Do the Dead Walk?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 89035

Kneasy: 
 >>Hey! Steady on! Don't do anything rash.It wasn't my intention 
to scupper an entire field of speculation; seemingly fertile ground 
for discussion, disagreement, recrimination  and life-long 
emnity. That would eliminate half the fun.

 My argument was very definitely centred on the Snape!Vampire 
heresy.  Other un-dead are a another thing entirely, IMO.
 
 True, we have no direct evidence, but when has that ever 
stopped the firm declaration of a perverse poster?<<

Never. And so I firmly and perversely declare, in the spirit of good 
fun and with all due respect for other points of view <g>, my 
definition of the Potterverse vampire:

a) Vampires exist in the WW (mentioned in all five books and 
both school books)

b) It is quite possible, though unconfirmed, that vampires are no 
more dead than thestrals -- there many things which resemble  
re-animated corpses in the Potterverse but nothing AFAIK that 
actually is one (all five books and both school books)

c) They *look* dead (PoA)

d) They like the taste of  blood (PoA)

e) They avoid garlic (PS/SS, PoA)

f) They can ingest other food and drink  (CoS,OOP)

g) Their skin is white and waxy (PoA)

h) There may be something odd about their eyes (PoA)

i) Most wizards are afraid of them and many hate them (GoF)

j) Some vampires are outlaws, hunted and slain by the Ministry 
of Magic (GoF)

k) They are hard to kill (GoF)

l) They are associated with bats (QTTA)

m) They are associated with The Black Forest, Transylvania, and 
Minsk (PS/SS, QTTA,  OOP)

n) They are intelligent enough to take a role in magical 
government (FBAWTFT)

o) They can control their brutal instincts (FBAWTFT)

p) They are non-wizarding  (GoF)


q) They are part-human  (GoF)


Kneasy:
> Vampires exist in the WW. How they are defined is unknown, 
but they must bear some sort of relationship to traditional 
legend.<

As usual,  it's hard to know what information we can trust. How 
much of the above applies to "traditional" vampires I will leave to 
students of the same.

Kneasy:
>> If they don't, why call them vampires? A un-undead beast  
who preys on flesh and blood would be an ogre (no mention so 
far), so the term 'vampire'  must have some significance.<<

First, two mentions of ogres: one in FBAWTFT under the Ghoul, 
which is said to resemble one, and  in PoA--ch.8   "We *think* we 
saw an ogre,honestly;they get all sorts at The Three Broomsticks 
."  Again, no indication that either is unDead.  I can't imagine Ron 
being comfortable anywhere that humans were likely to be on 
the menu.

Second, they're called Vampires, because, um, they're vampires 
-- but not vampires as we know them. Just like Elves are elves 
(the ones from the Brothers Grimm, not Tolkien's version) who've 
been given the powers and limitations of Aladdin's genie, and 
Ghouls are ghouls but live on moths and spiders. And Wizards 
are wizards  but may pass their  powers to their children, quite 
unlike traditional  enchanters who tend to lose their powers upon 
succumbing to carnal lust. Traditional wizards serve a clan--in 
the Potterverse they are a clan themselves.

The idea that Potterverse vampires can't control their urge to 
drink blood or that they are possessed corpses is, IMO, pure 
slander.

Kneasy: 
> >Additionally, there  is Pavarti's  boggert. An animated 
mummy. Why  should she fear an imaginary being more than a 
whole beastiary of 'real' monsters? Note that the rest of the class 
seemed to accept it as an acceptable and reasonable cause of 
terror. And if they didn't  exist I'm sure Hermione would have had 
something scathing to say.<<

No--because Hermione's own worst fear isn't realistic either. 
And she knows it.

Kneasy:
> But I  live in hope. Ah! The dark of the moon; 
 that piquant graveyard smell; maggot-ridden flesh; the trail of 
 digits and limbs surplus to requirements as a monstrous 
being lurches towards an unsuspecting victim! 
> 
> Surely JKR won't deny us a glimpse into the necropolis?<<

I think we have glimpsed it, and  JKR's necropolis is a friendly 
place, by and large. Werewolves control their affliction with a 
potion. Familiar voices whisper from beyond the veil. Ghosts 
glide in formation. The Bloody Baron is ghastly-looking but 
harmless AFAWK. Peeves is a nuisance but not scary.  The 
departed smile and wave at Harry from photograph albums and 
a magical mirror. Their echoes spring from wands and portraits 
to offer friendly advice.  By far the most terrifying thing  he meets 
in the graveyard is a living man.

Pippin