mystery of the singing valentine

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 96793

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "caesian" <caesian at y...> wrote:
> Perhaps you have also noticed the ambiguous authorship of Harry's 
singing valentine in 
> CoS?  I'm going to enter the full text, as this will be the best 
part of the post, no contest:
> 
> His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
> His hair is as dark as a blackboard
> I wish he was mine
> He's really divine
> The hero who conquered the DARK LORD
> 
> Draco, in a fit of spite at being disarmed of Riddle's diary, 
attributes authorship to Ginny 
> Weasley - who is a spectator to the scene and is looking so 
terrified at the time that even 
> Harry notices her.  She runs away crying at Draco's taunting, and 
we are left to assume 
> that she did, indeed send the Valentine.  (Not totally out of 
character, she did make him a 
> singing get-well card and obviously has a huge crush on Harry in 
CoS.)
> 
> Quibbler time:
> But did she?
> 
> Anyone else spot the DARK LORD?  At this point in the series, 
reading chronologically, we 
> are not aware of the difference in LV terminology.  But in 
retrospect is Ginny Weasley likely 
> to use that term even if it rhymes?  Yes, I know she's being 
possessed by TR, but if Riddle 
> sent the Valentine, that means Ginny didn't, anymore than she 
strangled Hagrid's roosters.  
> A ploy of Riddle's to unearth the ink-impervious wonders of the 
diary?  A plot on the part 
> of Malfoy to embarrass Potter?  Both seem far fetched.  Pansy 
Parkinson's secret heart-
> ache?  Are there any other explanations out there (not ESE!Ginny)
> 
> Just a thought.

Now (Quigon) Ginger:

What struck me was that Fred and George knew it well enough after one 
hearing to repeat it ad nauseum.  They weren't mentioned as being 
present for the recitation.  Way back when, someone else (sorry- 
don't remember who-please feel free to put a feather in your cap) 
pointed this out and wondered if they had written it.  

I think this is a valid theory, although not the only one.  It 
certainly tickled my funny bone.  

The rhyming thing does come into play, if you think about it- what 
rhymes with You-Know-Who?  or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?  (Can't say 
the v-word, you know)

His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad.
His hair is as black as my dog's doo.
I wish he was mine, 
He's really divine,
The hero who conquered You-Know-Who.

Nope, doesn't work.

His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad.
His hair is jet black and cannot be tamed.
I wish he was mine,
He's really divine, 
The hero who conquered He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Eh, better, but loses the rhythm.

No, I think the Dark Lord was just for rhyming purposes.

Lovely, though, how JKR ties in Ginny's embarrassment over the 
Valentine with her seeing Harry with the diary.  Clever indeed!

Ginger, who thinks someone needs to ask JKR about this.