Essence Divided (WAS: Kreature/Snape)

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 83125

> This is all assuming that VM is not referring to Snape in [GoF 
Chap 33 UKPB
> page565.]
> <'And here we have six missing Death Eaters. . . three dead in  my 
service.
> One, too cowardly to return . . . he will pay. One,  who I believe 
has left
> me for ever. . . he will be killed, of course . . . <and one, who 
remains my
> most faithful servant, and who  has already re-entered my service.'
> <snip.
> <'He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through  
his efforts
> that our young friend arrived tonight. . .
> 

Actually, Rowling has confirmed that the 'one who left forever' was 
Snape, in an untranscripted book signing Q&A in Vancouver a couple 
of years ago.  

But what I REALLY wanted to reply to in your post was:
> 
> 
> Going off at a complete tangent (Is this allowed?)
> The strange comment made by Dumbledore as he watches the smoke 
form a
> serpent¹s head.
> <[OoP Chapter 22 St Mungo¹s Hospital UKHB page 415/416]
> <ŒNaturally, naturally,¹ murmured DD apparently to himself, still 
observing
> the stream of smoke without the slightest sign of surprise. ŒBut 
in essence
> divided?¹>
> 
> DD seems to be exploring the nature of the relationship between VM 
and
> Harry,
> 
> The comment sounds very much like a reference to that strange 
mystical poem
> of Shakespeare¹s ŒLet the bird of loudest lay¹ also known as ŒThe 
Phoenix
> and the Turtle. The concepts of essence and division are central  
to the
> poem as a  whole. One verse goes:
> 
> So they loved as love in twain,
> Had the essence but in one,
> Two distincts, division none:
> Number there in love was slain.
> 
> Anybody interested?
> 

Astrid, that is an AWESOME catch!  To really get into this 
discussion, here is the full text of the mysterious poem with some 
explanatory notes:  
http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poem1850.html

I'm going to scurry off and do some thinking about this (not to 
mention getting some work done) I just wanted to be sure your post 
was noticed.

Sydney