"Ouch!"

[Amanar]

No: HPFGUIDX 95973

Amanar pesting again, but I couldn't keep this to myself.

At the first book, when Harry arrived at Hogwarts, was sorted and 
well fed when he looked at Snape and - OUCH! his scar burned? I 
always thought Snape was playing some trick on Harry, that he made 
Harry's scar hurt for whatever reason (his enmity with James came to 
my mind).

Well, here's where snooping pays off :) Let's get back to that 
scene. Harry, fed and sleepy, looks up at the staff table (alas! no 
books within reach to provide quotes). And as *Quirrel turns his 
head,* Snape looks straight at Harry and his scar burns. If Quirrel 
looked away, it means that the evil Lord inside his turban was 
looking straight at Harry, and we've already seen LV causing Harry's 
scar to hurt him. And remember how, at one of the last chapters 
(before the trio gets past the trapdoor), Harry complains that his 
scar *had been hurting before,* but not as strongly as just then? 
Harry was very near LV all year. Obviously, that had affected his 
scar, but he didn't connect it with Quirrel's presence. Who would?

So why did I say snooping pays off? I've been revisiting many old 
interviews etc. JKR has given in the past year, including an audio 
of an event where JK answered questions about the books. Somebody 
asked about the scar incident at book 1 and she practically spelled 
out what I wrote above. 

If anyone wishes to hear it with their own ears:
http://www.angelfire.com/magic/aberforthsgoat/audio.htm
(pick the "RealAudio of Rowling's address to the National Press 
Club" - you'd need Real Player to hear it)


--Amanar, who sincerely hopes this hasn't been discussed yet