Harry's Protection (was Re: Questions)

[Barry Arrowsmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 119230

Responses to SSS and snow in this one.

 >
I'm rather surprised there has been no response to this yet onlist,
for it really is a fascinating view.

Yes, I've spouted off about Sacrificial Love, and I still think I've
got a chance to be right on that, but this is nice how you've
  incorporated some of the other rooms in the DoM, as well as Voldy
  being opposite Life with his *Death* eaters.

My one question, thoughL: Why would Life or Life Force be more
wonderful nd **terrible** than death?
 >

Kneasy:
Not the first time it's happened - the original post (89016) didn't 
attract much comment either.

As for 'terrible' - it's a word DD seems to throw around occasionally, 
not  always appropriately IMO. However, the word can and is used in RL 
in ways that devalue or subtly alter it's original meaning - capable of 
inducing terror. Usually it's used as a synonym in situations where 
tough, sad, unfortunate, overwhelming, and so on could also apply.
In that sense life could be terrible - you're stuck with what you're 
presented with - a struggle from the moment you're born.  And you just 
have to grit your teeth and get on with it no matter what. By 
comparison death (*not* the act of dying, but the condition of being 
dead) is a  doddle. Requires no hard work or effort at all.
Certainly it would seem that Harry's predicament is one long terrible 
struggle.

Besides, when thinking of the power as 'life', I can't help remembering 
the title of the first chapter of the first book:
"The Boy Who Lived."
Appropriate, no?


 >
snow:
Another great thought from Kneasy! You always get me thinking and I  
believe I found an almost undetectable play in wording (don't know what 
else to call it) from Jo. Lets look at the entire statement made by DD:

OOP- "There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," […], "that is
kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more
wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than 
forces of nature…It is the power held within that room that you
possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all."

A force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death…
to live forever! To live forever would be wonderful until everyone
you have known has died.

A force that is more wonderful and more terrible than human
intelligence…you would know everything! But who would you have to talk 
with if everyone is beneath your intellect?

How about more wonderful and more terrible than forces of nature…It 
would be like the beauty of the sea until the storm turns her into a 
devastating monster.
<snip>

The Stone and all it had to offer was not such a wonderful thing
because it had its terrible side also.
<snip>

In the end my suspicions would be that immortality is the force that
can be more wonderful and terrible and the power is `pure' self-
sacrificing protection.
 >

Kneasy:
A different take to mine, but that's not important - working up a 
theory that you're happy with and are willing to defend is.
At least  we seem to  agree that it's about life or some aspect of it,
the struggle to survive and thrive from me, the consequences (welcome 
and unwelcome) of immortality from snow. Good. Maybe with a bit of luck 
a crowd will gather and we can start smiting the opposition hip  and 
thigh.

Dunno  about you, but I've never  considered that immortality should be 
considered as a boon, it's more of a curse IMO. Many folk tales look at 
it the same way. Not only is there the eventual dreadful dreariness of 
one damn  day after another, stretching out to eternity, there's also  
the snag that although you're immortal, that doesn't guarantee that 
you'll stay young.

By and large, I'd go along with your contention that to live forever, 
to know everything, would be a real frost. Nothing new - ever.
Terminal ennui and perpetual boredom, something that I get hints of 
when looking at the TV schedules.

However, for the time being I'll stick with life and/or life force in 
it's more conventional form as my pick. To do otherwise would argue 
that Harry (who possesses this power) is immortal himself. Hmm.
A biologist/geneticist can comfortably argue that our DNA *is* 
immortal, having being passed down more or less unchanged from 
pre-history. (It doesn't matter in this case that you and I are 
eventually odds on to turn up our toes, which would knock immortality 
on the head, 'cos we're still alive *now* - and the best description of 
an immortal is someone who isn't dead *yet*.)
But is JKR au fait with biological thinking?
Probably not.