Thestrals and seeing death (was: Deaths at Hogwarts?)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 80989

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "president0084" 
<president0084 at y...> wrote:


Jim:
> I don't have my book with but 1st year Harry didn't use the 
Carriage.
> 2nd year he used the flying car to get to Hogwarts, in 3rd year we 
> would all agree he was not really paying attention to his 
> suroundings. But here is the kicker, in 4th year there is no reason 
> why he shouldn't have seen them unless it didn't really count if he 
> was an infant with not been able to remember or understand what was 
> happening.
> 
> So Harry's been able to see the thestrals happened by either the 
> event of the 3rd task or seeing the memory of his mother dieing.
> 
> Don't forget Harry didn't see Quirell die, he was told by 
Dumbledore, 
> he also didn't see James die as he was in a different room.
> 

Geoff:
I think that to see the Thestrals, you have to have seen death and 
know what it was. As a child of one, Harry must have realised that 
something out of routine was happening, but would you really expect 
him to realise what death actually entailed? I would agree with your 
own suggestion that he became able to see Thestrals after Cedric's 
death.