no body and every spell which might have helped me required the use
of a wand."

Earlier,in his pre-cauldron phase  Voldy is also described as 'creature' and
'the thing'. There is no hint of human-ness. 

So, we have an evil emanation (not even spirit, let alone mind) with no body, 
that has survived an AK (which is not possible for a mortal.)

Whatever constructs he inhabits from Godrics Hollow on, whether 'the thing', 
rats, Quirrell or the stew in the cauldron, Voldy is at best a parasitic evil
force that cannot be considered to be human but is damn near immortal.
Based on what he says, I'll bet that his current body could be destroyed
and his evil would *still* exist. A nice problem if you want to get rid of
him for good. 
Tom Riddle in CoS is not 'real' - he is an expression from the diary and 
vanishes with its destruction, though  Ginny's spirit and life force would 
have given him substance.

Kneasy