The Ghoul in the attic

[Susan Miller]

No: HPFGUIDX 97012

The Ghoul in the Attic

I started wondering about the ghoul at the Burrow when I was 
researching for a new filk. What is a ghoul and why do we only hear 
about the one at the Burrow?

Here is the Wikipedia definition of Ghoul 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghoul):

<begin quote>
"Ghouls are a variety of monster that come from Arab folklore. The 
English word comes from Arabic al ghûl. The Arabian ghoul is a desert-
dwelling, shapeshifting demon that can transform itself into the 
guise of an animal, especially a hyæna. It robs graves and feeds on 
the flesh of the dead, or on young children. They also lure 
travellers into the desert wastes to slay and devour them. The star 
Algol is also named after this creature from Arabian legend."<end 
quote>

I found this particularly interesting. This is the second connection 
between the Weasley household and the Middle East. Does anyone think 
that Bill might have brought the ghoul from Egypt?

The ghoul has some interesting capabilities - it feeds on the flesh 
of the dead (handy if you need to dispose of a body), it shapeshifts, 
it lures travellers into the desert wastes. I think Bill has a reason 
for wanting to have a ghoul handy, and I fear it's not for anything 
good.

There have been other posts of suspicions about Bill. Check out posts 
55155, 85409, 85729 for discussions of ESE!Bill.

If Bill brought it, then one might wonder at the motivation that 
would cause him to bring an being that feeds on young children into a 
house full of them. While I'm willing to consider an ESE!Bill, I 
can't believe he would be capable of putting his family in immediate 
danger. Perhaps the ghoul entered the Weasley household only after 
the youngest child was too old to be tempting to a hungry flesh-eater?

So, knowing me, Dear Readers, you must know that All Roads Lead to 
Quirrell. How do we get from a Ghoul in the Attic to Quirrell? Let's 
review:

We first meet Quirrell in the Leaky Cauldron, when (we learn later) 
he is in the process of attempting to steal the hilosophers/Sorcerors 
Stone from Gringotts. Some chapters elapse and we learn that there 
was a break-in at Gringott's but nothing was taken because the vault 
was already empty. But how do the goblins even KNOW about it? These 
secure vaults are unusual in that, any attempt by anyone other than a 
Gringotts goblin will cause the person to be sucked into the vault 
and may not be discovered for ten years. How could Quirrell have even 
attempted the robbery and escaped? The robbery could only have been 
an inside job. There MUST have been a Gringott's goblin working with 
Quirrell to get the vault open. Who else do we know who works at 
Gringott's? None other than Bill Weasley.

I think that Bill acted as intermediary that enabled Quirrell to 
connect with a crooked goblin at Gringott's and gain access to the 
secure vault.

Furthermore, I think Quirrell gave Bill his dragon earring as a thank-
you. Quirrell is good with trolls, trolls keep dragons, .... Quirrell 
had access to dragon parts.

In conclusion - I think we will hear more about the Ghoul in the 
Attic and Bill's earring. Oh yes, and I think we will see Quirrell 
again, too - this time as a Good Guy. Have I mentioned that before?

~ Constance Vigilance - getting back to my filk now.