Death Chamber/ancient magic

[urghiggi]

No: HPFGUIDX 81876

Re the Death Chamber -- when I first read OoP I was so struck by this scene, 
and on my 2d reading it resonated with some strong echos of the Stone Table 
in the Narnia books. The Table's original function was as an execution site for 
"traitors"; it was later venerated as the execution site for the (died & rose 
again) Aslan, who offered himself sacrifically in a traitor's place. So the Table 
became a Golgotha kind of place, I suppose. The Table was described as 
very old, and engraved with ancient runes spelling out the "deep magic" from 
before the Dawn of Time. Over centuries the table was buried in a ritual 
mound (underground, then, like arch in the death chamber). The mound and 
the table were venerated as sacred (and apparently feared by some as 
haunted), though in later centuries apparently most Narnians had forgotten 
why...... 

If the arch in OoP were a mere execution device, I can't see why it would be in 
the Dept. of Mysteries. It ought to be in a place more associated with justice -- 
elsewhere in the MoM -- down there with the big courtroom, maybe -- or over 
in Azkaban. If it's in the Mysteries Dept, there's got to be more to it than that -- 
it has to be there as some kind of object of study. (But then why the spectator 
seating?) And it's repeatedly described as so ancient. I have to wonder if the 
Untouchables themselves are not sure of all the uses/purposes of the object, 
but only know that it is old & important, like the latter-day Narnians' view of the 
Stone Table and its site. Maybe the fact that it's there is just a blatant 
metaphor -- that death and the hereafter are among the most fundamental 
and ancient mysteries...

And the whole "ancient magic" theme in the potterverse has also always 
evoked strong echos for me of that same "deep magic"/"deeper magic" thing 
in the Narnia books, which JKR reportedly has read many, many times. The 
sense in the Narnia books (and I wonder if this is going to be true in the 
Potterverse) is that this kind of "deep" magic is fundamental to the operation of 
the world -- that it is immutable and that it transcends the daily kind of magic 
that you could study or learn to acquire. Almost like the "rules" that underlie 
the foundation of the world in question, crafted by the one who created the 
world (Emperor/God in Narnia... and I guess JKR herself in Potterverse!).

If Harry's mom's sacrifice is an example of the "ancient magic" -- what does 
that say about D'dore's ability to manipulate it in service of his plan? 
Obviously it can be manipulated, or at least taken advantage of somehow.... 
but since we still have SO LITTLE INFO about what really happened with the 
whole "sacrificial death" and "blood relatives" magic, it's hard to figure out 
how. If this brand of magic is so ancient, fundamental, and powerful -- why 
would LV despise it so? He seems to be of the "use any means" type, but the 
nature of ancient magic seems repulsive to him, despite its power. Is it that he 
WON'T use it (presumably because it's somehow love-based, the view that 
seems to be supported by canon) or that he CAN'T use it (again, because it's 
love-based)? And just because the only example given (lily's sacrifice) is 
love-based -- does this necessarily rule out the possibility that there may be 
other aspects of this ancient magic that are morally neutral or even dark? 
Again, we don't have enough info to know ... yet.

tis a puzzlement...

Urghiggi, chgo