Recurrences

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 88568

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> bboy_mn:
> I think you are stretching to get an Egypt connection, and I will
> point out that you missed one very important Egyptian creature; Harry
> has also encountered a SPHINX in the Tri-Wizards maze. 
> 
> Other beast and beings-
> 
> * Sphinx - in the Tri-Wizards maze. A Sphinx that would 'pounce' if he
> got the riddle wrong.
> * werewolf - 
> * Hungarian Horntail -
> * Blast-Ended Skrewts - I think they certainly deserve a mention. 
> * MANY Hundreds of Giant Spiders -
> * Merepeople - who, in Harry's opinion, seem armed and quite capable
> of doing him harm.
> * the giant Squid - 
> * Giants - > 
> * Assorted dark creatures like Grindylows, Red Caps, etc...
> * Boggarts -
> * Mountain Trolls - certainly seem dangerous, far more dangerous that
> the valley trolls that were used for security ;).
> 
> * Assorted other creatures like Hags who seem to move about freely in
> the wizard world, but are none-the-less known to eat small children
> when given a chance.
> 
> Like I said the Egypt connection seems like a stretch, but I'm not
> willing to flat out say it is wrong; the clues are there.
> 

I'm not certain  that you've grasped my point here, in fact looking at
the list of creatures you've produced, I'm pretty certain that you haven't.
Either that or I've missed your point. Is it me or is it you?

The idea  I was throwing onto the site was not a list of creatures that
*could* attack Harry, or the creatures that  he had reason  to be cautious
or afraid of. It was that there seemed to  be a trend -  if a creature *did*
attack  him, then looking back through the canon he had usually met a
similar or related creature in a less threatening or even friendly context.
So,  for example he  has a dangerous encounter with the Hungarian 
Horntail; look back and he has a non-dangerous encounter with
Norbert. Same with Fluffy who was preceded by Fang, and so  on.
And I mentioned the exceptions - Skrewts  and Trolls.

So  far as I am aware, Harry has never been attacked by a Hag, Squid,
(has he met one, face to face?), Merman (though they did warn him off),
Werewolf or Giant.
Boggarts are a bit questionable, too. No-one seems to have evidence
proving that Boggarts have the same powers as the beings they mimic
or if they copy just to frighten and intimidate.

I'm grateful that you've mentioned the Sphinx. Splendid! Thank you!
I felt that PP, Ron and Bill, while possibly indicative, were not *direct*
Egyptian links to Harry. Can't think how I missed it.

The Sphinx is a direct link, and true to my hypothesis, it does not 
attack him. In fact it appears fairly passive and gives him the opportunity
to walk away unscathed if he wants to. Only if he gives a wrong answer
will it attack and it warns him of this. In fact, it gives him a broad smile
when he answers correctly. Nice Sphinxy!

Now, to raise my hypothesis to the level of theory, we need Harry to
face  mortal danger from a being with  an Egyptian connection some-
where in the next two books.

Of course, a Werewolf would do just as well, as would a few other
creatures he's already met and where he did not have to defend
himself against overt attack, but I favour the Egyptian motif myself.
More scope for the exotic. 

Kneasy