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

[laylalast]

No: HPFGUIDX 80991

> 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.

Lilian:

This is what JKR said about Harry's not being able to see the 
Thestrals in the Royal Albert Hall interview:

"Email: Harry saw his parents die so why hasn't he been able to see 
the Thestrals before?
JK Rowling:  I knew I was going to get that one
that is an excellent 
question. And here is the truth. At the end of Goblet of Fire we sent 
Harry home more depressed than he had ever been leaving Howarts.  I 
knew that Thestrals were coming, and I can prove that because they're 
in the book I'd produced for Comic Relief (UK) Fantastic Beaststs and 
Where to Find Them.
These are lucky Black Winged Horses. However, if Harry had seen them 
and it had not been explained then it would cheat the reader.  So, to 
explain that to myself, I decided you had to have seen the death and 
allowed it to sink in a bit
 slowly
these creatures became solid in 
front of you. So that's how I'm going to sneak past that one."