A moral theory of Magic (was Re: A simple-minded question)

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 95289

> Carol:
> Neri, I'm curious as to how your theory would apply to the other
> instances of possession in the book. I can see the gullible and weak
> Quirrell running low on Power X as he begins to believe and actively
> aid Vapormort. At some point, he has so little left that LV can
> possess him. When he kills the unicorn and drinks its blood (for 
LV0,
> he has completely succumbed to evil (through his own choice) but is
> now completely and permanently devoid of Power X. Is that how you 
read
> the situation?
> 
> And what about Ginny, possessed by Diary!Tom, a manifestation of
> Voldemort in an earlier form, who for the purposes of your argument
> can, I think, be regarded as Voldemort himself. Does little Ginny, a
> complete innocent when she begins to confide in the diary, have a
> limited supply of Power X (which IMO can't be love if that's the
> case), and is that power depleted as Tom begins to steal her life 
and
> spirit, as a dementor sucks a soul but more slowly and insidiously?
> Note that Ginny survives the possession and is redeemable, which 
must
> mean that she never committed evil of her own accord (and of course,
> didn't drink unicorn blood or allow Voldemort to occupy her head).
> 
> So how does all of this tie in with Power X, in your view?

Neri:
You made a very good point, Carol. I previously suggested that the 
Dark Arts is the art of achieving your goals by forever relenting 
your Power X, but now I think you are right. It is also the art 
of "milking" Power X out of innocent and weak people.

Power X is (among other things) a metaphor of moral strength. 
Innocence (as in the case of the unicorns) also seems to be 
associated with a lot of Power X. So we need to ask ourselves, how 
did innocent little Ginny compromise her moral strength? I suspect 
she did it in the usual way. Most of the time it is only heroes and 
great people like Harry, Tom, and Lily who make those dramatic, 
critical resolutions between Good and Evil. Most of us usual people 
compromise our moral strength by putting away the difficult 
decisions, by relenting just a tiny bit today, then just a tiny bit 
the next day. This is how good people become drug addicts and end up 
thieves and even killers.

CoS 17:
"The diary," said Riddle. `My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in 
it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and 
woes — how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with 
secondhand robes and books, how —" Riddle's eyes glinted "— how she 
didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her
"

Compromising oneself can start with very small sins. Instead of going 
out and prove her worth to the world, to Harry and to herself, it was 
easier to sit and pine in the ears of a secret friend. Someone who 
was in her pocket and she wouldn't share with anybody.

CoS 17:
"So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be 
exactly what I wanted
 I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her 
deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more 
powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding 
Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my 
soul back into her
"

Hmm, sounds like a true vampire. Apparently, as a fear is deeper, and 
as a secret is darker, they are associated with more Power X.

CoS 17:
"Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very 
amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries
far more 
interesting, they became
 Dear Tom," he recited, watching Harry's 
horrified face, `I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster 
feathers all over my robes and 1 don't know how they got there. Dear 
Tom, l can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat 
was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy 
keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me
 
There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, 
what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad
 I think I'm the one 
attacking everyone, Tom!"

So Ginny could have stopped the attacks and the petrifying at any 
time, and she knew it well, deep in her little heart. She could have 
gone straight to McGonagall, confess and reveal the secret of the 
diary, but by that time she couldn't find the courage to face the 
consequences. Tom no doubt told her that she would be expelled from 
Hogwarts, that her family will be ashamed in her and that Harry will 
never look at her again. So instead of doing The Right Thing, she 
started to cover up. She threw the diary away, then broke into 
Harry's dormitory and stole it back. And with every additional small 
crime, and with every additional day she didn't go straight to 
McGonagall, doing The Right Thing became harder and harder. With each 
additional basilisk attack that she knew she could have prevented but 
didn't, she was losing more of her moral strength, and more of her 
Power X, the power that Diary!Tom was growing on. Petrifying 4 or 5 
mudbloods (and the caretaker's cat!) was small change for the Dark 
Lord, hardly a bonus. He was going to do them all anyway once he 
returned to life. His real motive behind the attacks was milking 
Ginny's Power as a way to resurrect himself. 

But as you said, Ginny *is* redeemable. Power X can be gained back, 
and it frequently does. Otherwise there wouldn't have been any point 
in paying back a life debt. We know of only four things that are 
irredeemable: the three Unforgivables and drinking unicorn blood. And 
Diary!Tom didn't (couldn't?) convince Ginny to do any of these things.

Neri